DadAwesome

🔓 FROM THE VAULT: The most downloaded DadAwesome episode EVER is back — and it's a two-parter.
Jamie Winship shares the jaw-dropping story of praying for invisibility with his kids in the middle of a collapsing government in Indonesia. But this episode goes way deeper than one miracle moment.
➡️ Why fear is the #1 enemy of intentional fatherhood
➡️ Two questions every dad should ask God daily
➡️ Why your true identity is the greatest gift you can give your kids
 
DADAWESOME Book - https://www.dadawesome.org/book
DADAWESOME Accelerator Coaching Groups: https://www.dadawesome.org/coaching
 
SUMMARY:
What would you do if a violent mob was heading straight for your van — with your kids in the back seat? In this fan-favorite episode pulled from the DadAwesome vault, Jamie Winship shares the incredible true story of praying for invisibility in the streets of Indonesia, why fear is the number one enemy of great fatherhood, and how your true identity in Christ is the greatest gift you can give your children.
TAKEAWAYS:
Kids learn to be afraid from their parents' fear — and learn courage from their parents' faith.
Fear is an invitation to transformation, not a signal to run. Ask God: "What do You want me to know? What do You want me to do?"
The greatest gift you can give your kids is the truth of who you are — your true identity in Christ.
External conflict is produced by internal conflict, produced by fear, produced by false identity.
Transformation starts in the heart.
In the walk with Jesus, there is no win-lose scenario. When you believe that, you can gamify the hard stuff and find joy even in danger.
 
GUEST:
Jamie Winship is a former police officer turned international peacemaker who has spent decades bringing identity-based conflict resolution to some of the world's most dangerous places. He and his wife, Donna, have three sons and have lived and served in conflict zones including Indonesia and Baghdad. Jamie is the author of Living Fearless and teaches globally on identity, courage, and hearing God's voice. This is the most downloaded DadAwesome episode of all time — pulled from the vault and too good not to reshare.

 
QUOTES
"Kids learn to be afraid of things from their parents' fear." — Jamie Winship
"The greatest gift you can give your kids is the truth of who you are." — Jamie Winship
"Fear is an invitation to transformation. It's an invitation to a conversation." — Jamie Winship
"In the walk with Jesus, there is no win-lose scenario." — Jamie Winship
"God, what do You want me to know? And what do You want me to do?" — Jamie Winship
 
LINKS
DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

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Identity Exchange
Book - Living Fearless

What if the way you love your daughter today shapes her marriage 20 years from now? 🤯
In this episode, fatherhood researcher Dr. Jeffrey Shears shares what 20+ years of studying dads has revealed—and it will change the way you think about your role.
✅ Why your daughters internalize how you treat their mom (and how it shapes who they're attracted to)
✅ How "Nacho Tuesdays" became a game-changing connection strategy with his girls
✅ The generational ripple effect—how your fathering impacts grandchildren you'll never meet
 
DADAWESOME book -- join the ADVANCE TEAM
 
SUMMARY
What if the way you father your daughter today shapes the marriage she has twenty years from now? In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Shears—a fatherhood researcher, girl dad, and the chair of the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy—shares over two decades of findings on why dads matter more than they think. You'll hear how generational fathering works, why Nacho Tuesdays became a game-changer for connecting with his girls, and what it really means to move men from risk to resource.
Top 5 Quotes 
"You are literally responsible for your son-in-law's marital satisfaction. What you do with your daughter impacts generations."
"I never met a guy who said, 'I don't want to be a good dad.' The desire is there—they need support."
"Every man can be a potential risk, but every man can also be a potential resource to children and families."
"Kids don't remember the stuff you bought. They remember the time, the conversations, the intentionality of hanging out with Dad."
"If your father tells you that you can do something, you internalize that. Dad's words build a confidence nothing else can."
 
TAKEAWAYS
Your daughters internalize how you treat their mother—and it shapes who they're attracted to and the health of their future marriages.
Fathers who affirm their daughters' abilities have a measurable impact—girls with engaged dads are overrepresented in STEM fields.
What you do as a dad ripples across generations. Your great-great-grandchildren will be shaped by values you instill today, even if you never meet them.
The desire to be a great dad is already there in most men. What's missing is the support, the models, and the community to show them how.
Every man is either a risk or a resource to a child. The question isn't whether you'll have an impact—it's what kind.
Guest
Dr. Jeffrey Shears is a professor of social work jointly appointed at North Carolina A&T State University and UNC Greensboro. He serves as the inaugural chair of the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy and is the board chair of the Fatherhood CoMission. He's spent over 20 years researching the impact fathers have on child development, with a particular focus on generational fathering and intergenerational transmission. He co-authored What All Dads Should Know with Dr. Clarence Shuler. Jeff is a proud girl dad of three daughters and lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.
 
Links Mentioned
DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

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Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort

Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618

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What All Dads Should Know by Dr. Jeffrey Shears & Dr. Clarence Shuler

Dadsknow.com – Dr. Shears' Website

Fatherhood CoMission: fatherhoodcomission.com

Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy (via Fathers Incorporated)

🚴 FROM THE VAULT
BOOK >> recieve the book 5-weeks early >> join the ADVANCE TEAM: https://www.dadawesome.org/book
Bart Scharrer has walked through some hard seasons with his daughters. Health crises. Uncertainty. Plans that didn't go the way he expected.
But here's what he's learned: Gratitude isn't just a nice idea. It's the way through.
-----------------------------------
✅ Why longing for "someday" can cost you today
✅ How to set the temperature in your home (for better or worse)
✅ A simple practice that taught his daughters confidence and connection
✅ What it looks like to trust God day by day when answers don't come
This is a conversation about presence, purpose, and staying the course.
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SUMMARY
When health crises hit your family and life doesn't go as planned, how do you keep leading well? In this episode from the vault, Bart Scharrer shares how he and his wife have navigated seasons of uncertainty with their daughters—and why gratitude isn't just a nice idea, it's the way through. You'll also hear how teaching your kids to ask good questions can shape their confidence, relationships, and even who they marry someday.
Key Takeaways:
Don't long for the next season at the expense of today. Embrace where you are right now with your kids.
Gratitude is the discipline that keeps you other-centered when life gets hard. It's not ignoring the pain—it's the way through it.
Teaching your kids to ask good questions builds confidence, connection, and character that lasts into adulthood.
You set the temperature in your home. Your presence, tone, and emotional awareness shape the climate your family lives in.
Serving together as a family—in the neighborhood and at church—creates lasting values and surrounds your kids with great people.
GUEST
Bart Scharrer is a pastor, board member at DadAwesome, and father of two young adult daughters. He and his wife Amy have walked through significant health challenges with their girls and have learned to lead their family with gratitude, presence, and trust in God's timing. Bart is passionate about helping dads stay engaged and intentional through every season of fatherhood.
Quotes 
"Gratitude is the way through. If I don't live in gratitude, it's so easy to live in complaint."
"Don't long for someday at the expense of today. There's so much to be thankful for right now."
"Shy is not an excuse for rude. Look people in the eye and ask a question."
"I can control how much I love Jesus. I can control how much I love my family."
"What's the best version of me? That gives me a target for what I'm practicing towards."
#DadAwesome #christiandad #dadlife #parenting #dadpodcast #fatherhood #gratitude #intentionalparenting
LINKS
DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

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Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort

Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618

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🎉 8 YEARS OF DADAWESOME! We're celebrating with an incredible conversation with Craig Allen Cooper, the man behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig."
✅ The minivan miracle that softened an atheist's heart
✅ Why Craig's kids are PRAYING for friendships like their parents have
✅ The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, Present
✅ Tables vs. Tablets and real connection with your kids
 
DADAWESOME Book >> join the Advance Team:
https://www.dadawesome.org/book
 
 
SUMMARY
After eight years and 418 episodes of DadAwesome, we're celebrating with a conversation that captures everything this ministry is about. Craig Allen Cooper shares the story behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig," why his kids are praying for adult friendships like their parents have, and the five P's that guide his fatherhood. Plus, you'll hear how a minivan miracle led to a stadium-filling artist bowing his knee to Jesus.
 
TAKEAWAYS
Your kids are watching your friendships, and they're praying they'll have the same kind of adult community they see modeled in your life.
Trust is the foundation of friendship with your kids. When they know you're for them no matter what, the door to real connection opens wide.
Tables beat tablets every time. Eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart connection happens around tables of mercy and grace, not through screens.
The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, and be Present. These aren't about perfection; they're about direction.
Arrows are meant to fly. Your job is to prepare and propel your kids toward their God-given calling, not keep them close forever.
What's upstream matters most. Feasting on God's Word daily is what fills you with gladness to pour into your family.
 
GUEST
Craig Allen Cooper is the co-author of Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences with country music artist Walker Hayes. He is the subject of Walker's hit song "Craig," which tells the story of their unlikely friendship and Craig's influence in Walker's journey to faith. Craig is a speaker, podcaster, and devoted father of four who lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Laura. He's passionate about discipleship, authentic friendship, and helping men feast on God's Word.
 
QUOTES
"Dude, I would give you my blood. You know that, right?"
"I've heard my kids say over and over again: I'm praying that I'm going to have adult friendships like you and mom have."
"There's a huge difference between table connection and tablet connection. Table connection is eye to eye, heart to heart, soul to soul."
"An arrow is meant to fly. There's a tendency to just want to keep it around us, but at some point that arrow will fly."
"Every grain of glory, every ounce of praise for anything good in my life belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ."
 
LINKS
DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

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Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort

Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618

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Glad You're Here by Craig Allen Cooper and Walker Hayes
 
Glad You're Here Podcast
 
Mechanics on a Mission
 
TAGS:
 
DadAwesome, Craig Allen Cooper, Walker Hayes, Christian fatherhood, fatherhood podcast, intentional parenting, faith and fatherhood, tables over tablets, friendship and faith, 5 P's of fatherhood, Christian dad, parenting podcast, raising kids, family discipleship, Glad You're Here, unlikely friendships, generosity, minivan miracle, dad community, launching kids

🏠 Is your home revolving around your kids? Ted Cunningham joins us to explain why eradicating the child-centered home is one of the best things you can do for your family.
✅ The "Love Jug" illustration that will change how you think about your source of life
✅ Why parenting is a journey from control to influence
✅ How honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families
✅ The "princess to queen" conversation every dad of daughters needs to hear
 
DADAWESOME BOOK (join the advance team!)
https://www.dadawesome.org/book
 
SUMMARY
Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling. In this episode, Ted Cunningham shares his famous "Love Jug" illustration, explains why your marriage is actually your greatest parenting tool, and unpacks why eradicating the child-centered home is essential for raising kids who are ready to leave. Plus, you'll hear the powerful "princess to queen" conversation he had with his daughter and how honor bombardments can transform your family culture.
TAKEAWAYS
Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is by being controlling.
Your marriage is part of your parenting plan. Kids have a front-row seat to how you treat your spouse.
Jesus is your source, not your spouse or your kids. Fire them from that role.
The child-centered home creates prolonged adolescence: too much privilege, not enough responsibility.
Honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families by calling out what's valuable in each person.
GUEST
Ted Cunningham is the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, Missouri, and a sought-after speaker and author on marriage and family. He has written multiple books including Trophy Child and has partnered with the late Dr. Gary Smalley on numerous projects. Ted and his wife, Amy, are celebrating 30 years of marriage and have two adult children. He's known for his humor, practical wisdom, and passionate belief that strong marriages create strong families.
 
QUOTES
"Parenting is a journey from control to influence. With every year, you're losing control and hopefully replacing it with influence."
"The fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling."
"Jesus is your source, Satan is your enemy, your spouse is your companion."
"What's celebrated, what's spoken out loud gets multiplied."
"Delete the narrative that says it's too late. Delete the narrative that says it's my fault."
LINKS
DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome

Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort

Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618

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Trophy Child by Ted Cunningham