Episode 127 – This conversation is an invitation to cozy up by the fireplace, with a hot cup of your favorite spiced tea and intrumental music in the background. We hope you will enjoy it as 2021 gently comes to an end. Stephanie welcomes Christie Purifoy today. Christie describes herself as a gardener, writer and placemaker. She and Stephanie may only have met a few week ago, but it already feels like they have known each other much longer than that! That’s how God works when He brings His children together, isn’t it? And they invite you to join them for a whimsical conversation about all things spiritual—from a garden to an old red brick farmhouse, to all manner of human relationships under the canopy of heaven.Stephanie has enjoyed stepping into Christie’s books, lingering there to taste and see the beauty of the Lord through creation and through relationships. Christie’s unique writing style and whimsical storytelling is deeply attractive, and truly satisfying. Adding her books to your must-reads in 2022 would be a wonderful way to care for your soul!Christie Purifoy is a writer and gardener. Her favorite ordinary things include strawberry jam, homegrown flowers, and old books with someone else's notes in them. She lives with her husband and children at Maplehurst, a Victorian red brick farmhouse in southeastern Pennsylvania.Christie earned a PhD in English Literature from the University of Chicago before trading the classroom for a picket-fenced garden and an old writing desk. Today, she grows zucchini her four kids refuse to eat. The zucchini-loving chickens are perfectly happy with this arrangement.Christie believes that life, in all its pain and beauty and mystery, is a journey of love. Writing keeps her eyes wide-open to this astonishing reality. You can pre-order Christie’s latest book, Garden Maker, from any of these book sellers: https://www.christiepurifoy.com/garden-maker-book/LIMITED TIME OFFER - Preorder and Receive Valuable Gardening Resources from Christie:  When you preorder Garden Maker, you’ll receive a free three-month subscription to Christie’s Black Barn Garden Club, a flower arranging guide, and a “plan your plot” printable to help you visualize your garden space. Redeeming your preorder is easy. Just order the book and return to this page to fill out the form: https://www.christiepurifoy.com/garden-maker-book/Christie's first book, Roots and Sky: A Journey Home in Four Seasons, was published by Revell in 2016. Her newest book, Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty, and Peace, released in spring 2019 from Zondervan and is available wherever books are sold.See more of Maplehurst and meet Christie here.DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!