DadAwesome

Jeff Zaugg
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Christianity
  • Updated weekly

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. 12 hr ago

    Son, Come Home: Shame, Freedom & Fatherhood (Part One) — Gabe Biedenbaugh

    Join the summer DADAWESOME ACCELERATOR 6-week coaching group: https://www.dadawesome.org/coaching   SUMMARY Pastor Gabe Biedenbaugh opens up about the generational faith handed down to him, the shame that nearly disqualified him from his calling, and the "you're not enough" lie so many men carry. In part one of this Father's Day conversation, he shows why vulnerability, brotherhood, and a heart to serve are the way home. TAKEAWAYS The legacy of faith can start with one man stepping in — Gabe's grandfather died young, and other men fathered his dad. Shame attacks your identity; conviction shows you the way out, condemnation just says you're the problem. Beat the lie head-on: "I'm not enough, but Christ in me is more than enough." Vulnerability in real brotherhood is where men get unstuck and find freedom. A dad living free brings joy home; serving (not being served) is the posture — "leaders are into towels, not titles." QUOTES "Satan's goal isn't to tell you a blatant lie — it's to tell you something so close to the truth you believe it." "My job isn't to fill someone else's cup — it's to empty mine, and let God do what He wants with it." "Conviction says you've made a mistake, but here's the way out. Condemnation says, no — you're the problem." "When you have shame in your life, it impacts the way you bring your best, or lack thereof, to your family." "I want to walk into my home with the attitude of Jesus, who took off his garment to wash feet." LINKS Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 DADAWESOME book: dadawesome.org/book Gabe Biedenbaugh's Substack - THE FORGE- https://theforgemen.substack.com/ Reverb Church

    31 min

  2. 28 May

    DA436 | Coaching Boys into Manhood, Reclaiming Play, and the Questions That Will Anchor Your Next Three Years (Alan Briggs)

    FEATURED Join DADAWESOME DAY - Monday June 1st, 2026 - text "book" to (651) 370-8618 to learn more and receive updates on Monday, June 1st. Join the next DADAWESOME ACCELERATOR coaching group - APPLY HERE SUMMARY Most men are getting lived by their lives instead of actually living them. In this conversation, Alan Briggs unpacks how a life of constant escape leaves us empty at the end of the day, and what it looks like to design something we can actually engage with instead. From Yes Days with your kids to preparing for the car ride home the way you'd prepare for a business meeting, Alan brings practical insight that will reshape how you show up as a dad this week. TAKEAWAYS ---The best dads aren't the ones with the most time. They're the ones who prepare for the small moments with the same intentionality they bring to work. ---A coming of age year for your son doesn't require waking up at 4 a.m. It just requires showing up consistently and inviting other trusted men to speak life into him. ---Celebrate who your kids actually are instead of trying to make them love what you love. Curiosity is the doorway to connection. ---We were built for both meaningful work and real rest. Without a healthy theology of both, we swing between burnout and apathy. ---The question that changes everything: What is the good life for you and your family three years from now? GUEST Alan Briggs is a coach, author, and adventurer based in Colorado Springs. He runs two and a half companies, including a coworking space, and spends his days helping leaders find a lighter, more sustainable way to live and work. He's the author of multiple books, including his latest resource on anti-burnout, and the host of his own podcast for leaders. Alan and his wife are raising four kids ranging from 12 to 23, including two adopted children. He loves the mountains, disc golf with his son, and learning to cheer for his kids in the worlds they love most. QUOTES "Most men are getting lived by their lives. They are not living their lives. They are letting choices make them. They are not making intentional choices." "I prepare for business meetings. Do I prepare that well for a date with my wife, a date with my daughter, a car ride? Almost always, no." "You don't have to be up at 4 a.m. with your kid. You don't have to do it every day. But do something that affirms you've got what it takes." "Celebrate exactly who they are and exactly what they love doing, instead of trying to make them love the things that you love doing." "We are not the sum of what we carry. Our identity and who we are loved by is so much more important than what we are as dads." LINKS Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Dad Awesome book: dadawesome.org/book Alan Briggs - H2LEADERSHIP Alan's BOOKS

    42 min

  3. 21 May

    DA435 | Speaking Life, Unhurried Presence, and a Biblical Definition of Leadership (Mac Lake)

    🎙️ Brandon Lake's dad on the DadAwesome podcast. Mac Lake (a.k.a. "Pops") joins us for a powerful conversation on speaking life, leading at home, and shaping your kids into who God already sees them to be. ✅ The biblical definition of leader — disciple, servant, apostle (and why "I'm not much of a leader" is insecurity, not humility) ✅ How a posture of unhurried presence changes everything (Pops TV, dinosaur eggs, and football for 60 minutes if they want 60) ✅ Why discipline is discipleship — and how to stop disciplining out of a wounded ego   SUMMARY The words you speak to your kids today become the voice inside their head for the rest of their lives — for better or worse. In this episode, Mac Lake (yes, that Mac — Brandon Lake's dad) shares the leadership wisdom he's spent a lifetime giving away: how to speak life over your kids, why "I'm not much of a leader" is insecurity in disguise, and how a biblical definition of leader — disciple, servant, apostle — changes how you show up at home. Plus Pops TV, dinosaur eggs, and why discipline is discipleship.   TAKEAWAYS Leadership in your home requires both spirit and skill. David shepherded with integrity of heart and skillful hands — don't lean only on business-style competence, and don't go passive at home either. Your words become your child's inner voice — so speak life. Get on your knee, look them in the eye, tell them you're proud of them and why. Be their biggest cheerleader, not their biggest critic. Build a faith legacy by telling the works of God in your family. Like Asaph in Psalm 78, your kids should know specific stories of how God has shown up for your family, not just for Israel. Unhurried presence is the gift most dads underestimate. Put the phone away, leave the adult conversation, throw the football for 60 minutes if they want 60 minutes — they need you fully there, not just nearby. Discipline is discipleship — not ego protection. When kids misbehave, it's not a verdict on your identity. Shape them into the image of Christ instead of reacting from your wounded ego.   GUEST Mac Lake is a pastor, leadership coach, and the founder of The Multiplication Center, where he trains church leaders to identify and develop multiplying leaders. He's the author of The Multiplication Effect and has spent decades coaching pastors and executives in leadership pipeline development. He and his wife Cindy ("CeCe") have three grown kids — including worship artist Brandon Lake — and six grandkids who know him as "Pops." They live in South Carolina. LINKS Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Dad Awesome book: dadawesome.org/book The Multiplication Effect by Mac Lake Wild at Heart by John Eldredge (referenced) Brandon Lake — music and ministry

    47 min

  4. 14 May

    DA434 | Bob Goff on Becoming a Secret Superhero Dad & Hovering Over Your Family (FROM THE VAULT)

    FROM THE VAULT with Bob Goff: ✅ Why hovering over your family is one of the most important things you can do as a dad ✅ How to leave behind treasures your kids will discover long after you are gone ✅ The courage it takes to quit something that no longer fits and start fresh ✅ What Bob learned from his friends at San Quentin about feeding the people around you SUMMARY There are around 8 billion people alive right now, and there have been 107 billion who came before us. That context changes everything about how you spend today with your kids. In this From the Vault conversation, Bob Goff returns to talk about hovering over your family the way God hovered over the earth, leaving behind treasures your kids will discover for years to come, and finding the courage to make bold moves when something in your life needs to change. Bob shares why being fully present matters more than providing, how to live a "no capes" kind of life, and why the small moments will be the bookmarks your kids carry forever. TAKEAWAYS The kind of grandfather you want to be will be a byproduct of the kind of dad you are right now. Hovering over each person in your family means asking what they uniquely need that only you could provide. Living a "no capes" life means doing meaningful things without making a big deal about them. Your family needs you fully present far more than they need what you provide. When something in your life stops fitting, having the courage to quit and start fresh can change everything. GUEST Bob Goff is the bestselling author of Love Does, Everybody Always, Dream Big, and Undistracted, along with several children's books co-written with his daughter Lindsey. He is the founder of Love Does, a nonprofit that operates schools and safe houses for children in conflict zones around the world. Bob and his wife, Sweet Maria, live in San Diego and spend much of their time at The Oaks, where they host gatherings for dreamers and world changers. They have three grown children and several grandchildren.   Quotes "The kind of grandfather you want to be will be a byproduct of the kind of dad that you are." — Bob Goff "Hover over each person in your family. What does kid number one need that I could only uniquely provide them?" — Bob Goff "What your family really needs you to provide is you, like, fully present." — Bob Goff "Sometimes the familiar will get in the way of what's actually possible." — Bob Goff "Everybody doesn't get a slice, but everybody's fed." — Bob Goff Links Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Dad Awesome book: dadawesome.org/book https://www.bobgoff.com/ Bob's BOOKS

    35 min

  5. 7 May

    DA433 | What's Underneath the Anger, Dad Daughter Dates, and Five Ways to Build a Bridge with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield (Part 2)

    SUMMARY I brought a real story to Dr. Michelle this week. A small mistake on my part, a hurt little girl, a defensive dad at bedtime, and my wife catching my eye across the room. What unfolded was a live coaching moment I needed more than I knew. Dr. Michelle gently walked me back through what I missed, what was actually under the anger, and how to do the repair that actually reaches a daughter's heart. If you have ever blown it with your kids and tried to talk your way out of it instead of leaning in, this conversation is for you. Takeaways Anger is usually the front door. The real emotion sitting behind it is almost always sadness, fear, or confusion, and your kids feel that gap before you do. When your child tells the story of how you hurt them, the most powerful thing you can say is three words. Tell me more. Then stay there longer than feels comfortable. Defensiveness bombs the bridge to your kids' hearts and to their picture of God as Father. Compassion builds it. Luke 15 verse 20 gives a five step pattern any dad can follow. He saw, he was filled with compassion, he ran, he threw his arms around, he kissed. A consistent monthly daddy daughter date and a note in your own handwriting create anchors of memory your kids will carry into adulthood. Guest Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield is a licensed counselor, speaker, and the host of The Dad Whisperer podcast. She founded The Abba Project, a nine month group for dads of daughters between thirteen and thirty, and has spent the last fifteen plus years coaching fathers in the work of pursuing their daughters' hearts. She is the author of Dad, Here's What I Really Need from You and Let's Talk, and her writing on fatherhood has reached dads in all fifty states and around the world. Quotes  "You guys are wired with tender hearts. Tough and tender is a powerful combination as a man." Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield "Under mad is usually sad or scared or confused. Lead with your heart more than your head." Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield "Tell me more. That's how she gets it out, and then it's not there between you anymore." Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield "Defensiveness bombs the bridge. Compassion builds it. That's the work of fathering a daughter's heart." Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield "Anchors of memory in a place. Find one or two spots that become yours together with your daughter." Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield

    29 min

  6. 30 Apr

    DA432 | The Closeness Gap, the Five Senses Experiment, and Dropping Your Anger with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield (Part 1)

    You probably think you're closer to your daughter than she'd say you are. The research keeps proving it. Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield is back with the question every dad of daughters should ask this week: ✅ The zero to ten question that closes the closeness gap ✅ Why one word of affirmation revives what looked dead ✅ A five senses experiment to pursue her on purpose ✅ Jeff opening up about missing it with his four year old the night before   MOM AWESOME CHALLENGE > Text MOM to (651) 370-8618 // or click here   SUMMARY Most dads think they're closer to their daughters than they actually are. Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield has spent 30 years sitting with dads and daughters in the gap between, and she came on DadAwesome to say it plain: your words water her dry soul, your anger can wipe out nine good days, and pursuit is the muscle every dad has to keep building. This is part one of a two part conversation, and Jeff brings a real story from the night before about missing it with his four year old.   TAKEAWAYS Pursuit is not a season. It does not end at the wedding or the hospital room. Your daughter and your wife need to be pursued today. Ask your daughter the zero to ten question. Where would you rank our closeness, is that the number you want, and what can I do to be a better dad to you. Your words land like water on dry soil. One sentence of affirmation can revive what looked dead four days ago. Your anger will do more to shut her down than almost anything else. Repair every rupture. Run the five senses experiment. Notice what you see in her, listen one minute longer than yesterday, tie smell to memory, speak one word of life, and give safe physical touch on purpose. GUEST Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield is a licensed counselor, speaker, and the host of The Dad Whisperer Podcast. She founded The Abba Project in 2010, a group coaching experience for dads of daughters, and has written two books for fathers: Dad, Here's What I Really Need from You and Let's Talk.  QUOTES "Your words are like water to her dry soul. She will spring forth with beauty and color and life with your words." "You can do nine things right and one anger response can wipe it out. You've got to make repair for the rupture." "Every one of us as women have a God given place in us that wants to be seen, adored, championed, celebrated." "Ask your daughter on a scale of zero to ten, where would you rank us? What can I do better?" "What you see, she doesn't see. By pursuing and seeing and knowing us, we internalize it." Links: Text MOM to (651) 370-8618 // or click here Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Dad Awesome book: dadawesome.org/book Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield: drmichellewatson.com Dad, Here's What I Really Need from You by Dr. Michelle Watson Let's Talk by Dr. Michelle Watson The Dad Whisperer Podcast The Abba Project Drop Your Anger video

    32 min

  7. 23 Apr

    DA431 | JOY BOMBS 💣, Nothing Is Lost, & the Interstellar Scene That Rewired a Dad (Daniel Chesnut)

    There's a moment in Interstellar where Matthew McConaughey sits down and watches 25 years of video messages from the kids he left behind. Daniel Chesnut drove home from that movie snot-crying, climbed into bed next to his sleeping two-year-old, and asked God a simple question: why is this wrecking me? What he heard back changed the way he has fathered for the last decade. In this conversation, Daniel shares listening prayer with your kids, why vulnerability is actually strength, how to play the long game with a 14-year-old, and the truth that's rescuing him in every transition: nothing is lost.   ✅ The listening prayer practice he does with his 14-year-old son every year ✅ Why spending your 30s building a future can cost you the people you're building it for ✅ How to cultivate access to your kid's heart (hint: it's not across the couch) ✅ The truth rescuing him in every transition: nothing is lost   Takeaways Ask God for a word or theme for the year, and invite your kids into the same practice. Take the pressure off of timing. When a movie, a song, or a moment wrecks you, pay attention. It's a knock on the door of your heart. Spend your 30s becoming the kind of man who can be entrusted with more, instead of building a future your family won't want to share with you. Cultivate access to your kid's heart. Delight in what they delight in. Talk over sushi or on the drive, not across the couch. Nothing is lost. Every missed moment, every transition, every thing you wish you could get back is being restored. Guest Daniel Chesnut is a filmmaker, storyteller, and the founder of Process Creative. He and his wife Katie live in Southern California with their 14-year-old son Brooklyn. Daniel has spent years helping people tell their stories on film and is part of the Pursuit Beach Fitness men's discipleship community. He writes about fatherhood, faith, and becoming on his Substack.   Quotes  "The strongest man on the sand is the most vulnerable man on the sand." "I made time. I created time. And I can make time work for you, not against you." "Spend the next decade becoming the kind of person who can be entrusted with more in 10 years." "Whatever you do, cultivate access to your kid's heart. That's it. Just stay in their life." "Nothing is lost. Even the moments you regret are being restored."   Links Text MOM to (651) 370-8618 // or click here Join the DadAwesome Prayer Team: Text "pray" to (651) 370-8618 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text "Dad" to (651) 370-8618 Becoming a King by Morgan Snyder Walking with God by John Eldredge Interstellar (film) and soundtrack by Hans Zimmer Process Creative (Daniel's company) Pursuit Beach Fitness BABY SWIM LESSONS - The Ultimate Routine to Help Our 2 YR OLD Swim and Deep Dive Underwater (The Bucket List Family)

    50 min

  8. 16 Apr

    DA430 | Core Memories, Unhealed Wounds, and What It Looks Like When a Dad Does the Inner Work (Mark Odland)

    Most dads are carrying something they never dealt with... Mark Odland is a trauma therapist who works with high achieving men, and he joined us for one of the most honest conversations we've had on this show. ✅ How stuck memories quietly affect the way you parent ✅ A simple tapping technique you can use with your kids right now ✅ Why doing your inner work is one of the most important things you can do for your family SUMMARY Most dads are carrying something they never dealt with. In this episode, therapist Mark Odland explains how unprocessed memories stay stuck in the brain and quietly shape the way you parent, the way you react, and the way you show up at home. You'll also hear what trauma therapy actually is, why doing the inner work is one of the bravest things a dad can do, and how healing in one generation changes everything for the next. TAKEAWAYS When your nervous system gets overwhelmed, memories can get stored in a way that doesn't heal properly and that affects you more than you realize years later. The "butterfly hug" tapping technique is something you can use with your kids in real time to help a hard moment not become a stuck wound. Trauma therapy helps the brain do what it was already designed to do, heal itself when the right conditions are present. The cage many high achieving men live in isn't always visible from the outside. But deep down, they know something's in the way. Whatever you wish your dad had done differently with you, ask yourself if you're doing that with your kids. That question is a powerful starting point. Doing one therapy session doesn't commit you to years on a couch. It's just a first step, and first steps create momentum. GUEST Mark Odland is a licensed therapist, trauma specialist, and the founder of Lion Counseling. He's also the author of Escape the Cage. Mark and his wife have four kids and live in Duluth, Minnesota, where yes, he has surfed Lake Superior. QUOTES "As long as we have the opportunity to be connected to safety and truth, the brain can heal itself." — Mark Odland "You don't have to sign your life away. Just do one therapy appointment." — Mark Odland "Whatever invisible force is keeping you in a cage, the dad you want to be is in there." — Mark Odland "If you can't muster up the belief that you're worth it, look at a picture of your family. They are worth it." — Mark Odland "Some healing usually proceeds breakthrough. Doing some looking back before you try to propel forward." — Jeff Zaugg   LINKS  Escape the Cage by Mark Odland  https://escapethecagenow.com/ Text MOM to (651) 370-8618 // or click here 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 7-Day Video Series: dadawesome.org/book DadAwesome Podcast: dadawesome.org/podcast Free Chapter + Intro Video Series: dadawesome.org/book

    48 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
    433
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    DadAwesome

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