Podcasts about this father

This Father's Day, we're continuing our Emotionally Healthy Spirituality series focusing on Emotionally Healthy Parenting.What kind of relationship do we want with our children as they grow into adulthood, and how do we parent now with that future in view?We explore how to parent with the goal of lasting influence, connection and a healthy future relationship with our children.

There is more that God has ahead of us! This Father's Day, Ps Dan encourages us to engage in a transformation journey with Christ. His presence precedes us, His presence is with us and His power fills us.

This Father's Day one of the founding fathers of Goodlife, Mike Jeffs brings us an encouraging message of the amazing love our Father God has for each of us. We also hosted a panel discussion, bringing together different perspectives on fatherhood, the joys, responsibilities and challenges. Whether you are a dad, a mentor, or someone looking for guidance on Christian fatherhood, this conversation offers practical encouragement. We hope today leaves the Dad's with a renewed sense of purpose and appreciation for their role and God's encouragement. Join us in the comments and share one lesson your father figure taught you. Subscribe for more weekly content from our church community. 10:30 The message begins

This Father's Day message explores the powerful story of the loving Father in Luke 15:11-32. Discover how God's pursuit extends to both the rebellious younger son and the self-righteous older son, revealing a Father who never gives up on His children. Be encouraged by the truth that no matter your past, your failures, or your present circumstances, you always belong.

This Father's Day, Pastor Shane takes us into the story of Abraham

What story is your life writing for those who come behind you? In Deuteronomy 6, Moses calls God's people to remember His faithfulness and pass their faith on through the ordinary moments of life. This Father's Day, discover how Jesus can help you to refuse what should not continue, redeem what has been broken, and give you courage to release blessing into the next generation. Our children don't need perfect dads; they need to see dads who keep allowing Jesus to change them.If you need prayer, we're here for you. Reach out at ⁠www.gatewaybaptist.com.au/prayerNew to faith or returning to Jesus today? We'd love to help you take a next step. Reach out via linktr.ee/gateway.ormeau and our team will connect with you.Learn more about us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join us on Sundays at 62 Reedmans Road - Ormeau at 10am

In this solo episode, Jesse sets the stage for an upcoming conversation with Tony by diving into one of Jesus' most theologically rich parables — the Parable of the Midnight Friend in Luke 11. Rather than treating this as a simple lesson on prayer technique, Jesse unpacks the passage as a carefully constructed theological argument: a qal wahomer (lesser-to-greater) reasoning that ultimately reveals the character of God the Father. Set within Luke's central travel narrative, the parable is not free-floating wisdom — it is discipleship instruction delivered by the Messiah en route to Jerusalem and the cross. The episode challenges common misreadings that pit persistence against divine sovereignty and instead grounds persevering prayer in confidence in God's willing, lavish character. The culmination — the gift of the Holy Spirit — awaits next week. Key Takeaways The parable's literary structure is intentional and theological — the Lord's Prayer leads to the parable, which leads to a promise (ask, seek, knock), which is grounded in the Father's character and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The sleeping friend is not a type of God — he functions as the lesser pole in a lesser-to-greater argument; identifying him with God is a category error that compromises divine immutability and aseity. Persistence in prayer is grounded in confidence, not desperation — the point is not to wear God down, but to recognize that a God who is not reluctant, not asleep, and not inconvenienced will give all the more freely. The a fortiori (lesser-to-greater) structure is the interpretive key — Jesus deliberately invokes cognitive dissonance through an imperfect analogy so that the contrast reveals something about God's character that a direct statement could not. Ask, seek, knock are present-tense imperatives in Greek — they denote continuous action, matched by divine passives in the promises, meaning God himself is the subject acting behind every answer. The promise is absolute within its covenantal frame — "everyone who asks receives" is not a blank check, but a promise spoken to disciples praying according to God's revealed will, in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit. The passage has a redemptive-historical dimension — it sits within Luke's travel narrative where Jesus is forming the disciples' inner life as He moves toward the very cross that makes the Spirit gift of verse 13 possible. Key Concepts The Sleeping Friend Is Not God One of the most persistent misreadings of this parable is the identification of the reluctant, sleeping friend with God — as though Jesus were teaching that dogged repetition in prayer will eventually wear down a half-willing deity. Jesse is careful to reject this firmly on both exegetical and theological grounds. The sleeping friend functions as the lesser pole of a rabbinic a fortiori argument: a flawed, inconvenienced human who still yields to legitimate need. James 1:17 seals the case — the Father is one "with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." An immutable God cannot be represented by a changeable, reluctant figure. The friend's reluctance is not a window into God's character; it is a foil designed to make God's willing generosity shine all the brighter by contrast. Persevering Prayer Is Grounded in Confidence, Not Doubt A common application drawn from this parable is essentially motivational: don't give up, pray harder, keep going. While there is something right about that call to perseverance, Jesse argues it is being drawn from the wrong well. Biblical perseverance in prayer is not rooted in uncertainty about whether God might eventually come around. It is rooted in the certainty that He already has — that He is a Father who delights to give, who is not asleep, not inconvenienced, and not reluctant. This re-centers the entire posture of prayer. We are not beggars hoping against hope that a distant God notices us. We are covenant children running with confidence into the throne room of a Father who has already given us His Son and, supremely, His Spirit. The Covenantal Frame of the Promise The sweeping promise — "everyone who asks receives" — has tripped up many readers who take it as an unconditional divine guarantee for anything sincerely prayed. Jesse is careful to locate the promise within its literary and canonical context. It is spoken to disciples who have just been taught to pray "Your kingdom come... give us... forgive us... lead us not" — prayers shaped by God's revealed will and kingdom priorities. James 4 and John's Gospel reinforce the point: prayer that does not receive has asked wrongly or outside God's will. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 21) frames acceptable prayer as offered in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will — a tripod of covenantal orientation that, far from weakening the promise, gives it its full and glorious force. Memorable Quotes We draw that persistence not out of our own willingness, not even because God might encourage us, but we should be drawn to it as a representation of His character — of in fact who He is. Jesus is not commending 'wear God down with nagging' as a technique. He's having established that even flawed human reluctance eventually yields to a legitimate need pressed persistently — and he pivots to make the positive direct application: how much more freely and immediately will the Father, who is not reluctant, not asleep, not inconvenienced, give? Even the seeking, even the knocking, even the opening that will be done for you and unto you and on your behalf is from God the Father himself. Full Transcript [00:01:03] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 504 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast for the persistent prayers Hey, brothers and sisters. We have got something a little bit different for you on this episode. Tony will be back with me next week, and we will be continuing our journey through the parables. [00:01:27] And I thought while we anxiously await for his return, that we would set up the next parable that we're gonna talk about so we can hit all the major points together. So we're gonna be hanging out in Luke chapter 11, and we're talking about the parable of persistent prayer, or as I think Tony described it, the parable of the midnight friend. [00:01:47] You can choose whichever one you like. But before you do that, if in fact you miss Tony, here's a good way to fill that need, and that is you should go to the Reformed Brotherhood website. That's reformedbrotherhood.com. And you will [00:02:00] find all of the other podcast episodes living out there. They're all searchable by topic. [00:02:05] Everything we've recorded is right there for you. These some 10 years of lovely conversations with my brother Tony are all available for you. And while you're there, you might be thinking, "How is it that all this is so freely given?" Well, as you've heard us say before, that's because so many lovely brothers and sisters come alongside with a little bit of financial support to make sure all of the hosting and editing and distribution fees are all covered so that this can all be made available to whoever, whoever is searching for it, whoever finds it, whoever wants to join in the conversation and follow closely along with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [00:02:41] So I encourage you to go check that out and also listen along. This will be a quick episode just to help us get our bearings on this really amazing teaching that Jesus gives us about the character of God that comes about in really a kind of unexpected story. And in fact, even the message itself, [00:03:00] the context, I think, is going to sound at first like one thing, but Jesus uses it to describe something entirely different. [00:03:07] Even the literary device He's about to use for us invokes some kind of cognitive dissonance that actually draws us deeper into the character of God than I think if He had explained it more directly. I mean, this is what parables do, loved ones. So come hang out with me in Luke chapter 11 for just a couple minutes. [00:03:24] Wherever you are, join me in this. I'm gonna read from the beginning part of that chapter all the way through the parable, though we will get nowhere near the end, because I told you, I'm saving that for Tony. We're gonna get there next week. So join me in Luke chapter 11, beginning in verse one.  [00:03:39] Luke 11 Reading and Structure [00:03:39] Jesse Schwamb: "And it happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.' [00:03:51] And He said to them, 'When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread [00:04:00] and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Then he said to them, "Which of you has a friend and will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' [00:04:21] And from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me. The door has already been shut, and my children and I are in bed. I cannot rise up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not arise and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs. [00:04:40] So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks, it will be opened. But what father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of [00:05:00] a fish? [00:05:00] Or if his son asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?" This amazing little pericope, you'll notice it follows upon the disciples' request, which is, "Lord, teach us to pray." [00:05:24] And the giving of this model prayer is the whole instruction, the whole, like outcropping of this entire little parable. And I think what we should look at first, that I wanna really hit on to set us up, is that Luke has this... It seems to me like a structure that's very deliberate. There's a pattern. The Lord's Prayer, which leads to this parable of encouragement. [00:05:45] Here's the friend at midnight. It leads then to a promise, ask, seek, knock, which then of course leads to this ground of confidence. Why? Because the Father's character, sealed in the gift of the Holy Spirit, has been given to His children. This whole thing [00:06:00] occurs within Luke's central, like quote-unquote, "travel narrative." [00:06:04] It's where Jesus is forming the disciples' inner life. He's teaching them in these really final moments of His life. It's prayer, dependence, kingdom priorities, as He literally moves toward Jerusalem and to the cross. And so I think the biblical exegesis here takes this placement really seriously, because this is not like free-floating wisdom teaching, but it's real discipleship. [00:06:28] It's real firm instruction given by the Messiah en route to accomplish the very redemption that makes the Spirit gift of verse 13 possible. All of this is wrapped up in this story. It is not just about what's being said, but I think literally where it's being said, the context in which it's being said, the very interactions that are taking place around the story itself. [00:06:50] And I cannot help but believe that, of course, God in His foreordaining wisdom is placing this all together. It's as if the experience of the disciples, their time with [00:07:00] Jesus, them literally walking en route to the place where He'll be crucified, all this gets distilled down into a single point in history, and the instruction that is on Jesus' lips is this story about the midnight friend I think we've talked about this before, but there's some principles here that I always go back to, and I think they're especially relevant for looking at this particular parable. [00:07:22] First, there's this understanding that this, there's an analogy of scripture. Like, this text should be read alongside its Matthean para- parallel, which we've talked about briefly, and the whole canon's teaching on prayer, on providence, on the Spirit. We can't look at this instance in complete isolation. We shouldn't. [00:07:39] It-- That wouldn't be proper understanding of the whole passage here, including its redemptive historical reading, which I think is important. It's the second piece here. The passage is suited and situated within this unfolding covenant of grace. This Father language is not like generic theism, but it is like the covenantal Trinitarian Christ-mediated, like all the [00:08:00] rich fullness of what God has done in the redemptive arc of salvation. [00:08:04] It's prayer offered in the name of the Son as we are sons or daughters in the Son. And so there's this light then to heavy inference. Like Jesus' argument, which I think we'll talk about with Tony, in verse eight is this kind of like rab- rabbinic like fortiori reasoning. It's, it's from like the lesser to the greater, or the, the lesser reluctant or flawed party that acts in one way, and how much more the greater than will the willing perfect party act. [00:08:36] And so, so many commentators have really flagged this as like the interpretive key to the unit. This is the thing that draws us in. It's actually this juxtaposition, this cognitive dissonance, this seeing one thing and recognizing that God is so much better than that one thing and so much far beyond it, that really draws us into understanding something about His character that would not be made manifest to us without that kind of comparison or [00:09:00] that setup. [00:09:01] And then, of course, we're Reformed, so we have to talk about the element of sola Scriptura here, that we really, we have to read this passage not as teaching either that God is manipulable by human persistence. I mean, that would com- compromise entirely the, the principles of divine aseity and His immutability. [00:09:20] Or B, that there's some kind of like bare Arminian conditionality here, as though prayer creates possibilities God otherwise lacks. Really, the Bible holds, biblical theology holds that prayer is to be a means that God has sovereignly ordained to accomplish His decreed ends. It's never a lever upon which, you know, otherwise an undecided God acts because we pull. [00:09:46] It's not that at all. So let's talk about just a couple of verses that I think will get us in the vibe here, in the jam, in the middle of this whole parable, and this will set us up for a conversation that we're gonna have next week, which is the culmination, the giving of the [00:10:00] Holy Spirit. That's really the end. [00:10:01] So it's interesting that we start with this whole idea of persistence, of a friend coming with, and it's gonna end with God giving to His children this incredible, unparalleled gift of the Holy Spirit. So let's start in verse five. We get this whole setup. "Which of you has a friend and will go to him at midnight?" [00:10:20] So of course, like, you-- we hear this, hear this in English, it's even more profound in the Greek. The construction here is like this rhetorical question. It's expecting, of course, the hearer, which is you and I, to place ourselves imaginatively in the position of the petitioner. And the scenario is, of course, like pregnant with cultural meaning. [00:10:38] Like, it's just loaded down because in Middle Eastern cultures, of course, like hospita- hospitality was a matter of covenantal honor. I say it that way because I think that's what's at play for us in the text. We're gonna get these, like, themes, this, like, little bit of shading or, like, this, this little taste on the back end of your tongue of the covenant, and it's represented [00:11:00] here even in, like, the situation here. [00:11:01] Because failing to feed an arrived guest was a social and religious disgrace, not merely to the host, but, like, to their entire community, to, like, their entire village And the petitioner has no bread, and he's looking for three loaves because that's what he needs to help feed these guests that have arrived at his house. [00:11:19] And so he comes to a friend. Notice it's not a stranger, so the relationship itself is somewhat covenantal. It's emphasized three times in the verses five through eight. And so we're establishing the premise upon which the argument from the lesser, this friendship, which is reluctantly acted upon, to the greater, which is fatherhood, gladly acted upon, will be built up so that it reaches the peak in verse thirteen I think we need to notice here that this is not some kind of isolated moral vignette, but it's like the first rung of a ladder that's being built for us here. [00:11:55] And the first rung on this, I think, is that Christ accommodates himself [00:12:00] to human experience, which is like a mind-boggling statement. I mean, we could spend all of eternity just contemplating what that means. It's certainly a la Philippians 2, but here in, especially we're seeing that there's the use of this imperfect analogy precisely because it's, its imperfection. [00:12:19] Again, a friend who is reluctant will be highlighted against in contrast to the perfection of the true referent, which is God the Father, a father who is not reluctant. And so this doctrine of accommodation is a standard, uh, that you see a lot in Reformed exeg- as a exegetical principle because it's Scripture speaks of God in creaturely terms, not because God is like the creature, but so that the creature may grasp, however inaccurately, the character of God. [00:12:50] That's what's really lovely about this parable. That's what I think kind of sits underneath the, the surface here. And so many of us wanna run to the action of the petitioner [00:13:00] here and try to equate or invoke something about that persistence as if God is saying to us like, "Please don't give up. Please keep on praying. [00:13:07] Please bend my ear." And while there is something important about that, we draw that persistence not out of our own willingness, not even because God might encourage us, but we should be drawn to it as a representation of his character, of in fact who he is. And so the friend who is reluctant responds very forthrightly with a, "Don't bother me." [00:13:28] And I find when I read this, I kind of chuckle a little bit because, loved ones, is that refusal not completely realistic? Like, it's not caricatured malice. In, in like a one-room peasant house, the door being barred and the family being bedded down on a single sleeping mat meant that practically speaking, rising would wake the entire household. [00:13:49] I mean, the friend's refusal is totally understandable, but still a refusal of a friend to a friend for a legitimate n-need. And so this is the negative pole of the entire analogy. [00:14:00] I also find this, like, totally relatable. Like, even in my own life when I'm serving my own needs and purposes, if I am on like the-- If I've descended, let's say, to like the first floor of my house, and I remember that after getting ready for the day, I've totally forgotten something on the second floor, I'm annoyed with myself. [00:14:17] Sometimes I literally have that thought of like, "How badly do I need that thing? I just don't want to go back upstairs again." And so I think this is totally identifiable I mean, how often have we been in a situation where we- we've just sat down and the phone rings, or we've just finished our day and something else pops up that we have to do, or we just shut down our computer and we've-- as we do that, we remember the one thing that we needed to do, and so we have to go back in. [00:14:40] Or you leave your office and realize that you've forgotten your car keys, now you have to walk all the way back in. I mean, I-- this makes total sense to me that in this, the context of this story, even a loving friend would be like, "Are you kidding me? Uh, we're all in bed. Please, can you just figure out another way to do this?" [00:14:59] I know [00:15:00] there's been a lot of commentators, and I think like a lot of popular preaching, that in my estimation here have mistakenly identified the sleeping friend with God, teaching that persistent prayer, like, wears God down. And that, I think, is a category error that the Reformed tradition and biblical theology generally has consistently rejected. [00:15:21] You know, that's why we read in James 1:17 that every good gift comes from the Father with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. The immutable God cannot be the referent or the reluctant changeable human host here, not according to James. The friend in the parable functions as the lesser term, and again, this argument moving from the lesser to the greater, not as a type of God. [00:15:45] I think that's important for us to keep in mind because there is, again, a temptation for us to want to say, "Well, really the person in the story who is represented by God is this other friend, and he just needs to be awoken," so to speak. And even if we don't feel that strongly, th- that's pressing us a little bit too [00:16:00] far, we, we know theologically that that's not accurate. [00:16:02] We still are prone to believe, "I need to pray harder." The point of this is to pick yourself up, pull up your praying socks, and just pray more and pray more consistently and pray harder. Don't stop. Now, there is, again, something about calling on God that is like the special benefit and privilege of the Christian to run confidently into the throne room of God as we read in Hebrews. [00:16:25] And yet at the same time here, we don't want to get this twisted. We have to set this up right so that by the time we get to, again, the pinnacle of this parable in th-- in Jesus giving the crown teaching of the giving of the Holy Spirit, that we understand it's because God is a good Father who delights to give, who is not reluctant at all. [00:16:46] And that if you ask, if you ask for His Holy, Holy, Holy Spirit, that He will in fact give His Holy Spirit to you. So verse eight: "I tell you, though, he will not get up and give him anything because he is his [00:17:00] friend. Yet because of his imprudence, he will rise and give him whatever he needs." Now, the crux of this question is the referent here. [00:17:11] So traditionally rendered, you know, inopportune or inopportunity or persistence. The word literally denotes like shamelessness or refusal to be governed by some kind of social propriety. And I think either way here, the theological payload in verses nine through thirteen is all about the main point of this passage being but a foil. [00:17:31] You know, Jesus is not commending wear God down with nagging as a technique. He's, he's having established that even flawed human reluctance eventually yields to a legitimate need pressed persistently. And so he pivots in this to make the positive direct application, how much more freely and immediately will the Father, who is not reluctant, not asleep, not inconvenienced, give? [00:17:57] And so this verse does [00:18:00] teach persevering in prayer, but it grounds that perseverance not in doubt about God's willingness, but in confidence about it. This to me is very similar to how we would understand evangelism or missional or missionary type works. There is a type of Christianity that is very thin, that is maybe like a, a mile wide and an inch deep, that essentially considers that when we pray for God to work among peoples, in our families, in our communities, across the land, and across the world, that we do so almost with fingers crossed, hoping against hope that God will show up and make a way. [00:18:38] And yet what the scripture says is it emboldens us knowing that God has already done these things, that we might pray ourselves, as it were, into them in faithfulness to what God has already in-- is accomplishing through his great work. And in this way, we pray with a great empowerment. We pray with persevering prayers because we know that God will make it so because he's a God who gives promises, [00:19:00] and he always fulfills those promises. [00:19:03] And that's why we get three of them, which are beautiful in this passage.  [00:19:07] Ask Seek Knock Explained [00:19:07] Jesse Schwamb: Ask, seek, knock. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be opened to you, for everyone who asks, receives. Loved ones, are there more beautiful words than these from God the Father? This is how much he loves us that he says, "Test me on these promises. [00:19:28] In persevering prayer, come before me, ask, seek, and knock." These three present tense imperatives in the Greek, Greek. In other words, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. The present tense is conveying this continuous action. They're matched by the three future passives here, and the passives are almost certainly divine passives. [00:19:51] In other words, like it's a Jer- Jewish circumlocution, avoiding the direct naming of God as subject out of reverence, which of course, is common in Jesus' [00:20:00] teaching. But what's being unstated here is the subject acting within them. It will be given. It will be opened. Who is doing all these things? God himself. [00:20:10] And so behind these beautiful words, this promise to you and to me, is God in filling them all, so that again, God does all the words. It's as if like he's saying to us, "Seek, knock, and open." And yet even the seeking, even the knocking, even the opening that will be done for you and unto you and on your behalf is from God, the Father himself. [00:20:32] And the escalation from asking to seeking to knocking, in my view, it intensifies this effort and this urgency. Like a beggar asks, one who has lost something seeks, one who shuts, is shut out knocks on the door. And it's, I think, denoting not necessarily like three distinct kinds of prayer, though there are certainly lots of people who have talked about that. [00:20:56] The Patristics in particular, uh, Augustine was very fond [00:21:00] of kind of delineating between these as different types of prayer. I think there, there may be some usefulness in that. But I think the dominant grammatical point is this cumulative intensity. It's reinforced in verse 10 by this chiastic restatement in universal terms. [00:21:14] Everyone who asks, the one who seeks, to the one who knocks, all of these things will be given. This is the beautiful setup that's before us. It's an incredible word from God for us, practical for daily living, to give strength for today and a hope for tomorrow, that our God is one who gives us this promise. [00:21:34] And then he says, in perseverance, with the power that the Holy Spirit enables all of us, seek, ask, seek, knock. What lovely verbs for us to participate in by the power of the Holy Spirit Everyone who asks receives. I, I don't think that can be read as an unconditional blank check. And this is, I think, what trips many people up. [00:21:57] And, and certainly you've had conversations, [00:22:00] I'm sure, with others who've said, "Well, this sounds like some kind of just open-ended promise. There's no closed end to this. And so if I pray for something that I want, maybe if I pray for the thing that I feel like I desperately need, if I put all of my effort into it and pray with all the emotion, and I have, and every concentrated effort of my mental being, and God does not give that to me, it, this proves this passage to be wrong or to be ineffective." [00:22:27] And I think this would contradict directly, again, what James tells us in chapter 4, "You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." Or John in his gospel, "If we ask anything according to His will." And so I think proper hermeneutics here resolves this not by weakening the promise, but by locating it properly within, again, its covenantal frame. [00:22:53] This promise is spoken to disciples who have just been taught to pray, "Your kingdom come, give [00:23:00]us, forgive us, lead us not." That is, it's a prayer conformed to God's revealed, revealed will and kingdom priorities. I think the Westminster Confession of Faith is particularly strong on this in chapter 21. It qualifies acceptable prayer as being offered in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. [00:23:22] What again, like lovely things to help shape us even as we go into times of daily worship, that we might seek to pray to God in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. I find in my own prayer life, in my own journey of speaking with God, and of trying to listen to Him as well, that I am much better aligned, that start in the better places, that there is more compatibility, so to speak, when I consider, even before I pray literally, that I might do that in the name of the Son, by the help of the Spirit, according to His will. [00:23:56] By the way, I love that in Ruth- Luther's writing on prayer, [00:24:00] he speaks so highly of what it means to pray in the name of the Son. That that isn't something that we just, of course, put as a suffix onto our prayers to signal that they are concluded. For some reason, when I was younger, I remember thinking that when you said at the end of the prayer, "In Jesus' name," it was like you were talking to somebody on the phone, and that's how you hung up. [00:24:20] Because if you forgot to say that, then God might think you were, like, as you went about your life and you were talking to other people, that you were also talking to Him, and that would be confusing. And so of course, like I, since grown out of that and realized that this is not something just out of custom. [00:24:33] It's not even saying like, "Amen, agree with me." This is a way about an, an explicit, standing in the explicit covenantal promise of God that is bound in the work of, the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. And that when we invoke His name, we shouldn't do so even flippantly as we end a prayer. But knowing that that's not just like the grand kind of crescendo of everything that we're saying, but we are sealing it as it were, so that we might again pray in the name of the Son, [00:25:00] by the help of the Holy Spirit, according to His will. [00:25:03] And that promise of verse 10 is absolute within that frame. It's not an absolute, like, simplifier. You know, this is not special pleading, but simply reading the verse in its literary context. It's a unit that begins with the Lord's Prayer and ends with the gift of the Spirit. And its canonical context is according with the rest of the New Testament in this idea that this is what prayer really is. [00:25:29] It is praying in such a way that we are invoking God, not so that He would come and condescend to our needs or meet us where we're at. He's already done this very thing, which is why He's a good Father who gives us gifts. Instead, it is that we might l- meet the Lord in His purposes, according to His power, with His perspective. [00:25:49] And so this is the, the ladder that's being built for us. It starts with this idea of saying, you know, there's this universality qualifier, the Reformed [00:26:00] doctrinal caution, as it were, that not-- "You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly." That itself is a challenge that we should all take very, very seriously. [00:26:09] So I'm gonna stop us there, because what I'm really looking forward to speaking to Tony with next week is basically the, the rest of it, really coming into the second rung of this ladder, this human fathers and their children, which sets up a now... We're really transitioning into the setup on this reluctant friend, the lesser, to this great, loving, not reluctant at all, but lovishly la- Man, I just got two words at the same time in one mouth. [00:26:37] This loving Father who lavishes this love upon us, and proof in the pudding in that is the promises which He gives us. And so I wanna save that for next time. So now you've been warned. You yourself can go back and take a look at Luke chapter 11. You can join us there for the culmination and the conclusion of [00:27:00] this little parable. [00:27:01] And again, I encourage you, go check out reformedbrotherhood.com. Go find us on Telegram, which is just a messaging app, and we have a small little corner of the internet where there's a community of listeners who hang out, support one another, are very kind and loving toward one another, and you can be a part of that group too just by going to t.me/reformedbrotherhood. [00:27:21] Slap that bad boy into your browser of choice, t.me/reformedbrotherhood. And until next time, honor everyone and love the brotherhood. [00:28:00]

What does fatherhood really look like behind the scenes?This Father's Day, I'm joined by Scott O'Halloran and Marcus Sellen to chat about life as dads to two-year-old twin boys. We cover the realities of becoming parents, how fatherhood has changed their relationship, navigating the mental load, balancing careers and family life, and the conversations more men should be having about parenthood.Whether you're a parent, parent-to-be or simply love honest conversations about family life, this episode is full of laughter, vulnerability and practical advice.A big thank you to our episode sponsor RedBalloon.Discount code - Use code HEYDAD10 for 10% off. Min spend $99, until 6 Sept 2026.RedBalloonInstagram: @redballoonWebsite: https://www.redballoon.com.au/Our guestFollow Scott O'Halloran @scottohalloranParenthoodFollow Parenthood on Instagram @parenthoodpodShareWe'd love it if you could share this episode with a friend!Parenthood Podcast acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live, and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maybe you woke up with something in your veins you never asked for — addiction, fear, anxiety, shame — handed down before you ever had a say. This Father's Day message from Fearless LA is a declaration over your bloodline: the gaps are closing. Walking through Nehemiah 4, Pastor unpacks how a man born in captivity — who didn't make the mess — became the one God used to rebuild the wall in just 52 days. You don't need the tools, the talent, or the perfect past. You just need a burning heart and the courage to stand in your gap.

It's one of the greatest films ever made. Doug has seen it more times than he can count. And for years, he's been waiting for the moment his daughter was ready. This Father's Day weekend, it happened, but not before they worked their way through Batman Begins first. The Batman Begins debrief alone is worth the price of admission: Natalie still doesn't understand why Bruce Wayne's parents had to die and genuinely wondered whether Batman was going to kill Rachel and Alfred in the film. She also thought that Batman can, apparently, talk to bats. Then came The Dark Knight. Doug prepped her on the Joker's philosophy, the importance of Batman's no-kill rule, and the practical effects behind the hospital explosion, which Doug and Jill actually witnessed being filmed when they lived downtown Chicago. Natalie handled the pencil scene with more composure than expected. She processed the ferry sequence. She understood the stakes, and spent the entire climax waiting for Bane to show up. And when it was over, she looked at her dad and said: "I see why you like it." Ten years. Worth every second. Also this episode: a genuinely great question — if you could go back to high school or college and take one class again with everything you know now, which class would you choose? Justin picks social studies, psychology, astronomy, and a very specific European history class he completely wasted. Doug picks management 101 with a professor he truly despised and would absolutely challenge every single day, and seventh grade PE, where his coach regularly called him names that would end careers today. Plot twist: years later, that same coach applied for a job at Doug's brother's school. Doug's brother said no. Justice is real. Plus: a dump truck parked in front of a blind hill with "Trust in the Lord" written on the back, Jesus as a Marvel Rivals support player, and Meccha Chameleon — a $6 Steam prop hunt game where you paint yourself to blend into the scenery and it is immediately one of the best six dollars Doug has ever spent. Justin needs a PC. Doug has thoughts. The movie audio clip guessing game returns with quotes from Wall Street, The Big Short, and The Golden Child including one of the most specific movie pulls in the history of this show. This week's recommendations:

This Father's Day, Pastor Jesse preaches on the Father heart of God from from the prodigal son in Luke 15.     Key Scripture:  Luke 15:11-32 Isaiah 61:10 Galatians 4:6-10 Ephesians 6:15   *This episode was recorded on 06/21/26

Maybe you never had a father who showed up. Maybe the men who were supposed to teach you taught you the wrong things instead. This Father's Day, five fathers stood up and told the truth about the one Father who never failed them. He finds you. He fights for you. He turned over His own Son so you could come home. You don't have to be a perfect dad to be a good one — you just have to know the Father, and let Him do in you what no one ever did for you.Support the show

This Father's Day sermon emphasizes faithful parenting, guiding children towards God, and persisting in faith to fully realize God's promises, inspired by 2 Kings 13.

This Father's Day episode didn't go exactly according to plan… and honestly, that made it better.For the first time ever, I brought my kids onto the Meech Speaks Podcast and let them take control. They asked the questions, called me out, challenged me, and somehow turned my own show against me

This Father's Day message looks at the story of Elijah, a prophet who went from a mountaintop victory to running in fear and feeling ready to quit. Pastor Shawn McGill identifies three common mistakes we make when life feels overwhelming and shows us how to respond with faith.

This Father's Day sermon uses a golf-ball illustration to teach that Christians are “set apart” and called to leave worldly ways behind, be renewed in their minds, and live out a new identity in Christ marked by integrity, self-control (especially over anger), and honest work. The pastor especially challenges parents—fathers in particular—to model Christlike living at home, guard their children from worldly ideologies, and rely on the Holy Spirit's power to break patterns like unresolved anger.

The world says masculinity is toxic. God says men are called. In a culture that wants men passive, distracted, and compromised, Scripture issues a different command: Be watchful. Stand firm. Act like men. Be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. This Father's Day, we'll look at the high calling God places on men in 1 Corinthians 16—to guard what matters, stand firm when the pressure comes, take responsibility for the people entrusted to them, and love with the sacrificial strength of Jesus. The enemy is real. The stakes are high. Your family needs you awake at your post.

This Father's Day, Pastor Bryan shares a message on leaving a lasting legacy. He reminds us that every life carries significance, and the legacy we leave has the power to impact others for generations to come.

This Father's Day message explores one of the greatest examples of biblical courage found in Scripture—the life of Caleb. While an entire generation gave in to fear, Caleb stood alone, trusted God's promises, and remained faithful for 45 years as he waited for God to fulfill His word. In this sermon, Pastor Brandon Holthaus examines the courage to stand alone, to believe God rather than circumstances, to wait on the Lord's timing, to overcome the consequences of other people's failures, and to finish strong. Caleb's famous declaration, "Give me this mountain," challenges every believer to stop pursuing comfort and start pursuing obedience. What mountain has God placed in front of you? A prodigal child? A broken relationship? Financial pressure? Health struggles? An uncertain future? Caleb teaches us that courageous believers do not deny reality—they simply believe God is bigger than reality. Delays are not denials. Faithfulness matters. And it is never too late to take new ground for the Lord. Join us as we learn why Caleb was still ready for battle at 85 years old and how his example can inspire fathers, families, and every believer to finish the race well. #FathersDay #Caleb #GiveMeThisMountain #BiblicalCourage #ChristianLiving #FaithOverFear #TrustGod #Joshua14 #BibleTeaching #PastorBrandonHolthaus #RockHarborChurch #TipOfTheSpearMinistries #Faithfulness #StandAlone #FinishStrong #ChristianMen #BiblicalManhood #ChristianEncouragement #WalkByFaith #ProphecyTeacher

This Father's Day message explores one of the greatest examples of biblical courage found in Scripture—the life of Caleb. While an entire generation gave in to fear, Caleb stood alone, trusted God's promises, and remained faithful for 45 years as he waited for God to fulfill His word.   In this sermon, Pastor Brandon Holthaus examines the courage to stand alone, to believe God rather than circumstances, to wait on the Lord's timing, to overcome the consequences of other people's failures, and to finish strong. Caleb's famous declaration, "Give me this mountain," challenges every believer to stop pursuing comfort and start pursuing obedience.   What mountain has God placed in front of you? A prodigal child? A broken relationship? Financial pressure? Health struggles? An uncertain future?   Caleb teaches us that courageous believers do not deny reality—they simply believe God is bigger than reality. Delays are not denials. Faithfulness matters. And it is never too late to take new ground for the Lord.   Join us as we learn why Caleb was still ready for battle at 85 years old and how his example can inspire fathers, families, and every believer to finish the race well.   #FathersDay #Caleb #GiveMeThisMountain #BiblicalCourage #ChristianLiving #FaithOverFear #TrustGod #Joshua14 #BibleTeaching #PastorBrandonHolthaus #RockHarborChurch #TipOfTheSpearMinistries #Faithfulness #StandAlone #FinishStrong #ChristianMen #BiblicalManhood #ChristianEncouragement #WalkByFaith #ProphecyTeacher

This Father's Day, Pastor Mike Haman encourages us to live a life of trust and obedience to Jesus in order to walk in a way that is worth following. When we obey God, we can take God at His Word to take care of the outcome.

Most of us want to matter. To lead. To be respected. But there's a voice inside all of us that's quietly working against everything we actually want. It takes when it should give. It grasps when it should serve. This Father's Day — discover what Jesus said about the one thing standing between you and the greatness you were made for.

What does it look like to build a strong and lasting home as a parent? In this message from the Life Advice series, Pastor Trey Hildebrant walks through Proverbs 12 to share practical wisdom for fathers and families. This Father's Day message reminds us that the strength of our lives and homes is shaped by what we are rooted in, calling parents to focus on what matters most through hard work in the right places, life-giving words, and consistent prayer. With honest encouragement and real life application, this sermon challenges us to examine where we are investing our time, energy, and influence, and to lead our families with purpose and love. Discover how choosing the right foundation can transform your home, strengthen your relationships, and leave a lasting impact for generations. (06/21/2026)

The day his son walked away, a father was forced to watch rebellion do what rebellion always does. It promised freedom, but it led to ruin. It looked like independence, but it ended in emptiness. This Father's Day, we'll look at the painful reality that a godly father cannot always stop a child from leaving, but he can remain faithful, watchful, and ready to restore when repentance finally comes.

Real love doesn't sit on the sidelines and hope things work out — it steps in, speaks up, and leads. This Father's Day message from Genesis 29-30 is a challenge to every husband and father who's been coasting.

This Father's Day message from guest speaker George Morris, State Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, explores Jesus' words in John 15:18–26, reminding believers that following Christ often brings opposition because the world first rejected Him. He identifies sin as humanity's greatest problem, highlights the growing rejection of biblical truth both in society and within the church, and points to God's grace through Jesus Christ as the only solution. Listeners are challenged to recognize and repent of sin, pursue a deeper relationship with the Father through prayer and Scripture, love and forgive others, and become faithful disciples who lead others to Christ. 

This Father's Day, Pastor Brandon continued our series on Judges with a challenge to be stronger than Samson, not in physical strength, but in character, conviction, and obedience to God. Samson's life reminds us that true strength is found in surrendering to God and living faithfully according to His calling.

Life gets busy. The noise gets loud. And somewhere in the middle of it all — it's easier than you think to lose sight of what matters most. This Father's Day, we're talking about the one thing we can't afford to lose. Jesus. Because what you've lost in Him can always be regained. Whether you're a dad, a son, a daughter, or just someone trying to find their way back — this message is for you.

Standing Strong | Father's Day 2026 In a world filled with distractions and spiritual battles, God calls His people to stand firm. This Father's Day sermon explores what scripture says about biblical manhood, spiritual leadership, and resisting the enemy's tactics. Looking at passages from 1 Corinthians 16 and 1 Peter 5, this message examines how pride, anxiety, laziness, and isolation can create spiritual vulnerability and how God invites us to walk in humility, trust, community, and faith. No matter where you are in your faith journey, this message reminds us that God is able to restore, strengthen, and establish those who depend on Him. Key Insights: Learn how scripture defines biblical manhood and spiritual leadership. Identify common tactics the enemy uses, including pride, anxiety, laziness, and isolation. Discover practical ways to stand firm and resist spiritual attacks. Understand the importance of authentic community and accountability in the Christian life. Be encouraged that God restores, strengthens, and establishes those who depend on Him. Scripture Focus: 1 Peter 5:6-11 Speaker: Matt Petty Location: [Burnt Hickory Baptist Church](maps.app.goo.gl/hazkR3omjk9xvxZc7) Connect with us: ° Watch this sermon on YouTube ° Follow us on [Facebook](www.facebook.com/bhbchome) ° Follow us on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/burnthickorybaptist) ° Visit our [website](www.burnthickory.com)

Every father wonders if he's giving his kids what they really need. Every son or daughter — at some point — wonders the same thing about themselves: Who am I? Am I loved? Where am I going? Why am I here? This Father's Day, Pastor Dustin and his son Aiden — our Middle School Pastor — team up to answer those questions through Scripture, sharing the four gifts every father gives: Identity, Security, Direction, and Purpose. "If we don't know who we are, we'll spend our lives becoming whatever everyone else says we should be." Whether you had a great dad, a complicated relationship with your father, or you're raising kids of your own right now, this message points to a Father whose love isn't based on performance — and who offers you these same four gifts today. The Four Gifts of a Father: Identity — Who Am I? Security — Am I Loved? Direction — Where Am I Going? Purpose — Why Am I Here? Scriptures referenced: Genesis 49:22-26, Matthew 3:17, Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 2:10, Romans 8:15

On Father's Day, Sunday, June 21st, 2026, Pastor Matt Cottrill explores of the Prodigal Son from Luke 15 and challenges us to examine the direction our feet are taking us—toward God's house or toward a far country of compromise and spiritual distance. The message unpacks the devastating reality that the far country always begins with a 'give me' mentality, where we seek God's benefits without truly desiring relationship with Him. We're reminded that sin is a terrible advertiser, showing us the party but hiding the pig pen, displaying pleasure while concealing emptiness. The transformative moment comes when we 'come to ourselves' and realize that even the lowest place in the Father's house is better than the greatest promise the world offers. The Father's response to our return isn't suspicion or coldness, but compassion—He runs toward us, embraces us in our filth, and restores our identity with a robe, ring, and shoes. Those shoes represent a critical question for every believer: where are our feet taking us? Are we walking toward holiness or drifting toward compromise? The call isn't just to feel bad about where we are, but to actually arise and walk home. True repentance means getting up and doing something about our spiritual condition, not just lamenting it. This Father's Day message extends beyond biological fathers to every person who needs to return home to the Father who is watching the road, waiting to celebrate our arrival.

What if the mistakes of your earthly father were never the true template of fatherhood? This Father's Day, we skip the traditional sermon for a raw, honest conversation with three dads from our community. They pull back the curtain on the real friction of parenting teenage daughters through stressful driving lessons, the terrifying beauty of surrendering control as a young single dad, and the profound grace it takes to heal invisible childhood "father wounds" without needing formal explanations. Whether you are navigating your own parenting journey, celebrating a great dad, or looking to heal from a broken copy, discover how every story serves as a window back to a patient, compassionate Heavenly Father who is deeply for you.

In this message, Minister Tom Hinders explores one of the most startling claims Jesus ever made. In John 5:16–30, Jesus doesn't simply defend himself against criticism for healing on the Sabbath—he reveals his divine identity as the Son of God.As we begin Part 2 of our Gospel of John series, Impossible to Ignore, we discover why Jesus became impossible for the religious leaders to dismiss. Through his words and actions, Jesus declares that he shares in the work, authority, and glory of the Father. He gives life, judges the world, and perfectly reveals what God is like.This Father's Day message also challenges us to consider our own relationship with God. What if the life you were created for isn't one of self-sufficiency, but one of complete dependence on your heavenly Father? What if the love, identity, peace, and purpose you've been searching for are found not through striving, but through resting in the Father's love?Whether you're wrestling with questions about God, carrying wounds from your earthly father, struggling with anxiety, striving for approval, or longing for a deeper faith, this message offers hope through the person of Jesus Christ.

This Father's Day, elders Matt Mastroine and Nick Shrock share a meaningful conversation on fatherhood, influence, and spiritual mentorship. Their reflections remind us that the people who faithfully show up in our lives can leave a lasting mark—and that each of us has the opportunity to encourage, guide, and point others toward Jesus.

In a world filled with conflicting voices and shifting values, we must chart our lives by God's direction rather than rely on our own understanding. This Father's Day sermon challenges us to set a course that leads our families toward Christ, a life of purpose, and a lasting legacy of faith.Be part of what God is doing at Mount Holly. To learn more about our ministries, our pastor, and to plan your visit, click here: https://www.mountholly.orgThank you for partnering with us. Click here to give cheerfully: https://www.mountholly.org/give

No matter your experience with your earthly father, you have a Heavenly Father who loves you, is with you, and can do more than you could ever imagine. This Father's Day, Shawn Johnson and Dr. Harv Powers discuss parenting, healing from father wounds, and practical wisdom for becoming the father God has called you to be.

No matter your experience with your earthly father, you have a Heavenly Father who loves you, is with you, and can do more than you could ever imagine. This Father's Day, Shawn Johnson and Dr. Harv Powers discuss parenting, healing from father wounds, and practical wisdom for becoming the father God has called you to be.

Get all 6 Conversations with Dennis and Max Prager here: https://pragerstore.com/product/dennis-and-his-dad-a-collection-of-interviews-with-max-prager This Father's Day weekend, we highlight the heartfelt conversation with his father, Max Prager. He is a poignant reminder of the importance of family, love, and gratitude. This special episode of Timeless Wisdom is a must-listen for anyone who's ever struggled with the complexities of family relationships or grappled with the meaning of life. In this emotional and thought-provoking episode, Dennis shares stories about his father's life, from his childhood memories of growing up in a traditional Jewish household to his experiences as a World War II veteran. We hear about the lessons Dennis learned from his father, including the importance of gratitude, the value of a strong work ethic, and the need to stay connected with loved ones. Through their conversation, we gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of family dynamics and the ways in which our relationships with our parents shape who we become. Dennis's father, Max, was a remarkable man who lived a long and fulfilling life. He was a devoted husband, a proud father, and a passionate advocate for what he believed in. His story is a testament to the power of living a life of purpose and meaning. As Dennis reflects on his father's legacy, he shares insights into the importance of forgiveness, the value of tradition, and the need to stay true to one's values. This episode is a beautiful tribute to the enduring bond between a father and son, and a reminder that our relationships with our loved ones are a precious gift. Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/timeless-wisdom-with-dennis-prager/id1517302239 Follow us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4SZEYeH4tuLr2FvG4ok1rl Learn more about Dennis Prager: https://pragertopia.com/ Follow Dennis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DennisPrager Follow Dennis on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedennisprager/ Follow Dennis on X: https://x.com/DennisPrager Learn more about the Salem Podcast Network: https://salempodcastnetwork.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What makes a grandfather unforgettable?In this special Father's Day episode, Rebecca, Seth, Max, Ella, and Lillie come together to celebrate the man they lovingly call Gramps. Through family stories, life lessons, holiday traditions, Disney memories, and heartfelt reflections, they share how one grandfather's influence continues to shape their lives every day.In this special family episode of Whinypaluza, Rebecca Greene welcomes Seth and their three children to reflect on the impact of Gramps, Al Greene.From family trips to Disney World and holiday celebrations to sporting events, photography, and meaningful conversations, each family member shares what they treasure most about Gramps.Lillie reflects on the confidence and encouragement he has given her.Ella shares the powerful lesson that you can influence the world as much as it influences you.Max talks about how Gramps taught him the importance of staying connected and keeping family in the loop.Seth shares memories of growing up with a father who balanced journalism, law school, and family while teaching him the value of hard work, listening, perseverance, and pursuing dreams. Together, the family celebrates a man who has always shown up, asked questions, offered wisdom, and made the people around him feel loved and important.This Father's Day tribute is a reminder that the greatest legacy often isn't found in accomplishments but in the lives of those forever changed because someone cared enough to be there.5 Key Takeaways• Show up for the people you love because they will remember it forever.• Never stop learning, growing, and pursuing new opportunities.• Stay connected and keep family involved in your life.• Small moments often become the memories that matter most.• The greatest legacy is the impact you have on the people around you.As Father's Day approaches, take a moment to tell someone how much they mean to you. Share a memory, make a phone call, or simply let them know the difference they've made in your life.If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share the Whinypaluza Podcast with someone you love.

This Father's Day episode is personal for me. I lost my brother to testicular cancer in 1993, and that loss taught me how dangerous it is when we do not talk about the cancers that catch our loved ones off guard. So I am honored to share this conversation with Jake Messier, a stage four metastatic male breast cancer advocate known on social media as The Guy With Stage Four Breast Cancer. Jake found a lump while putting on deodorant in early 2023 and, like most men, never imagined it could be breast cancer. That delay may have shaped his stage four diagnosis. In our conversation, he opens up about the isolation of being one man in a pink world, the support groups that turned him away, and the harder truth that almost no research exists on how this disease behaves differently in men, which is part of why it is roughly 30 percent more fatal in men than in women. We also talk about the work he is building now, including the Male Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the male mouse project, and a male cell line registry, plus the men's health questions so many of us carry for the people we love. His closing advice is simple. Be aware of your partner's normal, so you can recognize the abnormal. Please share this episode with the men in your life. It could be the reason one of them does not wait.   Resources Mentioned: Work with Laura: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/health  Download for iPhone:  https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kajabi/id1485646310 Download for Android:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kajabi.kajabiapp&hl=en_US   Connect with Jake Messier, MBA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theguywithstage4breastcancer/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stage4breastcancerguy Website: https://www.theguywithstage4breastcancer.com/   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness.

This Father’s Day week, we hear from two men whose completely different experiences of childhood and fatherhood led them to the same mission: helping dads show up with intention. Jeff Hamilton, pastor and author of Dad Academy, grew up with the rare gift of an engaged, present father. Today, he’s helping dads build stronger relationships with their children through intentional parenting. Later in the episode, we hear from Glen Henry, known online as Beleaf in Fatherhood, whose story couldn’t be more different—a childhood marked by feeling unwanted and unloved, and a young adulthood spent shifting his identity just to feel accepted. It was becoming a father himself that finally forced the inner work he’d avoided and how he learned the importance of fathering yourself first. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Dr. Meg Meeker Upcoming interview: Dr. Michael Guillén Jeff Hamilton Dad Academy Dad Academy: Raising Courageous, Capable, Confident Kids - Book by Jeff Hamilton Glen Henry Beleaf in Fatherhood YouTube Channel Father Yourself First: Everything You Need to Become the Father Your Family Deserves - Book by Glen Henry Interview Quotes: “Kids are going to be kind of self-conscious as they start to compare themselves to the environment or to the relationships that are around them, but our job is not to let their self-worth and value be influenced by an image of what other people want them to be.” - Jeff Hamilton “There’s inherent greatness in our kids, and it’s our job as parents to nurture it within them.” - Jeff Hamilton “I think the greatest thing that we can pass on to our kids is the value of serving. We find a sense of significance by the value and benefit that we bring to others.” - Jeff Hamilton “A dad’s mission is to prepare their kids for life by passing on their values and their skills to their children.” - Jeff Hamilton “The rituals and traditions of your family are the things that give your children a sense of identity and understanding of who they are and the priorities that they need to establish in the course of their lives.” - Jeff Hamilton “[Traditions and rituals] create memorable moments that help our kids understand when they move from one stage to another, and it affirms who they are becoming and the future and the destiny that’s ahead for them.” - Jeff Hamilton “Once I started to grow as a man by having to apply the things that people were trying to teach me my whole life, I recognized the true gift that fatherhood was.” - Glen Henry “My thought is that you would father yourself out of that and start to change your inner voice so that you always speak to yourself as a father that loves you, just like you love your children.” - Glen Henry “The way I have been held as a father, I’ve never felt closer to God than I have being a part of a family. You’re collaborating with God on a masterpiece.” - Glen Henry “There are things hidden in the relationship [with your family] that if you allow it to teach you, you will grow closer to God.” - Glen Henry ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Founder of EMPOWER                       weareempower.org  Here's what my dad did for me after my mother died:  He told me he loved me every single day. It wasn't his job to teach me how to grieve. It was his job to love me. -Cara Belvin This episode features Cara Belvin, one of the first women to share her story on The Story Behind Her Success when we launched the show back in 2018.  She's the founder of a charity called EMPOWER, which creates community for children grieving the loss of a parent.  Raised in Southington, Connecticut, Cara's mother, Kit, died of breast cancer when she was only 37 years old, leaving a grieving husband and two young children.  Cara was only 9 years old when this life-changing experience happened to her, and in this interview, she explains that it was her father and a large extended family who surrounded her with love and support. The loss of our mothers early in our lives is what initially connected us.  We grew up about 10 miles apart in Connecticut, and if I had met her back then, I would have taken her by the hand and shown her the way.  My 18-year-old self would have reassured her that she would survive.    EMPOWER is Cara's homage to her mother; originally created to connect girls with female mentors who have also experienced motherloss, EMPOWER now includes boys and nonbinary kids, connecting them to mentors who know firsthand how it feels to lose a parent. In this interview, we learn that Cara has raised 10 million dollars in 13 years .   What started as a bereavement program with only 7 girls in Boston is now a national non-profit that helped more than 1000 children in 2025.  This Father's Day, we acknowledge the love of our fathers during the most difficult time of our lives.  “Grief is like a tattoo, says Cara, it will fade, but it's not going anywhere.  I see the weight of the world on the shoulders of a lot of dads who are parenting alone after the loss of a partner.  I have a lot of empathy for them, because they look just like my dad.”  For 27 minutes of #fathersday inspiration, just hit that download button.  #womeninspiringwomen #motherloss #fatherloss #bereavement #children

560. 'Daddy issues' gets thrown around as a punchline — but the psychology underneath it is serious, well-researched, and affects people of every gender. This Father's Day week, Dr. Judy Ho reclaims the term and unpacks what paternal attachment wounds actually are, how they shape adult relationships and self-worth across all genders, what 'good enough' fathering looks like neurologically, and three tools for healing — whether your father is still in your life or not.Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.comFind Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologistMore from Dr. Ho on her other channels:Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.Savvy Psychologist is a part of Quick and Dirty Tips. Find a transcript at QuickandDirtyTips.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stop trying to do it all. This Father's Day episode is your wake-up call—how to be the kind of dad, spouse, and leader who shows up when it matters. My special guest is Jay Bilas. You know Jay as one of ESPN's most trusted basketball voices. He joined ESPN in 1995 and has spent decades on the biggest stages in the sport, from College GameDay to the top men's college matchups every week, plus NBA Draft coverage and major studio shows. He is also the New York Times bestselling author of Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court. Jay was a four-year starter at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski from 1982 to 1986. His 1986 Duke team set the NCAA record for the most wins in a single season with 37. While Jay was an assistant coach under Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils won back-to-back National Championships in 1991 and 1992. Jay has also distinguished himself on Twitter, having been named to Sports Illustrated's “Twitter 100” for being among the 100 most essential Twitter follows in sports, and one of the 25 Most Powerful People in Sports Media by The Big Lead. Since 1992, Jay has been a licensed attorney with the law firm of Moore & Van Allen, PLLC, where he has specialized in commercial litigation. He serves on the National Board of the Coaches vs. Cancer Organization, the Board of Advisors of the Duke Brain Tumor Center, and the Board of Directors of The V Foundation for Cancer Research. This conversation isn't about basketball. It's about presence, priorities, and the quiet power of doing the right things when nobody's watching. In this episode, Jay gets real about: Why preparation is a form of toughness—and how it creates calm and confidence The trap of believing you can “have it all” (and what to do instead) The Father's Day truth that hits hard: what your family actually needs from you What kids remember most—and the simple standard that changes everything Jay's one-line job description for fathers: “Be there 100% when you're there.” This is your Father's Day wake-up call. Listen—and then make one change your family will feel this week. Follow Jay: @jbillis on X and Instagram.

In this mini episode we read listener submitted stories about a camper and her possible daughter's stolen identity, a cross-state mission for Bapple, and a dermatologist appointment that did not go as planned.Sponsors:➜ Shop summer-ready activewear at Fabletics.com/camp to get 70–80% off everything when you sign up as a new VIP!➜ Stay hydrated on the go this summer at LiquidIV.com and use code CAMPCOUNSELORS to get 20% off your first purchase! ➜ Stop settling for wines that don't quite hit the mark! Head to TryFirstleaf.com/camp to get 50% off your first box PLUS free shipping for an entire year.➜ This Father's Day, give Dad a gift that captures who he really is. Order now and save up to $20 at StoryWorth.com/counselors➜ Go to Progressive.com to see if you could save on insurance.➜ Talk it out, with BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/CAMPWant BONUS CONTENT? Join our PATREON!Check out our website and submit your inquiries for advice, juicy gossip, confessions, and horror stories!Camp Songs: Listen on Spotify here or Listen online here!Social Media:Camp Counselors TikTokCamp Counselors InstagramCamp Counselors FacebookCamp Counselors TwitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oh The Pain Podcast with Joe Benigno – Episode 55213 down, 3 to go!

order at: HoneybeeHello.com--Hey there! Mr. Honeybee here.