What Upstream Feeds Gladness

🎉 8 YEARS OF DADAWESOME! We're celebrating with an incredible conversation with Craig Allen Cooper, the man behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig."

✅ The minivan miracle that softened an atheist's heart

✅ Why Craig's kids are PRAYING for friendships like their parents have

✅ The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, Present

✅ Tables vs. Tablets and real connection with your kids

https://www.dadawesome.org/book

After eight years and 418 episodes of DadAwesome, we're celebrating with a conversation that captures everything this ministry is about. Craig Allen Cooper shares the story behind Walker Hayes' song "Craig," why his kids are praying for adult friendships like their parents have, and the five P's that guide his fatherhood. Plus, you'll hear how a minivan miracle led to a stadium-filling artist bowing his knee to Jesus.

• Your kids are watching your friendships, and they're praying they'll have the same kind of adult community they see modeled in your life.
• Trust is the foundation of friendship with your kids. When they know you're for them no matter what, the door to real connection opens wide.
• Tables beat tablets every time. Eye-to-eye, heart-to-heart connection happens around tables of mercy and grace, not through screens.
• The 5 P's of fatherhood: Provide, Protect, Prepare, Propel, and be Present. These aren't about perfection; they're about direction.
• Arrows are meant to fly. Your job is to prepare and propel your kids toward their God-given calling, not keep them close forever.
• What's upstream matters most. Feasting on God's Word daily is what fills you with gladness to pour into your family.

Craig Allen Cooper is the co-author of Glad You're Here: Two Unlikely Friends Breaking Bread and Fences with country music artist Walker Hayes. He is the subject of Walker's hit song "Craig," which tells the story of their unlikely friendship and Craig's influence in Walker's journey to faith. Craig is a speaker, podcaster, and devoted father of four who lives near Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Laura. He's passionate about discipleship, authentic friendship, and helping men feast on God's Word.

1. "Dude, I would give you my blood. You know that, right?"
2. "I've heard my kids say over and over again: I'm praying that I'm going to have adult friendships like you and mom have."
3. "There's a huge difference between table connection and tablet connection. Table connection is eye to eye, heart to heart, soul to soul."
4. "An arrow is meant to fly. There's a tendency to just want to keep it around us, but at some point that arrow will fly."
5. "Every grain of glory, every ounce of praise for anything good in my life belongs exclusively to the Lord Jesus Christ."

• DADAWESOME Book: dadawesome.org/book

• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome

• Apply to join the next DadAwesome Accelerator Cohort

• Subscribe to DadAwesome Messages: Text the word "Dad" to (651) 370-8618

• Send a Voice Message to DadAwesome

• Glad You're Here by Craig Allen Cooper and Walker Hayes

• Glad You're Here Podcast

• Mechanics on a Mission

TAGS:

DadAwesome, Craig Allen Cooper, Walker Hayes, Christian fatherhood, fatherhood podcast, intentional parenting, faith and fatherhood, tables over tablets, friendship and faith, 5 P's of fatherhood, Christian dad, parenting podcast, raising kids, family discipleship, Glad You're Here, unlikely friendships, generosity, minivan miracle, dad community, launching kids