Resource Library

In this wonder-filled episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we are joined by author, spiritual director, and educator Lacy Finn Borgo for a rich conversation about spiritual conversations with children. As we enter the mystery and anticipation of the Christmas season, Lacy invites us to slow down and listen more deeply to the wisdom, questions, and insights children bring to conversations about God, faith, and the sacred. Drawing from her work accompanying people on their spiritual journeys, Lacy shares how meaningful conversations with children often begin not with having the right answers, but with cultivating curiosity, presence, and openness. Together, we explore how parents, caregivers, and educators can create space for children to wonder aloud, ask big questions, and engage with the mysteries that are at the heart of the spiritual life. Throughout our conversation, Lacy reminds us that children are not simply learning about faith; they are active participants in discovering and experiencing it. Their questions, observations, and unique perspectives can offer profound insights for adults as well. As Christmas approaches, we reflect on how embracing wonder can help us encounter familiar stories in fresh and meaningful ways. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or ministry leader, this episode offers encouragement to listen deeply, wonder freely, and embrace the sacred conversations already unfolding in the lives of the children around you. Join us for this thoughtful discussion as we explore the gift of wonder, the wisdom of children, and the beauty of spiritual conversations during the Christmas season and beyond. To learn more about Lacy and her work, visit her website.

In this peaceful and inspiring episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we welcome Godly Play Trainer Jill Gidlund for a conversation about creating sacred spaces within the home. In the midst of busy schedules, endless to-do lists, and the everyday demands of family life, Jill invites us to slow down and consider how our homes can become places of connection, reflection, and presence. Together, we explore the beauty and simplicity of creating home altars—intentional spaces that serve as reminders of what is meaningful, grounding, and sacred in our lives. Jill shares practical ideas for designing these spaces with children and families, emphasizing that sacred spaces do not need to be elaborate to be impactful. Rather, they can be created with ordinary objects, treasured keepsakes, natural elements, and symbols that invite wonder and reflection. Throughout our conversation, Jill offers gentle encouragement to be present to the moments unfolding around us and to cultivate rhythms that help us notice beauty, gratitude, and connection in our daily lives. Her wisdom reminds us that creating sacred space is less about perfection and more about making room for intention, attentiveness, and meaningful encounters. Whether you're looking for ways to deepen family rituals, create moments of stillness, or simply bring greater awareness into your everyday routines, this episode offers practical inspiration and heartfelt encouragement. Join us for this gift of a conversation as we explore how sacred spaces can nurture connection, wonder, and presence within our homes.

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of grief, loss, and emotional pain that some listeners may find difficult. In this tender and deeply meaningful episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we welcome Jessica Field, Spiritual Wellness Coach, as we explore one of life's most challenging realities: grief. While grief can be a difficult topic to discuss with children, it is an experience that touches every family in some way. Avoiding the conversation doesn't make the pain disappear, but learning how to walk through it together can help children feel supported, understood, and loved. Drawing from her extensive background in trauma, mental health, social services, and spiritual care, Jessica offers compassionate guidance for parents and caregivers navigating loss alongside the children in their lives. Together, we discuss how children experience grief, the questions they may ask, and the ways adults can create safe spaces for honest emotions and healing conversations. Throughout our conversation, Jessica reminds us that grief is not something to fix or rush through. Instead, it is a journey that calls for presence, patience, and connection. She shares practical insights for supporting children through difficult seasons while also acknowledging the challenges adults face as they carry their own grief. This episode is filled with heartfelt moments, honest reflection, and gentle wisdom for anyone seeking to care for children through times of loss. Join us as we explore how love, compassion, and community can help us navigate grief together and discover hope even in the midst of heartbreak. To learn more about Jessica and the workshops she offers, visit her website.

In this thoughtful episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we welcome Melinda Wenner Bradley, licensed Godly Play Trainer, Director of Communications and Training for Faith & Play Stories, educator, author, and longtime advocate for nurturing children's spiritual lives. Together, we explore a topic that can feel both challenging and deeply needed in today's busy world: the importance of silence. Drawing from her years of experience working with children, families, schools, and faith communities, Melinda shares how moments of quiet can create space for wonder, reflection, listening, and connection. In a culture that often values constant activity and noise, she invites us to consider the gifts that silence offers—not only to children, but to people of all ages. Throughout our conversation, we discuss how creating intentional space for silence can help children develop a deeper awareness of themselves, others, and the sacred. Melinda reflects on the ways storytelling, community, and shared experiences can nurture belonging while making room for meaningful moments of stillness and contemplation. With wisdom shaped by decades of ministry, education, and leadership, Melinda encourages parents, caregivers, educators, and faith leaders to move beyond models that focus primarily on information and instead embrace practices that cultivate curiosity, presence, and relationship. Her insights offer practical encouragement for anyone seeking to create environments where children feel valued, connected, and free to explore life's deepest questions. Join us for a rich conversation about silence, wonder, and the transformative power of simply making space to listen.

In this joyful and thought-provoking episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we are joined by Rev. Dr. Lakisha R. Lockhart, mother, wife, educator, theologian, consultant, advocate, and self-proclaimed coolest auntie around. As Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary and Executive Secretary of the Religious Education Association, Lakisha brings a vibrant perspective to faith formation that embraces creativity, movement, play, and the wisdom of the body. Together, we explore the often-overlooked importance of play in the lives of children and adults alike. Lakisha invites us to reconsider play not as a luxury or distraction, but as an essential part of learning, growth, spiritual development, and human flourishing. Drawing from her work in Christian education, Womanist theology, and creative arts, she shares how play creates space for curiosity, imagination, connection, and deeper engagement with both faith and community. Throughout our conversation, Lakisha challenges us to honor play as the important work of childhood while also recognizing our own need for joy, movement, and creativity as adults. She offers practical insights into how families, educators, and faith communities can create environments where wonder and exploration are welcomed and encouraged. Whether you're a parent, caregiver, educator, or faith leader, this episode is a refreshing reminder that play is not something we outgrow; it is a vital part of what helps us learn, connect, heal, and thrive. Join us as we rediscover the sacred gift of play and its transformative role in nurturing the whole person.

In this engaging episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we are joined by Dr. Jennifer Thomas, relationship expert, speaker, and co-author of The 5 Love Languages of Children. Together, we explore how understanding a child's unique love language can strengthen relationships, deepen connection, and help children feel truly seen, valued, and loved. Dr. Thomas shares practical insights into the different ways children give and receive love, helping parents and caregivers recognize the emotional needs that may be hiding beneath everyday behaviors. From words of affirmation and quality time to acts of service, gifts, and physical touch, we discuss how each love language can shape the way children experience belonging and security within their families. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Thomas offers thoughtful guidance for applying these concepts in real-life parenting situations, reminding us that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nurturing children. Instead, she encourages parents and caregivers to approach their relationships with curiosity, intentionality, and grace as they learn how each child uniquely experiences love. Whether you're raising toddlers, school-aged children, or teens, this episode provides practical tools and encouraging perspectives for building stronger connections and creating a home where children can flourish. Join us as we explore the power of love, relationship, and meaningful connection in the lives of our children.

In this meaningful episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we welcome Dr. Jessica Young Brown, licensed clinical psychologist, educator, and advocate for accessible and equitable mental health care. As we recognize Mental Health Awareness Month, Dr. Brown joins us for a thoughtful conversation about the intersection of faith, mental health, and healing. Together, we explore some of the challenges individuals and families may encounter when navigating mental health within faith communities, including the realities of religious-related trauma and the impact these experiences can have on spiritual and emotional well-being. Dr. Brown offers compassionate insights into how churches, caregivers, and communities can create spaces that support both faith and mental wellness. Drawing from her expertise as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Brown also discusses the importance of equitable access to mental health resources and the ways that systems of injustice, including racism, can affect mental health outcomes. Throughout our conversation, she invites us to consider how understanding, curiosity, and care can help foster healing and wholeness. Whether you are a parent, caregiver, faith leader, or someone seeking a deeper understanding of the relationship between spirituality and mental health, this episode offers wisdom, hope, and practical insights for the journey. Join us as we explore what it means to care for our minds, our spirits, and one another with compassion and grace.

n this heartfelt episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we are delighted to welcome Kayla Craig, creator of Liturgies for Parents and author of Every Season Sacred. Through her writing, prayers, and reflections, Kayla has encouraged countless parents to discover the sacred woven into the everyday moments of family life. Together, we explore what it means to nurture faith in the midst of real life—the beautiful, messy, ordinary days of parenting. Kayla shares wisdom for parents who long to connect their love for God with their love for their children, offering gentle encouragement for finding meaningful spiritual practices amid busy schedules, overflowing laundry baskets, and the countless responsibilities that come with caring for a family. Drawing from her own experiences as a parent and faith leader, Kayla invites us to see that spiritual formation doesn't only happen in grand moments or perfectly planned routines. Instead, it often unfolds through small acts of presence, intentionality, and grace. This conversation is filled with hope for parents who want to cultivate a faith that feels authentic, accessible, and deeply rooted in everyday life. Whether you're navigating a season of joy, challenge, transition, or simply the daily rhythms of parenting, this episode offers practical wisdom and gentle reminders that every season can be sacred. Join us as we reflect on faith, family, and the ways God meets us right where we are.

In this thought-provoking episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we welcome Daniel Wolpert, Executive Director and co-founder of MICAH (the Minnesota Institute for Contemplation and Healing), counselor, spiritual director, teacher, and author. Drawing from decades of experience exploring the spiritual life, Dan invites us into a rich conversation about faith, science, and the questions many Christians wrestle with as they seek to make meaning in a complex and evolving world. Together, we explore themes from his book The Collapse of the Three Story Universe: Christianity in an Age of Science, examining some of the roadblocks that can arise when faith and scientific understanding seem to be at odds. Dan offers thoughtful insights into how Christianity can remain vibrant, relevant, and deeply meaningful in an age shaped by scientific discovery. We also discuss wisdom from his book Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices, considering how contemplative traditions can ground us amid uncertainty and help us nurture a deeper connection with God. Whether you're a parent navigating difficult questions with your children, someone deconstructing and reconstructing faith, or simply curious about the intersection of spirituality and science, this conversation offers encouragement, perspective, and plenty of moments for reflection. Join us as we wonder together about faith, mystery, and what it means to live a spiritually rooted life in today's world.

In this heart-opening episode of Mess Makes Meaning, we sit down with pastor, speaker, and author Meredith Miller, whose work has helped countless parents reimagine faith formation for the next generation. Drawing from her book Woven: Nurturing a Faith Your Kid Doesn't Have to Heal From, Meredith invites us into a thoughtful conversation about cultivating a faith that is rooted in love, curiosity, and connection rather than fear or performance. Together, we explore fresh perspectives on strengthening our own relationship with God while nurturing authentic faith in our children. This conversation is full of meaningful insights, practical wisdom, and those powerful "aha" moments that can transform the way we think about parenting and spirituality. Learn more about Meredith and explore her resources at her website: meredithannemiller.com.

In this first episode of Mess Makes Meaning, hosts Joy and Raenelle dive headfirst into the beautiful chaos of the busy holiday season. Joined by the Reverend Cynthia Williams Insko, they explore what it really looks like to stay present with our children when life feels full, fast, and a little messy. With a blend of practical tips and meaningful “aha” moments, Cynthia offers gentle wisdom for slowing down, noticing what matters, and creating space for connection in the midst of it all. Joy and Raenelle reflect on what resonated most and share how they’re inspired to bring these ideas into their own homes. Whether you're navigating holiday overwhelm or simply longing for more intentional moments with your kids, this episode invites you to find meaning right in the middle of the mess.

Happy New Year! While January often invites us to focus on fresh starts, resolutions, and becoming something new, what if we also took time to honor exactly where we are? In this episode of Mess Makes Meaning, Joy and Raenelle sit down with author, yoga teacher, and theologian Ellie Roscher for a thoughtful conversation about embracing the present moment, extending grace to ourselves, and finding meaning in the lives we're already living. Drawing from her work as a writer, teacher, and parent, Ellie shares wisdom on embodiment, creativity, and paying attention to the small things that shape our days. Whether you're stepping into the new year with excitement, exhaustion, or a little bit of both, this conversation offers gentle encouragement to begin not from a place of striving, but from a place of presence.