FIRST-TIME FATHERS BEAR THEIR SOULS AND REVEAL HOW GOD’S GRACE CARRIED THEM THROUGH THEIR BIGGEST FEARS AND FAILURES
Read the free sample below:
So, you either have your first positive pregnancy test on the counter, or have a bouncing baby in the bassinet.
You’re lying awake at 2:17 a.m., scrolling discussion platforms and blogs on your phone, reading threads like “First-time dad here, what do I do?”
You’re wondering how you’ll provide and be present for both your child and wife.
Part of you thinks, “My dad was harsh. My dad was aggressive. My dad was passive.” My dad wasn’t really there for me.”
“What if I repeat his story?”
You’re afraid that you’ll mess it all up and fail your family.
You’re quietly carrying a weird blend of excitement, fear and guilt.
You’re asking, “God, are you sure you picked the right man for this?”
If any of this sounds like you, let this sink in…YOU'RE NOT CRAZY.
As a matter of fact, your concerns prove that you care how you show up for your family.
Hey,
Your life has shifted dramatically and this new responsibility is HEAVY!
But you’re not alone...
This Captivating E-Book Takes You Along The Journeys Of Others Just Like You
...and inspires you with real-life tips and insights to relate with and apply to your rollercoaster of a new normal
THIS IS NOT ANOTHER STEP-BY-STEP “GUARANTEED FORMULA” TO RAISE PERFECT KIDS
You’ve probably read countless clinical manuals on parenting,
But what you’re really craving is honest stories + simple tools, not perfection and platitudes.
You want to know it all, but at the end of the day, you still don’t feel ready, and you still feel alone on this journey, right?
Then picture this…
Instead of doom-scrolling in the dark while you rock your baby to sleep, you open a short story from another first-time dad who was just as freaked out as you are.
He shares with you a raw account of the sleepless nights, the resentment he didn’t want to admit, the money worries, the fights with his wife, the shame after raising his voice...
...and how God met him right there.
Then, at the end of his story you get a few simple tools like…
- A one-sentence prayer you can actually pray tonight.
- A script to finally talk to your wife about how you’re really doing.
- A small, doable way to be a leader without feeling like a hypocrite.
Now, you won’t suddenly feel like “Super Dad,” but you will feel seen, won’t you?
You’ll feel a bit steadier.
You’ll feel like, “Okay. With God’s help…I can definitely do this.”
That’s exactly what MAD DADZ: Dads Making a Difference (Vol. 1) was created to do.
A HEARTFELT COLLECTION OF BROTHERS SAYING, “I WAS RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED, HERE’S WHAT I DID WRONG, HERE’S WHAT GOD DID ANYWAY”
This is not another textbook on fatherhood.
It’s a short, raw, story-driven guide where three Christian first-time dads—Papa S., Papa E. and Papa K.—open up their lives and invite you into their…
- Fears about pregnancy and miscarriage
- Sleep-deprived fights and silent shame
- Money stress and "I don't feel like a real provider" moments
- Confusion about intimacy after birth
- Wrestling with God, and the ways He quietly fathered them while they learned to father their children.
Each story reads like you’re sitting across from an older brother who gives you insights into...
- Naming the real battles under the surface
- Recognizing the mental, emotional and spiritual roadblocks to your progress
- Specific steps you can take this week with your wife, baby, and most importantly, God
Let me give you a snippet of what I mean...
3 Core Transformations The Stories Walk You Through
TRADING THE HUSTLE FOR PRESENCE
Papa S. was ambitious and driven. When his daughter arrived, it felt like his whole life plan stalled out. He left a job (just after getting a raise) to be home with her. He battled resentment, boredom, and the fear that he was “falling behind.” He even struggled to get intimate with his wife after watching her go through labor. But slowly, God rewrote his definition of success...
- He learned to guard his wife's peace, share night shifts, and build simple body & soul rhythms so he didn’t burn out.
- He had a life-altering moment when his daughter crawled across the floor, laughing wildly, and he realized, “These long days aren’t blocking my future. They are my future.”
You’ll see how he made that shift… and how you can too, without pretending your ambition doesn’t exist.
BECOMING A SON TO BE A FATHER
Papa E. had been burned out. Money was tight, with two failed investments. He started to believe the lie, “I don’t deserve to enjoy my child until I ‘fix’ our finances.” So he began disappearing in place. He was physically home, but somewhere else mentally. Shame accompanied him by the crib one night after he raised his voice. But through colic, 29 hours of labor, and countless 3 a.m. wailings, God gently confronted his theology and led him to...
- Become a son of God who's welcome at the table, rather than an employee waiting for a wage.
- Stop viewing cries as accusations, to seeing them as summons.
- Stop controlling the night and start responding to it.
You’ll watch his powerful shift from hustling for approval to praying, “Lord, protect me from myself. Father me so I can father.”
SURRENDERING TO THE COMMUNITY
Papa K. faced slow work, razor-thin income and the humility of moving in with in-laws while his wife was pregnant and then with a newborn. Doors to new housing kept slamming, even when they had money in hand. In that tension, God taught him..
- Presence is also provision. He refused to outsource the night shifts, and washed bottles and paced hallways, letting his daughter sleep on his chest.
- Community is a survival strategy, not an accessory. Friends came with nothing but tea and conversation…and it shifted the atmosphere in his house in a profound way.
- Surrender is not laziness. The turning point came when he prayed, “I give up. You bring the house. I’m done chasing,” and God opened the right door at the right time.
You'll learn how to "return the keys" on things you can't control, choose the right anchors and allow community to uplift you without feeling like a failure.
By the time you finish reading this e-book, you'll have...
- A new definition of success as a dad → Less “numbers and titles,” more laughing on the floor, praying over the crib, and guarding your wife’s peace.
- A realistic picture of godly fatherhood → Not a highlight reel, but real men confessing tempers, lust, exhaustion, and anxiety...and what repentance and grace look like in the middle of it.
- Concrete tools you can use the same week → Simple night shift plans, short presence rituals, one sentence dangerous prayers, and short scripts for hard conversations.
- An assurance that you're not the only one → Over and over, you’ll think, “Wait… I thought I was the only guy who felt that.”
- A hopeful truth to engrave in your heart → “It’s not easy, but by grace… it’s victorious.”
IN JUST 10 MINUTES, DIGEST NUGGETS FROM A RELATABLE, STORY-FIRST, GRACE-SOAKED COMPANION
As a father myself, I get it.
It gets so exhausting caring for a newborn that you can barely respond to text messages in your mind alone.
So going through a 100-page collection of words that will probably get scattered by your newborn’s demands would scramble your brain.
That’s exactly why this e-book is…
- Short & Snackable: The stories are accompanied by short tips and actionable steps you can easily understand while rocking your baby or sitting in the car.
- Inspirational: You’ll be learning from your three brothers from another mother, who tell you what exactly they went through.
- Relatable: Instead of “10 ways you’re failing your family,” you’ll get, “Here’s where we failed, here’s what we learned, and here’s how God met us.”
- Made for Men Who Feel Underqualified: You’ll be encouraged and understand that God has a special Grace just for you in this season of your life.
But in case you're wondering,...
Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Gael Rutembesa and I just want to thank you for taking your time to read this.
Writing is my passion. It all started in 2017 when I asked God what His purpose for my life was, and he reminded me of the only homework I enjoyed taking home from school as a child...English composition.
The next few weeks marked the beginning of a journey I'm thankful for; from starting a blog to being part of published projects...to writing stories that show God's goodness and mercy in all areas of our lives.
As a father of 2 myself, the stories I share in this e-book are stories that have shed light on my own shortcomings, and taught me to receive God's grace in this season of my life.
The result was my 2 year old daughter lighting up as soon as she saw or heard me, or hearing her say, "Heeey," as soon as she heard the front door opening when I get home. It is seeing my 5 month old son smile at me and kick his legs with excitement.
Through my grumblings, my mental and emotional fatigue, God proves to me that I just need to show up and let His Grace carry me as I try to be a better dad than I was yesterday.
With these stories I share with you, His voice continues to echo in my soul as a reminder that I'm not alone in this.
And I hope that you experience even more on your journey.
STEP INTO FATHERHOOD HONEST, AFRAID, LED BY A FATHER WHO'S GRACE WILL CARRY YOU THROUGH
Read with an open heart.
If you let these stories read you while you read them, you will not walk away the same.
You’ll still be tired. You’ll still be imperfect.
But you’ll also be a man who knows,
“I don’t have to be a perfect dad to be a powerful one. I just have to keep showing up and let God father me as I father my child.”
Again, you are not alone!
God's grace will meet you right where you are, and as long as you keep showing up and receiving it,
Best believe He'll see you through.
He will make you victorious.
Now, get the e-book and go father your child.
You got this! 😉
Fill in your details, and I'll send your e-book to your inbox right away
Copyright © 2026 | All Rights Reserved.