Embrace Your Strengths

Episode 51 My Brother the 50 State Marathoner with Chris Griffes

Chris's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: CONNECTEDNESS, LEARNER, ARRANGER, HARMONY & DEVELOPER

Chris graduated from Auburn University and moved to Seattle in 1979.  

He has worked as an architect at various firms focusing on healthcare,

commercial and  educational work. For the past 15 years he has worked as a project manager and staffing hiring manager.  

 

Chris is married and they have two  daughters, two granddaughters and two more on the way!  

 

He ran first his first  marathon in 2000 at age 45 and finished  his quest to run a marathon in every state in 2018 at age 62. You can read about his journey on his blog: Grif's Marathon Quest

 

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Episode 50 The Turquoise Table with Kristin Schell

Kristin's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  ACTIVATOR, ADAPTABILITY, CONNECTEDNESS, POSITIVITY & COMMUNICATION 

Kristin is on a mission to love her neighbors. She put a picnic table in her front yard, painted it turquoise, and began inviting neighbors, friends, and even strangers, to hang out and do life together at The Turquoise Table.

A new concept of hospitality unfolded in her neighborhood, and before long The Turquoise Table led to a movement of Front Yard People—ordinary people who long to create community right where they live.

Today, there are Turquoise Tables all across America-- in all fifty states and in thirteen countries. Turquoise Tables have become a symbol of hospitality, a safe place to sit down and connect, welcoming friends and strangers alike.

As founder of The Turquoise Table and Front Yard People movement, Kristin travels the country speaking at conferences and events with an encouraging word on how to open our lives and homes to others.

Kristin is the author of the book ​The Turquoise Table: Finding Community and Connection in Your Own Front Yard​ and the host of The Turquoise Table Podcast. Her inspirational story has been featured in popular media outlets, including The Today Show, Good Housekeeping Magazine, Country Living Magazine, Christianity Today, and Focus on the Family.

Kristin lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Tony, and their four children.

While her favorite color may be turquoise, Kristin bleeds burnt orange for The University of Texas and believes the answer to world peace might involve a bowl of queso and salty tortilla chips.

More about Kristin at TheTurquoiseTable.com

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 49 Passionately Serving in Eastern Europe

John’s Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  BELIEF, RESPONSIBILITY, HARMONY, POSITIVITY & RELATOR 

John is married to Mary and they have been on staff with Cru for 43 years. They have 3 adult children and one new grandson.  They have lived in Auckland, New Zealand and Budapest, Hungary. Currently they live in Austin.  John is involved in leadership development for Cru-Eastern Europe and travels there approximately every other month. 

He loves, BBQ, movies, jumping off things into water, hiking with Mary, going to festivals in little towns in central Texas, trying different foods, and generally exploring new experiences and adventures with Mary. 

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 48 Strategically Listening and Praying

Kelley's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  CONNECTEDNESS, IDEATION, STRATEGIC, INPUT & COMMUNICATION 

Kelley has worked with Cru for 35 years and is  currently serving on the National Prayer Catalyst team. She is married to Jim, and they have 3 adult children: JP, Madeline, and Victoria, who all also serve with Cru in various capacities. She currently lives in suburban Austin. 

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 47 Dreaming of the Future for the Nations & Our Family

Mike's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: FUTURISTIC, MAXIMIZER, IDEATION, SELF ASSURANCE & SIGNIFICANCE 

Mike Krieg is Founder and Exec Director of Storyline, an organization focused on mobilizing the global church. Born in Texas,  grew up in western, Montana, Graduated in Business and left for Siberia for 2 years as a missionary. He met his wife Kristin there and  currently lives in Austin, TX with 3 teenagers.

Storyline

Strengthsfinder 2.0

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 46 Including, Inviting and Welcoming Others

Kevin's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: INCLUDER, ACTIVATOR, WOO, COMMUNICATION & POSITIVITY 

 Kevin Walker is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.  He spent two years interning with Cru at UT before spending four years in Atlanta, where he grew up, working for advertising and marketing agencies. He's been back in Austin for two years now, recently pivoting into a tech sales role. He and his wife Ellie welcomed their first child into the world on July 6th, a boy named Grayson. Kevin spends his free time trail running, fly fishing, and mountain biking, but is a classic extrovert who always prefers to do anything with someone rather than something with no one. 

 

Episode 45 Celebrating Strengths of Survivors of Sex Trafficking

Haley’s Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: EMPATHY, CONNECTEDNESS, POSITIVITY, DEVELOPER & COMMUNICATION 

 Heather’s Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: CONTEXT, CONNECTEDNESS, ACHIEVER, INPUT & LEARNER 

Haley is a native Austinite who has worked for Red Oak Hope for the last six years. Prior to that, she worked as a speech-language pathologist at a children's hospital. She is married, with two awesome kiddos, and has recently re-engaged in the community theater scene with a lead role in the yearly Zilker summer musical. Haley is passionate about loving and serving the vulnerable and marginalized and will never stop speaking up or fighting for the dignity and beauty God has placed in every person

Heather works with Red Oak Hope on Program Development. Learning more about her strengths (and the ones she doesn't have!) has been a valuable tool in her life journey: spiritually, personally, and professionally. She has been in Austin for the last six years and has found it to be a great home base for all the fun adventures Texas has to offer. 

Red Oak Hope Gala

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Episode 44 Mobilizing Women with Empathy and Grace

Whitney's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: EMPATHY, DEVELOPER, POSITIVITY, WOO & MAXIMIZER

Whitney lives in La Grange, Texas with her husband Tim and 3 elementary age kids. She enjoys painting, baking, and reading a good book in a hammock. She is passionate about equipping women to study the Word and grow in authentic relationships that reflect the love of Christ and started Woven ministry as a result of that calling. You can learn more at www.wovenministry.com. 

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer

When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 43 Launching Others to be a Light in the World

Carmen Rae's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are:  POSITIVITY, WOO, DEVELOPER, EMPATHY & IDEATION 

Carmen Rae is  from Mississippi but has lived in 6 different cities in the last decade. She absolutely loves being intentional about meeting new people because she  often knows what it’s like to be the new one in the room. She  enjoys creating a space where people feel safe, seen, loved and cared for well. She has always had a heart to care for people and have the unique privilege of listening and engaging in someone’s story. She currently works with Cru FamilyLife on the mobilization team and lives in Charlotte, NC. She is  married to Ian Huang and they have two boys: Ethan (6) and Harrison (almost 2). As they seek to humbly know Jesus on a deeper level, they want to spend their lives sharing the gospel, discipling others in their faith, and mobilizing people to do the same where they are in the contexts that God gives. In the last year she has gotten into rock climbing with her  husband, and you will most often find her hanging with family and friends over a cup of coffee while laughing and getting into deep, meaningful conversations. 

Ole Miss Flash Mob

Coaching  and Workshops with Barbara Culwell

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Episode 42 You are Seen and You are Welcome with Amy McGuffey

Amy's Top 5 CliftonStrengths are: EMPATHY, ADAPTABILITY, RELATOR, DEVELOPER & CONNECTEDNESS 

Amy grew up in the outskirts of Houston, TX, with lots of trips back to California to visit her family roots.  She graduated from Texas A&M with a Bachelor of Arts in History - but in actuality spent her college years learning how to do ministry as she got involved with Cru as a student. Upon graduating, she joined staff and served with the organization for the next 21 years.

She is married to Chris and they have three sons currently attending Texas A&M. They served with Cru at Baylor and Texas Tech respectively, and then on to East Asia and Greece. They now live in College Station, Texas where Amy transitioned from staff into a role in a local high school where she loves working with her students as a teacher in Special Education. 

Amy enjoys creating or facilitating environments where people can know they belong, and has a passion to help people experience the peace and rest that Christ offers us. She likes sharing good food and coffee with friends and family and restorative DIY projects.