Fathering Our Future

Have you ever poured yourself out for your family and wondered if anyone even noticed? As fathers, we work hard. We sacrifice. We provide. We protect. And if we are honest, there are days when we wish someone would simply say thank you. In this episode, I talk about what I believe is the true heart of fatherhood, and it is not easy. A comment on one of my reels inspired this episode. A dad shared...

Most dads want to be a good dad . But what if that’s the wrong goal? In this episode, I challenge one of the most common and most misleading pursuits in fatherhood. Because being a “good dad” isn’t determined by how much we provide, how hard we work, or how many things we do right. It’s determined by our relationship with our child. Using biblical insight and real-life fatherhood perspective, we u...

Fatherhood changes everything, especially our expectations. Many dads step into parenting with ambition, personal standards, and a vision for what excellence looks like, only to feel frustrated when they cannot seem to measure up once children enter the picture. In this episode, we revisit expectations and why so many fathers quietly wrestle with feeling like they are falling short. Looking at Luk...

Are your kids doing things for you because they love you… or because they feel like they have to manage your emotions? In this episode, I unpack a powerful conversation that forced me to look in the mirror as a father. Using Micah 6 as a backdrop, we explore the difference between how pagan cultures tried to appease their unstable gods versus how our Heavenly Father actually relates to His childre...

Many parents say it without thinking: “Go to your room.” But biblically, psychologically, and developmentally it’s a mistake. In this episode, I explain why isolating children during discipline does more harm than good. Scripture shows us that isolation erodes identity, value, and hope. Add modern research on loneliness and child brain development, and the conclusion is unavoidable: connection, no...

I was raised to believe backtalk was disrespectful and had to be shut down immediately. But when I started looking at Scripture, especially the psalms of lament, I realized something uncomfortable: God invites questions, frustration, and hard conversations from His children. So why don’t we? In this episode, I explain why silencing your kids may be damaging trust, weakening your influence, and wor...

You’re a Christian dad. You want to teach your kids about the Bible but the Old Testament makes you uncomfortable because it can feel intense with the bloody stories, tough questions, and a God who seems “angry.” That’s ok. I’ve got you. This episode I connect with Chad Bird, Scholar in Residence at 1517, who specializes in the Old Testament. He helps clear up some misconceptions about the Old Tes...

You’re getting a double dose of boundaries this week because boundaries aren’t “nice to have,” they’re protection. In this episode, my friend and life coach Tom Lyman, shares boundaries that helped rebuild his life after years of addiction, and how those same boundaries can help you become a stronger man, husband, and father. Tom walks through five key areas every man needs boundaries: • Spiritual...

Most dads think freedom comes from removing limits. That mindset quietly creates dissatisfaction, broken priorities, and strained families. In this episode of Fathering Our Future , Anthony Vandagriff explains why boundaries do not confine dads. They define what matters and protect what God has already given. Using Proverbs 4:23, real life stories, and practical examples, this episode unpacks: Why...

As we head into a new year, I know how easy it is for dads to feel pressure to change everything at once. I don’t want to give you a list of resolutions. I want you to focus on one fatherhood discipline that actually matters and is worth protecting. In this episode, I explain why prioritizing time around the table with your family is far more formative than most dads realize. Research shows that c...

As we head into 2026, I want to challenge you to think seriously about the kind of husband you are becoming because being a good husband directly impacts the kind of father you are. This week I want to revisit my most popular blog where I detail 10 things husbands can do to improve their marriages. In addition to things like:* Hugging your wife* Doing what you say* Listening before you attempt to...

Most New Year resolutions fail because we start with the wrong definition of success. As Christian dads, we are quick to set goals, chase improvement, and measure progress by outcomes we never stopped to question. But before we decide what to pursue in 2026, we need to ask a better question: What does excellence actually look like from God’s perspective? In this episode, I walk through what it mea...

As we approach 2026, most of us start drafting resolutions. We look at 2025, measure our wins and losses, and try to map out ways to be better. But Christian dads are called to a deeper starting point. Before we write a single resolution, we should first ask God to define what excellence actually looks like in our lives. In this episode, I share a simple but life-altering shift: Pray first. Ask Go...

You’re a Christian dad trying to raise kind Christian children when all of a sudden you find out that your child has stolen something from the store you visited. What do you do? This happened to my wife and I recently and I am going to honest with you, we handled things great. I want to give you four tips to handle situations like this great as well. I will elaborate on: Keeping your cool Leading...

Throughout the month of November we attempt to be thankful. We devote each day to something different to be thankful for. But if we are honest, sometimes it can be a challenge to stay thankful. I want to open up and share some of the difficulty around constant gratitude and offer a key scripture that helps reframe the way we think. https://fatheringourfuture.com/2025/11/24/the-key-to-staying-thank...

I came across an article that would catch the attention of any parent with young children about 7 ‘magic phrases’ that can calm tantrums instantly. While that sounds too good to be true, something like this is worth checking out just in case there is truth to it. This week we sift through this article to determine what actually works and what you should not waste your time on. I will also provide...

We live in a world where several voices claim to have the formula to being a good dad. While I understand fatherhood to be an ever-changing complexity that is unique to every dad, I want to offer guidance on how you can be a good dad by focusing on two things. I want to break down what it means to be the dad your children need you to be and how you can ensure your kids know they are abundantly lov...

We all enter into fatherhood with influences and voices that shape our approach. Maybe your dad was truly the man, or maybe you were inspired by an uncle, coach, pastor, or social influencer. But have you taken time to consider if you approach fatherhood in a way that honors God? One of the clearest ways we can be God honoring dads is to imitate our Heavenly Father. I want to focus on just two qua...

The Bible indicates that we know people by their fruits. Have you ever wondered what your kids know about you based on your fruit? In Galatians 5:22-23 we are introduced to the fruit of the Spirit. Good stuff but often misunderstood. I remember growing up and learning that these were characteristics and behaviors I had to practice and work on, but now I know that is not the case. I want to help yo...

Has your kid ever been down because of an issue with friendship? Of course you deal with it in the moment but there’s more you can do to help your kids.  This week I want to give you some advice on teaching your kids about friendships. Four reminders to tell them: There are lots of people in the world Friendship takes time Focus on being friendly Best friends find each other Plus a couple of other...

If you are a dad with a younger son and you find yourself wondering if your son actually likes you – you are not alone. In fact, a dad reach out to me with his concerns regarding his relationship with his 4-year old son and I think my advice will benefit you too. I will give you my timeless piece of advice that will be critical for your relationship with your son but I will specifically address: W...

Time and love are a couple of things we think about a lot as dads. So I’ve got a fresh perspective to share on time and 4 tips to help you succeed at loving your children. With kids we find ourselves not having enough time, wishing we had more time, and running out of time. When it comes to loving our kids we that’s what we are supposed to do but that doesn’t always come natural. After being separ...

Just a few weeks ago I was alone and isolated from my family. I thought this may have been a time where I would be ultra-productive but I was wrong. The isolation was painful but one simple thing made the difference. We live in a world where we are constantly told to look forward and to stop looking back. This week I share how looking back helped me during my period of loneliness and brought happi...

Last week I talked about things to avoid when it comes to disciplining your kids. This week I want to share one thing you should incorporate in your discipline approach that you maybe haven’t considered.  Disciplining kids seems like a serious thing, and it is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use humor in the process. I want to share a silly simple way I utilize humor in disciplining my kids that’...

Disciplining our children is our greatest responsibility as fathers and unfortunately too many think about discipline in terms of punishment and correction. That is a part of discipline, but there is a whole lot more to it. This week I focus on what it means to discipline your kids and I cover three things you need to be careful of or rethink entirely. We are talking about: Spanking Sending your k...