Explore every episode of the podcast Dad Tired

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Does your family know what to expect when you walk through the door—or do they have to figure out which version of you showed up?

After a stomach bug leaves Jerrad and his son stranded at a Mississippi airport, an unexpected road trip sparks a conversation about protecting your family, showing up with intention, and becoming a consistent man.

In this honest, back-to-the-basics episode, Jerrad shares what he’s learning about the pressure to look impressive, resting in being known and loved by God, and processing big emotions without taking your wife and kids on a roller coaster. Plus, a look ahead at the upcoming Dad Tired family mission trip to Guatemala.

An encouragement for the dad who’s still stumbling toward Jesus—and wants to help his family do the same.

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What are you carrying that you’ve quietly decided to take to the grave?

Maybe it’s sin. Maybe it’s shame, pain, resentment, addiction, or something that happened to you. You’ve convinced yourself that keeping it hidden protects the people you love—but hidden pain never stays contained. Eventually, it leaks into your marriage, your parenting, and the way you see yourself.

In this deeply personal episode, Jerrad shares stories of men who risked being fully known, his own experience of God redeeming an old wound, and why the Lord lovingly reaches into every hidden nook and cranny of our lives.

This isn’t a call to recklessly confess everything without wisdom. It’s an invitation to stop carrying it alone. Find a trusted counselor, pastor, or mature brother in Christ who can walk with you toward healing.

You are already fully known by God—and fully loved.

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Jonathan Almonte grew up in extreme poverty in the Dominican Republic, without a father in the home and believing that joining a gang might be his best path to a better life.

But God began changing his story through a local church, a childhood friend, and a Compassion International sponsor who faithfully wrote him letters from Michigan. Years later, when Jonathan’s father told him he was a mistake, those relationships helped him understand that his identity was not defined by rejection, poverty, or his past.

In this episode, Jerrad and Jonathan talk about father wounds, growing up fatherless, forgiveness, poverty, faith, spiritual darkness, Christian fatherhood, and the way God can redeem the most painful parts of our story.

Today, Jonathan is a husband, father, and serves tens of thousands of children in the Dominican Republic through Compassion International.

If you’ve struggled with rejection, an absent father, forgiveness, or questions about your identity in Christ, this conversation is for you.

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When was the last time you felt genuinely excited about your future?

For a lot of men, life slowly becomes survival mode—work, bills, marriage, kids, responsibilities, repeat. Somewhere along the way, we stop dreaming.

In this off-the-cuff episode, Jerrad shares three dreams that have been stirring in his heart for the future of Dad Tired, including serving military families, creating deeper healing experiences for men, and making space for more meaningful conversations.

But underneath all of it is a bigger realization: sometimes you have to heal before you can dream again.

Jerrad reflects on the last few years of confronting sin, pain, brokenness, and unhealthy patterns—and how God has used that healing to give him the capacity to look forward with hope again.

If you’ve felt stuck, exhausted, or like you’re simply trying to make it through the week, this episode is an invitation to lift your head, let God deal with what’s underneath the surface, and begin asking what He might still want to do with your life.

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Sin rarely destroys a man’s life all at once. More often, it slowly kills his joy, peace, intimacy, trust, focus, and spiritual health—and eventually, he gets used to living around the damage.

In this episode, Jerrad asks a difficult question: What has died in your life as a result of sin? Through an honest personal confession, the story of a refrigerator filled with spoiled milk, and the hope of the gospel, he challenges men to stop minimizing the “small” compromises they’ve grown comfortable with.

You don’t have to keep living surrounded by dead things. Jesus is not intimidated by the broken, hidden, or lifeless places in your story. Bring them into the light, confess them, and trust the God who makes dead things alive again.

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What if sleep isn’t wasted time, weakness, or something to squeeze in after everything else is done? What if it is actually one of God’s most practical invitations to trust Him?

In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Brett McCracken, senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition and author of The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God’s Truth and Revives Weary Souls.

Together, they explore why God designed us to spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, how sleep reminds us that we are the creation—not the Creator—and why closing our eyes each night can become an act of surrender.

A Prayer Before Sleep

Father,

As I close my eyes tonight, I remember that I am not God.

I have limits.
You have none.

I need rest.
You neither slumber nor sleep.

There are things I did not finish, problems I could not solve, and people I cannot protect on my own. I release them all into Your hands.

Forgive me for believing that everything depends on me.

Thank You for the gift of sleep; a grace I receive, not something I earn. As I lie down, remind me that Christ has finished the work I could never finish.

Protect my home.
Watch over my family.
Quiet my mind.
Restore my body and soul.

As sleep resembles death, remind me that I have died with Christ. And if You wake me in the morning, let the rising sun remind me that I have also been raised with Him into new life.

Tonight, I surrender control.

You are awake, so I can sleep.
 You are sovereign, so I can rest.
 You are faithful, so I do not have to be afraid.

Into Your hands I place this night.

Amen.

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What is really happening when anger, discouragement, anxiety, or apathy suddenly takes over?

In this raw solo episode, Jerrad processes his own battle with comparison and insecurity after watching other successful men in ministry. What initially felt like simple discouragement revealed something much deeper: an old wound had been touched, and the enemy was using it to whisper familiar lies.

Jerrad also shares a surprising example from UFC fighters Sean Strickland and Dustin Poirier that demonstrates what can happen when a man has the courage to stop numbing and ask, “Why am I actually feeling this?”

Whether your emotions come out through anger and impatience or disappear inward through silence, withdrawal, and apathy, they may be pointing toward a wound that needs attention.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize emotions as warning lights on the dashboard of your soul
• Identify the wound underneath your reaction
• Notice the lies being whispered in moments of pain
• Stop using anger, alcohol, pornography, entertainment, work, or your phone to numb
• Slow down and invite the Holy Spirit to reveal what is really happening
• Replace the enemy’s lies with the truth of God’s Word

Before you react, withdraw, or numb yourself, pause and ask:

Where is the wound?
What is the lie I’m believing?
God, what truth do You want to speak over me?

Mature men are not men who never experience strong emotions. They are men who learn to recognize what they are feeling, bring it honestly before God, and allow His truth to lead them.

Scriptures Mentioned

John 8:44
Psalm 139:23–24
Matthew 6:25–34
Romans 8:28

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__

In this deeply moving episode of Dad Tired, Jerrad sits down with former country music star Granger Smith for a raw and hope-filled conversation about grief, faith, and true conversion.

Granger opens up about the tragic loss of his three-year-old son, River, the darkness that followed, and the moment on a tour bus when he cried out for Jesus to save him. He shares how that moment began to unravel everything he thought he knew about himself, his identity, and even his faith.

Together, Jerrad and Granger talk about what it means to move from simply knowing Christian language to truly tasting the goodness of God, why “I’ve always been a Christian” may be a warning sign, and how God sometimes strips away the very things we use to feel secure so that we can finally see Him clearly.

Granger also shares why he eventually walked away from country music, what it looks like to serve in ministry now, and the heart behind his book Poison in the Well, written for those stuck in nominal Christianity.

CONTENT NOTE
This episode includes discussion of child loss, drowning, grief, suicidal thoughts, and spiritual darkness. Please listen with care, especially if children are present.

IN THIS EPISODE
• Granger’s life as a husband, father, former country artist, and pastor
• The loss of his son River and the grief that followed
• The tour bus moment when Granger cried out to Jesus
• Why grief, shame, and despair exposed the emptiness of surface-level faith
• The difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God
• Why Scripture became food instead of a religious obligation
• What led Granger to walk away from country music
• The warning signs of nominal Christianity
• Why every man should examine whether he has truly been born again

RESOURCES
Pre-Order Granger Smith’s book: Poison in the Well
Dad Tired Retreat: dadtired.com

Former Green Beret John Arroyo survived the 2014 Fort Hood mass shooting after being shot through the throat. But in this powerful conversation, John shares why the deepest wound of his life wasn’t the bullet — it was growing up without a father.

John and Jerrad talk about father wounds, gangs, addiction, becoming a teenage dad, military life, trauma, and the healing power of realizing that God had been with him all along.

This is one of the most moving conversations we’ve ever had on Dad Tired.

Important Links:
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church
Join the FREE Family Leadership Program
Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear

Important Links:
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church
Join the FREE Family Leadership Program
Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear

In this episode of Dad Tired, Jerrad sits down with Kaleb and Chris for an honest conversation about one of the most common tensions Christian parents face: What do I do when my kid doesn’t want to go to church anymore?

Together, they talk through the difference between forcing empty religion and faithfully leading your home, why Sunday worship is about more than personal preference, and how our kids are formed by seeing real stories of redemption inside the body of Christ. This conversation is a call for dads to lead with conviction, compassion, and consistency as they disciple their families toward Jesus.

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______

What does real friendship actually look like for men?

In this episode of Dad Tired, Jerrad is joined by Kaleb Allen and Chris Hilken for an honest conversation about brotherhood, grief, betrayal, loneliness, and the kind of friendship that goes far deeper than networking, convenience, or shared success.

Together, they talk about why so many men struggle to build meaningful friendships, how pain often becomes the soil where real brotherhood grows, and why true friends are the ones who stay when your life is messy, costly, or inconvenient.

This conversation is a reminder that men were not made to follow Jesus alone. We need brothers who know us, love us, challenge us, and are willing to “waste time” with us for the sake of something eternal.

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Sponsor: VARA Safes. Promo code: DADTIRED20

In this episode of Dad Tired, Jerrad sits down with Dr. Kathy Koch, founder of Celebrate Kids, to talk about raising kids who feel fully known, deeply loved, and prepared for life.

Dr. Kathy shares practical wisdom for Christian dads on speaking identity over their children, understanding different learning styles, building emotional intelligence, avoiding over-parenting, and helping kids grow into confident, faithful adults.

They also discuss why a father’s words carry so much weight, how dads can affirm more than performance or appearance, why reading to your kids matters, and how to parent children who think, learn, and process differently.

This conversation will encourage any dad who wants to lead his family spiritually, connect more deeply with his kids, and raise children who know who they are in Christ.

In this episode:

• Why dads need to speak identity over their kids
• How children become who we tell them they are
• Understanding your child’s unique learning style
• The danger of over-parenting
• How to prepare kids for adulthood
• The difference between correction and criticism
• Helping your kids feel known and loved at home

Key reminder: If your kids don’t feel known at home, they’ll look somewhere else to be known.

Dad Tired Annual Retreat
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Hey guys, quick update from Jerrad.

As you’re listening to this, I’m currently in Alaska with my son and a group of Dad Tired dads and sons for a father-son rite of passage trip.

This season is packed with Dad Tired events, including the Alaska trip, Family Camp, our family mission trip to Guatemala, the annual Dad Tired retreat, and upcoming one-day conferences. Because of that, the podcast schedule may look a little different over the next few weeks.

If an episode drops on a different day than usual — or if there isn’t a new episode when you expected one — thanks for giving us some grace as we move through a full season of ministry.

The best way to stay up to date on upcoming trips, retreats, conferences, and schedule updates is to join the Dad Tired email list using the link in the episode description.

We love you guys, and we’ll be back to our normal rhythm soon.

- Jerrad

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When your soul feels anxious, restless, angry, or worn down, what do you do?

In this episode of Dad Tired, Pastor Kaleb points men back to one of the most overlooked gifts God has given us for caring for our souls: the Psalms. The Psalms give language to the deepest parts of us — our fear, sorrow, repentance, betrayal, joy, gratitude, and hope.

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even know what’s going on inside of me,” this episode will help you see the Psalms as God’s invitation to pray when you don’t know how to pray.

Kaleb walks through how Jesus, the apostles, and the early church leaned on the Psalms in moments of suffering, anxiety, worship, and spiritual battle. You’ll be encouraged to stop treating the Psalms as ancient poetry only, and start using them as daily prayers for your soul.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How the Psalms help diagnose and shepherd your soul
Why Jesus prayed the Psalms in His suffering
How the early church used the Psalms in moments of fear and persecution
Why the Psalms give language to anxiety, repentance, grief, and worship
A simple practice for praying through the Psalms each week

Whether you’re anxious, tired, tempted, grateful, or grieving, the Psalms give you words to bring your whole heart before God.

Mentioned in this episode:
Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 42, Psalm 51, Psalm 63, Psalm 88, Psalm 91, Psalm 103, Psalm 116, Matthew 26, Acts 4, John Calvin, Athanasius, Basil of Caesarea.

Important Links:
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church
Join the FREE Family Leadership Program
Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear

Important Links:
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church
Join the FREE Family Leadership Program
Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear

Sometimes the only way to see God do what only He can do is to stop trying to control the outcome. In this episode, Jerrad reflects on Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal and the bold moment when Elijah poured water over the altar before asking God to send fire. For dads who feel the pull to manage, manipulate, or quietly “shuffle the deck,” this is an invitation to real surrender. What would it look like to give God the wet wood and trust Him to be the fire?

Important Links:
Grab a copy of David's book: Capable: Raising Resiliant Kids
Mentioned: The Anxious Generation & The Amazing Generation
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In this episode, Jerrad sits down with David Thomas, executive director of Daystar Counseling Ministries and co-author of Capable, for a practical and deeply encouraging conversation on raising resilient kids.

David explains why our goal as parents should not simply be to raise happy or confident children, but capable ones. He and Jerrad talk about the temptation to rescue our kids from hard things, how anxiety often shows up differently in boys, why chores and discomfort matter, and how kids build competence by practicing coping, problem-solving, and flexibility.

They also talk honestly about dads doing their own healing work, how unhealed pain can spill onto our families, and why strong families begin with men who are willing to name what is going on in their own hearts.

If you’re a dad who wants to raise kids who can handle real life with courage, resilience, and dependence on Jesus, this conversation is for you.

Important Links:
Grab a copy of David's book: Capable: Raising Resiliant Kids
Mentioned: The Anxious Generation & The Amazing Generation
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Host A Dad Tired Conference at your church
Join the FREE Family Leadership Program
Shop the Dad Tired store for best-selling gear

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Full Message from Kaleb HERE
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In this devotional episode of Dad Tired, Jerrad walks through the story of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18, where Abraham welcomes the Lord into his home with reverence, urgency, and hospitality.

Abraham creates an environment where God is honored and welcomed, but what’s striking is that God comes to speak directly to Sarah. As husbands, dads, and men, this passage invites us to ask a simple but powerful question: are we creating homes where the presence of God is welcomed?

This episode will challenge you to think about the spiritual atmosphere of your home, and what it could look like to intentionally make space for worship, Scripture, prayer, and the Holy Spirit in everyday family life.

Important Links:
Today's Sponsor: Heavenly Heat Saunas
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What if the life you’ve built to survive is keeping you from the life God actually made you for?

In this episode, Jerrad sits down with songwriter, worship leader, recording artist, and author John Mark McMillan, best known for writing “How He Loves.” Together, they talk about identity, family, creativity, contemplation, and what it looks like to peel back the layers of survival to rediscover the person God created you to be.

John Mark shares about nearly quitting music, moving toward writing, raising teenagers, finding beauty in ordinary family life, and learning to create from a place of honesty instead of performance. The conversation also explores how distraction, phones, addiction, and the noise of modern life are shaping our souls, and how the church might become one of the last places where people can truly be present together.

This is a deep, honest conversation for any man who feels tired, distracted, unsure of who he is, or hungry for a more meaningful life with God and his family.

Important Links:
Today's Sponsor: Heavenly Heat Saunas
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What if your job, your parenting, your neighborhood, and your ordinary Monday morning all mattered deeply to God?

In this episode, Jerrad sits down with returning guest Jordan Raynor for a wide-ranging conversation about work, calling, the Holy Spirit, fatherhood, and the lies that keep Christian men exhausted.

Jordan unpacks why work existed before sin, how our daily jobs can be worship, and why the Holy Spirit empowers us not just for salvation, but for the good works God has prepared for us. The conversation also moves into evangelism, neighborhood faithfulness, the kindness of God, and the freedom that comes from realizing God doesn’t need us. He wants us.

This episode is for the dad who feels tired, scattered, overcommitted, or unsure if his everyday life really matters to God.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why your work matters to God
How to see ordinary tasks as worship
The lies and half-truths many Christians believe
Why the Holy Spirit empowers us for good works
How to talk to your kids about deep theology
Why saying no can be an act of faithfulness
The difference between a tired body and a weary soul
Why God doesn’t need you, but graciously invites you

Mentioned in this episode:

VARA Safe Use Promo code DADTIRED for $20 off
Dad Tired Annual Retreat
Free Family Leadership Program
The Spirit in You by Jordan Raynor

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Who or what gets your best attention, your best thinking, and your best mood?

In today’s Dad Tired Daily episode, Jerrad shares a convicting moment from a normal drive to school with his kids. After dropping them off, he realized he had not said a single word to them the entire drive. Not because he was angry. Not because he didn’t love them. But because his mind was consumed with work, stress, responsibilities, and the long list of things he needed to get done.

That moment led to a deeper question: are the people God has called us to love getting our best, or just our leftovers?

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:23 to guard our hearts, and Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that the heart is deceitful. We may say we value our family, our faith, and our calling, but our attention, mood, calendar, and thoughts often tell the truth.

This episode is a simple, honest challenge to pay attention to what is getting the best of you.

Ask yourself today:

Who gets my best attention?
Who gets my best thinking?
Who gets my best mood?
Are those the people and things God has actually called me to?

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Jerrad sits down with Tim Timmons for one of the most honest conversations we’ve had on the podcast. 

Tim shares about living with stage 4 cancer for over 25 years, the exhaustion of trying to “work for God,” and how he’s learning to simply wake up each day and join Jesus.

Together, they talk about:

• Contentment vs surrender
• Parenting and repair
• The pressure Christian men carry
• Living sober-minded in a distracted world
• Why the Kingdom of God threatens our own kingdoms

This episode feels like sitting across the table from a wise friend who’s been through some things.

Join of at the Dad Tired Annual Retreat

In this episode, Jerrad reflects on Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 and what it really means to take sin seriously. 

After nearly two years off social media, he shares how removing constant digital input transformed his mind, reduced temptation, and brought a level of peace he didn’t know he was missing.

This isn’t about rules.
It’s about freedom.

If something in your life is pulling you away from who God is calling you to be, maybe the answer isn’t managing it better…

Maybe it’s removing it altogether.

Want to be the spiritual leader of your home? Start HERE.

Most men don’t hate work because they’re lazy.
They hate work because they’re misaligned.

In this conversation with Ken Coleman, we talk about why so many men feel stuck, how to find clarity in your calling, and what it looks like to pursue meaningful work without sacrificing your family.

If you’ve been feeling confused, burned out, or unsure of your next step—this episode will help you take one.

Clarity → Confidence → Courage.

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In today’s Dad Tired Daily, Pastor Kaleb Allen wraps up a powerful 3-part series by walking through John 4—the story of the woman at the well.

Jesus challenges more than just her past… He challenges our perspective, our prejudices, and our purpose.

While the disciples are focused on physical food, Jesus reveals something deeper:
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me.”

What if the reason your soul feels tired… isn’t because you’re doing too much—
but because you’re not doing what you were made for?

This episode is a wake-up call for men who feel stuck, bored, or spiritually dry.

In this episode:

• Why we quietly write people off—and how Jesus doesn’t
• The hidden “prejudice” that can live in a believer’s heart
• What Jesus meant by being nourished through mission
• Why comfort and ease are leaving so many men empty
• How to rediscover purpose through the work God has given you

Key takeaway:
Your soul was never meant to live on comfort—it was meant to come alive on mission.

Lift your eyes. The harvest is right in front of you.

This one starts funny… and gets real fast.

In this conversation with Tim Hawkins, we talk about why so many men feel stuck—even when life looks good on the outside.

We get into burnout, chasing affirmation, marriage struggles, and what it actually looks like to heal.

If something feels off… this might be why.

How many times do we go back to the same thing… hoping it will finally satisfy?

In this devotional from Pastor Kaleb Allen (John 4), we look at the “five husbands” idea and ask a hard question:

What are you still chasing?

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You don’t need more stuff.

You need more clarity.

In this episode, Joshua Becker and I talk about minimalism, contentment, and why so many men feel overwhelmed right now.

We get into the connection between your possessions and your peace… and how simplifying your life can actually help you become a better husband, dad, and disciple of Jesus.

Grab a copy of Joshua's Book HERE

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Jesus didn’t avoid Samaria—He walked straight into it.

In this devotional from John 4, we’re reminded that:

• We often ignore the very people Jesus would pursue
• We carry the gift of living water
• And we’ve been sent on mission, whether we realize it or not

Simple. Direct. But it’ll challenge the way you move through your day.

Most men don’t reject Jesus—they reshape Him.

In this conversation with Kyle Idleman, we unpack what it really means to follow Jesus as Messiah and King, not just Savior.

If your faith feels shallow, comfortable, or disconnected from real life… this might be why.

Mentioned in today's Episode:
- Dad Tired One Dy Conferences
- Attend the Annual Retreat
- Become a Dad Tired Partner
- Shop the Dad Tired Store
- Cozy Earth BOGO: DADTIREDBOGO
- Kyle's new book

You feel stuck. Like you're not growing. Like you're failing more than you're winning.

But in Genesis 15, God shows us something powerful:

The promise doesn’t depend on you.

While Abram was asleep… God made a covenant with Himself.

Meaning—God will finish what He started in you.

So take a breath today. You’re not behind.

God’s not done with you.

Most guys don’t feel broke because they don’t make enough money…

They feel broke because everything feels out of control.

In this episode, I sit down with George Kamel to talk about something we don’t address enough as men:

👉 the connection between your money… and your peace

We talk about:

• why so many men feel financially overwhelmed (even with good income)
• how money stress is quietly affecting your marriage and leadership
• the trap of thinking “I just need to make more”
• how to actually get control of your finances (practically, not theoretically)
• and why financial peace is a discipleship issue, not just a math problem

If you’ve ever felt behind, stressed, or unsure where your money is going…

this one’s for you.

Mentioned in today's Episode:
- Dad Tired One Dy Conferences
- Attend the Annual Retreat
- Become a Dad Tired Partner
- Shop the Dad Tired Store
- Break Free From Broke Book

Palm Sunday began with “Hosanna”… and ended with “Crucify Him.”

Why? Because Jesus didn’t meet their expectations.

In this episode, we wrestle with a hard truth: sometimes Jesus won’t fix the thing you’re asking Him to fix—because He’s going after something deeper.

The question is… if He doesn’t show up the way you hoped, will you still trust Him as King?

Mentioned in today's Episode:
- Dad Tired One Dy Conferences
- Attend the Annual Retreat
- Become a Dad Tired Partner
- Shop the Dad Tired Store
- Prison Fellowship

Most men carry a story they’re ashamed of.

Bad decisions.
A past they wish they could erase.
A quiet fear that maybe they’ve already messed things up too badly.

Jermaine Wilson knows that feeling.

By 15 he was in juvenile corrections.
By 19 he was in prison again… holding his baby son and wondering if he would ever become the man his family needed.

But prison became the place where everything changed.

Through the gospel, brotherhood, and the grace of God, Jermaine’s life was completely transformed. Today he’s a father, grandfather, leader with Prison Fellowship… and even served as mayor of the city where he was once incarcerated.

If you’ve ever wondered whether God can redeem your story, this episode is for you.

Ever feel like you’re doing all of this on your own?

Work, marriage, parenting… it can feel heavy.

But Jesus made a promise in John 14—He wouldn’t leave you as an orphan.

In this episode, a simple but powerful reminder:
you’re not alone… and you were never meant to live like you are.

What would you do if $5 million was on the line?

In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Beast Games runner-up Cory Sims — the fan favorite who captured hearts by refusing to compromise his faith and integrity.

Cory shares what it was like to:

• Compete for 42 days without phones or outside contact
• Face life-changing decisions with $5 million on the line
• Lose the final challenge — and discover God had a bigger plan

We also talk about fatherhood, faith under pressure, and the surprising lesson Cory learned after walking away without the money.

Turns out… some things are worth more than $5 million.

Mentioned in today's Episode:
- Cozy Earth promo code DADTIRED
- Dad Tired One Dy Conferences
- Attend the Annual Retreat
- Become a Dad Tired Partner
- Shop the Dad Tired Store

Mentioned in today's Episode:
- The Kids Go Bible
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Most couples don’t wake up thinking: “How can I frustrate my spouse today?”

And yet we still end up in the same exhausting cycle.

She feels unloved.
He feels disrespected.
She pushes harder.
He shuts down.

Round and round it goes.

Today Dr. Emerson Eggerichs—author of Love & Respect—joins Jerrad to unpack the marriage dynamic he calls “The Crazy Cycle.”

Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why 85% of men shut down during conflict
dad-tired-dr-eggerich_dad-tired…
• The misunderstanding that fuels most marriage fights
• How porn quietly reshapes a man’s expectations in marriage
• Why wives often escalate conflict while husbands withdraw
• How dads can speak identity into their sons and daughters
• Why struggling marriages don’t need more effort — they need more light

📚 Get Dr. Eggerichs’ New Book

Dr. Emerson’s new book highlights the “lightbulb moments” that help couples finally understand what’s happening in their marriage.

Grab it here:
👉 Lightbulb Moments

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Support dads in need by making a donation to the ministry. 

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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

For years, Dad Tired founder Jerrad Lopes has dreamed about taking dads and their families on a mission trip together. In this episode, he shares an exciting new opportunity for Dad Tired families to serve alongside him and his own family in Guatemala in October 2026.

The trip will partner with the missions organization Adventures in Missions to serve local communities outside Guatemala City. Families will have opportunities to participate in meaningful work such as serving in children’s programs, supporting local ministries, building safer cooking stoves for families, and potentially helping build a home for someone in need. 

But this trip is about more than service projects. It’s about expanding perspective, strengthening faith, and helping dads and their kids experience the global Church together. Jerrad shares why these kinds of trips can be spiritually transformative and why he believes every Christian family should consider stepping outside their comfort zone to see what God is doing around the world. 

Because this is the first Dad Tired mission trip, the team will be intentionally small—only 6–7 families total. In this episode, Jerrad explains the vision for the trip, what families can expect, and how listeners can apply to join.

Learn more and apply:
dadtired.com/missions

Host a conference at your church: LEARN MORE

There’s a pattern in Scripture that shows up again and again:

See.
Desire.
Take.

From Adam to David… and now to us.

In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Joel Muddamalle about the unseen spiritual realities shaping our homes—and how everyday temptations (work, lust, alcohol, ambition) fit into a much bigger story.

If you’ve ever felt like something deeper is at work beneath the surface of your struggles, this conversation will help you put language to it.

Strong families begin with healed men.

And healed men learn not to take what was never theirs.

Today's Sponsor: Courage For Life Men's Study Bible

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Most men don’t believe freedom is possible.

They assume they’ll carry shame, addiction, and secrets for the rest of their lives.

That was his story too.

For years, he struggled silently with porn, lust, and shame—even while loving his wife, following Jesus, and doing everything he thought a “good Christian man” was supposed to do.

Until one conversation changed everything.

In this powerful and deeply honest episode, a Dad Tired listener shares his journey from secrecy to freedom, from hiding to truth, and from addiction to healing.

You’ll hear:

• The moment he realized his marriage was in danger
• Why white-knuckling never leads to real freedom
• How honest community changed everything
• The surprising cost of becoming a truth teller
• What freedom actually feels like on the other side

This episode is for the man who feels stuck.

For the man who thinks he’ll never change.

For the man who’s tired of hiding.

Freedom is possible.

Strong families begin with healed men.

If you feel like you’re drowning right now… this one’s for you.

Trying to follow Jesus with integrity.
Trying to love your wife well.
Trying to disciple your kids.
Trying to provide and carry the weight of responsibility.

That’s four heavy bags already.

And then the world keeps asking for more.

More opinions.
More commitments.
More distractions.
More “opportunities.”

In today’s episode, we talk about why it’s okay to say, “My hands are full.”

Why you don’t have to carry every bag handed to you.

And why saying no might be one of the most faithful things you do.

Strong families begin with healed men.
Sometimes healing looks like limits.

Today's Sponsor: The Go Bible

Have you ever told Jesus, “I’ll follow you”… but deep down knew there were conditions?

In Luke 9, Jesus encounters three men who all say they want to follow Him. One is overly excited but hasn’t counted the cost. One delays, waiting for a more convenient time. And one wants Jesus—but still keeps looking back.

Each one is close. But none fully surrender.

In this message, we explore the uncomfortable truth about discipleship: following Jesus will cost you everything. Not because He wants to harm you—but because He wants to heal you, transform you, and make you fully alive.

Jesus isn’t looking for momentary excitement. He’s looking for faithful disciples who are all in.

This message will challenge you to ask:

• Have I counted the cost?
• Am I delaying obedience?
• Am I still looking back at my old life?
• Or am I fully surrendered?

The greatest tragedy isn’t rejecting Jesus outright. It’s almost following Him your entire life.

Scripture: Luke 9:57–62

If you zoom into any single moment of someone’s life, you can draw the wrong conclusion.

David looks like a hero… until you keep reading.
Peter looks unshakable… until the denial.
Moses, Abraham—faithful men with very uneven stories.

And the same is true for us.

In this episode, Jerrad invites you to zoom out on your faith journey. Discipleship isn’t an “up and to the right” chart. It’s more like the stock market—ups, downs, setbacks, growth—all held together by a faithful God who finishes what He starts.

You don’t get to crown yourself in the good seasons.
And you don’t get to condemn yourself in the hard ones.

God isn’t surprised by your uneven growth. He knew exactly what He was getting when He saved you—and He’s still at work.

Homework for today:
Stop judging your faith by a snapshot. Zoom out. Speak truth out loud. And rest in the faithfulness of God.

Dadology Parenting Conference for Dads

Most of the discipleship we’ll ever do as fathers happens inside the four walls of our home.

In today’s Dad Tired Devotional, Jerrad reflects on how limited our hands-on time with our kids really is—and why that makes our homes sacred ground. He invites fathers into a simple, practical exercise: finding quiet time to walk through their home and pray over each space, each child, and their marriage.

This isn’t about fear or perfection. It’s about taking spiritual leadership seriously, inviting God’s presence into ordinary spaces, and recognizing that homes are often where the most important formation happens.

Join us in San Diego for our Dad Conference: dadtired.com/dadology

We’re exhausted because we’re treating temporary things like they’re eternal.

In today’s Dad Tired Devotional, Jerrad reflects on how Scripture constantly reminds us that this life is short—and how remembering eternity actually brings freedom, not fear. From a simple moment at a red light to the words of James, Peter, and the Psalms, this episode is a quiet invitation to zoom out, regain perspective, and stop letting temporary stressors dominate your soul.

When we forget eternity, everything feels overwhelming.
When we remember it, wisdom begins to grow.

There’s a moment in Mark 10 where Jesus stops everything for a blind man crying out on the side of the road.

Bartimaeus doesn’t pray a polished prayer.
He doesn’t say the right words.
He just asks for mercy.

And when the crowd tells him to be quiet, he cries out even louder.

In this short devotional, we talk about why so many men stay vague with God, why the crowd often pressures us to keep it together, and why Jesus asks a simple but confronting question:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

You don’t need to clean it up.
You don’t need to stay quiet.

You just need to be honest.

This week was heavy — not because something catastrophic happened, but because my body acted like it did.

Tight chest. Tense shoulders. Headaches. No sleep.

And that disconnect can be confusing for a lot of men. You know things aren’t a big deal… but your nervous system doesn’t agree.

In this episode, I talk about how trauma memory works, why even a small overlap with past pain can send your body into full survival mode, and why Jesus’ words in John 14:27 matter more than ever when your body feels out of control.

This isn’t about “calming down.”

It’s about receiving a kind of peace the world can’t give.

If your body feels stuck in high alert lately, this one’s for you.

Download the worksheet: Say “No” More

Today’s Sponsor: The Hands On Bible

Why did Jesus say no—and why does that matter for you as a dad?

In this episode, we talk about boundaries, calling, and the quiet cost of saying yes to everything. Jesus didn’t heal people and then automatically bring them along. Sometimes He said no—because He was crystal clear about what He was saying yes to.

If you feel pulled in a hundred directions by work, culture, expectations, and other people’s agendas, this conversation will help you slow down and realign.

We’ll talk about:

• Why Jesus’ “no” often confused people
• How unclear priorities lead to burnout
• Why your wife and kids pay the price for your overcommitment
• How to confidently say no without explanation or guilt

Plus, there’s a simple one-page worksheet to help you put this into practice.

👉 Get it here: dadtired.com/yes

Strong families begin with healed—and focused—men.

What do you do mentally when something hard hits your life?

In this episode, Jerrad shares a real moment from his day—going from gratitude and joy to panic when his email was hacked and multiple problems hit at once. He reflects on two familiar mental paths many men walk: catastrophizing and numbing.

But healing often means cutting a new path.

Using a powerful backpacking metaphor, Jerrad explores how men can stop defaulting to fear and escape, and instead learn to walk the quieter, harder path of gospel truth.

Practice for today:
Ask yourself: When life gets hard, what are the well-worn paths in my mind—and are they leading me toward healing or away from it?

Because strong families begin with healed men.

What if God actually wants to talk to you today?

Not in a dramatic, spiritual, churchy way—but in the middle of your real life. In this episode, Jerrad explores the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 and the surprising way God speaks—not through wind, fire, or earthquakes, but through a gentle whisper.

If your life feels loud, chaotic, or overwhelming, this episode is a simple invitation to slow down, listen, and rediscover the quiet voice of God.

Practice for today:
Take one minute of silence and ask God, “What do You want to say to me today?”

Because strong families begin with healed men.