Truth Talks with Tara

No one (usually) likes change. It's often uncomfortable, leaving us wondering what's going to happen in the unknown. It throws us out of our normal routines and out of our comfort zone. As we approach the fall season where a lot of change begins - back to school, different routines - I figured it would be a great time to talk about one of the greatest truths that anchors us and gives us hope to fa...

It's time to move from "intimidated" to "attainable" when it comes to teaching your littles about Jesus. Trust me - I'm no expert, but I have learned a thing or two about integrating gospel-moments and the Word of God into our daily routine that has been such a blessing for everyone. In this episode, I'm sharing eight ways that Michael and I practically include Jesus in Hunter's day, while teachin...

Has anyone ever told you that you are a WHOLE person? In this season of big changes and busyness, I've come to an important realization: How I'm doing physically and mentally affects my relationship with God. In this episode, we're getting personal about how I've neglected my physical and mental health and how that has affected my intimacy with God. If you want to prioritize your whole body health...

Spilling some big news on the podcast today... we're pregnant with baby #2! God is so good and kind and we are so ecstatic! In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain and sharing behind the scenes of what the first trimester has looked like, some of the challenges and joys of this pregnancy, and more life updates. Pull up a seat. You're more than welcome here. This is the summer of FREEDOM. If...

We may be "stepping on some toes" with this conversation, but with all of the love and grace and hope of the gospel. Let's face it: Our relationship with our phones is a complex one. Joey Odom is a breath of fresh air and wisdom here to explore how technology has shaped us, practical strategies to prioritize relationship with people and Jesus over our phones, parenting advice, biblical examples, a...

Inspired by an old bucket list from 2017 I found, this episode is all about who we become in Christ this summer and less about what we do. Whether you're by the pool, at your cubicle, doing laundry, running kids around, or anything in between, I'm sending encouragement straight to your earbuds about six things and Scriptures I'm focusing on in this season. Let's be women more preoccupied with who...

Whether you're facing infertility, recurrent miscarriages, or looking at the pieces of your life and thinking, "God, this is not how I thought this would happen", our prayer is that this episode instills hope, empathy, and truth into your life. The journey can be heavy as you look around and see everyone growing their family when you can't, or when you're miscarrying time after time, or when you h...

Have you ever felt hopeless or discouraged, stuck in your loop of habitual sin or shame? We've all been there, but we don't have to stay there. If you've ever thought that you couldn't possibly break free from your secret sin or live any different than you are now, you're in the right place. Kirby Kelly, great friend of mine and new author of "You Can Be Free" is here to share candidly about her s...

If you want to maximize your summer for all its worth, you're in the right place. Join me as I pull up to the mic and we talk one-on-one about how to grow AND rest in Christ this summer. Let this episode be your gentle reminder that not all seasons are for harvesting and producing - some, like summer, are for preparation, rest, and nurturing. With ever-changing schedules, vacations, kids out of sc...

Honesty hour? I'm tired. Not just physically, but spiritually. And something that has been keeping me tired is the undue pressure and expectation I've been self-imposing. But I'm ready to live freer and lighter - and I can bet you want that life too. In today's episode, let's talk about four things I'm letting go in my day to day life and how I've experienced freedom in the laying down. We're gett...

Who's ready for some serious talk? I'm shedding some light on the past six months and how I've been doing personally and what's been going on in our family - highs, lows, joys, anxieties, and more. My mom gave me one of the greatest pieces of advice about living presently and not worrying about the future, and I wanted to share it with you and how God has been changing my perspective. Tune in for...

You don't have to keep spiraling. Negative thoughts do not have to own you. If you've ever been caught in a trap of toxic thoughts or have ever struggled to dwell and meditate on God's Word with the noise around you, you're going to want to download and listen to this episode ASAP. Vera Schmitz, of Dwell Differently, is on the show to talk about how to do things differently: how to meditate on God...

No one talks about how hard friendship breakups are. I'm getting vulnerable and real, sharing a friendship breakup story that is still so tender. If you've ever been hurt by a friend, lost a friendship, or don't know why someone cut you out of their life and what to do about it now... this episode is for you. We're getting real about what the Bible says about "moving on" from friendships, what to...

Calling all Bible nerds! This episode with my sweet friend, Courtney Doctor, director at The Gospel Coalition and author, is a little silly, and a lot packed with theological truths in an understanding way. If you've ever wondered how to read God's Word as a whole story, or how you fit into God's story (and how that's a good thing), you're going to want to grab your earbuds. We also have a special...

Throwing it back to three years ago on the podcast when I interviewed one of my favorite friends, Gretchen Saffles of Well-Watered Women. If you've ever thought, "What the heck do I do with what I just read in God's Word?" or "I'm always so confused reading Scripture", then this is for you. This throwback conversation has no shortage of practical tools to take you from overwhelmed to overjoyed whe...

We all want to be happy and healthy, right? But how do we find our way there when the world tells us one thing, and God tells us another? Jeanine Amapola, author and podcaster, is with me today to remind you that you're not alone in your sin cycles, addictions, or shame. We're here to tell you that the happy and healthy life you long for is found in Christ. The meaningful relationships and friends...

Who else feels disappointed in their "right now" season? Our daily grind, our relationships, our progress (or lack thereof)... the list goes on. We'd rather be "there" - on the other side of God's promises - rather than here, waiting for the life we long for. Ruth Chou Simons knows all about that and she's here to tell us to lean in to the "not yet" seasons of our lives to see the fruit of the "no...

Every parent worries about this: How are we supposed to raise godly children in a secular age? Some people even fear having kids in the first place for fear of the cultural pressures and challenges they may face. That's why Melissa Kruger wrote her book, Parenting with Hope. Whether you're a young parent, a parent to teenagers or adults, or in between, this episode is for you. Melissa is the direc...

Ever feel like Jesus' words, "Not my will, but Yours be done" are too good to be true? Like, that's easy for Jesus to say, but not us? Short and sweet, Tara is sitting down solo to prepare our hearts for this Easter week. Tune in for practical truths and mind-blowing biblical takeaways on Jesus' sacrifice and surrender for you, and how we too can pray this prayer and the beauty we can experience T...

The everyday moments of life can often feel monotonous and unimportant. This can be tricky for those of us who are trying to center their home in the gospel. How can we lean into spiritual formation in ordinary family habits? Justin Whitmer Earley is here to bring the fire. He's a lawyer, author, speaker, husband, and dad to four boys. You'll have plenty of, "Wow" moments and nuggets to walk away...

Are you tired of how dark the world feels? Do you feel overwhelmed by your call to be the light when evil seems to be winning at every turn? Have you wondered how you're supposed to make a difference for Christ? Tara's dear friend, Allyson Golden, is back on the show to unpack what it looks like to be the light that God has called you to, how to not lose hope, speaking truth over ourselves, social...

It's time to cut the cake to celebrate my book, "Surrender Your Story's" first birthday and all God has done. With hundreds of reviews, thousands of lives changed, and the kingdom advanced... all I can say is that it's a God thing. For this episode, I (Tara) am sitting down to candidly and honestly share what the last year of life has looked like with this book out in the world, how God has tested...

Mariela, from She Speaks Fire, is bringing the fire to the podcast today. We can all name areas of shame and regret in our lives, but how many of us can say we have broken free from those shackles? In this conversation, join Tara and Mariela for poetic and practical conversation about abandonment, people-pleasing, how to identify our shame, run towards God instead of away from him, and more. What...

This episode is for the girl who wants to pursue this Lent season with intentionality, not legalism, and devotion to God, not distraction. We're diving into what Lent is, it's history, some practical suggestions for how and what to fast, and so much more. If you're tired, overwhelmed, hopeful, or happy, this podcast will ignite a desire in you to increase intimacy with God and see Lent as a life-g...

Who am I? Everyone is asking this question. Is our identity in our occupation, education, relationship status, or even failures? Laney Rene - wife, mom, worship leader, and author - is here to talk about this because she has lived this. This is a sweet and compassionate conversation for those who are struggling with changes in life and seasons that lead us to question who we are, what we were made...