DA422 | FROM THE VAULT: False Identity, De-Escalation, and the Dad Wisdom You Didn't Know You Needed (Jamie Winship PART 2)

Feb 19, 2026

Jamie Winship, former police officer turned international peacemaker and co-founder of Identity Exchange, shares gripping stories and practical dad wisdom. He talks about being abducted in Iraq and how calm de-escalation saved the day. Jamie explores how false self-beliefs run your life, staying present instead of living in hypothetical fear, and giving your family the gift of true identity.

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ANECDOTE

Family Abduction And Calm Response

Jamie recounts being abducted in Iraq with his wife and two sons and how they stayed calm during the ordeal.
Their calm, praise-singing, and humor diffused fear and ultimately led captors to laugh and release them.

ADVICE

Refuse To Participate In Drama

Do not match drama with drama; de-escalate and refuse to participate in another person's theatrical conflict.
Stay calm, throw a life preserver, and help without being dragged into their fear-driven chaos.

INSIGHT

Present Tense Versus Hypothetical Fear

God is only present in the present tense while the enemy lives in hypothetical future fears.
Staying present lets you pray from peace rather than from imagined drama and anxiety.

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This is the most downloaded episode in DadAwesome history — and Part 2 picks up right where we left off. 🔥

Jamie Winship is back from the vault with stories and wisdom that will stop you in your tracks.

➡️ What being abducted in Iraq taught Jamie about staying calm as a dad

➡️ How to identify the false beliefs quietly running your life

➡️ Why your true identity is the greatest gift you can give your kids

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SUMMARY

What if the biggest thing holding you back as a dad isn't your circumstances — it's what you believe about yourself? In this episode, Jamie Winship picks up right where we left off in Part 1, sharing jaw-dropping stories from being abducted in Iraq with his family, and unpacking the dad wisdom buried inside those moments. You'll learn why staying calm, staying present, and refusing to jump into drama can change everything in your home. Plus, Jamie walks through how to identify the false beliefs that are quietly running your life — and how to exchange them for who God actually made you to be.

Takeaways:

Give your spouse and your kids the gift of your true identity — it's the greatest thing you can offer your family. The enemy lives in the hypothetical future. God is only present in the present tense. Stay there. Don't participate in another person's drama. De-escalate, stay calm, and love the person in front of you. You can't give away what you don't have. If you carry false beliefs about yourself, they will come out in your parenting. Your true identity from God is other-focused, self-emptying, and rooted in unconditional love — even for your enemies.

Guest:

Jamie Winship is the co-founder of Identity Exchange and the author of Living Fearless. A former police officer turned international peacemaker, Jamie has spent decades working in conflict zones around the world alongside his wife, Donna. Together they help people discover their true identity in Christ. They have three grown sons and live out their faith in some of the most dangerous — and beautiful — places on earth.

Quotes

"You want your kids to have a right view of God, but you can't give away what you don't have."
"Do not participate in another person's drama. Stay back from it. Stay calm."
"God is only present in the present tense. The enemy is present in the hypothetical future."
"The greatest gift I can give my sons is to untie their knots."
"A child's false identity — once they believe it, they see it every time."