Funky Letters To My Kids

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about everything we’ve been talking about this month—character, who you are, and how you live—and I want to take it a step deeper. I want you to understand what grounds me when things get hard.There have been times in my life where I felt overwhelmed, unsure, and like I didn’t have everything together. In those moments, I’ve had to turn to something bigger than myself. My faith has been what brings me back and reminds me I’m not carrying everything on my own.When I think about how I want to live, I keep coming back to this question—what would it look like to respond like Jesus? To stay patient, show grace, and keep doing what’s right even when it’s hard. That’s what I try to come back to, not perfectly, but consistently.I want you to know there will be hard moments in your life, and you won’t always have the answers. But you don’t have to go through it alone. I just want you to have something that grounds you, something you can turn to, and something that brings you back to who you want to be.SHOW NOTESA letter to all three kidsFaith and character connectionWhat grounds you in hard timesResponding with patience and graceA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about you lately, Gavin, and something you do all the time stands out to me. The way you care about people. It’s natural for you, and I want you to know how much that matters.I see how quick you are to help. Whether it’s at home or with someone else, you don’t hesitate. You don’t overthink it. You just step in and do what needs to be done, and that says a lot about the kind of person you are.Not everyone does that. Some people wait, some people hope someone else will handle it, but you don’t. You notice, you care, and you act. And over time, that becomes part of who you are.I want you to keep being that person. Keep helping, keep caring, and keep showing up for others. The world needs more people like you, and I’m proud of you for that.SHOW NOTESA letter to GavinKindness and helping othersShowing up without hesitationCharacter through small actionsA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been watching you lately, Carter, and I want you to hear this clearly—I’m proud of you. I see the way you’ve been stepping up, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. There’s a steadiness in you right now that tells me you’re growing into more responsibility.You’ve got more on your plate than you used to. More expectations, more things to manage, more decisions to make. And I see how you’re handling it—with sports, with school, with driving, with everything you’re balancing. You’re showing up, even when it would be easier not to.What stands out to me is that you’re not taking shortcuts. You’re not avoiding things or letting them slide. You’re choosing to handle what’s in front of you, and that’s what it looks like to do what’s right—not what’s easy.I want you to keep building on that. Keep showing up, keep taking responsibility, and keep doing what’s right even when no one is pushing you. That’s who you’re becoming, and I want you to know I see it and I’m proud of you for it.SHOW NOTESA letter to CarterResponsibility and growthStepping upDoing what’s rightA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about you lately, Mya, and the way you’ve been handling things with other people. I see something in you that matters, and I want you to know that I notice it.I know it’s not always easy, especially with other girls. There can be pressure to join in, to go along with things that don’t feel right, or to build yourself up by putting someone else down.But I’ve seen you choose differently. I’ve seen you avoid that kind of drama and stay true to who you are. And that says a lot about you.I’m proud of you for that. Just keep being that person—the one who treats people right, stands on her own character, and doesn’t need to tear others down to belong.SHOW NOTESA letter to MyaCharacter and kindnessAvoiding drama and negativityStanding apart from the crowdA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about something that doesn’t always show up in one moment—the kind of person you choose to be over time. I want you to understand that this is built through your choices, your words, and how you treat people every day.I think back to a moment when I was younger, when I said something that didn’t reflect who I wanted to be. I remember the feeling right after—the kind of feeling where you know you didn’t show up the right way.That moment stayed with me because it made me realize something. You don’t just become a certain kind of person one day. You become that person through the choices you make over and over again.You’re going to have moments where you mess up. What matters is what you do after. Learn from it, take responsibility, and choose to be better. That’s how you become the person you want to be.SHOW NOTESA letter to all three kidsCharacter and personal choicesLearning from mistakesGrowth over timeA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about something that shows up every single day—how you treat people. It sounds simple, but it matters more than you think, and I want you to understand why that’s stayed with me.I think back to a time in high school when I had a teacher who felt hard on me. I remember feeling frustrated and thinking it wasn’t fair. But my mom reminded me that I didn’t know what that teacher might be going through.Later, I found out she was battling cancer, and that stuck with me. It changed how I think about people. You don’t always see what someone else is carrying, but the way you treat them still matters.I want you to remember that. Pause before you react. Lead with patience, kindness, and grace. Because how you treat people leaves a mark, and you get to decide that every single day.SHOW NOTESA letter to all three kidsHow you treat peopleEmpathy and understandingLeading with kindness and graceA message from Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYI’ve been thinking about something that sounds simple but isn’t always easy—doing the right thing, especially when no one is watching. This is something that’s stayed with me for a long time, and I want you to understand why it matters so much to me.I’m thankful for how I was raised. Your grandparents taught me to care about people, to speak up, and to not just look the other way. There have been moments in my life where it would have been easier to stay quiet, to ignore something, or to tell myself it wasn’t my problem—but that doesn’t make it right.I think about times growing up, seeing people treated unfairly, and even now in my life. And I think about your Uncle Tim and the challenges he’s faced. Those experiences shape how you see the world and remind you that doing the right thing isn’t about what you get back—it’s about who you are.I want you to remember that there will be moments where you feel that pull—where you know what’s right but it would be easier to stay quiet. That’s the moment that matters. Just choose to care, choose to step in, and choose to do what’s right—even when no one is watching.SHOW NOTESA letter to all three kidsDoing the right thingSpeaking up for othersAdvocacy and characterA message from Dad