A Life That Says Welcome

"Entertaining puts the emphasis on you and how you can impress others. Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their physical and spiritual needs so that they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home" ~ Karen Ehman

Karen Ehman is the author of A Life That Says Welcome. It is a book on hospitality - not on entertaining people. This book starts with a biblical definition for practicing hospitality and then take you through the practical implications of God's expectation for His people to be a hospitable people. She argues well the whys - the heart of the matter and then takes you on a practical journey to get you started and keep you going.

Ms. Ehman takes you to 1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. She shows the reader that this is something expected of God's children; it is assumed that we will be sharing our lives and homes with each other and strangers. She will take you through stories in the Bible where hospitality is seen in action, sometimes done well, sometimes not so well.

The author will also take you on the journey with her through her own experiences and growth in the area of hospitality. So if you like good stories about peoples lives, I think you will enjoy reading this book.

She encourages the reader to press on and practice hospitality from Romans 12:13 "contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." To practice means: "To do or perform habitually; to make a habit of; to exercise or perform repeatedly in order to acquire or polish a skill." ( Websters Dictionary)

She admonishes us to roll up our sleeves and get to work! She says: "Whether you live in an apartment, a modest home, or a mansion, you are not exempt from our Father's admonition that you show hospitality to His children and those who are yet to be His children. Yes, our being willing to offer hospitality can help people to new life in Christ."


So often we can be told to be hospitable and be given every Biblical and theological reason behind it and be left wondering where to start. Not so with this book. We are given how to start with our family. She encourages us to start small, like sending notes or picking flowers for someone to encourage them.

The book gives us step by step instructions on how to de-clutter and then teaches us to speed clean so that we are always ready for company at any point in time. There are even recipes to make your own cleaning products.

The book is packed with advise and clear instructions on how to prepare for overnight guests. She gives a list of things to keep on hand like, little bottles of shampoo, and soap, and nice lotions, guest towels, and shaving cream; etc.

Recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinners, and desserts are also supplied in this book.

After reading this book, I was encouraged to grow in contentment realizing that being content with what God has given me will manifest itself in sharing it no matter how great or small. The flame of passion for practicing hospitality was fanned and I felt encouraged to press on and do it all the more and improve. I came out hopeful that over time my skills in showing hospitality will grow. I came out being reminded that if you yourself are kind and put on the apron of a servant, lend a listening ear, and care for the concerns and needs of those around you, it does not matter what condition your physical home is in, whether you have changed your decor to meet the demands of the changing culture ( you will read a story of a woman who hadn't changed a thing in her house for 20 years and yet people loved to be with her in her home), it won't matter if you wear the right clothes, have the biggest space, a new table, or are even the best cook. If you yourself are welcoming, people will feel welcome and overlook any imperfections in your home, cooking, or appearance.

I think this book is helpful for any season of life and every hospitality skill level. I would highly recommend it as a group study as well, because it may give opportunity to encourage one another in this area.

So read this book and roll up your sleeves and get to work, because after reading this you will have no excuses, you will know where to start and how to continue on.

** Details will be coming soon about an online book discussion using this book.