An essential guide for navigating the challenges of fatherhood while building a foundation of faith, love, and values in your children.
Becoming a father is one of life's most profound joys and solemn duties. The path ahead will be filled with questions and self-doubt—am I ready for this? How do I nurture faith and values? Can I still pursue my dreams? What if I mess up? In The Spirit of Fatherhood, Larry Hagner provides fellow dads the wisdom and tools to navigate one of life's most epic and awe-inspiring adventures.
With insight forged from biblical study and over a decade of counseling experience, Hagner addresses nearly every aspect of engaged fatherhood. Discover guidance on building a warm, Godly home where children feel safe to grow. Learn how to correct with patience and grace. Find tips on instilling values that will serve your children for life. Hagner knows the struggles inherent to parenting and meets them with empathy, encouragement and practical solutions. While portraying this sacred calling, the founder of "The Dad Edge," the #1 podcast about fatherhood on Apple Podcasts, makes his lessons relatable through vulnerable stories, humorous anecdotes, and refreshing honesty. You'll come away feeling empowered, equipped and deeply connected.
Whether you're counting down to your first child or already have a full house, this book offers inspiration to deepen your faith and leadership. It's the perfect gift for dads aiming to ground their families in timeless wisdom and everlasting love.
Larry Hagner is the founder of The Dad Edge—an organization dedicated to helping men, husbands, and fathers with the necessary skills to navigate fatherhood—and the host of the Dad Edge Podcast, which has over 40 million downloads to date. In addition to being the founder and host of the annual Dad Edge Summit, a 3-day annual event for fathers, he is the author of The Dad Edge, Daddy Will Always Love You and Protect You, and Screen Time: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
As I learned from my own Dad and Grandaddy, it’s the conversations between the lessons that are the real curriculum . . . and Larry’s book is a bright and shining example of just that. If you purchase your truth by the pound, bring a forklift for his words.—Sean Patrick Flanery, Hollywood actor
There are few people on this planet who spend more time learning, teaching, practicing, and thinking about being a better dad. Acting on the wisdom in this book will improve your relationships.—Markus Kaulius, bestselling author of Play a Bigger Game, father, investor, and serial entrepreneur
Being a dad is easy right up until you have a kid. I wish someone had handed me in the maternity ward. It gives hope, encouragement, and wisdom at every age of this adventure that is fatherhood.—Jon Acuff, New York Times bestselling author of All It Takes Is a Goal
Larry’s book brings calm to the overwhelming superpower of fatherhood. He gracefully explains the delicate balance between father and child while showing how to use that power for good. This beautiful guide will point you in the right direction of your own journey as a father.—Richard On, lead guitarist of O.A.R.
Being a great husband is the first step to being a great father. Larry didn’t just write a blueprint for the importance of being a father. He has lived it.—Todd Stottlemyre, two-time World Series champion MLB pitcher
I became a dad twenty years ago, but I became a father after I was introduced to Larry and his incredible principles. There is no greater undertaking you’ll have as a man than being a father. Grabbing this book will all but guarantee you get it right.—Anthony Trucks, former NFL player and founder of Dark Work
This book should be considered essential reading for every man embarking on his fatherhood journey. Larry Hagner offers a wealth of experiences distilled into practical, real-life applications. He adeptly draws from his own experiences as well as insights gleaned from thousands of other fathers he has interviewed over the years.—Jake Herbert, 2009 world silver medalist, 2012 Olympian, two-time university world bronze medalist, 2009 Big Ten Athlete of the Year, and 2009 Dan Hodge Trophy recipient
