Show Notes
Stay up to date: Subscribe to the Newsletter He spent years building a creative career, only to watch it completely unravel. He assumed he could fix it, hustling harder to avoid going backwards financially. That was his story. For years, author Doug McKelvey chased commercial success as a songwriter and scriptwriter—until a devastating season in his late 40s stripped away his pride. In that dark place, he realized how inadequate his ability to truly love his family was without Jesus. Until a season of brokenness changed everything. In this powerful and deeply honest episode, the author of Every Moment Holy shares his journey from career failure to spiritual surrender. He explains how losing his commercial ambition birthed a movement of finding God in the mundane. You’ll hear: The painful reality of watching your career and finances fall apart. Why our inability to love others well points us back to our desperate need for Jesus. How God uses seasons of failure to gracefully strip away our ego and pride. The deeply personal, difficult story behind the creation of Every Moment Holy. How to actually see the sacred in the ordinary, everyday moments of fatherhood. This episode is for the man whose plans have fallen apart. For the man who feels like his ability to love falls short. For the man who misses the holy in the everyday. God is in the mundane. Strong families begin with healed men. Today's Sponsor: Cozy Earth
More from Dad Tired
Important Links: Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church Join the FREE Family Leadership Program Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear You want to be a present dad, an intentional husband, a healthy man, and a faithful follower of Jesus. But does your calendar make room for the things you say matter most? Recording from Antigua, Guatemala, Jerrad Lopes shares an honest look at the gap between his priorities and his schedule—and the simple exercise he’s using to bring them together. Instead of trying to do everything every day, he’s identifying what belongs in a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly rhythm. From intentional time with each child to marriage, Scripture, and friendships where you can be fully known, this episode offers a practical place to start. Jerrad also reflects on why achievement can’t satisfy a soul that needs Jesus and shares the heart behind the first Dad Tired family mission trip. This week’s challenge: write down the kind of man you want to become. Then put one practical step on your calendar.
Are You Sure You're Saved? Ask Yourself This. If you died tonight, how confident are you that you'd spend eternity with Jesus? A five? A seven? A ten? For many Christian men, that question brings up more anxiety than confidence. We believe in Jesus, but we still struggle with doubt, repeat the same sins, and wonder whether we're doing enough to be saved. In this episode of Dad Tired, guest host Pastor Chris Hilken of College Ave Church in San Diego tackles one of the most important questions of the Christian faith: How can I know if I'm really saved?
What do you do when you want to lead your family toward Jesus, but your own failures make you feel like a hypocrite? Jerrad sits down with pastor, author, and Family Discipleship Podcast host Adam Griffin to talk about fatherhood, spiritual leadership, and learning to start again. They discuss the dad who loses his temper in the morning and feels unqualified to pray with his kids at night, why repentance belongs in family discipleship, and how to keep showing up when growth feels painfully slow. There’s also plenty of laughter, a last-minute father-daughter concert, and a reminder that God’s goodness doesn’t change with the way he answers our prayers. If you’ve wondered whether you’re doing enough—or whether you’ve messed up too much to lead—this conversation offers encouragement and a next step. Resources: Adam’s books and Family Discipleship resources Our Family Devotional Share this episode with a dad who needs encouragement to start again.
Important Links: Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church Join the FREE Family Leadership Program Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear You want your wife and kids to grow closer to Jesus. But what happens when you don’t feel close to him yourself?
Important Links: Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church Join the FREE Family Leadership Program Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear You love your kids. But when they’re struggling, it’s hard to know what to do. Come down harder? Give them space? Make another rule? In this honest ramble, Jerrad shares what he’s learning while navigating a challenging season of parenting four kids. From praying with his wife to laughing over Mario Kart, he explores what it looks like to move toward your kids relationally while still addressing the things that need correction. We talk about: • Why feeling out of control can lead to heavy-handed parenting • Paying attention to what each child needs • Making prayer your first response • How your phone can pull you away from the family you want to be present with • Receiving God’s love and forgiveness as you learn to reflect his heart to your kids