Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VDz2Q6cuwsk

Why do so many dads feel like they’re failing, even when they’re doing their best?

In this honest and soul-stirring conversation, John Eldredge helps us trace the ache beneath our anger, our addictions, and our constant striving. He explains why most men are still chasing love and validation they never received, how childhood wounds shape adult behavior, and why true healing—not behavior modification—is the key to becoming the man your family needs.

Jerrad and John unpack father wounds, mother wounds, emotional detachment, and the deep desire for adventure that often gets twisted into sin. If you've ever felt like you're just trying to survive—numbing your pain, doubting your worth, or holding your breath through life—this conversation will help you breathe again.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why behavior change won’t work without soul healing
• How father and mother wounds still shape your adult life
• The two core needs every boy carries into manhood
• Why adventure and validation matter to your spiritual life
• How to begin healing old attachments and rewire your story
• What it looks like to fight for your family, your faith, and your future

Mentioned in the Episode:

• Wild at Heart and Resilient by John Eldredge
• Experience Jesus (John’s new book on healing)
• Why boys need a thousand moments of delight from their dads
• How your unhealed story gets passed to your kids
• Jerrad’s punching bag story (and why it felt amazing)
• Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
• Read Dad Tired and Loving It: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Today's Sponsors:

Tyndale Study Bibles + World Watch News

What if the part of you that you hate the most is the part God is most eager to heal?

In this episode, Jerrad opens up about a moment that nearly ended him, and the journey that brought him back. He shares a powerful story from his two-week intensive recovery experience, including the surprising object that became a symbol of grace and compassion. If you’ve ever carried shame, hidden pain, or felt like your sin disqualifies you from being loved, this conversation is for you.

Whether you’re a husband, father, or man who’s just tired of pretending, this episode is an invitation to drop the shame and discover the healing God offers to the parts of you that feel unlovable.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why shame makes healing so hard, and what finally breaks its grip.
• The powerful metaphor that helped Jerrad see himself through God’s eyes.
• How childhood wounds shape adult sin patterns.
• What Jesus actually thinks about your sin (hint: it’s not what you assume).
• The difference between guilt, shame, and compassion.
• A fresh way to view your struggles, and the small boy inside still seeking safety.

Mentioned in the Episode:

• The Dwell Bible App – dwellbible.com/dadtired (25% off for listeners).
• The two-week men's recovery intensive Jerrad attended.
• A simple but profound healing exercise involving a stuffed monkey.

Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/WDK9O0VZ7lo

What if your marriage wasn’t just surviving—but actually healing you?

In this powerful episode, Jerrad sits down with author and speaker Gabe Lyons (The Fight for Us) to talk about the real work of building a thriving marriage—especially when life throws curveballs like special needs parenting, trauma, and unspoken pain.

They unpack:

• The power of radical honesty (and why most couples never get there)
• How to stop nursing wounds in silence and start creating real intimacy
• Why “no secrets” might be the most life-changing marriage rule
• What to do when you feel emotionally disconnected
• How confession and emotional leadership can radically change your marriage and parenting

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your marriage or unsure how to lead your family spiritually—this conversation is for you.

📘 Check out Gabe’s new book: The Fight for Us: Overcome What Divides and Build a Marriage That Thrives
Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Today's Sponsor: Classical Conversations Homeschooling

Why do so many men feel stuck—emotionally, spiritually, and relationally—even while doing all the “right” things?
In this vulnerable conversation, Kyle Idleman talks about the inner battles men face in silence. He explains why many men hide behind performance and productivity, how healing begins with connection (not accomplishment), and what it really looks like to take every thought captive.

Kyle and Jerrad dig into thought patterns that keep men stuck, the mental load of leadership, and why confessing weakness isn’t whining—it’s spiritual obedience. If you’ve ever felt alone, overburdened, or ashamed of not “being further along,” this conversation will help you breathe again.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why men around age 40 often face unexpected internal crisis
• How emotional connection—not productivity—defines your health
• What it looks like to take every thought captive in practical terms
• The healing power of confession and friendship
• How to recognize and break negative thought patterns
• Morning routines, prayer habits, and spoken truth as tools for renewal

Mentioned in the Episode:

1. Every Thought Captive (Kyle Idleman’s new book)
2. Galatians 6: “Bear one another’s burdens”
3. The power of saying Scripture aloud to renew your mind
4. Healthy male friendships and confession as healing rhythms
5. The “+/- 3 of 40” principle: why men change between 37–43

Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

What do you do when something isn’t technically sin—but still doesn’t feel right? In this episode, Jerrad shares a vulnerable story from his week that left him convicted, even though no clear line was crossed. He unpacks the concept of “inner, middle, and outer circle behaviors”—a tool from recovery circles—and challenges Christian men to evaluate the subtle patterns that quietly lead to sin, disconnection, or hidden shame.

If you’re a husband or father wrestling with old habits, emotional isolation, or unspoken compromise, this episode gives practical language to your inner conflict—and a gospel-centered path toward integrity and healing.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to identify subtle behaviors that lead to sin
• The difference between self-care and numbing
• Why “middle circle” habits matter for Christian men
• Practical steps for radical honesty in marriage
• How to confess without spiraling into shame
• Why healing starts with small, honest steps—not perfection

Mentioned in the Episode:

1. The “Inner, Middle, Outer Circle” tool from recovery work
2. Dad Tired Retreat (September – signup at dadtired.com)
3. Kids' News Sponsor -World Watch News

Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

What do you do when your marriage feels broken—but you don’t know how to fix it?
In this episode, Dave and Ann Wilson share their story of nearly losing their marriage at year 10, and how God brought them through bitterness, performance, and unmet expectations into healing and intimacy.

With over four decades of marriage experience and years of leading marriage ministries, they speak candidly about wounds from the past, what happens when a wife feels unseen, and why husbands often withdraw instead of engage. You’ll also hear practical tools for renewing your mind, healing emotional wounds, and building each other up instead of tearing each other down.

What You’ll Learn:

• What to do when one spouse has “lost all feelings”
• How past trauma affects your marriage today
• Why healing starts with individual repentance and soul work
• The power of affirmation and the damage of chronic critique
• How to speak life to your spouse (instead of yelling)
• What it means to be an “azer kenegdo” and partner in the spiritual battle
• Why most men feel unloved and unliked in their marriage—and how to change that

Links and Resources:

1. Vertical Marriage and How to Speak Life to Your Husband by Dave & Ann Wilson
2. Biblical Reference- Romans 12:2 – the daily renewing of your mind.
3. Pre-order link: Amazon – How to Speak Life to Your Husband
4. Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
5. Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

   
   

Why do so many christian men fall into the same sinful patterns over and over? Jerrad reveals how habitual sin is often rooted in emotional escape—in attempts to numb pain, stress, or fear. Drawing from his own experience in intensive counseling and a growing commitment to truth-telling, he helps men understand how to face uncomfortable emotions rather than flee from them.

This episode is for every man who feels stuck, ashamed, or exhausted by the cycle of sin and silence. You’ll walk away with practical tools to sit in discomfort, recognize your escape habits, and move toward healing and integrity in Christ.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why escaping pain fuels habitual sin in Christian men
• How to recognize subtle behaviors that lead to deeper compromise
• What it means to sit in discomfort instead of numbing out
• The power of presence, meditation, and prayer for spiritual growth
• Why truth-telling must be the foundation of healing
• How to identify your personal “escape mechanisms” (like social media, work, food, or fantasy)

Resources & Links :

1. Inner / Middle / Outer Circle framework for sin and coping
2. Jerrad’s 156-day truth-telling streak
3. Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:33 – Seek first the Kingdom
4. Upcoming “Garage Groups” and online healing spaces (in development)
5. Dad Tired fundraising needs & support at dadtired.com/donate
6. Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
7. Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

   
   

In this episode, Nick Stumbo (Executive Director of Pure Desire Ministries) shares his personal story of battling pornography addiction while serving as a pastor—and how it nearly cost him his marriage. Nick and Jerrad unpack the cycle of shame, hidden habits, emotional coping, and why true healing for Christian men requires more than confession.

If you've ever felt stuck in sin, numb to your marriage, or spiritually ashamed, this conversation offers a hopeful path toward recovery and freedom in Christ.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why many Christian men deny the severity of their porn use
• The real difference between struggle and addiction
• How shame and secrecy keep men stuck
• Understanding your middle circle behaviors (the warning signs)
• Why confession alone doesn’t lead to freedom
• How to identify your escape patterns
• What wives need to know (and how to avoid trauma-based confessions)

Episode Resources and Links :

1. Pure Desire Ministries: puredesire.org
2. Book: Setting Us Free by Nick Stumbo
3. Recovery groups: Seven Pillars of Freedom (for men), Betrayal & Beyond (for wives)
4. The “Three Questions” that define addiction
5. Tools: Inner/Middle/Outer Circle framework, HALT (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired)
6. Sponsor: Dwell Bible App – dwellbible.com/dadtired
7. Invite Jerrad to speak: https://www.jerradlopes.com
8. Read The Dad Tired Book: https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB