A podcast designed to encourage believers that God can use you to impact His kingdom no matter your story. Yes, it requires surrender and trust, but His grace is enough.
Episodes
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Tuesday Jul 02, 2019
Robin and I chat her own abortion, hope and healing after abortion, purity, forgiveness, and ministry leadership.
4:04 Robin shares her faith journey with us, the abortion she had in college, and how she tried to maintain the "perfect" mask.
"At 3 years old there were some people who paired me off with this little boy named Glenn and they thought it was really cute. And something really got inside of me at that time where I felt I needed a guy to complete me. I had a boyfriend from Kindergarten all the way through and if I didn't have one I was looking."
Prior to the start of her junior year of college at Oral Roberts University, Robin had a positive pregnancy test.
After telling her mother, she went and told the chaplain of Oral Roberts and she was asked to leave. She had broken the moral code she had signed.
7:00 "I got on a Greyhound bus and I traveled across the country, all by myself from Oklahoma to California, into the arms of my boyfriend. Somehow within a week I found myself in an abortion clinic in Fresno, California having an abortion. I remember laying on that table praying my boyfriend would come and save me and he didn't. I remember waking up and I remember getting in the car and he looked at me and said, 'I wish we hadn't done that.' "
9:17 Robin shares a little of what life was like following the abortion
10:45 Robin begins sharing about becoming the director of a pregnancy center at the age of 25.
"I knew I needed healing from my own abortion experience when I attended training on the very first day and they actually showed a video of an abortion being done...and I drove away and I knew I wasn't okay. Thankfully, these sweet women took me under their wing and taught me about Post-abortion Syndrome and they helped me get the healing I needed."
13:13 Robin shares more about Post-abortion Syndrome
14:42 Robin shares a God moment with us regarding a vision of her aborted son
Daniel James was the name God gave Robin during that vision for the curly haired boy she saw coming toward her.
"This little boy, about 6 years old, looked at me and ....said, 'I love you mommy.' He said, 'I forgive you and I can't wait to see you someday.' "
"They say 70% of women who have abortions attend a protestant or a Catholic church."
19:13 Robin shares about her own crisis pregnancy while she was director of a pregnancy center
"Here I was living this expected "godly" lifestyle, but I was still holding part of myself back from the Lord. I wasn't fully living for Him, but when I got pregnant this time I committed to the Lord to be all in."
"I walked into the board meeting and told them of my situation, that I was pregnant and it wasn't my husbands child (I was still married. He was not complying with the divorce at that point). I told the board and their response blew me away. They said, 'If you're not a crisis pregnancy, we don't know who is and there's no way we could turn our back on you.' They allowed me to stay in the position....That board extended grace to me."
SHOW NOTES continued
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Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
Tuesday Jun 25, 2019
Jillian and I chat about the work she does with the non-profit Created to come alongside women in the sex industry.
4:06 Jillian shares what Created does on a day to day basis to build relationships with women coming out of the sex industry
Created’s goal is to provide a place of belonging and refuge to every woman they meet that is coming from the sex industry.
5 of the 9 staff at Created Women are survivor leaders.
7:37 Jillian shares some statistics about the sex industry, particularly in Tampa, Florida where they are located
- Tampa is 3rd in the U.S. for the number of men, women, and children who are brought into the country for sex trafficking
- Tampa has more strip clubs per capita than any other city in the U.S.
- Tampa is 3rd in the U.S. for illicit massage parlors
10:49 “Think about, what are the things that happened in their lives that led them here, because no child is ever like that is what I want to do when I grow up. That’s how I want to make my way through college is to dance and strip…It is not a normal thing. It has to come from some brokenness that is happening, whether to them or around them.”
11:50 Jillian walks us through her time as a street outreach volunteer, residential program coordinator, and now executive director at Created.
17:58 “So many times we go into ministry like, ‘Oh, this is going to be so great’….but real ministry is hard. People are broken and they don’t want your help and they don’t want your good words or whatever you think you can give. At the end of the day, that is the biggest thing I have had to learn, all I can offer is Jesus and the kindness and peace that He brings.”
20:20 Jillian shares obstacles and success stories
27:07 “We have 5 members of our staff team are graduates of our program. To watch them every day reinvest their lives into the women we’re serving and use their stories to cultivate change that nobody else could is amazing.”
“It’s all the small moments that really matter. The graduating from drug treatment, starting trauma therapy; it is all the small steps, because even when a relapse happens or something happens and a woman decides to leave our program we can always go back and think, ‘She made it this many months clean this time and she made through these classes and life skills that she never had before.’ The likelihood of her coming back from that relapse is so much higher than it was before.”
SHOW NOTES continued.
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Follow Grace Enough Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and at graceenoughpodcast.com to keep up with all that is going on. There is a lot going on during the summer months and I don't want you to miss a thing!
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SPONSOR: Spiritfilled Woman Magazine.
In an age of confusion, with opinions, myths, stereotypes, and expectations coming at us from all directions, Spirit-Filled Woman magazine exists to equip women to sort through the lies and instead walk by the Spirit in grace and truth. Each issue of this bi-monthly print magazine is designed in such a way so as to include content which will pertain to women of all ages, stages, and backgrounds, showing them just how relevant and applicable God’s Word is to each and every area of their lives as women. It is our hope at Spirit-Filled Woman that you will come away encouraged and built up to walk by the Spirit in your own everyday life.
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
Tuesday Jun 18, 2019
Kate and I chat about her children's book, The Giving Crusade, which is a little book with a big mission, to teach kids that giving a little can do a lot.
3:54 Kate shares the inspiration behind The Giving Crusade
“It’s my job as an aunt, to take the good work parents have done and make it even better.”
Kate shares 3 things she would want to leave as a legacy for her nieces and nephew.
- Her creativity
- Her philanthropy and good works
- Her kindness
10:06 "It wasn't my goal. I never dreamed of being a children's author. I dreamed of being a writer. I always say I am a storyteller with photography."
11:50 Kate shares 3 stories of giving that have resulted from The Giving Crusade
- Smilestones by Molly
- K.I.D.S. = Kids Inspired and Determined to Serve
- St. Pius Catholic School
16:35 "Their principle used the terminology 'quietly generous' and there is no better way to put that. Truly, there is such beauty in being quietly generous. Where you are not looking for any sort of return, there is no expectation on the gifts that you are giving. It is purely done, because you care and you won't to make the world a better place."
"The book focuses on a $5 gift as the launching point for conversation, but .... [the gift] doesn't have to be money. You have your gifts in terms of talent and time and love and being a good steward in your community. All of that is just as important as any money you can give."
18:50 Kate shares about Crusader Cash
Purchase The Giving Crusadeat:
- NoFo at the Pig
- Bailey's Fine Jewelry
- Little Details
- South
- thegivingcrusade.com
"This book empowers the children to make the decision. Most of the time, parents are leading the giving experience, the volunteer experience...this book really puts that control in the child's hands."
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Follow Grace Enough Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and at graceenoughpodcast.com to keep up with all that is going on. There is a lot going on during the summer months and I don't want you to miss a thing!
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
Tuesday Jun 11, 2019
B.J. and I chat about coming to know Jesus through Young Life, how various job experiences led him to All Pro Dad, what All Pro Dad offers to assist dads in their relationship with their children, and how he deals with conflict when his content rubs people the wrong way.
4:11: B.J. begins sharing how his faith journey with Jesus began
"She [mom] brought me up with this really rich Catholic foundation, which gave me essentially a deep respect for God's holiness, for His judgement, the fact that He is somebody to be revered, to be feared (in a healthy way)."
He started going to Young Life in high school.
"He [Young Life leader] talked about Jesus in a way that made Him very relatable."
7:55 So you marry this beautiful foundation of respect for God's holiness with the personal relationship aspect with Jesus and you have a beautiful marriage.
10:57B.J. talks about going on Young Life staff after working in a variety of fields
Susan Merrill, one of the founders of Family First
13:01 B.J. begins talking about All Pro Dad: the mission, resources they provide, etc.
Malachi 4:6 "He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
"The lack of the love of a father, the lack of presence of a father leaves a gaping hole."
85% of incarcerated individuals grow up without a dad.
You can engage as an All Pro Dadis 3 ways:
- Sign up for All Pro Dademail, which helps dad's be intentional with their time with their children
- One hour every month, attend an All Pro Chapter(or start a chapter) at your local school
- Attend an All Pro Dad Experience at an NFL Stadium/College Stadium
17:47 B.J. talks about the importance of a father being involved in their child's life
19:45 We begin discussing the articles B.J. has written/continues to write for All Pro Dad.
Here are a few:
- 7 Things that Lead Kids Down the Wrong Road
- 7 Notes You Should Write to Your Children
- 20 Things Wives Love to Hear from Their Husbands
Continued SHOW NOTES
Follow along on IG: @graceenoughpodcast_amber
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Tuesday Jun 04, 2019
Today, I chat with Veronica Greear, the wife of Southern Baptist ConventionPresident, J.D. Greear. We chat about her journey with Jesus, challenges that come with being a pastor's wife, her families transition as J.D. stepped into his role as SBC President, and loving your people well.
8:39 Veronica begins sharing how her faith journey began
9:15 “I was trying to keep God happy with me. I wanted Him to like me….I wanted that on one hand, but on the other I wanted all of my friends and peers to like me and be happy with me. And in high school, those usually don’t overlap very much… Now, when I say keeping Him happy with me, that was obviously the way I was looking at it. What we know is that because of God’s grace and His sacrifice He can’t be happier with you, if that is how you want to put it. He loves you. He is not unclear on who you are. He is not unclear on the fact that you came from dust, but I think I was unclear on that.”
13:53 "God, I pray that Veronica will understand that You do not care who she is. You don't care what she does. You were not fooled when You died on the cross, but that You care whose she is, who she belongs to and that is You. From that point on, I thought, why would I run away from this? If anybody was fooled on this relationship, it certainly wasn't Him. He loves me."
16:10Veronica begins sharing things she does on a day to day basis to continue growing in her walk with Jesus.
22:26 Veronica shares about her career as a teacher, prior to becoming a stay at home mom, and how she continues to nurture that love of teaching today.
24:13Veronica shares about some of the challenges of being a pastor's wife
"It was weird for me to recognize that even though I wasn't always thinking I am married to the pastor, they [congregation] usually are."
"You are going to have to dig deep to remember and remind yourself that your worth is not in what other people think of you. Your worth is only and always in Christ and that is true for you NO MATTER WHAT."
"For me, people pleasing has always been a struggle. I have to seek the Lord on where I am letting someone down and have to be fine with it (and that is really hard for me) or where I am letting someone down and no that is something I need to fix."
In a multitude of counsel, there is wisdom.
Proverbs 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed
Proverbs 11:14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.
Grace Enough Podcast SHOW NOTES continued.....
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Follow Grace Enough Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and at graceenoughpodcast.com to keep up with all that is going on. There is a lot going on during the summer months and I don't want you to miss a thing!
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SPONSOR: Hope Threads
This organization was founded by moms in north Raleigh, who have been inspired and motivated to join with highly resilient and talented refugees as they learn English, and develop marketable skills to support their families. These women come from countries with political turmoil, where they had to fight for the safety of their families. They’ve been given the opportunity to come to the United States and the challenges still exist, though they’ve changed face. Their children are generally thriving in school, though they lack the language skills to understand what’s being said in parent teacher conferences....or to know how to get their children proper medical care in the maze of a medical system.
Multiple barriers exist that prevent these women from traditional employment opportunities, as most of them do not have cars to get them to work, the finances to pay for childcare, or the language skills to communicate and advocate for themselves. Hope Threadswas born out of relationships formed over years of serving these women by teaching them English or caring for their children as they learn. They are graciously hosted by North Ridge Bible Chapel and have virtually no overhead costs, as volunteers teach sewing skills and care for children in a gospel centered children’s program.
They started with baby items and have now expanded into also making women’s earrings and dish cloths. You can find them online at hope-Threads.com or on Instagram at hope.threads.
Your purchase empowers a resilient woman as she acculturates, learns new skills, and supports her family. Please visit Hope Threads to view their catalog.
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Tuesday May 28, 2019
Steph and I chat about using business to empower people to fight human trafficking through what they purchase. We also talk about how Stories Foundation came about how and the Freedom Food Truck is not only raising awareness, but is supporting organization who are fighting human trafficking.
2:09: Stephanie takes us back to 2012 and shares the story behind Stories Foundationand the Freedom Truck.
Book: Passport Through the Darknessby Kimberly L. Smith
Kimberly L. Smith is the founder of Make Way Partners
"I remember looking out the window and saying to God, 'This isn't okay that children are being forced to do these horrific things and they're being taken advantage of and exploited.' I remember Him, it's like He said to my spirit, 'You're right. It's not okay. What are we going to do about that?' It was one of those moments where all of my excuses of when I'm done having babies or when we have more money or when we have more stable jobs or when we can pay our bills better, they just didn't matter when you think about the reality out there in the world."
Mark Batterson's Coffee Shop: Ebeneezer's
Eugene Cho: Q Cafe (closed due to location change) and One Day's Wages
6:27 "I started with what I had."
6:45 Steph shares about the early days speaking at small events and small groups to raise awareness of human trafficking.
"As Christ followers, we have been set free from sin. I think Satan is the greatest trafficker. Christ has purchased our freedom. We are free. And he [Satan] manipulates us, coerces us, lies to us, plays on our emotions, tells us we need these other things and traffics us into sin....We have been set free from that, so as Christians, I think, it is our greatest responsibility to be about freedom, both spiritual and physical."
9:01 Stephanie shares about acquiring the food truck, which is known as the Freedom Truck.
13:28 Steph walks us through what to expect when you walk up to the Freedom Truck
14:41 "I started Storieson the very optimistic belief that people would want to make a difference in this issue and that they would RISE UP. The truck has proven that to be true. People, if they're given an opportunity, they will choose to make a difference."
16:45 Steph shares some of what she has learned about human trafficking since 2012.
"When you look at sex trafficking. We have sex trafficking. We have child sex trafficking, because we have pornography, because we have an over sexualized culture, because we have sexual addiction. When you start...to say pornography is a reason for child sex trafficking, child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation that's going to strike some chords of shame...When shame is revealed people want to hide."
"Traffickers look for vulnerabilities to exploit."
Grace Enough Podcast SHOW NOTES continued
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You can learn more about Stories Foundation at www.storiesfoundation.org and find her writing at www.stephaniempage.com as well as on Facebook and Instagram.
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Follow Grace Enough Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, and at graceenoughpodcast.com to keep up with all that is going on. There is a lot going on during the summer months and I don't want you to miss a thing!
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Tuesday May 21, 2019
Jason and and I chat about how music had become an idol in his life. He shares about eventually surrendering it all to God and how that altered his journey to one of a restored marriage, writing Christian music, and eventually Seeds Family Worship. Our conversation is one filled with joy, laughter and encouragement for families.
Seeds Family Worship mission: To get God's Word to as many hearts and homes as possible.
6:10: Jason begins sharing his faith journey with us
"God revealed Himself to me through the mountains of Idaho, through His creation."
Selfish ambition was an idol in my life. I would say things like, "We're gonna make this happen."
"Ambition in and of itself is not a bad thing, but when it is based on you...And music is an amazing thing and it is such a gift in my life, but in that season music was an idol. It came before the Lord. That is when I took a wrong turn and I wondered away from the Lord, but God pursued me."
Psalm 40 (life verse)
9:24 Jason talks about switching from country music to Christian music. He began working with Matthew West.
Jason shares two examples of God's grace in his life:
- He finally let go of music and that is when God gave him songs to write that become #1 hits.
- The gift of his 3rd a child. A daughter, Abby.
11:30 Jason shares more details about how Seeds Family Worship came to be.
x"The Lord really showed me, quit chasing after things and seek me first. Like Matthew 6: 31-33 says, 'Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.' But if you go back to earlier in that verse it says, 'Do not worry saying what shall we eat, what shall we drink, what shall we wear for the pagans run after all these thing and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them.' The Lord showed me, 'That's you. You're chasing after all these things. Seek me first and I'm going to bring everything you need to you."
"God always gave me a heart for kids."
The children's ministry director asked him to write 5 Scriptures to song for VBS. They became the first 5 Seeds songs.
12:59 "At the end of the week, I could see, every child, every teacher knew every song word for word. And because where God had my heart, I saw something happening, because of how I am wired, 'I'm like we could go for this and chase after this,' but I thought, 'No, if this is the Lord I'm not going to do anything.' I kind of felt that thing where I just kind of charge, because how God made me, but I was like, 'Lord, if you want this..."
14:25 Jason shares how Seeds Ministry has impacted his family personally and shares a few other impact stories.
YWAM : Ben (Jason's brothers) was a YWAM'er early on.
"Worship girl" is Jason's niece and she will be on tour with Seeds this summer.
Cast Your Cares (Psalm 55:22)
Do Not Be Anxious About Anything (Phil 4: 6-7)
Seeds Family Worship make excellent gifts. Each album comes with two identical CD's or download cards. One to keep and one to giveaway.
More Show Notes HERE.
Tuesday May 14, 2019
Tuesday May 14, 2019
Cheryl and I chat about understanding and living the life God intends for us. We talk about her ministry Promised Land Living, the 7-step shift, contending vs. cooperating with God, and 100% responsibility.
5:33: Cheryl begins sharing her faith journey with us and how that intersects with Promised Land Living
Loving God by Chuck Colson
10:32 "I went on a quest to not only understand this way of life that God intended for me in the promised land, but to actually live it and that's what gave birth to Promised Land Living."
10:50 Cheryl describes a the 7-step shift, which is foundational to Promised Land Living.
"The 7-step shift is a tool we introduce at the very beginning of the journey. It is a method of repentance. You know, the modern day church, we don't do a lot of active contrition type work....Repentance is a glorious thing. It actually reflects what God wants for us more than anything is to repent and turn back to Him. And so this is what we are doing through 7-step shift. We are practicing, we are training in righteousness, by making a 180 degree turn away from a behavior, away from a thought, anything that is out of alignment with God, with what God says to be true and life-giving. And by the time you get to the 7th step, as you practice it, you are back on track with God. You're back in alignment with God."
7-step shift mechanics are born out of:
- Romans 12:1-2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- John 8:31-32:To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
"We see God is saying to transform our mind. How? Through taking the thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and immediately. And if we continue in His Word, which begins the transformation in our mind, we are truly free. The 7-step shift is simply a tool that combines both."
Click for more SHOW NOTES.
Tuesday May 07, 2019
Tuesday May 07, 2019
Quina and I chat about meeting Jesus as a teenager, her high school English teacher encouraging her to perform her first poem, and how her children's book, Love Made came to be.
2:50 Quina shares her faith journey with us, when she came to know Jesus.
"Pride was my god and once I got into a big public school to play basketball for them I just began to see my self-righteousness get confronted by my slavery to sin, meaning, when I went into freshman year I would say, I would never do this or that, only these types of girls do this. And sure enough, my freshman and sophomore year I started to see my sin snowball in all kinds of ways, particularly in lust. That was really something that God used to help me see that as Jesus say, 'If you sin, you are a slave to sin.' And thankfully, He brought a friend into my life...As I got to know her I saw something different about her and as I got to know her family saw something very different about them, mainly love."
6:10 "Soon after that God began to really just draw me to Himself. I realized that I was empty and there was nothing that was going satisfy me. I was popular. We were well off. I had everything that, I guess, a high schooler might dream of....and none of it was satisfying me. God used that sense of emptiness to really lead me to open one of the Bible's I had in my room..."
Her friend shared the gospel with her when she was 16.
7:16 Quinabegins sharing how she uses her gifting as a creative (spoken word poet, author, etc.) to glorify God.
9:42 Quinaspeaks about her spoken word videos/short films. TO VIEW:
11:37 Quina shares a spoken word piece, Genesis 1 & 2 summary
12:52 Quina shares how she goes about creating. A common theme being prayer.
"Typically, things start in my journal as I am spending time with the Lord."
13:55 We begin to discuss Quina's first children's book, LOVE MADE
14:03 My oldest son, Bennett, reads, LOVE MADE
16:50 Quina shares how LOVE MADE came to be
For MORE show notes: LINK GRACE ENOUGH PODCAST
Tuesday Apr 30, 2019
Tuesday Apr 30, 2019
Maggie and I chat about how she began developing relationships with people who sleep outside and how those relationships led to A Place at the Table Cafe which seeks to build community and serve healthy food to all regardless of means. Not only are they seeking to live out their mission at the Table, they are DOING IT! This conversation is fantastic, because it is all about a dream becoming a reality and that dream was based on the least of these.
4:02 Maggie begins sharing the backstory of A Place At the Table
Presbyterian Campus Ministries
She began volunteering at Love Wins: a day shelter.
“When I started volunteering with this day shelter it changed my world. It changed my life. I fell in love with the people. I feel in love with building relationships with folks who live outside and they became some of my best friends.”
6:39 “God definitely called me to stay here. I saw there was this great need here and I could not imagine leaving this day shelter. I could not imagine leaving all these relationships that I had met and grown and been a part of for the past two years. So we built my position. I became the operations director [at Love Wins] and I ran the day shelter. We saw about 70 people a day coming in, getting out of the cold. That was a fantastic job. I learned so much there. Everything, I am now able to use in my own ministry”
7:16 Maggie shares about how she felt while volunteering in soup kitchens as a young girl.
“Fast forward when I am working with folks experiencing homelessness or poverty I started to go to the soup kitchen with them. I was very intentional about being with people and building community and wanting to know them more, so we would maybe go to a soup kitchen or eat together. What I found was we would get handed a plate, before that we would have to wait in line outside…we didn’t get to choose what we want, then we’d have to eat in about 5 minutes, so someone else could come in and eat. There is nothing wrong with soup kitchens, because they serve a purpose, they serve a need, they feed 300 people in an hour, they do what they can do and it is amazing, but in my life that is not my experience. I eat wherever I want, whenever I want, whatever I want, so I started taking people out for meals. I found they wanted to go to place like Golden Corral or K & W Cafeteria and I asked, ‘Why?’ They said because, ‘Maggie, we get to choose what we want…and we get to be treated like a human. People look at us like we are valued, that we have worth, that we’re not just some invisible person they’re passing on the street. We get served and we have that dignity while dining.’ It was then I started thinking, we have got to do something different here in Raleigh.”
There are over 60 pay what you can systems around the country.
F.A. R. M. café in Boone, NC: Feed All Regardless of Means.
Table incorporated as a business in January 2015. Then, applied for non-profit status
12:15 “I started working in restaurants at night, because I also knew I needed to learn how to run a restaurant. I needed to learn how to manage people. I needed to learn different skills. I grew up working in restaurants since I was 15, 14, so I had worked in them, but I had never managed one. I had a great friend who gave me an opportunity to manage her restaurant.”
SO-CA and bu-ku were opening and they invited Maggie to be a part of it in 2017.
“I have an incredible family who has supported me from the beginning.”
FYI, if you are a Raleighite, Maggie sets the record straight. She is not related to John and Willow Kane of Kane reality.
15:47 “This whole movement of A Place At The Table, of 3 ½ years of building it is God. That is the reason we are doing it. We are not a faith-based organization, but most of us come from faith backgrounds, because we have seen God working this whole entire time. Again, none of us had any idea what we were doing, but God provided people at every step of the way….”
16:34 Maggie shares about her and board member/friend, Allison sharing a word with one another when they would experience “God winks.”
17:10 Maggie shares how A Place At The Table acquired their brick and mortar at 300 W. Hargett St.
There was a 3 year journey prior to acquiring a space for her dream to become a reality.
“We were this concept and not a product, so it was hard to prove to landlords and other people that we were going to be a place like we are now. So for years, it took us telling the story, getting people excited, proving that we weren’t going anywhere.”
Eventually, they started hosting pop-up brunch every 2ndSaturday of the month at a different restaurant.
20:42 “By the end of them, we had 400 people at these pop-up brunches, in a 3 hour period….I have this great picture of Kristin Cooper (our governor’s wife) sitting across from a girl I go to the gym with, a guy I know who sleeps outside every night, and all these different people sharing conversation and just chatting….That really let us to live our mission, see that we wanted to do it, see that the community was ready for it, and then when we got our location, we were ready to go.”
21:16 Maggie begins to share about the spring of 2017 and being ready to give up before things began to take off.
“We spent 3 years friend-raising instead of fundraising, so 3 years building friends to now allow us to do what we do.”
22:48 Maggie shares about the regular volunteers that started at The Table who have become the core volunteer base that help The Table run on a daily basis.
23:52 Maggie shares what A Place At The Table is like today
- Pay Suggested Price
- Pay More (all tips are donations that go back into paying it forward)
- Pay Less
- Pay Nothing and Volunteer at The Table for your meal
- Pay It Forward: $10 Meal Tokens are full meals that can be given to people in need in our community
“We ask you volunteer, not because we think people need to work for their meal. We ask you to volunteer, because it is your way of being a part of the community. At the end of the day, our main mission is to provide community and healthy food for all regardless of means. “
26:10 “We knew the food had to be good, because people will come out once for a good cause, but they’ll come out again if the food is awesome, the experience is awesome. “
27:20 Maggie expounds on the jobs all volunteers participate in and how The Table does not differentiate between volunteers.
- 30-50 people/day who volunteer for their meal
- 5 people/day who are paying less for their meal (approximately)
“It truly does work. The model works. And what we are finding is people want to be a part of it. They love volunteering. They love feeling like they have a place. That they have people that love them, that care for them. And so, yes, the model works. It has worked far better than we ever thought it would.”
- wash tables
- roll silverware
- clear tables
- pickle veggies
- chop fruit
- fill butter cups
- greet people
- refill water
- deliver food to tables
- stamp bags
“The goal is that everyone is working on making this café happen together and not showing this separation of people with money and people without money.”
30:43 Maggie shares about the growth of A Place At The Table and the recent feature on The Today Show(view segment by clicking link)
“I think people feel good when they come eat at A Place At The Table that they are doing good. It is an easy place to pay it forward.”
33:08 “So for you to be able to come in with a token or even volunteer for your meal and be able to order whatever you want, because some days are just waffle days and some days I want a healthy salad. To be able to choose and to be able to sit and have a meal in dignity and get a re-fill on your tea or a re-fill on your coffee and just be. I think that is important.”
33:50 Maggie shares Dino’s story and the story of her staff working at A Place At The Table