Table Talks with the Tares

In this episode, we’re diving into Reddit’s most unpopular parenting opinions and sharing our own hot takes. We’re weighing in on what we agree with, what made us laugh, and what we’re still figuring out. It’s honest, lighthearted, and a fun look at the many ways to parent. ‌ Next episode recommended: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-17-relationships-shoulder-to-shoulder-vs-face-to/id16612...

In this episode, we open up about what it’s been like to walk through pregnancy while carrying the weight of recent losses. We talk about how grief has impacted Ash’s mindset, fears she’s working through, and how we’re learning to support each other through it all. If you’ve ever found yourself wrestling with self-doubt, feeling stuck, or wondering if you have what it takes to overcome an obstacle...

This week, we’re getting super practical in walking through how we practice discipleship in our home. We talk about weekly rhythms like Sabbath, how we use holidays to point our kids to Jesus, and tools we’ve found helpful for letting our faith drive our weekly rhythms. Resources: Book: https://a.co/d/gDpWZyk Resurrection Eggs: https://www.amazon.com/FAMILYLIFE-Family-Life-Resurrection-Anniversary...

This episode we’re sharing a really special moment—a simple conversation with our daughter that turned into her confession of faith. We talk about what it looks like to have real, ordinary faith conversations with our kids, how the way we love them shapes the way they see God, and what it means for us to model repentance and trust in God for them. ‌ Resources mentioned: Book: https://a.co/d/hcSrUd...

We’re back with Part 2 of our marriage rewind—picking up where we left off and diving deeper into how our perspectives, habits, and relationship dynamics have evolved over the last 9 years. If you enjoyed Part 1, this one’s even more fun. Let’s just say… growth is humbling. 😅 ‌ Next episode recommended: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-120-then-versus-now-comparing-the-1st-year-and/id1661...

We just hit 9 years of marriage, so we’re taking a fun look back at year 1 on all the ways life has changed since and what we’ve learned along the way. ‌ Next episode recommended: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-70-8-years-strong-part-1-reviewing-reddits-marriage/id1661247515?i=1000651760696 ‌ Table Talks with the Tares: conversations that inspire personal growth in leadership in every sp...

In this episode, we’re diving into what it looks like to recognize narcissistic traits in someone and how to set healthy boundaries without losing yourself in the process. Ash talks through some of the signs, the emotional toll it can take, and what it looks like to navigate those relationships with clarity and compassion. If you’ve ever felt drained, second-guessed your instincts, or struggled to...

In this episode, we pick up where we left off and dive into part 2 of our discipleship conversation—this time unpacking the idea that discipleship is more like a lab, or apprenticeship, than a lecture process. It’s meant to involve on-the-job training that exposes the vulnerable parts of your life where you are obeying and following Jesus. If you’ve been wondering whether or not you’ve been obedie...

We’ve been asking ourselves: What does discipleship really look like in 2025? After listening to a podcast episode by Jeremy Prior on life-on-life discipleship, we’ve found ourselves rethinking what it means to be a disciple-maker. This episode is raw and honest and full of real-time processing. If you’ve ever felt like discipleship should be more than a Bible study and a once-a-month coffee, this...

In this episode Ashley interviews MJ to get his take and experience being married to a vacillator. We discuss the experience in our marriage over the last 9 years and the journey of a vacillator/avoider couple.   Resources mentioned: Book: How We Love, Expanded Edition: Discover Your Love Style, Enhance Your Marriage Love Style Quiz: What is a Love Style? Table Talks with the Tares Ep 26 - How MJ...

In this episode we're discussing how we're approaching having baby #3. Is this third one really easier or is it really just adding more to the chaos of parenting?   Resources mentioned: Podcast Juice:  https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/our-brands/buffalo-trace.html     Table Talks with the Tares: conversations that inspire personal growth in leadership in every sphere of life.   Visit our web...

In this episode we talk about the different default settings we have when we consider bringing up offenses someone has committed against you. One prefers to confront with it, the other would rather absorb it and move on. We explore our unique approaches to the issue of confrontation and how it helps us shape a balanced ethic when teaching correction and confrontation to our kids.   Table Talks wit...

In this episode, we reflect on our time with my mom and how her visit highlighted the cultural differences in how we each handle conflict—one shaped by honor/shame and the other by justice/guilt. We explore how these deep-rooted approaches surface in marriage and what it means to navigate apologies, accountability, and grace when worlds collide.   Resources mentioned: How We Love, Expanded Edition...

In this episode, I interview Ash about what it's like being married to an avoider. We talk about the challenges of adjusting to a love style that is different from your own and the ways we've had to grow in how to relate to one another.   Resources mentioned: How We Love, Expanded Edition: Discover Your Love Style, Enhance Your Marriage Next episode recommended: Ep 25 - How We Love & Argue, Th...

In this episode we do another hot take with Ashley on a question prompt I gave her regarding the duties of parents in a family. Our discussion moves in several different directions talking about what we think and how we would want to approach leading our family.   Table Talks with the Tares: conversations that inspire personal growth in leadership in every sphere of life.   Visit our website: The...

We revisit my previous statement about how the Great Commission may not be for everyone. I clarify that statement in this episode saying that while cross cultural evangelism may not be, the call for all believers is to make disciples.  Episode mentioned: Ep 108 - Fear of Failure Driving the Holy Search for God's Will in Your Life, On Considering Obedience to God and Serving the Local Body Table Ta...

I put Ashley on the hot seat by getting into this conversation without warning or context. I like to get her first drafts on things and so in this conversation we talk about how she has felt she's changed in being able to identify her needs. The conversation morphs into talking about whether or not she thinks she's a people pleaser and how she's let me be the father to our children as we raise the...

We unpack how in some cases our search for God's will is seen as a pursuit of holiness but in reality is a fear of failure that could bring ruin to your life. The beauty of the Gospel is that we've already been found out as failures, and the Lord has provided a way out through his son, Jesus Christ. We talk about the implications for a family looking to be obedient to the Lord and how serving in t...

We talk about the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence and some of the ways we’re currently using it in our house. Then we also discuss how we should think about these quick changes in the technological world we live in as a Christian family. How do we live in the technological world honoring the Lord in how we engage with it. Do we engage with it at all? Do we use it to improve our lives...

I interview Ashley in this one on what has been the motivating factor for why she basically automatically sets goals for her year at the beginning of each year. We are so different in this regard so we talk about how we approach goal setting from opposite angles. We talk about the goals we’re setting, the systems we use, and the approaches we take.   Table Talks with the Tares: conversations that...

In this episode, we flesh out my (MJ's) initial reactions after Ashley's orders of 2 books arrive at our house. Initially it was a cringy and uncomfortable thought to even entertain having to bring this up to our kids, but after talking it further with her, realized that this conversation might come up a lot sooner than we think.   Resources mentioned: Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr.: A Simple Plan...

As we approach the holidays, I wanted to talk about how we've thought about rest during this time of year. We talk about how social media (or whatever form of endless screen-time/scrolling you pursue) robs you of the rest the Lord wants from you. We also detail how we practice rest through the form of a Saturday Sabbath rest and how that looks like for our specific context. Also, I make the argume...

As our oldest starts out Kindergarten next year, we have started the discussion and research in finding what we believe to be the best education option for her. We came from diverse educational backgrounds and naturally reverted back to our own experiences as what we believed to be optimal, but after digging through all the options available in our area and realizing that Ashley was actually able...

We grew up just anticipating Christmas for the gifts. But now as parents of young kids, we see the significance of creating rhythms as a family and how it has led to our flourishing. But as a household where our cultural backgrounds are so different from each other, we see these seasonal celebrations as opportunity to create something unique for our family. Table Talks with the Tares: conversation...

We used to really make sure Thanksgiving was such a special meal and time as a family which came with a ton of stress and hustle to get the dinner ready on time. But then our regular practice of gratitude by having a weekly "all-out" meal together as a family as a way of experiencing God's goodness in our life changed how we view the holiday today. Table Talks with the Tares: conversations that in...