Hey guys and welcome to the messy table, an ordinary space for real people, imperfect stories, and the God who's constantly at work in our mess.

I'm Jen Jewel, the host of this podcast which airs every other Tuesday and has also partnered with My Church Life Church.

We're typically geared toward women and feel called to encourage women specifically, but it's almost Father's Day,

and we recognize that God created both male and female,

and we couldn't do what we do or be who we are without the incredible men who love us, support

us, and make life better.

I've personally experienced the impact of a dad's love in my life.

My dad not only taught me to change a flat tire and help me survive algebra, but he was there

every event, competition, performance I was ever involved in,

and he taught me to lean in and wrestle with the tough questions of life and modeled what it

looked like to trust God no matter what good or bad circumstance came our way. My grandfathers

and father-in-law have also lived out what it means to leave a godly legacy. But whether you

had a positive or negative father figure in your life, our God, our heavenly

father, loves you, his child more than you could ever imagine.

He's the one we can look to.

He's the perfect example for us to follow.

So today we're doing something a little different.

For the first time since this podcast launched a little over a year ago, we're getting a man's

perspective on marriage

and parenting from my favorite guy in the world. Derek Jule is my husband, best friend, pastor,

baby daddy, teammate, and he's just full of all kinds of insight and wisdom as we navigate

this crazy world together. Quick disclosure. We're not claiming to be experts or to have it all

...