Intentional Fatherhood

Epizódok

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  S3E11 Bonus - Stewardship, Belonging + Surrendering to God's Love with Fred Odom 28.07.2026 1ó 5p

  In this episode, Brook sits down with Fred Odom for the second installment of Fatherhood in the Wild, our series featuring everyday dads in the trenches of marriage, work, and raising kids. Fred is a dear friend, a husband to Becca, a father of three young daughters (affectionately dubbed the family "C-suite"), and part of the team behind Chick-fil-A's leadership conferences, where his gift is helping others find the words to say what matters most. What began as a work call became a real friendship, and this conversation is a window into what fatherhood actually feels like for a man carrying a lot all at once.Much of the conversation centers on the difference between the title of leadership and the weight of stewardship. Fred shares how a recent promotion taught him that greater responsibility isn't about accolades but about carrying more people, and how that same posture applies at home. We're not owners of our work, our marriages, or our kids; we're stewards of all of it. Fred opens up honestly about discovering his struggle with anger only after becoming a dad, and how underneath it is a desire for control and a deeper question of whether he can trust God to provide what he needs through the very life he's been given.Fred also walks us through his story: his parents' divorce at age three, growing up between a predominantly white school and a predominantly Black church, and the quiet ache of not knowing where he belonged. That longing for belonging, he's come to see, is woven through his whole life, from inviting others in during college to helping speakers know they have a place on stage today. He shares how his mother's resilient faith shaped him, how a retreat finally gave him permission to bring his anger and grief to a God who loves him, and how he's learning that his calling isn't something he has to force into existence. As one friend told him, God cares more about who you're becoming than what you're achieving.The episode lands on a word Fred sensed God gave him this year: devotion. What he expected to be about his devotion to God turned out to be about God's devotion to him, learning to believe he is a beloved son. He shares a prayer spoken over him that has reframed this whole season: that his surrender would be greater than his sacrifice. We talk about how the enemy uses the lie that you're "behind," how greatness in the kingdom is the hidden life that leads to serving others, and how it's the small, faithful, daily things, family prayers in the car, a weekly core value, wiping the counter, that shape both our kids and us. Fred closes with a reflection on how a simple invitation to gather a few men has grown into something the Lord is using, a reminder that impact often starts with nothing more than initiative.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Nehemiah 8:10 + 2 Chronicles 16:9Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E10 - Unfinished Symphonies: Leaving a Legacy Through Your Vocation + What It’s Like to Live With You 07.07.2026 51p

  In our final episode of the season, we explore what it means to build a legacy that extends far beyond our own lifetime. Legacy is more than money. It’s the wisdom, faith, values, and way of life we pass on to future generations. We discuss why legacy isn’t something we think about later; it’s being shaped right now through the work we do and the lives we live.Together, we wrestle with questions like: What are you building? Are you pursuing something bigger than yourself…something you may never see finished? We talk about building with hope instead of anxiety, embracing humility about what we cannot accomplish alone, and recognizing that the most meaningful work is always passed on through others.We also ask a challenging question: What does it feel like to live with you while you’re building your dreams? Our families may never remember the metrics, goals, or bottom lines, but they will remember our presence, our character, and the memories we create together. As two imperfect fathers still trying to figure it out ourselves, we reflect on the tension between work, calling, and family, and close with a prayer that God would help us build lives that leave a lasting legacy.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Deuteronomy 6:6-7, Psalm 78:4, Proverbs 13:22, Acts 13:36, Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 + Ecclesiastes 9:7-9Books Mentioned: A Time to Build by Yuval Levin, To Change the World by James Davison Hunter + Leaf by Niggle by J.R.R. TolkienSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E9 - The Amateur: Reclaiming Joy and Pursuing Hobbies Outside of Work 30.06.2026 47p

  This week, we explore the importance of being an amateur, and doing things simply because you love them. In a culture that pushes us to monetize every skill and maximize every minute, many men have lost touch with hobbies that exist purely for joy. But God created us not only to work, but also to create, play, and enjoy the gifts He has given us.We discuss the barriers that keep us from embracing this part of life, including the pressure to turn hobbies into side hustles and a world that values consumption more than creativity. Whether it's woodworking, cooking, camping, golf, music, or working on cars, these pursuits can provide the kind of rest, fulfillment, and connection that passive, mind-numbing entertainment often cannot.We also talk about how hobbies can deepen our relationship with God, build community, and create meaningful memories with our children. As C.S. Lewis said, “Joy is the serious business of heaven.” This episode is an invitation to reclaim the things that make you come alive, not because they're productive, profitable, or practical, but because they remind you of who God created you to be.This Week’s Action Steps:Reclaim one “useless” thing that you simply enjoy doing.Schedule play like it’s a responsibility.Invite your kids into it.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Ecclesiastes 2:24, 1 Timothy 6:17, 2 Chronicles 9 + Genesis 2:9Books Mentioned: The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar CaponSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E8 - Family and Work: Is Work-Life Balance Even the Goal? 23.06.2026 47p

  In this pivotal episode of the season, we explore the relationship between family and work, challenging the common idea of “work-life balance.” Rather than seeing work and family as competing priorities, we discuss how they are meant to be integrated and ordered rightly. The real question isn’t how to fit your family into your work, but what your work is ultimately for in light of your family.We answer common questions many fathers have about setting healthy work boundaries, staying present with your family after a long day, sharing the responsibilities of the home, and teaching your children the value of work. From establishing rhythms of rest to embracing the “second race” of family life after work, we discuss how fathers can faithfully serve both their vocation and their household.We also explore the importance of inviting children into meaningful work through chores, household responsibilities, and even opportunities to observe or participate in your work when appropriate. Family and work are not opposed to one another; they are deeply intertwined. And while fatherhood can often leave you tired and stretched thin, that reality is often part of the calling. The days are long, the years are short, and the work of raising children is some of the most important work you'll ever do.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: 1 Timothy 5:8 + Philippians 2:5-8Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E7 - The Hidden Life of a Father: Spiritual Disciplines That Surround and Inform Your Work Life 16.06.2026 54p

  Many fathers carry a deep sense of responsibility to provide, achieve, and work hard, yet often wonder how their faith should shape both their work and their family life. In this episode, we explore the spiritual disciplines that surround and inform the life of work: before you leave for work, while you're at work, and when you return home.We discuss the hidden life of a father and why spiritual formation matters when much of your most important work goes unseen. Drawing from poetry, teachings, and our own lived experience, we examine how spiritual disciplines reorder our loves, expose what is driving us, create space for God to interrupt our patterns, and quietly shape the kind of fathers we are becoming.Key Disciplines of Fathers (Which Also Apply to the Workplace):Presence.Blessing.Repair.Attention.Slowing down.Play.Emotional awareness.Saying no.We also talk about the transformative impact of prayer, Scripture, fasting, Sabbath, and generosity, as well as two practical rhythms for the workday: making prayer part of your work rhythm and making rest and reflection part of your work rhythm. Along the way, we explore why Sabbath is designed to help us work from rest rather than simply recover from exhaustion, and why our limits are a feature of God’s design, not a flaw.This episode is not a call to legalism or adding more to your to-do list. It is an invitation to start somewhere. Spiritual disciplines are a gift that help us live, work, and lead our families from a place of being deeply loved by our Father.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Mark 1:9-11 + Matthew 11:30Previous Episode Mentioned: S1E3 - Habits, Rhythms, and Spiritual Disciplines for Intentional Fatherhood (YouTube, Spotify + Apple Podcasts)Poem Mentioned: Those Winter Sundays by Robert HaydenSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E6 - What Makes Healthy and Unhealthy Leaders: Hard Conversations, Character + Servant Leadership 09.06.2026 1ó 4p

  This week, we dive into leadership and why it matters for every man. Most people think of leadership as something reserved for business owners, managers, or people with authority, but the reality is that we're all leading somewhere. As fathers and husbands, the way we show up influences the people around us and shapes the culture of our homes, workplaces, and communities.In this conversation, we unpack what healthy leadership actually looks like and why so many leaders get it wrong. We explore why leadership is less about competency and more about character, why servant leadership creates healthy cultures, and how many of the same qualities that make someone a good leader also make them a good father.We also discuss some of the common reasons people struggle in leadership, including insecurity, performance-based identity, a need for control, and the tendency to avoid hard conversations. Along the way, we talk about the responsibility leaders have to bring calm in moments of chaos, make difficult decisions when necessary, communicate clearly, and put the needs of others ahead of their own.Ultimately, we look to Jesus as the model for healthy leadership. By paying attention to how He lived, served, spoke, and led in the Gospels, we find a perfect example of leadership rooted in humility, courage, conviction, and care for others. Whether at home, at work, or in the community, His example challenges us to lead in a way that helps others flourish.7 Practices of a Healthy Leader:Practice daily self-leadership by managing yourself well before leading others.Clarify and repeat the vision consistently so people know where they are headed.Have hard conversations early, addressing issues with both kindness and honesty.Create healthy feedback loops and invite others to speak openly.Serve in unseen ways, looking for opportunities to put others first.Filter complaints wisely, discerning which concerns need action and which do not.Be available and present with the people you lead, investing time in relationships.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Proverbs 29:18 + Proverbs 11:10Previous Episode Mentioned: S3E3: The Dangerous Lie About Calling and Success (YouTube, Spotify + Apple Podcasts)Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E5 - You Have Enough Time for the Life God Actually Called You To 02.06.2026 57p

  In this episode, we continue our conversation on stewardship by looking at one of our most valuable and limited resources: time. Time is the currency of our purpose, and stewarding it well means finding the balance between laziness and anxiety. While some of us need to embrace greater ambition and intentionality, others need to embrace the gift of limitation. Rest, sleep, Sabbath, and slower rhythms are not flaws in our design, they are part of it.Drawing from Ephesians 5:15-16, we discuss what it means to “redeem the time.” The goal is not perfect productivity but faithful stewardship. You may not have enough time to do everything you want to do, but you do have enough time to do the things God is calling you to do. Wisdom helps us release unrealistic expectations, trust God with the future, and use our days with greater purpose.We also explore the importance of using mornings and evenings well, building life-giving rituals, and developing habits that shape a sustainable rhythm of life. Because in the end, we redeem time not to become more productive, but to become the people God has called us to be.Practical ways to steward your time:Structure important blocks of your day.Track where your time goes.Put your phone out of sight when working.Sit with difficult problems instead of escaping them.Write by hand to improve focus and clarity.Create intentional phone settings for work, home, and Sabbath.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Ephesians 5:15-16, Psalm 90:12 + Ecclesiastes 3:1-8Book Mentioned: The Writing Life by Annie DillardSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E4 - Stewardship of Your Money, Radical Generosity + Purposeful Simplicity 26.05.2026 56p

  This week, we talk about money, work, providing, and vocation through the lens of biblical stewardship. Stewardship is the faithful management of what belongs to God, and Scripture reminds us that our money, time, relationships, influence, families, and opportunities are ultimately His, not ours. Jesus speaks often about greed and warns against living with an ownership mindset instead of a steward’s heart.We explore what it looks like to faithfully steward not only finances, but also our wives, children, organizations, and responsibilities. Seeing ourselves as stewards kills entitlement and reshapes how we use our resources for the good of our families, neighbors, churches, and communities. The conversation also highlights the importance of simplicity and generosity, which means living with intentional limits instead of unnecessary excess, while cultivating a lifestyle of open-handed giving with our money, time, and energy.We also discuss practical ways to build habits and structures around generosity, including the idea of capping your lifestyle while leaving your generosity uncapped. Rather than drifting financially, families should decide ahead of time what “enough” looks like and create a plan for giving radically and intentionally.Practical Steps:As you anticipate or plan for an increase in finances, discuss with your spouse what your capped lifestyle looks like.Create a plan for generosity, including specific categories, the timing, how much, etc.3 Questions to Ask Yourself:What have you been given?What does faithfulness look like in those areas?What needs to change in how you’re handling it?Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: 1 Timothy 6:10, Luke 12:13-21, Luke 12:48, 1 Corinthians 4:2, Matthew 6:19-24 + Matthew 6:1-8Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E3 - The Dangerous Lie About Calling and Success 19.05.2026 49p

  This episode wraps up our conversation on the spiritual foundation of work before we move into the practical side of vocation and calling. We explore the tension between ambition and idolatry, and how we were created to pursue meaningful things, yet how easily ambition can become self-centered. Together, we discuss how Scripture reframes ambition as something good when it’s rooted in humility, service, and faithfulness rather than ego, pride, or status.Justin reflects on how his understanding of “making it” was shaped by watching his father’s success and notoriety, while Brook shares how parenting a child with special needs has reshaped his view of ambition, rhythms, and career expectations. We also talk through the things that often hold us back from healthy ambition: fear, comfort, distraction, comparison, exhaustion, financial pressure, and the lies we believe about ourselves.Ultimately, we ask what it looks like to pursue success with integrity and a focus on spiritual formation, remembering that the goal is not selfish ambition, but courage, humility, and faithfulness.Practices:Be honest with trusted friends about your ambition.Be honest with trusted friends about your idols.Be honest with trusted friends about the audacious dream(s) you’re afraid to say out loud.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Philippians 2:3-9, John 8:44, Proverbs 11:10, 2 Corinthians 10:5 + Romans 12:2Books Mentioned: Godly Ambition by Ruslan KD, Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller, Generous Justice by Timothy Keller, Kingdom Calling by Amy Sherman + On the Road with Saint Augustine by James K. A. SmithSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E2 - You Don’t Find Your Calling, You Form It + Killing the Lightning Bolt Myth 12.05.2026 1ó 6p

  In this episode, we continue our season on work and vocation by tackling one of the most misunderstood words in the Christian life: calling. The thesis is simple but disruptive: you don’t find your calling, you form it. So much of our cultural imagination around vocation runs on what we call the “lightning bolt myth,” the idea that one day clarity will strike, you’ll know exactly what you’re made to do, and the path forward will appear. But that’s not how calling actually works, and waiting for the zap keeps a lot of men stuck living someone else’s life.We lean on a line from Dallas Willard that reframes the whole conversation: “Your job is not your calling; your calling is to become a certain kind of person.” Before vocation is ever a profession, it’s a formation, becoming the kind of person who, like Peter on the water, says, “Lord, if you’re there, call me to yourself.” From that foundation, the question shifts from what am I supposed to do? to who am I becoming, and where is God already at work in my story? Justin shares his own “calling moment” around writing, fatherhood, and being a missionary in China, and how each of those took years, sometimes a decade, to actually take shape. Brook walks through his unexpected path into ministry and Intentional, and how saying yes to something unglamorous turned out to be the doorway into the work he was made for.Along the way, we talk about the danger of succeeding at the wrong life, the way ambition can quietly turn into idolatry, and Carl Jung’s warning that until we make the unconscious conscious, it will direct our lives and we’ll call it fate. We borrow a helpful framework from Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ Designing Your Life, the overlap of what you enjoy, what you’re good at, and what the world needs, and we name that talent and even enjoyment are more formable than we tend to think. Calling is iterated, not discovered.We close with one of the most powerful practices we’ve shared on the podcast, Richard Foster’s prayer of relinquishment. It’s the practice of burying your hopes, dreams, and the version of yourself you’ve been chasing, and praying, Lord, resurrect whatever is from you, and let whatever needs to stay dead, stay dead. For many of us, that’s the doorway into actually forming a calling we couldn’t have planned. This conversation is a setup for next week, where we’ll dig into the question this whole episode raises: how do we have ambition without idolatry?Practices:Pray the prayer of relinquishment: bury your hopes, dreams, and ambitions, and ask God to resurrect what is from Him and let whatever needs to stay dead, stay dead.Revisit last week’s exercise and add a third circle: write down three things that give you life, three needs you see in the world, and three things you’re genuinely talented at, then look for where all three overlap.Identify a repeated pattern in your life or family of origin around work and calling, and ask: where did this start, and is it still shaping me?Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Matthew 14:22-33, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 8:28 + Exodus 2-3Books Mentioned: Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans + Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home by Richard FosterSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S3E1 - The Lie of “Just a Job”
 + Why Your Work Matters More Than You Think 05.05.2026 1ó 2p

  We’re BACK with season 3, diving into work and vocation in fatherhood. We start by laying a foundation with a biblical theology of work, because work isn’t just a necessary part of life, it’s something God designed. From the very beginning, God was at work, and He invites us to join Him in it, which means our everyday jobs carry far more spiritual significance than we often realize.It’s easy to divide life into “sacred” and “secular” categories, but Scripture pushes back on that idea. Your work doesn’t have to be in ministry or a nonprofit to have eternal purpose; whether you’re earning money or raising it, both can be God-ordained. The real question isn’t how “spiritual” your job appears, but whether you’re doing it for God or simply to make something of yourself.At its core, all work is service. We were made to serve, and every role is an opportunity to meet real needs in the world. The Hebrew word “avodah” captures this well, bringing together the ideas of work, service, and worship, and reminding us that in God’s design these aren’t separate but are meant to be fully integrated.As Frederick Buechner wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Discovering that intersection takes time, but it’s where meaningful, outward-focused work begins.Practices:Write the story of your work through the lens of creation, the fall, redemption, and consummation.Write down three things that give you life and three needs you see in the world, then look for where they overlap.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TXScripture Mentioned: Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:15, Revelation 21:1-2, 1 Corinthians 7:17, Exodus 8:1 + Joshua 24:15Books Mentioned: Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright, The Romance of the Word by Robert Farrar Capon, Garden City by John Mark Comer + The Sacredness of Secular Work by Jordan RaynorSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  Tension of Work and Family Life, Carrying the Burden of Financial Stress + Confessing Sexual Sin (BONUS) 31.03.2026 1ó 6p

  Note: This episode contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger listeners. Please use discretion.In this bonus episode, we sit down live in San Diego to reflect on a powerful Fatherhood Retreat weekend, one marked by vulnerability, confession, and a clear movement of the Spirit. We talk about what it looks like to notice where God is already at work and simply join Him there, and we carry that idea into a conversation around some of the questions we didn’t get to during the retreat.We spend time talking through the tension of work and family life, and how building intentional rhythms and setting up guardrails can help protect what matters most without treating vocation and home as competing priorities. We also discuss the vital role of covenant friendships, especially when confession feels difficult in marriage, and how inviting other men in can lead to wisdom, healing, and the courage to move forward.We talk about the weight of financial stress and how easily it can become tied to our identity, along with the importance of prayer, community, and trusting God’s provision in uncertain seasons. And in some more vulnerable moments, we step into questions around confession, sexual integrity, and communication within marriage, highlighting the importance of honesty with wisdom, and encouraging men to pursue deeper connection with their wives rather than defaulting to isolation.Intentional Parents Episode on Sex: YouTube, Spotify + Apple PodcastsIntentional Fatherhood Episode w/ Lauren Earley: YouTube, Spotify + Apple PodcastsScripture Mentioned: Psalm 23Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Interested in Hosting the Next Intentional Fatherhood Retreat? Fill out this form.Intentional Motherhood Retreat: April 23-25, 2026 in Franklin, TNIntentional Fatherhood WebsiteFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  Decoding Boys, Expectations in Marriage + Fighting Bitterness (BONUS Interview w/ Justin’s Wife, Lauren Earley) 27.01.2026 1ó 14p

  In this bonus episode, we welcome a very special guest: Justin’s wife, Lauren, the first woman to ever appear on the Fatherhood podcast. Together, they reflect on marriage, parenting, and partnership while raising four boys, and what it looks like to raise sons into men as a united team. Lauren shares a mother’s perspective on how parenting can feel different for moms and dads, and why fathers play a key role in helping “decode” boys, whose expressions of love and affirmation often look very different than expected.Justin and Lauren also share the story of how their relationship began, including their breakup, getting back together, and a memorable first date at one of Justin’s punk rock screamo shows (yes, he was the screamer). The conversation moves into the realities of married life: learning to meet in the middle on expectations, choosing the right tools for the job, and resisting the temptation to keep score. They speak candidly about difficult seasons in their marriage, the danger of bitterness, and replacing narratives like “I do everything” with gratitude, prayer, and a posture of selfless giving.Along the way, they offer practical wisdom, from sharing calendars around Lauren’s monthly cycle to knowing when and how to share struggles with friends without speaking poorly about your spouse. They close by answering two simple but meaningful questions about what they love most about their marriage and how they feel most supported by one another, highlighting courage, tenacity, encouragement, and making life fun together. This episode is filled with honest stories, practical tools, and life-giving wisdom that’s both encouraging and easy to apply.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: Acts 20:35Book Mentioned: Sacred Fire by Ronald RolheiserSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  Conversation w/ Ronald Rolheiser: Restlessness, Giving Your Death Away, Dealing With Anger + the Power of Fidelity 20.01.2026 48p

  In this episode, we sit down with Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, one of the most trusted and influential spiritual voices of our time, and someone whose work we deeply admire and return to often. A Catholic priest, theologian, and author, Fr. Rolheiser has spent more than 50 years teaching and writing about prayer, vocation, and the interior life, helping countless people understand how God meets us in ordinary, everyday faithfulness.Now 78 and a cancer survivor of more than a decade, Fr. Rolheiser reflects on this current stage of life and what it means to finish well. Drawing from his framework of getting your life together, giving your life away, and giving your death away, he shares wisdom shaped by experience, suffering, and surrender, reminding us that the way we die is the spirit we leave behind.Much of the conversation centers on restlessness, particularly in midlife. Fr. Rolheiser explains that our restlessness is not something to eliminate but a sign that we are “built too big for this world.” Rather than escaping it, he invites us to listen for what God may be teaching us through it, especially as fathers learning to integrate spiritual life with ordinary responsibilities.We also explore ideas from his book, Domestic Monastery, where daily obligations — alarm clocks, mortgages, and kids’ schedules — become monastic bells calling us to faithfulness. Parents, he says, don’t raise kids; kids raise parents. The episode closes with reflections on surrender without passivity, responsibility without control, righteous anger, and the quiet power of fidelity. His final encouragement is simple and enduring: stay with your commitments, just show up for prayer, and trust that God is at work in your staying.Ronald Rolheiser: Website + Books (New Book: Insane for the Light: A Spirituality for Our Wisdom Years)Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: John 21:15-19, Mark 15:37 + John 4:21Books Mentioned: Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser, Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser, Finding God at Home by Ernest Boyer Jr. + Naming the Whirlwind by Langdon GilkeySubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E8 - Lets talk about SEX! Reclaiming Intimacy Without Shame 06.01.2026 1ó 8p

  Note: This episode contains mature themes that may not be suitable for younger listeners. Please use discretion.This bonus episode tackles a topic that is central to the male experience but often left unspoken: sex. Speaking directly to married men, the conversation calls them to engage sex honestly, framing it as a spiritual, physical, and powerful dimension of their lives.Beginning with Genesis 2, the episode explores why God invented sex and placed it so prominently in the biblical story, naming it as God’s good creation — meant for procreation, beauty, and connection. From there, the conversation turns to our role as fathers, emphasizing the importance of talking openly with our kids about sex through small, ongoing conversations. For many who grew up with silence or shame around the topic, the reminder is simple: clarity is kindness, even when it feels uncomfortable.The episode then centers on three themes: intimacy, sex as sacrament, and practical wisdom for sexual connection. We outline six types of intimacy — emotional, spiritual, intellectual, experiential, commitment-based, and physical — inviting men to consider where their marriages are thriving or lacking connection. Sex is framed as sacramental, a sacred sign that communicates reassurance, identity, reconciliation, commitment, and gratitude. Practically, the episode encourages viewing sex as a practice rather than a performance, shaped by season, consistency over intensity, and mutual enjoyment. Ultimately, sex within marriage is something you give to your spouse — an ongoing act of love that grows and deepens over time.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: Proverbs 27:20 + Genesis 2 Book Mentioned: The Body Teaches the Soul by Justin Whitmel EarleyResource Mentioned: Birds & BeesSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E7 - BONUS Interview w/ Ruslan KD: Godly Ambition, Shame Around Pursuing Work + Communicating Seasons of Busyness 16.12.2025 43p

  In this episode, Brook sits down with Ruslan KD — YouTuber, musician, author, cultural commentator, speaker, and father — for a rich and deeply personal conversation around his new book, Godly Ambition: Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Time, Talent, and Treasure. Ruslan shares pieces of his upbringing, from a tumultuous childhood to coming to know Jesus, early marriage, becoming a father, and navigating seasons of financial struggle.We explore the “law of replacement,” the bridge between the supernatural and the super practical, and why ambition — though often misunderstood — is both beautiful and biblical. Ruslan names the tension many men feel between ambition and godliness, pushing back against unhealthy ideas around Sabbath rest, toxic masculinity, and the shame some carry for wanting to pursue more. He reminds us that Sabbath is only meaningful in the context of six days of faithful work, and that Jesus doesn’t rebuke the desire for greatness — He redirects it toward service.Drawing from scripture, we talk about stewarding time, talent, treasure, and even media consumption. Ruslan encourages men to communicate with their families about seasons of busyness, seek guidance and support rather than isolation, and adopt simple practices like replacing meetings with meals.The conversation is honest, practical, and inspiring, offering a fresh perspective on ambition, faith, and spiritual leadership in the home.Ruslan KD: YouTube, Instagram, Godly Ambition: Unlocking the Full Potential of Your Time, Talent, and Treasure + Bless GodVideo with Cory Asbury and Forrest FrankIntentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: 1 Thessalonians 4:11, Romans 15:20, 1 Timothy 5:1-16, Proverbs 6:5 + Proverbs 27:2Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E6: Praying Legacy, Practicing Initiation, Passing on Wisdom + The Little Things Are the Big Things 11.11.2025 1ó 6p

  In the final episode of season two, we explore what it really means to give your death away — to live and lead in such a way that your life becomes a lasting gift to those who follow. We unpack the word legacy, not as something we build for ourselves, but as something we intentionally sow into the next generation through prayer, blessing, and everyday faithfulness.Legacy begins with prayer. Before we practice it, we have to pray it — asking God to refine our desires and shape our vision for who our children are becoming. We talk about what it looks like to be initiated into new stages of life by those ahead of us while initiating our kids into maturity, responsibility, and faith. From writing letters and creating family rituals to teaching practical life skills and setting healthy parameters — like viewing a smartphone as a rite of passage — we share tangible ways to pass along wisdom and form character.Because the little things are the big things. Our children will often become who we tell them we see them becoming. And ultimately, none of this makes sense without the resurrection of Jesus — because without it, there’s nothing redemptive about our death. But in light of His resurrection, every act of love, sacrifice, and legacy becomes deeply meaningful.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadSowing a Hidden Seed: 31-Day Prayer Devotional by Brook MosserThe Hang 10 MovementSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E5: Giving Your Death Away, Living in Light of Your Mortality + Moving From Fluid to Crystalized Intelligence 04.11.2025 1ó 2p

  In this episode, we explore the provocative idea of what it means to give your death away — to truly live in light of your mortality. Drawing from the ancient Christian practice of “memento mori” — remembering your death — we talk about how only Christianity can make sense of this uncomfortable reality through the hope of resurrection and eternal life.We discuss what it means to build a legacy within our families, not just by passing on skills that fade, but through wisdom, blessing, and a life rooted in eternal perspective. Inspired by Arthur Brooks’ From Strength to Strength, we reflect on the shift that happens as we age — moving from fluid to crystalized intelligence. Looking to Psalm 92’s promise that the righteous “will bear fruit in old age,” we talk about becoming the kind of person who grows old and sweet rather than old and bitter, someone secure enough to bless and encourage the next generation.This episode centers on the power of blessing — through appropriate touch, a spoken message, attaching high value, picturing a special future, and committing to fulfill it. We also talk about the role of mentorship and discipleship in passing on that blessing — how writing down words of encouragement, sharing wisdom, and investing in others becomes a way of giving your death away. We share a spoken blessing for every part of the body and reflect on the reality that legacy requires humility and the willingness to let go of ego, status, and pride.Because ultimately, the way to life is only through death. The episode closes with a prayer from Psalm 23 — “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing” — and four tangible ways to live this out: order a memento mori, write your obituary, meditate on your death, and extend the years of your age chart.Justin’s Embodied Bedtime Blessing:Bless his feet, may they carry good news.Bless his legs to go on in times of trouble.And bless his back, may it be strong enough to bear the burdens of others.Bless his arms to hold the lonely and his hands to do good work.Bless his neck, would you turn his head to the poor.Bless his ears to discern truth, his mouth to speak encouragement, and his eyes to see beauty.Bless his mind, may he grow wise in the knowledge of you.But above all, Lord, will you bless his heart, may he come to love you and all that you’ve made, in the right order.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: Psalm 23:1 + Psalm 92:12-15Book Mentioned: From Strength to Strength by Arthur C. BrooksSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E4: From Shame to Strength, Anger in Fatherhood + Practices for Giving Your Life Away 28.10.2025 1ó 14p

  Following last week’s conversation about giving your life away, this episode dives into the everyday practices that help us live that out — even in the middle of our busy, overwhelmed lives. We’re talking about what it looks like to lean into the self-emptying way of Jesus — the way that actually leads to life to the full, both for us and for those we love.We explore what this looks like through three key areas: spiritual disciplines, physical disciplines, and gratitude and joy. In the first, we talk about how to lean in and experience the God who gave His life for you — looking at Jesus’ rhythm of withdrawing to pray, and how to build our own patterns of prayer, reading Scripture, and experiencing silence that are rooted, not rigid, and focused on rhythms rather than rules.In the second, we focus on physical disciplines like exercise and fasting, learning to embrace self-emptying as a way of finding true fulfillment. We discuss the spiritual and even scientific connection between movement, anger, and formation — how exercise can move from vanity to love, and from shame to strength.Finally, we talk about gratitude and joy, remembering that our story doesn’t end in sacrifice and struggle, but in holiness, happiness, and celebration. We reflect on dating our wives, feasting with friends, and practicing joy and gratitude as an act of resistance in the midst of life’s demands.This conversation is an invitation to live open-handedly — to let go so you can truly live the full and abundant life God designed you for as a father.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: Luke 5:16, Psalm 23, Ephesians 4:26 + Matthew 6:9-13 Books Mentioned: Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser, Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster, Sacred Fire by Ronald Rolheiser + You Are the Beloved by Henri J. M. NouwenPrevious Episode Mentioned: S1E3 - Habits, Rhythms, and Spiritual Disciplines for Intentional Fatherhood (Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTube)Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram
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  S2E3: Struggling to Give Your Life Away, the Barriers That Get In the Way + Sanctification Through Suffering 21.10.2025 56p

  In this episode, we explore what it really means to give your life away — and why it’s the natural next step after getting your life together. Our homes, marriages, and families become our modern monasteries, the sacred spaces where formation happens. God’s goal isn’t our comfort but our transformation into His likeness, a process of self-emptying modeled in Philippians 2:1–11. We suffer in order to be exalted, and few things shape us like marriage and parenting.As we move through adulthood — especially in our late twenties and early thirties — we often face disappointment as we confront who we actually are rather than who we hoped to be. That realization can be painful, but it’s also the soil where joy and sanctification take root. Much of this episode centers around those struggles that keep us from surrendering fully to the life God’s inviting us into, and the freedom that comes when we name them honestly.We reflect on how suffering can make us either hard and bitter or soft and loving, and how choosing surrender over control opens the door to real transformation. Giving your life away will change you — but on the other side of that surrender is a deeper peace and purpose than you could have imagined.Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: February 19-21, 2026 in Costa Mesa, CAFamily Age Chart PDF DownloadMenu of Struggles PDF DownloadScripture Mentioned: Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 18:2-3 + John 2:1-11Books Mentioned: Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser + The Meaning of Marriage by Tim KellerSubmit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.Intentional Fatherhood WebsiteFollow @intentionalfatherhood_ on InstagramWatch + Subscribe on YouTubeIntentional: Website + InstagramJustin Whitmel Earley: Website + Instagram