Mess Makes Meaning

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.

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.

During this episode, Daniel Wolpert talks through Christianity in an Age of Science and the road blocks Christians can some times go up against around this topic.  Dan is the Executive Director and co-founder of MICAH, the Minnesota Institute for Contemplation and Healing, he is a spouse, partner, ally, activist, and dad. Dan has been a student of the spiritual life since age 21 and has taught in the fields of psychology and spiritual formation in numerous settings. In addition to his retreat and teaching work, Dan provides counseling and spiritual direction services at MICAH. He is also the author of many books, two of which we will go into today: Creating a Life with God: The Call of Ancient Prayer Practices, The Collapse of the Three Story Universe: Christianity in an Age of Science. 

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.

Godly Play Foundation brings us an heart-opening interview full of aha moments with the incredible Pastor Meredith Miller, author of "Woven: Nurturing a Faith your Kid Doesn't Have to Heal From." Meredith offers us a different way of looking at strengthening our relationship and our children's relationships with God. 
Find more of Meredith's resources on here website: https://meredithannemiller.com/ 

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Now is the time  of fresh starts, but also, how do we honor where we are?  We were honored to speak with our guest Ellie Roscher.  Ellie is the author of Remarkable Rose, The Embodied Path, 12 Tiny Things, Play Like a Girl and How Coffee Saved My Life. Her writing also appears in the Baltimore Review, Eunoia Review, Mothering Spirit, Inscape Magazine, and elsewhere. Ellie teaches yoga and writing in Minneapolis. She holds an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and an MA in Theology from Luther Seminary. 

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.

In our first episode we dive into the busy holiday season and how the Reverend Cynthia Williams Insko offers tips and tricks for being present with our children in the mess of it all.  From practical tips to AHA moments, Joy and Raenelle truly soaked up this information and can't wait to implement these ideas in our own households. 

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.

Welcome to Mess Makes Meaning with Joy and Raenelle. Brought to you by the Godly Play Foundation, we are here as fellow parents who understand we all want to nurture our children's spirituality, but life is messy and some times finding the meaning in that mess is hard. We will talk with guests each episode who have insight into ways we can care for our children while caring for ourselves as we make meaning together through narrative, wonder, rhythm and play. 

Mess Makes Meaning is a podcast about making meaning in the messy and beautiful journey of parenting. Hosted by Joy Studer and Raenelle Tauro, we explore children’s spirituality, wonder, story, rhythm, and play—and the ways we can nurture our children’s spiritual lives in the midst of ordinary, everyday moments.

Follow Mess Makes Meaning wherever you listen to podcasts, and join us as we make meaning together.