Season 1, Episode 12: Kelly Welk, Maggie Hemphill, and Danielle S. Castillejo discuss calling and following your passions

Joining us this week is Kelly Welk: She is a wife, mother, hostess, cook, owner of Cider Press Lane and founder of the Freedom Dinners.

Kelly talks about how she found her way into her calling by simply doing the things she already loves doing. After releasing herself from doing "big things" it was actually through the little things--like her love of cooking and gathering people together--that she found a way to make a big impact and develop community. With the creation of the Freedom Dinners she combined her love of food and people to help combat the injustices she saw around the world. She used these dinners as a way to raise over $50,000 for Rescue: Freedom International, an organization that sets people free from slavery around the world.

Kelly also talks about the importance of doing things slowly, so that they can be done well. It requires both time and practice to do things well. One of the temptations we have in our culture is to do a lot of things and to do them fast. Through giving herself permission to go deep and slow, she's been able to learn the self-discipline it takes to say "no" to things, in order for her to be able to say "yes" to the things that she is really passionate about. It was in this process that she built both a business and a way of life that she and her family love and share with others. Kelly talks about work-mode vs mom-mode and finding the balance that life requires when you are a business owner with three school-aged children.

This conversation is full of great nuggets about pursuing your dream, following your calling and building community along the way. The everyday and ordinary are not frivolous, they can have meaning and purpose if you live intentionally.

Kelly is reading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Kelly listens to the Exploring My Strange Bible Podcast.
Kelly is inspired by her three kids.

You can get Kelly's Books; "Dinner Changes Everything" and "Dream Catcher" as well as her other fair market goods (such as aprons, wooden spoons and bowls) on her website: ciderpresslane.com 

Follow Kelly on Instagram @ciderpresslane or @kellywelk

Well, first I guess I would have to believe that there was or is an actual political dialogue taking place that I could potentially be a part of. And honestly, I'm not sure that I believe that.