Christian Dad's Podcast
by James Pellicane
Welcome to the Christian Dad Podcast, your place to find sound encouragement and practical advice so you can win as a Dad. Whether you have toddlers or teens, I want to help you enjoy, not endure your family. Learn how to make the most of these parenting years and be the Dad your kids really need.
Episodes
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#71 Kids Inherit Your Pain Cycle: How Dads Learn to Self-Regulate with Dr. Terry Hargrave
Dr. Terry Hargrave, founder of Restoration Therapy, joins the Christian Dad Podcast to show why so many fathers stay stuck in reactivity. When a dad feels dismissed, insignificant, or unsafe, his brain defaults to the pain cycle—anger, withdrawal, blame, or control—and that reactivity damages…
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#70 You Can Be Right and Still Lose Her: How to Fight Fair
You win the argument. She goes quiet. The kids hear the tone. And somehow the house feels worse than before you proved your point. A listener wrote in because he and his wife fight, and he wants to fight fair. James and Arlene Pellicane have been married 27 years. They still disagree. They have...
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#69 Most fights about the kids aren’t about the kids.
Most fights between husbands and wives about the kids aren’t really about chores, bedtime, or screen time. They’re about grace versus truth. James and Arlene Pellicane unpack the three ingredients every child needs to become a capable adult: grace (nourishment), truth (resistance), and time. Too...
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#68 The Gravitational Pull of Dad's Faith
James and Arlene Pellicane talk about faith as a powerful anchor in a child’s life. Some things are taught. Most things are caught. Kids get a front-row seat, and a household of faith and optimism can quietly defines what normal looks like. Faith is not passive belief. Hebrews 11 calls it the...
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#67 Why Treating Your 20-Year-Old Like a 5-Year-Old Ruins the Relationship
We all know intellectually that a parent of a 20-year-old should not treat their child like a 5-year-old. Yet many of us still do it without realizing it. Is there a parenting style that grows with your kids? In this episode we walk through Focus on the Family’s four parenting stages — Commander,...
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#66 What My Dad Did Right: A Daughter's Honest Take on Strong Dad & Raising a Resilient Kid
In this heartfelt episode of the Christian Dad Podcast, James Pellicane sits down with their 16-year-old daughter Lucy to discuss the things her dad got right as a father. Lucy shares openly about how being pushed into physical challenges like martial arts, skiing, mountain biking, and early...
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#65 The Power of Coaching: 25 Years of Wisdom with Dan O'Dell
Join James Pellicane on the Christian Dad Podcast as he sits down with longtime friend, client, and successful real estate agent Dan O'Dell from Kansas City. With over 25 years in coaching. Dan shares powerful insights on why coaching is an investment—not an expense—in your faith, family…
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#64 Lead Your Family and Raise Adults, Not Entitled Kids
From implementing parent-controlled feeding that had all their kids sleeping through the night by two months, to ending the “Fettuccine Alfredo era,” banning whining with “Cure-All” (liquid cod liver oil), building real competence through family activities, and drilling academics on Saturday...
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#63 How a Strong Dad Led Our Family: Leadership, Training, and Letting Go | Noelle Pellicane (19)
In this heartfelt and practical conversation, James Pellicane sits down with her daughter Noelle (19) to talk about real fatherly leadership in the home. They dive deep into Proverbs 22:6 — “Train up a child in the way he should go” — and what that actually looked like in their family. Noelle...
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#62 Permissive Leadership Is Still Toxic: Why Being Unclear Is Unkind to Your Kids
What if the most toxic kind of leadership isn’t yelling or controlling… but staying silent? In this powerful episode, we expose how the absence of clear leadership quietly destroys families. Using Scripture from Ephesians and Colossians, the tragic story of King David’s family, and real-talk...
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#61 Eliminate Whining: The Secret Sauce to Raising Grateful, Resilient Kids
Tired of constant complaining from your children (or maybe even yourself)? In this powerful episode, James Pellicane reveals the "secret sauce" to end whining in your family for good. Drawing from Scripture—especially 1 Corinthians 10 and Numbers 21—she shows why God takes complaining so…
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#60 Toddler Bedtime Rebellion: When Dad's Wounds Let the 2-Year-Old Win
Dad's old abandonment wounds are sabotaging Mom's push to get their 2-year-old out of the family bed—leading to 2 a.m. meltdowns, that hit Dad right in the gut. In this raw coaching session, host James calls it straight: You're not your absent dad, boundaries aren't abandonment, and your...
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#59 - Biblical Discipline for Toddlers: A New Dad's Guide to Consistent, Loving Correction
In this raw and heartfelt episode, new dad Josh D'Ambrosio sits down with host James to share his unexpected journey into fatherhood—one forged through personal hardship, renewed faith, and the wild reality of raising a spirited 2-year-old. Josh presses James for hard-won wisdom on what actually...
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#58 - From Parent to Peer: Raising Kids Who Become Your Friends
In this powerful and practical conversation, Bill Farrel — pastor, author of 61 books, father of three sons, and grandfather of eight — shares the proven principles that helped him raise confident, capable young men who are now three of his closest friends. Bill walks through the two core...
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#57 - When a Husband Feels Discounted: James & Arlene talk
What happens when a husband feels unseen, unheard, and flat-out discounted in his own home? He stops leading. He stops speaking up. He quietly gives up on the role God gave him. If you've ever felt dismissed in your marriage, or if you're the one doing the dismissing (even unintentionally), this...
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#56- What Dad Did Right
In this heartfelt episode, Noelle Pellicane shares her perspective on what her dad did right while raising her — offering an honest and insightful look into successful fathering techniques that truly make a difference. From love and consistency to guidance and faith, this conversation will...
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#55 - The Power of Shutting Up: What Happens When a Dad Finally Listens
James used to believe the loudest voice in the room won. Then he discovered the opposite is true. In this warm, personal episode he shares his journey from constant talker to grateful listener—and the beautiful things that started happening the moment he got quiet: His wife felt safe and began...
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#54 - Stop Talking Over Your Family – James 1:19 Made Practical (and Funny)
In this funny-but-convicting episode, James admits his own failures (loudly) and then hands you doable habits that actually turn you into the listener your wife and kids secretly wish you were. No therapy-speak, no guilt trip—just practical, dad-tested moves that calm the room, lower your blood...
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#53 - Families Need Core Values and a Mission Statement (Here's How to Build One That Actually Works)
Businesses live or die by their mission statement—yet many dads run their homes without one. Result? Endless debates about screen time, sports schedules, money, and holidays because nobody knows what actually matters most. In this hands-on episode, James walks you through the exact process he…
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#52 - When Dad Dies: What I Learned in the Silence (and How to Actually Help the Grieving)
Nothing prepares you for the day a loved one passes. In this raw, James shares what the first weeks and months felt like after losing his dad—and, more importantly, what actually helped (and what definitely didn't). Plua specific, no-fluff ways you can walk alongside any man, coworker, neighbor…
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#51 - A Son's Tribute: The Legacy I Caught From My Dad (and Now Pass On)
In this deeply personal episode, James pauses everything to honor his late father: No bullet points, no how-to list, just a son's overflowing gratitude for the things that can't be taught with words. What James caught is now what he's intentionally passing to his own children. If you've ever...
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#50 - Want Legendary Kids? Love Their Mom Like a Man, Not a Roommate
Your kids don't need another toy, another activity, or even another life lesson from you. The single greatest gift you can hand them is a front-row seat to a dad who cherishes their mom—every single day. In this straight-to-the-point episode, James shares one surprisingly simple, totally doable...
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#49 - Three Dad-Proof Ways to Raise Kids Who Don't Whine (and Actually Mean It)
If "It's not fair," "I'm bored," and "Do I have to?" are on repeat in your house, this episode is your rescue plan. James gives three battle-tested, no-yelling-required strategies that turn chronic complainers into grateful kids—without bribes, threats, or losing your mind. Real stories from his...
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#48 - Stay on the Trail: How Knowing the End Keeps Every Dad from Getting Lost
James shares a recent Yosemite hike where losing the trail for even a minute made everything harder. Same with life—when you know where you're headed with God, family, work, money, and yourself, daily choices get simpler. In this practical message, you'll get a straightforward way to picture the...
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#47 - You Got This, Dad – How God Builds Real Confidence in Fathers
Confidence isn't cockiness; it's knowing who placed those kids in your home and why. Too many fathers walk around half-convinced they're going to mess it all up. In this straight-up encouraging message, James reminds every dad: God didn't hand you this assignment by accident. He chose you…
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#46 - Train Your Kids to Win with Money: 3 Dad Moves That Last a Lifetime (Proverbs 22:6)
Proverbs 22:6 says train up a child in the way he should go—and when it comes to money, most dads are winging it. In this practical, no-fluff episode, James gives every father three simple, battle-tested principles to teach kids a healthy, biblical view of money before the world teaches them the...
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#45 - Uber Dad or Automobile University?
Are you making the most of the precious time you have with your kids in the car? James shares a personal story and explains why creating a listening atmosphere during those everyday drives can make a powerful difference in your relationship with your children—and even in how they mature.
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#44- Is Technology Slowing Your Child's Growth? Here's What to Know
Is tech helping or hindering your child development? Discover 4 ways tech can hamper Is technology helping or hindering your child's development? Explore four surprising ways tech can hold kids back—and practical steps you can take to guide them toward healthier habits.
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#43 - Long-Suffering Like a Man--1 Corinthians 13
James Pellicane unpacks four battlegrounds where real fathers are called to long-suffering: With God (when heaven feels silent) With the Church (when people act like… people) With our Career (when promotion is slow or never) With Each Other (spouse, kids, in-laws—the daily grind) Then he draws…
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#42 -- No More Deflecting: How Real Men Celebrate the Truth
Some truths feel like gravel in your mouth: "You're too harsh with the kids." "You're married to your phone." "You're not the hero you think you are." Most dads dodge, deflect, or defend. 1 Corinthians 13 says real love does the opposite—it rejoices when the truth shows up, even when it hurts. In...
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#41 -- Love Keeps No Scorecard: Dropping the Mental Ledger That's Poisoning Your Home – 1 Corinthians 13
Most keep a quiet running tab: the time she embarrassed you at the party, the kid who lied, the coworker who threw you under the bus. Every replay adds another drop of poison to your marriage, your parenting, and your own peace. In this straightforward message from 1 Corinthians 13, James…
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#40 -- Love Is Not Easily Angered: Because Yelling Isn't a Spiritual Gift from 1 Corinthians 13
In this laugh-out-loud (and wince-out-loud) message, James Pellicane maps the exact stages every father travels from calm to volcano: the slow simmer, the sarcastic comment, the raised voice, the slammed door—and the regret that always follows. More importantly, you will get battle-tested steps…
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#39 -- Manners Matter at Home: Love Is Not Rude – 1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 13 says love "does not act rudely." Translation for dads: put the phone down at dinner, quit the sarcastic "whatever," and stop treating your wife like tech support. In this funny-but-it-hurts message, James Pellicane holds up the mirror with zero guilt trips and a lot of laughs....
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#38 Dad Pride: Nothing Says "I Love You" Like a Good "I Told You So" :)
1 Corinthians 13 says love "does not boast, it is not proud." Most can quote it, but many still live with pride running in the background. This episode humerously shows how pride shows up in a dad's life: the need to be the smartest guy in the room, the quiet resentment when another father gets...
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#37 -- Backwardness of Boasting
Most men quickly identify boasting in others yet miss it in themselves. This episode examines the spectrum—from overt bragging to subtle sulking and false modesty—and shows how each version undermines a father's influence at home. Listeners will learn to recognize these patterns in their own…
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#36 - The Trap: How Envy Sneaks In and Steals Your Joy
Every dad feels it: that quiet sting when another father rolls up in the newer truck, posts the perfect vacation pics, or brags about his kid's scholarship. Envy doesn't announce itself with horns—it slips in as a whisper: "You should have that too." In this episode we pull the mask off envy…
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#35 -Mistakes, Vision, and Leadership: Insights from Rich Guerra
Grab a cup of coffee and join James as he interviews Rich Guerra, Superintendent of the SoCal Network of the Assemblies of God. Rich shares practical advice for young ministers while offering valuable insights that seasoned ministers will also appreciate. In this conversation, you'll learn how to...
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#34 --Fatherhood That Leads: Guiding Your Home Beyond Cultural Christianity
Missionary evangelist Jason Frenn shares practical insights on effective parenting and how fathers can lead their homes spiritually. He speaks candidly about raising his own children and the importance of guiding them without conforming to cultural Christianity.
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#33 -- Dreams Don't Die: God's Purpose, Round Two
God has a unique blueprint for every one of us, but bruises from life-losses, layoffs, heartbreak-whisper that it's over. This talk, delivered live at South Coast Church in Imperial Beach, San Diego, refuses the whisper. Instead: believe again, dream again, hope again. You'll walk out with a...
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#32 -- Fear Less: Jesus' Antidote to Worry – Matthew 6:25
Jesus spoke this to men who'd lost sleep over empty bowls-fear, anxiety, all of it. In Matthew six verse twenty-five he simply says: life is more than food, the body more than clothes. Period. No loopholes, no exceptions. If that's true, then worry's a form of disrespect.
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#31 -- Bob LaFave: Real Ways to Romance Your Wife
Bob LaFave shares practical ideas on ways to romance your wife to the mens group at San Diego First Assembly. Bob pulls no punches with the men of San Diego First Assembly: romance isn't dead, you just stopped doing it. In this straight-talk session recorded live, Bob drops simple…
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#30 -- 53 Years Strong: Marriage Secrets Every Dad Needs Now
In this heartfelt Christian Dad Podcast treasure, former pastor of San Diego First Assembly Richard Dresselhaus shares as a seasoned husband, battle-tested truths from over five decades of wedded bliss-proving love isn't fireworks, it's faithful choices. From forgiving fast to laughing through…
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#29 - Keep asking, seeking and knocking
Jesus didn't say try once-he said keep knocking. In this message, James take Ask, seek, knock and aim it straight at your real battles: the stalled project, the teenager's door, the dream you've outgrown. Persistence isn't grit-it's obedience. You knock till the wall thins, then swings. Work,...
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#28 -- God You Can Have Our Hearts But Not Our Stomachs
James Pellicane dishes out a hilarious yet hard-hitting take: we're quick to give God our hearts, but not our sacred appetites, In this fun, relatable episode, he shares dad stories of trading fast food for real food.
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#27 -- 3 Dad Moves to Launch Your Kid's Academic Wins
Hey, this one's gold-James says winning begets winning, so start small: help your kid rack up school victories, and watch confidence snowball into everything else. No magic-just a dad's trick to make homework feel like play, and suddenly they've got momentum for life. Skip this, and you're…
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# 26 -- How a Great Dad Keeps the Spark Alive in His Marriage
Dads aren't just providers-they're protectors of the fire between him and his wife. A good husband fans the flame frequently: date nights, dumb jokes, saying thank-you when she's had a rotten day. If you're letting the embers cool, you're failing at the gig that matters most. For every man who's…
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#25 -- Love and Envy aren't Compatible
1 Corinthians 13 says love doesn't envy-meaning real spirituality isn't yours to hoard. James Pellicane tells our San Diego First Assembly youth: if you're secretly ticked when they win, you're off track.
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# 24 -- Live Dangerously: Daring Faith That Changes Everything for Dads
Buckle up for this adrenaline-pumping Christian Dad Podcast episode where James challenges you to ditch safe faith for the wild adventure God calls us to-like stepping out in obedience amid family pressures or career leaps. Perfect for fathers ready to trade comfort for legacy.
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#23 -- Beat Procrastination Now: Don't Let Delay Become Your Default Prayer
Ever catch yourself pushing off that family talk or quiet time with God, only to pray for strength later? In this no-nonsense Christian Dad Podcast episode, James tackles procrastination head-on with raw honesty and Bible-backed breakthroughs. You'll get real stories from dad life, quick wins and...
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#22 -- Patience Unlocked: Faith's Roadmap to Your God-Given Tomorrow
Pulling from James 1 and Proverbs 3, the host shares raw stories of waiting through career stalls, kid chaos, and faith tests-plus actionable steps like prayer anchors and gratitude shifts to turn delays into divine setups. A must for fathers building legacy with steady joy over stress.
About this show
Welcome to the Christian Dad Podcast, your place to find sound encouragement and practical advice so you can win as a Dad. Whether you have toddlers or teens, I want to help you enjoy, not endure your family. Learn how to make the most of these parenting years and be the Dad your kids really need.
Hosted by
James Pellicane
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