MESSmerized Cynthia Yanof

“There’s no fast-tracking the grief process.” - Abby Rike
 
My good friend Abby is with us today talking about grief and the many forms it takes. Grief is most often associated with death, but it’s also important to acknowledge the grief we face in the loss of a dream, relationships, health, and so much more. Abby reminds us that there is hope in the midst of our deepest grief, and she tackles some of the lies we are tempted to believe when we’re struggling through the hard stuff. 
 
Interesting facts about Abby include that our dog is named after her, she’s been on The Biggest Loser, and she has walked a near-impossible road the last 20 years. That being said, she’s a beacon of encouragement on days that feel impossible with her message that with Christ as our anchor, we can move forward (not move on) with hope. 
 
I’m praying today’s show will encourage not just you, but that you will share it with others around you who are walking through grief in their own lives.
 
 
All things Cynthia
Keep up with Abby Rike
Abby’s book: Working it Out: A Journey of Loss, Love, and Hope

I mentioned it last month, but as a little reminder, Heather MacFadyen of the Don’t Mom Alone podcast and I have a super fun show we do together called Sidetracked. As a part of this little venture, this summer we’ve decided to surprise each other with a guest and then release the episode on both of our shows. It’s been super fun so far, and we’d love to know how you’re liking it and if you want more of these shows! 
 
On today’s Sidetracked episode, Heather surprises me with author, speaker, teacher, podcaster, and enneagram expert . . . Beth McCord. We love Beth because she approaches the enneagram from a biblical perspective and helps us learn how to better navigate our personalities and figure out what makes us tick. 
 
I think you’ll especially love the real-life example at the beginning of our conversation about Heather firing off a frustrated email to Beth, and how their enneagram knowledge facilitated healthy conflict resolution. We also discuss how the enneagram intersects with our parenting, and the reasons not to “guess” your kids’ number and instead have your older kids take the test themselves. (Which I’m so going to have my older kids do sometime this summer!) 
 
Can’t wait for you to hear today’s show! Leave a review and share it with a friend pretty please.
 
All things Cynthia Yanof Connect with Beth McCord:  Website:  Your Enneagram Coach | Free Enneagram Test, Courses, and Coaching
Facebook: Your Enneagram Coach
Instagram: Beth McCord | (@yourenneagramcoach)

Summer . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. 
Kids . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. 
Vacation . . . I love you, but you’re chaotic and expensive. 
 
Feel free to join in on my mindless chants of summer. 
 
I’m super excited about today’s show and talking about ways to save a little money. To be clear, I’m not talking about it from the 401K and investment perspective for the long-haul, but literally what can I do TODAY to get the budget back on the rails. 
 
Crystal Paine is with us, and she has some GREAT advice today. She’s built an entire brand called The Money Saving Mom and has the best tricks and tips for making ends meet. Her suggestions are so great that I wanted to give you a few of her points as a sneak-peak:
 
Your income is not your biggest issue; it’s your mindset
Your grocery budget is the best place to start saving money
 
There’s a lot more coming your way for saving money and changing our perspective, and it’s so so practical and necessary. 
 
Take a minute to listen today, and please please share the show with a friend. Heck, get crazy and even take a minute and leave a review. I’ll be forever grateful.
 

Today we’re talking about body image, learning to love our body, and calling out the false narratives we’ve bought into from culture and other places relating to our physical body. 
 
Talking about body image kinda feels like no-man's land, and I’m thinking I might as well hit politics and money while I’m at it. Joking. But having a discussion around how to love our body is something that is important, and I believe it is not discussed enough in Christian circles. So we’re doing it here today! 
 
Liz Rodriguez and Rebecca Carrell from the Honestly, Though podcast are with us today. Liz is currently on her own personal health journey after receiving some tough diagnoses a few years ago. She speaks honestly about the physiological aspects of losing weight and working through the well-intentioned but hard comments she receives from others. 
 
Rebecca is healed from an eating disorder that she struggled with for many years. She has a great word on loving and accepting our God-given bodies while also raising daughters who can hopefully do the same. 
 
I understand this can be a touchy topic, and I assure you that we will do our very best to encourage you wherever you are in your health journey. Take a minute to listen and also share with your friends.
 
Also, if you enjoy MESSmerized will you please consider rating and reviewing the show? This helps others find us and hopefully encourage people to chase after Jesus even when everything around us. 
 
Sign-up for the Life is Messy, God is Good summer book club!  
All things Cynthia Yanof
For more of their discussion on body image listen to Honestly, Though here.
The Body Project by Joan Jacobs Brumberg
 
Catch up with Rebecca and Liz below:
Rebecca Carrell
IG: @RebeccaCarrell 
Twitter: @RebeccaACarrell 
FB: Rebecca Ashbrook Carrell
 
Liz Rodriguez
IG: @lizannrodriguez 
FB:  Liz Rodriguez
 

I’m going to keep this short because, well, listen to the intro and you’ll understand. But somewhere between trying out a new spray tan and finding our trampoline in our front yard after a storm—it’s gotten kinda weird over here. 
 
But thankfully, on the show is one of our faves, Dr. Ken Wilgus. We’re talking about how we survive summer with teens, and below is a preview of a few points that are coming your way: 
Set absolute limits on screens in advance 
Establish household expectations
Require some level of outside activity
 
And this is just the tip of the iceberg on the wisdom coming your way on today’s show. 
 
Thanks for being a part of the MESSmerized community, and PLEASE take a minute and leave a review so more folks can find us.
 
 
All things Cynthia
Feeding the Mouth that Bites you by Ken Wilgus
Ken Wilgus' Podcast
 

Here’s a fun little podcast update for you. 
 
As most of you (hopefully) know, Heather MacFadyen of the Don’t Mom Alone podcast and I have a little sideshow we do once a month called Sidetracked. Basically, it’s an unfiltered conversation between the two of us discussing life’s goings on, parenting, faith, etc. It comes out the first Friday of the month on Don’t Mom Alone, and It’s been a big hit. 
 
So, spinning off from that concept this week, we’re doing a second episode of Sidetracked in the summer months that includes a surprise guest aired on both of our shows. And today is the day we kick it off with our friend Toni Collier. Please hear me:  You do not want to miss a second of this conversation. 
 
If you don’t know Toni, she’s  the author of Broken Crayons Still Color as well as a podcaster, speaker, and mom of two sweet kiddos. Toni chats with us about everything from getting tattoos with Ann Voskamp to seeing God show up through “God winks.” 😜
 
Next week we will be back to our “How do I _____” series that will continue through the summer. But once a month I hope you enjoy these little editions of Sidetracked with various surprise guests!
  All things Cynthia
Life is Messy, God is Good
My Amazon Must Haves
  Connect with Toni Collier:  Website:  HOME | Toni Collier
Facebook: Toni J Collier 
Instagram:  Toni Collier (@tonijcollier)
PODCAST | Toni Collier
Brave Enough to Be Broken: by Toni Collier
Broken Crayons Still Color: by Toni Collier
Ironman movie