What matters to BLAKE S CRAWFORD?

BLAKE S Crawford

Person by BLAKE S Crawford

Host of the Before the Lord Daily Devotional podcast. Author of Raise Them Right — a biblical roadmap for parents raising children who know, love, and follow Christ.

About

Blake S. Crawford is a businessman, author, and host of the Before the Lord Daily Devotional — a podcast and email devotional that has landed in inboxes every weekday morning since 2015. His upcoming book, Raise Them Right (late summer 2026), is a biblical roadmap for raising children who know, love, and follow Christ. Blake wasn't raised in faith. He grew up in a home where hard work was expected and integrity was valued, but God wasn't at the center. Everything changed when he met his wife Tara in college. Through her family — a multigenerational example of what it looks like to walk with the Lord for a lifetime — Blake encountered the peace of Christ for the first time, and his journey began. For over two decades, Blake built and led companies in manufacturing, real estate, and landscaping, including owning Crawford Landscaping in Southwest Florida. It was in business that he first learned the principles of servant leadership — putting others first, leading with integrity, and treating every workplace as an opportunity to reflect Christ. The hardest seasons, including nearly losing his business, taught him a deeper lesson: surrender. Learning to hold everything loosely and trust that it all belongs to the Lord shaped him more than any success ever did. In 2008, Blake began serving with Awakened Heart Ministries alongside Dr. Scott Engelman, joining the board of directors and helping lead Men's Story Weekends and Marriage Intensives. That hands-on work — sitting with men in their struggles and walking with couples through their toughest seasons — deepened his conviction that faith must be lived out at home before it can be taught elsewhere. Two things emerged unexpectedly. A private journal written for his three daughters grew into Raise Them Right, a comprehensive parenting guide built around a framework he calls Project 13. And a quick morning email to a few friends became Before the Lord, a daily devotional now reaching listeners on all major podcast platforms. Blake is not a pastor or theologian. He is a husband of 31 years, father of three daughters, and a businessman who takes the Bible seriously. His message comes down to one conviction: faith is not accidental — it's intentionally cultivated. Topics Blake speaks on: Servant leadership in business and faith, building a Christ-centered home, intentional parenting through Scripture, surrender and stewardship, men's discipleship, and cultivating a daily walk with the Lord. Connect: blakescrawford.com

What Matters

M PARENTING

Parenting matters to Blake because his private journal for his three daughters unexpectedly grew into Raise Them Right, a comprehensive guide built around his Project 13 framework for raising Christ-following children.

M DISCIPLESHIP

Discipleship matters to Blake because, as a Christian, Blake believes in being about discipling others in Christ.

M #BEAGUEST 3

BLAKE S Crawford

About

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