The Heart of a Village
Table Talk
Setting the Table
You are welcome here. Come just as you are, bringing whatever is on your heart today. Take a few moments and allow yourself to just be. Take a couple deep breaths, grab yourself a cup of coffee, light a candle, do something that brings you comfort. Allow yourself to be present in this moment.
Consider how small acts of generosity can create a ripple effect of love and compassion, transforming both individuals and communities.
That's why we're gonna get up
Point our chin towards the sun
Say a little prayer and count our blessings one by one
Don't hide yourself away
Don't grow hard from what you've heard
You gotta break your heart wide open
Let a little light into the world
Into the world.
— A Little Light, Elton John and Brandi Carlile
Acts 20:35
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
2 Corinthians 9:7
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Food for Thought
I live in a wonderful community called Old Hickory Village, nestled just inside the Nashville city line, next to the Cumberland River. Established in 1918 for workers of the Dupont powder plant during World War I, it's what some would call a mill village. The houses share a similar look and are tightly clustered together. Many people in the neighborhood have never lived anywhere else—some because their parents worked at Dupont and chose to stay, and others, like me, who moved in and fell in love with the community.
The village was built to be self-sustaining, with its own police and fire stations, schools, post office, bank, grocery, and more. Even today, much of what you need is within walking distance. Neighbors gather on front porches, children ride bikes together, and they visit each other's homes through the connecting alleyways. It feels like something out of Mayberry, and locals like to say it’s Nashville’s best-kept secret because it's a relatively unknown area. It's like a small town inside a much larger city.
Though the village is growing, it still holds onto that tight-knit feel. I’ve seen neighbors show up for one another in powerful ways. When a car breaks down, someone is always there to help. If a neighbor loses their home, food and shelter are provided. When accidents or surgeries happen, the outpouring of love is incredible. When relationships fall apart, the community surrounds those in need, ensuring no one feels alone. And just this past week, when major storms ripped through, knocking down trees and shutting down power, neighbors were there bringing coffee and generators. Neighbors give what they can to one another — offerings both big and small — and this generosity is the heart of the community’s beauty.
Recently, I finished reading Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott. In it, she reflects on a phrase her pastor says: "God always makes a way out of no way." I didn’t understand the quote to mean that everything happens for a reason or that God is in control (even if those are things believed separately), but rather that in the darkest moments, beauty emerges. When we are overcome by anger, people choose to keep loving us. When we face devastating news, others show up to walk through it with us. When healing seems impossible, we find new ways to move forward. And in those moments of darkness, these little cracks of light find their way in to give us hope. This hope turns into gratitude, which prompts us to pass it on, creating a cycle of love and compassion—and as Lamott says, “that is where the joy resides.”
It’s this very thing that I’ve seen play out in the village. When neighbors faced hardship, the community showed up in ways that provided those “cracks of light”, not out of obligation, but from the abundance of what has been shared with them in their own struggles. I think Paul echoes this same sentiment when he is writing to the Corinthians. Giving—whether it’s time, resources, or love—should be given freely, out of the abundance in your heart, not out of pressure or obligation. When you know what it’s like to be loved, especially in those times when you’ve needed it the most, you can’t help but want to share that love with others.
Just the other day, I was talking with one of the village kids about what it means to be a cheerful giver. She mentioned that just the day before, she had lost a tooth and received a dollar from the tooth fairy. She wished she could give her dollar to the homeless, so they could find a place to live and be “home-full.” I loved how her answer seemed so genuine. To her the answer was simple, and I was incredibly moved by her generous heart. I can only hope that the love and generosity she wanted to share is a little reflection of the care and compassion she has first received from her family and community.
This is how we build more loving, compassionate communities—by showing up for one another and sharing what we’ve been given. It’s how we create a more loving world and teach the next generation to carry on that work. Through small acts of kindness, we make the world a brighter place, just as Old Hickory Village has taught me.
Create a set of cards with kind messages and small tasks (like "bring groceries to a neighbor," or "send a letter to someone who could use encouragement") that residents can pass around to one another. These cards could be shared anonymously or openly, encouraging neighbors to spread kindness and support throughout the community.
Host regular “Porch Chats” where neighbors gather on their front porches to share stories, offer support, and discuss ways to help one another. This would strengthen connections and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable offering help when needed.
For a printable version of today's reflection Click Here!
Blessing
Generous God,
Thank You for the gift of community and the opportunity to love and support one another. May we continue to be a light in each other’s lives, giving freely from the abundance of our hearts, and may our small acts of kindness create a ripple effect of love and compassion in the world.
Amen.
A little Table Talk for your table...
How can we cultivate a spirit of generosity and community in neighborhoods that may feel disconnected or distant from one another?
In what ways can we show up for others without feeling pressured, and how can we ensure that our acts of kindness are genuine and heartfelt?
How can we teach children and the next generation the importance of giving, not out of obligation, but from a place of love and compassion?
Try taking it to the Kids Table...
Make a list together of some small things we can do every day to make someone else’s day better.
Ask your kiddos how they feel when someone helps them or shares a gift with them. How can they share that same feeling with others?
Talk together and share some creative ways you can work as a group to help people in your neighborhood who need it most.
Meet This WEek’s Writer...
Kendall Grubb is the CEO and one of the Co-Founders of The Welcome Table. She, her husband, and their daughter are a military family who calls Nashville, TN home. Earning degrees in music and business administration from Belmont University, she jumps at any opportunity she gets to create something new and help bring it to life. From writing and performing music to leading TWT, she loves the power that song and story have to connect people from all walks of life!
To hear more from Kendall throughout the week, follow along on our Instagram!