If you are anything like us, you recognize that God not only is a hospitable and welcoming God, but that He also charges us, as His image-bearers, to do likewise. And while we love receiving God’s hospitality, offering it to others can feel daunting in this fast-paced world where we live. That’s why we so enjoyed reading Kristin Schell’s book, The Turquoise Table: Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard. Through her gift of storytelling, Schell shares her quest to replicate the hospitality she experienced as a teenager, her struggle to find an approach that worked, and her Biblical motivation to keep trying. She then invites readers to embrace hospitality for themselves, equipping them through real-life stories, creative ideas, and delicious recipes.
Schell’s fascination with hospitality began in France, where she had the privilege of studying abroad. What looked like an ending, failing high school French class, actually sent the author into an immersive experience of French language and, maybe more importantly, French culture. Schell first saw mealtime in France as interruptions in her daily rhythms. She soon discovered, however, that connecting three times a day around the table for leisurely meals was a normal part of life for the French. And when she returned to the United States, she dreamed of recreating those extended gatherings with others. But how? Her enthusiasm for the idea never waned, but as the demands of life (college, career, marriage, and family) grew, her struggle to extend acts of hospitality increased as well. An “accidental” delivery of a picnic table to her front yard changed everything.
Suddenly, Schell’s struggles of deciding when and why to invite people in, how to keep the house clean, what to serve, and how to decorate all fell away. The moment she spotted that picnic table under her front yard magnolia tree, she knew she had found a key to community. That table, which she decided to paint her favorite color of turquoise, became the symbol of inviting.
“We all live a busy lifestyle; we are frazzled people,” Schell writes. “Busy lives don’t allow us to spend time with neighbors unless we are intentional. Being outside shows people you’re open and visible. You want to connect.”
Schell’s foray into front yard hospitality began one morning after her husband and children had left for the day. Armed with her computer, a cup of coffee, some pens and journals, but no ideas beyond that, Schell sat down at her turquoise picnic table. Only 15 minutes into her outdoor table time, a neighbor she didn’t know began walking toward her. Soon, the two moved from exchanging pleasantries to sharing great connection as neighbors. Schell was left wondering, “Could it really be that simple?” And that’s her advice to her readers. “Living out faith doesn’t always require preaching, it can look like sitting down and sharing a moment.”
Schell understands that the idea of even sitting down at a table can feel overwhelming. She has suggestions for that, too. “If you are busy and overwhelmed, tackle the first steps,” Schell suggests. “Say, ‘Hello,’ start a conversation. Don’t wait for someone to initiate conversation. Small gestures matter: a smile, a kind word, a cup of coffee. Community is built in everyday moments.”
For those who do want to create gatherings around the table, Schell offers suggestions to them, as well. Ideas like a front yard cooler and pizza, doughnuts and coffee while waiting for the school bus, Saturday Soup, or Sunday Potluck Dinner, are just some of the activities she shares. She also fills the book with several delicious recipes, some quizzes, and some stories of other people who have created their own Turquoise Table gatherings. But why all the fuss over extending hospitality?
“Community is a basic need of humanity,” Schell writes, sharing that the Bible’s definition of hospitality is to love strangers, and that Romans 12:13 says we are to love others. “We’ve all felt the sting of exclusion,” Schell says. “The table is a place where people feel seen, heard, and welcome.”
We couldn’t agree more, and we are encouraged by the simple, yet impactful ideas and stories that Schell shares. We encourage you to pick up a copy of the book for yourselves. We believe you not only will enjoy it, but that you also will be encouraged by it. Is there a place for a table in your front yard? What color will it be?
— Sue Lindsey and Linda Maynard for The Sublime Soiree © August 2025