Table Talks with the Tares
Husband and wife duo MJ & Ash believe honest self-reflection is a critical component in growth. Listen in on their conversations as they process what their words and actions are currently cultivating in their home, work, relationships, and ministry.
Episodes
In this episode, we’re talking about what it’s really like being pregnant the third time around—how we each connect (or don’t right away) with the baby, what’s surprised us this time, and the mix of excitement and reality that comes with growing our family. We also open up about how pregnancy impacts feelings of desirability and intimacy, and how we’re learning to stay close in a season full of change.
Resources mentioned:
In this episode, we’re opening up about Ash’s recent ADD diagnosis—what led to it, how it’s shaped her day-to-day life, and the strategies she’s learning to work with her brain instead of against it. We also talk about how it’s impacted our marriage, communication, and understanding of each other. If you’ve ever felt like your brain works a little differently (or love someone who does) — this one’s for you.
Resources mentioned:
In this episode, we dive into MJ’s internal debate about upgrading his Corolla to an EV—and the conversations it sparked between us. We talk about how we navigate mismatched priorities, especially when a decision feels important to one of us but not urgent to the other, and how we try to stay aligned in the decisions that shape our budget.
Next episode recommended: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/table-talks-with-the-tares/...
In this episode, we’re talking about why hosting matters so much to us. Back in our college days, we were shaped by families who opened their homes, made space at their tables, and poured into us in ways we’ll never forget. Now, we get to pay it forward—and invite our kids into that same rhythm of generosity. Whether hospitality comes naturally to you or feels intimidating, we hope this conversation encourages you to see the beauty...
We don’t always see things the same way—and honestly, we used to handle that poorly.In this episode, we’re talking about how we’ve learned to disagree without turning it into a battle. From staying curious to asking better questions, we’ve found that it’s totally possible to have different opinions and still stay connected. If you’ve ever struggled to have hard conversations without things getting heated, this one’s for you.
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/id1661247515?i=1000606081801
Table Talks...
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 one’s for you.
Resources ment...
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/dp/B0CTGT7PY3?crid=125RUMJB3N034&a...
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/hcSrUdM
Next episode recommended: https...
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/id1661247515?i=1000703445699
Table Talk...
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 sphere of life.
Visit our website: ...
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 maintain your peace around someone...
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 obedient to the mandate for discipleship,...
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 conversation is for you.
Resources...
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?
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 website: www.honestunderscore.com.
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 with the Tares: conversations that ins...
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:
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, The Vacillator, How it affects our re...
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 Honest Underscore .
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