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Jeff Zaugg and Rob Porter sit down with Jay Heck for a powerful, three-way conversation on fatherhood. In Part 1, they dive into the tension between being a provider and still embracing curiosity, adventure, and childlike wonder. They also unpack the unique triune relationship between a father, God, and his child.
Key Takeaway Are you approaching life like an orphan or like a son whose father is going to come through for him even if he makes a mistake? Slowing down can help you navigate the tension between being a provider and embracing curiosity, wonder, and creativity. God uses your trials to bring wholeness, restoration, and healing. You don’t have to exhaust yourself to allow God to do a work in you. Instead of carrying the burden of fatherhood alone, realize that you are ultimately raising God’s child, and He will be there to help you. Jay Heck & Rob PorterJay Heck is the founder and director of Being Songs, a ministry helping men discover that authentic, fearless, God-designed manhood begins by being a son. He and his wife, Heather, have two young adult children.
Rob Porter lives in New Zealand with his wife and two kids. He leads Let’s Keep Rising, a ministry that crafts adventures, events, and resources that meet men where they are and help them experience restoration in the most critical relationships they have, beginning with God
Key Quotes 14:49- "I want to learn from it. I want to patch things up where there's been a rupture and let's keep going. And that has produced so much fruit. Growing up as a kid, I came out of childhood with a fear of a lack of connection, a lack of attachment with my children. So I think out of the pain and out of the crucible of our past, we have the opportunity to have a glorious future if we dig into God and say, help redeem what my experience was." 47:35 - "What if, in fact, we begin operating under the paradigm that God is the Father, which means that all provision actually comes from Him. All protection actually comes from Him. The plan for my child's life that I feel like is so on me to help them navigate, what if God, like it says in Scripture, already has all the days numbered for them before one of them came to be? What if He already knows their nature, their goodness? What if He already knows what He's been training them for, what they're learning in the present moment, and He already knows, I've got all this stuff that I need to them and father them through for them to become what I created. What that means is that I can get in the way. If I take that posture that I'm the dad, I can so much be the wall and the obstacle between God and my child. If I can, if we can begin looking at it where God is the Father will, and then we've got this interchangeable relationship, I can be His child and God's going to use my son or my daughter to help me lean on Him." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Let’s Keep Rising Being Sons Events Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
In the second part of this conversation, Mike wraps up his top five fatherhood plays. You’ll learn how to discover what lights your kids up and why your biggest impact can come from investing in others. Mike will inspire and equip you with actionable wisdom to raise resilient, purpose-driven kids.
Key Takeaway Your best fruit will grow on someone else’s tree. When the world’s going crazy, your kids need to know what lights them up inside. Your victories, as well as failures, are all part of God’s bigger plan. Be your child’s biggest cheerleader, and they’ll want to stick around. The Top Five Plays to Run as a Dad: show affection; live the Gospel; practice a God-led work ethic; mentor and multiple; and speak vision and purpose into your children. Mike WehdeMike Wehde is the Founding Pastor of Lifecoast Church in Palm Coast, Florida. He and his wife, Holly, have five kids and several grandkids. Mike has owned multiple businesses and works as a leadership coach for business and church leaders. They believe the kingdom of God will be advanced through family and community impact.
Key Quotes 11:10 - "Thanks for winking at me, God, because it is time spent. It's intentionality. It's time away from kids or whatever you can afford. I just think there is times you're mentoring and modeling that for your kids, so that they'll do that when they get older, not just with their kids, but who am I walking with?" 22:22 - "We want to fight for the opportunities and don't miss those opportunities. If they need to grow, they need to grow. If they need to be loved on, they need to be loved on. If you need to protect them, you protect them. If you need to pull back and let a fail, let them fail. But they'll always know you're there and you're for them. And that's really huge to know the things I need to fight for. You knew dad was always going to be your provider. That's kind of a given. We should be doing that. But I also need to fight for every little moment I see could be an opportunity where I can show you my love, I'm for you, or now's the grow time and it's safe. We're not going anywhere." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Lifecoast Church Christian Family Entrepreneurs Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
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Have you decided what your family name stands for? In this episode, Mike Wehde dives into how to raise creative problem solvers, embrace failure, and build a strong family identity. Plus, you’ll discover five powerful plays every dad should run to stay connected with their kids for life.
Key Takeaway If you want things to change, you have to change. When the enemy whispers that you’re a failure, embrace the truth of God’s love and grace. With God’s help, decide what your family name stands for in the community. Failure paves the way to success. When your kids are grown, what will compel them to want to be around you? Start implementing those things early. Mike WehdeMike Wehde is the Founding Pastor of Lifecoast Church in Palm Coast, Florida. He and his wife, Holly, have five kids and several grandkids. Mike has owned multiple businesses and works as a leadership coach for business and church leaders. They believe the kingdom of God will be advanced through family and community impact.
Key Quotes 9:48 - "We really do want to live with in terms of, we have a calling that's towards God's kingdom. And it doesn't just include my life. It doesn't stop there. So all my decisions have to have those thought processes, how is this going to affect my kids, my grandkids and who they're becoming. Most of us know that past grand, grand, maybe grand, great grand people aren't going to talk about you much more. They were just the picture on the wall and everything else. But who we are can go from generation to generation, and you have to nail that down, at least before they leave the house. But even after, if you're friends with them, you can still shape it like we are, we're still shaping that. And so for us, living as a calling towards building God's kingdom, not our kingdom." 28:02 - "You've just got to early on embrace that God's got the big picture. God really has these children and children are so resilient, forgetful anyway. I was talking to Dakota about this the other day, I just was really harsh with him and just an hour later, he's running up to me, hugging the stuffing out of me like, I'm the best dad ever. Like, how is this? I mean, God's grace, man, you embrace it. And that's the truth. Embrace that truth. Because as long as you're trying, as long as you're learning, I won't do that again and write it down or don't do that again. God's like, I got love and grace all over this baby, because they're in a good home. They're in a nice home of faithful parents, praying parents and also humble parents, [saying] I messed up." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Lifecoast Church Christian Family Entrepreneurs Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
You have 936 weeks before your child turns 18, and each one counts! In this episode, Rick Wertz shares simple yet powerful ways to lead with vision, engage emotionally with your kids, and spark a fatherhood movement in your church.
Key Takeaway Fill a jar with 936 marbles and take one out each week to have a visual reminder of how time is passing with you kids from birth to 18 years old. To PASS the baton as a dad, focus on purpose-filled fathering, activities, studies, and staying connected. Your church should have an electric buzz around fathering. Fatherhood is not just about financial provision; it's about being a visionary for where your child is headed. If a fatherhood resource doesn’t exist, maybe God is calling you to create it. Rick WertzRick Wertz is the founder and president of Faithful Fathering. He is a popular speaker for church groups and various organizations as he advocates for fathers and families. Rick has been married to Linda for 43 years, and they have two grown children.
Key Quotes 5:49 - "I was very selfish, but I knew if I was stumbling, there were other Dads out there stumbling, too. So, I did receive a very clear call for the ministry, which is that He, the Lord, said, the light in my church is dim. We, the church, mirrors society in many cases and arguably in most cases mirrors society more than influences society. So, my call was to get into the church and illumine the fathering movement in the church. Then the church could illumine the community to the significance and the importance of fathers." 24:26 - "We have to get to know our kids and we have to expose them to a lot of things. I'm not one that says you can just take one activity and just do that for this year. I want them to do as much as I can take on. It's going to be crazy in the house and we're going to be going in different directions, Mom and Dad sometimes. But as far as I'm concerned, that's part of our job. One of the biggest things we do after, is exemplifying in marriage, we're exemplifying our relationship with Christ every day because that's the closest thing to our relationship with Christ. And so that's what the kids need to see. That's the primary education we give our kids day in, day out. But after that, we have to help them understand how they've been uniquely gifted." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Faithful Fathering FREE New Year Faithful Father Resolve Guide Dads Becoming Heroes Study Faithful Fathering Books, Studies, and Videos for Dads Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Are you carrying around unresolved father wounds? In this episode, David Dusek unpacks how a father’s words ripple through generations and what you can do to promote healing. David will challenge you to refocus on your family, reconnect with your kids, and recognize that as long as you’re breathing, it’s not too late to finish well.
Key Takeaway The enemy isolates you on purpose through fear of embarrassment. You need a strong brotherhood to help you see through the fog and chaos of life. If your kid doesn’t engage in conversation, they might not feel comfortable enough to bring you their problems because they know you’d be disappointed. The issue with the father wound is it can manifest itself so far down the line in ways that seem functional but aren’t. It doesn’t matter how you start; it only matters how you finish. And as long as you’re breathing, it’s not too late to make things right. David DusekDavid Dusek’s mission is to encourage and equip men to live their lives for Christ. He is an author, speaker, and the founder of Rough Cut Men Ministries. David resides in Florida with his wife and has five adult children and two grandchildren.
Key Quotes4:47 - "Isolation is the linchpin to everything. The enemy of our souls gets us by ourselves. He does it on purpose. He knows if I can get this guy by himself, I can rack him, his marriage, the kids, and the legacy that comes after him. All you got to do is go after one guy and make him feel so defeated when he looks in the mirror, first thing in the morning, and he faces his own worst enemy, that he stays isolated because of embarrassment. This is another reason why we don't connect with men. There's something in our lives we're completely embarrassed by. We're disappointed in ourselves, and we know that everybody around us, if they could see in through the wall we have up, they would be disappointed too. And so in order to not disappoint, we just don't go all in. Because that takes transparency. That takes putting it out there and trusting that someone will walk us through it or help us get through it and not burn us in the process."
25:32 - "We have to do that reset every day because we have bad days at work. We have bad phone calls. We get bad phone calls literally on the way home. When we pull in the garage, we've got to breathe long enough to say they don't deserve this. They deserve my best. Because if we die, they will not be talking about us at the office, but they will be talking about us around the table at Thanksgiving and the legacy that we leave behind doesn't matter at work, it matters at home. So we need to breathe. Just stop. Breathe. And like you said, I am about ready to walk into the most important meeting of the day. I don't care if you met the president, you were, the one you're going into after work, that's the one that matters the most."
Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Rough Cut Men Ministries Rough Cut Men: A Man's Battle Guide to Building Real Relationships with Each Other, and with Jesus by David Dusek “Who Has Your Six” Video Series Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
What does it mean to be a R.E.A.L. man? In this episode, Dave Wilson breaks down the four pillars of manhood that will challenge and change you. Plus, you’ll hear practical tips on prayer, fasting, and leaving a good legacy. Tune in and get inspired to be the husband, father, and protector you were created to be.
Key Takeaways Courage is contagious, but so is passivity. Real men reject passivity, engage with God, accept responsibility, and lead courageously. True life is only found vertically. Do what is right, even if no one is cheering for you. The next time you feel afraid, step up, lead boldly, and trust God with the outcome. Dave WilsonDave Wilson and his wife, Ann, are hosts of FamilyLife Today® and authors of two books. They have been married for more than 38 years and have spent the last 33 years teaching and mentoring couples and parents across the country. Dave and Ann have three grown sons, as well as three daughters-in-law and seven grandchildren.
Key Quotes 10:36 - "One of the big things I've tried to pass on is don't be passive, be a man who sees a need and acts, be a man who sees his wife needing him to be sensitive in that moment, be sensitive and gentle. Or maybe she needs him to be firm in that moment, be firm. I think passivity in us men is rampant and that's contagious." 12:49 - "Scripture says the sins of the father visit down the third and fourth generation. That's a promise. It's going to happen unless you intentionally stop it. And a lot of people don't know, in that same verse in Exodus 20, God says yes, but the Father who is righteous, I will bless his legacy to a thousand generations. So, there's this promise on both sides. You better be very careful how you live because it's going into your legacy, good or bad. To watch that is pretty powerful." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 FamilyLife® Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage by Dave & Ann Wilson No Perfect Parents: Ditch Expectations, Embrace Reality, and Discover the One Secret That Will Change Your Parenting by Dave & Ann Wilson Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood by Robert Lewis How to Speak Life to Your Husband: When All You Want to Do Is Yell at Him by Ann Wilson Dan Orlovsky takes a moment to pray for Damar Hamlin | ESPN Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Scott Mawdesley wants to inspire dads to heal, grow closer to God, and build meaningful connections. Through leatherworking and contemplative practices, Scott has learned key insights about how to grow as a man and father. In this episode, he shares how those hobbies and intentional habits have helped him lead with purpose, wisdom, and a restful presence.
Key Takeaways In leatherworking, it takes seven different tools to make one bracelet. The same is true in life: You need multiple imports to intentionally shape the life you want. If your reaction to a problem is bigger than the problem itself, there’s a gap that needs healing. Start each year by asking your kids, “Is there one area that I could get better as a dad that would be meaningful to you?” On March 14, kick off a journey toward deeper spiritual friendship with National Joe with a Bro Day! Scott MawdesleyScott Mawdesley is a social entrepreneur, author, and podcast host with over 33 years of ministry experience at several leading churches. He is the founder of Dads on Tap and the Spiritual Father Program Director at Man in the Mirror Ministries. Scott and his wife, Natalie, have been married for almost 24 years and have a son in college and a daughter in high school.
Key Quotes 17:53 - "The most practical way for us to understand that there's a gap that we're unaware of or need to pay attention to is think back in the last two weeks of your life, whether it's with your wife or your kids or at work or in your community, wherever it might be. When was there a time when your reaction to the issue at hand was bigger than the issue at hand? If there was, you have a gap, whether you're aware of it or not. There are two steps to healing and a soul at rest. First one is revealed. So John revealed to me I had a gap, I began to explore that. What we often do is we often think revealed is enough. Reveal feels really good because, I've never knew this before, I never saw this. What we tend to do is go, okay, I'm good. The second step is healed. So, once it's revealed, there's a process necessary. For me, it happened be six years because there was quite a bit of trauma to get to a place of being healed. That one question is kind of what revealed that stuff to me. And then we took that healing journey." 41:37 - "Oftentimes there's the dream we have that I believe God's given us and then there's the reality of how we're actually living. What we often do as men is we often try to gut it out. What we say to ourselves is just try harder. But then we end up in the same patterns, the same issues. I lived in frustration for many years until, until the journey of, of healing took me to a place where I realized that those things I'm struggling with are just the symptom. No good doctor ever just deals with the symptoms, they figure out the underlying causes. What I realized was as I took my focus off of the symptoms, I began to dig into those underlying causes. What I discovered was that with the healing of brothers and with the healing of the Holy Spirit and with the healing of some mentors, I was able to live into the dream God had for me, by doing that deeper work in my life. And I would just say, dads, if there's something you're struggling with, you can't figure out how to get beyond, don't invest too much time trying to gut it out and figure it out on your own or just try harder." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Dads On Tap A Dad's Bible Journey: The Torah by Scott D. Mawdesley Man in the Mirror — Spiritual Fathers Joe With a Bro Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Ron Hauenstein, leader of the Spokane Fatherhood Initiative, shares how fatherhood training can strengthen families, churches, and communities. With heartfelt stories and eye-opening facts, he’ll inspire you to take simple, practical steps to combat fatherlessness and create a lasting impact in your community.
Key Takeaways Changed dads change everything. If you feel led to start a fatherhood organization, ask people whether they think programs to support fathers are important, and you’ll get an overwhelming response. Around 75% of people consider fatherlessness to be a serious issue. As a dad, you occupy a space in your kids’ hearts that no one else can fill. Ron HauensteinRon Hauenstein is the president and founder of the Spokane Fatherhood Initiative. SpoFI offers comprehensive fatherhood training and parenting classes, equipping fathers with vital skills for every stage of parenting. Ron and his wife Becky have two grown children.
Key Quotes 19:18 - "We believe that changed dads change everything. Our founding principle is that fatherlessness is a root cause of nearly all of society's problems. The positive way of stating that is dedicated, committed fathers change society, improves society, changed dads change everything." 33:23 - "Fatherhood is a role you cannot escape. You can flee from your kids all you want, but you are still dad. You occupy a space in their hearts that no one else can take. No one else can have. I'm a father. I will stay a father. We have a fatherhood pledge in our classes, that's one of the lines we have the men stand up and say out loud, I'm a dad, I'll stay dad and I will be a dad to my children." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 Spokane Fatherhood Initiative The Externally Focused Church by Rick Rusaw and Eric Swanson Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
In the second half of this conversation, Justin Whitmel Earley shares the rest of his core daily habits, including prayer, time with friends, and date nights with his wife. Plus, he introduces the Hang Ten Movement. As technology continues to impact spiritual discipleship, these 10 simple practices can help you raise your kids to use technology for good.
Key Takeaways Good luck doing anything important in life alone. Your habits will not change God’s love for you, but God’s love for you should change your habits. The most important factor in your discipleship to Jesus right now is likely how you use technology. There are 10 simple technology practices you should implement in your home. Justin Whitmel EarleyJustin Whitmel Earley is a lawyer, author, and speaker from Richmond, Virginia. His books include The Common Rule, Habits of the Household, Made for People, and more. Justin is married to Lauren and has four sons: Whit, Asher, Coulter, and Shep.
Key Quotes 13:37 - "Everything in the world is better with friends. We tend to not be able to accomplish anything we set out to accomplish without friends. And that's psychology and habit wisdom. Anything from AA to just New Year's resolution wisdom would suggest you need other people in your life. Whether you're running a marathon or just doing push ups in the backyard, we tend to not push ourselves until somebody is watching and then we entirely change when somebody is watching. There's actually fascinating studies on this, too, about how much eating habits or how you talk or how you perform just changes when you're aware that somebody is watching. And that's all suggests that we don't really have the integrity we think we have with ourselves... That is the gospel lived out relationally and I don't think we can understand the Gospel of Jesus for us until we practice it like that. I mean, we can receive it, again, we could be saved by it, but our call to live in Christian life, to imitate the gospel in all aspects of life is also a call to friendship and to imitate it in friendship." 19:21 - "I want every dad who's listening to consider this, the most important factor in your discipleship to Jesus right now is how you use technology. Almost certainly that will be true for your children. That is a hypothesis. I could say for certainty that the most important factor in your children's mental health will be how they use technology, how you raise them to do it. There is no more like single thing that is impacting our spirituality, our physicality, our emotional and mental health more than technology right now." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 The Hang 10 Movement The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley Subscribe to Justin’s Newsletter 253 | Reframing Your Parenting with New Habits (Justin Earley) 339 | DA+3 Group Guide: Justin Whitmel Earley Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Justin Whitmel Earley is back with creative fatherhood tips, powerful daily rituals, and his top five habits for dads. From writing yearly letters to your kids to starting every day with Scripture, this episode is packed with wisdom to help you lead your family with love and intentionality.
Key Takeaways You are a citizen of Heaven. Write a yearly letter to your child on their birthday that you can give to them when they’re older. Your primary responsibility is to lead your family with confidence in God's love and sovereignty over your lives. Read Scripture before you look at your phone each morning. Taking care of your body is a spiritual task. Justin Whitmel EarleyJustin Whitmel Earley is a lawyer, author, and speaker from Richmond, Virginia. His books include The Common Rule, Habits of the Household, Made for People, and more. Justin is married to Lauren and has four sons: Whit, Asher, Coulter, and Shep.
Key Quotes 4:33 - "The most significant thing about my time in China was making me realize that I was more of a citizen of heaven than of America because it was the first time that I lived in exile anywhere. Being a minority, so to speak, it really shaped the way that I interact with America, I think in a great way. It made me understand that I'm a citizen of the Kingdom first. I think often about trying to give my kids that experience at some point. I don't know that's something that you can teach alone. I think you can talk to your kids a lot about your country, patriotism, how to do it well, how it can go too far, why you need it in the first place. But I always want to give them that experience. That is something I will long to teach my children and long for them to experience." 21:26 - "One of the most important flips in my life has been what I call scripture before phone as a daily ritual. There's an incredibly formative flip to say, I'm not going to start in the inbox or in social media or in the news, which are all sort of answering some kind of question of what's going on today. What do I need to do today? Which is a very unhealthy way to start your day. Because we have a God shaped hole in our heart. And we're constantly wondering over and over, particularly at the beginning of the day, who am I today and who do I need to become today in order to be loved or lovable? If we start with those things in our face, a lot of times we think that's what we need to do. We need to accomplish this or that at work to feel good about our day. So starting in Scripture, it's been an incredibly formative habit to say that I am loved, thus I can go out and return love to the world." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word “Dad” to (651) 370-8618 The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley Subscribe to Justin’s Newsletter 253 | Reframing Your Parenting with New Habits (Justin Earley) 339 | DA+3 Group Guide: Justin Whitmel Earley Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
It's time to wake up to the wonder all around you! Tune in as Mark Batterson shares simple ideas to shock your system and spark your curiosity. From prayer walks to outdoor adventures, you’ll discover new ways to connect with God. Plus, Mark recounts his favorite wisdom from four thought leaders to help you go all-in as a dad.
Key Takeaways Childlike wonder and pure delight are sacred, holy things. Change of Pace + Change of Place = Change of Perspective Nature acts as an antidote to narcissism. There are no ordinary days. You have never not experienced a miracle! Mark BattersonMark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times bestselling author of 24 books. Mark is married to Lora, and they have three children.
Key Quotes 19:02 - "[Abraham] is in his tent. God says, Go outside, look up and count the stars. One second he's inside the tent, next second, he's outside. What's the big deal? Well, as long as he's inside the tent, he's staring at an eight foot ceiling. The second he steps outside, the sky's the limit. God is always trying to take us on field trips and take us outside. If you lose touch with nature, you lose touch with nature's God. So, I do think that all truth is God's truth, that God has revealed Himself through his creation, Romans 1:20... One of my formulas is change of pace + change a place = change of perspective. Great leaders are good at mixing up their routine and finding ways to think new thoughts. And sometimes that requires a different place or a different pace." 32:04 - "When we hear the word miracle, we tend to think of anomaly, epiphany, exception to the rule, things that defy laws of nature or defy a doctor's diagnosis. And I've experienced those kinds of miracles. But I think this book is about waking up to the everyday miracle. Right now, 37 sextillion chemical reactions happening in the human body. And I didn't flip a switch this morning. I'm guessing you didn't either. We didn't have to do a blame thing. In Him, we live and move and have our being... So people who say I've never experienced a miracle, with all due respect, you have never not, in fact, you are one." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] A Million Little Miracles by Mark Batterson Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson Chase the Lion by Mark Batterson The Lion Chaser’s Manifesto Praying Circles Around the Lives of Your Children by Mark Batterson Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
God didn’t call you to play it safe; He called you to take risks. In today’s episode, Chuck Ramsey will challenge you to shift your mindset and parent with a long-term vision. He’ll inspire you to take bold steps and speak God’s truth over your kids to help them reach their destiny.
Key Takeaways Just like the architects and artisans who design cathedrals they will never see, your work as a parent will impact countless generations. Fatherhood is at the core of the universe. Living on the edge is your kingdom calling. Your words are like a hammer. Will they destroy your kids' hearts or be so constructive that it releases them into their God-ordained destiny? Chuck RamseyChuck Ramsey has been the lead pastor of Restoration Church since 2017. He and his wife, Candace, have seven children and five grandchildren. In his free time, Chuck loves long-distance running, snow skiing, and competitive basketball.
Key Quotes 22:06 - "A father's mouth is the pharmacy for his family. A father's words can heal his wife, can build her up, can release things in his sons and daughters. Jesus taught out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. When a man says what God says over his children, that's a supernatural dimension that families, kids can enter into." 49:58 - "Jeremiah 9, God says, My word is like a hammer. Then He says, And I've broken your heart with my word. What God's saying I needed to tear down your heart so I can rebuild it. I've talked to men, make sure you understand, your words are like a hammer too. You can destroy, be destructive and crush your kids hearts or you can use those hammers, that word, and it can be so constructive. You can say things over your children that will release them into their destiny. I believe God's a powerful almighty God and He can deliver kids from all kinds of dysfunction. But if a dad will get on the same page with God, a dad can almost single handedly determine whether their child reaches their destiny or not. Now, can God repair a broken adult? Yes. But man, a healthy child that becomes a functional, healthy adult, the sky's the limit. And dads are the key there. Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Make a Tax-Deductible Gift Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
As the year wraps up, we’ve pulled together the Top 10 DadAwesome Discoveries to help you grow as an intentional, empowered father. This rapid-fire list includes books, boot camps, breath prayers, and more! Tune in, take notes, and get inspired to level up your fatherhood journey.
Key Takeaways Practice simple breath prayers to refocus on God’s presence, and train your children to do the same. Invest time in a fatherhood booklet or online course to gain practical skills and powerful insights. Get out of your comfort zone with a fitness group, father-daughter trip, or transformational weekend adventure. Use thought-provoking books to spark meaningful conversations with your kids about perseverance, compassion, and faith. Jeff ZauggJeff Zaugg is the founder of DadAwesome and Fathers for the Fatherless, two ministries that resource and rally dads through engaging podcasts and 100-mile bike rides. Jeff and his wife, Michelle, have been married for eighteen years and are parents to four daughters.
Key Quotes 1:52 - "Just last week I took about 30 minutes and flipped through the photos in my phone and just went through, prayerfully saying, God, would You remind me of things that I'm grateful for from this last year? I have a Google doc over a hundred specific things that I wrote down that I'm thankful from this past year. If you brought in the time horizon of any circumstance, gratitude will bubble up. I'm positive that if we as dads look back at the whole year and say, where did God show up? Where was there breakthrough? Where were there learnings? Where were there moments of saying, oh my goodness, I'm thankful that I get to be a dad. Broaden the time horizon and you will stir up gratitude and then you can bring that gratitude to your kids. Let's stir up gratitude as we end the year 2024." Links from Today’s Conversation Breath Prayers Reel | Justin Whitmel Earley 40 Breath Prayers to Help You Connect with God Anytime, Anywhere You Have What It Takes: What Every Father Needs to Know Paperback by John Eldredge First Bloom Father Daughter Adventure Raising Resilient Daughters Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] PURSUIT Fitness Way of the Warrior Kid by Jocko Willink Wild at Heart Events Near You BraveCo Fathers Edition Testimony Book Little Pilgrim's Progress Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Send me the DadAwesome December 2024 Vision Mailing Make a Tax-Deductible Gift Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Ben Bevis joins today’s episode with practical tips for helping your kids embrace their God-given identity, gifts, and vision. He’ll inspire you to make more memories with your own dad and identify committed mentors for your children. Don’t miss Ben’s insights on healing generational wounds, modeling adventure, and strengthening your relationship with your kids.
Key Takeaways Take advantage of opportunities to adventure with your own father while you can. Intentional fatherhood begins with mending wounds and healing resentment. Help your kids discover their God-given identity, gifts, and vision. You can’t launch your kids alone; surround them with committed mentors to speak into their life. Keep adventuring, both on your own and as a family. Ben BevisBen Bevis is passionate about helping the Next Generation to live out their faith in Jesus. He is the founder and Executive Director of Encircled. He is leading a movement to get Mentor Circles (Dads included) around young people across the globe. He loves being active in the outdoors and lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota, with his “fabulous” wife and three “amazing” teenage children.
Key Quotes 22:55 - "When we're grounded in our identity in Christ, we can live more freely as fathers and as husbands and as brothers and sisters. And then as we think about our kids being bombarded by so many different voices at school, in the community, on their devices. We used to always tell our kids before they'd go on the bus, remember, you're a child of the risen King." 29:00 - "The more we can help young people to really think of a vision and goals and then apply that to make an impact in God's kingdom, it's this beautiful process in discovery because you never know what God might be up to in our kids lives. That has been meaningful for me, God, what have You put me on this earth to do? That's what I'm doing with Encircled is the pointed vision for what God put on my heart. I want to model that to my kids and be curious with them about what what God might be up to in their future." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Send me the DadAwesome December 2024 Vision Mailing Make a Tax-Deductible Gift FREE Encircled Parenting Resources Become an Encircled Guide [for your child or one that you know] Access Encircled Resources Access the Encircled Personal Journey App Partner with Encircled Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Roy Harley loves surfing and Christian ministry, but he’s learned the importance of putting his family first, even when it seems unreasonable. In this conversation, Roy shares practical ways he’s created meaningful connections with his kids. He also opens up about navigating the uncharted teen years with his kids and looking to God as the ultimate example of fatherhood.
Key Takeaways Your family comes before your ministry. The pathways you lay in your child’s first 11 years are the most crucial. Train up your child in the way God has designed for them to go, and then allow that to flourish. Your Christian faith must be your center of gravity, not a distant satellite. Bring your full heart to every season of parenting, leaning on God and your community when you don’t know the roadmap. Roy HarleyRoy Harley is the International Director of Christian Surfers. He was the pioneering national director of CS South Africa and has been in full-time ministry for over 30 years. Roy is married to Sharon with daughter Cailyn and son Nathan.
Key Quotes 20:58 - " I love that phrase, the way you put the phrase, because I won't back down. There might be times when you need to soften. Once recently, I had to say to my daughter, She's 21 now, baby, I'm sorry because I stepped in and was your dad. I went all dad on the situation. I didn't acknowledge that you're an adult and I should have come to you because it was your choice, when I'd just went in guns blazing because I thought someone was going to hurt you, so I just didn't back down. Recognizing that probably the wisdom would have been to not back down, but in not backing down, in this situation, would have been something different. In this situation, would have been I have got your back, I'm behind you. But you're the adult, you need to take the step." 42:31 - "We all have to evaluate ourselves. The most practical thing on a daily basis I'd say is Jesus is too big to be a satellite in our world. He is way too big. We can't have Christianity as this thing that we have in the top right or left hand corner or orbiting whatever else we're doing. The simple fact of the way that God, our Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit works is He realigns everything around His gravity." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Get 20% off the entire DadAwesome Store with code THANKSGIVING2024 10 Questions with Roy Harley — Christian Surfers Fathered by God: Learning What Your Dad Could Never Teach You by John Eldredge The World Needs A Father by Cassie Carstens Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff The Surfers Bible Christian Surfers YouVersion Bible Plans Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
In the second half of this conversation, Aaron McHugh dives deeper into how to become the dad you want to be with practical, bite-sized steps. Aaron also shares his poem “Tent-Bound,” a beautiful reflection on navigating uncertainty and embracing new horizons.
Key Takeaways Take the first step toward becoming the type of person you want to be. Would things have been different if someone had told you what your life would hold? It’s normal to feel that the end is out of sight—and not like it. Engage in the here and now, even though it’s a hard place to be. Aaron McHughAaron McHugh is a writer, podcaster, adventurer, author, and global leadership coach. He hosts the fast-growing podcast “Work Life Play,” leads Reboot Your Life experiential weekends, and has been married to his wife, Leith, for over 26 years.
Key Quotes Tent-BoundNo one told me it would come to this—
Tent-bound with a full life of songs and heartbreak.
Just outside the zipper door,
thunder’s convincing accusation:
Am I beyond the reach of love?I’ve been lost for a while,
tiptoeing in someone else’s boots.
The trail undefined,
the end remaining out of sight,
knowing only from here to there.Cresting midlife’s great divide,
an inventory I take.
The path that led to here—
a dress rehearsal,
a preamble—
only now am I equipped for the
liminal edges of this frontier.Adjusting my bearing,
Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Aaron McHugh’s Website Work Life Play Podcast Tent-Bound: A Poem About Midlife and New Horizons by Aaron McHugh Fire Your Boss: Discover Work You Love Without Quitting Your Job by Aaron McHugh Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618
dressed in alpenglow,
the new horizon
awaits my arrival,
calling down sweet reverence
to be the lamp unto my feet.
When will I know the weight of my glory? -
Fatherhood isn’t about choosing between quantity and quality time with your kids. For Aaron McHugh, it’s about being present in your child’s life for the long haul. Through personal stories and thoughtful reflection, Aaron shows how rest, curiosity, and allowing God to shape you can create the meaningful life experiences you want as a man and father.
Key Takeaways Prioritizing curiosity, wonder, and exploration in your daily life can transform your overall experience. Kids care more about a long follow-through than any short-term bursts of heroism. On a scale of 1-10, most of life’s moments fall between a 5 and a 6.2, but you can be intentional to create more 10s. If your life experience isn’t what you want, you have to allow God to renovate you from the inside out. Aaron McHughAaron McHugh is a writer, podcaster, adventurer, author, and global leadership coach. He hosts the fast-growing podcast “Work Life Play,” leads Reboot Your Life experiential weekends, and has been married to his wife, Leith, for over 26 years.
Key Quotes 20:50 - "Those investments, the kindness or the choices or Friday mornings getting pancakes together, when he was in a carseat, dropping him off in grade school. So that's really encouraging. So I would offer that as encouragement to you Dad's in the middle of it now, in the thick of it now, is it really does matter and it really does somehow, someway does find a home in them. And to me, it's kind of like the Book of Proverbs. It's in, in real time that wisdom and insight and love does indeed matter. " 26:59 - "Becoming a person who values connection over accomplishment. Now, I still wrestle with all these things. They're just kind of hard wired in my, the way I learn to make life work from the beginning. At the same time, I believe all of us are a work in progress and under renovation and there's a lot of hope to have around that. Summer is where I would start, is start less on the externals and start more on the internals." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Aaron McHugh’s Website Work Life Play Podcast Tent-Bound: A Poem About Midlife and New Horizons by Aaron McHugh Fire Your Boss: Discover Work You Love Without Quitting Your Job by Aaron McHugh Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
In this episode, award-winning actor and speaker Cameron Arnett shares his story of choosing Jesus over Hollywood and how that decision shaped his future. Tune in to discover key principles for staying strong in your faith, doing “Satan checks” when your marriage is under attack, and trusting God to fulfill His promises.
Key Takeaways It is through faith and patience that you inherit the promises of God. Do a “Satan Check” when you feel attacks on your marriage. Put Christ over everything you think is your sustaining power, including your career. Make the Bible and the Holy Spirit your foundation for being a man, a husband, and a father. Ground Zero is about knowing who you are based on what the King has said about you. Cameron ArnettCameron Arnett is an award-winning actor, director, producer, and speaker. He’s well known for his appearances in Miami Vice, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and films including the Kendrick Brothers’ The Forge. Cameron has been married to his wife, BJ, for nearly three decades.
Key Quotes 12:50 - "The thing for dads to understand is that you don't lose your footing. You don't lose your validity, your power, your strength by being playful. As a matter of fact, if you have that as your foundation, the time when you have to be a disciplinarian, the time that you have to lay down the law, whatever it may be, it's wrapped around the Abba side. The jump into your lap side, the knowing that regardless of the correction that needs to be made, it's made behind and surrounded with a love that is caressing." 37:11 - "Christ Over Career is calling the Church back to the Lord, and keeping him at the helm of every decision. That's our mantra, that's our mission, our purpose, our everything, is to reintroduce the Church to the King. And then ground zero begins, unraveling happens. If you remain and allow Him to continue to unravel through life, He begins to put [it back] together. And when He puts together, he does it fast. As long as you don't make new decisions, that puts you ten steps back." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Christ Over Career Cameron Arnett A Good Man: A Child’s “I coulda, woulda, shoulda!” Story by Cameron Arnett Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
In the second half of this conversation, Vince Miller shares a vulnerable Prodigal Son story that demonstrates the gracious love of God. He'll also challenge you to pray the hardest prayer you'll ever pray to experience real change. Tune in for timely insights on discipleship, leadership, and embracing your identity as a son of God.
Key Takeaways The Bible is a story about men. It's not about being the hero dad; it's about being a child of the Dad who is the hero of the story. If you really want change in your life, you have to pray the hardest prayer of your life: "God, do whatever you want to change me." When you follow the Lord well as a son, you can lead other people into the same following. Vince MillerVince Miller is a passionate speaker, prolific author, and dedicated mentor to men. As the founder of Resolute, he exists to disciple and develop men to lead. Vince has three grown children and one grandchild.
Key Quotes 15:19 - "The reality is that you're going to leave this life with only three titles, disciple, father, husband. That's it. We spend all this time and energy working on all these other titles in our life, and these are the only three you're going to die with. And if we can come to terms with that and become the very best disciple, father and husband we can be, we learn how to do that by being a child of the Father of all mankind. And if we can live in that role and that identity, it makes everything else easier and better, and then we it relieves us of the responsibility to try to be the perfect dad, perfect husband, hero dad, hero, father. It doesn't matter anymore because we follow One who is the hero of the story and we're just a child of Him pointing everyone else to the same Father that we follow. So that's my hope for books like this, especially this one right here that you're talking about today." 18:25 - "Men want you to pray for a change in their life, but they don't often want to be change. In other words, of all these prayer requests I've gotten, I can count on maybe 1 or 2 hands today, how many men have written me saying it is me who needs to be changed, not their circumstances? And that's what I think men fail to understand, is we need identity. We need old identity, a whole fail identity transformation. In other words, when Jesus said, Come follow me, what He was saying is actually come follow Me and leave everything else behind. And we just don't like that. We want our circumstances to change, not us to change. And that's unfortunate because Jesus wants us to change, not our circumstances." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Manhood, Courage & Adventure (episode 031 w/ Vince Miller) Resolute Essential Elements: Forging Godly Men by Vince Miller The Vince Miller Show Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 -
Six months ago, Vince Miller became a first-time grandfather. He joins today’s episode to share personal insights around multigenerational thinking, assuming the role of patriarch, and the power of being physically, mentally, and emotionally available to your kids.
Key Takeaways You can be given a title—like father or grandfather—without assuming the role. Proverbs is predominantly about a father passing on wisdom to a son. A 30-second conversation can change the trajectory of someone’s life. Fathers need to be present, available, and engaged. Vince MillerVince Miller is a passionate speaker, prolific author, and dedicated mentor to men. As the founder of Resolute, he exists to disciple and develop men to lead. Vince has three grown children and one grandchild.
Key Quotes 16:15 - "I went from a dad who really didn't want to spend time with me to a dad who did want to spend time with me. And he happened to be a Christian and who imparted basic, basic things to me that I needed as a young man and basic lessons like how to treat women, how to eat a meal, how to be polite, how to confront difficulty. And the very, very important things like who is Jesus? What has He done for you? How to have a relationship with Him." 29:31 - "I've also learned a valuable lesson, just about presence. Just about being there when they need you, and that means not being somewhere else. It means not being somewhere else. It means you're physically not somewhere else and that your mind is not somewhere else. I think sometimes for dads, that's a hard mechanism to turn off in our minds because there's plenty of dads who are present but not available. But we need to be both present and available at the same time and engaged." Links from Today’s Conversation Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Manhood, Courage & Adventure (episode 031 w/ Vince Miller) Resolute Essential Elements: Forging Godly Men by Vince Miller The Vince Miller Show Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618 - Visa fler
