Hey! It's The Luskos

Ep 226: Kait & JJ Tomlin: Your Checklist Is the Problem

Hey! It's The Luskos

Show Notes

Kait and JJ Tomlin (the couple behind Heart of Dating) join Levi and Jennie for a hilarious, super-helpful conversation about what dating looks like right now—and why so many women feel frustrated while so many men feel shut down. From “80% isn’t enough” expectations to the weird ways dating apps have turned people into filters and checkboxes, they get real about what’s happening in the church and what actually helps.

Along the way, they unpack what to look for beneath the surface (hello, teachability + humility), why “trajectory” matters more than perfection, and how to think about attraction with more wisdom than a swipe. Plus, you’ll hear their own unexpected meet-cute—from a Zoom “blind date bachelor” moment to long-distance FaceTimes and a relationship built on character (wolf sweater and all).

Connect with us on social! Kait: @kaitness JJ: @jjtomlin Levi: @levilusko Jennie: @jennielusko Fresh Life Church: @freshlife

[Links] Heart of Dating: Heart of Dating Podcast: School of Dating (16-week mentorship): Get the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Get the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY

Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe

Time Stamps 01:50 – The dating convo everyone needs (not just singles) 03:10 – Why women feel stuck and men feel discouraged 11:17 – The real “bar” for maturity: responsibility + discipleship 19:55 – Drop the filters: height, attraction, and dating apps 27:14 – Their Zoom meet-cute (and “Emily” makes an appearance) 40:02 – Heart of Dating: podcast, mentorship, coaching, and community

More from Hey! It's The Luskos

Oct 21, 2026

Your kid sobs one minute and asks to go play the next, and nothing is wrong with them. Counselor Sissy Goff explains why children grieve in doses, like holding their breath underwater, and why even a six-month-old feels the loss. Levi and Jennie share the ice rink moment when two-year-old Daisy spotted a girl with Lenya's hair, plus Levi's one complaint about Sissy's new book: it wasn't written 15 years ago. Bonus: slalom water skiing at 32 mph.

Oct 14, 2026

At 17, Luke Lezon marched into his mom's furniture boutique and announced he didn't believe any of it. She didn't even flinch. Luke joins Levi and Jennie for the story of a 10,000-person Bible study at Texas A&M, a wife he met on Twitter, and how a church split put a 28-year-old young adults pastor in the pulpit every Sunday. Plus Levi looks up what "Gig 'em" actually means, and it is way more violent than anyone expected.

Oct 7, 2026

When John Eldredge met Stasi in drama class, his opening line was "Don't mark me absent." Forty-three years later, Stasi joins Jennie to talk about the monastery bells that pause her ministry's day twice daily, the loss of Brent Curtis just as Wild at Heart was taking shape, and trying on the sentence "I fail, but I am not a failure." Plus a look at her brand new book, The Ladder of Love, out now.

Sep 30, 2026

Some kids get stuck doing the dishes. The Espinosa brothers, Angelo, Michael, and Eric, got music lessons as their chore, so when big brother Angelo pitched starting a band, the answer was a hard no. (Spoiler: they're Strings & Heart now, and they're on a rocket ship.) The Tucson trio tells Levi and Jennie how Jesus made their faith their own, why their first "youth camp" gig was in someone's backyard, and how Angelo moonlighted as their totally legit booking agent, Jonathan. Plus: their new single, How It Feels To Live.

Sep 23, 2026

Josiah Queen and his wife Trinity join Levi and Jennie for their first joint episode — and it's a good one. They trade the story of how a ping pong ball to the back turned into a marriage, get into the making of Josiah's viral hit "Amazing", and Trinity opens up about the year she committed to sharing the gospel every single day — including the time she gave a total stranger her favorite necklace. Plus: a first look at Josiah's new album and a surprise book announcement.

See all episodes →