In this final conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden lean into the question that quietly sits underneath so many parenting and kids ministry fears: what happens when we miss it?

Through stories of getting “lost” on a real-life walk, unexpected detours, and the tension of letting children lead, this episode gently unpacks what it means to trust God in the middle of uncertainty. You’ll feel the honesty, the humour, and at times the discomfort of realising how tightly we can hold onto “getting it right” in conversations with children.

Together they explore what it looks like to loosen our grip on outcomes, stay curious instead of controlling, and create space for children to grow, question, and change their minds. You’ll be encouraged to see identity conversations not as something to win or finish, but something to walk through—often imperfectly, but never alone.

This conversation will leave you feeling:

•  reassured that mistakes don’t disqualify you as a parent or leader 
•  challenged to choose humility over control 
•  hopeful that “do-overs” are not just possible, but part of how God works with us 
•  and encouraged that your child’s journey with identity can include safety, curiosity, and trust 

At its heart, this episode is a reminder that both adults and children are still becoming—and that God is faithful in the middle of every twist, turn, and detour along the way.

This is the final part of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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In this conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore one of the most tender tensions in parenting and discipleship: how do we guide our children without trying to control the direction of their lives?

Woven through stories, humour, and honest reflection, this episode feels like a long walk in itself—sometimes light and curious, sometimes deeply challenging. As you listen, you’ll likely recognise your own questions as a parent or leader: Am I setting guideposts or building guardrails? Do I trust the Holy Spirit with my child’s journey? What do I do when their path doesn’t look like mine?

There’s a gentleness here that makes space for the complexity of raising children in a changing world. You’ll come away feeling both seen and steadied—invited to release some of the pressure to “get it right,” and encouraged to embrace a more spacious, faith-filled way of walking alongside the next generation.

By the end, you’re left with a quiet but powerful reminder: love requires freedom, and trust means learning to let go while still staying close enough to call them home.

This is Part Five of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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What does it really mean to belong in church when life, identity, and experience don’t fit neat categories?

In this deeply honest conversation, Christie Penner Worden shares a personal story of loss, generosity, and painful misunderstanding from within church culture—alongside unexpected moments of grace from the people you might least expect. Together, we explore how identity is shaped, how the church can unintentionally wound, and what it might look like to become communities marked not by control or certainty, but by humility, curiosity, and real welcome.

As you listen, you may feel challenged, stirred, and at times uncomfortable—but also invited into something more hopeful and spacious. There’s a strong sense of being called back to the heart of Jesus: unity over agreement, presence over performance, and love that stays in the mess rather than stepping away from it.

You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how families and individuals experience identity in all its complexity, a fresh lens on what true hospitality looks like, and practical language shifts—from “lurid curiosity” to “holy curiosity”—that can reshape how we welcome and walk alongside others.

This is a conversation about the church, yes—but even more, it’s about the kind of people we are becoming.

This is Part Four of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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In this conversation, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore what sits underneath some of the biggest and most sensitive questions in children’s ministry and discipleship: fear, identity, and how we handle conversations that feel close to the edge. It’s honest, unhurried, and deeply human—moving between personal stories, leadership tension, and the very real weight of trying to “get it right” when it comes to children and young people.

As you listen, you may find yourself feeling both challenged and gently unsettled in the best way. There are moments that invite reflection, moments that bring clarity, and moments that land with real emotional honesty about the pressure leaders and parents carry. At the same time, there’s a strong sense of grace running through the conversation—an invitation to step out of fear-driven certainty and into curiosity, humility, and presence with others.

You’ll walk away with language and tools for navigating difficult conversations without rushing to control them. You’ll hear a simple but powerful question—“What are you afraid of?”—that can open up deeper understanding in families, churches, and leadership spaces. And you may find yourself rethinking not just how you talk about identity, but how you listen, how you hold difference, and how you stay present with people at the edge of complex conversations.

This is Part Three of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation with Christie Penner Worden.

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In this episode, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden open up a really honest, relatable conversation about those moments with kids that never quite go to plan — the spontaneous, unexpected questions that tend to show up in the car, in a corridor, or right in the middle of something else.

Together, they explore what it looks like to respond when you don’t feel ready. Christie shares a really freeing reminder that you don’t need to have instant answers, and Jo reflects on the real-life reality of parenting and leading kids ministry when conversations are often short, surprising, and sometimes heavy.

What you’ll take from it is a more grounded, grace-filled way to handle identity conversations — not as something to control or get right perfectly, but as moments to listen well, ask better questions, and build trust with the child in front of you. They touch on labels, grief, curiosity, and the tension of watching children grow and change in ways you didn’t expect.

At its heart, it’s a conversation about learning to stay present when things feel uncertain — and finding freedom in not needing to have it all figured out.

This is Part Two of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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In this episode, Jo Hobbis and Christie Penner Worden explore how to have healthy, faith-filled conversations about identity with children in a digital world.

You’ll gain practical insight into how to move beyond fear and guilt as a parent or leader, and instead build trust through curiosity, better questions, and relationship—following the way Jesus engaged with people.

Christie unpacks why identity conversations must be rooted in safety and connection, how digital culture is shaping children differently than we expect, and why “need” and “enough” are key to helping kids understand who they are in God.

If you’re a parent or kids ministry leader, you’ll come away encouraged to slow down, ask better questions, and trust that Jesus is at work in your child’s identity journey—even when you don’t feel like you have all the answers.

This is Part One of a deep dive into The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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Jo Hobbis introduces The Me I Was Made To Be podcast series, an accompaniment to the book The Me I Was Made To Be: Helping Christian Parents Navigate The Identity Conversation by Christie Penner Worden.

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