Making Room by Gather
Hospitality. What do you think of when you hear that word?
For some it's old school 'stuffy' entertaining for others it's something to do with the hotel industry. One thing is for sure, as a culture we're not talking about it much.
Food * Design * Relationships have seemed to have taken a back seat to what our culture focuses on and values yet...we find ourselves in the midst of a loneliness epidemic. Something has to change, it's time to get back to our tables, and we're making room for it!
Making Room by Gather invites you into a new conversation on everyday hospitality. One that rewrites the way we approach opening your doors and filling your tables. Shifting the narrative from 'how does this make me look' to 'how does this make you feel' these buildable conversations aspire to inspire connection through everyday gathering.
Kayty's chic and a little quirky interview style will make you feel like you're sitting with a friend talking about how to grow in confidence as an everyday host. You can expect conversations from navigating challenging relationship dynamics to foundational cooking techniques and everything in between.
Whether you are a seasoned host or looking to develop new friendships and grow in your skills for the first time, there is a seat at the table. Join us weekly for new conversations with expert guests and with Kayty in her beloved Date with Kayt episodes. Continue the conversation @gatheritentionalliving
Making Room by Gather
Embracing Cultural Curiosity: Raising Intentional Kids & Celebrating Black History Month w/ Trillia Newbell
I have always considered myself to be culturally curious. Since I was younger there was always a draw to lean in and learn others stories. Identifying different traditions in the lives of those around me always struck me as an invitation to a whole new world, and deeper connection. As we dive more into parenthood, I have been thinking a lot recently about how I can raise Wesley to be just as curious, and intentional with getting to know the stories of those at our table.
A few years ago I heard Trillia Newbell speak at a Thinq Media Conference that we were attending, and I remember that she communicated with authority, invitation to action and that her words, though powerful, landed softly. When I was given the opportunity to host a conversation with her surrounding her new book, Celebrating Around The Table, the answer was an easy yes.
Through this book and conversation Trillia will lead us through topics like:
- How to raise culturally curious kids
- What intentional living means as a family
- Resources on reflecting on black history month for all ages
- Recipes that celebrate her rich cultural background and how they are used to enhance her families cultural celebration
Trillia and I laughed and reflected throughout this whole conversation, and we invite you to join us wherever you listen to podcasts.
Buy your own copy of Trillia's book here
Follow Trillia @trillianewbell
Purchase a copy of the book that Trillia references in the episode:
Hey everyone, welcome back to Making Room. I'm so excited that you're here. I am cozied up, ready for this conversation. Oh, I'm going to start over. Hey everyone, welcome back to Making Room. I am so excited that you're here. This season on the show is so filled with so many new types of conversations, new guests, new friends of the show. But actually Trillia and I determined that we've actually met before, which is sweet. I don't get to meet a lot of my podcast guests in person and so we have a little bit of history to play off of, which is always always sweet to me. But this conversation is timely as we move into February and Black History Month and talking more about the table, as always, I'm so excited to dive into this book with you and share about the unique storyline behind it. Well, if you do not know Trillia Newbell, correct me on that pronunciation when we're on the screen if I butchered it your last name. I always want to say names right, but if she is new to you, here's a little bit more about her.
Speaker 1:Trillia is the author of several books, including 52 Weeks in the Word, a Great Cloud of Witnesses, sacred Endurance I love that title. Wow, if God is for Us Fear and Faith and the children's book Creative God. That's really sweet. I didn't know about that one. I love that title as well. Oh, there's more Colorful Us, god's Very Good Idea and Jesus and the Gift of Friendship. Goodness, my friend. She is the host of podcast 52 Weeks in the Word and hosts the weekly radio show Living by Faith from Moody Radio. When she isn't writing, she's encouraging and supporting other writers as the acquisitions and editorial director at Moody Publishers. Trillia is married to her best friend, Thern, and they reside with their two children near Nashville, tennessee our favorite where they enjoy hiking and eating lots of barbecue. Her new book, celebrating Around the Table, released nationwide September 3rd 2024.
Speaker 1:Well, if you are like me and felt like January was 10 years in and of itself, this month just went on and on. It was full of a lot of wonderful things, but I feel like a lot of us are closing out this month a little bit tired. I would love to encourage you and send you the way of Feasts and Fettle. Now, if you have listened to our show at all, you know who they are and what they offer you, but if you do not, they want to help you make cooking easy and serving your family really good, really healthy food. Make it simple. So if you are looking for lunch to pack your kiddos, if you are looking to put dinner on the table, healthy breakfast or healthy snacks, head on over to Feast and Fettle. What I love about them is you're not ripping open plastic packages, you're not even cooking, you are just heating food that was made by a private chef and delivered straight to your door. You know that I don't compromise when it comes to food. I don't mess around. I want food to be easy and healthy for you and your family. So head on over to Feast and Fettle F-E-T-T-L-fettlecom and use code gather with the numbers 25 for $25 off your first week podcast.
Speaker 1:I am set to see our communities get back to the table through hospitality, but it wasn't always this way. My husband and I moved to Thailand and through it I experienced some loneliness, and with it I was given a choice to sit back and accept it or to do something about it. And for me that meant two things that I needed the healing to learn how to accept an invitation and the confidence to know how to extend one. Through this process, I developed some of the richest and deepest relationships of my life Through Making Room by Gather, you will hear conversations from myself and experts in the areas of food, design and relationships.
Speaker 1:You see, there are countless things trying to keep us from the table. But can I tell you something? Take a seat, because you are ready, you are capable, you are a good host. Okay, let's do this. Well, I have to start off by asking so we have come to love Nashville. We spend a lot of time there throughout the year thanks to Think and just friends that we're growing in relationship with there, and my husband's a hiker and so whenever we're in the area, he's like where should we hike? Where are your spots?
Speaker 2:So where are my spots? Well, first of all, quite the assumption that I hike. But no, I do love to hike.
Speaker 1:Didn't it say hiking, or am I wrong?
Speaker 2:Oh, maybe I did say it. We do as a family. Oh, okay, yes, yes, as a family. That is so funny because it isn't something I do on my own. That's why I was like, oh, I hike, but we like Radnor Lake. I don't know if people would say that Radnor Lake is a hike, but there are hiking spots and hiking trails, of course, edwin Warner and Percy Warner Parks those are great and then the Natchez Trace. If you go up to the trace, there's lots of. We actually got lost for a good two hours in the tree because we hiked through there and we couldn't quite find our way out, but we did, and it's just lovely. This whole place has so many wonderful places to go and be outside.
Speaker 1:So we've been to the first two that you said, not the last one. That's really fun, and then we have to chat barbecue for a second. So we've been to what? Uh, what's his name? My brain this morning? Uh, martin's.
Speaker 2:Martin yeah.
Speaker 1:So he was actually on the show a few years back when he came out with his book how, as a local, where's your go-to, where's the barbecue spot?
Speaker 2:Well, I really do love Ed Lee's, but we do love Martin's as well, and then there are so many others that I can't think of. I wish I would have thought of this ahead of time. But I'll just say Edley's and Martin's are our two go-to.
Speaker 1:Okay, so two things threw us off at Martin's as an East Coast girl, so we don't have true barbecue up here, of course, right. So we're used to like the sticky brown sauce, which I know is not true barbecue, right, and just some of the sides that you guys don't have down South. So they served it with a piece of white bread.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's actually real common. Yeah, it's also common to to serve it with especially also fried chicken to soak in fried chicken. Yeah so, but cornbread is typical what you're going to get. So I think Martin's might be unique in the white bread because cornbread is a more typical barbecue and cornbread.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they didn't have a sticky brown sauce and we were like, oh my gosh, we are not in Connecticut, this is like. Didn't have a sticky brown sauce and we were like, oh my gosh, we are not in Connecticut, this is like this must be real barbecue. That's so funny. That's so funny.
Speaker 2:It's like that vinegary sauce which Tennessee actually is a sticky brown sauce, so that's really interesting. So Memphis is, you will have that brown sauce. I think a vinegary sauce is more North Carolina, I think of vinegary sauces, more North Carolina, I think the Carolinas. But yeah, tennessee is a brown sauce kind of place.
Speaker 1:Well it's. I was reading your bio and I'm like Nashville, hiking and barbecue. We have three commonalities, so it's like we have to talk about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we're hoping to head there. Actually in a few months. I I feel like I've had enough time away that I'm like okay, it's time to go back. My heart's letting me know, so hopefully in March we'll be in town. It's a great place. It's a great place. It is Well okay, I'm excited to have you here. We connected about this quickly before the show. We connected through think media, which my listeners know about just because I'm crazy about them, and the community it's been the. The timing they came into my life was such a god thing. Um, it's just been such an intentional, rich community for me, so I love sharing about it and anyone, as that's a part of it, is instant family. So, um, I was trying to remember actually what you spoke about at that conference. Did it have to do with kids safety, was it?
Speaker 1:it wasn't kids safe d it's trying to remember, but it was kid related, right?
Speaker 2:yes, and it was. It was and not really it wasn't just kids, but yes, kids and not, I believe, a little bit on anxiety, if I can remember correctly. But but for some reason now it's been a couple of years I think it was a couple of years and so I don't recall but it would have been on oh, and cultural engagement maybe, and and how to be in the world, but not of the world. I think there was something like that, like anxiety. I just remember encouraging people to that they can either follow the world in the way that the world is responding to all things, or lean on the Lord and have peace because it is so. I remember that, but I don't remember the full context. That's interesting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I know it's okay that makes two of us, but I do remember. What I do remember is we didn't get to sit in the crowd for a lot of it, but for some reason I was able to sit in for yours and I remember that you carried yourself with such an authority, but it was a grace filled authority, Like I remember that you carried yourself with such an authority, but it was a grace filled authority. Like I remember that you were talking about a harder topic, whatever it was. Whatever it was I remember you talking about. It was a weighty topic, but it was with such grace, Like I feel like it. It was able to land softly and I followed you right away and I've followed you since. So, yeah, that's encouraging.
Speaker 2:I hope that I speak with grace and that people leave knowing more about the grace of God than anything else. So that's encouraging.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think it's always worth noting I think I'm saying that right, like the way I want to say it that it lands softly, like you could say something, and it lands in a way that people can receive it Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a part of speaking truth and love. I mean, if it's a heart of love, then it would. It should, even if it's hard sometimes. So I hope that when I use my words, that it comes from a place of love and would land softly. That's awesome. I'm very encouraged.
Speaker 1:Good, I'm so glad. Yeah, no, I wanted to definitely take the time to speak that over you, but I actually don't know much of your background. I know that a few of our listeners might not either. I love taking this time for our guests to share what you want us to know about you, and so what you want us to know about your life leading you up to your platform. So we're talking specifically about this book. You could take this, your book launch today, but you could take it whatever direction you want. What about your background do you want us to know?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, that's interesting. I grew up in the South and I had such a great upbringing. I did experience racism and that probably helped shape some of my desires to write and speak and think about culture and differences in a way that's shored up by the gospel, so that people understand better in a better way. And I am married to I'm in an interracial marriage, so my husband is white and his family's from England and we have two beautiful, wonderful children that are teenagers and we live really intentionally. So our lives and our family were intentional about meals, intentional about speaking, intentional we try right, that's just our goal and to live pretty intentionally together in community as a family. So I'm also a writer and speaker, I work for a publisher, so all of those things are also true.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh my gosh, there's so much there that I want to dive into. I guess, as a mom, I didn't tell you I was going to ask this because I didn't know you were going to say that, but I want to pick it out for a second. You said you live intentionally as a family and I'm a mom Wesley's just about a year and a half, but I'm realizing he's already watching, he's already learning, and I want to be prepared, I guess, because intentionality is something that's really important to me. But how, as a mom, have you taught that? What does that look like To be intentional? Intentional, yeah, like how do you get kid buy-in?
Speaker 2:You know that's such an interesting question and I'm wondering if it's habits in the home. So for us, kid buy-in I mean, our kids don't seem to push back because it's a part of our DNA and culture. So it's a part of our culture in the home to have dinner together. It's a part of our culture in home to speak openly and honest, because we've been doing it since they've been young and they learn right. So it's something that we have just been doing in our, in our home, and it's now a part of our DNA.
Speaker 2:I think it would be odder, or more odder Is that a word? It would be more if, if, if we all of a sudden stopped asking questions or just let them sit in their rooms all the way. They would be like there's something wrong. So I so, because we've been so intentional about certain things. That's not. That's not to say that and I'm sure your listeners know this and you know this that we've done everything perfect or even well, but we have been intentional and it's a part of our DNA and I think it's just habits that started early.
Speaker 1:Wow. I often say that intentionality is kind of like contagious too, and so I think that must be true with kids too, leading in intentionality and authenticity as parents. There's a draw right, and there's a safety and a comfort. It's wow, that's beautiful. I I feel like, yeah, it's not, it's actually not complicated, you just I don't think so.
Speaker 2:I'm so glad that you said that, because I think we overcomplicate just about everything. That doesn't mean that things are easy or that things will always go the way we think they should or will. I mean they just don't half the time, but it does. It doesn't trying is half the battle and just doing the thing, whatever that thing is, is half the battle. So it's not complicated. It doesn't mean that it's not hard, but I do think we overcomplicate and often overthink most things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, uh-huh. I have recently tried to define what intentionality means to me, because it's actually a part of my brand. It's Gather, intentional Living, everyday, hospitality, and if you were to tell me to act intentionally, I would know what to do. But to define it is harder. How would you define it, do you know? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Well, no, I mean, I've never thought about it, but I I, when you were saying that the first thing I said is on purpose.
Speaker 1:So if you're going to do, something intentionally.
Speaker 2:You're not going to do it haphazardly or you're not going to. Oh, it's not on a whim, it's really on on purpose and there's so, there's a reason, there's a purpose, and so that isn't in your intentional living. I believe it's so that we are very whimsical and we do a lot of things on a whim, but it's still on purpose. So we know on a Saturday we're gonna probably go out to eat as a family, but we don't know where we're going to go. But we know we're going to go. So that is, we are on purpose, spending time, family time, almost every Saturday night together, but the whimsy is we don't know where. What are we going to do? I don't know what are we going to. How are we going to do? What's your favorite thing today, whatever? And so it's not so scheduled that it's rigid or that we aren't going to look forward to it, but it is on purpose and intentional and we do it all. It's a habit, something that we've done.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I love that, so on purpose, and I'm also thinking like things that have a ripple effect of impact or benefit.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so. If I keep using the word and maybe it's probably because of the theme of your show, but it's also the theme of our lives. I the dinner table is very important to us, or the lunch table or breakfast table, because it's where we talk about our lives and the Lord and what's going on, and laugh and do silly things. So, yes, there is such a, there's a purpose. It's a building into our family purpose, it's a building into our family relational, making sure that we know what's going on, accountability. So there's so much that happens around the table. That is important to us. So but but yes, any kind we are even even things like car rides Most, most of the time, if, especially after school with one of my children, the other one's driving now but the radio's down and I'm asking questions and learning and we love it, we value that time and so it is on purpose and most of it is so that we can lovingly serve in each other and build into our relationship. So 100%.
Speaker 1:Wow, I was going to ask you this a little bit later in the conversation, but it seems like a good time to talk about now. Why do you think the table has the ability to foster that kind of intentionality, unlike other places? Like there is something that happens at the table where it almost it, it invites this. Why do you, why do you think that? And there's maybe you don't have an answer.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, I don't have. I don't know if I have the right answer, but I have an idea, and so I I wonder if part of it is that it's. It's somewhat it depends on the table, right. So some tables are formal and that's on purpose. There's a reason for that, and but around a, a table with friends and hospitality or family, you usually are stripping away the, the formalities, right, and so I I also think it's a place typically where you're still you know what I mean Like we're not busy, we're sitting, you're sitting and you're you're hopefully, eyes are on each other, and um and I, distractions are minimized typically, and and so I think that's another, even if it is just, it doesn't mean that it's it's beautiful. All the time you could have been throwing food, I mean, it's not that it, but it's typically a slowed down, you know place. So I do wonder if that, yeah, what do you think?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love asking people because I love hearing the different insight, because all of us come from different table cultures right, the table means something different in all of our homes and all of our backgrounds Right. And so, even as you were saying that, some people might be listening thinking, oh wow, I've never experienced peace at the table and it almost if that's been your experience where the table's always been hurried or maybe angsty or hostile, with different conversations. Right, it is almost this like relearning, um reconditioning to experience it as a place of peace.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, yeah, no, you're exactly right, Because there's so many people who who are scarfing. You know they've got they experience. Hostility is difficult, and so if that is someone's experience, one, I'm so very sorry that you've experienced that. But I do believe that God is a redeemer and there is a I'll pray one that he will redeem that situation. But I do wonder also if we can make space for the more slowed down.
Speaker 2:So maybe it's not every meal, maybe it's one. Yeah, maybe there's. You know, there's a one place where we could carve out and say, ok, this is when we're going to gather together, we're going to slow down, we're going to take our bucket and put our phones in it and move them away, and and we're going to be together. So so I wonder if, if small steps is a better, small steps is a better. You know at one thing that I often say about people who are gifted differently than me or have experiences different than I am I don't have to be that person. I can rejoice for them, but I can also learn. So maybe there is an aspect of that as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Goodness, oh, I love it. This is my language. Well, we are talking about your book today. I the lighting is terrible, I'm going to attach the picture and all the show notes but celebrating around the table, learning the stories of black Christians through readings, fellowship, food and faith, and, oh my goodness, the layout of this book. Talk about intentionality. It is designed so intentionally, so beautifully. I always say there's dignity in detail and good detail, and I just it it. Yeah, I felt that. I felt that through all of the design, um, the way that you guys drew all the people that you were talking, the art, whoever the artist was, that was so beautiful, Steven Crofts.
Speaker 2:He did that artwork.
Speaker 1:Yes, Beautiful it is. It's stunning. All of it is stunning, but I want to talk about a little bit more, about the heart of it. So we're talking about the importance of celebrating Black History Month as a family for you guys in your home, and, as you talked about it, I loved the way that you processed a particular aspect of it, and I'm going to read a quote, a quote from the book A knowledge and understanding of others' history can be a catalyst for open dialogue.
Speaker 1:Of course, we wouldn't want to assume that knowledge equates to full understanding, but it can help. I think it's really important for us to see the connection here between hearing stories and having open dialogue, or hearing stories and connection. We live in a culture right now that loves small talk, that kind of doesn't really know how to go past that, and so I think it's important for us to realize okay, when we take that step deeper, when we open up, you know the opportunity to hear stories there's, there's a lot there that's untapped. So I would love to hear you talk about how you make room for this at your table and how I guess others can too. How to make room for stories and how I guess others can too.
Speaker 2:How to make room for stories? Thank you for repeating that question. You know, I think for us we are just a curious family, so we ask a lot of questions and we're reading through things and so, in the context of celebrating around the table every Black History Month, we would research a person and then just talk about what we learned. And so it again, intentional is the word for the day. It is, yeah, but it would be very intentional learning about people. But we're also we have from the beginning kind of instilled in our kids a curiosity about people and people groups, and so it is somewhat natural for us to ask questions about other cultures and people.
Speaker 2:So it's very intentional in February because of Black History Month, and we've just been doing it every year for years now. And yeah, so we'll bring up a question or I'll tell a story and then we'll talk about it Again really casually. Tell a story and then we'll talk about it again really casually. In this book I give people prompts, because not everyone's done something like this before, but it is pretty just casual and interesting about their lives or about their history, about something that we learned, and we let the conversation go where it goes.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow. I remember. So we were on the missions fields in Thailand and with a group of incredible, very intentional people, and a few of them in particular were incredible question askers. And I remember when I first experienced them in friendship, the their question asking was so foreign to me that it felt a little bit uncomfortable at first, and then, the longer I got to know them, I was like, wow, your question asking actually makes me feel very known.
Speaker 1:I think that sometimes in our culture right now we might question motive behind question asking, but I think that there's a difference that is very important for people to know, that there's a difference between people being curious and being nosy. That is very important for people to know that there's a difference between people being curious and being nosy. And I think that curiosity can lead to this depth of understanding and connection like you're talking about, and that not everyone comes from. Maybe it's just a New England thing. New England's hard. Not everyone is approaching question asking from a place of malintent or nosiness, right? Oh yeah, oh yeah, and questions are okay to ask and they're also important to receive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, so that is. I'm glad you mentioned context, because I do. Yeah, that matters, context matters and culture matters, because in some cultures it would be completely rude to ask a very personal question. And so one of the things that I do and not in my home because, well, no, with as my kids have gotten older, I will ask is it okay if I ask you about something? Ooh, that's good, yeah, and that gives me that chance to, yes, please do. And I have been told no, not right now, cause I'm anxious or stressed or I need to rest, or. And then you're like okay, I'll ask, I'll talk to you later about it, and so it gives the person the opportunity to say yes. And once they say yes, then you should be able to ask the question. And if they, they say yes, then you should be able to ask the question. And if they if I think our response is important as well if someone, if you really are genuinely loving your neighbor as yourself, then you can ask questions, being curious and trust that that it will be okay and that, but but it is.
Speaker 2:That is interesting, because I didn't. One of the things in the South that I experienced is that, maybe fluff in answers if you're talking about asking questions to strangers, right? So you ask how are you doing? I'm fine, everything's good, you know. And so that is the harder thing, probably in the South is this facade of everything's awesome all the time. But I don't, you know, I haven't. I've lived in the North for one minute and I'm not very long, so I don't know what culturally that looks like, but yeah, so, that's interesting.
Speaker 1:If someone is maybe wanting to become a better question, asker. So you said that you guys are a very curious family, which I love that you describe your family unit that way, because there's so much value there and culture needs it. What are? I don't know if you have an approach per se, but how could people adopt that Curiosity? Yeah, yeah, like. What does it look like to be curious in relationship?
Speaker 2:You know, I'm going to encourage a resource that's kind of a it will kind of correct our hearts a little bit. Tim Keller, who was a theologian and pastor. He wrote a book called the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness and it is a wonderful little. It's almost like a pamphlet. It's a short little resource that helps us learn how to get our eyes off ourselves, to get our eyes on others.
Speaker 2:I think that is the key to curiosity is to want to learn about other people.
Speaker 2:So often we are thinking about how we appear or how we look or how we sound or how we you name it that it's hard for us to overcome that, to say, hey, I see you, how are you, let me learn about you, and so that, to me, is the key to, or one of the keys to, helping us be a curious people. Another one is just asking God to help us love people, and and that builds curiosity. So if we're just, wow, I want to know about this person and that culture, and that, then it will, we won't, we can't help but ask questions because or to read and to learn. So curiosity, I really think it's a part of one getting our eyes off of ourselves, which could mean our circumstance, or it could mean literally ourselves and asking God to give us a real love for others so that we might see people the way he sees them as image bearers who are valuable and have worth. And so if people are valuable and have worth, then we should be curious about them.
Speaker 1:Wow, I just noted that. I'll include that in the show notes. I'm familiar with Tim Keller Tim Keller, but not that book. And that sounds like a powerful read and it's two minutes long, is it really? It's short, it's so short, it's like a pamphlet. Well, you know what that's helpful. Last year, I set this very unrealistic goal for me to read a certain amount of books and I didn't read it or I didn't reach it, and I'm like I need shorter books this year so that I could like check them.
Speaker 2:Okay, there you go. That's a good one, that's amazing.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, I also kind of a random side note but on my to-do list I have a column that says quick things and a column that says long projects, and whenever I need a boost I do something on my quick things list so I could cross it off and get kind of like fuel. So I need books for that reason too. One thing I didn't put this on my notes either, as you were telling the stories of the people in the book I loved I should have quoted this, but you said that you used their name. I'm probably going to get choked up after, like when they were came help me word that like after slavery, yeah, out of slavery, right, and that was such a beautiful, intentional detail and it made me choke up. Can you explain that? Put the words in my mouth. Can you explain to me how you approached that? Because that was, oh my goodness, so honoring and intentional of their stories.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and, I hope, dignifying, and that is what my heart, that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to, hey, these, the men and women who were enslaved in the book when they were freed or fought for their freedom or escaped. They named themselves and I wanted to honor them by using the name that they used for themselves and not their slave name, because that is the name that. And so, yeah, I wanted to give them honor and dignity and and, and I felt like that was one way I could do that, and I felt like that was one way I could do that.
Speaker 1:Wow, wow. Well, I do really try to experience the books on my own before I have these conversations. You know, here on the show, and that was one thing that I was like, wow, that's very worth noting. Yeah, it was a beautiful addition to write that out for readers to experience. Well, when you were creating this book, I've noted that it's very different from others that I've seen what was important for you to include for readers, so that differentiates it, I guess, from others on the market.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so there are so many biographies on the market, but even in the biographical sketches I wanted to use as much of the actual person's name, work and words as I could. So I looked at those primary sources their own autobiographies or their own journals and writings and I wanted to include them. So that is, I think, unique for a short profile. Another thing is that I did a devotional based on something about their character or something that I learned about them. So if they were really courageous, then I didn't have a devotional about courage. Or if Elizabeth Freeman she fought for her own freedom and she used the Declaration of Independence to do it, and that all men and women shall be treated equally. So I used that idea and I thought, okay, well then we need to understand Genesis 1, the Imago Dei. Let's dive into that.
Speaker 2:So that is a unique aspect of this book and, of course, the fact that it has recipes. This is actually a pretty unique, giftable. Unique, giftable, usable book. So it's not something that just is you have to read and be done. It can be. It's user-friendly. It has so many questions that can be used with families, friends, for all ages.
Speaker 1:For all ages, for all ages too, which I love. So I think you were saying in the book that you maybe geared it more towards teenage kids, but you have a kid's corner, right? Is that correct? Like the main questions are for a teenage audience, right? Or like teenage and adult? But yeah, I guess elaborate on that, because I really appreciated that part of it too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I think you said in my bio, I'm a kid's author as well, so I've written books like God's Very Good Idea and other picture books and middle grade books. So I also have taught Sunday school for years and years and years. For families to use that, I provide a question or something to help parents, a prompt really, to help parents engage in the content. Well, because one of the questions that I get all the time is where do I start, what should I say? How do I say this? And so I wanted to provide hey, here's a little prompt, here's a little question that you can use to engage your children's heart and minds, and so it's just something that was really important to me.
Speaker 1:Wow, so sweet. And so we're talking a lot in this episode about people wanting to start with intentionality and start reflecting, and so I'm so thankful that you provided that, because it gives a piece of your heart to them as a resource to help them kick off. Well, well, something that was very fun was the recipes included in, was it? So? It's three, three recipe chapters. They get that right in the book. It's three, three recipe chapters. Did I get?
Speaker 2:that right in the book?
Speaker 1:Well, there are there's a lot of recipes, yeah.
Speaker 2:There are a lot of recipes and and I'm looking at the book right now just to if you go just to see if I could count but I can't. So if you go to the end, to page 207, you'll see a recipe index. But there's lots of there's main recipes. The goal really is to provide three meals a week. So most many people can't cook three meals, but I wanted to provide it just in case they had to give options. So you get the main dishes and side dishes and one dessert per week, because that's most desserts can be eaten all week.
Speaker 2:Um, but I will say and I need to say this out loud I am not a chef. I am yes, I am a home cooker, I'm a home chef. I also will say I do not eat like this all the time because it is very Southern. My mom is cooking. I'm actually much more health conscious and so this book takes there's there's lots of help there. The, the every recipe in here isn't unhealthy at all, but there are a few that are pretty unhealthy and I um very Southern kind of um, and and it's it's. It's not how I eat every single week, but it is an. It was an absolute joy and a blast to do.
Speaker 1:Wow, it's a really sweet part. So the goal is to have these recipes as you're reflecting, so the reader would cook the recipe and then have this time with their family, reflecting on the questions and create almost like a whole experience. So it's like an experience delivered to them in a book. Absolutely, you couldn't have summed it up better on the questions and create almost like a whole experience. So it's like an experience delivered to them in a book.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. You couldn't have summed it up better, yep.
Speaker 1:That's it, very, very sweet Goodness. Well, what else about the book? I guess would you hope readers glean from it, or the experience that they get from it, that we didn't cover Anything that we missed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you actually. Yeah, I think we covered everything. I just hope people leave that they've learned something new or learned something at all, so it's educational. I also pray that people's faith would be built, that they would understand more about the Lord and the character of the reader and the Lord and then that they would have fun. I think we. Often there's a lot of lamenting. Some of the stories are very, very hard, but we can enjoy each other and enjoy getting around the table, even as we are talking about these hard things. That's coming together and making memories, and fun may not be the right word, but celebrating is a good word and coming together is a good word, and that's what I hope. I hope that it will be enjoyable as they gather together.
Speaker 1:Wow, Well, I could stand behind that and see all of that coming to pass. Well, celebrating around the table available where all books are sold. Or where should they buy it? Where's the best pay? Oh, where all books are sold.
Speaker 2:Yeah, where all books are sold is. Yeah, that's right, and you can always go to my website or celebratingaroundthetablecom. Yeah, or Trillium.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'll include all those I know. Sometimes for authors it's more beneficial to send them one place or another, but Well, I mean, you could go to Amazon.
Speaker 2:That's where. But I know that there's so many different viewpoints on Amazon, but Amazon is a great place to to grab the book and it's I think it's half off right now there or something, so that's a great place to go. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Amazing, amazing, amazing. Well, we end all of our conversations with the same three questions, and I'd love to hear your answers as well. The first is something you have eaten recently and loved. It could be anything.
Speaker 2:I have discovered how to make a really yummy homemade ramen. I am just like in love with it. I feel like I'm making it with different vegetables and it's so good and I make it. I don't use the package, clearly, so I use it with this gluten-free brown kind of noodle. It's just delicious. So that has been something fun I've been eating lately.
Speaker 1:I, my husband, very gently told me the other day he's like I think you need to learn how to make it because I get pho or like pho at the Vietnamese restaurant. I think it's pho. Yeah, it's like $20 a bowl. And he's like this is not a cheap habit, katie.
Speaker 2:Can we get a new habit, please? That's the best thing ever. Can we get a new habit, please? That's the best thing ever. So I was like, no, it's my food that I don't want to know how to make.
Speaker 1:I want to buy it, but no, I should explore. It's so amazing, I love, I love pho, yeah, yeah, and the hoisin sauce and fish sauce and all that stuff. It's so good. Yeah, oh well, I like that answer, but I'm not going to tell him that you make it at home, because then he's going to be like get her recipe. Oh man, how about something you have found to be beautiful lately?
Speaker 2:Ooh, that's interesting. Oh, um, my daughter, I know that's so. Of course my daughter's beautiful, but she's grown, she, she just turned 50. She turned 15 in November. She is turning into this just beautiful woman. And it's so weird and also beautiful, lovely, wonderful. So I just I look at my daughter and it takes my breath away. It literally takes my breath away.
Speaker 1:There was a picture I think it was you and your daughter in the book. You're kind of like forehead to forehead.
Speaker 2:Oh, probably Family does, thankfully, but I'm so grateful yeah.
Speaker 1:Wow, very beautiful. Well, last but not least, this has been my favorite lately Something you've discovered recently that you think everyone should know, about A Netflix show an Amazon purchase.
Speaker 2:Oh okay, this could divide your audience. Where is this wild show on Apple is so interesting you could spend. I could write essays on it. It's so interesting about our minds and our temptations and how we escape. Have you heard?
Speaker 1:of it. Have you seen it? We were at family dinner this last weekend celebrating birthdays and my sister and brother-in-law came. They were like you have to watch Severance. Yeah, they just, and I haven't gotten there, but it's so OK.
Speaker 2:But you got to start with season one. But it is a compelling show and I think it just oh it's I could. I would love to sit around a small table and talk to people about what our temptations are, that we would do you would. We want to escape pain, sorrow, suffering so much so that we'd alter our minds. You'll see, I'm not going to say anything else. It's interesting.
Speaker 1:Wow, that does sound good. We need a good show too. My husband's a big YouTube video guy, and so we end up watching a lot of YouTube, but I need a show. I need a like yeah, I need a.
Speaker 2:You all. If you watch it, tell me yeah, I will, and we could like process it together.
Speaker 1:Uber eats you some pho and we can.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, husband, she's now giving away her habit.
Speaker 1:Oh, my goodness, so much fun. Well, thank you so much for coming on, and I want people to join in on the fun themselves. So where do you want people to follow along? Yeah, where do you want to send people?
Speaker 2:Yes, okay, instagram is probably where I am most on if you're wanting real life interaction, and that is at Trillia Newbell, but I also have a website, trillianewbellcom, and Substack. All that information is at my website and that's probably the easiest place to start.
Speaker 1:Great. Oh, I love it all so much. Well, thank you so much for taking the time. We are celebrating this launch with you, black History Month with you, and just thank you so much for your intentionality and authenticity. I know it inspired all of those listening today.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Of course. Well, guys, we will see you next week.