The pressure to meet others’ expectations can be overwhelming, driving us to live a life dictated by societal standards, family demands, and personal ambition. It’s not about rejecting these expectations outright, but rather recognizing how they shape our sense of worth and identity. When we live under this pressure, it can lead to anxiety, shame, and a constant striving for approval. But we don’t have to. Instead of living in pursuit of love, we can live from it — from the love of God.

In this episode, Steve Smith sits down with Barry Adams, the author of The Father's Love Letter, to explore a deeply personal and spiritual question: what or who drives you?

This interview circles around the deep power of God's unconditional love, particularly in relation to the expectations we often carry from our earthly fathers. Barry shares his own journey of breaking free from the pressure to perform and finding rest in the love of God, a revelation that transformed his life and ministry. By listening to this episode, you'll gain practical insights into how to live from a place of love and acceptance, rather than striving for approval.

This episode is for anyone seeking to break free from the pressure to perform and find rest in the love of the Heavenly Father.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

1. Gain insight into how life’s expectations can shape our sense of worth and lead to performance-driven anxiety.
2. Understand how striving for approval can impact our spiritual and emotional well-being.
3. Learn from Barry Adams’ personal journey to find inner peace, rest, and true identity in the love of God.

Resources

• Live from Rest Podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify 
• Live from Rest App: Google Play | App Store
• Barry Adams: Facebook
• The Father's Love Letter: Website 
• FatherHeart.tv: Website 

Episode Highlights

Barry’s impact through Father’s Love Letter  

• Barry Adams mentions his difficulty in remembering past events and expresses his pleasure in returning to the podcast.
• Barry has made a profound impact through the Father's Love Letter and other teachings.
• The Father’s Love Letter has had unexpected success and impact over the past 25 years.

The Power of the Unconditional Love of God

• The love of God is meant to be the foundation of the Christian faith.
• God's love is not just a concept. It’s a foundational truth that permeates every aspect of His Kingdom.
• Steve Smith shares a story about the top regrets of the dying, highlighting the common theme of living life for others' expectations.
• Conforming to societal and cultural expectations is a tremendous struggle.

Barry: “The problem is the more people that you have to please, who do you please? And then if you're not being authentic about who you really are, then you start living a life that you weren't created to live.”

Living Life for Others Expectations

• Barry was once desperately trying to earn his father's approval through academic and athletic achievements.
• Steve, on the other hand, shares about the top regrets of people on their deathbed: that they had lived a life unfettered by the expectations of others.
• Their stories highlight the common theme of living life for others' expectations.

Barry: “I believe this revelation of the Father's heart, really at its very core, will affect every area of our life and our ability just to even be who He created us to be.”

Revelation of God's Love

• Barry Adams learned that his drive stemmed from a desire to earn his father's love.
• At a conference where he received a revelation of God's love and the source of his drivenness.
• Experiencing God's love as a father and not through the lens of one's earthly father changes the dynamic of how you experience the love of God.
• Ask God to reveal His love to you, and you will see life differently. We must dismantle any misconceptions about God as a father.

Practical Steps to Experiencing the Love of God

Barry: “I don't love you because you do anything to deserve it. I love you because you breathe.”

• Examine your assumptions about God as a father and to ask the Holy Spirit for a true revelation of God's love.
• Reconnecting to your inner child, as Barry did, will tangibly change the way you experience the love of God.
• God loves us because we are, not because of what we do; we can live from God’s love, not in pursuit of it.
• May we all experience God's love and be set free from performance and fear of failure.

About Barry Adams

Barry Adams is the creator of The Father's Love Letter, a globally recognized compilation of biblical verses that communicates the profound and unconditional love of God as a Father. For over 25 years, Barry has been sharing this message of love, touching the lives of millions worldwide through his writings, talks, and teachings. Alongside his wife, Barry has had the privilege of witnessing countless transformations, as people from all walks of life discover their true identity and worth in God’s love. His work has become a powerful tool for spiritual healing and growth, emphasizing that God's love is the foundation upon which all aspects of life should rest.

With a passion for helping others break free from performance-driven anxiety and shame, Barry’s teachings focus on the importance of living from a place of rest in God's love rather than striving for approval. His journey, shaped by his own struggles to meet societal and familial expectations, inspires those who feel burdened by similar pressures. Through his ministry, Barry continues to guide others toward the revelation that they are loved simply because they exist, offering hope and freedom to all who seek it.

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