🥝 32 years avoiding kiwi fruit. One taste changed everything. What if the same breakthrough is waiting in your fatherhood?

Jeff Zaugg's Father's Day message will shift how you see those "annoying" parenting moments:

✅ Why pace, pain, people & perspective steal your wonder (and how to fight back)

✅ The Hebrew word "tov" that unlocks God's explosive delight in creation

✅ How a simple cup of water can activate you to lead with awe instead of annoyance

This isn't just inspiration—it's activation. You'll walk away with the Fight or Flight Dad Challenge that turns ordinary moments into opportunities to treasure your calling.

https://www.dadawesome.org/blog/389

Wonder isn't just a nice feeling—it's a weapon against the thieves trying to steal your joy as a dad. In this powerful Father's Day message, Jeff Zaugg reveals how a simple kiwi fruit taught him the difference between avoidance and amazement, and why the words "stop and consider God's wonders" could transform your entire approach to fatherhood. From bedtime water requests to marriage struggles, discover how ordinary moments become opportunities to fight for your family with eyes of awe.

• Wonder multiplies when we move from avoidance to curiosity—God's goodness is waiting to be discovered and shared
• Four thieves steal our capacity for awe: pace (hurried living), pain (unhealed wounds), people (unforgiveness), and perspective (familiarity)
• The "tov" principle shows us God's explosive delight in creation and invites us to mirror that same wonder toward our children
• A dad who fights for his family anchors on three words: loved (secure identity), learner (humble growth), and leader (purposeful connection)
• Simple triggers like a cup of water can activate us to lead with wonder instead of annoyance

Jeff Zaugg is the founder of DadAwesome and host of over 390 podcast episodes, helping fathers across the country discover the joy of fatherhood. Through his work with FATHERS FOR THE FATHERLESS, he's mobilized over 1,100 men through endurance challenges that have raised over $1 million for vulnerable children. Jeff believes the single greatest gift dads can give their children is the gift of presence—being fully with them in each moment. He and his wife Michelle have been married for eighteen years and are parents to four daughters, currently based in Northeast Florida, where you'll find him surfing with his girls or building epic backyard rope swings.

• "We honor God in heaven by treasuring the gift of fatherhood, not just enduring it."
• "Wonder isn't the absence of pain, but the ability to see God's beauty and goodness even in our suffering."
• "You gotta be son awesome before you try to show up as dad awesome—get soaking wet with God's love first."
• "Our pace robs us of awe. When there's no space to gaze, celebrate, or pause, we can't encounter God's goodness."
• "I want to get to the rocking chair with love on my heart, not unforgiveness weighing me down."
• "We can choose to treasure fatherhood or endure fatherhood—familiarity keeps us from wonder."
• "A cup of water can activate us to lead with wonder instead of moving toward annoyance."

Ken Sande joins us for PART 2 to share game-changing tools every dad needs:

✅ The SOG Plan: Self-aware, Other-aware, God-aware conflict resolution

✅ The SERVE Acrostic: How to love your wife like Christ loves the church

✅ Why bringing the gospel beats lecturing every time

Every dad faces conflict at home, but most of us handle it all wrong. In this episode, Ken Sande shares powerful tools that will transform how you navigate family tension. You'll discover the SOG plan for conflict resolution, learn the SERVE acrostic for loving your wife well, and hear an incredible story about how bringing the gospel to his 12-year-old daughter melted her rebellious heart in seconds. These aren't just concepts—they're practical tools you can use tonight.

• The SOG plan (Self-aware, Other-aware, God-aware) breaks the cycle of self-justification and blame in family conflicts.
• Asking "What would please and honor God right now?" can instantly transform heated arguments into opportunities for growth.
• The SERVE acrostic gives dads a clear roadmap for loving their wives: Smile, Explore, Reconcile, Value, Encourage.
• Bringing the gospel to your kids is more powerful than any lecture—it softens hearts and creates lasting change.
• When daddy comes home, the whole household should light up because you've learned to put wind under everyone's wings.

Ken Sande is the founder of Peacemaker Ministries and Relational Wisdom 360. As a lawyer turned peacemaker, he has helped resolve over 600 family conflicts, including 300+ marriages headed for divorce. Ken is the author of multiple books on conflict resolution and relational wisdom. He and his wife Corlette have been married for nearly 40 years and are more in love today than ever before.

• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome
• Learn about the DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort
• Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618
• Peacemaker Ministries
• Relational Wisdom 360
• Ken Sande's Blog on Humility, Teachability, and Flexibility
• Seven Steps to Empathy Resource
• Young Peacemaker Curriculum (The 5 A's for Kids)

✅ The Seven A's of confession (and why "I'm sorry" isn't enough for deep healing)

✅ How to break the cycle of emotionally stunted men in your family line

✅ The 6-second technique that can save your marriage and your relationships with your kids

✅ Why going "upstream" is better than constantly putting out fires

What if the reason marriages grow cold after the honeymoon year isn't about compatibility, but about something dads never learned to model? In this episode, Ken Sande reveals how emotionally stunted men are created when fathers never show their kids how to say "I'm sorry" or "I need help." You'll discover the Seven A's of confession that can break generational patterns and the upstream approach to preventing conflict before it starts. Plus, Ken shares practical tools for managing your emotions in the heat of the moment—including the six-second technique that can save your tongue from doing damage.

• More people are watching your responses to conflict than you realize—about 10 times more—and you're teaching through your reactions.
• The Seven A's of confession provide a framework for meaningful apologies that actually heal relationships rather than just checking a box.
• Emotional stunting passes from generation to generation when fathers never model humility, confession, or asking for help.
• The READ technique (Recognize, Evaluate, Anticipate, Direct) helps you manage amygdala hijacking and respond thoughtfully instead of reactively.
• Going "upstream" to prevent conflict through relational wisdom is more effective than constantly putting out the fires of broken relationships.
• Your royal identity as a child of God, friend of Jesus, and ambassador of reconciliation should shape how you lead your family 24/7.

Ken Sande founded Peacemaker Ministries and Relational Wisdom 360, organizations focused on conflict resolution and relationship skills. After 30 years of mediating conflicts—including over 600 divorce cases with more than half reconciling—Ken shifted focus to go "upstream" and help people prevent conflict through biblical emotional intelligence. He's the author of multiple books on peacemaking and relational wisdom, and lives in Billings, Montana, where he enjoys hiking and backpacking with his family and grandchildren.

• 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
• Young Peacemaker Curriculum (The 5 A's for Kids)
• Discovering Relational Wisdom Online Course
• Relational Peacemaking Course
• Relational Wisdom 360 (RW360.org)
• Peacemaker Ministries resources
• Six Skills That Help Every Relationship
• Three Qualities Blog

✅ The 5-movement Examen prayer that's transforming bedtimes (free PDF included!)

✅ Why this dad says NO social media until 18 (and the research backing him up)

✅ Simple breath prayers that turn everyday moments into encounters with God

✅ The daily catechism question that reminds his kids of their true identity

FULL SHOW NOTES:

In a world where screens compete for our attention every waking moment, how do we raise kids who know they belong to God instead of their devices? Jay Kim, a pastor living in Silicon Valley, shares his family's journey of moving at the "pace of peace" while navigating digital distractions. From practicing the ancient prayer of Examen with his 10 and 7-year-old to implementing radical boundaries around smartphones, Jay offers practical wisdom for dads who want to show up—really show up—for their children in an analog way.

TAKEAWAYS

• Moving at the "pace of peace" means prioritizing relationships over plans and never compromising people for productivity
• The Examen prayer creates a powerful bedtime rhythm: presence, gratitude, reflection, confession, and hope for tomorrow
• Breath prayers can transform everyday moments—try "God, you control outcomes" (inhale) and "help me to be faithful" (exhale)
• Digital addiction requires intentional intervention: practice one hour tech-free daily, one day weekly, one week yearly
• Your kids need to see you detached from devices—dock phones away from family spaces to model analog presence
• Catechism in daily rhythms reinforces identity: "What is our only hope in life and death? We are not our own, we belong to God"
• Social media should have age restrictions like alcohol and tobacco—consider no social media until 18
• The fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) is the antidote to digital-age discontentment, fragility, and foolishness

GUEST

Jay Kim is a pastor in Northern California's Silicon Valley, author of multiple books including Analog Christian and Analog Church, and host of the Digital Examen podcast. He and his wife Jenny have two children and are committed to practicing intentional, incarnational family rhythms in one of the world's most digitally connected regions. Jay's work focuses on helping followers of Jesus navigate technology with wisdom while cultivating deeper spiritual practices.

• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome
• Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org
• Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618
• Analog Christian by Jay Kim
• Analog Church by Jay Kim
• Digital Examen Podcast
• The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Examen Prayer Family Guide (Free PDF)
• Heidelberg Catechism for Children
• Listen. Listen. Speak. by Jay Kim

✅ How healing from father wounds creates ripple effects that impact generations

✅ The power of showing up consistently (Leo hasn't missed a single one of his son's games!)

✅ Why prayer cards with specific prayers for each child have created lasting impact

✅ How to break generational cycles even when you didn't have a model

FULL SHOW NOTES:

Growing up with a famous boxer father who never showed up for his games taught Leo Clark what it means to truly fight for the hearts of his children. In this powerful conversation, Leo shares how he's breaking generational cycles through his basketball ministry, intentional parenting, and the healing journey that transformed his ability to love. You'll hear how pain that isn't dealt with can block our capacity to parent well, and how God's restoration can create ripple effects that impact not just our own children, but countless others.

• Breaking generational cycles begins with healing your own pain and allowing God to father you first
• A dad who fights for his kids shows up consistently, even when they try to push him away
• Being intentional about prayer and writing down specific prayers for your children creates lasting impact
• Your smile can be a gift that breaks down barriers and opens doors for meaningful connection
• Pain that isn't dealt with limits your capacity to love well and be fully present for your children
• The words you speak to your children become their inner voice—make them words of life
• Creating a legacy of love requires intentional reflection and being willing to be vulnerable

Leo Clark is the co-founder of Go Get It, a basketball training ministry that mentors young men on and off the court. Growing up as the son of a famous heavyweight boxer who was physically absent from his life, Leo has dedicated himself to breaking generational cycles and being fully present for his five children. His powerful testimony of healing and restoration was featured in episode three of the Wild at Heart documentary series. Leo lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Marianne and continues to impact countless young men through basketball, mentorship, and his passion for fatherhood.

LINKS

• Wild at Heart Documentary Series: Episode 3 featuring Leo Clark
• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome
• Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort: Email awesome@dadawesome.org
• Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618