Unscripted Journey

When conflict shows up in your relationship, who do you run to?  In this episode, we explore the importance of being intentional about who has access to the vulnerable moments in your marriage. We discuss the difference between seeking wise counsel and simply looking for someone to agree with you, and why not everyone deserves a seat at the table when it comes to your relationship. Together, we un...

What keeps a relationship from becoming routine? In this episode, we explore the small things that often make the biggest difference in a relationship. As the years go by, it's easy to become familiar with one another without remaining intentional. But what if staying connected isn't about grand gestures at all? From redefining attraction to protecting meaningful moments in everyday life, this con...

Raising children is one of life's greatest callings, but in the middle of building them up, it's easy to forget that your marriage needs building too. In this episode, we have an honest conversation about parenting, marriage, and the challenge of maintaining your relationship as you raise a family. We’re reflecting on our unique journey, starting our relationship with a child already in the pictur...

The past has a way of showing up in relationships, especially when it’s unhealed. In this episode, we have an honest conversation about the baggage we can unknowingly carry into love and how those unresolved wounds can quietly impact the way we communicate, react, and connect. J opens up about the trust issues that surfaced from his past when he and Tae first got together, and how important it was...

In this episode, we dive into something that quietly shows up in a lot of relationships: the internal scorecard. The unspoken tally of who did what, who tried harder, who forgot, who gave more, and who fell short. Most of the time, we never even say it out loud, but it still affects the way we love, communicate, and respond to each other. We talk about how relationships were never meant to be buil...

In this episode, we dive into the pressure social media can put on relationships, making it easy to chase an image instead of building something real. When appearances take priority, important conversations about expectations, goals, and vision can get overlooked, and that can create challenges down the road. We share how, in our own relationship, we chose not to get caught up in how things looked...

Marriage isn’t always lived on the mountaintop; sometimes it’s lived in the trenches. In this episode, we’re discussing the truth about the everyday battles couples face and how love is strengthened when you learn to fight through them together. We discuss how communication itself can feel like a trench. Understanding the way your partner communicates and learning how to compromise can make the di...

In this episode, we’re diving into a real and relatable topic: petty vs. peaceful in marriage. When conflict shows up, it can be easy to respond out of frustration, pride, or the desire to “win.” But choosing peace requires intention. We’re talking about the importance of communication and expectation management, making sure your partner understands what you need instead of assuming they should al...

Welcome to Season 2. In this episode, we’re getting real about what it’s like to have a marriage that lives in the spotlight. We talk honestly about what that transition looked like for us, from bringing Tae into a public role to learning how to navigate expectations that people place on you when your life is visible. We discuss the balance between what is meant to be private and what can be share...

For the final episode of Season 1, we slow things down and get to the heart of it all, the why. Why we started this podcast, why we felt led to this space, and why we continue to show up week after week. Tae opens up about the desire behind starting Unscripted Journey: craving intentional time with her husband in the middle of a busy life, loving deep conversation and healthy debate, and knowing t...

How do you keep a heart of gratitude, not just on Thanksgiving, but every single day? In this grounded and reflective episode, we talk about what it really means to live with consistent, intentional thankfulness. We’re diving into the importance of slowing down in a world that’s always rushing toward the next thing. When we move too fast, we miss the scenery, the in-between moments where God speak...

Marriage isn’t always 50/50, and that’s okay. In this transparent and balanced conversation, we dive into the realities of partnership, purpose, and shifting roles in marriage. We open up about our mindset when entering marriage and how traditional gender roles worked… until they didn’t. Life changes, goals evolve, and sometimes one person has to carry more for a season. J shares how he intentiona...

Marriage is beautiful, but it’s also a journey that requires work, grace, and intentional growth. In this honest and wisdom-filled episode, we share the lessons we've learned along the way and the things we wish we had known before saying “I do.” We open up about the importance of keeping God at the center, and how pre-marital counseling could’ve better prepared us to love and serve each other by...

Forgiving others is hard, but sometimes forgiving ourselves is even harder. In this vulnerable episode, we are opening up about what it looks like to extend compassion inward and embrace the grace God freely gives. Tae shares a moment with her oldest daughter that left her feeling ashamed and broken, and how she had to learn to step back, self-reflect, and lean into grace instead of guilt. J refle...

In this candid conversation, we are opening up about the itch that often shows up in marriage around the 5–7 year mark. For us, it wasn’t about falling out of love; it was about realizing the importance of continuing to discover each other as we grew and changed. We discuss how comparison can tempt you to wonder if the grass is greener somewhere else, and why it’s crucial to remember that God join...

At 20 years old, J moved away from home and entered a new season where no one knew him as a minister or preacher. For the first time, he felt like a “secret agent" able to be whoever he wanted, while still knowing he carried the weight of being a child of God. In this honest conversation, J and Tae dive into the tension of wanting to be accepted, feeling the pressure of expectation, and learning h...

Words carry weight, and as Christians, we’re called to use them wisely. In this episode, we dive into the power of the tongue, unpacking what it truly means to watch your mouth in a world where careless speech is normalized. We explore how the same words can land differently depending on who’s hearing them, and why our goal should always be to edify, not just express. It’s not just what you say, b...

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, we dive deep into the difference between being stuck and being still, two states that can look the same from the outside, yet feel entirely different on the inside. Tae opens up about her journey through grief after losing both her father and childhood best friend, and how God met her in the stillness. In what felt like a motionless season, she discovered th...

In this powerful episode, we dive into the hard truth that we are not in control, and why that’s actually a good thing. Our host shares real moments of walking through tight, uncertain situations where the only option was to surrender. But in that surrender, they discovered something greater: a deeper understanding of who God truly is. From provider to protector, guide to advocate, this conversati...

In this heartfelt episode, Tae opens up about her journey with J. From their unexpected beginning to the unfolding of a love story shaped by honesty, growth, and God's timing. She shares her perspective on their differences, from age gaps to church backgrounds, and how J’s calling as a minister added layers she had to process. Tae gets real about the weight of it all, but also the beauty that came...

Welcome to the first episode of Unscripted Journey with J & Tae! In this episode, we dive into our story. J shares his side, how he met his beautiful wife, Octavia. This one is dedicated to their three amazing children. Their love story began with an unexpected friendship, something different from what J was used to. After going through a tough breakup, he had no plans of getting into another...

Welcome to Unscripted Journey with J & Tae! This is the place for unscripted and unconventional conversations that meet you at every crossroad of life. In this trailer, we’re giving you a quick glimpse into who we are, what this podcast is about, and what you can expect on the journey ahead. Whether it’s love, faith, healing, or growth, we’re talking about it all. No script, just real talk.