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Everyone has a story to tell, and every story matters. In the first half of our conversation, Bryan Byrd describes the role of a troubadour. He emphasizes the value of prioritizing heart-to-heart connections, loving yourself the way God loves you, and being flexible about your approach to fatherhood. Key Takeaways We're all troubadours with a story to tell that matters. Heart-to-heart connections with your kids are the true sign of parenting success. Love yourself enough to do what you say, bet on yourself, and hold yourself accountable. Get instant feedback from your kids by asking, "How are you experiencing me?" Don't be afraid to relearn some things. Bryan Byrd Bryan Byrd is a husband and father to two sons from Boise, Idaho. He is passionate about equipping men to do hard things. He co-founded Wild Courage and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees. Key Quotes 11:55 - "I'm still going to choose heart to heart connection, regardless of my reputation. Regardless of my accomplishment or the image that people think I should have, I'm still getting their back, getting in the ditch if I need to get in the ditch, getting on a platform if I need to get on a platform. Wherever it takes, I'm going to show up and be present and be the father where I need to be. Sometimes I'm going to make mistakes along the way, and I'm going to ask for forgiveness and break some glass. That's success. Course correcting along the way right now." 27:00 - "We have sinned and we've been forgiven. He bets on us and He resides in us. There's a two edged coin there that we're the ransom one, so let's get with it. When you bet on yourself, you bet that you're valuable enough that you're going to come through with your word. You're going to do what you say. Bet on yourself, believe that you can do what you want to do, what you're set out for, what you're called from the Lord. Even though all of these people out in the world are going to say there's not enough time. You're too tall, you're too short, you're too fat, you're too skinny, they're going to come up with all kinds of excuses because they want to justify themselves. Bet on yourself is a line with God. Let's pause for a minute. Let that settle on our hearts. What God really says about you." Links from Today's Conversation Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more Save the Date for the DadAwesome Day Zoom Call: Monday, June 17 at 7pm CT Iron Bison Training Iron Bison Training Podcast WILDSONS Podcast | Receiving the Father's Love and Masculine Initiation with Bryan Byrd Foxhole Symphony - Wild Courage: Vulnerability and Victory in the Quest for Authentic Manhood Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Combat veteran Ben Peterson joins us to discuss the glaring challenges in America's individualistic society, especially for people who have experienced the tight-knit military community. He offers practical advice to help you find your tribe, embrace your purpose, and be vulnerable about the struggles you're facing. Key Takeaways Our souls and psyches thrive when we are part of a tribe. The transition from tribe culture to individualistic culture is an extreme challenge for veterans. We are in a war for the souls of men. The strongest men are the ones who are willing to be honest about their shortcomings and struggles. Ben Peterson Ben Peterson is a Jesus Follower, husband, father, and combat veteran. In 2016, Ben founded Engage Your Destiny, a nonprofit ministry that exists to engage with the military, veterans, and their families to lead them into their destiny. Ben and his wife, Rachel, live in Tennessee with their son. Key Quotes 27:29 - "Where's my 10,000 souls? I just think it's so important to live with that mindset. It doesn't have to be a fear based mindset, but this is the reality of the kingdom, and there is heaven and hell, and there are realities to us being disobedient, and there is free will and there's consequences for that. That's part of kind of the military coming out, because if you don't do your job, people die. And that's the same thing in the kingdom. There's a reason that Paul used the reference of the soldiers so much because we are in a war for the for the souls of men." 31:18 - "We can lean into some of those woundings, from a sense of humility and being honest that, you know what, I'm never going to be perfect until Christ comes back or until I go home. And in Him, I'm a new creature. And that gives me such a sense of peace and satisfaction, that my wounds are okay. It's okay to be vulnerable." Links from Today's Conversation Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more Save the Date for the DadAwesome Day Zoom Call: Monday, June 17 at 7pm CT Engage Your Destiny: Practical Ways To Run After Your God-Given Purpose by Ben Peterson The Power of a Praying Husband by Stormie Omartian Engage Your Destiny The Engage Your Destiny Podcast EP30: Power of a Praying Spouse: Part 1 (Engage Your Destiny Podcast) Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jon Tyson is back for the third time! In this episode, he uncovers the seven lies that hold men back from becoming fully alive. You'll discover the strategies Satan uses to keep you distracted and passive, and you'll be inspired to embrace your current season and ask curious questions for the sake of others. Key Takeaways Satan wants us dumb, entertained, oversatiated, and unmotivated. You must fight against despair, loneliness, shame, lust, ambition, futility, and apathy. If you ask curious questions about the needs around you, you never know what you'll get swept into. What things do you need to harvest and enjoy right now before they rot and are gone? Jon Tyson Originally from Adelaide, Australia, Jon Tyson is a pastor and author based in New York City. He is the author of "Fighting Shadows" and the bestselling books "The Intentional Father" and "Beautiful Resistance." Jon has been married to Christy for twenty-five years and has two adult children. Key Quotes 10:40 - "I always tell people, my vision is intentionality, it's not perfection. No one is perfect. In fact, the perfect fathers are often the ones that damaged their kids through such high expectations. It's just do your best, live in love, be honest with your struggles and get help. Rely on the community of men to help raise your kids. Ancient societies were not primarily just father-son societies. They were the community of men playing a vital role. It was the tribe that helped formed men, not just this psychotic pressure on an individual father." 19:23 - "I know everybody tells you this, be careful when you kill time, it has no resurrection. You can waste time. You can kill time. Waste time. Use time. Invest time. Redeem time. Or leverage time. And a lot of God, that's Ephesians 5, make the most of the time. That's not the word kross is the word kairos, which means you were in a season right now, that must be leveraged that you will never get again. It's not the same in every season. So I'm not advocating a kind of guilt where every, like, if every spare moment should be in prayer. That's, that's death. That's the law. I'm advocating, I'm advocating an awareness of your season. The things that need to be harvested now or they rot. Or seed now, or you missed the window to sow. Or enjoyed now or it's gone. How do you really figure what that is in that season and leverage it? Make the most because the days are evil. So yeah, it's about really trying to leverage the season more than anything else. First you got to know what it is, but when you know what it is going to be aware and go after it." Links from Today's Conversation Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more 147 | Jon Tyson on Intentional Fatherhood & Creating the Primal Path 187 | Jon Tyson on Skillful Manhood, Capturing First Moments & The Intentional Father Fighting Shadows: Overcoming 7 Lies That Keep Men From Becoming Fully Alive by Jon Tyson and Jefferson Bethke The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character by Jon Tyson Primal Path: A Discipleship Program for Fathers & Sons Awaken Network Podcast Sign up for Jon's Newsletter 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, Danny Silk shares the seven "dragons," or fears, that all men must slay. From confronting self-doubt to navigating competition among other men, Danny explores what holds most men back and how you can take immediate action. Plus, you'll discover the importance of community and brotherhood in your journey to becoming a dragon slayer. Key Takeaways Every man must confront these seven fears: God, himself, women, men, nature, machine, and provision. If you don't set your heart to serve your wife, you will set your heart to conquer her and be the winner. Men bond through doing and adventure and through risk. Your role as a man is to think ahead and bring benefit to everyone you're leading. Fatherlessness comes from the breakdown of brotherhood. Danny Silk Danny Silk is a renowned speaker and prolific author who draws on decades of experience as a counselor, social worker, husband, parent, grandparent, and more. He is the President and Co-Founder of Loving on Purpose, a ministry to families and communities worldwide. Key Quotes 14:49 - "Quit putting it off because you don't want to feel stupid. You already look stupid. So go do something about it. Be the man. There's that end of it as well. And then there's, in the middle of it, which is get out there and take some risks. Get out there and learn some new skills, find some guys that love to work on that stuff and learn from them." 18:14 - "You really are looking down the road and you're leading, so people are following that. And in that is your responsibility to bring benefit to everybody on the journey with you. That's your role as a man, is to think ahead and to build benefit for for your family, for your legacy. I'm thinking generationally, I'm not just thinking momentarily. I'm not living paycheck to paycheck. I'm living generation to generation. So, then as a provider, you had better open up your clarity of where you're headed and who's going to be benefiting for you ever being on this planet." Links from Today's Conversation Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more The Way of the Dragon Slayer by Danny Silk Dragon Slayers Podcast 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 eye-opening episode, Danny Silk discusses the seven key traits that make up the creed of manhood. You'll be inspired to rise above cultural influences and become a dragon slayer instead of a destroyer. Ultimately, you'll discover how to use your strength to protect, display Christ, and lead boldly. Key Takeaways You can either slay your dragons or become a destroyer. It is your job to set the standard of love in your home, marriage, and community. Men need to carry responsibilities to activate the strength they were designed with. Fools want to be the master of their own universe, but wise men love correction and feedback. Danny Silk Danny Silk is a renowned speaker and prolific author who draws on decades of experience as a counselor, social worker, husband, parent, grandparent, and more. He is the President and Co-Founder of Loving on Purpose, a ministry to families and communities worldwide. Key Quotes 6:28 - "You have to have something inside of you that both weights you down to the bottom so you can get some traction and strong enough to turn and face that bad boy. But what happens is, once you get enough people opposing and moving in synergy, in the opposite direction, you actually can bring that strong current to a stop and then reverse the current. [That's] the Kingdom. It's an upside down world. That's what I really want to call our generation to, let's be the generation that faced this ugly lie, chase it down, band together and create a different tomorrow for our boys." 14:24 - "It's absolutely essential that men understand that your primary job and really the only job that you have is control yourself. Control freaks, control your freaking self. You never control other people. And when we turn love into control, we misrepresent our Father. God is Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, not control. If anybody is going to be a control freak, it could be God and he's a freedom freak." Links from Today's Conversation Get a discount at the DadAwesome Store with Code: MOMAWESOME Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more The Way of the Dragon Slayer by Danny Silk Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Stephen Mansfield joins us in this episode to ignite your warrior mindset. As a man of God, you have a responsibility to prepare intentionally in every aspect of life, from your marriage to parenting and beyond. Stephen shares powerful examples of rituals, accountability, and prayers that can shape your life and future generations with purpose. Key Takeaways Warriors use every moment to prepare for impending battles, and strong men must do the same. If you're going to achieve the greatness you're made for, stop being passive in the face of your surrounding culture and get intentional. Righteous men are meant to think about the impact they'll have on the next generation. Manhood is transferred during rituals, where you affirm a man in that milestone moment and speak of what's coming. Stephen Mansfield Stephen Mansfield is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, and popular speaker committed to serving vital social causes. He and his wife, Beverly, split their time between Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. Key Quotes 7:42 - "Warriors are intentional. They know there's battles coming. They are fighting for others. They're fighting battles of love for nation, for family, for righteous causes. And they are preparing themselves. And that makes them tougher, makes them more sacrificial, makes them more visionary, makes them live every moment in terms of, they're in the moment, but also in terms of what's coming." 18:12 - "I think every day is a gift. I think we live every day out as another day of our destiny. And the kissing of the spouse and the sitting quietly and the sipping of a glass of wine, the walk and the time reading a book and those peaceful, quiet, measured things, are just as important in building a legacy, as are the big dramatic, 500 year things. We men are naturally given to vision. What we have to do is be given to the moment more. That takes more intentionality on most of our lives." Links from Today's Conversation Get 20% off the DadAwesome Store with Code: MOMAWESOME Apply to join the Summer 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email [email protected] to learn more Men on Fire by Stephen Mansfield Stephen Mansfield's Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Kyle Wester joins us to unpack the science of your kid's brain—from birth to adulthood. You'll discover how connection shapes their emotional development and why sincere apologies pave the way for deeper intimacy in your relationship. Key Takeaways Your anger says more about you than your kids. The brain has three key developmental stages: brainstem, limbic system, and prefrontal cortex. To move out of the limbic system, you need connection. Have high expectations while offering high support. Emotion-focused parenting is an inside-out model that reflects what God does with us. Kyle Wester Kyle Wester is a licensed professional counselor and Parenting Coach who has been working with children for over 20 years. Kyle and his wife, Sarah, are founders of Parenting Legacy and host The Art of Raising Humans podcast. They have been married for 22 years and have three children. Key Quotes 6:28 - "Success for us, when I look at my kids and I know that we are doing it well, that we are succeeding as parents, is when I see the fruit of the spirit easily pouring out of their daily life. What's neat is when you tie that in to the brain science, all of us as human beings, when we are at our best and we are really able to show up, be seen, bring more light to a dark place, it's when we're in the prefrontal cortex. And what's interesting about the prefrontal cortex is I can only get there when I feel safe and loved." 9:31 - "I have super high expectations on my kids. I really believe that every place they are is going to be better because they are there. And if for some reason that isn't happening and I'm noticing that, then me and my wife are wondering what is the supports my kid needed in that moment to be able to really shine the way God intended them to in that moment?" 26:02 - "This shows us how God has wired us and why the Christian disciplines are so effective, is because when we pray, when we meditate, when we worship, when we do these exercises that have been known throughout church history to be healthy and effective for us, we're answering these questions. We're connecting to somebody outside of us, who's whispering to us, you are safe. You are loved. And then once you get to the prefrontal cortex, the question is, what can I learn? You're basically saying, how can we do this together? How can we change this situation? I just picture God coming with an open hand and us coming with a closed hand, and He stays calm with us. He comforts us until our hand opens up. And then our hands can come together and we can really solve that problem together." Links from Today's Conversation Get 15% off the DadAwesome Store During the Mother's Day Sale Parenting Legacy Counseling & Coaching Email Kyle Wester at [email protected] The Art of Raising Humans Podcast The Aro Podcast 257 | When you Change Your Relationship with the Phone, You Change Your Relationship with Everyone Around You, Including Yourself (Joey Odom) Anatomy of the Soul by Curt Thompson Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman No-Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel Playful Parenting by Lawrence Cohen The Opposite of Worry by Lawrence Cohen Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

In John 10:10, Jesus says that He came so we may have life to the full. This verse guides Tim Lukei's work as a men's pastor and non-profit leader. Listen in as Tim lists practical tips for building a vibrant men's community. Plus, he describes why adventure matters for your heart, marriage, and family. Key Takeaways If you're following Jesus and it feels boring, you're not doing it right. A multi-generational team will create a multi-generational ministry. Adventuring as men often opens us up to do life together authentically. Don't just be a dad who was there; be a dad who was intentional and present. Tim Lukei Tim Lukei is the Men's Pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California. He also runs Maverick River Collective, which equips churches to establish sustainable, transformational men's ministries. Tim and his wife, Korrie, have been married since 2006 and have three children. Key Quotes 6:29 - "Adventuring together creates connection moments and moments of, this is so awesome we got to experience this together. That is adventure as it pertains to man's ministry and family and parenting. The best way I know to how to connect with my kids is going on an adventure. And that doesn't always mean hopping on a plane, going to Hawaii or wherever else. It could be like, hey, we're going on a bike ride and I'll take you to this rad new playground. It's going to be amazing. That could be an adventure. And it doesn't cost necessarily anything. My kids beg me to to go on bike rides and it costs nothing." 16:18 - "Do the self processing and figuring out, for me it was immediately, I recognized, I am burnout. I'm exhausted. No matter what you should already have had people in your place that you're reaching out in to go, hey, I'm not okay. Have you recognized it? And then begin the processing on what does it look like to become whole again? To get soul rest, to take some time, if you can, to figure out, is there areas where I need a coach or a therapist? One of the things that I try to do as a men's pastor is normalize therapy for men all freaking day. It's not something you do when you're in crisis. It's something that you do constant. Guys, we don't do that well. We don't process, talk through our hardship, difficulty or past. We don't, that's not our natural gear, for at least most guys. Maybe you have some meaningful conversations with people who speak truth into your life, but whether it's painful or not, you need to have that. Definitely figure out what things are the reasons, How did you get here, and don't just throw Band-Aids at something." Links from Today's Conversation Get 15% off the DadAwesome Store During the Mother's Day Sale (use code: MOMAWESOME) Maverick River Collective Conversations in the Wild Podcast Men of Mariners — Mariners Church Play the Man by Mark Batterson Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson Becoming a King by Morgan Snyder Resilient by John Eldredge 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, Dean Deguara reflects on how he identified his children's purpose through prayer and prophecy. He details the practical ways he and his wife raised their kids to be resilient and bold, from bedtime prayers to meaningful car ride conversations and more. Key Takeaways God will give you clues about your kid's purpose. The small deposits of time add up. Be just as competitive about your kid's purpose as their performance. Teach your children how to make good choices on their own. Dean Deguara Dean Deguara is the lead pastor of Real Life Church in Sacramento, California. He and his wife, Amy, have been married for 30 years and have two adult children. Key Quotes 16:56 - "We were a family on mission. And so wherever we went, we tried to be the same people we were in public, that we were in private. And then just allowing our influence to be who we are." 26:16 - "One of the biggest things I like to encourage is teach your children how to make good choices on their own. As they're growing up, I think a lot of times we wait for these big transitional moments for our kids to make these [big decisions], where there's just a lot of pressure. Now [they] have to make a decision, where you're going to go to college and we didn't give them and we didn't allow them to make any choices until those biggest choices in life. We just started in the safety of our home and the safety of our family, just giving our kids opportunities to make big decisions." Links from Today's Conversation Get 15% off the DadAwesome Store During the Mother's Day Sale Detours: The Unpredictable Path to Your Destiny by Tony Evans Real Life Church Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

One day, your child will transition into a young adult. Fathers play an essential role in recognizing those moments through ceremony and celebration. In the second half of this conversation, Michael Warren explores how dads can support their children by welcoming them into a larger community and fostering a sense of belonging. Key Takeaways Don't talk about it; be about it. Present your son to a community of men and vocalize why he belongs there. Create milestone moments for all of your children. Make the courageous call to the person you think would be willing to meet with you to talk about being a dad. Michael Warren Michael Warren is a dad of four who is passionate about equipping fathers to lead their sons into REAL masculinity. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska, where he facilitates the Alaska Knights program at ChangePoint. Key Quotes 4:31 - "When it comes to my daughter, it's been a little extra work. I've had to learn a lot about her heart, a lot about how God has made her, it's been a little slower for me, and I've had to run some experiments and try things out. What's caused me to not give up and all that's complex and, quite frankly, confusing to me sometimes, about pursuing the heart of preteen, early teen daughter has been this, I'm going to reject passivity and expect the greater reward by stepping in and creating some milestones for her, too." 20:26 - "If there's something that you want, what responsibility comes with the burden? What responsibility comes with a heightened sense of urgency? And that's not to shame, guilt, pressure, it's not about that. If this is on your heart, I would say just move with it. Find another person and just take the next step. Our God is a God of next steps, practical next steps. Because what kind of a God would He be if He showed us the entire landscape and made us feel overwhelmed and discouraged? That's not His character. " Links from Today's Conversation DadAwesome Activation Events Host an Event in Your Area: Contact Us Alaska Knights: Raising a Modern Day Knight Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood by Robert Lewis Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Michael Warren is passionate about equipping fathers and mentors to guide young boys into manhood. His goal is to facilitate adventure moments that give sons an answer to the question, "When did I become a man?" In part one of this conversation, Michael describes how dads can define and model the timeless principles of manhood to their kids. Key Takeaways Fathers must communicate a clear definition of manhood. Middle school is a strategic time to start calling boys up and out of the home—away from distractions like video games—and into learning led by dad. A REAL man Rejects passivity, Expects God's greater rewards, Accepts responsibility, and Leads courageously. REAL men have a work to do, a will to obey, a woman to love, and a world to serve. Michael Warren Michael Warren is a dad of four who is passionate about equipping fathers to lead their sons into REAL masculinity. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska, where he facilitates the Alaska Knights program at ChangePoint. Key Quotes 17:38 - "The longevity that we've enjoyed has been tied to the fact that it's really transforming men's hearts and their families and the definition of manhood and the context that we teach, where that definition plays out are really transferable and in every season." 20:54 - "A real man, R-E-A-L, R, rejects passivity. A man rejects passivity. E, expects God's greater reward. A, accepts responsibility, and L, leads courageously. So, rejects passivity, expects God's greater reward, accepts responsibility, leads courageously. Expect God's greater reward, what does that mean? Well, that means delayed gratification. That is a principle that every man needs to entertain and think about. I'm going to make sacrifice now, but I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I've got energy, I've got time, I have my purity. I have these things that are God given that once I spend them, I don't get them back. Those are the main principles, this R-E-A-L. What's important to mention is that we call them the four W's. The four W's are the contexts where you can directly apply the R-E-A-L. So the four W's arem a man has a work to do, a will to obey, a woman to love and a world to serve." Links from Today's Conversation Spring 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Group: Email [email protected] to learn more Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood by Robert Lewis 215 | Creating Ceremonies, Building Life-Changing Committed Friendships & Raising Modern Day Knights (Robert Lewis) Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Ian Smith joins us in this episode with passionate ideas to help dads enjoy fatherhood more. He shares his habits of looking for adventure in the challenge, asking hard questions, and taking ownership of mistakes. His energetic spirit will help you reframe your perspective on parenting so you can show up with renewed purpose. Key Takeaways You can enjoy fatherhood more when you view it as an adventure and a good challenge. Get big enough on the inside to own it when something's not great. Nothing brings more stability and security to a family than a dad who submits to the authority of the Heavenly Father. Get out of the ditch of passivity by taking action. Build up your kids and reinforce their identity through positive language. Ian Smith Ian Smith is an entrepreneur, former pastor, coach, and mentor living in Winnipeg, Canada. He has been married to his wife for 25 years and has six children. Ian is passionate about helping others go from feeling frustrated and apathetic in their faith to seeing real, lasting change in their lives. Key Quotes 24:11 "There's all of this stuff that we go through and situations and fears we have, it's natural. But we can learn to cope with them in such bad ways or we can numb ourselves. We can get complacent. We can Netflix ourselves, drink ourselves, sports ourselves, work ourselves, tax ourselves out of it all. [Instead] of actually dealing with it and never dealing with it. And all that's going to do is continue to hurt us, which then is gonna hurt our family." 35:50 - "[Telling myself] I'm going to make a change and get on the path, and you'll find you'll walk out of that thing really quickly with accountability and a little bit of a vision about where you want to go. That's a really important piece too, is if you don't like the life you have, start envisioning the one you want and let that burn on the inside of you. You'll be amazed that when you have the what you want start to settle in your heart, the how is going to make itself known to." Links from Today's Conversation Spring 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Group: Email [email protected] to learn more Hero Collective Spiritual Slavery to Spiritual Sonship: Your Destiny Awaits You by Jack Frost Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Our conversation with Jeremy Morris continues as he shares insight on healing unprocessed pain, rebuilding relationships, and cultivating peace. Jeremy's healing journey wasn't quick or easy, but through his experiences, you'll see God's faithfulness in restoring his family. Key Takeaways Time doesn't heal all wounds, but God can. The thing that you're doing to anesthetize the pain isn't the problem; the pain is the problem. Don't give your family the leftovers of you. Walk with your children through enough adversity that they're prepared for it when they leave the nest. Without peace, nothing matters. Jeremy Morris Jeremy Morris is a husband and father of four living in Boise, Idaho. He co-founded Wild Courage, a ministry that equips men to tell the stories born in the redemption of lives and souls. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys coaching football, camping with his family, and managing his ranch. Key Quotes 12:37 - "The thing that you're doing for the pain, isn't the problem. Let's go back into your story and find that unprocessed pain that sometimes is so subconscious we don't even know. I also want to say this, pain is the same. Just because you don't have my story, doesn't mean that your pain is less than mine. The pain is relative and your story matters. Going into your story and inviting God into that messy place that you never thought you could ever talk about and going to the source of that pain and finding out why." 23:11 - "It's just having the scary hard talks and helping [your children] navigate emotions. Speaking to their heart and not their actions. Now, that doesn't mean there's no discipline and consequences for actions, but it's not the first thing we go to. We go after their heart level of why did you show up this way? What's going on inside of your heart? Dealing with it in a heart issue instead of what was modeled to us of, like, discipline, discipline, discipline. Shame, shame, shame. Creating a safe environment. We don't want our kids to experience trauma. We're good with some adversity because we want to walk with them through it. I've learned to get really good at cleaning up my messes and finding humility in the times where I blew it. Humility just always wins. It always wins." Links from Today's Conversation Spring 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Group: Email [email protected] to learn more Wild Courage The Wild Courage Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Shame holds back many men from sharing their stories of redemption. Jeremy Morris once felt this. But he learned that the key to unlocking healing is to have the courage to be seen. In this episode, Jeremy shares his unfiltered testimony and demonstrates the power of vulnerability and wild courage. Key Takeaways Most men would rather go to the moon, climb Mount Everest, survive in the wilderness, or do other crazy things before being vulnerable. The key to unlocking healing is to have the courage to be seen. Are you using certain things to stuff down the unprocessed pain that's trying to crawl up out of your soul? If God can forgive you, that is enough to carry on. Jeremy Morris Jeremy Morris is a husband and father of four living in Boise, Idaho. He co-founded Wild Courage, a ministry that equips men to tell the stories born in the redemption of lives and souls. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys coaching football, camping with his family, and managing his ranch. Key Quotes 10:07 - "The most healing I've received, in a lot of areas, has been when I've had the courage to be vulnerable enough to share my deep, dark pain with someone and to be received with love back. Which, if you really knew me, there's no way you could like me, let alone love me. The courage part comes from us having the courage to be seen. Which, I think, God wired us to be seen and heard by others that we're in relationship with. Men will go to the moon, we'll climb Mount Everest, we'll jump off crazy things with parachutes, we'll ride bulls, we'll survive in the wilderness. And we would rather do all of those things before being vulnerable. I've just found that it's the key to unlocking healing and to be what we're all created to be, which is to be seen and heard and not judged and loved where we're at in the mess of it all." 36:23 - "They put me in jail and something in me changed in my prayer. I don't know how to explain it, other than I asked God, from one father to another father, please take this for me. The dad I'm going to be, I can't do this anymore. And He took it. I don't know if it was because I wasn't praying to get out of my circumstances anymore, which I think looking back, my prayers to Him were always to get me out of the mess that I created. But there was something about me pulling on to heaven, as a dad and crying out to a dad that I think was the difference and His perfect timing." Links from Today's Conversation Learn More About the DadAwesome Accelerator Group: Email [email protected] Wild Courage The Wild Courage Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Chad Wallen helps teach fatherless young men practical tools that their dad could have taught them if he had been involved in their lives. It's an active way of fighting against harrowing statistics and intervening in tangible, practical ways. Join us as Chad shares his thoughts on self-care, words of affirmation, and mentoring the next generation. Key Takeaways You can't be a good dad if you're not a healthy version of yourself. Don't make your wife translate your love to your children. Nationally, 75% of men incarcerated are from a fatherless home. What does it look like to mentor fatherless young men while providing opportunities to learn new skills, advance their careers, and build confidence? Chad Wallen Chad Wallen is a loving husband, foster parent, and dad to three girls and a son. He helped start Advance Camp in Oregon because he has such a huge heart for the fatherless. Now, Chad Wallen lives in the Dallas area and directs Advance Camp Texas. Key Quotes 7:42 - "That was a hard thing to learn is finding that happy medium between taking care of yourself and finding you as a priority and taking care of your family and finding them as a priority, realizing you can't be 100% dad if you're not 100% you." 17:52 - "My mom used to tell me all the time your dad loves you. He told me last night that he loves you and he's really proud of you. Well, I don't need my wife translating for me. These words need to come out of my mouth. And it's hard. Sometimes I have to pep talk myself but I know that's my role is to speak my words, not to have my wife speak my words for me. That's one thing I have constantly worked on with myself is making sure my words are my words and my wife is not my translator." Links from Today's Conversation Advance Camp USA Learn More About the DadAwesome Accelerator Group: Email [email protected] Top 5 Podcast Moments of 2023 | Year in Review — The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

For Zack Blair, walking in unconditional love is the foundation of joyful fatherhood. In this episode, he shares personal experiences and practical examples to show why connecting with your kids matters more than trying to be perfect. And ultimately, how it leads to a parenting approach grounded in thankfulness and love. Key Takeaways Walking in unconditional love is the source of joy and thankfulness. How can your children one day remember your heart if you are not intentional to connect with theirs? Use your hands to express love, not produce pain. You need other men in your corner—not just for you, but also for your kids. Zack Blair Zack Blair is an author and the founding pastor of Hill City Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Lauren, have been married for 17 years, have three children, and are foster parents. Key Quotes 35:00 - "An apology, it goes so far with [your children]., Hey, dad's imperfect, but he's trying, and he's taking ownership in the areas that that he missed it. I tell my kids, I'm not going to be a perfect father. I'm going to do some things great. You're going to look back and you're going to say, man, that wasn't so great. Whatever we did great, carry it on. But whatever we didn't do great, fix it and keep on getting better." 39:53 - "When you hold your child and you look at them and you feel the pain of, maybe I didn't receive this or I don't know that I received that unconditional love. In every man where we look back on our life with regret, that's an area that if we dig deep and we we allow the Lord to heal and we open up to the right people, that will change our family's trajectory forever. A lot of guys will get stuck in the normal things that society talks about to distract us, but there's a part of us that's unhealed. If we can focus on that part and with kindness and curiosity, just go there and ask the Lord, Lord, when did I accept this lie? Or when did I develop this belief about myself? Or when did I experience this pain and God where were You in those moments? Even with help through counseling and and pastoral guidance, even when the Lord heals that it'll change everything and you will be set free to be the dad that you really want to be. So go there. Be brave enough to go there." Links from Today's Conversation Learn More About the DadAwesome Accelerator Group The Father Code: Codes of a Connected Father by Zack Blair Follow Zack Blair on Instagram The Father Code YouTube Playlist Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Phil Comer wasn't raised with a faith background. So when his first son was born, he knew he had to get radically intentional if he was going to raise children who walk with God. In this episode, Phil shares the habits that helped him develop his newfound faith as a young father and launch his grown children into the world with success. Key Takeaways Men are designed and commanded to be tenderhearted, kind warriors. No one can love their wife or be used by God as a father without the Holy Spirit. Memorized Scripture carries with you through life, enables you to do battle, and brings you joy. Even if all you do is quietly speak the Scripture out loud for several years, you will memorize it. It's not what you say to your kids that instructs them; it's what they see from you. Phil Comer Phil Comer is a husband, father, and grandfather with 40 years of pastoral and counseling experience. After planting a church in 2004, Phil and his wife, Diane, went on to launch Intentional Parents International. The ministry focuses on equipping young parents and providing focused teaching in the spiritual training of children. Key Quotes 25:57 - "We need to teach this to our kids. We need to model it for our kids, and we need to realize that we need it. When it comes to the memorizing part, we're supposed to meditate on Scripture. Now, I can do that by reading it, but what about when I'm out on a walk and I don't have my Bible on me? Anything I do have, I'm able to bring back up and chew on. That's really what that verse means, that meditating is chewing on something and that's where God comes in." 38:02 - "You can't be saying one thing and be living another. That will destroy your kids, and it will lead them away from Christ so quickly. If you are modeling a genuine, authentic faith, if you are a passionate Jesus follower, your kids will pick that up because values are caught more than they're taught. We always have to look at our life every day, am I getting more lukewarm? Am I losing my passion or am I growing in my passion? As long as we're the growing side of Christianity and the growing side of Jesus, our kids are going to pick it up." Links from Today's Conversation 160 | Raising Passionate Jesus Followers (Phil Comer & Brook Mosser) Intentional Parents International A Practical Guide to Memorizing Scripture Together Raising Passionate Jesus Followers: The Power of Intentional Parenting by Phil & Diane Comer The Intentional Parents Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

For Jay Vallotton, the turning point in his marriage was learning to connect with his wife through her emotions rather than trying to fix them. Now, Jason urges men to reconsider their approach to emotions, both in marriage and parenting. Tune in as he shares practical advice for repairing mistakes, handling dysregulation in a child, and approaching conversations with the end in mind. Key Takeaways To live wholeheartedly means addressing sin, being present, and fulfilling your God-given call instead of allowing fear to shrink you. Your wife needs to feel seen, known, and heard. Trust is not built through the absence of mistakes but by how you repair. The #1 conversation hack is to start with the end in mind. The right time to instruct and discipline is not when your child is emotionally dysregulated. Jay Vallotton Jay Vallotton is the founder of BraveCo, a member of the Senior Leadership Team at Bethel Church, and an overseer of the Bethel Transformation Center. He is passionate about helping people discover their God-given identity, find freedom, and walk out their true calling. Jason lives in Redding, California, with his wife, Lauren, and their five kids and daughter-in-law. Key Quotes 3:48 - "One of the prayers that David prays is, God, search me, know me, reveal to me what's going on in my life. Which honestly, is such a scary, dangerous prayer. But on the other side, I think that in order to live wholeheartedly we do have to address those areas in our life that aren't whole, that have cracks or have a little bit of brokenness or doubt, and that's a very challenging thing to do. But what that really means is when I come home and my wife confronts me on something and I dismiss her feelings, I'm not living wholeheartedly. When I come home and my kids want to play and I don't want to be present, I'm actually not living wholeheartedly. The practical application of being. The things that you write on your heart, the things that you write on your wrist, the truth, God's truth.. You have to live those out in your day to day life. And there's accountability inside of that." 17:05 - "Trust is not built through the absence of mistakes. Trust is built by how you clean up a mess. Your wife will trust you because she knows you can have a bad moment, you're going to go away, you're going to process through that in a healthy way and come back and give her what you wish you would've given her in the moment. That's more valuable than being able to nail it every time, because we innately know no one's going to nail it every time. But what we don't know is, I trust that you're going to come back and repair what has been damaged. If you can repair what you are messing up, you're adding so much more value than just trying to get it right, perfectly or expecting yourself to. You're not and your wife's not, more importantly, your whole environment, isn't. So, your kids are going to watch you do this process. Your wife's going to watch you do this process, and they're going to follow in this ecosystem that it's okay to fail. It's not okay to hurt each other but it's okay to fail because we can go back and clean up a mess." Links from Today's Conversation BraveCo BraveCo Conference 2024 (Redding, California - June 12-14, 2024) 131 | Winning The War Within (Jason Vallotton) 145 | Resilience, Servanthood & Showing Up For Others (Jason Vallotton) Follow Jason on Instagram Dates, Mates and Babies with the Vallottons Podcast Make a Donation to DadAwesome FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS Events Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Would you show love to a masked gunman who abducted you and your family? For Jamie Winship, the answer was yes. As he shares the details of this frightening experience, Jamie will inspire you to exchange fear for love as you seek God's true identity for you. Key Takeaways Being in your true identity makes you more relational, take risks, and face reality. The enemy is always in the hypothetical future, but God is in the present. To identify false identities, ask God, "What are the things I believe about myself that hurt me?" Your true identity in God will be others-focused, self-emptying, and characterized by unconditional love for your enemies. Jamie Winship Jamie Winship is known for bringing peaceful solutions to some of the world's highest conflict areas. His work in law enforcement and education led his family around the world, including South Asia and the Middle East. Jamie and his wife, Donna, are co-founders of Identity Exchange and have three adult sons. Key Quotes 11:26 - "When you watch Jesus, Jesus never runs anywhere. He's never in a hurry. He's never freaked out. He not dramatic. He is intense. Like when He throws over the tables, but it's so tactically smart what He's doing, it's so well thought out. He's not just dramatically reacting to drama. So never participate, the enemy loves drama. The enemy loves drama because drama goes out of control. 15:36 - "You're in constant conflict. Either inside yourself or with people around you. Those are the signs of the false self. It's self-protection. Self-promotion. Separation is a sign of the false self. The false self will always move in separation, never in connection with others. It'll constantly separate out. The soul that sinneth, the soul that separates it will die. It's not about you did a bad thing, God's going to kill you. It's like human beings were made to live in connection with others and God. And when we separate it, it basically destroys us. Those are the symbols, the signs of the false self. But deeper than that, this is the exercise I would suggest is just sit alone with God and just breathe and relax and try and settle down and just say, God, search me right now. And would You help me to be able to say the things that I believe about myself that hurt me? What are the things I believe about myself that hurt me? And and just let them come to your mind." Links from Today's Conversation 314 | Tackling Fear in a War Zone, Modeling Courage, and Embracing Your True Identity (Jamie Winship: Part 1) Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God by Jamie Winship Identity Exchange: Online Courses, Individual Coaching, and More Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jamie Winship is no stranger to conflict. From working as a police officer to living in international war zones, he learned how to tackle fear with faith—and he modeled it for his children, too. In this episode, Jamie details some of the dangerous situations his family faced as they followed God's calling. Plus, he'll inspire you to hang onto joy, even when fear tries to swallow you whole. Key Takeaways When living in a high-conflict area—whether a warzone or your home—you have to gamify preparedness with joy instead of fear. There are times when you may need to pray to be invisible. If you're afraid to fail, you won't be able to model courage in front of other people. God cannot invite you into greater challenges in the future if your only goal is self-protection and self-promotion. The greatest gift you can give your kids is the truth of who you are. Jamie Winship Jamie Winship is known for bringing peaceful solutions to some of the world's highest conflict areas. His work in law enforcement and education led his family around the world, including South Asia and the Middle East. Jamie and his wife, Donna, are co-founders of Identity Exchange and have three adult sons. Key Quotes 20:13 - "Only the fear of falling and loud noises is is innate in us, but all other fear is learned. I want to say to your listeners, what are you afraid of? That's the most important question, what am I afraid of? And this is a daily question. It's not a one off. It's even incident into incident. Why am I afraid right now? Fear is beautiful because it's a warner, it's a flashing warning light. It's an invitation to transformation. It's an invitation to a conversation that leads to transformation. God, why am I afraid right now? What am I afraid of?" 21:34 - "God wants me to know I can protect you in any situation. Though a thousand fall on my right and 10,000 fall on my left, yet will I stand? God says, I want you to know that I can protect you in this kind of situation. How would I know that? By staying. By staying. Why would you want me to know that? Because in the future are greater challenges than this that I want to invite you into, But I can't invite you into them, if the goal of your life is self-protection and self-promotion. Because that's how fear works. And if your goal is self-protection and self-promotion, it will become the goal of your kids. Let's teach them other than that worldview." 29:39 - "External conflict produced by internal conflict, produced by fear, produced by false identity. What's the shift? The shift is not in, stop the war, bring financial aid, change religions. None of that stuff has ever worked. It's a transformation of the human heart, which the whole Bible is telling us. And we're looking for some other solution. Spiritual transformation in your own heart. You're living in a false identity. It's a shift into the true identity, which can only be known in Christ. Shift into true identity moves you into courage. It encourages you, which moves you into internal peace, which makes you able to create external peace." Links from Today's Conversation DadAwesome Store Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God by Jamie Winship Identity Exchange: Online Courses, Individual Coaching, and More Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

After studying the prayer lives of extraordinary leaders around the world, Ryan Skoogs began to identify patterns. These patterns shifted not only the heart and mind of the leader but also the culture around them—in their home, organization, and beyond. As the leader of your home, you must create a culture of prayer that starts with you. In this episode, Ryan shares the practical steps to do just that. Key Takeaways Be willing to "waste time" with God. To start an intentional prayer life, just walk and talk with the Lord. Twenty minutes of prayer to Jesus each day for eight weeks will change your brain chemistry in ways that are visible on a brain scan. Where is prayer a line item in your organization's (or family's) budget? Don't discount the little opportunities where you can be quick to pray. Ryan Skoog Ryan Skoog is an entrepreneur, ministry leader, author, world traveler, and adventure dad. He is co-founder and president of VENTURE, a church-planting and community development nonprofit that works in the toughest places of the world, serving war refugees, trafficked people, oppressed children, and the unreached. Key Quotes 30:06 - "20 minutes of prayer a day, for eight weeks, will change your brain neurons and chemistry so much that you can tell on a brain scan. There's an agnostic neuroscientist that started just measuring prayer and it had to be prayer to Jesus. It wasn't just meditation and mindfulness, sand is soft, no, it is God is love. God is gracious, that kind of focus and prayer. It can change your brain scan so it fires all the parts that are amazing." 39:26 - "Don't discount the little moments throughout the day of stopping and acknowledging God. A kid has a test, let's stop and pray. We have a phrase around here, we want to be quick to pray. I think in creating a culture in your family, being quick to pray about little things quickly, oh, hey, let's pray about that. And then taking 20 seconds to pray about it and making that normal in your family, making that normal that we just talked to God throughout the day has just been a really, really helpful culture." Links from Today's Conversation Lead with Prayer: The Spiritual Habits of World-Changing Leaders by Ryan Skoog and others 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 midst of a chaotic world, fathers need to know how to stay grounded, steady, and wild. Tim Bohlke brings years of wisdom and experience to equip dads to do just that. Through real-life examples and a spirit of encouragement, Tim unveils new ways to embrace joy, balance, and remembrance of what God has done. Key Takeaways The cumulative effect of carrying too much weight will break you down. Avoid isolation by inviting others in, asking for input, and allowing people to be honest with you. The key to being aware and alert to what God is doing today is remembering what he has done in the past. Fight for the people, places, and experiences that bring you life. Tim Bohlke Founder and director of Harbor Ministries, Tim Bohlke has spent three decades investing in leaders and helping forge a new path that will serve leaders, their families, and their organizations well. He is a husband, father, grandfather, author, coach, and more. Key Quotes 14:05 - "That is the imagery that people all have strength waiting, as the difference making leaders have figured out that idea of harbor as it connects to mission. And no matter how critical your mission is, you got to have time in a harbor to resource, restore and get yourself ready." 29:27 - "When we remember what God's done, that's one of the values of quieting down, seeking solitude, is that only then do you take the time and find the time to really process and remember the ways God showed up in our story. That's what brings strength. And that's what brings courage and reminds us God is a God of promises, that He does show up and He will not only then, but going forward as well." Links from Today's Conversation 51 | Father Family Rhythms Part 1 (Tim Bohlke) 81 | Adjust the Pace, Live w/ SELF-CONTROL & Hear God's Voice (Tim Bohlke) Stay. Wild. : An Invitation to Pursue God in Fully Disrupted World by Tim Bohlke Harbor Ministries SPACE Podcast Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

The way you parent stems from how you were parented. That's why understanding the stories and trauma of your past is essential if you want to provide a secure beginning for your children. In this episode, Dr. Dan Allender offers expert advice to help you own the past, share your stories with others, and find beauty along the parenting journey. Key Takeaways A child has a secure beginning if they have attunement, containment, and a parent who can repair ruptures. The level of failure in parenting is higher than in marriage, friendships, or work. When you're triggered, take a 90-second pause to decrease emotional flooding. There are two great callings in life that you must hold together at the same time: to grow in intimacy and to grow in independence. Write down your thoughts and then share them with your wife, a group of men, and a story guide, such as a therapist or pastor. Dr. Dan Allender Dr. Dan Allender is an author, professor, and co-founder of The Allender Center and The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. With a unique approach to trauma and abuse therapy, he presents on topics such as sexual abuse recovery, intimacy, marriage, and more. Dan and his wife, Becky, enjoy spending time with their three adult children and their grandchildren. Key Quotes 4:58 - "It's really a sweet gift to be able to see our children parent in a way in which they have truly learned from our mistakes, and yet they've also developed their own way of being in the world. Having adult children, one of the realities that dawns on me virtually every year and that is you're never done. Some of the most complicated days are with adult children. And yet our children love us, and yet they are pretty clear and vocal about where they have felt like we have not done well, past and present, and with a deep invitation, with honor and forgiveness, but to grow. That's one of the things I would say it's just such a life giving presence when your children are taking in your life and growing, but when they have the ability to return that, to invite you to grow, that even with younger children has a level of mutuality that often [doesn't] get talked about in the parenting process." 37:36 - "The reality is, we live in a sinful world and a broken world as already with a proclivity to our own false independence. So, our task, is in some sense, to parent in a way that accentuates the giftedness, while also helping a child name and engage the parts of their own world that don't come as quickly or naturally. Links from Today's Conversation Become a DadAwesome Anchor Partner The Allender Center Podcast "Parenting the Parent" — Dr. Dan Allender's podcast episode featuring his two daughters Dr. Dan Allender's Books StoryWork Conference and Master Class The Allender Center Upcoming Events and Workshops Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

As a rookie dad, Taylor Doolittle has endless encouragement for other dads in his shoes. In this episode, he emphasizes the value of running after God, pursuing your wife, and enjoying every season with your kids. His vivid analogies will inspire you to make intentional choices as a husband, father, and friend to create the life you want to live. Key Takeaways Every season with your kids is fleeting, so be gracious with yourself. Passionately running after Jesus and pursuing your wife will leave a lasting impact on your kids. Combine multiple activities—such as working out and being with friends—with intentional multitasking that keeps you whole and healthy without taking up too much time. However difficult you think this is for you as a dad, it's a thousand times harder for your wife, so suck it up, buttercup. Your daily decisions are single bricks that create the foundation for your life and family. Taylor Doolittle Taylor Doolittle is a passionate realtor in the greater Minneapolis and St. Paul areas. He and his wife, Sarah, have two daughters. Key Quotes 16:16 - "What I should have been focused on and what I still need to be focused on is my relationship with the Lord. That's absolutely number one, because you're not going to be a good leader for your family unless you are modeling yourself after the greatest leader. So that's number one. Number two, is absolutely pursuing your wife with as much passion as you can." 26:51 - "Not putting pressure on yourself and just realizing that, as a parent, it's less about what you teach and it's more about what you model to your kids. So, pursuing your relationship with the Lord and passionately loving your wife are the two things that you got to do that are going to make a lasting impact on your kids, whether you believe it or not." 35:15 - "Serve your wife, humble yourself, and don't place any expectations on your kids unless they're holy expectations." Links from Today's Conversation Make an End-of-Year Donation Contact Taylor Doolittle Connect with Taylor Doolittle on Instagram Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

After spending 13 years climbing the corporate ladder, Kyle Depiesse was burnt out and knew he needed a change. He certainly didn't have everything figured out, but he took a single step that the Lord used to guide him towards bigger and better experiences than he could have imagined. In this episode, Kyle shares the stories and advice that shaped his life—and his adventurous parenting style. Key Takeaways Take one step toward your goals and trust that God will bless your obedience and continue to direct you. Slow down the fast pace of life with a simple question: "How am I experiencing God right now?" Spark joy by doing things you've never done before as a family. Society puts professional success on a pedestal, so you must play defense to protect your relationships, health, finances, and more. Kyle Depiesse Kyle Depiesse is the founder and CEO of Guys Trip, where he organizes adventurous trips and events to help men connect, have fun, and grow. Kyle is married to Lois, and they have one son, Cal. Key Quotes 6:41 - "It's really important to honor people in front of other people. Thank people and be grateful for people while they're around. Tomorrow's not guaranteed." 31:01 - "If you can just take a minute and maybe even have intentional questions to ask yourself, maybe that's the cheat code. Maybe that's the hack, what am I grateful for? How am I experiencing God right now? Just ask yourself some questions and reflect. I don't think we give ourself the gift of reflection and we don't give ourself the gift of solitude enough. And sometimes there's things that just bubble up to the surface And when you pause and you reflect and you're in solitude, you can allow those things that come up to the surface." Links from Today's Conversation DadAwesome Store Make an End-of-Year Donation Guys Trip Kyle Depiesse on Instagram Tough Mudder — Twin Cities Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

As a business owner and father to six, Jordan Stone has plenty of reasons to let busyness consume him. But he's learned the power of slowing down, being present, and creating room in his agenda for how God wants to use him. With real-life examples and practical tips, Jordan Stone will inspire you to rethink the concepts of legacy, ownership, provision, and more. Key Takeaways God may have a calling for your family that extends for multiple generations. A pioneer goes into uncharted territory and tries to establish something that doesn't exist yet. Make room in your schedule to be available for interruptions. Avoid getting stuck in a singular definition of provision. Parenting is gardening, not carpentry. Jordan Stone Jordan Stone and his wife, Elizabeth, live on the Oregon Coast with their six children. After relocating from Cincinnati, they moved into the home Jordan's grandparents built and lived in for over 40 years before they both passed away. As a family, they own and run multiple businesses together. Key Quotes 13:47 - "The reason we start out with [with our family mission each day] is because what we're doing is very difficult. A pioneer is somebody who goes into uncharted territory and tries to establish something that doesn't already exist there. And that's how we see what what we're trying to bring Kingdom wise into this place." 40:08 - "What really happens, at least in my case, there are so many things that we suppress through busyness. The demons in our life, the baggage in our life, the things that are quite uncomfortable to face. Busyness provides us a very socially acceptable way to never confront those things. When you stop [the busyness] all of it has the opportunity to come to the surface and you don't have any more excuses not to deal with it." Links from Today's Conversation https://dadawesome.org/store 305 | What an Awesome Ride. What a Wild Opportunity. (Jeff Zaugg) Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

As a husband and father, Ben Serpell has been tempted by passivity plenty of times. It was only after confronting certain fears that he was able to begin living with full power. In this episode, he shares practical examples of how to set a high standard of love in your home. Plus, you'll learn why "winning vs losing" is the wrong mindset and how a learner's approach will help you extract more wisdom from your parenting journey. Key Takeaways When you shift from a "winning vs losing" mindset to "winning vs learning," you can continue to grow without having to start from the beginning. Your job as a parent is not to rescue your children from hardship but to sit with them as they learn necessary lessons. As a man, you should be setting the standard of love in your home through sacrifice. Passivity is birthed from fear of failure and fear of rejection. Ben Serpell Ben Serpell moved from Australia to America at the age of 18 and married his wife, Brittney, one year later. They have been married for two decades and have three children. Ben and Brittney both serve on the leadership team at Loving On Purpose, where they provide marriage and family coaching through conferences, online workshops, and more. Key Quotes 4:33 - "If it's either winning or losing, then someone's losing and someone's winning. If you talk about an argument, if you talk about connection, if you talk about you and your kids and even you and yourself, which is the biggest one where we need to start, especially as dads. If I'm losing today, then I have to start over. If I'm learning then this is stuff I can use for tomorrow's victory." 15:33 - "It is hard to watch your child struggle. Oh, it's so hard. But, I think what we do if we're not managing our own insecurity on the inside is we try and rescue our kids from that trouble and then we take away again, well, we're back to the learning. We take away the learning. What the Holy Spirit does is He'll come sit with us and go, Oh, that looks heavy. Wow. What do you think happened? What do you need from me? How can I help? I have a whole slew of resources back here. It's just waiting for you. And it probably starts with peace. Let's get some joy back. Let's get some truth in there. And let's begin to walk together. But I'm going to sit with you and I'm fine if you feel it. I can handle you sitting in your mess for a minute, and I'm going to bring comfort to that person rather than rescue that person." Links from Today's Conversation https://dadawesome.org/store 305 | What an Awesome Ride. What a Wild Opportunity. (Jeff Zaugg) Imperfect Parenting: Connection Over Perfection by Brittney Serpell Loving On Purpose KYLO University Life Academy Loving On Purpose Podcast Network Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Mike Gallagher's life changed forever when he and his wife adopted a child. Already the parents of three biological children, they stepped out in faith to meet a need that many people try to ignore. Now, Mike shares how every dad can get involved in reaching the 100+ million children globally without a permanent place to call home. Key Takeaways Help your children build dependency on Jesus by modeling sacrifice and adventurous faith. To reverse the orphan crisis, we must focus on reunification when possible and adoption when necessary. Children who have experienced trauma need true safety as well as felt safety. If you're overcommitted, you won't have the capacity to be there for your children. Make praying with your children a core aspect of your relationship. Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher and his wife, Mandy, co-founded The Chosen & Dearly Loved Foundation in 2014. Their campaign, 1MILLIONHOME, focuses on shifting the model of orphan care to prioritize family support and reunification. Mike and Mandy have six children: three biological, one adopted domestically, and two adopted internationally. Key Quotes 8:16 - "We really believe the Lord was leading us to do specific things like adopt children or move or start things and they were glorious, but they required a lot of suffering and and a lot of cost. Honestly, we knew there was cost, but we didn't know the full costs going into a lot of these things. In that cost, it costs the children as well. It costs everybody in the family, these are family decisions, and yet that's the bad news. The good and greater news is it forged such a dependance on Jesus and dependance on guidance from the Lord where we were in situations so desperately needing His wisdom, His protection, His confirmed will, that they witnessed that over so long. That was one just key part of it that that they wanted that and needed that themselves. The other thing was, even though we were involved with pressing things, far reaching things, they were always number one. And they knew that." 12:57 - "[Our children] need to be legitimately safe, welcomed, comforted, supported with whatever they're bringing. And so it's, number one, that sense of felt safety and we can kind of take inventory of how safe are they really with us." Links from Today's Conversation 305 | What an Awesome Ride. What a Wild Opportunity. (Jeff Zaugg) 1MILLIONHOME Homepage The Story of 1MILLIONHOME How 1MILLIONHOME Works Everyday Church - The Future Is Family Event 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 special Thanksgiving episode, Jeff Zaugg shares powerful stories of God's faithfulness to the DadAwesome community and ministry. From global impact to huge fundraising milestones and everything in between, Jeff focuses on gratitude and remembrance for all God has done in recent years. Plus, he shares the exciting vision for the next phase of DadAwesome. Key Takeaways When you lean into remembrance of what God has done, it goes beyond your family to all the world. (Joshua 4) 10 areas of massive gratitude Reflecting on 6 years of impact Entering the next phase of DadAwesome Your invitation to support DadAwesome in two ways Jeff Zaugg Jeff Zaugg is a loving husband, intentional dad, and passionate advocate for the fatherless. With experience in nonprofit leadership and pastoring, Jeff founded DadAwesome in 2018 and Fathers for the Fatherless shortly thereafter. Jeff and his wife, Michelle, have been married for seventeen years and are parents to four daughters, ages two through nine. Key Quotes 4:47 - "Then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. And when it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones shall be to your people, to the people of Israel, a memorial forever. This is the set up, get the stones you're going to walk, you're experiencing a miracle, but get the stones so that your kids, when they ask, what do these stones mean to you?" 6:14 - "Our kids are going to ask us, we can answer them, but we can, like the Stones, the moment of giving thanks and remembrance, actually, it went beyond just the Jordan, that God expanded into. And they can remember that God did that same miracle 40 years earlier with the Red Sea. It's not just our kids, but it's all people of the world. So when we as dads live into remembrance and gratitude and telling stories and organizing moments for our kids to to see, look what God has done, it goes beyond our family to all the peoples of the world, that they will see and know that God is mighty and He takes care [of us]." Links from Today's Conversation Trusted Network Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team Resource Library Venture DadAwesome Store Make an End-of-Year Donation Become an Anchor Partner Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

This episode revisits a profound conversation with Ken Helser. He shares timeless fatherhood wisdom about enjoying intimate time with God, making dreams a reality, and raising children who can become your best friends. Key Takeaways You're most blessed when you're most in need of God. The enemy's greatest strategy against you will always be miscommunication. Focus on raising kids you can become best friends with. The hardest thing in the Christian life is to let God love you, and the second hardest thing is to be still. God wants to speak to you more than you even want to listen. Ken Helser Ken Helser and his wife, Linda, co-lead A Place for the Heart with their son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Melissa Helser. Ken and Linda pour into the hearts of the students who come for the 18 Inch Journey. They are blessed with four adult children and several wonderful grandchildren. Key Quotes 4:14 - "God takes us a mountain top to give us a vision, but nothing is ever made reality on a mountaintop. There's rock up there, nothing grows and He always takes us in the valley for the dream and the vision to become reality." 13:39 - "What can I do for [my son] to love You and make You Lord of his life? And the Lord said, All you have to do is love your wife. I said, What? He says, if you love your wife in his presence, he will always trust you and believe you. But if he ever sees you abusing his mother, he will never trust anything you ever say to him. The most important thing you could do is love his mother, in his presence, always." Links from Today's Conversation A Place for the Heart Cageless Birds No Longer Slaves (Official Lyric Video) - Bethel Music, Jonathan & Melissa Helser | Peace 18 Inch Journey Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

What's holding dads back from viewing fatherhood as a gift? In this episode, Banning Liebscher tackles some of the most complex obstacles dads face. With joyful reflection and practical advice, Banning will inspire you to approach parenting with a purpose. Key Takeaways Master being self-aware and others-aware. The danger for dads is not a lack of activity; it's activity that is not going anywhere because you have not defined success. How you love your children will reveal God's love to them. The goal is not to work harder but to abide more. Banning Liebscher Banning Liebscher is a pastor, speaker, and author. Along with his wife, SeaJay, he founded Jesus Culture, a ministry of worship, conferences, and leadership development. Together, they have three young adult children: Ellianna, Raya, and Lake. Key Quotes 13:10 - "Can my wife give me feedback? Can people around me give me feedback? The biggest thing is people giving me feedback about how they were experiencing me and then me having to go do the work around, what's going on inside of me? I think the Enneagram, Disc test, strength finders, love languages, Myers-Briggs, they're all these different ones. Those helped go, this is how I'm wired. They're there for this is when I'm stressed, how I respond, when I'm overwhelmed, how I respond, when I'm scared, when I'm hurt. Those things actually helped me a ton." 24:19 - "God's going to ask you about your relationships. He's going to ask you about the people that He put in your life, the people that you're called to disciple, the people that you're called to pour your life out for." 33:59 - "The goal is not to work harder, it's to abide more. If you're like, I want to be a better dad, well, you're going to have to work at it. But the point is not, I'm going to work harder. No, I've got to make sure that I am positioning myself in the love of the Father myself, so that I can go be the best version for you." Links from Today's Conversation The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back by Flip Flippen Jesus Culture Banning Liebscher's Books Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Five years ago, Carlos Whittaker joined us on the DadAwesome podcast. A lot has changed since then. With a new perspective of launching his children into the world, Carlos is here to ask the hard-hitting questions. He'll inspire you to become a father who knows how to be, see, and free. Key Takeaways No app can replace the love and connection you provide your child. What are you using to medicate some of the inadequacies you feel in your parenting? Lower the volume of life and be present. See past the problems and behaviors to parent your child. You are set apart as a father to breathe life into your kids. Carlos Whittaker Carlos Whittaker spreads hope and encouragement through his roles as an author, podcaster, and global speaker. He and his wife Heather live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their three young adult children. Key Quotes 14:03 - "Men were just addicted to, dads were just addicted to their work, before that, they were addicted to whatever it may have been. So, what is the medicator? The medicator that you're using to medicate some inadequacies that you feel in your parenting, break those things and be more present. What does it look like to lower the volume of life, slow the pace of life down?" 16:54 - "What are ways that you as a father are set apart and separated from the rest of all of humanity? All of the other individuals that are speaking into [your] lives, you as a father, you as a dad, you are set apart in a way that nobody else is. Just a look from their father, looking them in the eyes and saying, I love you and I'm proud of you. Just that is going to free your kids in ways that you probably can't even imagine." Links from Today's Conversation Episode 300 Dad Notes Carlos' Website Parenting Podcast Series: Episode 121-125 of Human Hope with Carlos Whittaker Episode 122: Parenting Series - My Kids' AMAZING Therapists, David Thomas and Sissy Goff How to Human: Three Ways to Share Life Beyond What Distracts, Divides, and Disconnects Us by Carlos Whittaker All Carlos Whittaker Books Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Last week, Brian Stites went to be with the Lord. His life was a walking testament of how men can show up as engaged, front yard fathers. Despite facing some of the hardest challenges, Brian continued to trust God and walk in faith. In his memory, here are ten things that were true about Brian that every dad can strive toward. Key takeaways He was serving others. He joined other men around a mission. He was the first to give. He encountered hardship with faith. He helped support others. He kept serving others. He kept being generous. He worshiped and he laughed. He celebrated others. He finished his race with gladness. Brian Stites Brian Stites was a man who took front yard fatherhood seriously. For him, everyone was welcome. He showed up for countless other men as a mentor and father figure. Brian went home to Heaven on October 18, 2023. Key Quotes 3:26 - "I'm calling this episode Front Yard Fatherhood. If you think of a backyard of a house with a fence, it's kind of private, closed off, you're not welcome there unless you know the person. Front yard is, you're out on the street, you're out welcoming others. I felt a very front yard with Brian. Partially because Brian would have me come sit with him in his front yard, open to the whole neighborhood to see. We would sit and talk and cry, and we prayed together in his front yard. But his heart, him and Heather, their hearts were very front yard, everyone's welcome." 10:28 - "He finished his race with gladness. His posture was one of hope, faith, gladness. He's suffering. He was having a hard time speaking and keeping dialog going, yet he had gladness. " 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 the 300th episode of DadAwesome! In celebration of this milestone, check out these 90+ practical takeaways from 30+ fathers in all walks of life. Thank you for being part of the DadAwesome community. Key Takeaways - please register to recieve the DAD NOTES: https://www.dadawesome.org/300 Featured Guests From pastors and authors to CEOs and beyond, these 30+ male voices capture the challenges and blessings of fatherhood. They will inspire and encourage you to lead with wonder as a dad. Links/Giveaways mentioned Florida Vacation Giveaway - https://www.dadawesome.org/300 Other ways to win Follow @dadawesome on IG for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the DadAwesome store Mention other people in the comments on the DadAwesome Instagram for a chance to win Email [email protected] (recommend future podcast guests in the subject/body) Email [email protected] (recommend resources, TedTalks, online courses, etc.) Join the Weekly Text - Text "dad" to (651) 370-8618

John Eldredge recently returned from a sabbatical where he discovered deeper truths about God's love and plans for us. Now, he's imparting his wisdom about how to experience healing, joy, and adventure amid the challenges of life. Key Takeaways The world is focused on distraction and sedation. Walk daily into the center of your pain, linger, and Jesus will meet you there. You need help receiving the love of God. Invite others into God's love by telling fresh, current Jesus stories. The enemy whispers to the good man, "You're not enough." John Eldredge John Eldredge is an author, counselor, teacher, and the president of Wild at Heart. He and his wife, Stasi, have three sons and are proud grandparents. John loves all things beauty, nature, adventure, and more. Key Quotes 11:47 - "Think about all those people in countries where they can't get to a therapist, they can get to a healing prayer ministry. They're not left out. The simple thing is, as your soul presents stuff, your fear, your rage, your lust, whatever it is, Jesus says, walk into the center of it and invite Me there And I will meet you there and restore your soul." 18:26- "Chesterton described the Christian life as furious opposites. There's beauty, goodness, joy, laughter, play, adventure. There's so much adventure with God. And there is heartache, trauma, loss, evil in the world. It's both. And if you can accept that, you can navigate it. But if you only insist on the happy, the hard's going to really take you out." Links from Today's Conversation SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 2023 at 7pm CT - Episode 300 Live Event: 30 Voices, 90 Takeaways Happy Summer! Blog Post 30 Days to Resilient in the One Minute Pause App Wild At Heart by John Eldredge The Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Dr. Jackson Drumgoole combines passion and practical strategies in this episode. With his F3 and D3 methods, you can help your child identify their gifts and launch them into the world for success. Key Takeaways Be the loudest voice in your child's ears. Help your kids find, follow, and finish their God-given purpose. Help them discover, develop, and deploy their gifts to the world Lead where you live with love. Be the Kool-Aid house. Dr. Jackson Drumgoole Dr. Jackson Drumgoole is an inspirational speaker, author, and veteran with a heart for fathers and families. He and his wife, ShDonna, have five children. Key Quotes 6:21 - "I want to make sure that I'm the loudest voice in their ear and that I'm telling them who they are, whose they are, I'm telling them their influence in the world and help them to find, follow, and finish their God given purpose. Help them to discover, develop and deploy their gifts to the world. I need them to know that before they walk out of the house in the morning time, because of all the all the influences in the earth, and I want to make sure they hear that." 20:55 - "For my kids, helping them to discover what it is they were really passionate about, is spending time with them. I stopped by their rooms every day and just sat in with them for a moment to check on them, to see how they're doing and really just spend time in their world. Helping them to discover that piece, to say, okay, what are you naturally drawn to?" Links from Today's Conversation SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 2023 at 7pm CT - Episode 300 Live Event: 30 Voices, 90 Takeaways Bridge Builder Community Fathering for Effect Course Preparing to Launch Your Teenage Daughter (Interview with Dr. Jackson Drumgoole) — The Dad Whisperer Podcast with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield Dads Are Thermostats Not Thermometers (Interview with Jackson Drumgoole) — The Dad Whisperer Podcast with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Alex Burton once asked his trusted friends a vulnerable question: "What do you see in my life that I'm not seeing?" Their honest responses shifted his outlook on his marriage and parenting. Now, he's here to share the valuable lessons that helped him experience more joy and grow closer to God and his family. Key Takeaways God is always listening. Be generous with joy bombs. "What do you see in my life that I'm not seeing?" Delight in what your children delight in. Alex Burton Alex Burton is an outdoors enthusiast and father of three. He and his wife, Mel, have been married for 26 years. Alex is part of the staff team at Wild At Heart. Key Quotes 9:19 - "We talk about initiation a lot with our sons, but the same is true for our daughters. For her to experience something at a soul level rather than just the cognitive level is pretty special." 38:46 - "The idea of, delight in what they delight in, because delight's a whole lot different than being pleased because they succeeded. It's what God does for us. He delights in us and He delights in the things that bring us joy. He delights in the things that we love. That's the picture of a Father that's pursuing His kids and not putting pressure on them." Links from Today's Conversation SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 2023 at 7pm CT - Episode 300 Live Event: 30 Voices, 90 Takeaways The Beauty | Wild At Heart 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 our conversation, Gaelin Elmore describes the spiritual awakening he experienced in his journey through professional sports. He also shares the lessons he learned by walking away from the things he idolized in order to be all-out for God. Key Takeaways There is an internal conflict between following the real Savior and the things you thought would save you. Be all-out for God. Never underestimate the power of being present as a husband and father. What does your church do to actively engage the foster care community? Gaelin Elmore Gaelin Elmore is a leader, writer, and motivational speaker whose childhood was marked by foster care, abuse, and homelessness. Now, Gaelin advocates for youth with adverse backgrounds. He and his wife, Micaela, have two young daughters. Key Quotes 19:49 - "We can never measure or fully comprehend the power of being with someone while they're going through the good and the bad. If you listen to this and you hear any consistency through my story, it's at the lowest low, at the highest high, I just wanted my people." 26:40 - "Foster care doesn't make sense if Christians aren't the ones leading it. Does not make sense. It is not a wisdom of this world. It is something that is such a greater calling in ministry that that only God could call us to and and support us in." Links from Today's Conversation SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 2023 at 7pm CT - Episode 300 Live Event: 30 Voices, 90 Takeaways Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell Moore The Reel Hope Project The Forgotten Podcast - (The Forgotten Initiative) GaelinSpeaks.com (Gaelin's website) Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Episode Description Gaelin Elmore's childhood experiences included foster care, homelessness, and abuse. Now a father of two young girls, he reflects on how his past shaped his parenting and shares what other dads need to know about stepping up for children in foster care. Key Takeaways Children naturally give you grace. You don't have to minimize what you've gone through. Children in foster care are looking for someone to be looking for them. What if God asks you to make room for another child in your home? Gaelin Elmore Gaelin Elmore is a leader, writer, and motivational speaker whose childhood was marked by foster care, abuse, and homelessness. Now, Gaelin advocates for youth with adverse backgrounds. He and his wife, Micaela, have two young daughters. Key Quotes Links from Today's Conversation SAVE THE DATE: October 19, 2023 at 7pm CT - Episode 300 Live Event: 30 Voices, 90 Takeaways The Reel Hope Project GaelinSpeaks.com

After 52 years of marriage, Roger Thompson has learned a thing or two about how to have a thriving relationship. In this episode, he shares his powerful tactic for keeping his marriage strong. Plus, he urges young dads to reconsider the way they prioritize their children's activities. Key Takeaways You often don't know who you are until someone else tells you who you are. Get one ahead everyday. Busyness is a concern for young parents and their children. Don't forsake your spiritual development and brotherhood for your children's activities. Roger Thompson Roger Thompson is a passionate men's ministry leader and pastor at large based in the Twin Cities. He and his wife, Joanne, have been married for 52 years and have two daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Key Quotes 5:55 - "An affirmation is, here's what you bring to the game. I saw your strength when... Or thank you for reminding me, in your behavior, of something you've done. So when we do that with other men, it's like a blacksmith's bellows, it heats up the fire, the coal is there, but we don't know who we are until somebody else really tells us who we are. And if we can build a culture of mutual affirmation and get out of the culture of sarcasm, a true affirmation cuts through all the shyness of really looking at another man in the eye and saying, Brother, I love you." 11:59 - "How can you stay married for 41 years? You just have to do your part and your wife is the only one who can do her part. But a lot of times men give up. Well, I'm not getting back what I'm putting in, so I'm going to quit. You think about the five love languages, I'm trying to love my wife in my language and it doesn't translate. I need to, I need to learn her language." Links from Today's Conversation IronWorks Website YouTube: 40 Days of Wisdom Series Book: Do The Next Right Thing: Wisdom For Your Next Step by Roger Thompson Book: Love And Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs Connect with dadAWESOME Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

For Roger Thompson, discipling other men is life-giving. Between his father's salvation story and his own childhood, Roger has experienced the empowering nature of brotherhood firsthand. In the first part of this conversation, he highlights the role of endurance and fortitude to encourage you in your fatherhood climb. Key Takeaways God is reparenting us. Your investment into brotherhood will leave a multigenerational impact. Endurance is when you continue forward without seeing any finish line. In the rock climbing analogy of life, there are eight handholds you must master. Roger Thompson Roger Thompson is a passionate men's ministry leader and pastor at large based in the Twin Cities. He and his wife, Joanne, have been married for 52 years and have two daughters, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Key Quotes 8:47 - "I'm an inheritor of that. I'm a complete recipient of a man with whom God broke the chain. So my dad's a first generation chain breaker. A New Testament disciple and look at what that has done. Don't look at me, but just look at what I got as a gift. I got a dad who loved me, who cared for me." 16:16 - "That's how manly affection was conveyed to me. I'm with you. We're in this together. I need you for this. And I certainly needed him, but [my dad] made it clear that he needed me." Links from Today's Conversation IronWorks Website YouTube: 40 Days of Wisdom Series Book: Do The Next Right Thing: Wisdom For Your Next Step by Roger Thompson Book: Endurance by Ernest Shackleton 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 campfire conversation, Jeff, Joe, Tyler, and Dago discuss fatherhood models, top resource recommendations, and advice for rookie dads. They conclude with powerful intercessory prayer for other fathers in the DadAwesome community. Key Takeaways Learn how to learn from the wisdom of others. Pray generational blessings over your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and beyond. Working on yourself and your marriage will make you a better dad. Your greatest joys will come from your most challenging responsibilities. Plus, top fatherhood resources, books, and apps. Tyler Van Eps, D. Darezzo, & Joe Ostrem Tyler Van Eps and his wife have four children and describe themselves as a quintessential Minnesota family. Originally from Brazil, D. Darezzo and his wife have two sons and enjoy being active as a family. Joe Ostrem and his wife met as kids and are now parents to four daughters. Key Quotes 8:45 - "Parenting all girls, and my girls are interested in things that on my own I would not be interested in, but because they're interested in it, I'm interested in it." 9:42 - "Working on yourself and your marriage will make you a better dad." 26:31 - "Your greatest joys are ultimately going to become your heaviest responsibilities or the responsibilities that seem like the biggest challenges in your life… Celebrate responsibility, knowing that it's refining your character, knowing that it's strengthening you as much as it may feel like it steals from you in a season, steals capacity or steals energy, it just returns to you in so many more ways than it takes from you." Links From Today's Conversation NEW https://dadawesome.org website (DM/Text/Email [email protected] with feedback for a free gift - first 20) Atomic Habits by James Clear Pray First: The Transformative Power of a Life Built on Prayer by Chris Hodges Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Richard Roar The Pause App (John Eldredge) Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

In this conversation, four fathers sit around a campfire to discuss all things fatherhood. You'll be inspired and equipped to live out your family values, lead by example, and engage in significant spiritual conversations within your brotherhood. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Identify your family values, define them, and create "I will" statements based on your definitions. You can know you are succeeding as a father when your kids ask questions about how you live out your faith. Take note of the stories that demonstrate your child growing closer to Jesus. Based on the example of Gideon, what beliefs do you need to tear down and rebuild in a way that pleases the Lord? When did you last have a vulnerable spiritual conversation with your brotherhood? Tyler Van Eps, D. Darezzo, and Joe Ostrem Tyler Van Eps and his wife have four children and describe themselves as a quintessential Minnesota family. Originally from Brazil, D. Darezzo and his wife have two sons and enjoy being active as a family. Joe Ostrem and his wife met as kids and are now parents to four daughters. Key Quotes 18:35 - "We want to take some time to re-articulate our family values. Shelly and I have gone through processes where we we identify our values, we define them in our own words, and then we really look at what behaviors support those. And we frame them as I will or I will not statements." 21:06 - "I know that I'm winning or I know that I'm being successful when my kids are asking me questions out of curiosity about different things I'm doing with my faith. When they're asking me questions about the way that I'm living out my faith, I know that's a part of being successful." 29:29 - "As men, we believe we don't need [male] friendship. We believe we're too tough for that. Or we don't need to go deeper. We don't need to be vulnerable. We don't need to be authentic. We don't need to share struggles because that will make us less of a man. It wasn't until a few years ago that I started getting more into this community and having the consistency of connecting, the consistency of sharing and listening and getting deeper and intentional and that started transforming my life. My parenting, my marriage, you name it. My physical health, mental health, everything." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jeff Zaugg steps behind the microphone in this episode to share his personal fatherhood journey and how he adds adventure and intentionality to the dad life. Interviewed by Dr. Michelle Canfield Watson, Jeff shares powerful encouragement and insights for fathers in any stage of parenting. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Tell your children you love being their dad. Challenge yourself to step into the unknown with your whole heart. You can gamify every stage of fathering. Most fathers rank themselves worse than average, but you can flip the script. Jeff Zaugg Jeff 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 seventeen years and are parents to four daughters. Key Quotes 14:00 - "I call it the intentional 40. I turned 40 about 14 months ago, and I said, Hey, if I could get more intentional moments with my wife, that would that would be good in so many levels, more intentional moments with my girls, more intentional moments with friends and more intentional moments with mentors. The drift, I want to be a dad, a man, a follower of Jesus who is dreaming and not drifting. And our dreams, often we have to take action to spark bigger dreams, and we have to stretch ourselves and be a little bit vulnerable and do something that's hard." 39:02 - "I'll give away more of me, in my heart, that I think most of us dads, the same way we give all of ourselves to the stranger and a fraction of ourselves to the little precious gifts." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield's Website Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield's Books DadAwesome, Episode 277 (Part 1), with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield DadAwesome, Episode 278 (Part 2), with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield Ephesians 3:20 Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

As a father of seven, Moses Ehambe's passion and energy is remarkable. His message will inspire and equip you to elevate every area of your life by pursuing excellence and finding a brotherhood that will support you. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways You need an Aaron and a Hur to hold up your hands on your fatherhood journey. Visualize yourself giving your problems to God. Don't sit on the bench when you get home from work. You can't be perfect, but when you strive for perfection, you land on excellence. Moses Ehambe Moses Ehambe is an experienced professional basketball player, coach, former NBA apprentice, and personal development coach known for his energy, authenticity, and leadership skills. He and his wife, Sarah, have seven children and live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Key Quotes 17:29 - "A fantastic way to exercise that is visualization. You as a man think it, so is he. Whatever you think you'll be, whatever you speak, you become. So if you think, lay it at His feet and you actually visualize you in front of His throne with all your problems, you put it in a bag and you just throw it at His feet. Like, good bye and just walk away. I think that does something powerful to you and alleviates any weight from you. 28:31 - "As fathers, as providers at home, we put so much emphasis on I'm the provider, I got to go out, I got to do what I got to do, so I can provide for my family with the money. And, nah, it's twofold, bro. You got to provide financially, but you also got to provide emotionally as well. The only way you could provide emotionally is if you take those two shifts. And those two shifts are you're going out to work, but you're also coming into work." 31:11 - "Knowing that we still strive for perfection, our job is to be more and more like Jesus and He was perfect. We will never, ever become perfect, but guess what happens when you strive for perfection? You land on excellence. Being able to land on excellence as a father, as a husband, as a professional. Dad, there's no better feeling." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation DadAwesome episode 118 with Moses Ehambe Follow @mosesehambe on Instagram Aleph Holdings Honour Capital Pactimo Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Before Lisa Max was a parenting coach or ministry director, she walked her own journey of brokenness. She experienced a childhood of hurt and later witnessed her own children face the emotional pain she had once endured. However, God redeemed her family's story. In this episode, she provides fathers with tangible wisdom and practical solutions to walk in authority and partner with the Holy Spirit in parenting. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Your children are your ministry team. There's no such thing as passive fathers; your behavior can be passive, but your influence is not. Model your earthly home after the Father's. Fear is a welcome mat, so don't fear the things you must take authority over. Teaching your children how to hear God's voice is essential. Lisa Max Lisa Max is the director of Let the Children Fly, a ministry that empowers families around the globe to partner with the Holy Spirit in their parenting. Lisa and her four children love playing in the Kingdom and igniting fires in others to do the same. Key Quotes 36:06 - "We welcome what we fear. Fear is a welcome mat. So there can be no fear over [what is going on in our society] there has to be authority." 47:08 - "I'm a firm believer that we need to be teaching our children how to go to God's voice in the time of peace before we go to His voice in the time of need." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Let The Children Fly Website Papa's Pocket Code for $15 off your first box: awesome Conversations with our Creater EBook Code for free EBook: hear4you Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jeremy Pryor is back in Part 2 of this conversation to share how dads can create intentional spaces in their home for meaningful family memories. He also encourages fathers to carry the spirit of Elijah by loving and zealously defending the multigenerational family. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Your house is a theme park for the values of your family. The spirit of Elijah seeks to restore families, while the spirit of Jezebel aims to destroy them. In today's culture, the new "ideal" father is the traditional mother. There's too much at stake to abdicate your role as a visionary, leading father. Jeremy Pryor Jeremy Pryor is a business owner, creative entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and builder of multiple movements with family at the core. Jeremy and his wife have five children and reside in a multigenerational home near Cincinnati, Ohio. Key Quotes 8:50 - "I want to be able to someday walk around a city and just see in the houses and the neighborhoods and and the businesses and the different expressions. I wish they were all just expressions of family values." 21:20 - "One of the reasons why Elijah is a multi-generational father or patriarch is that he was the first prophet to set up schools of prophets. He was the first prophet to have a successor that he had trained and gave a double portion, which is the sons, the firstborn sons portion of his spirit. This is why I believe it's really important not to pinpoint a patriarch or fatherhood to married men. He had sons all over the place. And now, he represents the multi-generational father spirit in the scriptures." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Jeremy's Podcast Jeremy's Books Family Team's Website Elijah, Jezebel, and the Battle for the Household YouTube Video Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jeremy Pryor once wondered what would happen if parents, rather than aiming to ensure their children's happiness, aimed to raise children that would be great parents to the third generation. Now, as a grandfather himself, Jeremy is witnessing the rewards of multigenerational family bonds firsthand and teaching others how to create the same. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Aim to make your children excellent parents to your grandchildren. Masculinity is typified by mature fatherhood. Everything you do in the workplace should flow out of your role as a father. Work together to build assets as a family. A peer-oriented childhood is not psychologically or historically usual. Jeremy Pryor Jeremy Pryor is a business owner, creative entrepreneur, author, podcaster, and builder of multiple movements with family at the core. Jeremy and his wife have five children and reside in a multigenerational home near Cincinnati, Ohio. Key Quotes 6:24 - "One of the intuitions that shifts when you think this way is when you're parenting your kids, the default in our culture is to parent your kids for their happiness. That creates a terminal generation." 8:43 - "The most practical thing to build for your children is a multi-generational root structure. So they are grounded in their identity from day one. They know who we are. They're not just an individual now. They are an individual. And we want to honor all of the unique ways that God has made them. But what we've been experimenting with as a culture is that, that is primary and that's almost entirely where identity comes from, is it's all individual." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Jeremy's Podcast Jeremy's Books Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

In the second part of this conversation, Jay Heck reaffirms his encouragement for fathers to take risks, invite their children on adventures, and actively listen to God. He also explores the necessity of community and the courage needed to be curious. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Masculinity bestows masculinity. Learn how to dialogue with Jesus instead of monologuing. There are questions you can only get answered when in community with others. Curiosity takes courage. Jay Heck Jay 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. Key Quotes 10:34 - "Jesus had the entire Scripture memorized and better understood than any human being in all of human history. If that's all that He needed, then why did God break all the rules at the River Jordan and say to Him, You are my beloved son, out loud so everybody could hear. I mean, if He needed it, I need it." 16:45 - "He asks questions to disrupt us. We're not intended to have the answer in that moment, we're intended to flush the answer out. And I realized very quickly, I cannot discover the answer to this question in isolation. It has to be, can only come through other men. Because in that moment, not only was He helping me realize the root of all of my anger. He was helping me understand the root of all men's angers and fears and pornography and in addiction to liquor and all this other stuff is just because life is hard, because it's up to me." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Being Sons Website Being Sons Podcast Being Sons Blog Being Sons Upcoming Events Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

As a teenager, Jay Heck watched his father take a risk for God that changed the trajectory of their lives. Jay reached a similar crossroads when he became a husband and father: he could continue to live in fear or take a risk and trust God completely. He wants every father to know that they can choose the latter. Full SHOW NOTES for today's conversation Key Takeaways Three questions to ask your kids: How am I doing as a dad? What's one thing I do really well? What's one area that I can improve upon? Your child's lens of what it means to be a believer comes from the risks you take. You can only be honest and vulnerable with God when you believe he is kind. If you believe lies about your identity, you're always going to be angry no matter how perfect your life appears. Jay Heck Jay 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. Key Quotes 9:45 - "God has Fathered me, and that's a term that I throw out quite frequently... Just the worldview change, that God's actually Fathering us and initiating us in the uninitiated places." 18:32 - "Truth be told, my journey, as a son, from God's perspective, has been since before the foundations of the earth... even before He knit me together in my mother's womb. He's always had a plan. He's always had, in His heart, throughout the course of history, to create me, to create you, to create every one of you who's listening to this, to be the object of His affection, to be the object of His love, and to bring us into maturity. That's always been His goal." Links From Today's Conversation Full Transcript of the Conversation Being Sons Website Being Sons Podcast Being Sons Blog Being Sons Upcoming Events Connect with dadAWESOME Learn about our FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS events in 2023: https://f4f.bike/ Follow @dadawesome on Instagram Make a Donation to dadAWESOME (tax-deductible) Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618