DadAwesome

What does it mean to go beyond shallow community and find real brotherhood? In this episode, Steve Sargent describes how God turned every part of his story—even the messiest parts—into a beautiful symphony. From overcoming addiction to learning to live authentically, Steve shares powerful wisdom for all dads, no matter your past.    Key Takeaways   Avoid getting stuck in a shallow community; don't be afraid to get deep.  Life stories without trauma and chaos are just as significant and victorious as stories with those elements.  If you want an authentic relationship with your kids, you have to pull back the veil and share your story with them.  Foxhole Symphony means that God is making something beautiful out of your mess—mud, bullets, and shrapnel included.   Steve Sargent   As a pure adrenaline junkie, facilitator, speaker, and entrepreneur, Steve Sargent spent most of his life chasing the next high, even in ministry roles. As such, God has shown him how to use this gift and calling to help people and organizations become the best version of themselves. Steve and his wife, Christina, have two children.    Key Quotes   5:14 - "These guys [from the 12 step program] loved on me. They showed me and modeled authentic community. They discipled me. They gave me a job. They said, here's some work. Here are the stipulations, you're going to a 12 step meeting every day. You're coming to a Bible study every night, church twice on Sunday. And that was the beginning. That was the beginning when I got to understand what God intended with community and discipleship. And I've just been on fire for it and hungry for it ever since." 34:46 - "It's God making beautiful music out of our mess. That's the symphony. There's men coming together in the foxhole. There's shrapnel, there's bullets flying, there's mud, it's messy, it's dirty, it's scary. There's all this adrenaline and emotion and we've got each other's backs and God just makes something beautiful out of it. He takes it all and wraps it up and there's just this beautiful symphony that results from the offering, the willingness and the offering to offer that mess to God. He'll use it all, but we've got to offer it to Him. Otherwise it's just our mess that we hold on to in isolation, in darkness, just gripping on to it. But when we offer it to the Lord, He makes beauty from ashes."   Links from Today’s Conversation   Foxhole Symphony Podcast Sage: A Man's Guide Into His Second Passage by Chris Bruno Marked Men For Christ Apply to join the Fall 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org to learn more     Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Jim Barnard is known as The Suffering Guy. In this heartfelt episode, Jim shares the pivotal moments of his life story, including countless crises and miracles he’s experienced along the way. His story offers hope for others walking through challenging times, and he’ll encourage you to look to the source of all comfort as you try to make sense of reality.    Key Takeaways   The gap between reality and what we hope for is full of disappointment, dissatisfaction, and distress.  You’re never alone in your suffering; the God of Comfort is always with you.  Your story is your greatest gift because it helps others know that their hard stories can become ones of flourishing, too.  God isn’t going to send you in a new direction empty-handed.   Jim Barnard   Jim Barnard is a pastor and the founder of tiller coaching. He offers coaching without barriers to those who are suffering the reality of the expectation gap. Jim has encountered suffering firsthand as he has navigated his wife’s rare chronic illness, but he continues to pursue joy and celebration as his story unfolds.    Key Quotes   3:27 - "As we'll get into my story, there's just been a lot of suffering, a lot of what I call expectation gaps. You know, we all have hopes and expectations for career, for marriage, for parenting, for life. And often reality comes in underneath that. And that gap between reality and what we hope for is full of disappointment and dissatisfaction and distress. And I hate that. Like I've experienced copious amounts of, you know, expectation gaps. And every single time I'm stuck in the gap, there's an invitation to take myself too seriously, you know, like, woe is me, this is awful. I hate it. Like I'm I want to cope, you know, whatever. And I just I love Richard Foster's book, The Celebration of Discipline. Like that has been kind of a cornerstone book in my life. Where he says at the end that celebration is the thing that can save us from taking ourselves too seriously. [00:04:32][64.9] 33:41 - "[My story] is the story that God's given me and I've got to use it. I hope people listening to this are reflecting about their own story. I hear so many people say, I don't have that good of a story or I don't like my story. I don't want to share it. I don't think it's optional, honestly. Authenticity is required of the Christian walk, so in using my story I've been able to help people. "   Links from Today’s Conversation   Tiller Coaching The suffering guy. by Jim Barnard MADE ALIVE by Jim Barnard The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster Hope Heals Apply to join the Fall 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org to learn more     Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

What does it mean to stay nimble as a father? In today’s episode, Corey Peters offers his perspective and will push you to break out of your comfort zone to make a difference for your community. Plus, you’ll discover one simple question that can transform your relationship with your kids.    Key Takeaways   Ask your kids, “What kind of dad do you want me to be?” Celebrate a lot; coach a little.  Listen to God’s nudge to move beyond your own comfort and bring comfort to others. Basketballs are a love language spoken by all children.  A simple way to get started is to go to a gas station in a rough area and just pray.   Corey Peters   Corey Peters is a coach, teacher, and father of two living in Iowa. He is passionate about helping to build better men who step up for their wives, children, and community in the name of Jesus. Corey and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 25 years.    Key Quotes   34:27 - "You've got to know that you're forgiven and that Jesus is a loving Father, that loves you at your worst and that He's there for your worst and He's picking you up, not kicking you out." 35:48 - So, loving the wife, I would say is the first. Just being real. Telling your kids you don't know. Being truthful with them. Try not to mold them into something they aren't. Trying to push your image to who they are, but trying to pull out what God says they are. Coach them up. Love them up."   Links from Today’s Conversation   Apply to join the Fall 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org to learn more   Somebody Died For You DA+3 Group Guides (2024 Summer Series) 333 | Betting on Yourself, Relearning How to Parent, and Doing Hard Things (Bryan Byrd: Part 1) 334 | Heroic Consistency, Getting Hungry for God, and Being a Safe Container for Grief (Bryan Byrd: Part 2)   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Santosh Swamidass, a pastor and former aerospace professional, draws fascinating parallels between fatherhood and rocket science. He discusses how to effectively launch your kids toward purpose by setting an intentional trajectory. Emphasizing the need for spiritual growth, he offers practical tools for incorporating faith conversations at home. Santosh highlights the importance of repetition and engagement in learning, suggesting weekly practices like memorizing scripture and meaningful prayers to foster a lasting impact in children's lives.

Every father needs the right tools to raise his kids well, and Kent Evans likes to use the analogy of a Swiss Army Knife. His main blades include asking thoughtful questions, seeking wisdom from others, and staying rooted in God’s Word. Tune in now to discover why anger isn’t an effective parenting strategy—and what you should do instead.    Key Takeaways   Be curious and seek wisdom from the men you know.  Your boys need to hear you acknowledge your weaknesses and imperfections.  Don’t connect your apology to your child’s behavior.  You don’t need to have a sex talk with your son; you need to have an 8-10 year conversation. As dads, most of our anger is not righteous anger.   Kent Evans   Kent Evans is the Executive Director and co-founder of Manhood Journey, a ministry that helps dads become disciple-makers. He’s a Christian speaker and author of three books. Kent and his wife, April, have been married for 29 years and have five sons.    Key Quotes   24:36 - "Odds are, the vast majority of things that make you angry are unbiblical, unwise, and unproductive. Let's go explore those together and see what God's Word has to say about it. Because for me, I have discovered over time that there there is a way to look at life through a far less angry lens and to be able to call my anger out when it happens in a way that's more healthy, albeit sometimes more painful. And I just hope I can get some dads to join me on that that journey. Because frankly, we hear from dads all the time who say their number one struggle is anger." 32:51 - "Let all, not some, let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Anger is not to be managed. It is not to be controlled per se, although we should have control over our mouth and our spirit. Anger is to be put away. As we look at it, it's a very challenging topic because our culture and our modern era and our access to news that doesn't matter. Proverbs 16, whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he who rules his spirit, then he who takes a city. Do you have governance over your spirit? Can you rule your spirit? Can I rule my spirit or does my spirit rule me? And we just find anger lurking in the shadows so often, almost every day."   Links from Today’s Conversation   Apply to join the Fall 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org to learn more   Manhood Journey Timothy Keller Books The Anger Free Dad Course Father on Purpose Podcast Kent Evans Books   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Michael Swalley joins this episode to share the unexpected connections between breakdancing and fatherhood. Tune in to hear Michael’s thoughts on the battle against busyness, the power of your wife’s voice, and the value of being known by others. As you embrace your identity as a son of God, you’ll experience the freedom to be the father you are meant to be.    Key Takeaways   Your fatherhood journey might begin with grieving the loss of many things.  There is power in the voice of your wife.  How much of your busyness is motivated by trying to earn an identity God has already given you?  The fundamental truths of God don’t put you in a box; instead, they free you up to express yourself more creatively.  Just like breaking, fatherhood is a communal experience, and attempting it in isolation will affect your performance.   Michael Swalley   Michael Swalley is the Executive Director and North American Regional Head of Break Free Ministries, where he works passionately to make disciples in the global Hip-Hop community. Michael and his wife, Ellen, live in Colorado Springs with their three daughters and one son.    Key Quotes   23:10 - "The identity as a son really frees us up as fathers, to make time with our family. That has been a process for me and very much learning that right now." 25:36 - "There are some very basic fundamental truths of being a father that we learn from God who has revealed Himself as such. Those truths don't put us in a box. And then as you live into those, those truths, it frees you up to be the dad that God has created you to be. Each one of us, God has gifted us with unique kids, and He knew those kids that we are going to father and He knew that we were uniquely gifted with our lives to be able to father those kids." Links from Today’s Conversation   BreakFree2024.com Apply to join the Fall 2024 DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org to learn more   DA+3 Group Guides (2024 Summer Series)   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Alex and Stephen Kendrick of Kendrick Brothers Productions have created some of the most influential Christian feature films, including WAR ROOM, FIREPROOF, and COURAGEOUS. With their new movie about to hit the box office, Alex and Stephen share what God is teaching them about discipleship, sacrifice, and being forged into stronger men and fathers.    Key Takeaways   God does things for us, with us, in us, and through us—in that order.  Don’t let pride stand in the way of your growth.  Every step you take in obedience to Jesus qualifies you to help someone else take that step. The fire of a forge strengthens you through heat and pressure.  One man choosing to disciple another creates a multiplication effect that spans generations.   Alex and Stephen Kendrick   Alex and Stephen Kendrick of Kendrick Brothers Productions use their passion for storytelling to spread the Gospel and share stories of hope and redemption throughout the world. With Alex as the director and Stephen as the producer, they have co-written nine screenplays and several books. They each have six children and reside in Albany, Georgia, with their families.    Key Quotes   8:48 - "Part of the chain breaking is you really need Jesus' help to change your own heart and mind. Our dad was in Scripture saying, God, teach me how to be a good dad, I wasn't given that example. I'm kind of driving in the dark here. I don't know what this looks like. As he's reading Scripture and applying that to his life, God, the perfect Father of all, was coming alongside him, helping him to not only love us and provide an example of integrity and truthfulness, but to humble himself and repent and ask for forgiveness when he blew it." 16:04 - "We're making a movie about discipleship, and we're learning about discipleship at the same time. We're studying the Great Commission. We're studying what it looks like to follow Jesus on a daily basis, and then invite other people to come along with us and say, follow me as I follow Christ. The word disciple means follower, and a disciple of Jesus is a fully devoted, all in follower of Jesus walking with Him. As He takes a step, you take a step, following Him closely. Our daily journey of faith with God is an abiding, intimate, fellowship relationship that as we learn to lean in to the Lord every day and say, Lord, lead me. What happens is when a man surrenders fully to the Lordship of Jesus, the Holy Spirit becomes the hand in the glove of our empty lives, and He enables us to do what we cannot do on our own."   Links from Today’s Conversation   DA+3 Group Guides (2024 Summer Series) The Forge Movie  Get Tickets for The Forge Kendrick Brothers Productions Alex Kendrick - White Chair Film - I Am Second®   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618  

God has given fathers unique duties that they can't pass off to anyone else—not even the Church. In this DA+3 Group Guide, Seth Dahl encourages fathers to step up to the plate in the spiritual formation of their kids. You'll be challenged to avoid false comforts, pay attention to your thoughts, and discover what brings you joy.    Key Takeaways   Children are Arrows: Parents are responsible for shaping children into arrows that can take out the enemy.  Misinterpretation of Thoughts: Discern where your thoughts are coming from.  Avoid False Comforts: Be intentional about where you seek comfort after a hard day.   Ask God for Help: Teach your kids to ask God for help since He is the only one who can guide and help us best.  Awareness of What Makes Me Come Alive: Your self-awareness, wife-awareness, and kid-awareness can bring life to your family.    DA+3 Group Guide Discussion Questions:   Seth Dahl uses the analogy of a sporting goods store to explain how some parents shift the responsibility of spiritually sharpening their kids to the Church. Have you fallen into the same trap?  Why is it important to view our children as arrows in relation to the Armor of God? What stands out to you in 1 Corinthians 2:16? How do you distinguish between thoughts from God, yourself, and the enemy? After a tough day, what false comforts do you turn to (e.g., sugar, TV, alcohol)? What changes when you turn to the true Comforter instead of false comforts? Have you ever tried to save or rescue your kids, putting yourself in the "God" spot? How do you teach your kids to ask God for help when they face challenges? What are three things that make you feel more alive? Have you discovered what brings joy to your wife and kids?   Seth Dahl   With over 15 years of experience working with children and being a children's pastor, Seth Dahl has cultivated a passion for helping parents create a thriving family culture at home. Seth, Lauren, and their three children homestead with a large garden and a handful of animals on a small farm in Texas.   Key Quotes   3:25 - "If we don't learn to work with our children when it comes to the things of the kingdom, we actually limit our ability to fight, our ability to win, our ability to take dominion, and our ability to extend the kingdom to the earth. [When we do this we] hide our children in the quiver. If we just protect our kids from the big bad world and we don't get them out, we don't let them loose, obviously carefully, obviously focused and aimed and wisely. If we don't get them out they're going to struggle because arrows are not meant to sit in the quiver, arrows are meant to fly and strike the enemy. If we don't get our kids out and let them do that, we're actually preventing them from operating in the God given identity that they've been called to. We're just protecting, protecting, protecting instead of preparing and releasing and aiming." 7:12 - "Sometimes we have to be introspective and prayerful around where is this thought coming from? Sometimes that thought is a lie from the enemy. Sometimes that thought is just your own thought. Guys, I just want to encourage you to really think into and pray into, what is my thought life? Are my thoughts from heaven or my thoughts destructive thoughts from the accuser? Our thought life matters."   Links from Today’s Conversation   137 | Spirit-Filled Parenting, Hearing God's Voice, & Shaping our Kids as Arrows (Seth Dahl) SUMMER SALE in the DadAwesome Store: Get 20% off when you use the code “tanktop”   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618

Unlock five steps to become a moment-maker dad. In this DA+3 Group Guide, Patei Iyegha will encourage you to slow down, create “sticky moments,” and reflect on your family’s values. Tune in to this bite-sized episode and walk away with practical ideas to become more intentional and present as a dad.    Key Takeaways   Power of Words: Actions speak louder than words. Pay attention to the words you are speaking over your kids.  Slow Down: Slow is pro, so lean into simplicity and creativity.  Technology: Take back 13,000 hours with your kids just by spending two fewer hours a day on your phone.  Sticky Moments: Invest in connection now so you’ll have influence in the future.  Family Values Audit: Your time and money will always reveal your priorities.    DA+3 Group Guide Discussion Questions:   Are there any words or phrases your parents said that have stuck with you since childhood?  When did you last ask your wife or kids to audit your words?  What holds you back from slowing down and embracing simplicity and creativity?  Why do you think slowing down is important as a dad?  How has your phone/technology use changed over the years?  What would you do with an extra 13,000 hours with your kids if you put down the phone for 2 hours a day?  When thinking about your own childhood, what “sticky moments” stand out to you (ex. fried egg Fridays, family Bible story time, Christmas light adventures, etc.)?  Do you have any existing “sticky moments” that your family regularly looks forward to?  If you were to pull up your calendar right now, what percentage of time is spent with your family?  What are three ways you can invest time and money to create closeness with your kids?    Patei Iyegha   Patei Iyegha is a trauma surgeon who lives in the Twin Cities with his wife Andrea and 8 kids, ranging from 18 to 2. When he’s not working or spending time with family, he’s probably training for or competing in an obstacle course race or other endurance event. If it’s hard, he’s interested!   Key Quotes   6:31 - "The idea of a glowing device that's in our pocket, that's with us, it's in our cars, it's at the kitchen table, the glowing device. It was only campfire and the sun. You can't even look at the sun. It's too powerful. So it was like looking at a campfire as your one option for something that glows. It's mesmerizing. It draws our attention. Well, the phone is doing that, and it's harming our families. It's harming my family the amount of time I spend on my phone." 7:48 - "If your kids want to be with you and want to spend more time with you and begging for you, that's just going to give you more influence over their lives. So, when it comes to those harder conversations, when they're pre-teens or teenagers, you've got a lot of investment in there because you've been spending the time, speaking into their lives. They've enjoyed being around you, they trust you, they love you. It just leads to more influence when they get when they get older."   Links from Today’s Conversation   49 | Adding Action to Being a Moment Maker Dad (Patei Iyegha) The Power Of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath SUMMER SALE in the DadAwesome Store: Get 20% off when you use the code “tanktop”   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 today impacts multiple generations. In this week’s DA+3 Group Guide, you’ll hear Jeremy Pryor’s vision for multi-generational families with a clear identity. Get instant ideas to foster family relationships, train your children for their future roles, and integrate your work into your fatherhood role.    Key Takeaways   Multi-Generational Family: Raise your children to be excellent parents to your grandchildren. Parent with that third generation in mind.  The Need for a Fatherhood Archetype: Scripture provides a blueprint for the ideal father, and it’s not always what today’s culture praises.  Training: Approach fatherhood like a coach, training your children for their future roles rather than just focusing on short-term behavior correction.  Integrate Work and Family Identity: View your work as an extension of your role within your family, not as a separate identity.  Family Friendships: Socialize your children within family and community settings, not just with peers.    DA+3 Group Guide Discussion Questions   When you think about your kids becoming parents, what parenting characteristics do you want them to have?  What specific actions do you need to take to raise your kids to be great parents to your grandkids?  How do you think society views the role of a father in today’s culture?  What characteristics of Abraham do you think are most important to emulate as a dad?  What shifts do you need to make to train your children for their future roles rather than focusing on short-term behavior corrections?  How can you ensure that your family’s values are a central part of your family identity?  Have you ever fallen into the trap of viewing your work as a separate identity instead of an extension of your role within your family?  Why do you think integrating your work and family identity is important?  How can we encourage our children to build strong relationships with their siblings and family members? What are some practical ways to socialize your kids within your family and community—instead of just with peers and friends their own age?   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   8:12 - "I've been tracking a trend over the last ten years, and the trend has been to represent the new ideal father as the traditional mother. The traditional mother was very present, very empathetic, right there meeting the needs of kids. This idea of that traditional mother, I began to see that when there have been positive descriptions or symbolic, positive descriptions of the father, he would be that mother." 11:45 - "Let's think about the level that we're valuing, inter-friendships between siblings and just the strength of that. I just want to challenge and encourage you guys to really pray on, how can we foster deeper friendships between our kids? Regardless of the age gap there can be deeper friendships."   Links from Today’s Conversation   286 | Parenting for the Third Generation, Building Family Assets, and Championing the Beauty of Fatherhood (Jeremy Pryor: Part 1) 287 | Creating Intentional Spaces, Carrying the Spirit of Elijah, and Fighting Against the Destruction of Fathers (Jeremy Pryor: Part 2) Register for the FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS Events in Dallas, Texas  SUMMER SALE in the DadAwesome Store: Get 20% off when you use the code “tanktop”   Connect with dadAWESOME   Make a Donation to dadAWESOME Join the dadAWESOME Prayer Team Receive weekly encouragement by texting "dad" to 651-370-8618