Dad Tired

Jerrad and Layla have an honest conversation about spiritual growth, emotional maturity, and what it looks like to share the mental load in marriage. Layla opens up about her journey from spiritual complacency to discipline, and how one small decision changed everything. They also dive into parenting, baptism, moving across the country, and how to lead your family with humility and purpose.

What You’ll Hear:

• What it looks like to move from spiritual apathy to daily discipline
• Why abiding in Christ—not behavior modification—produces lasting fruit
• A real-life example of how small daily decisions impact the whole family
• Understanding the invisible “mental load” and how to share it well in marriage
• Why your kids may not be ready for baptism (and how to talk about it with grace)
• How to know when it’s time for a new chapter in life or a new church
• Why spiritual leadership starts with quiet obedience, not platform influence

Tune in to reflect on how abiding in Christ transforms your home, your marriage, and your legacy.
Episode Resources:

1. The Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com (Use code PODCAST for $100 off)
2. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
3. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB
4. Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes – https://amzn.to/3WZ9Utp
5. Chris Kins on Worry – Scroll back to the “Worry” episode on the Dad Tired Podcast
6. Join the Free Dad Tired Community – https://www.dadtired.com/community

Jerrad shares a powerful message on what it means to be both protector and peacemaker in a culture where those ideas often feel at odds. From an unexpected lesson while watching a duck guard its family, to deep reflection on Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, this episode challenges men to take spiritual ownership of their homes. Jerrad unpacks how true peace isn’t passive—it’s courageous, intentional, and rooted in the heart of a father who fights for his family’s physical and spiritual well-being.

What You’ll Hear:

• A surprising story about ducks, gators, and spiritual leadership
• Why real protection involves far more than physical safety
• The difference between being a peacekeeper and a peacemaker
• How passivity in marriage and parenting sabotages spiritual growth
• What it means to have your head “on a swivel” in today’s culture
• Why owning hidden sin is part of leading with integrity
• How peacemaking reveals your identity as a son of God

Tune in to hear what strength looks like in fatherhood and how courage and peace can go hand in hand.

Episode Resources:

1. The Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com (Use code PODCAST for $100 off)
2. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
3. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB
4. Join the free Dad Tired Community – https://connect.dadtired.com
5. Matthew 5:9 – “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”
6. Romans 12:18 – “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone

Many Christian parents fear their kids will one day walk away from their faith. In this episode, Jerrad explores six of the most common reasons students (and adults) backslide. Drawing from years of youth ministry and personal parenting experience, he shares clear warning signs and biblical wisdom to help you disciple your kids toward long-term faithfulness.

Tune in to learn how to spot the subtle patterns that pull families away from Jesus; and what you can do today to fight for your child’s heart and legacy.

What You’ll Hear:

• The six most common reasons kids fall away from the faith
• How spiritual atrophy sets in and what to do about it
• Why relationships often pull teens away from Jesus
• What it looks like when old sins quietly return
• How to talk to your kids about unanswered prayers and hard seasons
• The role of sin tampering and how it erodes spiritual conviction
• What it means to finish the race and build a gospel-centered home

Episode Resources:

1. The Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com (Use code PODCAST for $100 off)
2. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
3. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB
4. Register for the Dad Tired Retreat – https://www.dadtired.com/events
5. Romans 13 and 1 Timothy 4:8 on spiritual discipline
6. James 1:13–15 and 1 Corinthians 15:33 on sin and influence

 Jerrad talks with Todd Nettleton from Voice of the Martyrs. They share stories from Christians who follow Jesus in places where faith is dangerous. Todd tells what he has seen in countries like North Korea and Iran. These believers face jail, beatings, and even death. Still, they stay faithful. Their stories remind us what it means to truly follow Christ.
What You’ll Hear:

• What’s happening with persecuted Christians around the world
• Why North Korea remains the most dangerous place for believers
• How a drug dealer in Iran became a bold evangelist
• The testimony of a Chinese woman imprisoned for hosting a Bible study
• Creative ways the gospel is spreading in closed nations
• Why kids need spiritual heroes rooted in eternity
• What it means to treasure Scripture like your life depends on it
• How persecuted believers redefine risk, obedience, and calling

Episode Resources:

1. Voice of the Martyrs – https://www.persecution.com
2. VOM Radio Podcast – https://www.vomradio.net
3. Free Voice of the Martyrs Magazine – Sign up at persecution.com
4. VOM Prayer App – Available in app stores
5. “When Faith Is Forbidden” Book – https://amzn.to/3Rx5wM1
6. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
7. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Jerrad sits down with Louie Giglio to talk about what it means to see God as a perfect Father. Louie shares stories about his own dad, his struggles with approval and control. He also looks back to the moment he realized his view of God had been shaped by wounds he didn’t even know he had. This conversation will help you rethink who God really is and how your identity as His child changes everything.

Tune in to discover how healing your view of God can transform your life as a dad, husband, and man of faith.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why your view of God is the most important thing about you
• How our earthly dads shape the way we see God
• Louie’s story of struggle, burnout, and the pressure to prove
• What it means that God is not the reflection but the perfection of your earthly dad
• How to break generational patterns and become a different kind of father
• The difference between living for approval and living from approval
• What it looks like to parent from a place of identity and grace
• Why every man needs a Father—and how to begin that relationship

Episode Resources:

1. Louie Giglio’s new book – Seeing God as a Perfect Father 
2. Passion City Church – https://passioncitychurch.com
3. Voice of the Martyrs Magazine – https://www.persecution.com
4. “Indescribable” by Louie Giglio – widely available on YouTube
5. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
6. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Jerrad talks with counselor and author Sissy Goff about parenting with peace. Sissy shares why today’s parents are more anxious than ever, how that anxiety gets passed down, and what you can do to change the tone of your home. They also talk about the mental load in marriage, the pressure to parent perfectly, and the quiet strength kids find in calm, connected dads.

Tune in to learn how to recognize your own worry, take back peace, and lead your family with steady confidence.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why today’s parents are more anxious than ever
• How worry shows up in parenting without us noticing
• The link between adult anxiety and anxious kids
• The parenting behaviors that actually increase fear
• What dads bring to the table that anxious homes need
• How to balance correction with connection
• Why your anxiety might be contagious
• Practical tools to help kids build real confidence

Episode Resources:

1. The Worry-Free Parent by Sissy Goff
2. Raising Worry-Free Girls
3. Hope Town Summer Program – https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com
4. Sissy Goff’s Website – https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/about
5. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
6. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Jerrad talks with Levi and Jennie Lusko about walking through grief, parenting in pain, and choosing to trust God when everything falls apart. They share what it was like to lose their five-year-old daughter and how that tragedy shaped the way they lead, love, and live today. This is a raw  conversation about suffering, faith, and the goodness of God in the middle of heartbreak.

Tune in to learn how to anchor your family in hope, even in your hardest seasons.

What You’ll Hear:

• What Levi and Jennie learned from losing their daughter
• How grief impacts marriage and parenting
• Why you don’t have to “fix” your kids’ emotions
• How to stay rooted in God’s Word when life feels dark
• The role of vulnerability in healing
• How to walk with others through sorrow
• What it means to trust God’s character over your circumstances
• The hope that remains when nothing else makes sense

Episode Resources:

1. Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko -Amazon
2. The Fight to Flourish by Jennie Lusko – Amazon
3. Fresh Life Church – https://freshlife.church
4. Levi and Jennie’s teaching and resources – https://levilusko.com
5. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
6. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

 Jerrad sits down with Justin Whitmel Earley to talk about why men often drift into isolation and how to push back against it. Justin shares the biblical and personal reasons friendship matters, and how to build deep, life-giving relationships even in a fast-paced and lonely culture. This episode is for every guy who feels alone, overwhelmed, or just unsure how to form lasting friendships.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why loneliness is a spiritual issue, not just a social one
• How friendship shapes your walk with Jesus
• What the Bible says about being made for people
• Why secrets and isolation wear you down
• How to find friends who know and love the real you
• Why commitment, honesty, and vulnerability matter
• What it looks like to build a rhythm of friendship
• How your family benefits when you choose real connection

Episode Resources:

1. Made for People by Justin Whitmel Earley 
2. Habits of the Household
3. Learn more at https://justinwhitmelearley.com
4. Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com
5. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
6. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

In this epiode, Jerrad reflects on how anxiety has become a norm in modern parenting—and what Jesus has to say about it. He shares honest stories about mental health, stress, and the lies we believe when we try to control everything. Through Scripture and personal loss, he walks through a better way of thinking, feeling, and leading your family. Jesus didn’t just say “stop worrying.” He invited us to consider the ravens.

Tune in to learn how renewing your mind can reshape your home.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why anxiety feels normal, even in Christian homes
• How tech and culture have amplified fear in families
• What Jesus actually meant when He said “do not worry”
• The mindset shift that leads to peace and presence
• How to move from anxiety to action as a dad
• The biblical pattern of mind, will, and affection
• What ravens and flowers reveal about God’s care
• How to lead your kids with calm instead of control

Episode Resources:

1. Philippians 4:6–7 and Luke 12:24
2. Romans 12:1–2 on renewing your mind
3. Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com
4. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
5. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB

Jerrad talks with Ed Drew about how to help kids find their identity in Christ. Ed shares how the church can support families, why identity matters more than behavior, and how to respond when kids feel lost, anxious, or confused. This is a practical and gospel-rooted conversation for every parent who wants to raise secure kids in an insecure world.

What You’ll Hear:

• Why your child’s identity matters more than their behavior
• How the church can help raise confident, Christ-rooted kids
• Ways to shift your language from correction to connection
• How to respond when kids are confused about gender or worth
• Why calm, honest conversations matter more than perfect answers
• The danger of finding value in achievement or image
• How to prepare kids for real-world questions with gospel truth
• What it means to be “God’s Plan A” for your family

Episode Resources:

1. Raising Confident Kids in a Confusing World by Ed Drew
2. Faith in Kids – https://www.faithinkids.org
3. Dad Tired Family Leadership Program – https://www.dadtired.com
4. Invite Jerrad to speak – https://www.jerradlopes.com
5. Read The Dad Tired Book – https://amzn.to/3YTz4GB