“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:6 NIV.
Catch the full video in your YouVersion Bible App!
Your NOT entitled to the s*x life you expected. From our most recent episode of the Intentional parents podcast you can watch on YouTube or listen on whatever preferred podcast platform of you’re choosing!
Just got back from a trip to New York City celebrating Scarlet turning 14, and I keep thinking about how wild and beautiful fatherhood really is.
There’s something surreal about watching your daughter become her own person. Of course, as a dad, you hope to help shape and guide her. But then one day you realize you’re standing in front of this young woman of God with her own voice, her own gifting, her own convictions, her own way of seeing the world. And honestly, it’s one of the greatest honors of my life to witness.
She reminds me so much of the woman I married, which is incredible in itself. But she’s also fully Scarlet. Completely original. And somehow she also carries parts of me too. That combination makes fatherhood so emotional, humbling, and beautiful all at once.
One of my favorite moments from the trip happened in Brooklyn. We were just walking around New York, found this little Thai restaurant, and decided to go in for dinner. Nothing planned. Nothing fancy. But we ended up having one of the deepest and most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had with her. One of those moments you know you’ll carry forever.
I left New York feeling overwhelmingly grateful.
Honored to be Scarlet’s dad.
Honored to steward her life.
Honored to watch God form her into who she’s becoming.
14 already. What a gift. 🫶🏻
AI is about to become one of the loudest voices discipling your children. So use these 7 things as a guide.
1. Don’t let AI replace struggle.
Your child needs to learn how to think, not just how to prompt. Frustration, boredom, problem solving, and effort are forming something deeper than information ever could.
2. Keep AI in the light.
No secret chats. No hidden accounts. No disappearing history. If AI is shaping your child’s mind, it should happen in the open where wisdom can guide it.
3. Teach them that convenience can weaken character.
Just because something is faster doesn’t mean it’s forming them into the kind of person they want to become.
4. Don’t outsource emotional connection to machines.
AI can imitate empathy, but it cannot replace friendship, presence, mentorship, family, or the Spirit of God.
5. Use AI as a tool, not a companion.
Your child does not need a digital best friend. They need real people, real conversations, real eye contact, real community.
6. Protect wonder and creativity.
If AI instantly creates everything for them, they may never learn the joy of imagination, craftsmanship, or creating something imperfect but human.
7. Talk about discernment early.
Your kids are growing up in a world where not everything they hear, see, or read will be real. Teaching discernment is now part of discipleship.
Technology always shapes the people who use it.
The question is whether we are forming our children intentionally…or letting algorithms do it for us.
We’re excited to announce that our next Intentional Fatherhood Retreat is happening in Austin, Texas • November 12–14.
The last Intentional Fatherhood retreat in Costa Mesa was nothing short of transformational. Fathers left refreshed, encouraged, equipped, and deeply reminded of the calling they carry in their homes and families.
This is more than a getaway. It’s an opportunity to step away from the noise, be poured into, build meaningful brotherhood, and come home as a stronger, more intentional father.
If you’ve been wanting space to reset, grow, and lead your family with greater purpose, this retreat is for you.
Tickets are available now at Intentionalfatherhood.org. We can’t wait to see you in Austin.
To the mother of my children
Elizabeth, you are truly a legend of a mother. You advocate, you support, you care for, you think about, you provide, you love, you laugh, you research, you sacrifice, you bless, you make life interesting, you keep things in order, and I pray our kids continue to rise up and call you blessed. I love the mother you are and I love human you are. Happy Mothers Day my sweet wife.
Seven lies we believe make us great parents…that are actually working against our kids
1. Great parents don’t mess up
Truth: Great parents repair. The real work of parenting isn’t avoiding rupture, it’s learning how to come back. Your kids don’t need a perfect parent. They need a parent who knows how to come back.
2. Great parents are always calm and patient
Truth: Great parents learn how to regulate themselves. You don’t pass down your intentions, you pass down your nervous system. If you can’t stay present, you’ll start parenting from your past.
3. Great parents have all the right answers
Truth: Great parents ask better questions. The goal isn’t control, it’s formation, and formation happens through curiosity, not domination. Control might get behavior today, but it won’t shape a heart for tomorrow.
4. Great parents protect their kids from hard things
Truth: Great parents prepare their kids for hard things. You’re not raising children who avoid pain, you’re raising adults who know what to do with it. Your job isn’t to remove every obstacle. It’s to help them become the kind of person who can walk through one.
5. Great parents always feel close to their kids
Truth: Great parents stay committed when connection feels hard. There will be seasons where you don’t feel it, but consistency is what builds trust. Love that stays when it’s hard is what actually forms a child.
6. Great parents fix their kids behavior
Truth: Great parents understand the story behind the behavior. Behavior is never random, it’s always telling you something deeper. Don’t just correct what’s wrong. Get curious about what’s underneath.
7. Great parents naturally know what to do
Truth: Great parents do their own work. Nobody drifts into intentional parenting, you either examine your story or you repeat it. If you don’t name the pattern, you will become the pattern.
Two practical parenting principles from the Early + Mosser households for managing technology…
Creating a physical ‘home’ for phones at the front door with a charging station, and establishing a spiritual practice before accessing your phone in the morning.
These hacks work as both place restraints and time restraints to help families develop a healthier digital rule of life.
There was a moment we didn’t expect, and it’s hard to fully put into words what it meant to us.
At one point, from the stage, a call was made to pray over Elizabeth for healing, and suddenly the room joined in. Voices lifted all at once, full of faith, energy, and expectation. It was powerful. Not planned, not orchestrated by us, just one of those moments you realize you’re standing in something bigger than yourself.
We came ready to give, to pour out, to serve. But in that moment, we were the ones being poured into. It caught us off guard in the best way.
To everyone who prayed, who leaned in with such sincerity and belief, thank you. That was a gift we didn’t know how much we needed.
“He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25)
We felt that deeply.
Mind map in brainstorming on work. We’re sitting down to record Season 3 of the Intentional Fatherhood Podcast next week. Gonna be all about work and vocation. This was one of the top question topics from the conference in February. If you’re a dad, what questions do you have about work. (Or send this to your husband and ask!) Would love to know. We’ll be answering question in the podcast.
Night one at the Intentional Motherhood Retreat in Franklin, Tennessee… and wow. It’s hard to put into words what God did in the room.
From the very beginning, you could feel it. The Spirit moved in a powerful, unmistakable way. Walls came down. Confession happened. There was honesty, freedom, and the kind of courage that only shows up when people know they’re safe.
Worship led by Jeff and Jourdan Johnson from Passion City Church created space for hearts to open wide. Megan Fate Marshman poured truth and encouragement over every woman in the room. And Elizabeth brought a word that didn’t just inspire, it.was.powerful.
In between it all? Laughter, late-night conversations, new friendships forming, and moments where you just knew… something meaningful was happening.
It wasn’t polished or perfect. It was real. And it was powerful.
Grateful for every story, every tear, every breakthrough already unfolding. And this is just the beginning. ✨
