In this episode of MercyCast, I talk with Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski, authors of Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, about parenting, sports pressure, and how Christian faith shapes our engagement with youth sports.

Brian and Ed help us confront the challenges families face in today’s sports culture, especially how pressures and expectations in youth sports can redefine family dynamics and affect both parent and child identities. This conversation addresses the frustration, anxiety, and exhaustion many parents feel.

Our conversation shifts the focus of youth sports from mere achievement to discipleship, showing how every practice and game can serve as a chance to teach grace, identity in Christ, and real connection. By prioritizing relationships over results, we rediscover the true joy of sports for families.

If you’re facing the challenges of youth sports, this episode invites you to pause, reflect, and choose a better way—rooted in grace, truth, and love.

Takeaways

• Youth sports can quickly become a major source of stress for parents.
• The youth sports industrial complex creates constant pressure to perform and succeed.
• As parents, we often project our own fears and identity struggles onto our kids.
• Sports provide meaningful opportunities for discipleship and spiritual formation.
• Prioritizing enjoyment and connection helps preserve sports joy.
• Excessive pressure to perform in sports can lead to burnout in young athletes.
• Christian faith offers a countercultural vision for identity beyond wins and losses.
• Honest conversations strengthen family dynamics and trust.
• Grace-centered parenting fosters deeper, healthier relationships.
• It’s never too late to change how we show up for our kids in youth sports.
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Pick up a copy of Brian and Ed’s book, Away Game.

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Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at info@mercycast.com.

In this fourth MoreMercy episode, we explore a truth that every one of us needs to hear: we can’t go back and erase our mistakes — but we can bring them to God, who freely redeems us. We aren’t time travelers, and we can’t rewrite the past. But we can choose what we do with our story now.

This week, we look at the hopeful and freeing reality that redemption is always better than perfection. Instead of carrying shame, replaying regrets, or trying to “fix” what already happened, we discover what it means to let God make something new out of what feels broken.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why we can’t change the past — and why that’s not the point
• How God meets us in our mistakes with mercy, not condemnation
• Why redemption brings deeper healing than perfection ever could
• How to release shame and move forward in freedom
• Practical ways to bring your past to God with honesty and hope

Key Insight

Perfection demands that we never fail. Redemption promises that even our failures can be transformed.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re carrying regret or shame
• You struggle with perfectionism
• You want to understand God’s mercy in a deeper way
• You’re seeking spiritual renewal or a fresh start
• You need encouragement to let go of the past

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

In this week’s MercyCast, we continue our series on the themes that continually surface in conversations about healing, mercy, and spiritual growth. After spending the last two weeks exploring the tension of joy and pain and the experience of powerlessness, we now turn to a foundational practice of transformation: accepting reality rather than denying it.

So many of us try to push away what’s painful, ignore what’s uncomfortable, or cling to what we wish were true. But in this episode, we explore the liberating truth that real change begins with honest acceptance.

When we face reality with courage and compassion, we open the door to healing, clarity, and movement. Acceptance isn’t passivity — it’s the starting point for growth.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why denying reality keeps us stuck
• How acceptance creates space for emotional and spiritual transformation
• Practical steps for acknowledging what’s true, even when it’s uncomfortable
• Why acceptance is an act of strength, not resignation
• How embracing truth aligns us with God’s work in our lives

Key Insight

You can’t heal what you won’t acknowledge. When you bravely name what is, you begin to move toward what can be.

This episode is for you if:

• You feel stuck and don’t know why
• You’re wrestling with painful circumstances
• You want to grow emotionally, spiritually, or relationally
• You tend to avoid conflict or uncomfortable truths
• You’re seeking a compassionate path toward healing and change

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

In this short but meaningful MercyCast episode, we explore one of the most universal questions we face: What do we do when life leaves us feeling powerless? Whether it’s circumstances we can’t control, emotions that overwhelm us, or seasons where our strength runs out, we all face moments where our limits feel loud.

Drawing from the life of the Apostle Paul, we uncover the surprising truth that Scripture teaches: our weakness is not the end of the story — it may actually be the beginning of real strength. When we lean into Christ’s power instead of our own, powerlessness becomes a doorway to deeper trust, humility, and spiritual resilience.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why feeling powerless is a normal part of the human experience
• How Christ’s power meets us when we have nothing left to give
• What the Apostle Paul teaches us about weakness and strength
• Practical encouragement for living faithfully when you can’t “fix” everything

Key Insight

Powerlessness is not failure — it’s an invitation. When we release control, we make space for God’s strength to carry what we can’t.

Perfect for listeners who:

• Feel overwhelmed or exhausted
• Are facing situations outside their control
• Want a deeper understanding of how faith meets real-life struggle
• Need encouragement in seasons of weakness, anxiety, or uncertainty

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

In this week’s MercyCast, we kick off a four-week series exploring the core themes that keep resurfacing in our conversations about healing, mercy, and the human experience. Today, we dive into a powerful and often misunderstood reality: joy and pain frequently show up together.

We’re talking about the tension we feel when life brings laughter in one moment and heartache in the next — and how that tension is not a sign that something is wrong, but often a sign that something is growing.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why joy and pain commonly coexist
• How embracing both emotions leads to deeper healing
• What happens when we try to avoid discomfort
• Why emotional complexity is a pathway to emotional maturity
• Practical encouragement for holding joy and sorrow at the same time

Key Insight

Healing isn’t about eliminating hard emotions — it’s about learning how to hold them alongside moments of light, gratitude, and even joy. When we allow space for both, we open ourselves to transformation.

Who this episode is for

Anyone navigating grief, transition, burnout, recovery, or spiritual growth — and anyone who feels confused about why good and hard things seem to show up together.

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You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

This week, Jen Thompson is back! We tackle history, Halloween, identity, the joys of f’uncle hood, real friendship, boundaries, masks, vulnerability, awkwardness and the reality of Grace.

We discuss the challenges of being honest and open in a world that often values superficial interactions. We reflect on the difference between perfectionism and godliness, emphasizing the freedom that comes from understanding one's identity in Christ. So many topics with one truth driving them all. Grace frees you to be truly human. Tune in.

Takeaways

• Honesty and vulnerability are essential for meaningful connections.
• Cultural traditions can be complex and often misunderstood.
• Friendship provides a support system that is crucial for emotional health.
• Grace allows us to be vulnerable without fear of judgment.
• Perfectionism can hinder our relationship with God and others.
• Understanding our identity in Christ frees us from the need for approval.
• Community is vital; we are not meant to navigate life alone.
• The way we celebrate holidays can reflect our values and beliefs.
• It's important to differentiate between boundaries and masks in relationships.
• Living in freedom means accepting ourselves and others as we are.

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Learn more about Jen and buy her book at Jenthompsonauthor.com.

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You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

In this most recent conversation, Raleigh Sadler and Katie explore themes of compassion, vulnerability, and the complexities of faith. They reflect on their experiences at a recent conference, discuss living in a decommissioned church, and delve into the sacredness of space and community. The dialogue touches on the dichotomy of pain and beauty, the importance of law and gospel, and the idea that redemption is more valuable than perfection. They emphasize the role of emotions in faith and encourage listeners to embrace both their struggles and their hope in Christ.

Takeaways

• Raleigh and Katie share light-hearted banter about their appearances and experiences at a recent conference.
• The importance of vulnerable conversations in community settings is highlighted.
• Living in a decommissioned church brings both challenges and a sense of sacredness.
• The concept of liminal spaces and their significance in faith is discussed.
• Pain and beauty coexist in life, and both are acknowledged in the Christian journey.
• The idea of being simultaneously saint and sinner is explored, emphasizing the need for grace.
• Redemption is emphasized as being more important than striving for perfection.
• Emotions play a significant role in how we process our faith and experiences.
• The conversation encourages embracing both pain and hope in our lives.
• Christ's love and sacrifice are central to understanding our identity as loved individuals.

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Learn more about Katie and her writings here. Buy her book, Encouragement for Motherhood!

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You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at info@mercycast.com.

In this episode of MercyCast, Raleigh Sadler and Mark Moore explore the practical application of faith through wisdom, critique, and mercy. They discuss the importance of living out one's faith authentically, the role of critique in personal growth, and the influence of fatherhood on emotional health. The conversation emphasizes the revolutionary concept of God as a personal Father and the distinction between wisdom and mere information. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to seek wisdom through community and scripture, highlighting that true wisdom leads to better living and stronger relationships.

Takeaways

• It's easy to talk about our faith, but living it out is challenging.
• Critique can be a gift that leads to personal growth.
• Transparency in sharing struggles makes us relatable.
• Mercy is not just kindness; it can be a strategy for strength.
• Fatherhood influences our emotional health and identity.
• Wisdom is practical and should improve our lives.
• Community is essential in seeking and applying wisdom.
• God as Father is a revolutionary concept in understanding our identity.
• Wisdom is different from information; it requires action.
• Pursuing wisdom involves seeking God and engaging with scripture.

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Learn more about Mark and his books at his website, markmoore.org.

You can follow MercyCast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can follow Raleigh on Twitter and Instagram.

Thanks for listening. We want to hear from you!

Email us at info@mercycast.com.