Know Your Sheep

In today's episode, Jerrad Lopes takes us on a journey of parenting and spiritual leadership through a real, honest experience that led to a powerful realization about how we, as fathers, can better lead our families. Jerrad shares the importance of knowing each of our family members on an individual level—knowing their unique needs, challenges, and spiritual journeys. Drawing parallels to the way Jesus knew His followers, Jerrad challenges dads to take time to study their children and wives, to know their spiritual conditions, and to lead each one uniquely. This episode is about taking a step beyond the general approach of parenting and truly becoming a student of our family members, to help them grow closer to Jesus.

Reflection Questions (mentioned in episode):

• What is each family member in your household passionate about right now? How does that relate to their faith, and are there opportunities for connecting their passions with their spiritual growth?
• What challenges is each family member facing right now, and how might that affect their spiritual journey?
• How do they respond to prayer, Bible discussions, or spiritual conversations? Are they open, or do they feel reluctant?
• Are there any things about God, faith, church, or the Bible that are confusing or hard for them to understand?
• When do they feel closest to God? Is there a particular environment or activity where they feel a stronger connection?
• Where is each family member currently at in their spiritual journey? Are they learning about God, skeptical, or committed but struggling?
• What specific goals do you have to help each family member grow closer to Jesus? How can you create a plan to meet those goals through regular one-on-one time?

Action Steps:

1. Write down each family member’s name and identify where they are in their spiritual journey.
2. Set a specific goal for each member to help them grow closer to Jesus.
3. Plan a time for one-on-one connection each week or month to check in on their hearts and spiritual journeys.
4. Create a prayer list for each family member and pray for them intentionally.
5. Journal your observations after each one-on-one time, and use these notes to inform your ongoing approach to shepherding your family.

Join the Dad Tired Community:
We are all in this together, trying to figure out how to lead our families spiritually. If you haven't yet, join our Dad Tired community to share your experiences, get support, and find more resources to help you on this journey. www.DadTired.com

Mentioned Resources:

• Jesus Storybook Bible - a recommended resource for younger children to learn about God.
• Tales That Tell the Truth series from The Good Book Company - great for teaching young children stories from the Bible.
• Dad Tired Dinner Time Devotional Cards - practical tools to foster spiritual discussions with your family.