This week we’re back with Part 2 of my conversation with Yusuf Agoro, associate pastor at The Well in Austin. If you heard last week’s episode, you know how powerful his story is—Yusuf shared his journey from growing up in a devout Muslim home to finding faith in Jesus. If you missed it, go back and listen first because it’s so amazing. 

In today’s episode we pick up right where we left off, diving into his work with college students and the lessons he’s learning about authenticity, parenting, and the reality of church hurt. Yusuf offers practical advice for parents, encouragement for anyone walking alongside the next generation, and a timely reminder that prayer is the difference maker. 

Whether you’re parenting teens, mentoring college kids, or processing your own church experiences—this follow-up conversation will challenge and encourage you.

All things Cynthia

The Well Austin Community Church

Today’s show opens with a little prayer of frustration I’ve been praying—and God’s gentle reminder that He’s in every detail. That theme runs through our entire conversation: whether you’re praying for a prodigal, aching for a child who feels unreachable, or wondering if those tiny seeds of faith you’ve planted will ever take root, there is hope. God’s pursuit is relentless, and His timing is never wasted.

I recently sat down with Yusuf Agoro expecting a good story, and instead witnessed a front-row display of God’s pursuit of His children. Yusuf grew up in a devout Muslim home where faith was the family’s foundation—five daily prayers, every tradition intact—until a neighborhood kid named Daniel rolled by on a skateboard and quietly shared Jesus. That simple friendship changed everything, and Yusuf surrendered his life to Christ.

The path from that night was anything but easy. He hid his faith through high school, texted a trembling confession to his dad before a summer at a Christian camp, and lived through years of family tension. But God kept moving. Today, Yusuf serves as an associate pastor at The Well Austin Community Church, where my own daughter worships as a college student—and I tear up nearly every time I watch those students sing, knowing they’ve found something better than the world can offer.

Yusuf’s story proves that no seed is too small and no timeline too long. A skateboard, an awkward movie night, a late-night Facebook scroll—God used it all to write a redemption story only He could script. What can’t He do in your life?

The Well Austin Community Church

All things Cynthia

This week we’re back with part two of my conversation with my friend Natalie Runion, and if you missed part one—go listen first! In this episode we get practical about raising kind daughters, building sacred sisterhood, and navigating the everyday challenges that get in the way of healthy friendships.

Natalie and I laughed about our own high school mean-girl days (yes, we both had them!) and how God redeems even that, teaching us to champion one another instead of competing. We also talked about why women need a why-to more than a how-to when it comes to friendship, and Natalie explained her vision of creating a “sanctuary of sisterhood”—not a sorority or social club, but a safe place where women can be real, messy, and vulnerable together.

She also addressed some of the lies from her new book—like “women are so emotional” or “women are drama queens”—and how those labels keep us from truly listening to each other’s stories. Natalie challenged us to dig deeper, do the spiritual work in our own lives, and be the kind of safe sisters other women need.

We wrapped up with one of the hardest parts of friendship: conflict. Natalie reminded us that communication is kindness, and that God Himself is a God of reconciliation. Avoiding conflict may feel easier, but real peace comes when we’re brave enough to resolve it with honesty and love.

Her new book I Don’t Even Like Women and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood is out now, and it’s such an important word for all of us. If you’ve ever wrestled with comparison, conflict, or just figuring out how to do real friendship in the middle of messy life, this conversation is for you.

All things Cynthia

I Don't Even Like Women and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood by Natalie Runion

Raised to Stay by Natalie Runion

I had the best time sitting down with my friend Natalie Runion again on the podcast. We met years ago as brand-new authors, and it’s been such a gift to watch the Lord expand her voice and ministry since then. She’s now the author of three books in just two years—including her latest, I Don’t Even Like Women and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood. Only Natalie could title a book like that and actually pull it off, and I’m so glad she did.

This is part one of a two-part conversation, and in this first half we talk about what it looks like to stay obedient to God even when criticism comes, the lies women believe about themselves and each other, and how those scripts often keep us competing instead of collaborating. We laughed about the stereotypes we grew up with in sitcoms and movies, but we also dug deep into how much identity shapes our ability to form healthy friendships and truly cheer each other on.

I shared some of my own wounds from being hurt by other women, and Natalie reminded us that we’re only one word or one conversation away from either derailing someone’s calling or breathing life into it. She pointed us back to the examples in Scripture—Mary and Elizabeth, Ruth and Naomi, Deborah and Jael—that show the power of collaboration over competition.

This episode is for anyone who’s wrestled with comparison, struggled with belonging, or felt the sting of another woman’s words. Natalie’s message is bold and freeing: God didn’t make a mistake when He made you a woman, and you are worthy of community, love, and friendship.

All things Cynthia

I Don't Even Like Women and Other Lies That Get in the Way of Sacred Sisterhood by Natalie Runion

Raised to Stay by Natalie Runion

Happy Wednesday!! 

This week I sat down with my friend Lauren Chandler—worship leader, author, speaker, and wife to Matt Chandler of The Village Church—for a conversation that covered just about everything: parenting adult-ish kids, people-pleasing tendencies, and the messy-but-beautiful parts of marriage.

We laughed about what it’s like when your kids are technically grown but you still think about them 24/7. Spoiler: the “what’s my role now?” question doesn’t magically disappear when they start driving or head off to college. I told my story about begging my son for vacation updates on his trip with friends and getting…a picture of a map. Not exactly the update I was hoping for.

Lauren and I also dug into brave prayers—the kind that feel a little terrifying, like asking God to help us not get in His way when it comes to our kids. We talked about wrestling with perfectionism and people-pleasing, and how freeing it is to remember that our identity isn’t wrapped up in performance.

And of course, we went there with marriage too—the brutal early years, the baggage we all bring, what it looked like to face brain cancer as a couple, and why pursuing intimacy on purpose matters more than ever.

Oh, and before you go, make sure to also check out Matt’s podcast, Overcomers—because Lauren just signed on as his co-host. It’s officially a Chandler team effort now, and you’ll want to be listening in.

All things Cynthia

The Village Church

Lauren Chandler’s Website

The Overcomers Podcast 

Awake and Alive Devotional by Matt Chandler

You are going to love today’s conversation. First of all, my guest has an Irish accent, which already makes him sound way smarter and more trustworthy than me. But you’ll also leave saying “faith” like “fifth” and telling everyone not to have a “car” (which, in case you’re wondering, is actually a cow).

I’m thrilled to introduce you to Jonathan Murphy, the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church and the author of a new book called The Story of God and Us: Finding Our Place and Purpose in God’s Plan for the World.

What I loved about this conversation is how Jonathan reminds us that we can be people who “know” the Bible without actually knowing the Bible. I confessed that for too long I had more of a Vacation Bible School knowledge—great at flannel board stories, not so great at seeing the whole arc of God’s redemption story. 

Thankfully, Jonathan has a gift for connecting the dots, showing us how books like Esther and Philippians are not random stand-alone pieces but part of God’s grand narrative—and how that changes how we live today. 

If you’ve ever flipped through your Bible looking for a verse to make you feel better (guilty) or wondered how the bigger story all fits together, Jonathan will give you both conviction and encouragement. Don’t miss this one. And grab Jonathan’s book while you’re at it—I’ll link it in the show notes.

All things Cynthia

The Story of God and Us: Finding Our Place and Purpose in God's Plan for the World by Jonathan Murphy

Stonebriar Community Church

Let’s play a little did-you-know game:

• Did you know the Secret Service protects every foreign diplomat who steps foot in the U.S.?
• Did you know they send motorcades around the world every single time the president travels?
• Did you know that today’s guest, Darin Kinder, has one of the most jaw-dropping survival stories you’ll ever hear—and he’s right here on MESSmerized?

Today is extra special because I’m bringing back my very first podcast guest ever, former Secret Service agent Darin Kinder. If you know me, you already know there are very few stories—aside from the Bible itself—that have shaped my faith more than Darin’s survival story from the 9/11 attacks.

And this week, Darin’s powerful new book just released: Bury Me in a Dirty Suit: Discovering Man’s Valiant Purpose in the Aftermath of 9/11. I got to read it early, and let me tell you—it will completely shift how you think about living courageously, walking out your faith boldly, and doing the hard things while there’s still time.

So here’s my plea: Don’t just listen to today’s show—share it. With your friends, your husband, your kids, your neighbor who thinks faith is boring. We all need the reminder to stay in the game, lean into courage, and live with eternity in mind.

Darin’s new book is available now, and I’d be so grateful if you’d grab a copy (or three).

School starts this week!! School starts this week!!

Yes, JB starts third grade—which means I owe his teachers and the entire school staff a formal apology. This summer we let him stay up too late, live on popsicles, talk back like he’s got a Netflix special, and basically roam the house like a frat boy on summer break. I hand him over to you now, untrained and feral. Godspeed, and may your patience be as great as your need for dry erase markers.

As for the podcast, this week we’re joined by the one and only Toni Collier — and unsurprisingly, she really brought it with wisdom and perspective in the midst of her own trials. We start by talking about how some of the moments that shake you to your core can actually lead to unexpected growth and purpose.

We dive into the hard stuff: the sting of infidelity, the identity-shaking weight of shame, and the courage it takes to ask for help. Toni shares how leaning into community—especially a safe, confessional one—has been essential to her healing. She’s learned the value of surrounding yourself with the right people, and why sometimes the best way to figure out where you belong is to first figure out where you don’t.

We also talk about the power of vulnerability, how God can use even our messiest chapters for something beautiful, and why it matters to recognize the goodness that can come out of pain. Toni’s conversation with us today is honest, raw, and full of hope for anyone walking through their own unexpected storm.

All things Cynthia

Life is Messy, God is Good by Cynthia Yanof 

All things Toni

Pre-Order Don’t Try This Alone by Toni Collier 

Toni’s Podcast Still Coloring

Happy Wednesday—and happy “last week of summer” to so many of us!

Today wraps up our Know Before You Go summer series, where we’ve been hearing straight from the source—students graduating from college and high school—about what they’ve learned and what they wish parents knew.

But this week, we’re switching gears. We’re talking all things junior high with one of my dearest friends, Stephanie Martin. And trust me: if you’ve ever survived (or are bracing yourself for) the middle school years, you’re going to want to hear this.

Stephanie is wise, funny, and full of perspective from walking this road with three kids of her own. We talk about:

• What to do with kids who insist on “learning from experience” 🙃
• Why middle schoolers are not the final product (thank you, Lord)
• How God uses these in-between years to shape both them and us

But here’s the real reason to listen: this episode includes one of the most powerful parenting takeaways I’ve heard in a long time. It’s simple, convicting, and might just reframe the way you approach parenting in any season.

Even if you’re not currently raising a junior high student, this conversation will speak to the heart of what it means to be a parent—showing up, holding things loosely, and trusting God with the in-between.

I hope you’ll listen and also share with a friend. 

If you missed Know Before You Go: College Edition listen here 

If you missed Know Before You Go: High School Edition listen here 

All things Cynthia

Another week, another Yanof kid takes the mic alongside a few of their friends. 🤪🤪🤪

This week, we’ve got three freshly graduated high schoolers joining us: Brett, Ella, and Riley. They have lots of great insight from their four years of high school, including some pitfalls to avoid and many lessons they learned along the way.

We get real about friendship drama, comparison on social media, and how to find your people in a world that makes that feel harder than ever. We also talked about what it looks like to keep our faith front and center, and ways for parents to be a safe place when everything feels a little shaky. 

If you’ve got a teen in your house, or will eventually be dealing with the good, the bad, and the ugly of parenting high schoolers—this episode is for you!

Cynthia Yanof

If you missed Know Before You Go: College Edition listen here