Messy Family Podcast : Catholic Conversations on Marriage and Family

• MFP 341: Unleash the Holy Spirit in Your Family w/ Dr. Sean and Nicole Tobin from Encounter Ministries

  “What do we feel is the first and last need of the Church? …the Spirit, the Holy Spirit…. He is her divine breath, the wind in her sails, the principle of her unity, the inner source of her light and strength.” - St. Paul VI Summary We can’t wait for you to hear this podcast!  The week before Pentecost, we did a webinar with Dr. Sean and Nicole Tobin, a Catholic couple passionate about helping families live in the power of the Holy Spirit. Sean is a clinical psychologist, worship leader, and co-founder of the Divine Mercy Clinic and Nicole holds a master’s in Theology and co-founded the Los Angeles campus of the Encounter School of Ministry with Sean. Together, they speak and minister nationally, helping families become more fully alive in the Spirit through healing, activation, and practical faith formation. They came and spoke to our people about how the Holy Spirit can help us be the parents God wants us to be and the parents our children need.  None of us can raise our kids alone!  Not only do we need our spouses, but we also need God present in our lives every day through His Holy Spirit.  Listen in to get some amazing wisdom and to learn how God wants to empower our parenting in a new way.     Key Takeaways Desperation with expectation is an invitation to the Holy Spirit. Virtue does not come from us just “trying harder”, it comes as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.   “What do we feel is the first and last need of this blessed and beloved Church of ours? We must say it, almost trembling and praying, because as you know well, this is the Church’s mystery and life: the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. He it is who animates and sanctifies the Church. He is her divine breath, the wind in her sails, the principle of her unity, the inner source of her light and strength.” Pope St Paul VI Heaven has been invading earth since Pentecost… it continues the mission of Christ in us. The biggest hindrance in our home is our busyness.  We have to notice and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Tune in and listen. Children thrive in structure and routine, so teach them to give God the first and your best. Have them read scripture first thing, then pause and have them listen and journal each and every day. Healing is an easy first step - pray for this. Couple Discussion Questions What’s one way we can invite the Holy Spirit more deeply into our home? Is there something we need to surrender or ask God to heal in our family?  

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• MFP 340: Providence Over Panic

  “We need to give God room to show up. Often we try to fix and solve everything without waiting for God to act” - Jonathan and Amanda Texiera   Summary The number one conflict in marriages, statistically, is money.  How we spend our money reflects our values, but also our belief in the providence of God.  Do we truly believe that God cares about all of our life, including our financial needs?  How much are we truly trusting in Him and His provision and not just giving in to panic and fear?  In this podcast, we invited our friends Jonathan and Amanda Texiera of Wallet Win to give us some encouragement to give our entire lives over to God and believe that He cares for us completely.  They give spiritual principles, but also practical advice for families to reject fear and embrace trust.     Key Takeaways Remind yourselves of what God has done in your lives and invite God into your money, he wants to be part of your life Give God room to show up - we try to fix and solve everything without waiting for God to act Create financial oneness in our marriage Live as financial disciples - play the long game   Couple Discussion Questions Look at the fruits of panic and trusting providence.  How have you experienced these?  List the ways that God has provided for you.  Where can you trust him more?    Resources https://walletwin.com/  

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• MFP 339: Movies, kids, and imagination

  "Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed." - G.K. Chesterton   Summary Movies shape more than behavior — they form the imagination, the moral compass, and the heart. Catholic parents are not merely protecting innocence; they are cultivating virtue and wonder. In this episode, we explore how stories shape our children, how to choose wisely, and how to use movies as part of a rich Catholic family culture. Jesus used stories to teach. So do we.   Key Takeaways   Here are four filters that parents can use to decide what movies to watch with their children:   Content – Surface-level: language, nudity, violence, disrespect. Different for every family.  Talk about this with spouse May change as the kids get older Context / Theme–  Does it glorify sin, or does it show redemption? Does this movie affirm the dignity of the human person? What’s the movie saying about truth, identity, family, and faith? Does it honor the sacrificial nature of love? Does it support the family or undermine it? Is faith treated with reverence, or ridicule? Beauty Is it ugly?is does it nourish the soul and imagination? Is this edifying? Does it educate, challenge, or cause me to grow and bear good fruit? Character Arc – Are the heroes virtuous? Are sinners redeemed? Remember: It's not enough to avoid what is harmful. We must actively seek what is holy, good, and true. 🧰 Trusted Tools for Parents: IMDB parents guide - use this to search by adding your movie title https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26743210/parentalguide/ Common Sense Media — secular, but useful for content breakdowns. MovieGuide — faith-based reviews of current films. Catholic News Service Movie Reviews — Catholic perspective with theological commentary. Your Own Conscience — Don’t ignore the check in your spirit as a parent.  

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• MFP 338: Sharing the “Mental Load”?

  Motherhood changes you because it literally alters a woman’s brain—structurally, functionally, and in many ways, irreversibly. - Louann Brizendine, The Female Brain   Summary Women are gifted in a way that men are not.  Women can hold many different tasks in their mind at the same time, see the needs of others, and know the needs of the household and balance them all.  Sometimes this can feel empowering, but sometimes it's overwhelming, especially in times of great stress. In some circles, there is a call for men to share the “mental load”, but is that even possible?  What is the appropriate role of fathers and husbands and how can they support their wives in this burden that they carry?  Listen in as we tackle this tricky topic giving both perspective and advice on rejoicing in our differences.     Key Takeaways Women are gifted in a way that men are not.  Embrace it and appreciate that.  Reject a spirit of comparison and envy.   Live a balanced life - you are not a victim and you always have a choice. Appreciate your husband’s mental load Create space for him to be needed.     Couple Discussion Questions How does the mental load affect each of us?   Have we fallen into a pattern of comparison or envy?  How can we learn to be more grateful for our spouse and their contributions?    Resources Download For-Women-Only-Survey Download FMO-Survey-Results  

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• MFP 337: The Invincible Family

  “True power is not dependent upon the invented honors of earth.  True power is that which guides, shapes, carves, and claims the souls of men.  And the souls of men are most often won and lost at the feet of mothers.” - Kimberly Ells   Summary Does it feel like its harder to be a parent today than ever before? There are powers arrayed against the family - powers in secular philosophies, modern politics, and even our education system.  The roots of these forces are deep and have been growing for years, but we are just now seeing their ugly fruit.  We would like you to take some time to comprehend how these philosophies have affected your understanding of the roles of mothers, fathers, children, and the family as a social unit.  This podcast was inspired by and draws from The Invincible Family by Kimberly Ells. The world needs parents more than ever!  We hope this conversation inspires you to double down on being an intentional, and therefore, invincible family.   Key Takeaways   What is the ultimate goal of socialism, feminism, and sexual radicalism?  To separate children from their parents by deceiving parents into giving up their rights to their children.  Satan wants us to feel quaint, small, and insignificant.  But the reality is that if we are going to change this world, we need to believe that what we are doing is mighty and important, and IRREPLACEABLE.  Children are the future. Every revolutionary wants to control the children.  Whoever controls the children controls the society.  So the parent/child bond needs to be broken for secular forces to control our children.  First, it started with Dad.  Now they are working on unseating moms, taking her out of the home, denigrating having children, and being a mother.   The best thing you can give your child is not education - the best you can give your child is YOU. Women cannot do everything men can do.  And confident women are perfectly fine with this fact.   

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