Q&A with Becky Thompson and Dr. Mark Pitts, Authors of Midnight Dad Devotional

Hi friends,

Today, we are happy to share this interview with father and daughter duo Becky Thompson (of Midnight Mom Devotional) and Dr. Mark Pitts. We are excited to share their insight on their new devotional for the men and fathers in your life, Midnight Dad Devotional (out April 27, 2021). Make sure to check it out. This makes a lovely gift for the upcoming Father’s Day! Today, we talk about the importance of the role of a father in a daughter’s life, their favorite joint memory and finding support. Thank you, Ms. Thompson and Dr. Pitts, and a special ‘thank you’ to Icon Media Group for making this interview possible.

xx

GY

In conversation with Ms. Becky Thompson:

Modern Witnesses (“MW”): You are well known for the Midnight Mom Devotional and community. What was the inspiration behind the Midnight Dad Devotional project? When did you know it was time to do a devotional for the men who lead their families?

Becky Thomspon (“BT”): As the Midnight Mom Devotional community began to grow, we received so many messages from women wondering if there was a similar community to encourage their husbands, brothers, and the dads in their lives. We understood that men need encouragement as well, but they need hope offered in a way that will meet them right where they are about the situations they face as fathers. The idea to create the dad community came just a few years after the Midnight Mom Devotional community began.

MW: Why was it important for you to be a part of this project, even though it is geared toward men?

BT: The Midnight Dad Devotional is my seventh published book. Throughout my written work and online ministry, I aim to offer hope which comes from connecting with our Heavenly Father. It was such a privilege and joy to partner with my dad as he wrote his first book for fathers, a message I deeply believe in.

“It was such a privilege and joy to partner with my dad as he wrote his first book for fathers, a message I deeply believe in.”

MW: What is one of your father’s traits or attributes you are most grateful for? In what ways has your father mirrored God’s love for you?

BT: My father has always been an example of our Heavenly Father’s kind and gentle heart. I’m so grateful for who he is as a father. In the ways that my dad gives wisdom, guidance, affirmation and even compassionate correction, I have learned of my Heavenly Father’s character. This is why I believe the lives of our readers will be changed as they read the Midnight Dad Devotional. They’ll be reading devotions about their Heavenly Father’s strength, love and wisdom for their lives written by a man who models this for his own family.

“They’ll be reading devotions about their Heavenly Father’s strength, love and wisdom for their lives written by a man who models this for his own family.”

In conversation with Dr. Pitts:

MW: In what ways can daughters, wives and sisters encourage the men in their lives?

Dr. Mark Pitts (“MP”): The first and most important way for a woman to encourage the fathers in her life is to show them respect for the role they play as dads. I have heard my daughter say that women feel as though they carry the emotional and mental load for much of what needs to be done in the home. But it is so important for daughters and wives to remember that dads carry within themselves expectations for what needs to be done and how it needs to be accomplished, as well. Simply acknowledging that the dads they love need encouragement is encouraging to them. It shows them that they are seen and valued.

MW: Why is the voice of a father such an important thing in the life of a daughter?

MP: The father is the first example of a Heavenly Father’s love for His children. The closer a dad is to God, the clearer the representation will be for his kids. As a dad speaks encouragement, wisdom, love, and affirmation to his daughter, she will learn the voice of her Heavenly Father who speaks the same. This model shapes who she knows God to be and why she knows she can trust Him. This is why a dad needs to be connected to His Heavenly Father’s heart, something we aim to accomplish in this new work.

“The father is the first example of a Heavenly Father’s love for His children. The closer a dad is to God, the clearer the representation will be for his kids.”

MW: What has been your favorite way to pass on faith lessons to your children?

MP: I believe that faith is lived and not taught. Proverbs 22:6 teaches us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” For my children, as we have walked alongside one another, my prayer has been for them to learn how to follow the Lord, trust His voice, and live a life in service to Him through my own example. Life speaks louder than any other lesson.

“Life speaks louder than any other lesson.”

In conversation with Ms. Thompson and Dr. Pitts:

MW: We are a global community, and we love learning about family traditions. Is there a tradition your family keeps?

BT and MP: As Christians and followers of Jesus, our family loves to remember all of the celebrations and festivals which would have been a part of Jesus’s life. Every year we share in a Passover Seder, a time when the Jews look back and remember how God’s people were spared from death and freed from bondage in Egypt. In our own lives, we remember that Jesus has spared us from eternal death and freed us from the power of sin in our lives. It is an important and special family time together.

MW: What is your spiritual growth focus, at the moment?

BT and MP: We believe in daily spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit is continually guiding and producing fruit as we listen for His voice and follow His leading. Our aim is to allow the Lord to grow us in new areas daily as He sees fit.

MW: What is your favorite father-daughter memory?

BT: I once learned a jingle for a food product that was advertised often on television when I was younger. I thought it would be fun for my dad to learn it, too. He wasn’t so excited at first, but I knew I could win him over. So, when we’d take long drives in the car together, I’d sing it again and again, leaving out little parts so he’d have to sing along. It’s become an inside joke between us, and now whenever I sing part of that jingle and he’s in the room, he’ll finish the next line.

MW: What do you hope people walk away with as they journey through the devotional?

BT and MP: We want dads to know: Your Heavenly Father is interested in every aspect of your role as a dad. He wants to know you as a Father knows a son and walk with you through the experience of leading your family. There isn’t one step you have taken alone, and there won’t be going forward. God is the source of everything a dad needs. He shares His wisdom freely with all dads who ask, and there are men in Scripture who have faced similar struggles to what this dad faces. If God met these men in the Bible, God will meet this dad too, with all that he needs to face the days ahead.

“There isn’t one step you have taken alone, and there won’t be going forward. God is the source of everything a dad needs.”

MW: If you had to define Christianity in one sentence, it would be:

BT and MP: Christianity is our beautiful response to follow our Heavenly Father who made us to know Him and sent His Son to make a way for us to be together.

To get or gift a copy of this devotional, find Midnight Dad Devotional here.

Becky Thompson is a bestselling author and the creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community, gathering over one million moms in nightly prayer. Speaking hope into the struggle of balancing life as a wife mother, and daughter of God, Becky has become the voice of modern Christian motherhood. You can learn more about Becky’s top Christian podcast, Revived Motherhood, or find more of her work by visiting BeckyThompson.com. Becky lives near Nashville with her husband, Jared, and their three children.

Dr. Mark R. Pitts is a graduate of the University of Tulsa Law School. He is an ordained pastor and a well-known Bible teacher in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, area where he lives with his wife, Susan. They have been married for 41 years and have two adult daughters and three grandchildren. In 2019, Mark created the Midnight Dad Devotional online community with his daughter, Becky Thompson, the creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional. Mark enjoys teaching Scripture and praying for dads.

For more community and to connect with Ms. Thompson or Dr. Pitts, find them below:

www.facebook.com/midnightdaddevotional

www.facebook.com/midnightmomdevotional

www.beckythompson.com/midnight-dad-devotional

Until next time, keep witnessing!