Hey friends—welcome to a New Year and a new How’d I Miss That? series. Over the next few weeks, we’re leaning into conversations I love, people I love, and a message that shaped me as I wrote book two, How’d I Miss That?. (Oh—and we’re going to laugh a lot too.)

There’s a quote that became the backbone of this book:

“There’s very little difference between people—but it’s the little difference that makes a big difference.”

Jesus shows us exactly what that looks like in Luke 10 with the story of the Good Samaritan. Same man. Same road. Three very different responses. The robbers saw a weakness to exploit. The priest and Levite saw an inconvenience to avoid. The Samaritan saw a neighbor worth loving.

The difference wasn’t knowledge or position—it was outlook and availability. Compassion. Interruptibility. A willingness to love when it’s inconvenient.

Most of us aren’t traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho—we’re moving between meetings and carpools, dorms and gyms, desks and dinner tables. And those ordinary, in-between places are where the little difference shows up.

Jesus ends the story with four simple words: “Go and do likewise.” And if I’m honest, even as a girl who was raised in church, there have been plenty of seasons where I had the head knowledge—but missed the call to go and do likewise.

That’s why this book exists. It’s a reminder that small, faithful obedience still changes everything. Jesus calls it mustard-seed faith—quiet, unseen at first, but powerful over time.

Today we’re going to talk about our assignment as Christians (spoiler: love is our brand) and how to make sure we “don’t miss it” this year. I can’t wait for you to to tune in! 

Pre-Order How'd I Miss That?

All things Cynthia

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Before we dive in, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and all the things! I took the last two weeks off to spend time with all the kids and it’s been a glorious time of renewal. Just kidding—I’ve been running around like a crazy person just like everyone else! Either way, I happy to be back and I’m so grateful for you—every listen, every message, every time you invited me into your day this year. What a gift this community has been. Truly, thank you.

I saved today’s show for the last one of 2025 on purpose. I wanted us to round out the year with something that brings us back to what matters most going into a new year—being with Jesus. Today’s conversation with Tara Beth Leach is the reminder our souls need about slowing down, meeting God in the morning, and letting small, faithful rhythms steady our hearts.

Tara Beth shares how God met her in a season of deep loss, how He invited her to rise—literally—and begin her days with Him, and how it changed everything. She walks us through her G.R.E.A.T. morning framework (gratitude, reflection, exaltation, asking, trusting), and we talk honestly about guilt, grace, phones, noise, and learning to quiet the distractions so we can hear from God.

If you’re feeling rushed, tired, emotional, or overwhelmed going into the new year, this episode is for you. Happy New Year friends, and I cannot wait to see all the Lord will do in 2026! ✨

P.S. If you’ve loved hanging out here this year, would you consider pre-ordering my new book? It helps more than you know (like… wildly more), and it means you’ll have it waiting for you when launch day hits—no forgetting, no guilt, just joy. Thank you, friends!

All things Cynthia

The Great Morning Revolution by Tara Beth Leach

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Today I got to sit down with Sherri Hughes-Gragg—author, mom of five, and someone who speaks about God’s heart with beautiful clarity. 

We talked Christmas traditions—the Yanof Family Book Exchange (which started because I refused to let Mike buy himself a full-price book in December), and Sherri’s Santa Soccer, which involved antlers, Santa hats, sugar, and absolute chaos in her yard.

Then we went deep.

Sherri talked about raising five kids, including daughters adopted from Haiti, and how she moved from parenting out of fear and pressure to parenting from Jesus’ simple plumb line:

Love God, love people.

Before judgment.

Before fixing.

Before controlling.

Sherri shared openly about walking through divorce and then receiving a cancer diagnosis literally the next day. And how instead of seeing a harsh God, she began seeing the compassion of Christ more clearly than ever.

She reminded us Jesus moves toward suffering. Like the widow in Scripture whose only son had died—before He raised the son, He comforted her.

As we enter Advent Week 2—PEACE—Sherri offered freedom:

It is not your job to fix the world.

It is your job to love the people in front of you.

Her new devotional, The Compassionate Christ: Draw Near to the Risen Christ, is a beautiful way to begin the new year with a clearer vision of Jesus as gentle, kind, and near.

Such a great conversation—I think you’ll love it.

All things Cynthia 

The Compassionate Christ Devotional 

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Today I pulled in one of my closest friends, Stephanie Martin, because nothing says “professional podcast” like asking a bestie 24 hours before recording to jump on the show. We kicked off with Thanksgiving—where Stephanie described having college kids home as “being held hostage in the best way,” which perfectly sums up the chaos of adult children wandering in and out of your kitchen like feral cats. 

We swapped childhood Christmas memories (her patriotic tree covered in American flags, my chain-smoked Barbie RV) and confessed our modern traditions—like how I make my family decorate the tree even though none of them enjoy it, and how Stephanie is skipping Christmas cards this year because she feels like God is calling her to slow down and actually see people.

The heart of the episode was Advent hope. We talked about the 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments, the anticipation of the Messiah, and the different reactions to Jesus’ birth—opposition, seeking, apathy, expectancy. It led us to ask: How are we approaching Jesus this season? And how might real hope help us loosen our grip on perfect holidays, perfect kids, perfect everything?

We wrapped with two essentials: husbands who buy their own presents (I literally labeled gifts “To Mike, From Mike”) and the Christmas songs we cannot stand. Stephanie declared Wham off-limits, and I begged the world to retire “Christmas Shoes” forever.

Stephanie ended with a beautiful prayer for hope, rest, and hearts open to whatever God is doing—right here in the middle of our messy, imperfect holidays. Can’t wait for you to listen today!

All things Cynthia Yanof 

Advent books we discussed:

Waiting Here For You - Louie Giglio 

Come Let Us Adore Him - Paul David Tripp

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Today I got to sit down with my new friend Abby Kuykendall, author of Let the Biscuits Burn, and y’all… this girl brought the hospitality revival I didn’t know we needed before Thanksgiving week. Abby has a toddler, another baby due in January, and somehow also managed to write a book in the fog of postpartum life. Meanwhile I once forgot to defrost a turkey until Thanksgiving morning, so we are clearly operating at different skill levels.

Abby and I talked about real biblical hospitality—not entertaining, not “tour my pristine home while I panic about the baseboards,” but the Jesus kind. The kind where the table matters more than the menu, and people matter more than pillows arranged at the right angle. She walked us through how hospitality isn’t just a spiritual gift—for many of us it's a spiritual discipline we learn, like piano lessons except far less traumatizing .

We also get super practical (because most of us are one bad casserole away from calling it quits). Abby shares her go-to grocery store hacks, why pizza rolls and pigs in a blanket turn grown adults into joyful children, and how even a messy house can preach “you belong here.” Plus: conversation cards, decorating tips, and simple gatherings you can actually pull off. 

This episode is the pep talk we all need before heading into the holiday hosting gauntlet. Lower the bar. Invite the people who might otherwise be alone. Light a candle. Put out the paper plates. And for the love of all things holy—let the biscuits burn.

P.S. By now, you probably have gotten the memo that pre-orders have started for my new book, How’d I Miss That? If you have NOT pre-ordered yet, I would be so grateful if you’d consider doing that right now! Thank you, friends. 💗💗💗

All things Cynthia 

Let the Biscuits Burn by Abby

A Living Table by Abby

Listen to Abby's Podcast Here

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Here’s part two of our shows with my hilarious friend Melissa Radke. This week we pregame the holidays: Texas “sweater weather” that isn’t, Spanx leggings that are life-changing, and crowning Thanksgiving’s Best in Show (Honey Baked Ham, spinach salad, corn casserole—made by the right cousin). We confess our family wild cards (Melissa and her zany mom vs. my husband the political pot-stirrer), share one thing we’re grateful for (her: Remy thriving at college; me: surviving another book), and give 10-second writing advice: write daily, say it out loud, pray, hold the path loosely.

Then we hit Christmas: Melissa’s sacred story—her son Elisha passed on Christmas morning, and how the Lord has spoken into that timing through the years.  Loss and love, together. We speed-run gift drama (parents wanting gift cards and gifting hand-me-down “treasures”), Favorite/Unfavorite Things parties, and Melissa’s… Istanbul facelift pitch. We close with most-hated carols (“Christmas Shoes” and that bossy “figgy pudding”), plus 2026 hopes and big prayers.

Follow The Radke Show, grab Chicken Fried Women for gifting, and thanks for laughing through the nothing-that-became-something series with precious Melissa.

P.S. By now, you probably have gotten the memo that pre-orders have started for my new book, How’d I Miss That? If you have NOT pre-ordered yet, I would be so grateful if you’d consider doing that right now! Thank you, friends. 💗💗💗

📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women (https://bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen)

🎥 The Radke Show on YouTube (https://bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube)

🎧 The Radke Show on Apple Podcasts (https://bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple)

📝 Melissa's Stretch Marks on Substack (https://bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack)

TrimFit - https://bit.ly/beautifulyu 

The Swim Romper - https://bit.ly/RomperSwimsuit

💌 Follow & Subscribe

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Today’s episode is pure delight and zero agenda, which honestly might be my favorite combination. My friend Melissa Radke is here — author of Chicken Fried Women, host of The Radke Show, queen of honest humor, and possessor of my favorite character quality . . . calling it like it is. I invited her on for one reason and one reason only: she makes me laugh. No outline, no topic list, no heavy message — just two friends, two microphones, and a commitment to talk about everything and absolutely nothing at the same time. Think Seinfeld (a show about nothing), but with menopausal commentary, nipple Band-Aids, and college-kid drop-off trauma.

We kicked off by addressing the betrayal heard ‘round the world: my husband signed me up for a half marathon. Six weeks. And yes, I’m run-walking, and yes, I got passed by a man in khakis walking his dog. Melissa brought her wisdom on chafing, and we somehow ended up talking about sleeping in your makeup, why hot flashes should count as cardio, and the science of not peeing in the shower. (We listen, we don’t judge… mostly.)

We also touched the tender things — kids leaving for college, missing them and cheering them on at the same time, and the bittersweet gift of watching them grow up and go. Plus some light commentary on body image, reverse body dysmorphia (hi, it’s me), and why Lands’ End swim shorts should honestly sponsor this show.

And great news — this is part one of a two-part series with Melissa because once we started, there was no stopping. Next episode, we’re diving into the holidays. Until then, follow The Radke Show, grab Chicken Fried Women (wrap it with a wooden spoon — trust me), and get ready to laugh.

Let’s do this, friends — a show about nothing that somehow ends up being everything.

P.S. By now, you probably have gotten the memo that pre-orders have started for my new book, How’d I Miss That? If you have NOT pre-ordered yet, I would be so grateful if you’d consider doing that right now! Thank you, friends. 💗💗💗

All things Cynthia

Chicken fried women

📖 Melissa’s Book – Chicken-Fried Women (https://bit.ly/ChickenFriedWomen)

🎥 The Radke Show on YouTube (https://bit.ly/TheRadkeShowYouTube)

🎧 The Radke Show on Apple Podcasts (https://bit.ly/TheRadkeShowApple)

📝 Melissa's Stretch Marks on Substack (https://bit.ly/MelissaRadkeSubstack)

TrimFit - https://bit.ly/beautifulyu 

The Swim Romper - https://bit.ly/RomperSwimsuit

💌 Follow & Subscribe

📝 Subscribe to Stretch Marks on Substack → (melissaradke.substack.com)

📱 Instagram→ (https://www.instagram.com/msmelissaradke/)

📱 Facebook→ (https://www.facebook.com/MelissaRadkeStretchMarks/)

📱 TikTok → (https://www.tiktok.com/@melissaradke)

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Can we possibly begin with a few “important” announcements today?

First, I just got back from Las Vegas last night, and let’s just say the flight was so bumpy I was fully convinced I’d be meeting Jesus before we touched down in Dallas. By God’s grace, I lived to tell the tale. ✈️🙌 We were in Vegas because Mike ran a marathon (woop woop!) and I… well, did not. I did, however, put $20 in a slot machine and walked away with $100—so there’s that. 

Second, and probably more importantly, if you’re not following me on social media yet, I’d be so grateful if you’d take a quick second to do that now. I’ve got a big announcement coming this week, and your likes, comments, and shares would mean the world to me.

And speaking of announcements… today on MESSmerized is the one and only Max Lucado. 🙌

Any time I get the privilege of sitting down with Pastor Max, it’s a conversation that stays with me. If you’ve ever read one of his 44 books (yes, forty-four), listened to a sermon, or heard him speak, you already know: Max has a way of taking the most complicated spiritual truths and making them feel both gentle and profound.

We kicked things off with some behind-the-scenes honesty about writing books—how quiet the process can be, how hard it is to balance storytelling with honoring God’s Word, and why Max still remembers the book he wouldn’t give anyone (hint: it was number one). But then, Max takes us deeper, reminding us how our thoughts shape our beliefs and how our beliefs shape our behavior. He walks us through practical, biblical tools to “take every thought captive,” and how picky thinking can keep us from spiraling into false narratives.

And of course, because it’s Max, we talk about real life too—like his black mold situation, anxious thoughts that snowball too fast, and why we need people who love us enough to speak truth into our blind spots. This episode is packed with wisdom, grace, and practical takeaways, whether you’re heading into the holidays a little anxious or just trying to quiet the noise in your mind.

Grab your Diet Coke and lean in—this one’s a good one. 🥤✨

Tame Your Thoughts by Max Lucado

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This week I got to sit down with Lysa TerKeurst and Joel Muddamalle—and we tackled a topic the church doesn’t always handle well: divorce.

Lysa has a powerful new book coming out, Surviving an Unwanted Divorce, and Joel, who serves as Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries, brings clarity and depth to what Scripture really says (and doesn’t say) about this hard subject. Lysa shares her personal and painful journey through an unwanted divorce and what it means to face the reality that it takes two people to make a marriage work.

We talk about:

• The difference between a difficult marriage and a destructive marriage
• What “God hates divorce” actually means in the original text of Malachi
• Emotional and spiritual abuse that often goes unseen
• Why elevating the institution of marriage over the image bearers in it causes harm
• How forgiveness fits into the healing process

This conversation isn’t just for those walking through divorce—it’s for friends, family, pastors, and church leaders who want to love people well in the middle of it (which is basically all of us).

🎧 Tune in for this honest and important conversation with Lysa and Joel—and don’t forget to pre-order Lysa’s new book today!

Proverbs 31 Ministries

Surviving an Unwanted Divorce: A Biblical, Practical Guide to Letting Go While Holding Yourself Together

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I just got back from the State Fair of Texas where I spent approximately a small mortgage and walked what felt like the entire Oregon Trail. My feet are tired, my bank account is wheezing, and I’m convinced Fletcher’s corn dogs are God’s reward for doing hard things.

But speaking of big adventures… This week I got to sit down with the amazing Christy Nockels. We kicked things off talking weddings (because hello—her son is getting married in the wedding capital of Texas, naturally) and laughed about wedding dress codes. To this day, I still have no idea what “black tie optional” actually means.

Christy shared beautifully about this new season of life—kids launching into adulthood, leaning into rest, and learning that it’s not about performance. We also talked about her new album, King Who Never Sleeps: Anthems for Rest, and how it invites families to experience deep peace in the middle of everyday chaos.

She reminded me—and I hope she’ll remind you too—that adventure with God is worth the risk, His presence can meet us in the most ordinary spaces, and our faith often grows more in the quiet ripples than in the seemingly biggest moments.

All things Cynthia

Anthems for Rest - Apple Music

Anthems for Rest - Spotify

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