In this episode, Jerrad sits down with Brett McCracken, senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition and author of The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God’s Truth and Revives Weary Souls.
Together, they explore why God designed us to spend nearly a third of our lives asleep, how sleep reminds us that we are the creation—not the Creator—and why closing our eyes each night can become an act of surrender.
A Prayer Before Sleep
Father,
As I close my eyes tonight, I remember that I am not God.
I have limits.
You have none.
I need rest.
You neither slumber nor sleep.
There are things I did not finish, problems I could not solve, and people I cannot protect on my own. I release them all into Your hands.
Forgive me for believing that everything depends on me.
Thank You for the gift of sleep; a grace I receive, not something I earn. As I lie down, remind me that Christ has finished the work I could never finish.
Protect my home.
Watch over my family.
Quiet my mind.
Restore my body and soul.
As sleep resembles death, remind me that I have died with Christ. And if You wake me in the morning, let the rising sun remind me that I have also been raised with Him into new life.
Tonight, I surrender control.
You are awake, so I can sleep.
You are sovereign, so I can rest.
You are faithful, so I do not have to be afraid.
Into Your hands I place this night.
Amen.
What is Dad Tired?
You’re tired.
Not just physically; though yeah, that too.
You’re tired in your bones. In your soul.
Trying to be a steady husband, an intentional dad, a man of God… but deep down, you feel like you’re falling short. Like you’re carrying more than you know how to hold.
Dad Tired is a podcast for men who are ready to stop pretending and start healing.
Not with self-help tips or religious platitudes, but by anchoring their lives in something (and Someone) stronger.
Hosted by Jerrad Lopes, a husband, dad of four, and fellow struggler, this show is a weekly invitation to find rest for your soul, clarity for your calling, and the courage to lead your family well.
Through honest stories, biblical truth, and deep conversations you’ll be reminded:
You’re not alone. You’re not too far gone. And the man you want to be is only found in Jesus.
This isn’t about trying harder.
It’s about coming home.