Nate Freeman

The most important discipleship your kids will ever get doesn't happen at church - it happens at your kitchen table. As a pastor and a dad, I've watched families try to “do devotions” and quit because the resource was boring or too complicated. These are the ones that actually work: a Bible kids will beg for, devotionals short enough to finish, and simple tools that turn an ordinary evening into a moment they'll remember. Start with one. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

Every August you get the school's supply list. Nobody hands you the OTHER list: the little things that actually save your mornings, keep track of what your kid loses, and quietly make the year easier. After sending my own off to school more times than I can count, this is that list. None of it's required. All of it helps. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

Your home says something before you say anything. As a pastor I've walked into hundreds of homes, and the ones that quietly point to Jesus - a verse on the wall, an open Bible on the table, a nativity in December - start conversations no sermon can. This list is how we decorate our own home through the seasons: warm, real, never preachy. Start with whatever season you're in. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

After 20+ years of pastoring - and a lot more years of being married - these are the books I've watched do real good in the lives of wives in our church. They're not about trying harder or being “the perfect wife.” They're about understanding the man you married, praying with power, and building a marriage that goes the distance. Start anywhere. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com. P.S. Husbands, your list is here: benable.com/natefreeman/books-i-wish-every-husband-would-read-a-pastor-s-picks

In over 20 years of ministry I've sat with a lot of husbands - and almost every strong marriage I've watched grow had a man in it who was willing to keep learning. These are the books I hand to men who want to love their wives well, from newlyweds to guys 30 years in. Start anywhere; even one of these, actually applied, will change the temperature of your home. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com. P.S. There's a companion list for wives here: benable.com/natefreeman/books-i-wish-every-wife-would-read-a-pastor-s-picks

Some of the best family memories happen right after dinner, when somebody pulls out a game and the phones go down. Everybody already knows Monopoly and Sorry, so this is a list of newer board games and party games most families have never tried, the ones we pull out again and again at family gatherings, on Labor Day, and through the fall and Christmas holidays. I grouped them so you can find the right one fast: big-group games for the whole room, family game night picks, quick games to play between courses, cooperative team games so nobody ends up in a feud, and a few two-player games for after the kids are down. They are all easy to find at Target and Walmart. If one lands on your table this season, tell me how it went. More at asknatefreeman.com.

After 20+ years of walking families through loss, these are the books, journals, and comforts I actually put in grieving hands. Grief isn't only emotional — it hits your spirit, your mind, and your worn-out body. So I've sorted it by all three: what feeds your faith, what tends your heart and mind, and what helps your tired body rest. Whether it's your loss or someone you love's, start anywhere. You're not alone, and you won't always feel like this. More at asknatefreeman.com.

After 20+ years as a pastor, these are the faith-filled gifts I actually recommend when people ask “what do I get the Christian in my life?” — books, devotionals, and keepsakes that get used, not shoved in a drawer. Sorted by who you're shopping for, with a few of my own books in the mix. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

I'm a pastor who builds. These are the AI and automation tools I actually use to write, create, preach, and run everything behind asknatefreeman.com — plus a few others creators and church leaders swear by, and the AI apps I built myself. Some are free, some are paid, all are worth knowing. Sorted into what I personally use, other tools worth trying, picks for pastors and church leaders, and my own apps. If you want to do more without burning out, start here. Come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

Summer is long, screens are easy, and ‘I’m bored' starts around week two. As a pastor and a dad, this is my go-to list for keeping kids curious, growing, and off the iPad without turning the house into a classroom. It is sorted into four simple buckets: workbooks to stop the summer slide, screen-free boredom busters, a reading routine by age, and hands-on science for little explorers. Pick a few, mix them up, and watch them come alive. For more on raising kids who love to learn, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

Sending a kid off to college is a big deal, and the packing list feels endless. As a pastor and a dad, here is what actually matters for dorm life, the stuff students really use, not the things that end up shoved in a closet and forgotten. I leaned toward good sleep, real comfort, and a few things to keep them grounded while they are far from home. Print it, check it off, and breathe. They are going to be okay. For more encouragement for this season, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

I spent more hours than I can count in a dialysis chair, so this list is personal. These are the comfort items that actually help you get through long treatment days — the things I used, and the things I watched bring real comfort to the people in the chairs around me. If you're buying a gift for someone on dialysis, or you're facing it yourself, start here. Most of it is simple: something soft, something to help the hours pass, something to make a cold clinic feel a little more human. None of this is medical advice, just honest comfort from someone who has been there. For encouragement along the way, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.

After 20+ years of ministry, these are the books I keep coming back to and recommending most — the ones that have shaped how I pray, lead, and walk with God. Whether you're a new believer or you've been following Jesus for decades, start anywhere on this list. Every one of these has discipled someone in my church. For more, come find me at asknatefreeman.com.