Welcome to the table! In this Christmas-season episode, we continue sitting in Matthew 2 and invite Jesus to flip our tables as we linger with the hard parts of His story.

We explore the families urgent flight to Egypt, Jesus as a refugee, and what this passage reveals about God's heart for the vulnerable. Matthew shows us how Jesus retraces Israel's story—yet succeeds where Israel failed—fulfilling Old Testament prophecy and revealing the unity of Scripture.

We also confront the brutality of Herod, the grief of Bethlehem's mothers, and the truth that every life matters deeply to God.

Finally, we reflect on Jesus growing up in despised Nazareth—a reminder that our Savior identifies with outsiders, the marginalized, and those looked down upon.

This episode invites us to deepen our biblical literacy, embrace compassion, and follow Jesus in the way of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Scripture Focus: Matthew 2:13-23

Other references: Hosea 11:1, Jeremiah 31:15, Genesis 50:20, Luke 1:26-27, John 1:46, Isaiah 11:1, 53:1-3

Women of Welcome

Book: Start with Welcome by Bri Stensrud

Whether you've been following Jesus for years, are just getting started, or are simply considering it, you're invited to join us at the study table. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to my Table 2 Newsletter for updates and study reflections, and visit Flourish Ministry for free resources and to learn more.

In this episode of Flipping Tables, Julie and Twila explore Matthew 2 and the arrival of the Magi, highlighting Bethlehem's deep biblical history and the prophetic signs surrounding Jesus' birth. They discuss who the Magi were, why Herod felt threatened, and what their extravagant worship teaches us today. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation on Matthew 2.

✨ Understanding the Magi

✨ Herod the Great

✨ The Mysterious Star

✨ Extravagant Worship

• How can we sacrificially worship Jesus during the busy holiday season?

• What gifts of time, attention, generosity, or obedience might we bring Him?

• How do we avoid squeezing Jesus out of His own celebration?

Whether you've been following Jesus for years, are just getting started, or are simply considering it, you're invited to join us at the study table. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to my Table 2 Newsletter for updates and study reflections, and visit Flourish Ministry for free resources and to learn more.

In this episode, Julie and Kimberly continue their journey through Matthew in our series, The Way of the Kingdom of Heaven. Today, we step into one of the most surprising moments of the Gospel: Joseph's dream and his quiet, courageous obedience.

We begin with a candid conversation about how we each respond to unexpected news — anxiety, problem-solving, and control. We discuss:

• Joseph's character: a young, just, compassionate man whose righteousness did not eclipse his mercy.

• The weight of the scandal: a pregnancy no one could explain, and the stigma Joseph quietly carried.

• The angel's message: the dream that redirected Joseph's entire life.

• God's adoptive love: how Joseph's story reveals the heart of the Father who brings us into His family.

• The clash of kingdoms: our plans vs. God's plan — and the invitation to walk in the way of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Key Scriptures:

Matthew 1:18–25, Galatians 4:4–7, Exodus 34:6–7

Whether you've been following Jesus for years, are just getting started, or are simply considering it, you're invited to join us at the study table. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to my Table 2 Newsletter for updates and reflections, and visit Flourish Ministry for free resources and to learn more.

Welcome to the table!

In this episode, we're pulling up a chair to explore the family tree of Jesus — and what it reveals about God's heart for our own broken families. By getting to know the people in Jesus' genealogy, we discover that there's nothing in our stories too big for Him to redeem. Jesus understands our grief, our scandals, our trauma, and our mess. He gets it — because His own family line tells a story of grace breaking through generations of pain.

Twila joins the conversation as we unpack Matthew's genealogy, written to prove that Jesus is both the Son of David and the Son of Abraham — the fulfillment of God's covenant promises. We'll see how Matthew intentionally includes women, Gentiles, and outsiders in the story of redemption, revealing that the gospel has always been radically inclusive.

• Matthew 1:1–16

• 2 Samuel 7 (The Davidic Covenant)

• Genesis 12, 15, 17 (The Abrahamic Calling and Covenants)

• Genesis 38 (Tamar's Story)

• Ruth 1:16; Ruth 4:12

Subscribe to my Table 2 Newsletter for updates and reflections, and visit Flourish Ministry for free resources and to learn more.

Welcome back to the table! It's been a minute since I've sat here doing what I love—talking about Jesus, the Table Flipper, and learning His table-flipping ways.

In this episode, my co-host Kimberly Daniels joins me as we reflect on the unexpected turns our lives have taken this year. We're also launching a brand-new study: Matthew—The Way of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Together, we're asking God to teach us the ways of His Kingdom through Matthew's unique perspective and personality. This episode is all about setting the tone for what's ahead in our study!

Like Matthew, we each have our own "before and after" stories of following Jesus. Matthew went from being an insider, to an outsider, and then was brought back into the family of God—a story that mirrors the redeeming power of the gospel in all of us.

Whether you've been following Jesus for years, are just getting started, or are simply considering it, you're invited to join us at the study table. Thanks for listening! Subscribe to my Table 2 Newsletter for updates and reflections, and visit Flourish Ministry for free resources and to learn more.

Welcome to the table! This is the last episode in the Ephesians series. Amy Crump is back to talk with me about the relationship landmines associated with parenting and work. We do not ignore slavery in this passage either. I also get to talk briefly about the armor of God. Paul brings all of the relationship landmines together by laying out the armor of God in the context of our relationship struggles. We do not have a people problem. We have a real enemy working to wreak havoc in our relationships. This makes complete sense especially in light of how our relationships are to reveal that we are children of God. This is how the world knows who we belong to by the way we love one another. Ouch! Let's make the most of our witness.

Thanks for listening. Share this episode with a friend.

Ephesians 6

Proverbs 6:18-19

Galatians 3:27-29

Philemon 10-20

Read the Bible in 90 days! Let me know if you want to join me for my third 90 day read through, which starts June 30. By September 26 you can read the entire Bible in about an hour a day. [email protected]

Join our Flourish community! Subscribe to our newsletter here. The Matthew series will be starting soon. Get the Table 2 lessons delivered to your inbox.

More resources available at Flourish Ministry.

Keep Following the Table Flipper, and leave the table flipping to Jesus.

Welcome to the table! My conversation with Amy Crump covers a lot of ground. We had a long set up of discussing our formative years growing up in the Church era where we learned a number of erroneous teachings on the subject of submission. Add in a word study, a trip back to Genesis, and you end up with a long on ramp to Ephesians 5. Instead of editing this episode down, we're inviting you to spend some extra time with us at the table. This might be a good episode to listen to while you're being active. I love to listen to long podcast episodes when I'm cooking, doing household work, or excercising.

We're sticking with the Message translation for Ephesians 5. I continue to recommend spending 20 minutes reading all of Ephesians to take in the entire letter as it was intended. It makes all the difference!

Read the Bible in 90 days! Let me know if you want to join me for my third 90 day read through, which starts June 30. By September 26 you can read the entire Bible in only about an hour a day. [email protected]

Join our Flourish community! Subscribe to our newsletter here. The Matthew series will be starting soon. Get the Table 2 lessons delivered to your inbox.

More resources available at Flourish Ministry.

Keep Following the Table Flipper, and leave the table flipping to Jesus.

Welcome to the table! In this episode we're in the second half of Ephesians 4. This conversation goes in a bunch of different directions. We're using the Message translation so that might have something to do with the flow of the conversation. Thanks for joining us!

The old life has to go as we put on Christ. Some of the things we talk about include:

• Spiritual growth

• Hypocrisy

• Anger

• Christanese

This is my favorite part: His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Ephesians 4:30 MSG

Read the Bible in 90 days! Let me know if you want to join me for my second 90 day read through, which starts in April. [email protected]

Join our Flourish community! Subscribe to our newsletter here.

More resources available at Flourish Ministry.

Keep Following the Table Flipper, and leave the table flipping to Jesus.

Welcome back to the table for part two of a conversation Twila and I had about Passover in season one. Holy week is such an important week of remembrance each and every year. This week was important for the Jews to remember how God delivered them from Egyptian slavery. For us followers of Jesus, this week is when we remember the high cost of what our sin cost Jesus. Against the backdrop of Passover, Jesus rolled out the New Covenant.

This year during this season of lent, I have been richly blessed in my relationship with Jesus, who you know, I call the Table Flipper. This week, I am drawing near to him, while planning one of the best meals of the year. The Easter lunch where I gather around a table with my family to celebrate the resurrection of our table flipping King.

Oh Death, where is your sting? Thank you Jesus for flipping the table on death, and setting us free from death claim on us. Fear not friends, Jesus has silenced death.

Read the Bible in 90 days! Let me know if you want to join me for my second 90 day read through, which starts in April. [email protected]

Join our Flourish community! Subscribe to our newsletter here.

More resources available at Flourish Ministry.

Keep Following the Table Flipper, and leave the table flipping to Jesus.

Welcome to the table! In honor of Holy week, I'm re-releasing two episodes from season 1. We were in a series on Mark. Watch for part 2 to be released later this week.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter!

This is part one of a two part episode about the last supper. I talk about my religious experiences of celebrating the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread instead of Easter. Twila and I are both seeking to learn more about the Jewish holidays. We are learning and growing in understanding. I'm sure we've barely only begun to scratch the surface. Join us as we dig into learning about Jesus in a more Jewish context. Please extend us grace as we probably fumble some of the details. Hopefully we will inspire you to dig in more to discover more richness and beauty in the Jewish Feasts. Thank you for joining us to learn around the table.

• Mark 14:13-21 Exodus 12 Exodus 6:6-8

Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder?

Read the Bible in 90 days! Let me know if you want to join me for my second 90 day read through, which starts in April. [email protected]

Join our Flourish community! Subscribe to our newsletter here. More resources available at Flourish Ministry.

Keep Following the Table Flipper, and leave the table flipping to Jesus.