The Turquoise Table Podcast with Kristin Schell

Let's talk about infertility and adoption. Chances are you or someone you know has walked one or both of these paths. Today’s guest Cat Vandament shares her story of infertility and treatments that led to the birth of her daughter, and then the decision to pursue adoption with their son. Cat’s story is unique in that during fertility treatments, they faced the additional stress and unfortunate timing of her husband’s numerous military deployments.    Infertility and adoption can be sensitive and hard topics for many. Which is why it’s important to have the conversation and gratefully Cat is willing to help us talk about the emotional journey. No two stories are alike, but as you listen to the conversation you'll hear hope and encouragement.    Cat speaks with honesty and vulnerability. She shares the struggle of not knowing why her body “wasn’t working the way every other woman’s body works” and how she overcame untrue thoughts like “trying to figure out what I had done wrong.”    Cat’s story is told through the lens of infertility and adoption. But, it’s also a story of faith and helps us see how we all wrestle with our own worth at times.    Listen in to learn what NOT to say to a friend or neighbor who is trying to get pregnant. And, stay tuned as Cat reveals the number one way you can love your neighbor through infertility and adoption.   Links/Resources: Connect with Cat Vandament: Watch Cat's Turquoise Table Story Shop Noonday with Cat Instagram

Register for Creating Community & Connection: A Workshop with Kristin Schell   In this episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell continues the storytelling series talking with people who are creating community in unique and remarkable ways.   Rachel Jones lives at the crossroads of faith and culture in the Horn of Africa. She is the author of the book Stronger Than Death, and she and her husband founded the International School of Djibouti.   Her story takes us on a beautiful journey from a high rise apartment complex in Minneapolis to a school in The Horn of Africa. Rachel’s story of creating community and connection is one of the most inspiring yet. Relationships that started in her own backyard led her family across the globe to Djibouti.    When she was just twenty-two years old and a new mother of twins, Rachel received hospitality from complete strangers, her Somali neighbors. Her immigrant neighbors befriended her -- bringing her food and even offering to clean her house while she rested with the twins. Rachel was overwhelmed by their incredible friendship and a curiosity to know more about their home East Africa was born.   What transpires next is remarkable. Rachel and her family move from urban Minneapolis to a rural part of Somalia. Then to Djibouti. Kristin and Rachel talk about what it’s like to be a Christian in a country that is 99% Muslim and the incredible relationships she’s made with her neighbors. Rachel gives us a brief overview of the Muslim religion and piques our curiosity to learn more. After all, loving your Muslim neighbor is the same as loving your non-Muslim neighbor.    Learn more about Rachel Jones and her work at www.djiboutijones.com.   Purchase Rachel’s book Stronger Than Death   Learn more about the International School of Djibouti   Follow Rachel Pieh Jones: Instagram Facebook  

Register for Creating Community & Connection: A Workshop with Kristin Schell.   In this episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell speaks with Maria Reed, founder of the home improvement television show Moving with the Military. Maria’s mission is to bridge the military-civilian divide through design and community building. Kristin and Maria discuss the unique hardships military families face and how the community can welcome them with open arms.    To begin, Maria shares her background and her own experiences being in a military family. She was born in Cuba and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She worked for many years in the film industry as a producer. However, during this time she dated long-distance and fell in love with her military husband. To her surprise, soon after they were married her husband deployed, and she found out she was pregnant. 17 years and five moves later, her love for the film industry continued with her. She then formed the idea for her television show, Moving with the Military, from her own life experiences raising a military family.   Maria describes the fear that comes with starting life over every time her family moved. Sometimes, she would barely leave her house and often felt paralyzed. She shares a story of making friends with another military wife.   Now she can find excitement and positive experiences from moving. While there are struggles for military families to build community, Kristin and Maria agree that the Turquoise Table has been a great resource for military families to find a sense of place in their community.   With the growing number of military families living outside military bases, Maria saw a need for home makeovers and her television show. Maria is in charge of the difficult task of choosing a military family for a makeover through the submission of stories and nominations. From backyards to bedrooms, the show has completed 27 makeovers in three years. With the work of her show, she encourages civilians to be a part of the lives of military families that live around them. Maria also describes the purpose of DIY nights within the communities and is coming out with a cookbook, The Military Melting Pot, as a way to meld families together.   Her biggest tip to civilians is to reach out to military families in their neighborhood and be in community with one another.    Links/Resources: Learn more about Maria Reed and Moving with the Military on her website.   Submit a nomination of a military family for a Moving with the Military home makeover.   Follow Moving with the Military: Facebook Instagram Twitter  

What Do You Need? A simple question inspires The Turquoise Cart Program at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas.   In this episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell speaks with Kim Muench, a volunteer program coordinator at Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Kim began her Turquoise Table journey by placing her own Turquoise Table in her front yard. Unfortunately, this was met with resistance by her Homeowners Association, and, despite Kim’s efforts to convince them otherwise, they would not allow her to keep her table in the front yard. Still determined to create community in her neighborhood, Kim began a tradition of bringing her Turquoise Table from the back yard to the front yard one Friday night per month. Each month, between three and seven families join hers to play games on the street and socialize. Kim hopes that even more families will join them, and that her community will continue to grow.   However, bringing out her Turquoise Table once a month wasn’t enough for Kim. She brought the idea of placing a table at Cook Children’s Hospital to her boss, who told her it wasn’t feasible. However, Kim and her boss came up with the idea of turquoise carts: rolling hospitality carts that go from room to room serving parents. When children are in the hospital, parents often forget to take care of themselves. The children receive constant attention, but parents often lose themselves in the care of their children. Kim wanted to start The turquoise Cart Project to serve and uplift these parents. To jumpstart the project, Kim asked all the parents who had children in the hospital: “what do you need?” This simple but powerful question rendered all the information she needed to pursue her idea of the turquoise carts.    Kim is grateful for the impact the project has already made, and encourages listeners to create their own Turquoise Table missions wherever they are. The Turquoise Table calling is not limited to a front yard picnic table. As Kim has proven, it can be manifested anywhere that there are people to be served and community to be created.   Links/Resources:   For full show notes, discussion guide, Suppers for Sharing recipe, and Conversation Starter, visit www.theturquoisetable.com/podcast, or join us in our FREE online community, The Turquoise Table Community.   Connect with Kristin: Instagram Facebook The Turquoise Table   Connect with Kim Muench: LinkedIn Facebook  

This week on The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell chats with Shauna Pilgreen, author of Love Where You Live. A small-town native, Shauna grew up on a farm in South Georgia, and then moved to rural Missouri with her husband to do ministry. Ten years ago, the Lord stirred in their hearts a desire to plant a church in a place far outside their comfort zones: San Francisco, California. Love Where You Live chronicles the struggles and blessings of Shauna’s move to the big city, and learning how to invest long-term in the place she lives.    In the title Love Where You Live, “love” is a verb — Shauna actively loves the local people with whom she comes into contact. She offers a few simple ideas on how others can too; her first suggestion is to take walks. Instead of taking the train or her minivan, Shauna often chooses to walk to her kids’ school, to the grocery store, or around her neighborhood. She prays that God would use her with whomever she encounters each day and intentionally makes time for those interactions. She also suggests sitting down with family members to discuss how you as a team can make a difference. One night, Shauna and her family walked the streets of their neighborhood handing out free pizza, water bottles, and cookies. Simple acts of kindness create a ripple effect in the community, and Shauna continues to share her heart and to love her neighbors well in her now-beloved home of San Francisco.   Links/Resources: Rate, review and subscribe to the podcast wherever you are listening!   For full show notes and links, please visit: www.theturquoisetable.com/podcast   Join our free online community to continue the conversation at: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com    Affiliate links may be used at no additional cost to you.   You can connect with Shauna through: Her website Facebook Instagram Her book: Love Where You Live   Celebrate #LoveWhereYouLiveDay and nominate a friend for the Love Where You Live Award.

Host Kristin Schell interviews chef and best-selling author Melissa d’Arabian. Melissa is an expert on affordable family cooking, and author of the book Tasting Grace. In this episode they discuss how Melissa’s career got started, her new book, and how her faith influences her approach to food. Melissa first realized her connection to food, growing up in a single family home where money was tight. While she often experienced hunger at school, she saw the sacrifices her mom made to welcome others into their home with hospitality.   Melissa and Kristin discuss the problems with the way that our society approaches food. While we are as disconnected from the source of our food as we’ve ever been, we are also food obsessed; We have celebrity chefs, and we constantly post images of our food on the internet. There are some serious misconceptions about food in a world where we won’t eat a tomato because of the sugar content but we’ll drink an artificially colored and sweetened sports drink. To develop a better philosophy and theology of food, Melissa looked to the Bible where she couldn’t find any of the guilt language our society has about food. Instead, all the language around food was about loving, welcoming, and celebrating. It was observing these tensions in our food culture and this journey in the Bible that led Melissa to write Tasting Grace.   Links/Resources:

In this week’s episode host Kristin Schell interviews singer-songwriter Christa Wells. An award winning songwriter, Christa has collaborated with Nashville artists to write hit songs such as “Held” (Natlie Grant) and “Red Sea Road” (Ellie Holcomb). Christa is currently working on her 5th album and she shares behind the scenes look into the process.   Join Kristin and Christa for a conversation about the importance of community. Christa shares how even though she’s in a season of having little to offer, she’s even more committed to opening up her home to friends and has found great joy and community in doing so. We are all called to be agents of hospitality and Christa gives practical ways to share in any season of life.   Connect with Christa: Instagram Facebook Website Patreon   Be sure to check out our FREE online community for: full show notes and links podcast episode discussion guide journal prompts   Join us: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com  

In this episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell welcomes author, blogger, and parent, Tricia Goyer to discuss her book The Grumble-Free Year: Twelve Months, Eleven Family Members, and One Impossible Goal. As a mother of 10 kids (seven of whom still live in the house), being married 29 years, and having authored over 75 books, Tricia has become Kristin’s go-to authority on all things parenting. Tricia shares how she keeps the family, even the kids living outside of the home, and her 90-year-old mother with dementia, communicating and sharing with each other.    The Grumble-Free Year was based on Tricia’s unique experience. There is an underlying grumbling and discontent that children and parents both express. She and her husband thought, “what if we could go a year without grumbling?” She knew it’d take a while to undo certain habits, but she was tired not only of hearing her kids grumble, but saw it spilling over into her relationship with her husband. What happened in the Goyer's Grumble-Free Year experiment? Listen in and find out.   Links: Connect with Tricia Goyer: The Grumble-Free Year: Twelve Months, Eleven Family Members and One Impossible Goal Tricia's website  Follow Tricia Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Join our FREE online community for: full show notes and links podcast episode discussion guide journal prompts Tricia's Pork & Hominy Pozole recipe  Join us: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com

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In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table Podcast, host Kristin Schell interviews Jessica Honegger about the joy that comes when you are cornered by courage and gather women for a purpose. Jessica is a wife, mother of three, founder and CEO of Noonday Collection, and bestselling author of Imperfect Courage: Live a Life of Purpose by Leaving Comfort and Going Scared. Noonday creates meaningful opportunities in fashion for vulnerable communities to sell their beautiful handmade goods and empower them to flourish. Ambassadors of Noonday Collection are women in America that host trunk shows to create economic opportunity for the artisans and themselves.   Noonday Collection is the world’s largest fair-trade jewelry company, and they rally women just like you to sustain dignified jobs for over 4,500 Artisans around the world. Ambassadors are purposeful, passionate women who own their own businesses and gather women in their own communities to make an impact in communities across the globe. If this sounds like you, head over to noondaycollection.com and click “Become an Ambassador.”  

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Bailey T. Hurley, who is committed to small community settings with her husband and two children. Kristin and Bailey discuss small groups: how to find one, how to join one, and even how to start one. Kristin shares how she and Tony are in the process of starting their own small group in their church community. Bailey gives tangible tips on how you can invite people into community in your life, as well as how you can sustain community. While Bailey is committed to lifelong friendships, she explains how you can start slowly and easily, as well as how to maintain high-quality friendships when you live far apart. In her neighborhood, Bailey builds friendships across generations. When Bailey arranges play dates, sets up the book club meeting or invites someone over, it’s a lot of work. However, she gets quality time, the conversations she needed, and the chance to he heard in her circle of friends. On the other hand, when you experience hospitality fatigue, it is important to take breaks and know your boundaries. It’s equally important to make sure that what you choose to do in community is something you love, so if you love reading, have a book club, and if you love cooking, invite people over for dinner. Links: Join our free online community to continue the conversation, get tips on how to host your own Pizza and Podcast Party, and find discussion and journal prompts from this episode at: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com Recommended Podcasts: Revisionist History with Malcolm Galdwell The 36 Questions Podcast Recommended Cookbook: Magnolia Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering by Joanna Gaines You can find Bailey T. Hurley online: website, on Instagram (@bailey.t.hurley) and Facebook.

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Ruth Chou Simons, who is an artist, author, speaker, and founder of GraceLaced. Her most recent book Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship takes us on a journey of redirecting our eyes and hearts for worship, right where we are. Ruth and Kristin discuss the role social media plays in our ability to be present. We are distracted by millions of images that fly by, we don’t even realize our short-sightedness and hurry can lead to shallow faith. Ruth and Kristin discuss how hard it is to be the new family in a community and the assumptions that are made which prevent people from inviting a family over. They also describe the difference between entertaining and hospitality, and just how easy it can be to invite someone over and open up lines of communication. Join our FREE online community for: • Full show notes and links • Discussion Guide • Journal Prompts • Ruth’s easy fried rice recipe www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com Ruth’s book: Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship Ruth and Troy Simons’ book: Foundations: 12 Biblical Truths to Shape a Family You can find Ruth on Instagram (@ruthchousimons), Facebook and Twitter (@gracelaced) Ruth’s personal website (ruthchousimons.com) and her company GraceLaced

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Kat Cannon, who has just written her ninth Bible study called More than Mindful: What God Tells Us to Remember.  In the Old Testament, one of the first instances of remembering is when God asks for all to remember his name. Kat and Kristin discuss the importance of names and the naming stories in their own lives. Find out what YOUR name means by using a tool like www.behindthename.com   Key Takeaways in Today’s Episode: • 7:30 The Hebrew concept of remembering is closely tied to action and obedience.  • 14:03 God introduces himself with his personal name when he speaks to Moses, which translates to “I am”.  • 36:00 Together we know God better than any of us could on our own.  • 39:40 Community means carrying each other’s burdens.  Join our free online community to continue the conversation and to enter to win the More than Mindful Bible Study: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com  Find Kat’s bible studies on her website: https://www.katcannon.com Find Kat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell has an inspiring conversation with Rebekah Lyons, co-founder of Q Ideas, a nonprofit organization, and author; her newest book is Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose. During this episode, Kristin and Rebekah discuss how stress threatens our mental and physical health, and how to manage it in a holistic manner.  According to the American Institute of Stress, 77% of the population experiences physical symptoms associated with stress on a regular basis. This is the result of the loneliness epidemic, the false sense of connection in the digital age. These numbers are dismal, even at a first glance. But you can handle stress in a positive, efficient, and wholesome manner that gets you back into the rhythm God created for you. The way to do this is by following four pillars: rest, restore, connect, and create.  It is essential to remember that each of us is created for community. Being alone is not what God intends for us, and that is why we are suffering and stressed when we are lonely. Committing to 15 minutes every morning to connect with God will be beneficial and uplifting. You can do this by making this time to sit down, relax, and listen to what He has to say to you. Thus you will notice that you actually can get into the rhythms God created for us to be in back into your life. Make sure to tune in to hear all the healthy and encouraging wisdom and insight from Kristin and Rebekah.  ⭐️ Rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast! ⭐️ Links:  Rebekah’s website: rebekahlyons.com  Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose  Join our FREE online community for:     full show notes and links     podcast episode discussion guide     journal prompts     Rebekah's fabulous charcuterie boar The Turquoise Table Community  

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Leslie Verner, who is sharing with us about hospitality and loving others well. Leslie recently published her book Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness, which dives into the epidemic of social isolation as a result of us lacking face-to-face interaction with one another. Leslie shares when she’s personally felt lonely in her life, specifically in life transitions, such as big moves across the country and her freshman year of college.   Links: Purchase Leslie Verner’s book: Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness   Join our FREE online community for: full show notes and links podcast episode discussion guide journal prompts Leslie's recipe for Family Style Stir Fry Beef   Join us: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com   Connect with Leslie Verner Website: Scraping Raisins Twitter: @leslie_verner Instagram: @scraping_raisins Facebook: Scraping Raisins – Leslie Verner   Connect with Kristin: Twitter @kristinkschell Instagram @kristinkschell Facebook The Turquoise Table – Kristin Schell   Will you do us a HUGE favor? Please click those 5-stars and give us a review. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast wherever you are listening.

In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Kat Armstrong, an innovative ministry leader, a sought-after speaker, and the co-founder and executive director of Polished. Kat stewards the community of Polished, which is a network of young professional women who gather over a meal to discuss the intersection of work and faith. The diverse group of women discuss the hardships they are experiencing at work, as well as what they believe and how faith can be applied to their careers. Kat explains how she uses the Bible to inform her personal life, and how Jesus has prioritized for us what’s most important: loving God and loving others. Kat realized, through conversations and by looking inward, that many women want to give more of themselves to their communities and their faith, but they are scared. In her book, No More Holding Back, Kat uncovers the history of ideological gender bias around women not using their brains as much as men and being smaller or weaker. Theologically, any of the early church fathers looked to Eve as an example as someone easily deceived and not to be trusted with truth or leadership. But within the Bible, there are many hidden female figures that led and bettered the community.  Many of the young professionals at Polished are looking for a mentor, not just in terms of work, but also for life. Kat explains that any Christ-follower can find a mentor that is also a Christ-follower at a local church that works for your faith and schedule. In the Polished chapters, there are groups of women who believe in the power of prayer to support their fellow members in times of hardship or struggle. Kat’s prayer for the women that read her book is that they feel they can still be who they are and love God and other people well. Rate, review and subscribe to the podcast wherever you are listening!   Links: Purchase Kat Armstrong’s book, No More Holding Back: Emboldening Women to Move Past Barriers, See Their Worth, and Serve God Everywhere Join our free online community to view the full show notes and to continue the conversation at: www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com  Check out The Turquoise Table website: https://theturquoisetable.com/ To find your local chapter, learn more about Polished, or to see Kristin Schell speak at the Austin, Texas gathering on October 9th, visit: www.polishedonline.org Follow Kristin and The Turquoise Table on Twitter (@kristinkschell) and Instagram (@kristinkschell) Connect with Kristin on Facebook

Today kicks off the second season of The Turquoise Table, where we’ll be asking all our guests and you to answer this question:  What does community mean to you?  In today’s episode, host Kristin Schell interviews Emily P. Freeman, a writing mentor, teacher and friend.  Spoiler alert: Emily was at guest at the party Kristin bought the original picnic table for – before it became The Turquoise Table. Through her books and podcast, Emily helps ease the minds of weary decision makers and gives measured direction on taking next steps. Emily advocates for pondering holy longings and the power of silence, even when you feel called to live in community.  Rate, review and subscribe to the podcast wherever you are listening! Links: GIVEAWAY!! Head over to @kristinkschell on Instagram to enter the giveaway for a pair of Apple AirPods and Turquoise Table case. Giveaway ends 9/27 at midnight. Join our FREE online community to get full show notes, podcast discussion guide, journal prompts, and to continue to conversation:  www.theturquoisetablecommunity.com Emily Freeman’s books: Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast Moving World A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Air You Were Made to Live The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice for Making Life Decisions Emily’s Podcast: The Next Right Thing Connect with Emily on Instagram: @emilypfreeman  This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

Welcome to Season Two of The Turquoise Table Podcast. This is a special twelve-week season called The Case for Community. We're going to roll up our sleeves and dive in to answer this question: What Does Community Mean to You?  Think about that for a minute. How do you answer this question -- what does community mean to you? There are so many factors that affect the way we live and grow in community. And, we’re going to cover as many of them as we can. We’re going to talk about the Loneliness Epidemic in America. We’re going to have a conversation about mental health and how it effects the way we approach community. We’re going to hear from guests about what it looks like to truly be vulnerable and how that translates to empathy. We’ll hear reoccurring themes like setting healthy boundaries in relationships and how in order to offer hospitality, we must also extend it to ourselves.  Over the course of the next twelve weeks I have the honor of talking to best-selling authors, bible scholars and teachers, community leaders, a musician, entrepreneurs, a CEO, TV food celeb, and all-around incredible voices.  Each conversation gives us a unique lens through which to view community. We’re going to learn a lot from each of our guests, but the thing about community is you can’t figure it out on your own. So, each podcast episode is designed to be a conversation starter. We want you to listen to it through your earbuds. But we want you to listen to it in community too. With your friends and neighbors. And, then we’ve created a unique way to continue exploring the question: What does Community Mean to YOU? You’re invited to keep chatting each week in our very own Turquoise Table Community.  That’s right -- we’ve created a thriving online community just for you. It’s absolutely FREE and the conversation is encouraging and helpful. We’ve strategically chosen to move away from Facebook, so you need to make sure to join us in The Turquoise Table Community. For each podcast episode, you’ll find exclusive resources: show notes recipes and tips from guests exclusive discussion guide with conversation starters journal prompts You don’t want to miss this, so please be sure to join: www.TheTurquoiseTableCommunity.com And, make sure you are subscribed in iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts. Go ahead and give us a 5-star review -- it helps more than boost my ego, friends. Your reviews and ratings boost the algorithms and allows other folks to learn about The Turquoise Table Podcast.

It’s the last 2018 episode of the Turquoise Table Podcast, and I’m in one of my favorite places: the kitchen! Today I’m whipping up a five-ingredient holiday appetizer, Cranberry Pistachio Gruyère Croutons, and thinking about all the wonderful guests we’ve had on the show this year. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to talk to thought makers, authors, experts and leaders who have had shared important lessons on hospitality and community, and how we can connect with the people in our neighborhoods. So today, we’re going to reflect on the wise words of a few guests we’ve had at the table, and how we can carry the lessons they have given us into the new year. (And don’t worry, I’m sharing that over-the-top delicious crouton recipe with you at the end of the show!)

We’re making Turquoise Table history today with our very first pop-up podcast! A few weeks ago, my hospitality partner-in-crime Susie Davis and I recorded a live podcast in my front yard with fifty friends and our special guest, Myquillyn Smith. And y’all, just a hint of what’s to come: this will be the first of many pop-up podcasts because we had so much fun! So if you don’t know Myquillyn, you’re going to fall in love very soon. She’s the brains behind The Nesting Place, a beautiful blog where she encourages women to create warm, inviting homes using what they have, wherever they are. Myquillyn just released her brand-new book Cozy Minimalist Home. And inspired by the book, Myquillyn answered questions from our live audience about how to create a cozy home with less stuff. Music to your ears, right? And be sure to stay till the end, where we dish on a yummy cider recipe you’ll want at all of your holiday parties.

We love to talk about community around the table, about fostering connection with people on our streets and in our neighborhoods. But we get really inspired when we see people take their Turquoise Table gatherings to the next level by getting together to create connection beyond their neighborhoods. That’s why we’re excited this week to share an opportunity with you on how you can easily organize a gathering that brightens the lives of children in other countries by packing simple shoeboxes full of toys and goodies. Each year, Operation Christmas Child delivers hundreds of thousands of these shoeboxes, filled by volunteers, to kids all over the world, spreading a message of love in the process. And to tell us how meaningful this little gift can be, we’re thrilled to have Yuliya Shubina and Gracie O’Laughlin from Operation Christmas Child on the show to tell us all about the program and how we can participate. Just wait until you hear Yuliya’s story—when she was 9 years old, she received a shoebox that changed her life forever. Her story shows us how a simple act of love can have a huge impact. And stay around until the end of the episode, when Kristin shares a delicious sweet-and-salty snack you can make for your own shoebox packing party! Show Summary:Our guests today are going to help us get ready for the holidays in the best way: they're preparing our hearts for giving to little ones in need. Gracie O'Laughlin and Yuliya Shubina work for Operation Christmas Child, an international relief organization that shares God's love with children around the world in the form of a shoebox. At some point, maybe your family has packed a shoebox gift, whether through your school, church, or neighborhood. Today, Gracie and Yuliya are going to walk us through how to pack those shoeboxes, what to put inside, how to host a packing party at your Turquoise Table, and when and where to drop off those boxes. And just wait, y'all, until you hear Yuliya's story. When she was nine years old, Yuliya was living in Central Asia and actually received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox gift with a letter from the young girl who packed the box. These shoeboxes of love really do make an impact, and Yuliya is living testament to that. I cannot wait for you to hear her story. The Turquoise Table has been an Operation Christmas Child partner for a few years now, and it's one of our favorite things to do every year to kick off the holiday season. I am thrilled to have Gracie and Yuliya on the show today to share this wonderful work. And stick around for a super yummy Heavenly Harvest Chex Mix recipe that’s a snap to whip up for your shoebox packing party!   Links, Products, and Recipes We Mentioned: Operation Christmas Child Gift Suggestions (and what not to pack) Turquoise Table Blog Post: “How to Host a Shoebox Packing Party” Need help from an Operation Christmas Child volunteer? Recipe: Heavenly Harvest Chex Mix Interview Quotes:“God, we know, doesn't waste any seasons in any of our lives ” – Yuliya Shubina, Operation Christmas Child   “I remember [my stuffed puppy dog in my OCC shoebox] was the nicest toy that my sister and I have ever owned. And so even though I didn't want to, I had to share this puppy dog with my sister, also with my cousins. This puppy would travel to their house, stay with them a week or two at a time. They would play with it, and then we would get it back—not to mention, all of the neighbor kids who also got their turn playing and petting this puppy dog.” – Yuliya Shubina, Operation Christmas Child   “The most important item [in my shoebox], actually, wasn't a puppy dog. It was the letter from the girl who packed it for me. . . . She wrote, ‘I am praying for you. God loves you.’ And I remember reading and translating that very simple letter, and getting to these last two sentences and just wondering why would a stranger, who has never met me, who lives all the way across the world from me, who doesn't know me, would not only bless me with a beautiful shoebox gift that is packed with so many wonderful items, but also tells me there is God out there who loves and cares for me and that she is praying to this God on my behalf. ” – Yuliya Shubina, Operation Christmas Child   “I will never forget the feelings that those words left in my heart. I remember carrying that sentence with me for years and continuing to wonder, Who is this God that she's praying to. And once again, why would a stranger do something like that?” – Yuliya Shubina, Operation Christmas Child   “There's just something so approachable about the simplicity of this. . . . When we just show up and do something so simple, it allows God to do what only God can do. That's the beauty of it.” – Kristin Schell   “It's fun to pack fun items such as toys, school supplies, hygiene items in the shoeboxes, but that's not the most important part about this ministry. The most important part is prayer that we packed the shoeboxes with.” – Yuliya Shubina, Operation Christmas Child   “There are millions of stories that we have heard. The most surprising for me is when a child has been praying for a very specific item, a child or a family praying for a very specific item, and then that item shows up in a shoebox. ” – Gracie O’Laughlin, Operation Christmas Child   Connect with Operation Christmas Child: Website FacebookTwitterInstagram

Busyness takes a toll on everyone. Sometimes it takes calling your own bra at the airport to realize you desperately need to slow down. That moment launched Alli Worthington into a year-long quest to change her pace and to begin cultivating a life filled with more contentment. Alli is a speaker, a business couch, an entrepreneur, an author, and a podcaster. On top of that, she’s also a wife and a mother of five sons. Needless to say, she’s got a lot going on. Her latest book is The Year of Living Happy: Finding Contentment and Connection in a Crazy World. And on today’s episode, Alli dives in and gives us practical tips, ideas, and lessons she learned in her fifty-two weeks of striving to live with more happiness. You’ll definitely want to follow Alli’s suggestion and make a “Stop-Doing” list today—it’ll change your life. And y'all be sure to listen all the way to the end, because Alli is going to share her husband Mark’s killer stir-fry recipe, then I’m sharing one of my favorite recipes that will go fabulously with it.

We all know the benefits of hospitality: human connection, community building, relationship bonding. However, our ability to be hospitable can have a larger effect—one that brings awareness to the plight of others and leads us into ways we can help limit human suffering. One issue that gets a lot of attention on a global scale is the issue of human trafficking, but what many of us don’t realize this huge problem isn’t just happening overseas, but in our own backyards. Law enforcement says the number-one way to fight human trafficking is to raise awareness around the issue. That’s why today’s guest, Terri Ingraham, founded the nonprofit beLydia, which empowers women to raise awareness around human trafficking. beLydia equips people to facilitate ways to talk about this issue and learn what it looks like in your neighborhood, what to do if you see it, and how you can help prevent it. In our discussion today, Terri is going to educate and inform us, and walk us through how we can fight this problem by opening up the conversation with our neighbors. [Parents, this is a tough topic. We’re going to talk about some situations right off the bat regarding the horrors of human trafficking, which may not be suitable for younger kids.]    

We need to feel like we belong before we can extend an invitation to others. That’s what today’s guest at the Turquoise Table, Whitney Bell, reminded Kristin a few Sundays ago as Whitney gave a sermon at Kristin’s church. Whitney is the middle school ministry director at Kristin’s church in Austin, and she’s guided not only Kristin’s four kids, but scores of middle schoolers in her tenure. And whether you’re in the trenches with teens or looking for more inspiration on how to love deep, you’ll drink deeply from Whitney’s advice. Today Whitney and Kristin talk about practical and creative ways to connect with your teen, even when they shy away from deep conversations, and why it’s important for kids to have trusted adults in their lives in addition to their parents. Kristin and Whitney share insight not only for those of us with teens, but wisdom we can all take away about the power of connection: sometimes the best way to love someone is to sit with them and be, accepting them just as they are. And be sure to stay till the end for a delicious snack recipe that that’ll make your house smell like heaven and become a fall favorite.

Natasha Red grew up loving food and hospitality. But when she married and started a family of her own, as Natasha says, “It was like everything I knew about feeding myself and my family just blew up.” Natasha found it impossible to create the beautiful, healthy dinners she was once did and care for a fussy newborn. She noticed other moms were as overwhelmed as she was, and she knew she had to do something about it. Out of that need, Natasha created the Seasonal Meal Planner, an adaptable system to help women organize meals and create an intentional plan for hospitality. You’ll love meeting Natasha and hearing all about how she plans meals for her family. You’ll be encouraged by all the great things she has to say about feeding ourselves and our loved ones, and why it’s so important to have people over, even in the season of temper tantrums at Target and crushed Cheerios in the carpet. And you’ll definitely want to make her easy chili and delicious paleo cornbread, perfect for game days and chilly fall nights ahead.

In 2011 Joplin, Missouri, was devastated by an EF-5 tornado. The storm ripped up 15 miles of the town, killing 161 people. Turquoise Table community member Ann Leach survived, but lost everything. Ann tells us her remarkable story of rebuilding after the storm, the miracle of the human spirit, and the beauty of a community coming together to survive and thrive. A grief counselor and life coach, Ann gives us tips on how to help those in our community who are hurting, what to say when you have no idea how to say it, and how we can find hope in the most dire situations.

In today’s fast-paced world, keeping a Sabbath can seem impossible. Where do we find the time to rest? How does Sabbath work in a life filled with notifications? Enter Shelly Miller, an expert Sabbath Keeper and author of the popular book Rhythms of Rest: Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World. Shelly takes us through Sabbath Keeping 101 and tells us how her journey began with cleaning up Christmas decorations, how Sabbath Keeping helps us offer hospitality, and why napkins can help us celebrate. And stay tuned to the end of the episode, when Shelly and Kristin dish on their favorite one-pot and slow cooker meals!

When we open our homes to hospitality, how do our day-to-day lives change? Jen Schmidt is the popular lifestyle blogger behind Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, and she’s the author of the brand-new book Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation. Jen is Kristin’s kindred spirit, and today they trade tidbits of wisdom about shepherding guests into their homes. And stay tuned to the very end of the episode, where Jen reveals her favorite ways to get folks to the table (hint: brunch is involved).

Lauren Flake is Lauren is an author and blogger from Austin, TX, and a member of our Turquoise Table community. Lauren has been using her table in really powerful, special ways since she lost her mother Dixie to early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. Today Lauren shares her story and walks us through what community looked like for her during and after her mother’s illness. She gives us first-hand advice on how not to fix the problem, but how to show up to simply be present with those who are grieving, and what that looks like.

What does “loving the stranger” mean? And how do we start a friendship with someone who seems so different from us? Today’s guest, Rosaria Butterfield, gives us the first step: practicing “radically ordinary hospitality.” Rosaria is an author, speaker, pastor’s wife, and homeschool mom in Durham, North Carolina. Her newest book The Gospel Comes with a Key tells how Rosaria and her husband Kent use their home as a mission field as they dine with guests every night, and how they’ve opened their not-really-a-spare-bedroom to house guests. Rosaria shares the struggle of becoming a bridge for hospitality, the crippling pain of loneliness, why she kept a man running meth lab in her neighborhood as her house guest, and her recipe for a hearty minestrone soup. ---------------------------------------------- Show Sponsor: Shipt: Grocery Delivery The Gospel Comes with a House Key: Practicing Radically Ordinary Hospitality in Our Post-Christian World by Rosaria Butterfield

Thanks to social media, it’s never been easier to compare ourselves to others—and feel ashamed our lives don’t look like the sparkly ones we see on our phone screens. In this episode, Kristin sits down with bestselling authors and entrepreneurs, Jess Connolly and Hayley Morgan, to talk about their new devotional Always Enough, Never Too Much and how we can stop struggling with comparison and hiding our flaws, and how to live more authentically. Jess and Hayley also divulge how their friendship blossomed online, who women are really comparing themselves to (spoiler alert: it’s not Rihanna), and how they create connection and community through their businesses.

Kristen Welch is a busy mother of three who runs the popular blog “We Are That Family” (WeAreThatFamily.com), in addition to a non-profit called Mercy Global House. In 2010, Kristen traveled with Compassion International on a trip to write about poverty in a huge slum. That experience turned her world upside down and led her and her family to start Mercy Global House--an organization that helps empower women and families in Kenya. Kristen wishes to give every family the tools to experience what it’s like to answer the call of the needs in our world, creating community with those in need, and in turn, raising up a new generation of “givers.” Kristen is the author of several books--her latest being Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. Stay tuned for the entire episode and hear about gift package giveaway featuring Kristen’s new book!    ---------------------------------------------- Show Sponsor: Shipt: Grocery Delivery

Food blogger & cookbook author Bri McKoy wasn’t always a great cook. She didn’t really cook at all until the moment she realized what a gift it was to be able to feed her family and others. Bri discovered the true joy serving others with food and with hospitality.  As she moved from food fails into cooking smart, she started her wildly popular food blog: OurSavoryLife.com. Focusing on paleo eating. Far from hardcore about diet, Bri realizes that every now and then you’ve got to have nachos and wings to keep life interesting. Her new book is called Come and Eat was born of a desire to lean into the idea of an everyday table, to pass on the abundance of her life to others, and to serve wherever she can. Whether God calls you to Ecuador or to your own front yard, Bri encourages us to “go get the neighbors,” and break bread together.

This week we talk with the guru of freezer to table meals - Polly Conner. Polly will be walking us through how to easily make freezer meals ahead of time and serve them up to your table like a pro. She’ll also tell us about how to start your own “freezer clubs” where you and your neighbors can cook together to provide a week of meals for you and your families while creating community in the kitchen. Polly and her business partner Rachel have written about this great way to plan meals in their book "From Freezer to Table."  They also head up the Thriving Home Blog which has incredible resources for busy moms. This episode will revolutionize the way you look at meal prep and give you time to actually enjoy dinners with your family. ---------------------------------------------- Show Sponsor: Shipt: Grocery Delivery Today's Guests & Featured Product:Polly Conner & Rachel Tiemeyer’s ThrivingHomeBlog.com Freezer to Table: 75+ Simple, Whole Foods Recipies for Gathering, Cooking, and Sharing Cookbook  

Today Kristin visits with another kindred spirit in the “gathering well” tribe--Amy Hannon.  After almost 13 years as a wedding stationer, Amy pursued her dream of opening a kitchen boutique in her community. Amy shares about her new venture, and the namesake of the enterprise--her grandmother Euna Mae--and the unique legacy she created around gatherings that left a lifetime imprint on Amy.  She and Kristin also discuss the difference between “hospitality” and “entertaining” and encourage us to never shy away from get-togethers because of a crazy season of life we may be facing. They both admit that they are chronic non bed-makers, and are totally okay with just shutting the door when they have company. Together, they implore us that we don’t have to the perfect hostesses, cooks, entertainers, housekeepers--or whatever other ideals we’re trying to live up to--to have people over to our homes. Kristin’s Kitchen segment features a recipe from Amy’s new book, Love Welcome Serve: Recipes that Gather and Give. ---------------------------------------------- Show Sponsor:  Shipt: Grocery Delivery   Amy Hannon: www.EunaMaes.com Amy Hannon's cookbook, "Love Welcome Serve: Recipes that Gather and Give"  

A continuation of our table talk with Kristin’s actual real-life neighbors, discussing how they continue to foster community after first coming together years ago.  You’ll hear honest interaction about the vulnerability of “putting yourself out there” as a neighbor, and how introverts and extroverts approach getting to know one another. Kristin’s Kitchen segment features one of Kristin’s favorite “go-to” recipes--so easy that the most difficult part of the recipe is using a can-opener!

This week's episode features Part 1 of Kristin live at the Turquoise Table talking to her own neighbors about how they got to know each other. Through a few simple steps of outreach, their community and neighborhood flourished as neighbors took the initiative to be welcoming, hospitable and accessible. Listen in on their conversation, which is full of advice to those of us who really want to know our neighbors, but don't know where to start. You'll love hearing about where they started and where they are today--and how we can all create greater connection on our own street.

Ever wonder how you could be a better neighbor, but don’t know where to start? Help has arrived!  Dave Runyon is the author of “The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door.” Dave’s experience with neighboring goes deep—in 2010 as pastor at Foothills Community Church and the Next Level Church, he launched a neighboring movement that mobilized over 70 churches and 40,000 people in the Denver Metro area and reshaped the community to become closer. We’ll learn about the benefits of this kind of connection, and how, with a few simple steps, you can build better relationships right outside your front door. In this episodes Kristin’s Kitchen segment, Kristin walks us through her super easy banana bread recipe--her go to gift for meeting new neighbors. She talks about how this simple offering goes a long way not only in starting new relationships, but showing our neighbors that we care.

The Turquoise Table Podcast welcomes our guest for Episode 2 who is a kindred spirit; she loves and honors the joys of gathering at the table as much as we do! Shauna Niequist is a New York Times best-selling author whose books include Bread & Wine, Savor & Present Over Perfect. She talks about the special bonds that are created over meeting across from each other at the table. She gives us simple tips on hospitality,  easy recipes to follow for any level of cook, and lets us in on her cooking club--a gathering of friends who take turns hosting and cooking. In Kristin’s Kitchen today, we’ll walk through the steps to create Shauna’s Magical White Bean Soup while Kristin shares wisdom from Shauna on how some foods, like soup (and fulfilling connection around the table) evoke comfort, bring warmth, and soothe our souls.  

Welcome to The Turquoise Table Podcast with Kristin Schell. Kristin’s guest in our debut episode is Thomas Farley, better known as Mister Manners. Thomas is an etiquette expert, speaker, and author who inspires audiences across America. He’s perhaps best known as the beloved guest in his role as Mister Manners on NBC The Today Show. Kristin and Thomas talk about what it means to be a good neighbor and Thomas gives tips on simple ways to get around barriers that keep us from knowing the people who live near us whether home is the upper West Side of NYC or suburban America. Emphasizing that face-to-face communication is always to be prized over digital connection, Thomas encourages us all to put “people over pixels,” and that life is much sweeter when we are in community with each other. In Kristin’s Kitchen segment this week, sponsored by Shipt!, Kristin shares her grandmother’s delicious and easy chocolate sheet cake recipe. While she whips up the decadent cake, Kristin invites you to think about the rhythm of your neighborhood and shares a story from a Turquoise Table in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Looking for new ways to get to know your neighbors, create connection with others and build community where you live? Join author and speaker Kristin Schell, the founder of the #frontyardpeople movement, as she gathers at the table to talk with others about neighboring, community, hospitality, cooking, and more. Sponsored by Shipt.