{"id":317935,"date":"2026-03-11T04:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T08:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T04:14:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T08:14:21","slug":"he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer\/","title":{"rendered":"He Calls Me Daughter: Rick Altizer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If your father\u2019s absence, distance, or flaws left a mark, it can echo in your trust, faith, and sense of worth. In He Calls Me Daughter, Rick Altizer explores father wounds and the gospel hope of a perfect Heavenly Father. Through transparent stories, Christ-centered healing, and practical insights, this film offers women\u2014and men\u2014a path to freedom, identity, and relational restoration with God and others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Rick Altizer about father wounds and the gospel hope of a perfect Heavenly Father.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47000,"featured_media":295627,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/traffic.omny.fm\/d\/clips\/cbd16f10-ac60-4f09-b4df-b15400ce35aa\/33aaac7e-3581-4e21-a3df-b154011ba58c\/f49e92c0-d591-449b-bf63-b3fc015e3a9a\/audio.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:24:55","filesize":"22.85M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2837,2838,2835],"tags":[],"podcast_series":[11406],"cwp_profile":[11407],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-317935","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fathers","category-mothers","category-raising-boys","podcast_series-rick-altizer-rachelle-star-he-calls-me-daughter","cwp_profile-rick-altizer","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Cover_1024x1024.jpg?w=1024","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/317935\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/317935\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"M6g3B8TnwF\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer\/\">He Calls Me Daughter: Rick Altizer<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/he-calls-me-daughter-rick-altizer\/embed\/#?secret=M6g3B8TnwF\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;He Calls Me Daughter: Rick Altizer&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"M6g3B8TnwF\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Cover_1024x1024.jpg",1024,1024,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Margaret","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/margaret-coylefamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"On FamilyLife Today, Dave and Ann Wilson talk with Rick Altizer about father wounds and the gospel hope of a perfect Heavenly Father.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"\n<ul>\n<li>Watch the film He Calls Me Daughter in theaters for two days only: March 17\u201318 (get tickets and find theater locations now). visit <a href=\"https:\/\/hecallsmedaughter.org\/\">HeCallsMeDaughter.org<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Learn more about Scarlet Hope ministry: Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/scarlethope.org\/\">scarlethope.org<\/a> for stories, donation options, team info, and ways to get involved.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lovelikeyoumeanitcruise.com\/\">Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise!<\/a> Now through 3\/31\/26, use promo code <strong>CruiseMadness27<\/strong> and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<ul>\n<li>Thanks to the Christian Standard Bible for sponsoring this episode. Learn more at <a href=\"https:\/\/CSBible.com\">CSBible.com<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Follow us on all social platforms: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/familylifeministry\">Facebook<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/familylife.today\/\">Instagram<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLSzse1nmlqbLhDx5FpGVDgLmxy1rmQBau\">YouTube<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Find resources from our podcast at <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.familylife.com\/product-category\/radio-resources\/\">shop.familylife.com<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Download <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familylife.com\/app\/\">FamilyLife's app<\/a>!<\/li>\n<li>Help others find FamilyLife. Leave a review on <a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303\">Apple Podcast<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm?si=d6dfa8d2415f4750\">Spotify<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Check out all the FamilyLife's podcasts on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.familylife.com\/familylife-podcast-network\/\">FamilyLife Podcast Network<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylife.com\/fl2026-03-11.pdf","transcript_content":"\nFamilyLife Today\u00ae with Dave and Ann Wilson - Web Version Transcript\r\n\r\nThis content has been generated by an artificial intelligence language model. While we strive for accuracy and quality, please note that the information provided will most likely not be entirely error-free or up-to-date. We recommend independently verifying the content with the originally-released audio. This transcript is provided for your personal use and general information purposes only. References to conferences, resources, or other special promotions may be obsolete. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the use or interpretation of this content.\r\n\r\nHe Calls Me Daughter\r\n\r\nGuest:Rick Altizer\r\n\r\nFrom the series:He Calls Me Daughter (Day 1 of 3)\r\n\r\nAir date:March 11, 2026\r\n\r\nRick (00:04):\r\n\r\nI want a woman, who is in pain\u2014and she can't put a name on what it is\u2014I want that woman to find healing and hope in this film. I want her to know: \u201cYou have a heavenly Father, Who loves you infinitely, and beyond anything you can even imagine or conceive in your mind. He's perfect, and He loves you perfectly. You have value and worth in Him.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (00:35):\r\n\r\nWelcome to FamilyLife Today, where we want to help you pursue the relationships that matter most. I'm Ann Wilson.\r\n\r\nDave (00:42):\r\n\r\nAnd I'm Dave Wilson. And you can find us at FamilyLifeToday.com. This is FamilyLife Today. \r\n\r\nDave: We've got a movie producer; director; recording artist, who has dozens of albums and he\u2019s sold dozens. I think you've sold a lot more, Rick.\r\n\r\nAnn (01:04):\r\n\r\nI think he has a lot.\r\n\r\nDave (01:05):\r\n\r\nRick Altizer is in the studio. \r\n\r\nRick (01:08):\r\n\r\nThank you; it's a pleasure. It's so awesome to be here.\r\n\r\nAnn (01:10):\r\n\r\nYou are a talented guy; you've done a lot of different things. You're quite an artist and creative.\r\n\r\nRick (01:16):\r\n\r\nPraise God.\r\n\r\nAnn (01:17):\r\n\r\nOh, no; he's getting his guitar out, Rick! \r\n\r\nRick (01:20):\r\n\r\nCome on! Come on! \r\n\r\nDave: I've never done this before:\u2014 \r\n\r\nRick: Come on!\r\n\r\nDave: \u2014I'm giving it to you! \r\n\r\nRick: Come on! What are we doing here? \r\n\r\nDave: Grab the guitar.\r\n\r\nAnn: So you wrote something with Johnny Cash? \r\n\r\nRick: [Strumming] I don't have a pick!\r\n\r\nDave (01:35):\r\n\r\nOh, hey.\r\n\r\nAnn: Dave always has a pick in his pocket. \r\n\r\nDave: I have a pick in every pants in my house. Just pretend it\u2019s Nashville. You know what I was thinking?  I was thinking: \u201cYou're so talented\u201d\u2014no, no, no; don\u2019t put it away\u2014I was thinking, \u201cYou\u2019re so talented, you could probably write a verse\/maybe, a chorus about the book your wife's reading right now:\u2014 \r\n\r\nRick: Alright! \r\n\r\nDave: \u2014How to Speak Life to Your Husband: When All You Want to Do Is Yell at Him. Give us a line of what she's learning or you're learning about marriage. \r\n\r\nAnn: Rick\u2019s written\u2014\r\n\r\nRick (02:12):\r\n\r\n[Strumming and singing] \r\n\r\nShe\u2019s my little helper, my little helper.\r\n\r\nShe's my helper in the car. \r\n\r\nShe's my little helper, my little helper. \r\n\r\nShe's got lots of advice to get me going far. \r\n\r\nDave (02:24):\r\n\r\nThere we go! I knew he could do it! \r\n\r\nAnn: He's written hundreds of jingles.\r\n\r\nRick (02:29):\r\n\r\nOh, I know; I know; I know.\r\n\r\nAnn (02:29):\r\n\r\nThat's impressive. But we're not here to talk about your musical career. \r\n\r\nRick: I can't believe we\u2019re doing this! \r\n\r\nAnn: Welcome to FamilyLife Today, Rick! This is pretty\u2014 \r\n\r\nRick: I'm ruining your show. \r\n\r\nAnn: No, you're not. \r\n\r\nRick: It's over. \r\n\r\nAnn: You are not. \r\n\r\nAnn: How much are you loving this, Dave?\r\n\r\nDave (02:42):\r\n\r\nIt was awesome. I just wish I had another guitar! We could write something.\r\n\r\nAnn (02:47):\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s pretty good.\r\n\r\nRick (02:48):\r\n\r\nMy Little Helper!\r\n\r\nDave: My Little Helper Helps Me.\r\n\r\nRick (02:49):\r\n\r\nMy wife is awesome. She loves what you're doing\u2014your book\u2014and how it's helping her to realize, if she's just constantly giving me all this advice and suggestions, [I] just feel beat down. She has been telling me all these amazing compliments and building me up. Any praise I get, it doesn't mean anything.\r\n\r\nAnn: \u2014from other people.\r\n\r\nRick: I can get all this praise, and adoration; and whatever, blah, blah, blah\u2014but if my wife criticizes, it just\u2014boom!\u2014it just cuts and destroys. It's been great\u2014thank you\u2014we love your book. \r\n\r\nAnn (03:27):\r\n\r\nI love that. And again, the book is called How to Speak Life to Your Husband: When All You Want To Do is Yell at Him.\r\n\r\nDave (03:31):\r\n\r\nBut we're not here to talk about that. \r\n\r\nAnn: Nope! \r\n\r\nDave: I feel like what we're going to talk about today literally is an extension\u2014not literally\u2014but it is like an extension of your heart; and actually, I think, God's heart.\r\n\r\nAnn (03:42):\r\n\r\nMe, too.\r\n\r\nDave (03:42):\r\n\r\nSo tell us what we\u2019re talking about.\r\n\r\nRick (03:43):\r\n\r\nWe\u2019re talking about a film called He Calls Me Daughter. It's a film made for women, who have a father wound. Many women, who perhaps go to church\u2014maybe, they're in the ministry: the worship team or, maybe, they're part of the women's ministry group\u2014there's something inside them that hurts. They don't know what it is. They go to the women's conferences; and they get all the books; and they do all the things\u2014nothing does it for them\u2014and they just figure: \u201cThere must be something wrong with me.\u201d They see all these other women connecting with God, and having this strong emotional relationship with Him; and they're just kind of on the outside, and they don't know what it is. \r\n\r\nWhen that woman sees this film, her life is going to change. This isn't going to be life-changing for everyone; but there's going to be thousands of women, who see this film, and their lives will change because they're going to realize: \u201cI'm a spiritual orphan. I have a father wound, and my father wound is impacting how I'm relating to God.\u201d Because, so often, we will project onto God traits of our earthly father. For instance, if our father was distant\u2014maybe, he was physically present, but distant\u2014we'll struggle believing God's there for us; we'll transfer that to God. \r\n\r\nThis is going to be a wake-up moment for so many women, seeing, \u201cI didn't know I had this father wound and how impactful it was on my life.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (05:04):\r\n\r\nI think it's more than just women who have a father wound.\r\n\r\nRick (05:06):\r\n\r\nOh, yes. \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDave (05:07):\r\n\r\nIt\u2019s men.\r\n\r\nAnn (05:08):\r\n\r\nI automatically want to send it to my sons, who are fathers, to help them to remember and to realize: \u201cYour role is really a big one. You might feel like it's not, with your daughters; but you are having a huge influence on them.\u201d\r\n\r\nDave (05:23):\r\n\r\nIt's obviously a term we've heard, although I'm old enough to remember where that was never a term anybody ever talked about. But I remember the first time somebody used those two words, father wound, I was probably in my 20s or 30s. Immediately, I'm like, \u201cI got it. I don't even know what it is, but I've got that.\u201d Define it: \u201cWhat would be a father wound?\u201d\r\n\r\nRick (05:44):\r\n\r\nA father wound is where you're going to have a lack. You're lacking\u2014whether it be in self-identity, self-esteem, physical presence of a father, protection, safety from\u2026\u2014you didn't have this\u2014what you naturally need from a heavenly Father. Our earthly fathers are modeling our heavenly Father. When our earthly fathers don't model that well, then, you're left with that wound. You're lacking because so much of our identity comes from our father\u2014so much of that. \r\n\r\nI did a film with the Kendrick brothers called Show Me the Father, which was mostly focused for men.\r\n\r\nAnn (06:22):\r\n\r\nIt was so good.\r\n\r\nRick (06:23):\r\n\r\nPraise God. As we were making that film, I was telling Stephen Kendrick: \u201cWe got to do this for women,\u201d \u201cWe got to do this for women.\u201d God has opened the doors for this film to be made. To realize: \u201cI have this wound,\u201d\u2014even if your father was physically present, you might say, \u201cWell, I don't have a father wound,\u201d\u2014but he was emotionally distant. You're going to have a tendency to over-function in that case, because\u2014\r\n\r\nAnn (06:45):\r\n\r\nThat's me.\r\n\r\nRick (06:45):\r\n\r\n\u2014everything is about doing; I'm a human doing, at that point. I get my validation; I get my worth from my dad when I do. I'll say, \u201cMy love language is acts of service\u201d; but actually, I've been trained: \u201cIf I want Daddy to give me what I need, I got to do.\u201d That's why acts of service are so big for them, because there is this wound. \r\n\r\nSo then, they'll come to God; and now, they're going to put that on God: \u201cI got to get to work,\u201d \u201cI got to perform,\u201d \u201cThis is how I earn; I have to do this.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (07:15):\r\n\r\n\u2014\u201cto get my Father's attention.\u201d\r\n\r\nRick (07:17):\r\n\r\n\u2014\u201cTo get my Daddy to love me,\u201d \u201cTo get my Daddy's attention, I need to.\u201d\r\n\r\nWe do that in so many ways. My father didn't tell the truth. You\u2019d ask him what the football score was. He'd give\/just tell you something that wasn't truth. So believing God\/trusting God was a struggle for me. It was a challenge to work through: \u201cI can trust God;  He's not like my earthly father.\u201d\r\n\r\n(07:39) That's what the film is very strongly focused on. It's a Christ-message, a gospel-based message, as you saw. Our earthly fathers aren't like our perfect heavenly Father. You're loved perfectly\u2014when you're in Christ\u2014you're loved by a perfect Father. That is where the heart of the film is. \r\n\r\nThe hope and the intention is that women and men, all across America, will be touched by it. It's going to be going into prisons\u2014Prison Fellowship ministry\u2019s involved\u2014women, in prisons, are going to see it; be praying for it.\r\n\r\nDave (08:14):\r\n\r\nIt\u2019ll be in theaters March 17\u2014\r\n\r\nRick: March 17 and 18\u2014\r\n\r\nDave: \u2014for a couple of days.\r\n\r\nRick: \u2014two days only. \r\n\r\nDave: Even as you started the journey, to produce this film, was there anything that surprised you? You interviewed a lot of women.\r\n\r\nAnn (08:25):\r\n\r\nYou have a lot of stories of women.\r\n\r\nDave (08:27):\r\n\r\nDid it go somewhere you didn't expect? Or is it exactly what you thought?\r\n\r\nRick (08:30):\r\n\r\nYes, absolutely. We had a story in the film\u2014and the film just wasn't right\u2014it wasn't there. We had a story that ended up kind of blowing up\u2014the story blew up\u2014which means this married couple started having difficulties, to the point, that they weren't going to be able to be in the film anymore. \r\n\r\n(08:56) \u201cOh, no; a closed door.\u201d Well, God tends to work more in my life with a closed door than He does with the open door. For me, more often than not, the closed door is direction. I think a younger me would've gotten anxious about that: \u201cOh, no; a closed door.\u201d But I was going, \u201cOkay, God, You're doing something here.\u201d\r\n\r\nWe met Rochelle Starr from Scarlet Hope in Louisville. A friend said, \u201cI know someone.\u201d And then, all of a sudden, it's the amazing story of the film! God just brought what we needed. So many times, when we have these closed doors in our life, we can get anxious. We can struggle trusting and believing in God\u2014especially, if we have a father wound, that's a tough one for us to believe that God's there for us and that He's trustworthy\u2014that's a hard one. We can talk about it, and I can believe God's good for you; but for me, I tend to operate in self-sufficiency because: \u201cI'm not so sure I really do believe that.\u201d \r\n\r\nAnn (09:46):\r\n\r\nDave, what do you think your struggles with God are, or have been in the past?\r\n\r\nDave (09:52):\r\n\r\nMine was directly connected to my father, who left. When people would say: \u201cGod is present,\u201d \u201cHe's there; He cares,\u201d\u2014 \r\n\r\nAnn: \u2014 \u201cHe'll never leave.\u201d\r\n\r\nDave: \u2014that was the catch. I literally had to dive into Scripture over and over, for years, to go, \u201cOkay, that is true about God. It wasn't true about my dad: he would say he'd show up; he didn't show up. Again, I didn't even know until early 30s: \u201cI'm projecting on God my belief about my earthly father, and that's not who my heavenly Father is\u201d; but that was a wound that I had. \r\n\r\nI look back on my life, and I'm like, \u201cOh, so that's why I excelled in everything I did,\u201d\u2014the whole time, trying to get\u2014not that it was bad\u2014I'm glad I accomplished things in sports and music. My dad was a drummer\u2014put himself through flight school, playing the drums\u2014and got a love for music from my dad; never saw him play drums anywhere. But I think a lot of us, there's a driving motivation, underneath everything; and sometimes, it's connected to: \u201cI'm trying to be seen by a dad who never saw me. And there is a God Who does.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (11:08):\r\n\r\nAnd mine was performance. My dad very seldom really saw me. I'm the youngest; I had two brothers. Sports was his thing. But I think I was always like: \u201cDo you see me?\u201d \u201cDo you see me now?\u201d \u201cDo you see me now?\u201d\u2014not \u201c\u2026hear me now?\u201d\u2014 all of it. I wanted his approval, and his affection, and his love, and his admiration. \r\n\r\nWhen I did give my life to Jesus, I was on that same track: \u201cI need to perform,\u201d \u201cI need to do it better,\u201d \u201cI need for God to love me.\u201d Man, it takes a while to understand who God is and how He's such a good Father. He's always with me; He always sees me. I don't have to perform for Him; it's crazy. \r\n\r\nI'm wondering what\u2014just take a guess\u2014percentage of us have a father wound?\r\n\r\nRick (11:53):\r\n\r\nOh, I don't know.\r\n\r\nAnn (11:55):\r\n\r\nYou think it's a lot?\r\n\r\nRick (11:56):\r\n\r\nI do,\u2014 \r\n\r\nAnn (11:57):\r\n\r\nI do, too. \r\n\r\nRick: \u2014because no father's perfect. \r\n\r\nAnn: They're never going to be.\r\n\r\nRick (12:01):\r\n\r\nEven a good father is going to mess up. \r\n\r\nDave (12:05):\r\n\r\nYeah, my kids have father wounds; and I was a perfect dad.\r\n\r\nRick (12:08):\r\n\r\nSo many times\u2014I call them \u201cfunctional orphans\u201d: \u201cI'm functioning,\u201d\u2014you could be pastoring a church; you could be hosting a radio show\u2014and be functioning. But at the core: \u201cI don't believe God is my Father.\u201d\r\n\r\nThey came to Jesus, in John, Chapter 6; and they said, \u201cShow us the works of the Father that we must be doing,\u201d\u2014\"Can I have the list?\u201d \u201cCan I have the five ways to be a good husband?\u201d \u201cCan I have the three ways to encourage my spouse?\u201d \u201c\u2026the four ways to know my spiritual gift?\u201d \u201cWhat are the works that we must be doing?\u201d \r\n\r\nAnd Jesus responds: \u201cThe work\u201d\u2014singular\u2014\"of the Father is to believe the One He sent,\u201d\u2014believing that God is Who He says He is; that\u2014\"I am Who God says I am,\u201d\u2014that's the work. That's the work of God in me. It comes from outside of me. You didn't have this\u2014this Father Who gave you identity\u2014God gives it to you outside\/it comes, outside of you, from God, through His Son, Jesus.\r\n\r\n(13:08) So this is our work: believing:\r\n\r\n\u201cGod is sovereign\u201d; that\u2019s all I got; this is all I got. I don't know why things happen. I don't know where, when; I don't know. But God has clearly revealed Who He is: \u201cHe's sovereign\u201d; He knew this was going to happen. He doesn't learn anything; He's sovereign. \r\n\r\n\u201cHe's good in His nature; He can't do anything evil. It's not possible for Him to be evil, because He is good. He's all good, and we can trust Him.\u201d That's all I got!\r\n\r\nNow, I can get my head around \u201cGod's sovereign.\u201d \u201c\u2026 good,\u201d\u2014I can believe He's good for you, like I said. But for me, \u201cMaybe I'll operate in some self-sufficiency, just to make sure.\u201d But that's the tough one: \u201cI can trust God,\u201d\u2014that's where God has to work in us; that's part of our sanctifying work\u2014\"You can trust Him. He's a loving, perfect Father.\u201d That's all I got! \u201cGod's sovereign,\u201d \u201cHe's good, and we can trust Him.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (14:01):\r\n\r\nI think, as listeners: \u201cAre you resonating with any of that? Do you believe God is good and you can trust Him?\u201d Because if you can't, that can take you on a journey; don't you think?\r\n\r\nDave (14:13):\r\n\r\nI think the greatest journey of my life was coming to that discovery. I told you, when we were walking in here, I think one of the themes of my preaching for 40 years has come down to\u2014there's all kinds of themes in teaching Scripture\u2014but I think it comes down to two beliefs: \r\n\r\n\u201cWhat do I believe about God?\u201d\u2014that's our theology; \r\n\r\nand \u201cWhat do I believe about me\/myself?\u201d\u2014that's identity. \r\n\r\nIf I believe: \u201cYes, Scripture says, \u2018God's present\u2019; \u2018God's sovereign\u2019; \u2018God cares\u2019; but I don't believe it, I'm going to make decisions, every day, to try and get God to be present, to be sovereign, to be\u2014you know what I mean? If I believe that there's a security that \/if I believe I'm loved by Him; I am a son He cares about, He thinks about, He designed, I walk in a room\u2014as one of my mentors would say\u2014\u201cI walk in a room, and I own it,\u201d\u2014and not in an arrogant way.\r\n\r\n(15:08) \u201cI own it; I don't need to prove anything to anybody here.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn: I can be who\u2014\r\n\r\nDave: I'm loved by the King of the universe, Who's with me\u2014so I walk in a room; and I'm not trying to be flashy, or say, \u201cHey, do you know what I did last week? I did this\u2026\u201d\u2014trying to win approval. I've got the approval\u2014I walk in, secure; and I know my identity\u2014the father wound was a part of my reality, but it's been healed by the Father. \r\n\r\nRick: Amen. \r\n\r\nDave: You know what I'm saying? That's a different reality. I think most people I run into are still wrestling through: \u201cWho am I?\u201d \u201cWho is He?\u201d And they're trying to be a human doing.\r\n\r\nRick (15:43):\r\n\r\nYes, the human doing\u2014and the issue of belief\/unbelief\u2014this is our struggle. When I'm not connected to the Vine\u2014every time I've crashed and burned in my marriage, every time\/100 percent of the time\u2014it's because I haven't been connected.\r\n\r\nAnn (15:56):\r\n\r\nYes.\r\n\r\nRick (15:57):\r\n\r\n\u2014every time. Perhaps\/maybe, you're in a marriage\u2014maybe, you have a father wound\u2014so learning how to feel validated or feel of worth\u2014maybe, you're looking to a spouse to do that in you. And guess what? That's the role of Jesus; that's what He's there for. And that's the Holy Spirit who does that. So when I'm putting that onto my wife, or my husband, I'm making them an idol. \r\n\r\nAnn (16:17):\r\n\r\n\u2014an idol. That\u2019s what I did.\r\n\r\nRick (16:18):\r\n\r\nWhat I'm doing\u2014it's idolatry; I'm idol worshiping\u2014I'm saying: \u201cI need you to be Jesus,\u201d \u201cI need you to validate me,\u201d \u201cI need you to give me my\u2026\u201d; and then, when they don't do it\u2014my wife is an awesome wife, but she's not Jesus\u2014well, then, we burn our idols down: \u201cYou didn't respect me!\u201d \u201cYou didn't love me!\u201d \u201cYou didn't give me what I needed!\u201d I'm looking to you to give me something that only Christ can. \r\n\r\nGetting back to our issue\u2014what I'm saying there is\u2014\u201cI don't believe Jesus can give me what I need. I need my wife to respect me,\u201d \u201cI need my husband to clean up his socks,\u201d \u201cI need my husband to go help with the dishes,\u201d\u2014or whatever we say, \u201cI need.\u201d And if it isn't Jesus, it's unbelief; we're saying, \u201cJesus, You're not enough.\u201d We don't want to say that; because we're, also, self-righteous; we also have that. But that's our struggle\u2014the unbelief\u2014it underlines everything. \r\n\r\nAnd so with this film\u2014believing there is a perfect Father, Who loves you, Who gives you your identity\u2014He calls me, \u201cDaughter\u201d; it comes from outside of you. So many women are confused; they're hurt, and they're broken. Many, many, many times, this is coming from a father wound. Maybe, people don't want to talk about it. Maybe, that's why there's never been a film like this; they don't want to talk about this.\r\n\r\nDave (17:32):\r\n\r\nIt may be something they don't want to talk about; but we have to, because it drives every day of our life\u2014every minute, I think, in some sense\u2014is a drive for that affirmation from our father. Maybe, we never got it; but we can get it. \r\n\r\nDid you find anything unique with the women you interviewed? Is it uniquely different for women than it is for men?\r\n\r\nAnn (17:51):\r\n\r\nAnd how did you determine the women that you would interview?\r\n\r\nRick (17:54):\r\n\r\nI'm just telling you: this is my eighth film, and I've never been on a project where God was so involved\u2014just from the beginning to right here\u2014the fact that I'm actually sitting in this studio, even talking to you.\r\n\r\nAnn (18:06):\r\n\r\nI was going to say, \u201cThis studio is in your film\u2014\r\n\r\nRick (18:10):\r\n\r\nYeah, yeah.\r\n\r\nAnn (18:12):\r\n\r\n\u2014\u201cwith a guest that we had on.\u201d\r\n\r\nDave (18:14):\r\n\r\nYes, she was sitting in your chair.\r\n\r\nRick: Right here.\r\n\r\nAnn: Kia Stephens.\r\n\r\nRick: It is in the film; that's how we connected here. We saw it at the\u2014there's a Fatherhood Commission in Rome, Georgia\u2014I watched it for the first time with a group of 175 ministry leaders, who focus on fatherhood ministries. I watched it\u2014and I've never had this sense like this\u2014but as I'm watching this film, I'm going, \u201cI didn't make this film,\u201d\u2014and I know you've probably given sermons, or done things like, \u201cThat wasn't me; there's no way I could do this,\u201d\u2014and I'm watching, going, \u201cI didn't do any of this. This is God; this is to His glory.\u201d That's all I got on that. \r\n\r\nAnn (18:50):\r\n\r\nI cried so many times, watching this; because it pulls at the heartstrings of the longings of a woman's heart\u2014of the lack that we often feel\u2014of feeling alone, of feeling like we have to do everything ourselves, our distrust, and our lack of trust in a good God. It just pulls at so many things. But the thing that really gets you is when, as you watch the film progress, and you see the progression, and you hear the gospel.\r\n\r\nRick (19:20):\r\n\r\nYes, praise God.\r\n\r\nAnn (19:20):\r\n\r\nIt just sinks praise deep into the heart. And then, you see the transformation. Whew; that's when I start to cry,\u2014\r\n\r\nRick: Hallelujiah.\r\n\r\nAnn: \u2014when I see the transformation of understanding: \u201cThis is how loved and beloved you are by the Father,\u201d\u2014that can't help but pull at your heartstrings; there's transformation that takes place.\r\n\r\nDave (19:40):\r\n\r\nEven Chonda Pierce, who's this comedian\u2014I've never seen her do anything but make me laugh\u2014and there's this story behind it.\r\n\r\nAnn (19:52):\r\n\r\nHow did you guys connect?\r\n\r\nRick (19:54):\r\n\r\nI was doing some work with her. I had a business partner, and we were helping her with marketing her DVDs and things. She told me, \u201cI want to make a movie\u201d; and I'd never made a movie before. I said, \u201cWe could do a demo tape.\u201d Remember, back in the day, little cassette tapes, three songs.\r\n\r\nAnn (20:10):\r\n\r\nYou probably made a lot of those. \r\n\r\nRick (20:11):\r\n\r\nYeah, I did. \u201cWhy don't we do five minutes, and send it off; and see what happens?\u201d I went on the road with her for three days and got 16 minutes. They said, \u201cRick, can you make this film?\u201d I went, \u201cSure!\u201d It was called Laughing in the Dark, and it was the number five movie in America the night it came out. And then, we did another one called [Chonda Pierce]: Enough; and that was the number two movie in America. \r\n\r\nAnd then, from that, Russ Taff wanted me to do a film for him\u2014he was sharing about his alcoholism\u2014called I Still Believe. Stephen Kendrick saw that. I had done three films with Chonda. That's why\u2014when we started this, I knew that her father had just died\u2014she'd never talked about her story with her dad, because he was still alive.\r\n\r\nAnn (20:52):\r\n\r\nOh, I didn't know that.\r\n\r\nRick (20:52):\r\n\r\nThis is the first time she's sharing about the story with her dad, in this film.\r\n\r\nDave (21:01):\r\n\r\nWhat if the questions you're too embarrassed to ask are the ones your marriage needs answered?\r\n\r\nAnn (21:08):\r\n\r\nMarriage After Dark is FamilyLife's newest podcast, where a real married couple talks openly about healthy, God-honoring sex. Yes, the stuff you'd never ask your pastor or your friends.\r\n\r\nDave (21:21):\r\n\r\nFor more, go to FamilyLife.com\/MarriageAfterDark because intimacy shouldn't stay in the dark. Again, that's FamilyLife.com\/MarriageAfterDark. \r\n\r\nDave: What is\u2014I think I know\u2014but: \u201cWhat's your hope? What do you hope happens?\u201d\r\n\r\nRick (21:43):\r\n\r\nI want a woman, who is in pain\u2014and she can't put a name on what it is\u2014I want that woman to find healing and hope in this film. That's who I'm making this film for. I want her to know that: \u201cYou have a heavenly Father who loves you infinitely and beyond anything you can even imagine or conceive in your mind,\u201d and \u201cHe's not like your earthly dad; He's perfect, and He loves you perfectly, and you have value and worth in Him, and you don't have to do the work\u2014Christ already did it on the cross\u2014it's done. You don't have to work to earn this love; it comes from outside of you. It's not anything you do and earn\u2014it's all grace\u2014it's all outside of you.\u201d\r\n\r\nI want that woman to see this film, and for her life to change\u2014and to download our free curriculum we're giving away\u2014our six-week curriculum. And to go find counseling and deal with this father wound; that then, she's finding healing in her marriage, and with her kids, with her own life. That's what I want: for that woman to be healed. \r\n\r\nDave (22:43):\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s beautiful. \r\n\r\nAnn: I believe that really can happen\u2014as women watch this, as dads watch it, as women take their daughters\/granddaughters to the film\u2014that's going to happen.\r\n\r\nDave (22:56):\r\n\r\nLet me ask you this: \u201cDo you think fathers should go with their daughters to this movie?\u201d\r\n\r\nRick (23:01):\r\n\r\nAbsolutely. Oh, yeah. We showed it at the Fatherhood Commission. More men were crying than the women. \r\n\r\nDave: Really?\r\n\r\nAnn (23:08):\r\n\r\nI could see that.\r\n\r\nRick (23:09):\r\n\r\nThey were just saying, \u201cThis tore me up.\u201d\r\n\r\nAnn (23:11):\r\n\r\n\u2014because of the power a father has.\r\n\r\nRick (23:13):\r\n\r\nThe gospel is powerful; the gospel is life-changing. This is not a Jesus-lite film\u2014they have these\/they call them \u201cfaith adjacent\u201d\u2014there's nothing adjacent about our faith in this film. Jesus is front and center, and the gospel is the power for salvation! That's how it happens\u2014when you're faced with the gospel changing someone's life\u2014and you see that it's real; that this is for you. I'm excited to see what ministries come out of this.\r\n\r\nAnn (23:40):\r\n\r\nMe, too.\r\n\r\nRick (23:40):\r\n\r\nWe're just focusing the film on one thing: women, who have a father wound, and giving them the gospel to know that they're loved and cared for by a perfect heavenly Father.\r\n\r\nDave (23:49):\r\n\r\nMay God bless it.\r\n\r\nAnn (23:50):\r\n\r\nYeah, I agree. \r\n\r\nAnd then, tomorrow, we're going to bring in Rachelle Starr, who's in the film\u2014who, actually, has a huge part in it; because she has a ministry that you're not going to want to miss hearing about\u2014so come back tomorrow.\r\n\r\nDave (24:06):\r\n\r\nAgain, the movie is called He Calls Me Daughter. It launches in theaters March 17 and 18, two days; you can go see it. You can get all the information you want at HeCallsMeDaughter.org; or go to our FamilyLifeToday.com, and click on the link in the show notes; we'll send you all the info, as well. \r\n\r\nOkay\u2014real quick\u2014you got to join us on the Love Like You Mean It  marriage cruise, February 13-20 in 2027. You don't want to miss it.\r\n\r\nAnn (24:31):\r\n\r\nThere's a sale going on right now through March 17. This is the time to sign up.\r\n\r\nDave (24:37):\r\n\r\nGo to FamilyLifeToday.com, and click on the banner. We'll see you on the boat.\r\n\r\nAnn (24:45):\r\n\r\nFamilyLife Today is a donor-supported production of FamilyLife\u00ae, a Cru\u00ae Ministry. \r\n\r\nCelebrating 50 years of helping you pursue the relationships that matter most.\r\n\r\nIf you\u2019ve benefited from the FamilyLife Today transcripts, would you consider donating today to help defray the costs of producing them and making them available online?\r\n\r\nCopyright \u00a9 2026 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\r\n\r\nwww.FamilyLife.com\n","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/317935","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/47000"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=317935"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/295627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=317935"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=317935"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=317935"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=317935"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=317935"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=317935"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}