The Dad Edge Podcast Embracing Forgiveness, Authenticity, and the Path to Eternity with Josh White
Josh White is a musician who is still involved in music and has a record label at the church. His ethos and philosophy revolve around fatherhood, broken relationships, forgiveness, grace, and faith. He believes in breaking the cycle, creating change, surrendering to God's perfect plan, and embracing vulnerability and humility in relationships.
In this episode, Larry sits down with Josh White as he shares his challenging upbringing and the absence of a stable father figure in his life. He grew up in a depressed mill town and experienced multiple stepfathers who were either disconnected or abusive. His biological father was an alcoholic and drug addict. Their relationship was distant, but they reconnected later in life, and Josh became a supportive presence for him before his father's death.
Josh White's experience with his biological father is a central theme in his story. He describes the initial disconnect and the subsequent reconnection that occurred during his last year of high school. This highlights the importance of open communication and the potential for relationships to evolve and grow over time. Despite the challenges they faced, Josh and his father were able to establish a real relationship before his father's passing. This demonstrates the power of vulnerability and the potential for transformation in even the most difficult circumstances.
Josh's understanding of forgiveness goes beyond simply forgiving someone. He believes in actively working towards rebuilding relationships, even with someone as complicated and difficult as his father. He attributes this mindset to his faith and the lessons he learned from the Lord. He emphasizes the importance of the cross in his book, as it represents God's willingness to enter into human suffering and offer grace.
Josh's personal experiences have shaped his understanding of forgiveness and grace. He shares that he had a complex family dynamic, being the oldest of three brothers with different fathers. Despite the challenges, he formed a close bond with his younger brother, who had a different father. Josh took on a father figure role for his brother, given the absence of their biological father.
This experience allowed him to understand the importance of boundaries and parameters in creating a sense of safety and freedom.