How’d I Miss That? Parenting Perspective, Praying for Your Kids & Trusting God’s Process :: Cynthia Yanof [Ep 555]

My friend and Sidetracked podcast co-host, Cynthia Yanof, joins me to discuss her new book, How’d I Miss That?Cynthia shares hilarious and poignant stories about family and kids that help uncover deeper truths—reminding us that God has a plan, and there’s no formula for this parenting journey. We often stress over things that feel big at the moment, like preschool registration or making the “right” sports team, but what really matters is having an eternal perspective—focusing on who our kids are becoming at 25 and who we are becoming as parents. In this episode, we talk about: How to pray audacious, faith-filled prayers over our kids Trusting the process, even when it doesn’t make sense in the moment Why not all friendships are meant for every season of parenting—and being intentional about your inner circle And we wrap up with some fun hosting tips from Cynthia Connect with Cynthia Yanof:  Instagram: Cynthia Wilkinson Yanof (@cynthiayanof) Website: Cynthia Yanof Links Mentioned:   How’d I Miss That?: By Cynthia Yanof Sidetracked - Podcast - Apple Podcasts Draw the Circle: By Mark Batterson Pre-order Cynthia’s book and then fill out this form to join us LIVE on Jan 27th at 7:30 pm CST Related Episodes: The Goal Isn’t Happy Children :: Cynthia Yanof – Summer of Mentorship – Wk 6 [Ep 419] The Unicorn That is Adult Friendship :: Cynthia Yanof – Summer of Mentorship – Wk 3 [Ep 416] Raising Kids Who Can Stand Alone :: Cynthia Yanof -Summer of Mentorship-Wk 2 [Ep 415]  Featured Sponsors:  BUBS Naturals: Live Better Longer and kick 2026 off the right way! BUBS is running a HUGE New Year New You sale PLUS for a limited time only, our listeners are getting 20% OFF at BUBS Naturals by using code [DMA] at checkout. Bubsnaturals.com Branch Basics: And here’s the good news — Branch Basics is now available everywhere you shop: at Target, Target.com, Amazon, and of course, BranchBasics.com Tossing the toxins has never been more convenient! And for anyone grabbing the Premium Starter Kit, you can still get 15% off at BranchBasics.com with our code [DMA].  Thrive Causemetics: Amplify Your Every Day. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/DMA for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. 

Moms, life throws us into so many conversations every day… Talking with our kids, navigating our husband’s work party, connecting with other moms, or building our own friendship. All of these moments show who we are and how we communicate. Today, Debra Fileta, counselor, author, and podcaster, joins me to share practical tips on how to communicate effectively with friends, family, and loved ones. In our tech-driven world, we’ve lost many opportunities for genuine connection, and often we don’t realize how we come across when meeting new people or entering a room full of strangers. Debra shares insights from her new book, People Skills, to help us connect in deeper, more authentic ways. Here’s some of what we cover: Relationships and people skills: The strength of your relationships depends on the skills you bring into them.  Communication matters: In a tech-driven world, real-life interactions with tone, body language, and facial expressions are more important than ever.  Understanding communication styles: Learn the four types—assertive, aggressive, passive, passive-aggressive—and how to navigate them.  Practical tips for being a great conversationalist: Honor your story, honor theirs, and create space for give-and-take in relationships. Connect with Debra Fileta:  Instagram: Debra Fileta Facebook:  Debra Fileta Truelovedates.com Website:  Debra Fileta, M.A. LPC (@debrafileta) Links Mentioned:   Soul Care: By Debra Fileta People Skills: By Debra Fileta Talk To Me: The Debra Fileta Podcast Related Episodes: When Friendships Get Messy: Healing, Humor and Finding Your Chicken-Fried Women :: Melissa Radke [Ep 519] Important Topics to Cover with Tweens and Teens about Manners, Technology and Friendship :: Lee Cordon [Ep 408] Helping Our Kids Foster Friendships :: David Thomas and Sissy Goff [Ep 338] Featured Sponsors:  Honeylove: Treat yourself to the most advanced bras and shapewear on the market. Use our exclusive link to save 20% off Honeylove at honeylove.com/DMA.  Cove: Make protecting your home one of your New Year’s resolutions. Check out Cove at covesmart.com, use code DMA for an additional 10% off your first order —easy, affordable, and peace of mind guaranteed. Green Chef: Go to Greenchef.com/ALONEGRAZA use the code ALONEGRAZA to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxes. This 50% offer is only available for a limited time, so don’t wait. 

In this episode, author, podcaster, and speaker Mary DeMuth returns to share the inspiration behind her latest work, which spotlights overwhelmed women in the Bible—women whose stories have often been minimized or overlooked. From Mary the mother of Jesus to Hagar to the widow with two mites, these women model faith, resilience, and wholehearted trust in God. We talk about how Christmas can be both beautiful and heavy. Mary opens up about her own seasons of overwhelm, from her water breaking on Christmas Eve to sleeping in a barn the week before Christmas. She reminds us that Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived through the deepest fears a mother can face, yet she remained faithful as a disciple. Here is some of what we cover:  Why Christmas often heightens grief, trauma, and unmet longings The consumerism of the holiday season vs. the simplicity of God with us What Shalom really means: wholehearted, whole-bodied peace rooted in surrender Jesus’ care for the overlooked, the aging, and the marginalized The definition of “Whelm” which  refers to out-of-control stress,  “overwhelmed” is that same stress amplified beyond capacity Connect with Mary DeMuth:  Instagram: Mary DeMuth // Healing from Trauma (@marydemuth) Facebook:  Mary DeMuth Website:  Mary DeMuth Links Mentioned:   Nobody's Mother: By Sandra Glahn 90-Day Bible Reading Challenge: By Mary DeMuth Most Misunderstood Women of the Bible: By Mary DeMuth The Most Overlooked Women of the Bible: By Mary DeMuth The Most Overwhelmed Women of the Bible: By Mary DeMuth Podcast - Pray Every Day Mary DeMuth Church Hurt Checklist Related Episodes: Building the Family You Never Had :: Mary DeMuth [Ep 156] Nobody’s Mother :: Dr. Sandra Glahn [Ep 443] From Overwhelmed to Anchored: Replacing the Lies of Motherhood with God’s Truth :: Erica Gwynn [Ep 544] Featured Sponsors:  Green Chef: Go to Greenchef.com/ALONEGRAZA use the code ALONEGRAZA to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxes. This 50% offer is only available for a limited time, so don’t wait.  Policygenius: With Policygenius real users have gotten 20-year $2 million policies for just $53 a month. Don’t wait until next year. Give your family the gift of security today with Policygenius. Head to Policygenius.com to compare life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save.  Thrive Causemetics: Complete your holiday look. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/DMA for an exclusive offer of 20% off your first order. 

In today’s episode, I sit down with Marc Cameron, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, to explore one of the most influential (and often overlooked) elements of our emotional lives: attachment styles. Drawing from more than 80 years of research, Marc breaks down how our earliest experiences with our families shape the way we connect, communicate, handle conflict, and relate to the people closest to us well into adulthood. This episode offers a compassionate and scientifically grounded roadmap for understanding yourself and the people you love. Whether you identify as avoidant, anxious, vacillating, disorganized, or relatively secure, you'll walk away with clarity, validation, and practical tools for building healthier patterns of connection. Here is some of what we cover:  Why attachment styles are not personality traits, but relational survival strategies formed early in life Why “secure” doesn’t mean perfect; it means the relationship feels predictable and safe most of the time How attachment ruptures can be healed in adulthood through awareness and practice Why the holidays amplify attachment triggers—family roles, old wounds and unresolved expectations How to move toward secure attachment by learning emotional language, practicing repair, and using the comfort circle  Connect with Marc Cameron:  Instagram: How We Love (@howwelovebook) Facebook:  How We Love Website:  How We Love – Discover Your Love Style, Enhance Your Marriage Links Mentioned:   How We Love: By Milan and Kay Yerkovich Understanding Your Attachment Style:By Marc Cameron Love Style Quiz – How We Love Freebies – How We Love Related Episodes: Building Healthy Relationships by Exploring Adult Attachment Patterns (Part 1) :: Charissa Lopez [Ep 498] Building Healthy Relationships by Exploring Adult Attachment Patterns (Part 2) :: Charissa Lopez [Ep 499] How to Align with Your Spouse in Parenting :: Dr. Kim Kimberling [Ep 491] What Does my Child Need :: Amy and Jeff Olrick [Ep 480] SofM 2024 Featured Sponsors:  Thrive Causemetics:  Complete your holiday look with Thrive Causemetics. Luxury beauty that gives back. Right now, you can get an exclusive 20% off your first order at thrivecausemetics.com/DMA Honeylove: Treat yourself or someone you love to Honeylove this holiday season and right now you can save 20% at honeylove.com/DMA Story Worth: Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you’ll all cherish for years–Storyworth Memoirs! Right now save $10 or more during their Holiday sale when you go to Storyworth.com/dma. 

In this episode, I sit down with bestselling author and investigative journalist Lee Strobel to explore some of the most profound questions of faith: Are miracles real? What evidence supports the Christmas story? What are angels like?  Lee was famously an atheist, and when his wife came to faith in Christ, he set out to prove her wrong. In the end, he discovered that the evidence for Jesus was too substantial to ignore and he became a Christian. Since then, he has helped countless people wrestle with life’s biggest questions: Is God real? How do we navigate a spiritually mismatched marriage? How can we help our kids understand the evidence that Jesus came, died, and rose again?  Now, he has a new movie coming out called The Case for Miracles, bringing the supernatural to life in a powerful and compelling way. In this interview, we explore: Documented cases of divine healing Spiritual Mismatch in marriage and how to have hope  The evidence surrounding Christmas and the incarnation Do angels exist? Do we have guardian angels? What Scripture and research reveal How God is using miracles and dreams around the world to draw people to Him  Connect with Lee Strobel:  Instagram: Lee Strobel (@lee_strobel) Facebook: Lee Strobel Website: Lee Strobel Links Mentioned:   The Case for Miracles Movie Spiritual Mismatch: By Lee Strobel The Seeing the Supernatural: By Lee Strobel The Case for Christ: By Lee Strobel The Case for Miracles: By Lee Strobel Is God Real? for Teens by Lee Strobel Related Episodes: Moms and the Best Christmas Pageant Ever :: Dallas and Amanda Jenkins [Ep 501] “What is My Responsibility in My Child’s Salvation?” :: Vela Tomba [Ep 431] Seek Him First :: Lillian Richey [Ep 494] Featured Sponsors:  BUBS Naturals: Live Better Longer! For a limited time only, our listeners are getting 20% OFF at BUBS Naturals by using code DMA at checkout. Just head to BubsNaturals.com and use code DMA and you’re all set.  Branch Basics: Get yourself and your loved ones the best gift of all - the gift of clean with Branch Basics! For a limited time only, our listeners get 15% off and Free Shipping on their premium starter pack when you use code DMA at BranchBasics.com/DMA. 

In this powerful and deeply honest conversation, Jess Connolly—author, podcaster, and speaker—invites us into a season of her life marked by heartbreak and uncertainty.  Jess opens up about the winter of 2023, when her husband experienced panic attacks, heart issues, and a mental health crisis. At the same time, her family was facing major loss as her stepfather passed away after heart surgery, while also preparing for a book release. Followed by one of her children walking through a dark trial. Jess brings so much truth and gentle encouragement to anyone walking through a season that desperately needs hope, not the shallow Christian clichés we often hear, but a deep and steady hope that God is with us in the valley. Here’s some of what we cover: The myth of the “prosperity gospel of parenting” and why 1+2 does not always equal 3 The pressure to assign purpose to a painful season  Rethinking Psalm 23 and understanding the rod and the staff  Learning to lament: why anger expressed to God is actually intimacy An exclusive sneak peak at her next book!  Connect with Jess Connolly:  Instagram: Jess Connolly | Author + Bible Teacher (@jessaconnolly) Facebook: Jess Connolly Website: Jess Connolly Links Mentioned:   What Comes Next: By Jess Connolly Tired of Being Tired: By Jess Connolly It's Not Supposed to Be This Way: By Lysa TerKeurst Related Episodes: Sidetracked with Jess Connolly :: Cynthia and Heather [Ep 484] Your Body is GOOD :: Jess Connolly [Ep 329] Worth Repeating // Jess Connolly Featured Sponsors: Sex Ed Reclaimed: Sex Ed Reclaimed offers a full curriculum with lifetime access so with that mind, visit sexedreclaimed.com to get your family's video curriculum today. Branch Basics: Get yourself and your loved ones the best gift of all - the gift of clean with Branch Basics! For a limited time only, our listeners get 15% off and Free Shipping on their premium starter pack when you use code DMA at BranchBasics.com/DMA . Jones Road Beauty: This holiday season, simplify your routine with makeup that’s clean, strategic, and multifunctional. From November 18th - December 1st, Jones Road is doing their first ever Black Friday Sale! Go to JonesRoadBeauty.com to get up to 20% off sitewide.

As a young mom, I felt the tension of wanting to have it all together: the boys in matching outfits, the house spotless, and dinner on the table. But no matter how hard I tried, it always felt just out of reach.  Today, Ashleigh Surratt joins me to talk about what it means to be a Type C mom — a blend of Type A and Type B — and how this mix shapes the way we experience motherhood. She is a mom and faith-filled encourager who speaks honestly about motherhood, identity, and finding God’s grace in the messiest seasons of life. Her perspective helps moms release perfectionism and embrace the freedom found in authenticity. We talk about:  How to stop comparing yourself and embrace what truly matters to you How “ideal mom” expectations can become an idol Why authenticity and vulnerability invite connection rather than shame Create simple “catch-all” systems to manage chaos in your home When you feel drained, pause and invite God into the overwhelm Connect with Ashleigh Surratt:  Instagram: Ashleigh Surratt (@ashleigh.surratt) Facebook: Ashleigh Surratt Links Mentioned:   The Lazy Genius The Ashleigh Surratt Show - Podcast - Apple Podcasts Podcast with her husband Related Episodes: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius :: Kendra Adachi [Ep 492] The Lazy Genius Kitchen :: Kendra Adachi [Ep 365] Choose What Matters to YOU :: Kendra Adachi [Ep 293] Featured Sponsors:  Honeylove: Treat yourself or someone special to the most comfortable and innovative bras on earth this holiday season. Save 20% off sitewide at honeylove.com/DMA. Use our exclusive link to get 20% off Green Chef: Make this fall your healthiest yet with Green Chef. Head to Greenchef.com/50ALONE and use code 50ALONE to get fifty percent off your first month then 20 percent off for two months with free shipping.  Thrive Causemetics: Complete your fall look. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/DMA for an exclusive 20% off your first order. 

When life doesn’t go as planned, it can be hard to see where God is working. In this powerful conversation, Sandra Peoples, author, special needs mom, and ministry leader,  opens up about her journey from growing up with a sister with Down syndrome to parenting a son with autism. Sandra shares how her family’s story revealed a gap in the church for families impacted by disability, and how God called her to help fill it. From starting a special needs ministry to creating sensory rooms and buddy systems, Sandra offers practical and spiritual wisdom for pastors, volunteers, and parents alike. Here is some of what we cover:  Disability families are often unreached — the church has an incredible opportunity to serve and love them. Support for the whole family — offer counseling, respite nights, and peer connection for parents and siblings. The church should be a whole picture of the body of Christ including those with disabilities who often enter into worship in the most beautiful ways.  What questions to ask your friends who are hesitant to come to church with their special needs child.  Hope for the mom that feels unseen or hopeless. Psalm 126:5- Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! Connect with Sandra Peoples Website: Sandra Peoples: Equipping Churches and Encouraging Families Instagram: Sandra Peoples (@sandrapeoples) Facebook: Sandra Peoples Links Mentioned:   Accessible Church: By Sandra Peoples Held: Learning to Live in God's Grip: By Sandra Peoples Unexpected Blessings: By Sandra Peoples 99 Balloons Related Episodes: Adopting Special Needs :: Alice and Candace [Ep 213] Mothering Autism: Navigating Grief, Marriage, and Community :: Carrie Cariello, Kate Swenson, and Adrian Wood [Ep 515] Parenting Neurodivergent Children–Summer Edition :: Carrie Cassell [Ep 413] Featured Sponsors:  Thrive Causemetics: Complete your fall look. Go to thrivecausemetics.com/DMA for an exclusive 20% off your first order.  StoryWorth Memoirs: Give your loved ones a unique keepsake you’ll all cherish for years–Storyworth Memoirs! Right now, save $10 or more during their Holiday sale when you go to storyworth.com/dma !

In this episode, New York Times bestselling author Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt joins us to talk about parenting, faith, and finding courage, especially in the spotlight. Katherine opens up about her new children’s book, Kat and Brandy, an inspiring story about overcoming fear, bravery, and the bond between animals and humans. She shares how growing up in a politically influential family shaped her values, why protecting her kids’ privacy matters deeply to her, and how faith and humor help her stay grounded in motherhood. From her childhood journals to her love of animals Katherine reveals the experiences that built her courage, and how she hopes to pass those lessons on. Here is some of what we cover: Balancing Fame and Family: How Katherine and Chris Pratt navigate parenting in the public eye while prioritizing a grounded, private childhood for their kids. Why boredom, journaling, and quiet moments sparked her lifelong passion for storytelling and creativity. Motherhood with Humor and Grace: Katherine’s honest reflections on mom life, finding laughter in chaos, and building a community that uplifts and supports. Encouragement for Overwhelmed Moms: find humor in things, get outside, and give yourself grace. Connect with Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt:  Website: Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt Instagram: Katherine Schwarzenegger (@katherineschwarzenegger) Facebook: Katherine Schwarzenegger Links Mentioned:   Kat and Brandy: By Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt Jingle All the Way Christmas Movie Black Beauty: By Anna Sewell BDA Baby® Podcast Related Episodes: Honoring Moms, the Unsung Heroes :: Rebecca St. James [Ep 466] Raising Rock Stars on a Firm Foundation :: Helen Smallbone [Ep 166] From Blockbusters to Blanket Forts: Patricia Heaton on Parenting, Faith, and Comedy [Ep 521] Featured Sponsors:  Hiya Health: Receive 50% off your first order. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/DMA. This deal is not available on their regular website. Get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. Bubs Natural: Live Better Longer with BUBS Naturals. For A limited time get 20% Off your entire order with code [DMA] at Bubsnaturals.com PolicyGenius: Head to policygenius.com to compare life insurance quotes and get the coverage you need. Because being financially protected? That’s the ultimate self-care. 

What does it really mean to parent with grace? Does choosing grace-based or gentle parenting mean we throw out discipline or become permissive? In today’s episode, Cody Kimmel and I, explore the deep spiritual truths behind parenting the way God parents us, full of grace, full of truth, and full of delight. Parenting is not about perfection. It’s about partnering with God in the work He’s doing in our kids' lives. When we align ourselves with His heart—gracious, truthful, joyful—we parent from a place of rest, not reaction. Here is some of what we cover: How to respond to a talking-back teen with both love and limits How our own sanctification plays a role in how we approach our kids and discipline  The role of trust and play in your relationship with your kids Grace doesn't mean permissiveness, it means parenting the way God parents us How modern parenting gets it wrong by saying parenting is death to joy and freedom but there is incredible beauty and delight in motherhood  Connect with Cody Kimmel:  Website: Home - Gracebased Facebook: Gracebased Instagram: Gracebased (@gracebasedfamilies) Links Mentioned:   Grace-Based Parenting: By Tim Kimmel Blueprint Pathway - Gracebased Gracebased Home Journal - Gracebased Podcasts lightcatchers - Gracebased Related Episodes: Grace Based Discipline for Kids with Unique Needs :: Karis Murray [Ep 237] Grace-Based Discipline :: Karis Kimmel Murray [Ep 150] “What Does My Child Need?” :: Amy and Jeffrey Olrick [Ep 480] Featured Sponsors:  Little Spoon: Simplify your kids' mealtimes. Go to: littlespoon.com/DMA and enter our code DMA at checkout to get 50% OFF your first Little Spoon order.  Voetberg Music Academy: This month, use my code: DONTMOMALONE to get 20% off each month you’re subscribed. Get 20% off the proprietary Voetberg Method Experience. Lightcatchers Podcast: Lightcatchers, a new podcast of original stories for children. Created by an organization with over 40 years of helping moms and dads experience God’s vision for parenting, Lightcatchers is loved by children and parents alike. It’s perfect for parents looking for stories that explore topics like emotional intelligence, mental health, and hope. Listen now to Lightcatchers wherever you get your podcasts. And learn more at bealightcatcher.com