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, th…

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…

(🌟 Today's conversation is a hard one. I want you to know that while it is full of hope, friendship, and a powerful story of community, it begins with the tragedy of suicide.) In today’s episode of The Turquoise Table, host Kristin Schell interviews Becky Powell and Katherine Reay. Katherine is an award-winning author of novels, including Lizzy and…

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…

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 sma…

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…

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 t…

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 men…

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 w…

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 f…

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 …

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 factor…

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, aut…

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 …

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 op…

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 p…

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…

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…

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 ov…

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 surviv…

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…

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 shepherdi…

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 he…

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 wit…

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 ho…

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…

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 …

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 yo…

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 gathe…

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 Ki…

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…

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 neighbor…

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…

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 Tho…

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.…