Met in the Mess: Faith and Encouragement for Christian Women and Moms

Megan Hannig and Briana Johnson-Honest Conversations about Motherhood and Faith
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Weekly

A Christian podcast for women navigating faith, motherhood, and real life. Each week, we have honest conversations about trusting God in hard seasons, studying the Bible, and finding grace in the middle of the mess. In Met in the Mess, we talk about real-life struggles like overwhelm, parenting, marriage, and spiritual growth—through a biblical lens. If you’re a Christian women looking for encouragement, truth, and reminders that God meets you right where you are, this podcast is for you.

  1. 2d ago

    55. Quilting, Community, and God’s Pattern for Our Lives with Lisa Gumpf

    Quilting is not just about fabric, it's about the people who hold you together when life starts to fray. Megan and Briana sit down with Megan's mom, Lisa Gumpf, for a moving conversation about handmade gifts, church community, and the quiet way God uses both to stitch lives back together.Lisa shares how she first learned quilting through a church group, why nearly every quilt circle she's ever known met in a church basement, and how a wedding quilt that started in 1985 took 35 years to finish. Along the way, she reveals what quilting has taught her about patience, trust, and the beauty of building something piece by piece with help from others.You'll discover how row quilts, t-shirt quilts, and Quilts of Valor turn a creative hobby into an act of service and blessing. Megan and Briana connect the craft to scripture, the body of Christ, and the kind of community that carries people through cancer, surgery, grief, and the ordinary mess of life.Lisa also opens up about her lifelong instinct to plan ahead, her love of signing every quilt, and why the quilts she gives away are often the ones that matter most. If you've ever needed a reminder that you are not meant to do life alone, this episode will leave you encouraged, comforted, and ready to find your people.Perfect for crafters, quilters, church communities, and anyone craving a hopeful reminder that God is still at work in the seams of your story. Timestamps 00:00 - Welcoming Lisa Gumpf and introducing the quilting series finale00:49 - Why quilting fits the theme of community and shared effort02:57 - Lisa’s messy moment: surgery prep, planning, and surrender06:59 - How Lisa first got started quilting after marriage08:22 - Making her first quilt from scratch with no pattern10:46 - Learning hand quilting, machine piecing, and long arm quilting12:15 - Row quilts, t-shirt quilts, and quilting for loved ones14:41 - Hand quilting at the fair and inviting anyone to stitch15:14 - Quilt Club meeting nights and the waiting list16:26 - Megan’s childhood memories of quilting and community17:20 - Gifts made by hand and the beauty of receiving someone’s time19:59 - Prayer quilts, blessed shawls, and Quilts of Valor21:49 - Megan connects quilting repair to God repairing brokenness24:30 - Women, church community, and the gift of being needed25:25 - 1 Corinthians 12 and the body of Christ as many parts28:57 - How quilting shaped Lisa’s view of family and friendship30:21 - Being carried by community through cancer and hard seasons32:14 - Frayed fabric, thread, and how God weaves people together35:17 - Trusting the pattern even when the pieces do not make sense37:12 - Lisa’s wedding quilt as a reflection of God’s long-term plan40:32 - “Not right now” as an answer of timing, not refusal41:36 - Doilies from family history and quilts made from meaningful keepsakes43:04 - Making quilts for children, friends, and military members44:33 - Why Lisa loves the quilts she gives away most45:32 - Signing quilts and preserving the hands that helped make them46:40 - Grandkid quilt plans and choosing patterns for the next generation47:46 - Closing gratitude, prayer, and what’s next for the show #Quilting #QuiltingCommunity #FaithAndCommunity #ChristianPodcast #ChristianFaith #ChurchCommunity #HandmadeWithLove #QuiltsOfValor #BodyOfChrist #GodsPlan #MetInTheMess #MetInTheMaking

  2. Oct 5

    54. Crafting with Kids: Exploring Discipleship and Wonder Through Crafting

    Crafting with Kids, Discipleship, and Shared Wonder Briana and Megan continue their Met in the Making series with a conversation about hands-on crafting with kids and why it matters far beyond the finished project. They connect everyday art time to discipleship, emotional growth, and the way children learn by watching their parents. The episode centers on how simple creative moments can become opportunities to model patience, trust, repentance, and God’s character. Key topics In this episode, Briana and Megan talk about turning lessons into hands-on activities so kids stay engaged instead of sitting through worksheets.They share why seasonal crafts, hand print projects, and footprint keepsakes are especially meaningful because they document growth over time.Megan connects craft time to the idea of discipleship and shared wonder, emphasizing that children learn from what parents model more than what they merely say.They unpack Deuteronomy 6:5-7 and focus on the order of the passage...loving God first, then passing that faith on to children through everyday life.The conversation explores how messy crafts can help kids practice emotional regulation, problem solving, and persistence when things do not go perfectly.Briana shares how crafting has helped her son work through frustration, especially when he gets upset if his work does not look right the first time.Megan opens up about parenting a three-year-old, including moments of frustration, the need to apologize after losing patience, and how that mirrors God’s forgiveness.They discuss the importance of showing children that mistakes are not the end of the story and that Jesus carries the weight of sin and failure.Briana and Megan reflect on confidence-building by showing kids their earlier work beside their current work so they can see measurable growth.The episode closes with a challenge: take a craft you already planned and find a way to use it to teach your kids about God in your own family’s way.Pick a craft you already planned for this week.Look for a natural way to connect that activity to God, faith, or discipleship with your kids.Use the process, not just the finished product, to talk about patience, growth, and trust.Notice one way your child handled frustration well and point it out specifically.Share your family’s creative idea with the hosts if you want to compare notes. Timestamps 00:00 - Welcome to the Met in the Making series and the heart behind hands-on crafts01:31 - Seasonal craft boards, handprint keepsakes, and documenting growth04:11 - Discipleship and shared wonder through creative work06:13 - Deuteronomy 6 and teaching faith through everyday life09:17 - Modeling first, instructing second11:12 - Kids mirror our reactions during big feelings13:36 - Frustration, patience, and learning to apologize as parents17:50 - Jesus carries the weight of failure and sin18:56 - A visual lesson from Beautiful Oops and turning mistakes into something new20:23 - Crafts as training for self-control and letting go of perfection22:05 - The Play-Doh breakthrough and learning to release control24:02 - Building creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills29:57 - Why kids need safe space to think, speak, and make mistakes31:23 - Meeting kids in their mess the way God meets us in ours35:22 - Looking back at handwriting, progress, and encouragement38:24 - Wonder, trust, and what kids learn when challenges are conquered39:33 - A real-life messy moment: big kid bed transitions and overtired meltdowns45:20 - Pointing out good choices and teaching feelings, consequences, and kindness49:27 - Praising process over product51:29 - A craft idea about asking questions and trusting the process52:36 - Weekly challenge: connect God to a craft you already planned54:45 - Closing prayer and final encouragementAction Items

  3. Oct 5

    53. Met in the Oven | Exploring Waiting and Transformation through Baking with Kayla Vichosky

    What can a cookie teach us about waiting, transformation, and trusting God’s process? In this episode of Met in the Making, our creativity series from Met in the Mess, we’re heading into the kitchen and talking about the beautiful (and sometimes frustrating) process of baking with our friend of the pod, Kayla Vichosky! Baking is full of waiting. We measure, mix, and prepare, but we can’t skip the oven. And we certainly can’t pull something out before it’s ready just because we’re impatient to see the finished product. Sound a little like life? Maybe you’re in a waiting season right now. Maybe you’re wondering why God hasn’t answered yet, why the thing you’ve been praying for hasn’t changed, or why you seem to be stuck in a season that feels like it’s taking forever. Baking reminds us that waiting is not wasted time. There is work happening in the resting. There is transformation happening in the heat. And sometimes, the thing we’re waiting for isn’t simply something God is preparing for us…it’s something He is preparing in us. So grab your coffee, your favorite baked good, and join us in the kitchen as we talk about what it means to trust God when we’re still somewhere in the middle of the recipe. Questions to Take With You As you listen, consider: Where am I being asked to wait right now? What might God be doing beneath the surface in this season? Am I trying to rush a process that God is asking me to trust? What would it look like to embrace the process instead of constantly looking for the finished product? Met in the Mess is a Christian motherhood podcast about finding Jesus in the ordinary, messy, beautiful moments of everyday life. Through honest conversations about motherhood, faith, creativity, and the chaos of real life, we’re learning that God doesn’t wait for us to get everything together before He meets us. Because sometimes, Jesus meets us right in the middle of the mess. 🎧 Listen to more episodes of Met in the Mess and follow along with the Met in the Making creativity series. #ChristianPodcast #ChristianWomen #ChristianMoms #FaithAndCreativity #ChristianCreativity #WaitingOnGod #TrustGodsTiming #GodsTiming #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianMotherhood #Baking #BakingAsTherapy #CreativityAndFaith #MetInTheMess #MetInTheMaking

  4. Sep 21

    52. Cooking | Hospitality, Provision & Meeting God Around the Table

    What if cooking is more than just another thing on our never-ending to-do list? In this episode of Met in the Making, we’re stepping into the kitchen and exploring how something as ordinary as cooking can become a spiritual practice. From chopping vegetables and stirring a pot to packing lunches and setting the table, food gives us countless opportunities to practice hospitality, generosity, provision, presence, and love. What if the meals we make in the middle of ordinary, messy motherhood are sacred too? In This Episode We talk about: ​Cooking as an everyday expression of love and service​Genesis 18:1–8 and Abraham and Sarah’s hospitality​What it means to welcome people when our homes—and our lives—aren’t perfect​The connection between food, fellowship, and spiritual formation​How cooking can help us slow down and practice presence​Provision as a reminder that ultimately, God is our provider​The pressure we sometimes place on ourselves to create the “perfect” meal or home​How hospitality can look different in different seasons of motherhood​Making room at our tables for people who might otherwise feel overlooked​Remembering that hospitality isn’t only about having enough—it’s about sharing what we have​The reality that not everyone has consistent access to enough food, and how Christians can respond with compassion and practical generosity W hile we celebrate the beauty of cooking and sharing food, we also want to recognize that food insecurity is a very real experience for many families and individuals in the United States. Hospitality isn’t only about inviting someone into our home for dinner. Sometimes it looks like helping make sure someone else has enough food to put on their table. If you or someone you know is experiencing food insecurity, there are resources available: 🥫 Feeding AmericaFind a local food bank, food pantry, or meal program by entering your ZIP code through Feeding America’s food assistance finder. (Feeding America) 📞 211Dial 211 to connect with local organizations and community resources that may be able to help with food assistance and other basic needs. (United Way 211) ☎️ USDA National Hunger HotlineCall 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479), Monday–Friday, 8 AM–8 PM ET, to be connected with food resources and assistance programs in your community. (FNA) 📱 SNAP & nutrition assistanceUSDA nutrition assistance programs are administered through state, territorial, Tribal, or local agencies. (FNA) Needing help putting food on the table is nothing to be ashamed of. There is dignity in receiving, just as there is dignity in giving. 📚 Resources Mentioned John Mark Comer — Practicing the WayExplore Comer’s teaching on the spiritual practice of Eating and Drinking, including hospitality, neighboring, community, and the way Jesus used meals to build relationships. (Apple Podcasts) Genesis 18:1–8 — Abraham, Sarah & HospitalityA beautiful picture of hospitality expressed through food, service, and welcome. (Bible Gateway) Feeding America — Find FoodFind food banks, pantries, and meal programs near you. (Feeding America) USDA National Hunger Hotline1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) (FNA) 211 — Food Assistance & Community ResourcesDial 211 to find local assistance. (United Way 211) Keywords: Christian motherhood podcast, Christian cooking, cooking as worship, biblical hospitality, Christian hospitality, Genesis 18 hospitality, Abraham and Sarah, Jesus and food, Jesus eating with people, John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way, eating and drinking spiritual practice, Christian homemaking, faith and motherhood, Christian women, provision, generosity, food insecurity, Christian family, messy motherhood, Met in the Making, Met in the Mess

  5. Sep 18 ·  Bonus

    *BONUS* Met in the Margins: The Screwtape Letters

    Met in the Margins: The Screwtape Letters + Our Next Book Club Pick What if temptation doesn’t always look like temptation? In this episode of Met in the Margins, our Met in the Mess book club, we’re diving into C.S. Lewis’s classic Christian book The Screwtape Letters. Through a series of fictional letters written by a senior demon to his inexperienced nephew, Lewis offers a thought-provoking look at temptation, distraction, pride, spiritual warfare, and the subtle ways our hearts can drift away from God. We’re talking about the moments that challenged us, the lessons that still feel surprisingly relevant today, and what The Screwtape Letters can teach us about recognizing the lies, distractions, and habits that keep us from intentionally following Jesus. And because one book always leads us to another, we’re also introducing our next Met in the Margins book club pick: Theo of Golden. 📖✨ Grab your coffee, bring your thoughts, and meet us in the margins! 📖 In This Episode Our overall thoughts on The Screwtape LettersC.S. Lewis’s unique approach to writing about temptation and spiritual warfareHow distraction can slowly pull our attention away from GodThe danger of pride, comparison, and self-focusRecognizing subtle spiritual lies in everyday lifeWhat the book reveals about human nature and our relationship with GodThe ways The Screwtape Letters challenged or surprised usPractical takeaways for following Jesus in the middle of everyday messinessIntroducing our next Met in the Margins book club pick: Theo of Golden💭 Questions to Consider As you listen, think about: What distractions most often pull your attention away from God? Where might pride or comparison be sneaking into your everyday life? What lie have you been tempted to believe about yourself, God, or your circumstances? How can you become more intentional about recognizing God’s presence in the ordinary moments of your day? 📚 Our Next Book Club Pick We’re turning the page and beginning a new story together! Our next Met in the Margins book club pick is Theo of Golden. We’ll be reading, reflecting, and looking for the places where faith, doubt, hope, and God’s presence meet the messiness of real life. So grab your copy, start reading, and follow along with us for our next book club conversation! ✨ Scripture to Carry With You “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 The Christian life isn’t about living in fear of temptation. It’s about staying awake to what is shaping our hearts, keeping our eyes on Jesus, and remembering that we don’t have to navigate the mess alone. 🤍 Keep Meeting Us in the Mess If this episode encouraged you, subscribe to Met in the Mess, leave a review, and share it with a friend who could use a little encouragement today. And don’t forget to follow along with Met in the Margins as we read Theo of Golden together! Because sometimes the most meaningful conversations happen in the margins of a book—and sometimes God meets us there, too. #MetInTheMess #MetInTheMargins #TheScrewtapeLetters #CSLewis #ChristianBookClub #ChristianPodcast #ChristianWomen #ChristianMotherhood #BibleStudy #FaithAndMotherhood #SpiritualGrowth #SpiritualWarfare #ChristianBooks #BookClub #TheoOfGolden

  6. Sep 16

    51. Met in the Thread: Sacred Attention & the Art of Mending

    Met in the Thread: Sacred Attention & the Art of Mending What if mending isn’t just about fixing what’s torn—but about paying attention to what’s right in front of us? In this episode of Met in the Mess, part of our Met in the Making creativity series, we’re getting into the world of thread, mending, and sacred attention. As we stitch, repair, and create with our hands, we’re reminded that God is also a God who restores, redeems, and makes things new. Mending invites us to slow down and notice. To sit with what is broken instead of rushing past it. To practice patience with imperfect things—and imperfect people. And maybe, in the quiet rhythm of a needle passing through fabric, we can begin to recognize the presence of God meeting us in the ordinary. We’re looking at Isaiah 61, where Scripture describes God as the One who binds up the brokenhearted, brings beauty from ashes, and restores what has been devastated. We’ll also spend time in Matthew 9, reflecting on Jesus’ compassion for people who were hurting, overlooked, and in need of restoration. Just as a torn piece of fabric can be carefully stitched back together, our lives can hold places that need the gentle work of God’s restoration. This episode is an invitation to ask: Where might God be inviting me to slow down, pay attention, and participate in His work of mending? In This Episode 🧵 Mending as a spiritual practice
🧵 What sewing and thread can teach us about sacred attention
🧵 Finding God in slow, ordinary, creative work
🧵 Isaiah 61 and the God who binds up the brokenhearted
🧵 Matthew 9 and Jesus’ compassion for the hurting
🧵 The difference between fixing and faithfully tending
🧵 How creativity can help us notice God’s presence
🧵 Finding beauty in things that are worn, imperfect, and mended
🧵 Making space for God to restore what feels broken Scripture Isaiah 61:1–3 — God binds up the brokenhearted and brings beauty from ashes. Matthew 9:35–38 — Jesus sees the crowds, has compassion on them, and responds to their need. A Thread to Carry With You What is something in your life that feels “torn” right now? Instead of immediately asking, How can I fix this? try asking: “Jesus, what are You inviting me to notice here?” Sometimes sacred attention begins simply by staying long enough to see what God is already doing. About Met in the Making Met in the Making is a creativity-focused series from Met in the Mess, exploring the ways creativity, making, and ordinary rhythms can become places where we encounter God. Whether we’re crocheting, journaling, sewing, creating, or simply making room to slow down, we believe Jesus meets us right in the middle of the making. Because sometimes the most sacred moments happen in the seemingly ordinary ones. You don’t have to have it all together to meet Jesus here. #metinthemess #metinthemaking #christianpodcast #christianmotherhood #faithandcreativity #sacredattention #mending #sewingandfaith #christianwomen #motherhoodandfaith #isaiah61 #matthew9 #christiancreativity #godrestores #jesusinthemess

  7. Sep 7

    50. Met in the Making: Crochet and Finding God in the Rhythm

    Met in the Making: Crochet — Finding God in the Rhythm What if something as simple as a hook, a ball of yarn, and a few repetitive stitches could teach us something about the presence of God? In this episode of Met in the Mess, we’re continuing our Met in the Making series by picking up our crochet hooks and exploring the spiritual lessons hidden in the rhythm of creating. Crochet is more than just making something beautiful. There’s something about the repetition—the same stitch over and over, the rhythm of your hands, the patience of watching something slowly take shape—that can create space to breathe, notice, and be present. And maybe that’s exactly where God meets us. In the middle of the unfinished projects.In the repetitive days.In the waiting.In the small, ordinary moments we’re tempted to rush past. 🧶 In This Episode, We Talk About: How crochet can become a practice of presence The spiritual significance of rhythm and repetition Why we often overlook God in ordinary, everyday moments ​What crochet can teach us about patience and perseverance​The beauty of creating something slowly instead of rushing to the finished product​How God is present even when our lives feel repetitive or mundane​Learning to embrace the process rather than focusing only on the finished product​How creativity can become a way to slow down and reconnect with God​Finding moments of peace and worship in the middle of motherhood and everyday mess​✨ The Spiritual Practice: Presence​Sometimes we think we need a perfectly quiet room, an uninterrupted Bible study, or an hour alone with God to experience His presence.​But what if we practiced noticing Him right where we already are?As you crochet, create, fold laundry, drive, cook, clean, or care for your family, try simply pausing and praying: “God, help me notice You here.” You don’t have to escape the ordinary to encounter God. He is already there. 🧵 A Reminder for the Making A crochet project doesn’t become beautiful because every stitch happens quickly. It becomes beautiful one stitch at a time. Maybe our lives are like that too. We can become so focused on the finished product—the answered prayer, the completed project, the organized home, the version of ourselves we think we’re supposed to become—that we miss what God is doing in the individual stitches. God is not only present at the finished product. He is present in the making. 📖 Scripture to Sit With “Be still, and know that I am God.”— Psalm 46:10 And: “In him we live and move and have our being.”— Acts 17:28 💭 Questions to Reflect On Where am I rushing through my days instead of being present? What ordinary activity could become an opportunity to notice God’s presence? Am I more focused on the finished product than the process God is taking me through? What would it look like to embrace the rhythm of this particular season of my life? Where might God be inviting me to slow down? ​🧶 Make Along With Us​Grab your favorite yarn and crochet hook—or simply choose something creative that helps you slow down.​As you work, notice the rhythm.​The repetition.​The imperfections.The progress. And remember: you don’t have to have everything finished for God to meet you in the making. Met in the Mess is a Christian podcast about motherhood, faith, creativity, and finding God’s grace in the beautiful, chaotic, ordinary mess of everyday life. 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and share this episode with a friend who needs the reminder that God meets us right where we are—even in the middle of the making.

  8. Aug 31

    49. 1 Year of Met in the Mess: Met in the Journal + Writing as Prayer

    Met in the Journal: Writing as Prayer | Met in the Making What if your journal could become a place where you meet with God—not just a place to record what happened? Welcome to Met in the Making, a brand-new Met in the Mess series exploring creativity, faith, and the ways God meets us in the things we make. In this episode, “Met in the Journal: Writing as Prayer,” we’re talking about the simple, beautiful practice of turning our thoughts, questions, gratitude, struggles, and everyday mess into prayer through journaling. Journaling doesn’t have to look perfect. Your handwriting doesn’t have to be pretty. You don’t need an elaborate setup, hours of quiet, or a perfectly curated journal. Sometimes writing is simply a way of slowing down long enough to bring what’s already in your heart before God. Together, we’ll explore how Christian journaling and prayer journaling can help us process our emotions, reflect on Scripture, recognize God’s faithfulness, and create space to hear His voice in the middle of ordinary life. And this episode is extra special because Met in the Mess is celebrating ONE YEAR! 🎉 One year of conversations about motherhood, faith, grace, messy days, and the God who continues to meet us right where we are. We’re celebrating by looking back with gratitude—and looking ahead to all God is still making in and through this little community. In This Episode: ​Why journaling can be a form of prayer​How to bring your honest thoughts and emotions to God​Using writing to slow down and reflect on Scripture​The difference between journaling about God and journaling with God​Simple ways to begin a prayer journal​How creativity can become an act of worship​Finding God in the process instead of waiting for perfection​What one year of Met in the Mess has taught us​A reminder that God is still making something beautiful in the middle of our messJournal With Us ✍️ Want to keep the conversation going after the episode? Sign up for the Met in the Mess newsletter to receive journal prompts delivered to your inbox and create a little more space to slow down, reflect, pray, and meet with God in the middle of your everyday life. 👉 Join the Met in the Mess newsletter:https://metinthemesspodcas.wixsite.com/met-in-the-mess A Question to Take With You What would you write if you stopped worrying about making it sound good and simply wrote what you wanted to say to God? Grab your journal, find a quiet moment—even if it’s only five minutes—and start there. Because creativity doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it’s just a pen, a page, and an honest prayer. And maybe, right there in the making, you’ll find that God has been meeting you all along. About Met in the Mess Met in the Mess is a Christian podcast about motherhood, faith, grace, and finding God in the beautiful, chaotic, ordinary moments of everyday life. Hosted by women who know that life doesn’t always look put together, Met in the Mess is a reminder that God doesn’t wait for us to clean up our lives before He meets us. New here? Start with us. Stay for the mess. Find the grace. #MetInTheMess #MetInTheMaking #ChristianPodcast #ChristianWomen #ChristianMomPodcast #PrayerJournaling #ChristianJournaling #JournalingAsPrayer #PrayerJournal #FaithAndCreativity #CreativityAndFaith #BibleJournaling #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianMotherhood #GodInTheMess

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A Christian podcast for women navigating faith, motherhood, and real life. Each week, we have honest conversations about trusting God in hard seasons, studying the Bible, and finding grace in the middle of the mess. In Met in the Mess, we talk about real-life struggles like overwhelm, parenting, marriage, and spiritual growth—through a biblical lens. If you’re a Christian women looking for encouragement, truth, and reminders that God meets you right where you are, this podcast is for you.

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