Baggage Claim

Send us Fan Mail Heartbreak doesn’t send a calendar invite. One moment you’re doing everything “right”—serving, parenting, showing up—and the next you’re staring at a truth you never thought would touch your life. Greg opens up about growing up with an abusive, alcoholic father and the vow he made to become a different kind of man, then walks us through the gut-punch of discovering an affair, the...

Send us Fan Mail When did "if you disagree with me, you're against me" become our cultural default? Greg, Jess, and Producer Michael tackle this question head-on in their most profound and timely conversation yet. Sparked by recent tragic events, this deeply reflective episode examines why we've seemingly lost the ability to connect with those who think differently. The hosts s...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when forgiveness isn't just a nice idea but your only path forward? In this raw and deeply moving conclusion to our two-part series on forgiveness, Jess bravely continues sharing her journey after losing her husband TJ in a tragic accident. The story takes us through the impossible decision Jess faced: whether to press charges against the man responsible—someone...

Send us Fan Mail Forgiveness may be one of the most misunderstood yet transformative powers we possess as humans. What does it truly mean to forgive? Is it something we feel, or something we choose? And perhaps most importantly, who is forgiveness actually for? Greg and Jess open this powerful episode with light-hearted banter about daily habits and modern tipping culture before skillfully transit...

Send us Fan Mail Do you know exactly where every dollar in your budget goes, but have no idea where your hours disappear to each day? Time—our most precious and finite resource—often slips through our fingers without the careful attention we give to our finances. In this heartfelt episode of Baggage Claim, Greg and Jess tackle the uncomfortable truth about how we mismanage our most valuable asset....

Send us Fan Mail Choosing who to marry might be the single most consequential decision of your life—more significant than your career path, education, or where you live. In this vulnerable and honest conversation, we explore why this choice matters so deeply and how it shapes everything that follows. The person you commit to can either propel you forward like a rocket ship or devastate your potent...

Send us Fan Mail Leadership is everywhere in the corporate world – books, seminars, workshops – but why don't we talk about it at home? That's the question Greg and Jess tackle in this revealing conversation about what leadership actually looks like within a marriage and family. The truth? Someone is leading in your household right now, whether you've acknowledged it or not. But con...

Send us Fan Mail What draws us to our partners initially, and what makes a relationship last through decades of change? In this intimate conversation, Greg and Jess explore the profound question of how to truly love someone for who they are—not who we wish they might become. The journey begins with attraction, where we discover what initially draws us to our significant others is often qualities c...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you bring a bromance to the podcast table? Pure magic. This episode of Baggage Claim features our son Thomas and his best friend AJ as we explore the fascinating intersection of friendship and marriage. These two young men began as bitter enemies over a girl at the barbecue restaurant where they worked, with "hate" being "a light word" for the...

Send us Fan Mail The dance between loving our children and setting appropriate boundaries can be one of parenting's greatest challenges. This becomes even more complex when guilt enters the equation—whether from divorce, loss, or simply wanting to give our kids "better than we had." Have you ever caught yourself saying yes when you should say no? Buying gifts to compensate for time...

Send us Fan Mail The foundation of any successful blended family begins with intentionality, especially when it comes to involving children in the process. In this deeply personal episode, Greg and Jess take listeners back to the earliest days of their relationship, sharing how they purposefully included their four children from the very beginning. Rather than presenting their new relationship as...

Send us Fan Mail There's something powerful about admitting you're in a valley. In this raw and unscripted 20th episode, we break from our usual format to have an honest conversation about the seasons of life we're currently navigating. Greg, Jess, and Producer Michael (making his on-mic debut) dive deep into what it means to practice genuine self-care versus slipping into selfishne...

Send us Fan Mail What's the real enemy of a thriving relationship? According to Greg and Jess, it might be something we don't like to admit: selfishness. In this deeply personal and sometimes emotional conversation, the Baggage Claim hosts unpack the complex tension between selfishness and selflessness that exists in every meaningful relationship. The discussion begins with Jess sharing...

Send us Fan Mail Ever notice how marriage comes with an instruction manual for everything except the bedroom? That silence might be more damaging than you realize. We tackle the conversation every couple needs but few actually have – honest communication about sex in marriage. Despite being married for years (13 for Greg, 24 for me), discussing intimacy can still make cheeks flush with embarrassme...

Send us Fan Mail Ever sit across from your partner during an argument and wonder why the simplest disagreement suddenly feels like World War III? You're not alone. Every couple fights—it's how you fight that makes all the difference between relationship growth and relationship destruction. When we planned this episode on fighting fair, something ironic happened—we found ourselves in a he...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some couples seem to navigate conflicts effortlessly while others get stuck in endless loops of misunderstanding? The secret might be simpler than you think.  In this heart-to-heart conversation, we explore a powerful three-word phrase that has transformed our relationship: "Help me understand." This deceptively simple tool creates space for curiosity and...

Send us Fan Mail Marriage is a team sport that nobody prepared us for. What happens when two different people try to build a life together? How do you create a truly functional partnership rather than just two people sharing space? Greg and Jess dig deep into what makes relationships work as teams by examining three crucial elements: shared vision, effective communication, and the delicate balance...

Send us Fan Mail "We had no idea what we were doing." Those words might not be what you expect to hear from podcast hosts sharing advice about blended families, but that's exactly what makes Baggage Claim so refreshingly honest. In this vulnerable episode, Greg and Jess pull back the curtain on their 13-year journey of blending families to reveal the messy, beautiful truth: nobody r...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a bank teller and a marketing guy fall in love over karaoke at a country bar? In our first-ever guest episode, we're thrilled to welcome Nick and Brandy Kastner, who bring 19 years of marriage wisdom to the table. Their story begins with workplace animosity (Brandy wasn't thrilled when Nick got quickly promoted at the bank where they both worked) and tr...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered how to make each child in a blended family feel uniquely valued? Sometimes the answer lies in being purposefully present in both big adventures and small everyday moments. When Greg and I merged our families, we quickly realized that intentionality would be our lifeline. After a chance encounter at Target revealed how our daughter Callie felt about sharing &...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when your faith gets shattered? How do you rebuild trust in something bigger than yourself when life deals devastating blows? This deeply personal episode reveals the spiritual journeys that have profoundly shaped our marriage and blended family. Greg shares his transformation from substance abuse to ministry after a rock-bottom moment in a bar bathroom. His story inc...

Send us Fan Mail The scheduling dance of blended families might be the most challenging choreography you'll ever learn. In this heartfelt episode, Greg and Jess dive deep into the complexities, frustrations, and unexpected joys of figuring out who gets the kids when—and how to do it with grace. Drawing from their 13 years of experience navigating the waters of shared custody, they reveal how...

Send us Fan Mail We're all guilty of seeking that elusive "silver bullet" – the one magical secret that transforms an ordinary marriage into an extraordinary one. But what if the answer isn't found in grand gestures or revolutionary techniques, but rather in simple, consistent choices made day after day? In this deeply personal episode, Greg and Jess pull back the curtain on th...

Send us Fan Mail Family culture doesn't happen by accident. Drawing on corporate experience, we discovered how establishing core values could transform our blended family's dynamics and create an intentional environment for our children to thrive. With sticky notes spread across our kitchen table, we invited our children (ages 8-12) to help identify what mattered most to our family. This...

Send us Fan Mail Picture this: a well-worn table, rescued from an old hunting lodge, standing at the heart of a bustling blended family home. Not particularly beautiful or expensive, but carved with a "P" by small hands and refinished with love. This humble kitchen table became the gravitational center of our family life - where boundaries were established, hearts were mended, victories...