DadAwesome

Jeff Zaugg
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ACTIVATING DADS TO LEAD WITH WONDER Walking with dads as they lead and love their kids toward God's awesomeness. We're on a mission to see dads fully alive and fully activated in their roles—leading with wonder to build intentional connection with their kids while experiencing God's awesomeness together. We partner with dads at every stage of the journey by providing practical fatherhood resources to catalyze connection with their kids, and also with other dads.

  1. 15 HR AGO

    DA424 | The Fool and the King, Turning Pain into Praise, and Love Times Three with Tim Timberlake (Part 1)

    🔥 Pastor Tim Timberlake lost his dad the day after his 18th birthday. 24 years later, he's STILL unpacking the treasures from their last conversation. ➡️ Why every dad has a "fool" and a "king" inside—and the one you address is the one that will respond ➡️ How to make your pain purposeful instead of letting it steal your joy ➡️ The power of TONE and why the love of a father can convict a child into becoming better   SUMMARY What does it look like to father from love instead of frustration? In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Pastor Tim Timberlake shares what it was like losing his dad the day after his 18th birthday—and how 24 years later, he's still unpacking the treasures from their final conversation. Tim opens up about how his father's tone, words, and presence shaped the man and dad he's becoming today. Plus, he reveals the simple practice that keeps him anchored in gratitude and why every dad has both a fool and a king inside—and the one you address is the one that will respond. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week. TAKEAWAYS Legacy is not what you leave for your children—it's what you leave in them. Frame it with your words and your presence. Every dad has both a fool and a king inside, and the one you address in your kids is the one that will respond. Don't just turn your head toward your kids—turn your heart. Be where your feet are and be relational, not just transactional. Pain will produce fruit if you stay in it long enough. Make it purposeful and turn it back into praise before it becomes pride. If you don't plan your celebrations, your defeats will plan themselves. Collect moments, not things. QUOTES 1. "Legacy is not what I leave for someone. It's what I leave in them." 2. "We both have a fool and a king in us, and the one you address is the one that will respond." 3. "If I don't plan my celebrations, my defeats will plan themselves." 4. "Every word is like a thousand pound weight. Be mindful of where you place it." 5. "The love of my father would convict me into wanting to become better." GUEST Tim Timberlake is the Senior Pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and Christian Faith Center in Creedmoor, North Carolina. He's the bestselling author of The Power of 1440 and The Art of Overcoming. Tim is a gifted communicator, thought leader, and sought-after speaker known for blending biblical truth with real-life wisdom. He and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of their son, Maxwell. Tim's father, the late Bishop Mack Timberlake, continues to shape his legacy as a father and pastor to this day. LINKS  DADAWESOME Book:dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome The Power of 1440 by Tim Timberlake The Art of Overcoming by Tim Timberlake Celebration Church — Jacksonville, FL Tim Timberlake on Instagram: @ttimberlake

    30 min

  2. 26 FEB

    DA423 | A Miracle in a Jail Cell, Death to Life at Death Beach, and Why Getting Uncomfortable Reveals God's Love (Jeff Zaugg)

    🇸🇻 What happens when a man in a jail cell starts screaming curses — and then worship begins? In this powerful solo episode, Jeff shares the miraculous story of what God did inside a county jail in El Salvador during a recent mission trip with fathers and sons. You'll hear: ➡️ How worship flipped an environment from darkness to God's peace in an instant ➡️ Why getting uncomfortable reveals where God wants to bring healing ➡️ The beloved story Jeff shared with inmates that brought men and women to tears INVITES: Support JEFF'S FUNDRAISER - Team DADAWESOME 6-Mile SPARTAN event ($25 or $250) Join the ACCELERATOR - Six Week coaching cohort SUMMARY: What happens when you step into a dark, crowded jail hallway in El Salvador and a man starts screaming curses at you in English? In this raw solo episode, Jeff shares the miraculous story of what God did on a mission trip over his 44th birthday — and why getting uncomfortable as a dad is exactly where God wants to meet you. Plus, he reads the beloved story You Are Special by Max Lucado and shares why it changed everything inside that jail cell.   TAKEAWAYS Worship often precedes breakthrough. When darkness and resistance filled that jail hallway, it was worship that flipped the entire environment from hostility to God's peace. Getting outside your comfort zone reveals places in your heart where God wants to bring healing — you can't grow staying in the comfort loop. The marks the world gives you — and the marks you give yourself — don't have to stick. What matters is what your Maker thinks of you. Teenage young men who dream about being dads and starting families are growing up in homes where fatherhood is cast as a vision worth pursuing. You are special because God made you, and He doesn't make mistakes. That truth changes everything — for you and for your kids.   Top 5 Quotes "Worship released peace. Worship flipped the environment of that space. It radically shifted things — worship." "Getting uncomfortable going, serving — getting to new places often reveals new places of our hearts." "We can stay in a comfort loop and continue to stay comfortable — or we can go." "I'm dreaming about being a dad, starting a family. I loved hearing that answer from teenage young men." "The marks from the world don't have to stick. Walk in freedom and know your true identity."   GUEST This is a solo episode with Jeff Zaugg, founder and executive director of DadAwesome. Jeff shares from a recent mission trip to El Salvador where he traveled with a group of fathers and teenage sons, served alongside the ministry of Jonathan Ferrant, and witnessed a miraculous encounter in a county jail in La Libertad.   LINKS DADAWESOME Book:dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Donate $25 to support Team DadAwesome's activation event:  You Are Special by Max Lucado BraveCo — Father & Son Rite of Passage Events   Jonathan Ferrant / El Salvador Mission Project E15 Ministry (El Salvador)

    27 min

  3. 19 FEB

    DA422 | FROM THE VAULT: False Identity, De-Escalation, and the Dad Wisdom You Didn't Know You Needed (Jamie Winship PART 2)

    This is the most downloaded episode in DadAwesome history — and Part 2 picks up right where we left off. 🔥 Jamie Winship is back from the vault with stories and wisdom that will stop you in your tracks. ➡️ What being abducted in Iraq taught Jamie about staying calm as a dad ➡️ How to identify the false beliefs quietly running your life ➡️ Why your true identity is the greatest gift you can give your kids   DADAWESOME ACCELERATOR - Spring Cohort -  DADAWESOME book: https://www.dadawesome.org/book SUMMARY What if the biggest thing holding you back as a dad isn't your circumstances — it's what you believe about yourself? In this episode, Jamie Winship picks up right where we left off in Part 1, sharing jaw-dropping stories from being abducted in Iraq with his family, and unpacking the dad wisdom buried inside those moments. You'll learn why staying calm, staying present, and refusing to jump into drama can change everything in your home. Plus, Jamie walks through how to identify the false beliefs that are quietly running your life — and how to exchange them for who God actually made you to be. Takeaways: Give your spouse and your kids the gift of your true identity — it's the greatest thing you can offer your family. The enemy lives in the hypothetical future. God is only present in the present tense. Stay there. Don't participate in another person's drama. De-escalate, stay calm, and love the person in front of you. You can't give away what you don't have. If you carry false beliefs about yourself, they will come out in your parenting. Your true identity from God is other-focused, self-emptying, and rooted in unconditional love — even for your enemies. Guest: Jamie Winship is the co-founder of Identity Exchange and the author of Living Fearless. A former police officer turned international peacemaker, Jamie has spent decades working in conflict zones around the world alongside his wife, Donna. Together they help people discover their true identity in Christ. They have three grown sons and live out their faith in some of the most dangerous — and beautiful — places on earth. Quotes "You want your kids to have a right view of God, but you can't give away what you don't have." "Do not participate in another person's drama. Stay back from it. Stay calm." "God is only present in the present tense. The enemy is present in the hypothetical future." "The greatest gift I can give my sons is to untie their knots." "A child's false identity — once they believe it, they see it every time."

    32 min

  4. 12 FEB

    DA421 | Jamie Winship FROM THE VAULT - Fear, Faith, & Fatherhood in a War Zone - PART 1

    🔓 FROM THE VAULT: The most downloaded DadAwesome episode EVER is back — and it's a two-parter. Jamie Winship shares the jaw-dropping story of praying for invisibility with his kids in the middle of a collapsing government in Indonesia. But this episode goes way deeper than one miracle moment. ➡️ Why fear is the #1 enemy of intentional fatherhood ➡️ Two questions every dad should ask God daily ➡️ Why your true identity is the greatest gift you can give your kids   DADAWESOME Book - https://www.dadawesome.org/book DADAWESOME Accelerator Coaching Groups: https://www.dadawesome.org/coaching   SUMMARY: What would you do if a violent mob was heading straight for your van — with your kids in the back seat? In this fan-favorite episode pulled from the DadAwesome vault, Jamie Winship shares the incredible true story of praying for invisibility in the streets of Indonesia, why fear is the number one enemy of great fatherhood, and how your true identity in Christ is the greatest gift you can give your children. TAKEAWAYS: Kids learn to be afraid from their parents' fear — and learn courage from their parents' faith. Fear is an invitation to transformation, not a signal to run. Ask God: "What do You want me to know? What do You want me to do?" The greatest gift you can give your kids is the truth of who you are — your true identity in Christ. External conflict is produced by internal conflict, produced by fear, produced by false identity. Transformation starts in the heart. In the walk with Jesus, there is no win-lose scenario. When you believe that, you can gamify the hard stuff and find joy even in danger.   GUEST: Jamie Winship is a former police officer turned international peacemaker who has spent decades bringing identity-based conflict resolution to some of the world's most dangerous places. He and his wife, Donna, have three sons and have lived and served in conflict zones including Indonesia and Baghdad. Jamie is the author of Living Fearless and teaches globally on identity, courage, and hearing God's voice. This is the most downloaded DadAwesome episode of all time — pulled from the vault and too good not to reshare.   QUOTES "Kids learn to be afraid of things from their parents' fear." — Jamie Winship "The greatest gift you can give your kids is the truth of who you are." — Jamie Winship "Fear is an invitation to transformation. It's an invitation to a conversation." — Jamie Winship "In the walk with Jesus, there is no win-lose scenario." — Jamie Winship "God, what do You want me to know? And what do You want me to do?" — Jamie Winship   LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Identity Exchange Book - Living Fearless

    32 min

  5. 5 FEB

    DA420 | The Research Behind Great Dads, Generational Impact, and How to Move Men from Risk to Resource (Dr. Jeffrey Shears)

    What if the way you love your daughter today shapes her marriage 20 years from now? 🤯 In this episode, fatherhood researcher Dr. Jeffrey Shears shares what 20+ years of studying dads has revealed—and it will change the way you think about your role. ✅ Why your daughters internalize how you treat their mom (and how it shapes who they're attracted to) ✅ How "Nacho Tuesdays" became a game-changing connection strategy with his girls ✅ The generational ripple effect—how your fathering impacts grandchildren you'll never meet   DADAWESOME book -- join the ADVANCE TEAM   SUMMARY What if the way you father your daughter today shapes the marriage she has twenty years from now? In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Shears—a fatherhood researcher, girl dad, and the chair of the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy—shares over two decades of findings on why dads matter more than they think. You'll hear how generational fathering works, why Nacho Tuesdays became a game-changer for connecting with his girls, and what it really means to move men from risk to resource. Top 5 Quotes  "You are literally responsible for your son-in-law's marital satisfaction. What you do with your daughter impacts generations." "I never met a guy who said, 'I don't want to be a good dad.' The desire is there—they need support." "Every man can be a potential risk, but every man can also be a potential resource to children and families." "Kids don't remember the stuff you bought. They remember the time, the conversations, the intentionality of hanging out with Dad." "If your father tells you that you can do something, you internalize that. Dad's words build a confidence nothing else can."   TAKEAWAYS Your daughters internalize how you treat their mother—and it shapes who they're attracted to and the health of their future marriages. Fathers who affirm their daughters' abilities have a measurable impact—girls with engaged dads are overrepresented in STEM fields. What you do as a dad ripples across generations. Your great-great-grandchildren will be shaped by values you instill today, even if you never meet them. The desire to be a great dad is already there in most men. What's missing is the support, the models, and the community to show them how. Every man is either a risk or a resource to a child. The question isn't whether you'll have an impact—it's what kind. Guest Dr. Jeffrey Shears is a professor of social work jointly appointed at North Carolina A&T State University and UNC Greensboro. He serves as the inaugural chair of the Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy and is the board chair of the Fatherhood CoMission. He's spent over 20 years researching the impact fathers have on child development, with a particular focus on generational fathering and intergenerational transmission. He co-authored What All Dads Should Know with Dr. Clarence Shuler. Jeff is a proud girl dad of three daughters and lives in the Charlotte, North Carolina area.   Links Mentioned DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome What All Dads Should Know by Dr. Jeffrey Shears & Dr. Clarence Shuler Dadsknow.com – Dr. Shears' Website Fatherhood CoMission: fatherhoodcomission.com Moynihan Institute for Fatherhood Research and Policy (via Fathers Incorporated)

    41 min

  6. 29 JAN

    DA419 | Don't Long for Someday, The Discipline of Gratitude, and Becoming the Best Version of You as a Dad (Bart Scharrer FROM THE VAULT)

    🚴 FROM THE VAULT BOOK >> recieve the book 5-weeks early >> join the ADVANCE TEAM: https://www.dadawesome.org/book Bart Scharrer has walked through some hard seasons with his daughters. Health crises. Uncertainty. Plans that didn't go the way he expected. But here's what he's learned: Gratitude isn't just a nice idea. It's the way through. ----------------------------------- ✅ Why longing for "someday" can cost you today ✅ How to set the temperature in your home (for better or worse) ✅ A simple practice that taught his daughters confidence and connection ✅ What it looks like to trust God day by day when answers don't come This is a conversation about presence, purpose, and staying the course. -------------------------------- SUMMARY When health crises hit your family and life doesn't go as planned, how do you keep leading well? In this episode from the vault, Bart Scharrer shares how he and his wife have navigated seasons of uncertainty with their daughters—and why gratitude isn't just a nice idea, it's the way through. You'll also hear how teaching your kids to ask good questions can shape their confidence, relationships, and even who they marry someday. Key Takeaways: Don't long for the next season at the expense of today. Embrace where you are right now with your kids. Gratitude is the discipline that keeps you other-centered when life gets hard. It's not ignoring the pain—it's the way through it. Teaching your kids to ask good questions builds confidence, connection, and character that lasts into adulthood. You set the temperature in your home. Your presence, tone, and emotional awareness shape the climate your family lives in. Serving together as a family—in the neighborhood and at church—creates lasting values and surrounds your kids with great people. GUEST Bart Scharrer is a pastor, board member at DadAwesome, and father of two young adult daughters. He and his wife Amy have walked through significant health challenges with their girls and have learned to lead their family with gratitude, presence, and trust in God's timing. Bart is passionate about helping dads stay engaged and intentional through every season of fatherhood. Quotes  "Gratitude is the way through. If I don't live in gratitude, it's so easy to live in complaint." "Don't long for someday at the expense of today. There's so much to be thankful for right now." "Shy is not an excuse for rude. Look people in the eye and ask a question." "I can control how much I love Jesus. I can control how much I love my family." "What's the best version of me? That gives me a target for what I'm practicing towards." #DadAwesome #christiandad #dadlife #parenting #dadpodcast #fatherhood #gratitude #intentionalparenting LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome

    41 min

  7. 22 JAN

    DA418 | Celebrating 8 Years of DadAwesome: Minivan Miracles, Ripping Out Fences, and the Power of Unlikely Friendships (Craig Allen Cooper)

    🎉 8 YEARS OF DADAWESOME! We're celebrating with an incredible conversation with Craig Allen Cooper, the man behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig." ✅ The minivan miracle that softened an atheist's heart ✅ Why Craig's kids are PRAYING for friendships like their parents have ✅ The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, Present ✅ Tables vs. Tablets and real connection with your kids   DADAWESOME Book >> join the Advance Team: https://www.dadawesome.org/book     SUMMARY After eight years and 418 episodes of DadAwesome, we're celebrating with a conversation that captures everything this ministry is about. Craig Allen Cooper shares the story behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig," why his kids are praying for adult friendships like their parents have, and the five P's that guide his fatherhood. Plus, you'll hear how a minivan miracle led to a stadium-filling artist bowing his knee to Jesus.   TAKEAWAYS Your kids are watching your friendships, and they're praying they'll have the same kind of adult community they see modeled in your life. Trust is the foundation of friendship with your kids. When they know you're for them no matter what, the door to real connection opens wide. Tables beat tablets every time. Eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart connection happens around tables of mercy and grace, not through screens. The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, and be Present. These aren't about perfection; they're about direction. Arrows are meant to fly. Your job is to prepare and propel your kids toward their God-given calling, not keep them close forever. What's upstream matters most. Feasting on God's Word daily is what fills you with gladness to pour into your family.   GUEST Craig Allen Cooper is the co-author of Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences with country music artist Walker Hayes. He is the subject of Walker's hit song "Craig," which tells the story of their unlikely friendship and Craig's influence in Walker's journey to faith. Craig is a speaker, podcaster, and devoted father of four who lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Laura. He's passionate about discipleship, authentic friendship, and helping men feast on God's Word.   QUOTES "Dude, I would give you my blood. You know that, right?" "I've heard my kids say over and over again: I'm praying that I'm going to have adult friendships like you and mom have." "There's a huge difference between table connection and tablet connection. Table connection is eye to eye, heart to heart, soul to soul." "An arrow is meant to fly. There's a tendency to just want to keep it around us, but at some point that arrow will fly." "Every grain of glory, every ounce of praise for anything good in my life belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ."   LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Glad You're Here by Craig Allen Cooper and Walker Hayes   Glad You're Here Podcast   Mechanics on a Mission   TAGS:   DadAwesome, Craig Allen Cooper, Walker Hayes, Christian fatherhood, fatherhood podcast, intentional parenting, faith and fatherhood, tables over tablets, friendship and faith, 5 P's of fatherhood, Christian dad, parenting podcast, raising kids, family discipleship, Glad You're Here, unlikely friendships, generosity, minivan miracle, dad community, launching kids

    41 min

  8. 15 JAN

    DA417 | From Control to Influence, Eradicating the Child-Centered Home, and the Love Jug (Ted Cunningham)

    🏠 Is your home revolving around your kids? Ted Cunningham joins us to explain why eradicating the child-centered home is one of the best things you can do for your family. ✅ The "Love Jug" illustration that will change how you think about your source of life ✅ Why parenting is a journey from control to influence ✅ How honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families ✅ The "princess to queen" conversation every dad of daughters needs to hear   DADAWESOME BOOK (join the advance team!) https://www.dadawesome.org/book   SUMMARY Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling. In this episode, Ted Cunningham shares his famous "Love Jug" illustration, explains why your marriage is actually your greatest parenting tool, and unpacks why eradicating the child-centered home is essential for raising kids who are ready to leave. Plus, you'll hear the powerful "princess to queen" conversation he had with his daughter and how honor bombardments can transform your family culture. TAKEAWAYS Parenting is a journey from control to influence—and the fastest way to squander influence is by being controlling. Your marriage is part of your parenting plan. Kids have a front-row seat to how you treat your spouse. Jesus is your source, not your spouse or your kids. Fire them from that role. The child-centered home creates prolonged adolescence: too much privilege, not enough responsibility. Honor bombardments and honor lists create close-knit families by calling out what's valuable in each person. GUEST Ted Cunningham is the founding pastor of Woodland Hills Family Church in Branson, Missouri, and a sought-after speaker and author on marriage and family. He has written multiple books including Trophy Child and has partnered with the late Dr. Gary Smalley on numerous projects. Ted and his wife, Amy, are celebrating 30 years of marriage and have two adult children. He's known for his humor, practical wisdom, and passionate belief that strong marriages create strong families.   QUOTES "Parenting is a journey from control to influence. With every year, you're losing control and hopefully replacing it with influence." "The fastest way to squander influence is to be controlling." "Jesus is your source, Satan is your enemy, your spouse is your companion." "What's celebrated, what's spoken out loud gets multiplied." "Delete the narrative that says it's too late. Delete the narrative that says it's my fault." LINKS DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome Trophy Child by Ted Cunningham

    43 min
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About

ACTIVATING DADS TO LEAD WITH WONDER Walking with dads as they lead and love their kids toward God's awesomeness. We're on a mission to see dads fully alive and fully activated in their roles—leading with wonder to build intentional connection with their kids while experiencing God's awesomeness together. We partner with dads at every stage of the journey by providing practical fatherhood resources to catalyze connection with their kids, and also with other dads.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Zaugg
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    420
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    DadAwesome

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