Pastor Ashley's road to ministry didn't run in a straight line. It ran through a music conservatory, a vocal performance program, a switch to musical theater, two-plus years auditioning in New York City, and a season of getting genuinely lost — before the call she had been hearing since childhood finally caught up with her.

In Episode 6, Dave and Pastor Ashley sit down for one of the most layered conversations the show has had. They cover what it was like to grow up as the child of divorce in a strict church tradition, what happened when a teenage Ashley decided to test whether she'd actually catch on fire for breaking the rules, and the people who refused to give up on her in her lostness.

They also talk about the trip to Memphis that quietly reshaped how she understands neighbor love — including the woman who saved her paychecks for years and bought a house in an underserved neighborhood just to open her doors once a week, and the doctor who moved his family of eight into the same neighborhood to run a free clinic out of his living room.

Plus: the Northern Virginia restaurant that nailed birthday hospitality with a 30-second card, why "shut up and love your neighbor" is really just "stop and pay attention," and a hopeful read on what unifies people on the other side of all our division.

This is Pastor Ashley's story — and it's a good one.

— — —

CHAPTERS

(00:00) Intro and Pastor Ashley's gift
(02:00) The Oak & Ember birthday card story
(06:30) Why being seen and known matters
(07:30) Pastor Ashley — 13 years in ministry
(09:30) Growing up in the church and getting lost
(13:00) "I thought we'd catch on fire"
(17:00) From musical theater dreams to seminary
(21:00) The pivot back to a calling
(23:30) What Memphis taught her about loving your neighbor
(26:00) Hope on the other side of division
(30:00) Comedians worth listening to
(33:00) Why "Shut Up and Love Your Neighbor" works
(35:00) Be kind — everyone is fighting a hard battle
(37:00) Closing thoughts

— — —

LINKS
🌐 https://shutupandloveyourneighbor.com
📷 Instagram: @its_the_dave
✉️ the.dave@shutupandloveyourneighbor.com

If something here lands, do the simplest possible thing: text someone, wave at a neighbor, or just stop and notice the person in front of you.

#shutupandloveyourneighbor

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.

Some people impact your life in big, obvious ways. Others do it quietly, consistently, and without ever asking for recognition.

Megan is one of those people.

In this episode, we sit down with someone we don’t know all that well—but who has already made a meaningful impact on our lives. What unfolds is a powerful conversation about family, loss, resilience, and what it really means to show up for others.

Megan shares the story of her family’s journey through unimaginable challenges: losing her brother in a tragic accident, walking through her sister’s battle with cancer, and navigating another sister’s sudden stroke. These are the kinds of moments that change you forever.

But this isn’t just a story about hardship.

It’s about what happens after.

It’s about the people who step in when life falls apart. The neighbors, friends, and community who don’t back away—but lean in. It’s about how those experiences shape the way you live, the way you give, and the way you love.

Today, Megan pours that same energy into her family, her work, and the countless people she encourages every single day. She reminds us that impact doesn’t always come from grand gestures—it often comes from consistency, presence, and simply being willing to show up.

If you’ve ever wondered what real strength looks like, this conversation will show you.

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.

What do a broken Volkswagen in Paris, a delayed flight, and learning someone’s name have in common?

More than you might think.

In this episode of Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor, Dave sits down with his friend Jon Ackerman to talk about the small moments that help people feel seen in a world that often moves too fast.

What starts with travel chaos and a story about push-starting a 1971 Volkswagen Beetle in Paris eventually turns into a deeper conversation about intentional kindness, authenticity, and the power of simply noticing people.

They explore why learning someone’s name matters, why most people just want to feel acknowledged, and how small acts of attention can create meaningful connection.

Because sometimes loving your neighbor doesn’t start with something big.

Sometimes it starts with something simple.

A conversation.
A thank you.
Or remembering someone’s name.

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.

What do questionable wedding dance moves have to do with the loneliness epidemic?

More than you might think.

In this episode of Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor, Dave sits down with longtime friend Bruce to talk about how their friendship started on a dance floor years ago in Austin, Texas… and why building real friendships as adults has somehow become so difficult.

What starts as stories about magic shows, whiskey, and wedding dance floor antics slowly turns into a deeper conversation about something many people feel but rarely talk about — modern loneliness.

They explore:

• Why adults struggle to build real friendships
• How technology can connect us while isolating us
• Why so many people feel disconnected even when surrounded by others
• The surprising power of simple actions like waving to a neighbor or inviting someone over

Along the way, they share stories about raising kids, modeling kindness, and the small choices that can turn strangers into real community.

Because sometimes the first step toward connection is simple:

a wave,
a conversation,
or even a terrible dance move.

So grab a drink, pull up a chair, and join the conversation.

And as always…

Shut up and love your neighbor.

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.

A rogue driverless Uber, a driveway chalk message, a fat goldfish, and a conversation about what it really means to love your neighbor. In this first episode of Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor, Dave reflects on everyday moments that reveal how listening and presence shape real connection.

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.

Welcome to Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor.

This podcast started by accident — a Friday night, some time, some thoughts, and apparently some opinions. But while it began unintentionally, it’s very much on purpose now.

For the last 14 years, my wife and I have been working on something simple but not easy: listening better and loving the people right in front of us. Not perfectly. Just intentionally. This show is an extension of that practice.

If you’ve seen the fun cocktail videos, they’re not filmed at a bar — they’re in my kitchen. This podcast isn’t recorded in a studio — it’s in my home. Because this is where we invite people over. This is where the deep conversations happen. This is where the laughter happens. This is where loving your neighbor actually gets practiced.

Each episode will explore real-life moments, honest questions, and conversations about listening, connection, kindness, and community.

Episode 1 drops Tuesday, February 24th, 2026.

Until then — shut up a little more than usual… and love your neighbor.

Shut Up & Love Your Neighbor is a weekly conversation about listening better, slowing down, and loving the people right in front of us. In a world that rewards volume and certainty, this podcast explores presence over performance, curiosity over commentary, and connection over division.

Each episode features honest reflections on real-life moments — the things seen, heard, and experienced in everyday life — followed by unscripted conversations with rotating guest hosts who come ready with real questions. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we sit in tension. Occasionally there’s a little brown water involved. But always, the goal is the same: to practice being more human with one another.

This isn’t a show about having all the answers. It’s about asking better questions. It’s about listening longer than feels comfortable. It’s about choosing kindness in small moments that often go unnoticed.

If you’re looking for perfection, this isn’t it. If you’re looking for thoughtful conversation about relationships, empathy, faith, leadership, and community — welcome.

Shut up a little more than usual.

Love your neighbor — the one right in front of you.