MESSmerized - Funny and faith based encouragement in marriage , family , Christian parenting , and finding purpose

Remember how I’ve been having lunch every Wednesday with a wonderful group of friends for the last 15+ years? Today’s show is inspired by those lunches—because lately, all we seem to talk about is midlife and menopause. It's a season, let me tell you!

To help us all navigate this wild ride, I’m thrilled to bring in a true expert: Dr. Mikala Albertson. We’re diving deep into everything you never thought you'd need to know about menopause, perimenopause, and all the hormonal roller coasters that come with them. Dr. Albertson has a brilliant way of describing menopause as "puberty in reverse," and her perspective on it is so insightful. 

Don’t worry, we cover all the symptoms we're dealing with—hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, weight gain, brain fog, and more. This episode is packed with practical tips, a few laughs, and hopefully, some perspective on not just surviving but thriving in this season of life.

Dr. Albertson’s new book, Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife, is out now. And exciting news: she’s coming back on the show in the New Year! If you have questions you’d like us to cover next time, email them to me!

All things Cynthia Yanof

Everything I Wish I Could Tell You About Midlife by Dr. Mikala Albertson 

Follow Dr. Albertson on Instagram here!

Today’s my birthday… so there’s that! 🎉🎂 And it’s totally not too late to get me a gift—I’ll be accepting food-chain gift cards for Diet Dr. Pepper all week long. 😂

In honor of my birthday, I’m kicking off MESSmerized with a little segment I call “Things I Know for Sure” after celebrating 50+ birthdays. Really rolls off the tongue, right?

But there’s more! Megan Fate Marshman joins us on the show for the first time ever. She’s amazing, and we cover everything from parenting fails to perfecting the elusive messy bun. We even had a little fun comparing stereotypes about Texas and California—because apparently, people think Texans ride horses everywhere.

Megan also shared about the sudden loss of her husband and how she has leaned into prayer through her grief and raising their two small children. We talked about those “What now, God?” moments—when life takes an unexpected turn and you’re not sure how to move forward. Megan reminds us that prayer doesn’t have to be perfect; it’s about being honest and vulnerable with God, even if your mind wanders halfway through. (You know the drill: “Dear God… wait, did I leave the laundry in the washer?”)

We also dug into Romans 8:28 and how God’s goodness doesn’t always look the way we expect. It’s not always easy, but knowing that God works for the good in all things gives us hope. He’s not just with us in the good times—He’s right there in the mess, using every struggle to grow us and draw us closer to Him.

Whether you’re navigating the chaos of parenting, dealing with grief, or just trying to survive the day with the help of a few hits of caffeine, God is at work in your life.

So, grab a Diet Dr. Pepper in honor of my birthday and join me for this heartfelt, hope-filled chat with Megan Fate Marshman. I promise you’ll leave encouraged.

All things Cynthia Yanof 

Relaxed: Walking with the One Who is Not Worried About A Thing by Megan Fate Marshman

Today I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Jon Acuff! If you don’t know Jon, he’s like the fun friend who makes you laugh but also slips in the kind of wisdom that makes you go, "Huh... I really needed to hear that." We covered everything from goal-setting and personal development to parenting in a way that doesn’t drive us or our kids completely nuts. But what really hit home was our conversation about helping our teens win in life.

Jon had a lot to say about recognizing that every kid’s path is different. As parents, it’s easy to think there’s one formula to follow, but Jon reminds us that sometimes our job is simply to help our teens define their own version of success. Whether that’s landing a part-time job or surviving Algebra 2, the goal is to meet them where they are and celebrate the small wins. He also emphasized the importance of creating space for kindness—because kindness isn’t just a cute personality trait, it’s a skill. And if we want to raise kind adults, we need to teach kindness now, even when it feels inconvenient (like when your teen is being throwing it down while unloading the dishwasher).

Jon also introduced me to something he calls "performance zones." Basically, it’s all about learning to function well even when life feels chaotic—which, let’s be real, describes parenting perfectly. He reminded me that it’s okay to embrace the craziness and find small ways to move forward. No need to have it all figured out today—or any day, really. And as parents, showing our kids how to handle that kind of chaos with grace is a huge part of preparing them for life.

Whether you're looking to grow as a parent or just as a person, this episode is packed with insights you can use. Trust me, you’re going to love it—and who knows? You might even feel a little more prepared to help your teen win at life, one messy, beautiful day at a time.

Cynthia Yanof

Jon Acuff 

How Teens Win by Jon Acuff

Molly Stillman Podcast

We’ve got a new show out today, and I’m so excited for you to hear this important conversation with Natalie Runion. We’re going deep into the messy but important topic of church life and the realities of church hurt, how to spot an unhealthy church, and when it might be time to walk away—or stick around.

We also explored the idea that ministry isn’t just for pastors and church staff. Every believer has a ministry! Whether it’s through serving, worshiping, or simply being a witness in your community, you’re making an impact. And if you’re raising kids, it’s crucial to show them the importance of the church by staying involved—whether it’s through serving or just building friendships within the church community. What we do now can have a big impact on their views of church, and how it is incorporated in their lives as adults. 

This episode is for anyone who’s felt the sting of church hurt or struggled with whether it’s time to leave a church that no longer feels like home. It’s a reminder that God calls us to obedience, even when things get messy. If you need some encouragement to keep showing up—or if you're figuring out how to walk away without bitterness—this one’s for you.

Make sure to listen, share with a friend, and leave a review if this resonated with you! Let’s keep these conversations going because the church matters—and so do you.

All things Cynthia Yanof

The House That Jesus Built by Natalie Runion

Today on MESSmerized I’m hanging out with the amazing Ellie Holcomb, who’s fresh off a tour with none other than Lauren Daigle. Ellie gives us the scoop on life on the road—think tight spaces, late-night chats, and the wild sense of community that comes with sharing a bus. She also gives us an insider peek on her friendship with Lauren, how they ended up collaborating on a song, and their favorite moments on tour (spoiler: their song Be Okay will give you all the feels).

But it’s not all music and fun—Ellie opens up about the tough stuff too, like balancing the chaos of tour life with family time, and how we moms are out here carrying some heavy loads. She shares a heartfelt story about her daughter’s medical journey and how she juggled being on tour while caring for her little one. Trust me, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Ellie’s new book Fighting Words (the expanded version of her devotional) and her album All of My Days talk about Ellie’s journey of battling anxiety, finding hope, and the power of God’s Word to lift us up when life feels impossible. Vulnerability, repentance, grace—it’s all here. 

If you’re looking for a reminder that you’re not alone in the highs and lows, this episode’s for you. I can’t wait for you to listen!

PS. If you haven’t listened to my podcast with Heather MacFadyen of Don’t Mom Alone, it’s time! The show is called Sidetracked and we talk about family, faith, and basically anything else that comes to our minds in the moment (hence the name Sidetracked). I promise you will laugh! Listen here or wherever you catch podcasts.

All things Cynthia

Ellie’s new book Fighting Words

Ellie’s All of My Days Album

"If politics is robbing you of peace, you might have misplaced your trust."

Mic drop please for the quote above from today’s show. 

Today the Pastor of my church Bent Tree Bible, Libin Abraham, joins us to dive into the tricky (but important) topic of Christians engaging in politics. We talk about how it's not just about showing up—it's about being prayerful, peaceful, prophetic, powerful, and purposeful. But the big reminder here? Our top loyalty is to Jesus, not any political party. We’re here to make disciples, not stir up more division.

Aside from talking about Christians engaging in politics, Libin also encourages us to trust in God’s faithfulness, and that stepping out in faith is key as we do that—I love how Libin says that God moves at the pace of our next “yes.” So if you’re feeling pulled to act, trust that God’s right there with you. And don’t let politics, fear, or anything else get in the way of your gospel influence. 

I can’t wait for you to hear today’s show and I’d love for you to share it with friends.

All things Cynthia Yanof

Bent Tree Bible Fellowship

Libin Abraham’s sermons on Christians engaging in politics: 

Jesus and Politics: The Way of the Cross

Jesus and Politics: The Way of the Church

Jesus and Politics: Rules for Engagement

It’s starting to get embarrassing how much I gush each time I interview Pastor Max Lucado. But my goodness, after today’s show I promise you’ll understand why he’s often referred to as “America’s Pastor.” He has the kindest, most relatable presence even when he’s tackling something as complex as the end times in his new book What Happens Next. 

If you are like me and grew up a little bit nervous thinking about the end times and what it might look like when Jesus returns, please grab a latte and get ready for a new perspective. I think you’ll feel differently after you hear us talk about whether this is the end times we’re living in, the biblical signs of the end times, how we should view the rapture, and even whether the antichrist is alive today. I mean, we cover it all people, and it’s enlightening and reassuring. 

But I must say one of my favorite parts of our conversation is when I ask him to share how he tends to hear from God in his own life. It’s a sweet story with a critical reminder that God is still moving, speaking, and working in our lives. And yes, the end times can be scary if we don’t center it on God’s word, but when we do we know how the story ends—and it’s a good one. 

Can’t wait for you to listen today! Be sure to share it with your friends please. 

All things cynthia

What Happens Next by Max Lucado

First of all, look at all the amazing guests coming our way this fall on MESSmerized! Seriously, the Lord has been so good to provide opportunities to talk with so many of my personal heroes of our faith and hear their words of encouragement. So, if you’re not subscribed to MESSmerized, will you do so today? Also, will you consider sharing your favorite episode(s) with your friends, your small group, and even on social media? What a blessing it would be to have your help getting this show out to more and more people. 

Today Emily Freeman joins us to discuss her new book, How to Walk Into a Room. She is a New York Times bestselling author of six books with a masters degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership. She has a true passion for teaching us how to listen well and hold grief and silence with those who need it most. I love how Emily says that silence can teach us a lot about ourselves—it can uncover fears we need to deal with or be aware of. (I’m not very good at silence, so perhaps this was intended just for me. 😊)

This is a big day for Sidetracked because we officially announce our new home and tell you all the details on following us there. So listen today for a great word from Emily Freeman and also lots of Sidetracked laughs.

• Website:  Emily P. Freeman (emilypfreeman.com)

• Facebook: Emily P. Freeman | Facebook

• Instagram:  Emily P. Freeman | Spiritual Director (@emilypfreeman)

• Feastables MrBeast Original Chocolate Bars

• How to Walk into a Room: by Emily P. Freeman

• The Next Right Thing: by Emily P. Freeman

• NEW HOME for Sidetracked! Follow along!

I know, I know. You’ve read the title of today’s show, and you’re thinking there ain’t a one of us who really wants to think about how much time we are spending on our various forms of technology. Myself included. 

True story, recently I was considering ways I could spend more time in prayer, and I literally convinced myself that I had not one spare second in my day. As if the Holy Spirit worked for Apple, at that exact moment a notification popped up on my phone with my average screen time for the week before. And let’s just say I apparently have plenty of time to pray based on the time I spend on my phone. 

Darren Whitehead is the Pastor of Church of the City in Nashville, and his church did a collective digital fast that was incredibly impactful. He’s talking about it on today’s show, and I love how he suggests a course correction is in order now that we know the impact of excessive technology use. After all, we would do that with anything else in our life. 

His approach isn’t to just throw our phones out the window, but to remove the “distraction” apps and leave only the utility apps. You’ve got to listen today to fully appreciate this concept, but I know for me personally it sounds like exactly what needs to happen this fall. 

Listen today, pray about it, and join me in reading and implementing The Digital Fast. 

Okay, on another note—in case you missed it, Heather MacFadyen and I launched a new show, Sidetracked, many months ago as a part of Don’t Mom Alone. Since that time, it’s gained in popularity and now has a new home with the Converge podcast network as its own show. Do me a huge favor and go listen to the show here, and subscribe and even leave a review pretty please. This is a huge help as we get this new project launched. And you don’t want to miss my Buc-ees story.

The Digital Fast by Darren Whitehead

All things Cynthia Yanof

Sidetracked with Heather MacFadyen and Cynthia Yanof

It was hard to figure out how to title today’s show because we cover so much ground. If you are not yet familiar with Pastor Matt Chandler, today is going to be a good day for you! 

Matt Chandler is the Pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, and today he’s bringing the much-needed reminder that we were created for this exact time in human history. That matters because if we were created for the here and now, we can have confidence in God’s plan even when we feel anxious, ill-equipped, or exhausted. 

Not only do we talk about being Overcomers (the title of his new book), but we also talk about parenting, comparison, and the real-life stuff that happens in the midst of suffering. The part of today’s show that I think I’ll always remember is how Pastor Matt talks about having a seizure on Thanksgiving morning many years ago, and later being diagnosed with a brain tumor. I was blown away with his encouragement and hope that’s found only in Jesus even when the bottom falls out. 

Last thing—one of my favorite parenting quotes comes from the last time I interviewed Pastor Matt on the show, and he said these words: we’re working for a thank you at 18, not 15. I go back to that often when the parenting decisions that Mike and I make aren’t popular with our kids. I love how he follows up those words today as we talk about his grown kids and finally seeing the fruits of the labor. 

Take a few minutes to listen and please forward to your friends. So grateful for each of you!

The Overcomers by Matt Chandler 

The Village Church

All things Cynthia Yanof