Mess Makes Meaning

About Mess Makes Meaning

Caring for young children's spirituality is a delicate balance and can often be made more difficult when we grown-ups don't care for ourselves. Struggling through religious or church related trauma or even feelings of inadequacy when it comes to answering our children's big questions. At Mess Makes Meaning we are here to equip the parents/caregivers to remind them and their children they are deeply loved by interviewing some guests who are professionals in this vital work. With relatable humor from hosts and guests alike, this podcast is for you and created by Godly Play®

Publisher

Joy and Raenelle

Category

kids & family · religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Nov 2023

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

44 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Our Daily Breath with Kayla Craig

   What if prayer could begin with something as simple and as essential as a breath? Join Joy and Raenelle as they welcome back author and spiritual director Kayla Craig for a grounding conversation about the practice of breath prayer and finding God in the midst of everyday life. Together, they explore the wisdom and invitations woven throughout Kayla’s latest devotional, Our Daily Breath, reflecting on how small moments of prayer can help us slow down, reconnect, and notice God’s presence—even...

2. 

   10 Sept 2026

   Empathy VS Compassion with Dr. Noga Zerubavel

   Join Joy and Raenelle as they interview Dr. Noga Zerubavel (Find her incredible Bio Here) on the differences between empathy and compassion and how they can make a difference for parents and caregivers doing their best to support their children. Takeaways Empathy involves sharing in another's pain, activating the same neural networks as personal pain. Compassion is a concern that motivates action to alleviate suffering, distinct from empathy. Excessive empathy can lead to empathic stra...

3. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Attunement Over Achievement with Ruth Lin Nakai

   In a world that constantly measures our worth by what we accomplish, how do we learn to slow down and listen to what is happening within us? This week on Mess Makes Meaning, Joy and Raenelle welcome spiritual director Ruth Lin Nakai for a thoughtful conversation about rest, creativity, faith, and the courage to live beyond productivity. Together, they explore why so many parents and caregivers find themselves exhausted even when they are getting enough sleep, the difference between achievemen...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

998,491

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

15 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 61 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

60

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

71

Contact Mess Makes Meaning

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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