Fathering Our Future

Should We Give Our Kids More Independence?

Some people like to keep a tight leash on there kids, metaphorically and sometimes literally, but is that the right way to go about parenting? Should we be so protective that we chart out every step our children will take, ultimately controlling what they do? Of course the motivation for this is good intention, but does that make control, sheltering, and being over-protective acceptable?

A friend of mine sent me a podcast episode about children having more independence and asked for my thoughts. While the information shared in the episode was interesting, I approach this from a different angle utilizing a scripture we hear often as Christian fathers and parents, Proverbs 22:6.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

I want to help understand what Proverbs 22:6 means and what it does not mean. I also want to show you why I believe this famous text encourages us to give our children independence.

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For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Three Demands of Love

In our world today, love may be one of the most abused terms. It is taken to justify things it would never stand for. It is used as reasons for things it would never partake in. Love is misunderstood and misused.

 

After a month of interviews focusing on love, I wanted to recap some requirements, or demands, of love so that we understand what love is and what love is not. If what we call love fails to have the required components, then what we call love is not love at all.

 

Additionally, I add a corrective to the mentality we should have when it comes to love. It is very easy for us to inject selfishness into the equation of love, but we have to remember that it is not about us.

 

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Interview with John Hargrove | Loving Your Kids

Our kids mean the world to us, and we love them with all of our heart, but as they grow, sometimes we have to modify the way we express our love to them.

 

I’m joined today by Pastor Johnny Hargrove to discuss ways that we can love our children so that we can have a lasting relationship with them. Johnny shares things he did and continues to do in order to nurture his relationship with his children. He also shares key qualities dads need to have in order to best love their children.

 

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Interview with Adam & Karissa King | What Does It Mean To Love Your Wife?

Our marriage is the greatest example we have for our kids. We model so much that they need simply by loving our wife. However, sometimes we struggle with what that really means.

I am joined by Adam and Karissa King, founders of Dear Young Married Couple, to learn more about what it means for a husband to love his wife.

We discuss Ephesians 5:25 and what it means, as well as practical tips for husbands.

Make sure you check out these marriage cards to spark meaningful conversation with your wife.

Foundations: https://amzn.to/3vPIqrb

Realizations: https://amzn.to/42gE2ha

Sexpectations: https://amzn.to/42b8DN1

Want to know how to argue? Check this out: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dear-young-married-couple/id1494555036?i=1000574761975

https://www.dearyoungmarriedcouple.com/

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Interview with D.G. Hargrove | How Do We Love Ourselves?

If you are anything like the rest of us, you have looked at yourself in the mirror and struggled to accept who you are. You know it’s important to love yourself but sometimes you’re just not sure how.

 

I am delighted to be joined by Bishop D.G. Hargrove. As a pastor and counselor, D.G. provides a systematic approach to loving ourselves, as well as giving us clarity on what it actually means for us to love ourselves.

 

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Interview with Steve Schobert | What It Means To Love God

Love is something we do not question because we assume we know what it means. Sadly, this assumption leads to love being abused and misused regularly.

 

As we start the month of February, I want to make sure we understand love. To start it off, we are going to focus on what it means to love God, because if we do not have that right, we will not be able to properly love ourselves and others.

 

As believers, it is very easy for us to state we love God and never dive deeper into what that should mean. Today, you will take a deep dive with this transformational conversation.

 

I am joined by my friend, Pastor Steve Schobert, to learn what it means for us to love God and how that loving relationship should look. Steve takes us straight to the scriptures and brings clarity to something that has been right in front of our eyes.

 

Prepare to be changed, challenged, and to fully comprehend what it really means to love Jesus.

 

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Interview with Dr. Eugene Wilson | The Power of Affirmation

As Christian dads, we cannot just focus on communicating with our kids, we have to focus and pay attention to how we speak to our kids. The truth is, our children need to hear our words. Our children need affirmation from us.

Joining me to talk about affirmation and its impact, is Dr. Eugene Wilson. Eugene is an expert in leadership shares how we, as leaders in our home, can use our voice to build up our children.

You'll learn how to speak words of affirmation to your children and when to do it. You'll also learn the effects of how what we speak influences the behavior of our children.

You can check our Eugene Wilson's most recent book here: https://amzn.to/3Oi1k0b

For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

Good, Faithful, Servants | 3 Pursuits of Dads

In Matthew 25, we read about servants who stewarded what was given to them with diligence and wisdom. They were later described as good and faithful servants. As dads, we have been entrusted with priceless gifts and I believe we should also strive to be good, faithful, and servants.

Being good can be subjective but I’ll give you a definition and question to constantly ask yourself to make sure what you are doing is good.

Faithfulness is usually tied to religion and marriage but there is also an application in reference to fatherhood that we must understand.

Lastly, there is an understanding of servanthood that isn’t popular but as leaders to our children and in our homes, it is essential for us to embrace.

If we want to do well as dads, we need to pursue being good, faithful, and servants.

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For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/

A Dream for Dads and Vision for Fathering Our Future

Reflecting on the iconic speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I was inspired to craft my own version for dads. I have a dream for Christian dads because I believe we have a divine calling with this identity we are blessed to bear.

 

I believe dads make a difference. The stronger we are, the more committed we are, the more knowledgeable we are, and the more connected we are, the greater the difference we make. We cannot allow small setbacks to drive us off course, we must be devoted to the call, and I believe we can do it.

 

In addition to my dream for dads, I have a dream to share with you about Fathering Our Future. It may be a podcast at this present time, but it is going to grow into so much more. I want to share the origin of Fathering Our Future and why I started it. I also want you to know future plans and I want to give you an opportunity to be a part of what is going to happen.

 

Here is what you can think about and consider as you listen:

1. Pray for me and for Fathering Our Future

2. Consider financially supporting Fathering Our Future

3. Email your testimony, feedback, and ideas to fatheringourfuture@gmail.com

 

It is a privilege and blessing to be able to serve dads. I am humbled by this calling and I am looking forward to the future we create together.

From Disciplining to Discipling | 6 Tips To Change The Way You Discipline

The topic of discipline is one parents are uneasy about. Just think about how many times you’ve seen a parent pull their kid close or off to the side and whisper in their ear and immediately the demeanor of the child changed. You know they whispered something along the lines of, “when we get home (fill in the blank).” And you know that because you have probably done something similar. Usually one of the reasons parents do this is to avoid criticism for how they choose to discipline.

Now the underlying reason for this is we do not hear a lot taught about discipline. Sadly, nearly every time the topic comes up among parents a debate about spanking breaks out. That is sad because that is not what discipline is about.

I am going to share six things that I have learned about discipline that will:

1. Help you think about it correctly
2. Change your approach
3. Think less about yourself and more about your kid
4. More effectively fulfill the mission of fatherhood

Discipline no longer needs to be a hush hush topic. Dads need to talk about it, share what they’ve learned, and join together to more faithfully father our future.

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For more content make sure to check out https://fatheringourfuture.com/ and if you'd like to support this effort visit: https://fatheringourfuture.com/support/