I’m SO excited for this giveaway today! It’s amazing, and it’s all about hospitality, and my friends Dee and Debbie are joining me.
We live in a culture where most of us don’t have strangers coming to our door asking for food. During the Depression, however, my grandparents did have this happen. I remember my Grandma sharing stories with me of how she’d feed them, give them coffee, share God with them, and send them on their way. I will never forget how later in life when I’d read this verse (Heb. 13:2), I’d think of Grandma, but it would also get me thinking not only about my life, but our culture today.
Years ago when I started blogging about entertaining and hospitality, I asked readers what kind of people they entertained the most in their homes.
The popular answers were:
1. FAMILY
2. PEOPLE FROM CHURCH
It actually made me sad that we don’t reach out more to neighbors, people of different faiths, backgrounds, and cultures.
Why do we stuff hospitality into a box, making it so pretty, perfectly safe, and always predictable? (Many of us rarely even open up our homes!)
So today Dee from Red Letter Words and Debbie from The Hip Hostess and I are giving away 3 items to ONE LUCKY WINNER.
We want to challenge you to think about hospitality with FRESH EYES.
We want to encourage you to do something different, radical, and courageous when it comes to opening your home for a meal.
It’s up to you to decide what it will be.
The cool GIVEAWAY:
Red Letter Words
Hebrews 13:2 Entertaining Angels gallery wrapped canvas
12×12
Here’s how Dee’s work is mounted. Down-right classy!
(Read the “Design Story” behind “Entertaining Angels,” HERE. A must-read!)
The Hip Hostess
4 BRAND NEW spring prints (below) – the winner gets to CHOOSE ONE!
This is fun! Do you know any of these bloggers wearing HH Aprons?
BTW, the NEW Annual “Hurry Spring” Sale starts today!
Use this Promo Code: SPRING25 for 25% OFF thru Mar 31
The Reluctant Entertainer
ONE signed copy (Yes, I’m wearing a Hip Hostess apron in my book! The Nester took this picture, but I know she won’t mind me using it here.)
COMMENT TO WIN all 3 amazing gifts that will help you with hospitality!
How do you feel about hospitality and does Hebrews 13:2 challenge you?
Do you always have the same people over for dinner or have you branched out?
- Facebook this post or TWEET about it @SandyCoughlinRE and @TheHipHostess and @RedLetterArt and get extra entries.
- Did you know Reluctant Entertainer has its own Facebook page?
- If you’ve never been a follower of RE, sign up today. This means my updates will come straight to your email!
- Let me know for extra chances to win. Contest ends Thurs. night midnight 3/17. Winner announced on FRI. 3/18! (USA, only!)
Hi, I'm Sandy. Five years ago I stocked up on beautiful glasses from the Dollar Store. As I started writing about dinner parties, I realized that this "icon" portrays a great message. 
I want to share with you some of my favorite places to visit in blog-land, sites that I learn from and am inspired by, and some beautiful friends that I’ve met over the years.
Hospitality comes fairly natural to me but inviting people out of the norm is a more uncomfortable and challenging yet, a place where I need to go. What a great challenge and reminder. Thanks.
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We do entertain our friends and family quite often, but I wouldn’t say that we branch out that much. That seems to be all we have time for.
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Hospitality was something I’ve always struggled with because I’m an introvert and having people over for a couple hours can be draining. Hebrews 13:2 challenges me for two reasons. I find it difficult to trust strangers, let alone invite them into my home, and it seems to mean being ready all the time for visitors, which is a challenge even on a day that isn’t particularly busy. I tend to have the same people over, which is something I need to work on. When I studied abroad in Scotland I was impressed by how the Christians there welcomed me even without knowing me, and I’m going to try to follow their example.
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Oh, and I did a facebook post about this giveaway!
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How timely is this? Just this past weekend we had over 45+ people over for a BBQ. More than half of them have never been to our home before and the majority of them were from Teen Missions so they ranged from ages 17-24. It was THE funnest BBQ we ever had. It stretched me, but I would do it again in a heart beat. It’s the year to bless and serve others.
Thanks for the opportunity to win.
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This is an awesome giveaway!! I’ve really been wanting to read your book!
Your blog really challenges me spiritually…in the best way possible. I know what an important role hospitality can play in sharing Jesus with others. I always think of the way Jesus truly relied on the hospitality of others as He travelled, and I know the ways my own life has been blessed by the hospitality of others.
I don’t really do a very good job of this!! My husband and I are newly-weds, and we have a really tiny one-bedroom apartment. Small table and not very much seating. Plus, I don’t really feel very comfortable with my cooking skills haha. I know none of these are good excuses!! When we first moved into our apartment, I made a point of having people over to eat, but I’ve since gotten lazy and started focusing on those excuses/insecurities.
Thanks for the challenge.
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I love this verse! Yes, it challenges me to think beyond the norm when offering hospitality to others. This is an awesome give away!
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I have always believed in this verse–When I was a small child we were on a trip. My father turned around to pick up an elderly woman who was carrying groceries and walking down the side of the road. We took her down the road and then dropped her off at her house. She thanked us and when we pulled out of her driveway she was gone. You just never know!
We have opened our home more and more to our loved ones and friends we don’t know well. In this economy it’s a cheaper way to get to know people! I also love having people over–we may not have the nicest things, but we always try to make people feel welcome.
I am so excited about this giveaway!!!!!!
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Facebooked it!
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What a great challenge! We’ve been challenging ourselves to invite at least one family from our church over for dessert once a week… yes, they’re from our church but it’s not the same people over and over again. We’re forcing ourselves to meet and get to know new people. And it’s been such a powerful blessing. Also, our kids go to an elementary school that is near a university with lots of international doctoral students. They bring their families to the US with them and we’ve had a great time getting to know them thru our elementary school connections. Usually, the blessing goes both ways as they return the invite with some amazing food from their homelands!
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I have long felt frustrated because of WANTING to invite neighbors, or others we don’t know as well, for dinner, but because our house is so tiny, simply not having the space to put everyone (as our own family is already 6!). This verse is a challenge for sure, and as church planters, something my husband and I feel is an area we simply must cultivate. It’s so hard for me to allow myself to be vulnerable to letting others in to see my ridiculously small and outdated kitchen, and squeezing them into a tight space to dine. I’ve been seriously considering ripping out the carpet in our living room, and eventually investing in a nice, Amish-made table with a gazillion leaves so that we can extend it right from the dining room into the living room. It’s not exactly in the budget at the moment, but I want to make it a priority goal. Thanks for the gentle reminder!
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I have long felt frustrated because of WANTING to invite neighbors, or others we don’t know as well, for dinner, but because our house is so tiny, simply not having the space to put everyone (as our own family is already 6!). This verse is a challenge for sure, and as church planters, something my husband and I feel is an area we simply must cultivate. It’s so hard for me to allow myself to be vulnerable to letting others in to see my ridiculously small and outdated kitchen, and squeezing them into a tight space to dine. I’ve been seriously considering ripping out the carpet in our living room, and eventually investing in a nice, Amish-made table with a gazillion leaves so that we can extend it right from the dining room into the living room. It’s not exactly in the budget at the moment, but I want to make it a priority goal. Thanks for the gentle reminder!
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Hospitality is so important, and sometimes, in our 5-person household, neglected. We have been more intentional about it this past year, and began by inviting each new set of neighbors into our home for dinner when they moved into our large development. This simple act proved such a blessing in so many ways!
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we do our best to practice hospitality in our homes and with our lives. our children ask almost every day if someone will be joining us for dinner that evening. it is easy to have friends over. however, when it’s a stranger, it is different and sometimes uncomfortable, but we still strive to practice the hospitality the verse speaks of in heb 13:2.
thank you for hosting this giveaway!
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What a fabulous giveaway! I must admit to normally having friends and family. However, part of a prophetic word over my husband and me is that we will “have those people into our home who could never pay us back, and we will show them how the church works and love on them and see them knit into the body.” We have seen this happen in our lives and it has been a tremendous blessing in our lives. This post reminded me again to be on the lookout for someone new to invite into our lives.
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A great reminder–entertaining angels–I love that!
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I am new to town so I would have to say, no I haven’t branched out with the hospitality. I am still trying to get a feel for the town and we are moving to our new house soon. So maybe then I can invite the neighbors over.
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Such a beautiful giveaway! I am very aware of needing to be hospitable, and teaching my girls this gift. Praying for God to show me how, in the midst of our crazy life and limitations to extend it to those I meet.
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I try to entertain a lot of different people: family, friends, work friends, and invite new acquaintances over as well. No matter what, I feel that if a person is willing to open his or her heart and life to us, to let us be a part of that, then they are welcome. They don’t have to reciprocate, but I’ve learned that you simply cannot force people to care about you, accept your hospitality, or welcome you into their lives. My hospitality philosophy is simple: invite and see what happens. No guarantees for the event itself, just that you’ll be in good company.
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I do tend to have the same groups of people over most of the time … I’ve been trying to challenge myself to invite others lately and so far I’ve been blessed to get to know some new friends this way. I love your blog and once again you’ve inspired me in my faith by challenging me to think of new ways to be hospitable. Thank you!
kathy k.
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We typically host family and friends in our home. We enjoy being hopitable, but at times fear of rejection or others judging stop us from being as open as we would like to be.
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What a great canvas! I took the Network spiritual skills test and found that my strongest skill is hospitality. And yet I usually entertain friends and family…comfortable, safe. I have often thought about widening the circle but have yet taken that (scary, a little) plunge. Love that bible verse!
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My mom was also a reluctant entertainer, so I grew up with a lot of anxiety surrounding the whole idea of entertaining. Hebrews 13: 2 always reassures me as the fear becomes almost paralyzing. I have found that I really enjoy having my husband involved in the whole process, as he enjoys it much more than I do and his support relaxes me. He would have someone new at our table for every meal! He is my angel here on earth!
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What a great verse! My husband is always suggesting new people to invite over to our home. He is wonderful at getting them in the door, and I take care of the food and the ambiance—we make a great team! Each time we do it, I’m so glad we did. It’s still challenging for me–I battle the urge to “do” rather than to just “be” and enjoy the fellowship. I also battle the feeling that our home isn’t orderly/neat/clean enough with my twin girls’ toys taking up a corner of our living room. Of course, being a hostess requires some “doing” and having two babies requires having some toys. There is a balance with all of that. Each time we’ve had people over, it has been a blessing to us, and a lesson for me both in simplifying things, and in letting things go. From the feedback we’ve received from our guests, our home is a welcoming and comfortable place, which warms my heart, and encourages me to do it again!
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I have definitely branched out and moved outside my comfort zone in the area of hospitality. I have three young kids (7, 5 &2), a husband with an unpredictable schedule (he’s a trauma surgeon), and no family in the state. I love to entertain but have had to find unusual ways given my circumstances. Often I invite other moms or even college girls over after the kids are in bed at night. This makes entertaining possible since I don’t need childcare, don’t have interrupting children and don’t have to put stress on my husband if he gets called into the hospital. In addition, almost daily I have a dozen neighborhood kids at my home and we practice hospitality with them. It’s been a great way to teach my children hospitality and we pray that our families values will rub off on these kids while they’re in our home.
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This is a great reminder and truthfully, a challenge for me. I’ve known this verse, but for some reason I forget about the “stranger” part. Hospitality is a little challenging to me, but I always enjoy the times we have our friends over. This is a great reminder that God wants us to stretch out and seek new people to have over, as well. Obviously it’s tougher to do, but I need to remember what you’ve said before – it’s not about us. Who can we be a blessing to?
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I usually have the same friends and family over…it’s hard for me to invite strangers into my home!
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Great reminder to be open with our homes and lives. Entertaining can be risky, and I’m not always willing to take that risk with people we don’t know, but I want to! Thanks for the encouragement, AND for the great giveaway opportunity! Fingers crossed!
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Just tweeted about it!
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…and just subscribed!
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It’s taken me a long time to get comfortable with my messy home and just invite people in. Showing kindness and welcoming people into our lives changes everyone involved.Such a perfect way to reach out to neighbors.
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I would have to admit that it is hard to show hospitality to those you do not know well. I would love to entertain more, but it seems as if my husband’s expectations of the home are not met and he does not want anyone to see how we live. If I invite people over, it is up to me to have the place spotless and not looked lived in. This makes it difficult, especially since we have 2 dogs that spend their days in and out of the house. (Thus the reason I tuned into your blog.) With that verse, I try to show hospitality in other ways when I can, but it does tend to ‘convict’ at times.
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Heather P Reply:
March 16th, 2011 at 7:08 am
I liked you on Facebook today!
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This directly applies to the Bible study that I did this morning. That Matt 28:19 in the earlier translations really means, “As you are going make disciples in all the nations”. Meaning that in all your tasks seek opportunities to share the grace of God.
I love that verse in Hebrews.
Great giveaway!!
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I love to entertain and share good food with family and friends. We do branch out and invite all different types of people and love it when we find new friends.
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I “like” RE on FB
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What a fun give-away!
We have people over– friends and people from church. This is a good reminder to keep my eyes open and go outside my “box”.
Thank you!!!
Lynn G.
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Due to the schedule that my husband & I work entertaining proves to be very difficult. But, we are always trying to welcome people over. I don’t care if its work, or my house gets messy, if the opportunity arises to bless someone I jump on it
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What a grand give-away!! Thanks you gals!
I love to entertain a little out of my comfort zone. Makes for interesting conversations that always challenge my view of life and others.
Thanks Sandy!
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I just “liked” your facebook page Sandy! YEH!
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Love this giveaway! The last few years my husband and I became “intent” on inviting people into our home that we might otherwise not engage with. This isn’t always easy but we were stuck in a rut only inviting people that we were comfortable being around. God is doing a work in our hearts, giving us a love for His people especially those that are “hard” to love.
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I LOVE your blog. I get so many wonderful ideas and am excited to open my door more often to strangers. I do no have a copy of your book and would love to have one. Also the Red Letter Words and the Hip Hostess Apron would be AWESOME.
Thank you all!!!
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It’s true, though I love to entertain and have folks into our home, I must admit that it is always the same crowd. Mostly family, close friends, and every now and again a friend from work. This has really inspired me to reach out and expand our circle!
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We usually entertain friends and family. We have talked about reaching out to some church members we don’t know or who are new to our church, but haven’t done it yet. The Hebrews verse has always challenged me, now I just need to meet the challenge.
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I think hospitality comes naturally to me. My mother always stressed the importance of being polite and taking care of your guests. I actually love having people over for meals or just for drinks. It’s fun to make up some appetizers or to cook something you normally don’t. (At least for me it is, I live alone so it’s always nice to have an excuse to cook without having days of leftovers.) I usually end up with the same core of friends who take turns coming to visit (my apartment is small). The quote from Hebrews is a great one to live by. You never know who the person you’re entertaining will end up being in the future.
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It challenges me to step outside my comfort zone and be more willing to open our home to people we don’t know well but might like to get to know better. I have also been thinking that I need to work on making more of an effort to entertain in general. I feel like we are always so busy and we don’t have time to entertain. But I know life will always be busy, we just need to make an effort.
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Oh, and I’m also subscribed to your RSS feed!
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We mostly entertain people from church, but we try to make sure that they’re NEW people from church… Does that count?
Having people over for dinner & games is one of our favorite ways to get to know people. I think the biggest challenge to always keeping my home open to guests is keeping it tidy. It’s something I’m working on. I would love a copy of RE for other tips too! 
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I love this verse and would love to have it on my wall as a reminder. I serve as a missionary in Botswana so we’ve practiced a lot of hospitality to many that we don’t know very well at all. I can say my natural self likes to host people that I know, but when I host people that I don’t know as well I often times come away from it feeling so much more fulfilled because the conversations were rich and meaningful.
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I LOVE to entertain friends/family/neighbors, everyone is welcome! I love to share my home and good food with even better friends!
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Tweet Tweet…@redletterart…I tweeted!
Tweet Tweet!
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I’m guilty of the family/church entertaining. Your blog is a constant reminder for me to step outside the box
Thanks for a great giveaway and a much needed reminder!
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I love bringing people together that I think would hit it off. It has been a huge blessing to watch friendships form. When having family I love to include new friends!
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I struggle to entertain in our house, I am worried what will they think about the toys everywhere and that my children will not behave well for them. The verse challenges me to not worry about those things, but help with my heart. I have recently with our children on major holidays taken baked goods to our surronding neighbors. I hope to host a cook-out this summer for our street and this would be a great addition to get me going. Best of luck to everyone and may we all entertain Angels in our home. For ever action we do, it is to glorify God and spread his love!!
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Tweeted Asandycoughlinre!
WOOHOO!!
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tweet to @thehiphostess. Cool aprons!!
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I struggle with hospitality… actually realized during Pastor’s sermon on Sunday when he mentioned opening our homes that I have not had anyone other than my parents here in our home since Christmas. **shame**
I need to put some serious prayer around this and thank you for the nudge!
Blessings on the journey~
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We used to have people in our house four or five times a week. Our house was just the place to hang out. But somewhere along the line I burned out, became a hermit, and pushed visitors away. Your blog has been slowly helping me remember the joys of entertaining and begin to once again open the doors! Thank you!
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LOVE this. I am a new, but HUGE fan of the RED LETTER ART artist. She inspires me in my own work. I am also a collector of beautiful aprons…my favorite? One my mom brought me home from a trip to Italy. (Somewhere I have loooonged to be since I was old enough to long for something!) It reminds me of the pretty one’s my grandma wore while baking. Oh how I wish I had one of hers, Oh how I miss her and her amazing pasta and apricot cresents! My other passion? All of my beautiful cook books stacked in little piles in my dining room and kitchen. Each book a treasure, each stack it’s own sculpture. Where oh where will THE RELUCTANT ENTERTAINER find it’s home? Lol
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It’s easy for me to host playdates with my friends and their kiddos – that seems like a no pressure type of fun. However, having over people that I am not that familiar with sometimes intimidates me. This is a GREAT verse to remember and challenge myself with.
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We usually have family, friends and neighbors over.
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I love the idea of entertaining, but I don’t always know where and who to reach out to. I always have family over, that’s easy!
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I “liked” on facebook.
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This verse speaks to me in a different way. I think hospitality is more than just opening your home to people. It’s opening your heart to them and treating them as if they’re valuable. It means treating them the way Jesus would. We try to open our homes to different people but you’re right, it usually is people from church or sometimes people from my husbands office.
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I love to have family over … and my kids friends … I don’t seem to be as outgoing with friends and neighbors. I need to be more hospitable!!
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Heb. 13 passage is God’s message/commandment to us and therefore, extremely important. I believe God has reasonings behind entertaining people who come into our lives, even for a brief moment. That type of entertaining no longer focuses on ME and how clean my house is or how my friends are going to be impressed with my culinary skills or even feel the need to return the favor. Entertaining strangers causes me to open my heart to the unexpected realizing that there is no expected favor in return. Anytime, I have invited a “stranger” to my home, I have been blessed probably more than they have. I used to be much better at it but have become too comfortable in not wanting to be “inconvenienced” Thank you for the reminder of the blessings I’m missing out on when I don’t accept this challenge.
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So this is a good nudge nudge to me… Hospitality is something that was impressed upon me when dreaming of a new place and seachange for me and my family… Now it’s happened!!!!! We’ve now been able to have friends and family over etc!!!! Wonderful ability to even be able to finally show hospitality to them…. But this is the challenge to look further afield…. To open my eyes to whom else I can welcome and share with….
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I adore this verse! Would be great propped on one of the shelves in my dining room!
Thanks for offering this awesome giveaway!
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Hebrews 13 definitely challenges me in the area of hospitality. I tend to be shy and a perfectionist at heart, so any entertaining is always stressful for me. I need to learn to take the focus off of myself, open my home and my heart, and bless other people by being hospitable!
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I tweeted about this giveaway!
@Andanbre/status/47676077950251009
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Thank you for the opportunity to win one of these lovely prizes! I am embracing the concept of not entertaining but showing hospitality, meaning I’m not stressing if everything is perfect but embracing the experience of True Hebrews 13 Hospitality. thank you for all you do!
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I like RE on facebook!
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I follow RE via google!
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We have just moved into a new neighborhood and are planning to have a neighborhood open house this Spring in order to meet our neighbors.
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Twitter: Madreminutes
says:
Well considering I just started back up again hosting dinner parties after a nine year drought, I advocate Heb 13:2. I will ask the same group this next time thinking one might not be able to join so will open up an opportunity to invite others…..I will mix it up eventually, but as I get my feet wet again I am swimming with the same school of fish. Even in the same school of fish I am learning more about friends that I have known. It is all good.
Thanks for this tremendous offer.
Sincerely,
bâ€
@madreminutes
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“Entertaining Angels” is one of my favorite verses. Just recently some young moms in our church started an outreach every third Saturday morning. One of the moms lost her daughter in an accident and then one week later her son passed away as well in an accident. She requested we start this outreach and it has turned into an amazing brunch. I am always amazed at who God places at our table. I have learned to never doubt who God wants us to serve and witness to. I am thankful for this dear friend who has chosen to witness to others through her excruciating circumstances. We always say we feel that we are “entertaining angels” in more ways than one as we know her children would be so pleased with what their mom is doing in their honor.
Blessings
Roxanne
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I facebooked about this
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We used to entertain fairly regularly, but busy-ness has become a real distraction. I have set a goal to have weekly guests this Summer. Life is better with friends in it!
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I used to entertain all the time in my home, but since having a baby, moving and life taking over it’s been a long time. I’d love to get back into it, meet our neighbors and share this gift with others.
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We love having over and have been trying to reach out more and more to our neighbors. It is easier to have our family and usual friends over but we are branching out some! This is a challenging verse and I wholeheartedly believe it. I do want to live it more though.
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I subscribed!
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I like on FB!
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Twitter: ConfidentMom
says:
I feel that hospitality for me and my situation is often where I bring something special to someone else. I am a fond “deliverer” (is that even a word!) of meals to those who need it, whether sick or on the mend from a hospital stay or a death in the family. Food is comfort and it is always something that is needed. I also enjoy delivering homemade cookies to the tire guys who take care of my needs even when it is freezing cold outside (Les Schwab guys!) Finding places that are unexpected to share is a favorite. You challenge and inspire me to be even more creative!
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I love the Hebrews verse. When my children were younger (they are now 10, 12, 14 and 15) we frequently read a book called “If Jesus Came to My House” and it quotes this Hebrews verse and gives a great analogy for children to understand it at a younge age. I highly recommend that story to anyone reading hits! So yes, the Hebrews verse does challenge me. We don’t invite people for dinner very often (something I am not proud of), but when we do we try to reach out, we invite families going through a tough time who need encouragement versus having someone over just for the purpose of visiting.
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Sandy,
This is such a great reminder to get out of my comfort zone. I currently only invite people over that I have known awhile and I am super comfortable with. Thanks for this post.
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Love the giveway items. Love love the sign, and the apron and book as well!! I read a book maybe close to 30 years ago called Open Heart Open Home by Karen Burton Mains. I don’t really remember a lot of it. But something she said really struck a chord with me. She said something to the effect of that people really don’t care how clean your house is, it’s all about the relationship / fellowship. So often I want to invite people over but think the house isn’t quite ready. We need to let go of that kind of thinking. Thanks for offering giveawy!!
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Twitter: e2gather
says:
I love this verse. It reminds me of my grandma, it’s one of her favorites. She said her father lived by it. They never turned away anyone that came to their door….apparently this happened alot during the depression. Stranger or friend everyone was welcomed at their dinner table, because you never knew it could’ve been an angel!!!
Love this giveaway! Thanks!
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I posted giveaway on my facebook
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P.S. I should note that even though I don’t have adults over for dinner much, I encourage my kids to bring their friends over and as a result we have extra kids at least three nights every week! Love having them around – many need encouragement due to family situations at their respective homes. Now you’ve challenged me to get outside my box and start inviting some adults over more often. I just need to get my introvert husband on board! *Grin*
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I am now a follower on FB for RE. Glad I found it! Thanks
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Twitter: e2gather
says:
I TWITTERED and reTWEETED your tweet : D
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I love that quote!
I’m not good about having people over to my house period, but I am trying to be better about it and my husband and I are planning on having board game nights and inviting his friends over.
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Hospitality makes me SO Nervous, but I am really praying about God opening my heart and changing it where this is concerned. I focus too much on everything being “Perfect” for guests, instead of focusing on just loving and serving. Everyone always tells me they love being in our home, that I am so hospitable, etc… But, my heart is different! I want an attitude of hospitality to permeate my personality…to show God’s Love continually, even when my home isn’t “Perfect”. We have recently begun branching out, inviting new church friends and neighbors to our home.
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This is one of my favorite verses! It is amazing that even during sinful times in a wicked city, Lot was able to show love to strangers by doing something so simple: inviting them into his home. I have always loved entertaining and in the past have just invited close friends and family over. In the years after graduating college, I have started to branch out by hosting bible study and neighbors in my community for dinners or gatherings. One of my favorite activities is hosting outdoor barbecues-I have many great, EASY recipes for any hostess if anyone is interested!
This past year, I was in a bible study and we took a “spiritual gifts” quiz one night. No one was surprised, including myself, when we discovered that one of my spiritual gifts was hospitality. (I also studied Hospitality Management as part of my Bachelor’s degree.) I now am a catering and events manager for a specialty market and help host events and gatherings in people’s homes. It is incredibly rewarding to be able to use my gift to help others enjoy friends, families, and coworkers in their own homes, which can be difficult for others.
I try to live by the motto “There are no strangers here, just friends who haven’t met yet.”
Thank you!
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My good intentions of hospitality are rarely realized for no good reason but staying too busy with unimportant stuff. Thank you for the encouragement. I will start penciling in dates and guest lists!
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Sandi…this verse has always inspired and intrigued me. To me, it speaks of the blessing that comes from serving others. I grew up in a culture(Ireland) that was more open to welcoming strangers into you home for meals, or something a little less sophisticated like a cup of tea. We belong to a church that has visiting preachers come from time to time for a week, or maybe more, to speak. There are 3 families that share in the responsibility of hosting these preachers. Some we know, some we don’t, but one thing we feel is blessed, not only to sit under their ministry but to have time to talk with them privately in our home. For the past 6 or 7 years we have had college students come every Wednesday night for dinner before a Bible Study. This has led this past year to one of the students asking if he could live with us for the rest of the school year. Is it a sacrifice?, yes!…but the blessing far outweighs the sacrifice on our part.
The verse in Hebrews always seems to remind me of the verse which says “God will not forget your work and labor of love”.
Blessings Sandi.
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I tend to be a reluctant entertainer. I come from generations of people that had difficultly and much anxiety having people over. I am determined to break that generational bondage and not pass it down to my child. I have to push myself hard to invite people to my home. The scripture presented is a great reminder and motivation.
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I definitely need to work on opening our home up more often. Too often I am worried about messes my kids make or not being a good enough cook. I know that when I go to other peoples’ homes, I don’t care how perfect their home looks or food tastes. I am just blessed to fellowship with them and by their friendship.
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shared it on FB
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Right now, we live in a small home and it is challenging to host visitors, so I invite smaller groups of people and prepare simpler meals. At first it was too challenging to have a smaller space, but then I realized that it would be better to tone down food prep and do things more informally than to stop having visitors. Besides, I think I enjoy hosting as much as my guest enjoy visiting!
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I can honestly say that most of my entertaining is family. I need to be better about inviting others into our home and lives.
Thank you for a chance to win!
lise
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Thanks for the encouragement. My husband’s 2nd shift work schedule makes it difficult for us to have people over on a regular basis, but we’re setting up times to have company whenever we can. I’ve been surprised how easy it can be, and I get less stressed out about company the more we practice
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My hubby has always been very hospitable and caring. He always wants to host get togethers or help others — he once offered our car to some people so they could get to a medical clinic 10 hours away for their suffering daughter! I’ve struggled with it simply because I feel the need to have everything looking spic n span and perfect before someone can arrive. It is awful! I really love this giveaway because it will be a constant reminder to me to branch out and be the “Martha” instead of the “Mary.”
Thank you!
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Tweeted! @lisaoates
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Thanks for the challenge.. and am excited with some of the ideas and tips you give on making hosting a simple task… Thanks so much!
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We usually just have family and our friends- I love that verse- it is so inspiring.
Thanks for the chance to win.
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Hospitality is something that my mother instilled in me from the beginning because of her example. While I think one should be cautious when inviting strangers into their home, I believe we should reach out to those who are needy rather than opening our home continuously to people we would prefer to socialize with.
I admit that I have a tendency to stick with family and close friends.
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I posted about this giveaway on facebook
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I love this topic! My mother-in-law has lived Hebrews 13:2 every day of her life and is now unable to host as much as she used to. Because our city has a world-class medical school and research facility, there are many
people from foreign countries that have nowhere to go for the holidays. It is now our pleasure to continue the
tradition my mother-in-law perfected. Our Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter gatherings have had over 50
countries represented over the past several years and it is always an interesting mix of cultures, religions and
personalities. One thing is a certainty at these gatherings: there is NEVER a dull moment!
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I usually have friends in my home now, but in college my door seemed to always be open. Roommates’ friends and aquantainces who I didn’t know found a safe and peaceful place in our home. Hebrews 13 challenges me to have that same open door policy today and reminds me that I need to plan a neighborhood get together…
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gulp. I have been thinking about that verse as we have finally met the neighbors that moved in a few houses down. Their lives are so different than ours and so our their children(After just a few minutes of having their kids play in our yard, we felt like we’d been hit by a tornado and were exhausted.
) ) yet my husband and I have been talking about how to extend the love we know in Christ with them. Hospitality is definitely a way we can get to know them. And here you are reminding me and reinforcing the idea. 
) We haven’t been in this area very long so every one we have over is a first time guest but, honestly, some are definitely easier to entertain. We are branching out to college students now too-what a challenge-they eat so much! 
) This is an all new area of life-it feels much different than enjoying our little cubby-hole lifestyle yet God is blessing it as He stretches us. Thanks for the fun contest and encouraging post!!
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I love Hebrews 3:12. I think I need that in my house as a constant reminder to stretch myself when entertaining. We go through seasons of entertaining quite a bit and then do so less and then pick back up again. Opening up our home is always a blessing to us!
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It is important to us to open our house to others and to be willing to share what we’ve been blessed with with other. I would love to invite neighbors and others over more often, but I do think we end up hosting the same people over and over because we have a wide circle of friends and it seems like even if we host people in our home once a week (which doesn’t feel realistic all weeks), it can be months between visits with different friends. I tend to opt to invite friends over that we haven’t seen for awhile rather than someone that we don’t know.
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I love being hospitable to others! I must, though, learn how to best do it, so that I don’t stress about it ahead of time, or spend too much time in prep and neglect my family!
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I like to do hospitality although I don’t always do it as often as I would like. Since most of my extended family does not live nearby we don’t often have the chance to host them. We have had a number of people from church over and also missionaries some of which we met when they arrived at our house. We also had a young lady live in our house for around a month that we barley knew.
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I need to branch out more with my hosting. Thank you for the wonderful reminder!
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I’ll admit we haven’t ventured out to our neighbors, mainly because we rarely see them. Oh, we’re neighborly and talk when we do see them, but getting together is tricky and my hubby is not one for small talk (he’ll even admit it). We do find other ways to “socialize” with those who aren’t from church or aren’t family. Often we’ll invite new people at church over.
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I shared this on FB!!
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What a wonderful giveaway and a great topic! The verse is a beautiful reminder for hospitality and I love this. We have often had people in our home that were strangers but soon became friends! But, we do need to do this more often…more intentional about it. You are right, it is easy to just have people over that we are comfortable with…thanks for the challenge and the chance to win some beautiful hospitality gifts!
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It is a challenge for me. We rarely branch out and when we do its never to strangers. It is an area where I definitely need help!
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I “like” RE on FB
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I follow RE in my google reader.
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I like to have people over, my parents were both really good at that. Because we don’t live near any of our family we do branch out and have friends over. We often ask people over that we know are new to the church to help them get to know people. I pray that without knowing it, one of these times we do entertain angels. I just signed up to receive your newsletter.
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I absolutely adore this verse and actually wrote it in the walls of the dining room of our home as it was being constructed, as it was a spirit we desired to have permeate and welcome all who would come in, truly a beautiful aspect of God’s heart! I love hospitality, both the giving and receiving of it. It speaks value to the one being invited, the preparation of a place and an experience designed specifically for that very treasured heart.
This year I am the very privileged and honored recipient in a plan established by God through the hearts of His children to reach out with hospitality for the establishment of family and community with a specific purpose of providing nurturing, healing, and shared joy. It has just begun and already my heart has been blessed beyond measure to be invited into the homes of “strangers” (for now : )) who are themselves angels (most definitely!) Hospitality has as its root the essence of Tender Loving Care that brings LIFE!
Thank you for all you do to promote this kind of love and care… it’s a joy experiencing the entertaining of angels and being blessed by the messages from God they deliver to hearts open to receiving them!
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Hey There! I just stumbled across your blog and I am loving it! I am a new wife, and my husband and I live in a one bedroom dorm on a camp in the hills of North Carolina. My husband’s parents are letting us live here rent-free (They own the camp) until we move to seminary in the fall. All I can say is, we LOVE our little place. I have tried to make it the prettiest and coziest I can, and it definitely feels like home. Because my husband works nights as a waiter, sometimes its hard to find time to have people over “formally.” Some of my favorite times of entertaining, though, are when people randomly stop by and stay for a while. It forces me to put aside my perfectionism and just love on people. I also have a group of young ladies that comes to my home every week and we eat snacks, talk about life, and encourage one another. Hebrews 13:2 puts it all into perspective. Entertaining is not about OUR image and looking like we have it all together. No one does. Its about putting others first and loving on them. Jake and I look forward to when we have a family and can introduce our kids to the joy of serving and loving people!
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Beautiful giveaway! I love it!
I think it can almost be easier to show hospitality to strangers than to invite over people who are always around us! It’s easier to meet a need right in front of you, than to go out of the way to invite over people around us all the time.
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I love to show hospitality and have gatherings. Normally, it is the same people but I’m ready to branch out. Maybe if I win these great prizes it will help me. Thanks.
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we definitely want to be more hospitable, and for us that means being more intentional in it! As in setting a goal of one family over a month and then moving up to 2 families over a month (or 2 casual dinner parties). We are moving in the next month and our new home is beautifully set up for this! But I definitely feel like this is an area God is growing us in.
BUt I was so proud of myself, this morning a dear lady I don’t know as well as I would like mentioned her washing machine was not working well – I immediately said to come on over for coffee and bring her laundry too. For me this was a big deal, but I feel like we are moving right along in this area!
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I’ve definitely been given the gift of hospitality. Lately the people I have most in my home are college students, which is really fun. But my favorite thing to do is host our neighborhood for a cocktail party every summer. Everyone brings an appetizer and I supply the wine and twinkly lights outside. It’s so much fun and a great way to meet our neighbors!
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Hospitality isn’t the hard part for me; actually inviting someone over seems to be my biggest challenge. “I’ll do it tomorrow” always seems to get the best of me.
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I used to not invite anyone over, because I did not have comfortable furniture and lived in an apartment. When I moved to my little cottage house, I realized just how important it is to me, and started praying and being intentional about my home being a place where peeps can come and be.
In the last year, this has really taken an interesting turn. I have had quite a lot of young girls come here, and that was branching out for me. I have also done a good bit of babysitting children of all ages here, and am pleased to have had a number of my friends’ families over.
The way that I was challenged by Hebrews was this: Almost everyone I have had here has been someone that shares my faith, or someone with whom I have a lot of similarities. I have NOT branched out in that regard. I have NOT invited folks over to enjoy a meal who were not friends or acquaintances with whom I knew things would be pretty easy.
Something to ponder and grow in!
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I am challenged by this verse (especially because most of the time we have family over & I’d be really shocked to learn that they were really angels
). I need to remember that it’s not about me or my talents but about be obedient to God. Thanks for the reminder.
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My New Years resolution this year was to have different people from church over to our house for a meal. Our church is quite large and we usually socialize with the same few families and I was wanting to branch out. While teaching my Wednesday night bible class for 1st and 2nd graders it came to me. I was going to invite each one of my students family over for a meal. We had our first family over a couple weeks ago and we had the best time. The family was so excited to be asked over. I’ll work my way through my second graders first before they move to 3rd and then I’ll get the 1st graders, meanwhile I’ll have a new crop of 1st graders coming up and some new families to invite over.
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What great prizes! I’m slowing coming out of my reluctant shell. I love the artwork, I’m doing a gallery wall right now and it would look fantastic. I keep my RE book out and ready when I need some confidence. Thank you so much Sandy and girls for being so generous.
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Earlier this year my husband and I made a list of 11 names of couples we want to have over this year. We’ve had one so far and want to also have more ministry to our neighbors. We often share (and have shared with us) garden produce which is fun but want to have time to visit and get to know them. Not sure I ever entertained ‘angels unaware’! Food for thought.
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We have family over often but we do invite folks from church and some of my husband’s coworkers usually once a month, I hope to do it twice a month. We’ve only been at this church for 18 months so there’s still “new” ones to invite but it has become home for us. I think sharing a meal together opens so many opportunities for conversations we wouldn’t otherwise have.
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I live in a neighborhood that bridges two sides of town: the poor and the slightly less poor. It’s the neighborhood my church is in, where I’m the associate youth leader. It has been immensly special to live in the community I minister with/to. For example, one of my kids lives next door to me, and she knows she can knock on the door at any time (and she does
). For some of the kids, their folks are never around, and my parents have become second parents to them. As a family we get to have them over all the time. I’m actually moving into my own place in two weeks (I’m 23 about about to be finished with my Masters, so it’s time 
). But I chose to stay in the same neighborhood, because I can’t imagine living without them. I’ve found that when you open up not only your home but also your life to people, you realize how deep the needs are, and how much it means not only to the person to whom you’re ministering, but also to you. It’s an honor and priveledge to be able to welcome these kids and their families into our home and into our lives.
Even saying all of this, though, I was extremely convicted when I read the words on the picture–the reminder that we need to entertain strangers, people we don’t know well or may not think we would relate to. This is something I can do more of. I want to entertain the one who is uncomfortable in her own skin so I can show her the Christ who came to give her his comfort. I want to make cookies for the widow who has no idea that people of the younger generation still value intergenerational community. I want to sip coffee with the woman from a different culture and ask her to teach me a recipe she grew up with. These are things that will be out of my “comfort” zone, but what right do I have to a comfort zone anyway? When I let go of this entitlement I think I have, suddenly the prospect of entertaining people from ALL walks of life seems…exciting. Like an adventure.
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Oh, and I just subscribed to your blog! Woohoo!!
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This verse challenges me, also. With 5 young children it is difficult to get the house “company ready” along with a nice meal at the same time!! I have pushed myself in this area at times, and will continue to. My husband is a pastor and has read and shared “The Hospitality Commands” which is very interesting!
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I love this verse – I always get so wrapped up in having everything “perfect” to have people over that I let it limit the times that we host guests. This reminds me that it’s not about me and having a clean and “cute” house, but about the experience of opening up our house to others. Thanks! Would LOVE to have a daily reminder of this hanging in the kitchen – great giveaway
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I have to say, this blog has helped me to open my doors! I rarely ever had guests over for dinner…opting instead for throwing one massive bbq/get-together a year. But, that was never fulfilling because I only got to spend a few minutes with each guest…conversations rarely going deeper than small talk. But things are changing for me!!! Just this weekend, I have invited over a family that I only barely know. Although not strangers, the family and the idea of entertaining out of my comfort zone are two very unfamiliar territories for me. I am a little nervous about how it will go…but that makes it more fun, I think! Thanks for the inspiration Sandy!
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I love this verse, I actually issued a challenge last Christmas in my blog concerning this verse. I am a culinary arts student (baking & pastry major) I hope to open a tea room soon. My mission statement for the tea room is Proverbs 31:20…. I plan to open it up to women and their children who live in shelters to be able to celebrate their special occasions, free. Homeless or abuse. And sitting here writing this, I could be doing this now, out of my little apartment. HMMM. Funny how the Holy Spirit works.
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I love to entertain! Over the years I have opened my home to various people because of my husband being in the military. I find entertaining strangers the best because they usually become friends. I don’t particularly enjoy large groups of entertaining because I never get to meet everyone. We usually have just one or two couples over at a time, with or without their children.
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I shared this on Facebook!
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Just subscribed to your blog!
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Joined you on Facebook! (I think that counts.)
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We’ve always opened our home to family and friends from church, like you mentioned, but we’ve been challenged to do more by two things:
1. understanding the mission of God to reach ALL people, and my role in it
2. moving to a low-income neighborhood, where it is not uncommon for strangers to knock on the door and ask for help (money, meals, etc) regularly, just like your grandmother experienced during the depression.
What a challenge it has been to us/me to participate in God’s mission to reach ALL people–even those with whom I am very different-and to use our home a simply a tool in that mission.
Your book, a new apron, and that beautiful piece of art would serve as terrific tools, as well!
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I would like to think that I branch out… However, not so much over a meal in my home. There is something special about eating together…Something so natural, so common, that can bring you closer and open doors to Share the love of God… I’m challenged. Thank you!
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I’m new to your blog. I’ve had desires to minister out of the home through hospitality, yet in a phase of life where getting the house in order and a meal on the table is rough. Would love a copy of your book!
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ooohhh…I fall right into that survey. Basically entertaining family and friends from church. I think we need to branch out and even be a little uncomfortable…reaching out and bringing people into our home that are not already good friends. Thanks for the challenge!
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I love this verse. It challenges me to remember the purpose of hospitality–I’m an introvert by nature, so reach out to others is hard. Keeping in mind that caring for our neighbors is at the root of opening up our homes might help me get over that hurdle.
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Tweeted this giveaway too!
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Just “Liked” your Facebook page, too!
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How on earth can I get that sign…
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Yes, entertaining is a bit of a challenge for me. I want to do it, but it’s easy to find excuses not to do it. I’d love to do better!
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Oh I love this giveaway!!!
We have entertained a variety of people from all areas of our lives just not the “box” Mainly because Hubby serves on a lot of “boards” and Meetings are easer to set up over dinner sometimes.
It is a bit out of my comfort zone when I do not know the people but it gets easier the more we do it
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This is a fantastic verse, and one my family doesn’t follow often enough, sadly. We love to entertain, but I often find that our current schedule doesn’t allow for nearly enough time to entertain others. We try to sneak it in once every two or three months right now, and being aspiring church planters, we’re praying that God allows us more opportunities to open our home to others more during our next adventure (which, we believe, is coming this summer). It doesn’t take much. You’re guests will likely forget the state of your furniture, how clean your house is, or whether that pie was homemade or store bought… What they’ll remember is the way you made them feel when you’re attention was focused purely on them.
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I Like you on face book
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I love this verse! Years ago, I had a bit of an angel experience. The whole opportunity was one of those things God orchestrated to perfection. I learned a lot that day about being obedient to that still small voice.
I’ve also learned through the years that hospitality can happen wherever you are, not just in your home.
Nancy
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I thank you so much for this wonderful reminder that we not only need to invite our family and church friends….but reach out to others. Thank you! You are an amazing inspiration to me.
Becky B.
http://www.organizingmadefun.blogspot.com
Organizing Made Fun
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The truth is that I used to welcome people to our home often. Feeding them and sharing the gift of hospitality with them was a true delight.
We moved from old friends and shortly after, our house burned to the ground. I lost myself with everything else. It’s funny how our happy memories are tied up with “the bowl that belonged to my great-grandmother, her favorite for making oatmeal cookies” or “the pizza pans we used every week making create-your-own-home-made-pizzas” with our daughters friends. My daughters were away from home and everything was too new with no stories attached.
Bit by bit I’ve started to forge new paths of memories. I’m beginning to blossom again and share hospitality in small ways. It’s been a journey, a process of coming out of the ashes. Literally and figuratively. It’s a good thing.
I would love to win the gifts. That said, you gift me with every encouraging story of hospitality and joy. Thank you so very much.
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Hebrews 13:2 does speak deeply to me. I use to be better at hospitality and entertaining, and that bothers me. I want to be better at it now. I just had a discussion with a neighbor last weekend about being or not being invited into other neighbors homes. It made me very sad to see the way that so many have accepted as acceptable when it comes to hospitality. Last summer we had a wonderful evening over dinner with a friend from our church and her mother that was in town from Africa. Our church supports her orphanage and we had the best evening. Why do I not do this more often????
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I just liked RE on FB.
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I subscribe to RE via email.
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it challenges me to see God in everyone, not just the people i invite into my home. it causes me to look for jesus in every face i pass by, the homeless, those ordering coffee before me… it causes my hospitality to be quite intentional.
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On my 16th birthday, I was horrified to see the entire youth group from church pulling up in front of my house. My mother, always an amazing hostess, planned a surprise party for me. I ran to the bathroom and locked the door! I did come out and join the group…eventually. Hospitality has always been my mom’s gift – - I just assumed it wasn’t mine. But after moving to Alaska many years ago, I found there are always people with no where to go and no one to share a meal with, plus I was lonely. Hebrews 13:2 became an adventure for me as we collected people we met thru our children, church, work, volunteer organizations…and enjoyed getting to know them around our kitchen table. Kids are grown and gone and I’ve fallen off the wagon in recent years, but I stumbled upon your blog and book last month, Sandy. I’m excited to open up the door and invite people in again. My home is going thru some renovation, but according to your book I don’t need to worry about that! Thanks for the inspiration.
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I just ‘liked’ Reluctant Entertainer on Facebook.
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I already follow RE.
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No no….not USA only!
(
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What a wonderful reminder, I needed this in-site today…. I often become so comfortable within our circle of friends that I miss an opportunity to develop new friendships. Would I even notice a stranger the Lord brought across my path? I hope I would. Thank You for this reminder to be watchful.
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I totally feel like this would challenge me. My husband and I are both hombodies. We love being well, home! But we rarely have people in. That needs to change. I love to entertain, so the Red Letter Words print would certainly challenge me!
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I admit I’ve been lazy about inviting new people to visit. Entertaining the usual family and friends is so easy. Thanks for the reminder that I must seek to widen the circle.
Darla
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I too love this verse! It is interesting that it is so hard for us to open our doors to others. When my husband and I moved to a new area (no family around either) we I found it extremely hard to meet new people to actually hang out with. It seemed no one was willing to let strangers into their “circle”. 5 years later we have lots of friends and love having people over for dinner or appetizers and drinks ~ people from church, friends and neighbors. I love the challenge to have an open door ~ you never know when someone might need not only a cup of coffee, but a willing ear.
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I love to entertain, but I live way out in the country. This means I have to actually host something for people to come over. I definately don’t get drop ins!
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We never entertain. I have a two year old and just worry too much about the jelly stained couch and the time of trying to get a meal together. Your website has helped me to hopefully change.
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I absolutely live being hospitable, but usually its only for friends & family. I feel it would be better if I would start doing more about inviting neighbors, my children’s friends, etc that may need that hospitality in their life. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have “enough” food to invite the “not-so-close” crowd, but that may be just what they need!
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I tweeted!
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I would love to be more hospitable. I love to cook, to entertain but having people to my house becomes a difficult process for me as I have to make sure everything is spotless and perfect. What a horrible habit, I know. Instead I like to be hospitable out in public – bring food in for funerals, by a coffee, cookie or lunch for a lonely widow by him or himself in the local bakery. never do I put my name on it as I think being hospitable doesn’t always mean doing it for recognition. Bringing grace and love to someone unexpectantly is something I want to share with my kid’s and the feeling of doing it with out recognition makes it all that more worthwile.
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My daughter is pushing me to step out into a less comfortable entertaining mode. She is hosting a dinner but has asked us to open our home for it. This is some of the message on the invite:
“Cana Supper: Where in small, drab, windblown places God wants to do something miraculous and totally out of keeping with its reputation for poverty and pomegranates.
We would love for you, and whomever you would like to invite, to attend.
We aren’t exactly sure what God wants to do, but we believe God has been bringing particular people into our lives, and now is the time to try to get as many of these people as possible in the same room.
We would like it, if you would consider praying for our community over the next few weeks, specifically asking God to:
break your heart for the things that break his
and
to open your eyes to what He is already doing around us.”
I am reluctantly excited…
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Just this week I’ve been removing things “from my plate” so that I can get my house in order for several things – one being to open my house up for entertaining. In the past I’ve only had family and close friends over – and not very often. Thanks for the reminder. It so encourages me this week.
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God is dealing with me, on this issue,, funny you should blog about it. There is a guy that I invited to church, total stranger, saw that he had moved in down the road from us (bad neighborhood and all that), with his son and and just felt God prompting me to invite them, I FINALLY stopped and asked and THEY CAME!!! They’ve been coming ever since, but we stop there? Why? Like that is enough? No, I don’t think so. I’ve been thinking about having them over for dinner. I think this is just another sign. Thanks! I LOVE this give away, such gorgeous stuff!
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Hospitality is something I think a lot about. As a single girl in a new city, the fact that people were willing to welcome me into their homes made a huge impact on me. I can’t wait until I have a home of my own and am able to open my doors (and kitchen!) to many in a way that reflects God’s love!
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As a military wife, hospitality is part of the job. We are moving in a few months and I plan to reach out to the neighbors as well as fellow military folks.
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I tend to have family and friends over, it seems like no one has the time anoymore but my goal is to open my home more because in the end, life is about the moments, not the “doing”….
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I am moving in a few months and plan to show hospitality to my neighbors .Being a military wife, hospitality is part of the job with our units, but neighbors are usually overlooked.
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Hi there! YES Heb 13 DEFINITELY challenges me. i am NOT so naturally open!! i have, thankfully, started to think differently about hospitality thanks to my MIL & my husband. In the past everything had to be PERFECT before anyone could come over – and therefore people came over LESS and when they did it was HIGH stress preparation. My MIL is a missionary in Mexico who lives SO simply [in an adobe house!] and LITERALLY has an open front door. Anyone, even a deaf old beggar man, can stop in for a bite. My in laws are Bible translators and always have people from the villages staying with them to work on the translation so my MIL is CONSTANTLY feeding them, hosting them, letting them stay over, etc. Her OPEN heart and home, in all it’s simplicity and less-than-perfect state has opened up a whole new world to me. AND since my husband grew up that way he is consistently reminding me that things don’t have to be perfect we can just be open to others. They’ve been a great challenge to me in loosening up and letting people in.
For the 2nd question: we definitely have lots of different people. Until the last yr we worked overseas in a Muslim country… so we definitely had people of other faiths and nationalities around our table!
AND i had to learn what to cook, what things honored them, were important to them in being hosted etc. It was great. For exmple: A place setting had NO importance BUT there should always be 3 different kinds of meat served… and a fish head is the most desired piece! 
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This verse has fresh meaning for me, ever since our daughter began working with refugees. We’ve had people from Iraq and Nepal in our home, and we have been the ones blessed. To share what God has given us with people who have been displaced and are looking for community has changed us, and we are so thankful to the One who welcomed us into His family.
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The thought of hospitality is always in my mind, but putting it into action is often put on the back burner due to the busyness of the day-i.e. 4 kiddos, running here and there, messy house;-) But every time I do open my house (and my heart) I am amazed at the rich, joyful return. My goal is to look past the busyness and just say “come on in”.
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I love to entertain or at least I say I do. Schedules these days are crazy. Church friends/families, family, neighbors and school friends have graced our table recently. I’ve been known to throw a neighborhood party and drop invitations at doors to homes of people I wouldn’t know if I saw them and with great turnout (most people are very curious to see how others live). I’ve recently fallen off the wagon so to speak with the stresses of life and a busy work schedule. I should not be too busy to entertain for the verse you mention is very revealing that it is God’s intent for us to swing our doors wide not only to ones we know and like but to those whom He has set out before us.
Reminders are good. Blessings.
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I love that verse in Hebrews! I posted it on my FB status this morning. It does encourage me to be more hospitable when given the chance. We don’t have a lot of opportunities to do that, but I pray that God will give me more ways to show hospitality to others in my service to Him.
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Great verse! When we first began having people in our home, it was always the same crowd of people. But now we branch out and invite lots of folks! My husband is a pastor so we have the opportunity to meet a lot of neat people and have them over.
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LOVE THIS!!!! This is so inspirational!!!
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Having the gift of hospitality & space to do it, we have had missionaries from around the world stay with us (one couple for a month, a couple of years ago; a family of 7 two weeks ago for a couple of days). We’ve also had the privilege of hosting numerous wedding & baby showers here over the years, & many “over-nighters” for various reasons. It is harder to reach out to those outside church & family, but we recently had the neighbors in for a Super Bowl party. We try to have a cookout each year for the neighbors, too. But I’m convicted that we still need to reach out more to those outside the Body/Family!
I’ve taught seminars & classes on hospitality, using the verses that “command” us to practice hospitality (not leaving it an option open to excuses). I pray that this has encouraged others to “just do it!” whether or not they have the ideal setting. I think it’s sad that we have lost the freedom to just drop in on each other…
I think the “hospitality gene” has passed on to two more generations… My daughter & her husband both have it & use it, & their children just expect to frequently have people at their house. Last week they had one of our pastors & his family over for dinner & an evening: they have 5 boys, 6 yrs. & under! His wife later told me, “NO ONE ever invites our whole family over!”
This is such a fun give-away, with all the “freebies” being wonderful! Thanks for reminding all of us to take the Hebrews passage seriously & practice it!
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Hospitality comes very naturally to me because life is not just about me – it’s about all of us – we need to make one another feel special & loved because we are, by God!!
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I subscribed! =)
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My mother has always said I have a gift for hospitality. I don’t see it. I love having people over, I just stress myself out before hand. I worry if the food will be edible, the house clean enough, will the children behave. Recently, I hosted a Love Party on Valentine’s day for some ladies from MOPS. Some of them were friends, some were ladies that I was just acquaintances with who needed some extra love. Everyone had a delightful time, food prep was way easy and we were able to just love on each other. They have all invited themselves back for the same thing next year.
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I joined your Facebook page, I put a link to this on my FB page, I signed up as a follower of RE, & I’m about to post this on my blog. Just trying to increase the chances of this great give-away! (‘Course, I’d have to read it then pass it on to my daughter with her awesome practice of hospitality…)
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Hi Sandy!
I joined (liked) your facebook page… and I am enjoying your facebook posts!
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Hospitality tends to come fairly easily to me and my husband as well. We tend to branch out, but could definitely do more of it! It’s unfortunate, in our culture, it’s hard for people even to recieve a polite invitation from someone, simply because they don’t know them. We’ve been met with a “no thanks” more than once
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I just *love* to entertain! I don’t do it as often as I would like. Usually because I don’t have the circle of friends that are available!
But this verse has opened my eyes to open my mind and open my home to others that I wouldn’t necessarily think of inviting over. I just love it!
I am going to make it a goal for 2011 to invite more people into my home.
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I have ‘Liked’ your page on facebook (Beth Morse).
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I have shared this post on facebook! (Beth Morse)
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When I first got married years ago, we used to rarely entertain because I felt like my house had to be perfect….it never was. Once we joined a community group in our church and started getting together every week with our friends it made me realize that it’s not about the house, it’s about the people. We entertain all the time now (& usually it’s with paper plates & plastic cups from Target). We not only have church friends over but also neighbors & friends from the kid’s school & sports. We as Moms & wives need to let ourselves off the hook about trying to have a perfect house & focus on just having fun.
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I have subscribed! Looking forward to learning more about you and your fabulousness! xoxo
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I”ve been praying about hospitality recently!! Funny, huh?
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We just moved into a new neighborhood, and have had many people invite us to their house for dinner, game nights and even breakfast. Now it’s my turn to return the favor!
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Shared on facebook!
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I have a few dear friends who are truly blessed with the gift of hospitality, and their willingness to use their homes as their ministry is inspiring! We’ve been trying to branch out more (I’m hosting a big Blessings Unlimited gathering at my home next month), but we’ve got a long way to go for me to feel like we’re truly welcoming EVERYONE (just being honest).
This is a beautiful giveaway
*Fingers-crossed!*
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Tweeted it! (@CrystalStine)
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I also posted a blog entry about your giveaway and fabulous site!
http://www.blissfulblunders.com/2011/03/hospitality.html
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Just “liked” you on Facebook
I think I’m now following more blogs than friends .. hehe…
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Just subscribed to your email list
Thanks!
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I love that verse so much. But I have to admit, I’m not much of a hostess. I rarely have people over to my place for various reasons….my apartment is small, being the center of attention makes me uncomfortable, I always fret that people aren’t having fun, etc. However, I do believe we can be hospitable in other ways, for instance in public when someone needs help or at work when a co-worker’s having a bad day. Thanks for making me think about this today!
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Tweeted this. @coasterkim
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I tweeted it, too!
@blissfulbabe
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We tend to entertain many of the same family & friends, but I’ve become very conscious of trying to branch out. It is a challenging thing to accomplish, though, as the schedule is always so packed, and we want to keep up our relationships with our main circle of family & friends. I will keep trying, though!! This is a great giveaway – every item beautiful!
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I have been challenged to open our home up more this year to neighbors, family, and friends. We actually made it a sort of “New Year’s Resolution” I guess
We’ve definitely seen ministry opportunities because of our willingness to open our homes to people and not stop to worry about how our home would appear to them. It’s so much better to focus outward than inward 
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I have loved this verse for ages. To me, “entertain” in this sense doesn’t just mean in one’s home. I live in a big city with lots of “oddballs”, “weirdos”, “freaks”, and other people my Mama warned me about. I feel that entertaining, in Hebrews’s sense, means that when I come across these types of people that society tends to overlook or reject, I am to give them the time of day – a kind word, a smile, hold a door open, etc. You never know when the bum on the street, the tatooed & bodypierced teenager, or the crazy cat lady is really a messenger from God.
However…I struggle with the idea of opening my home to such people. There are so many horror stories of identity theft, vandalism, people being attacked in their home etc., that I am really reluctant to just open my doors and let those I don’t know in. I’ll have to ponder this one a bit more…
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We’ve been remodeling our house and yard for two years. My husband was instrumental in “pushing” me to have folks over – friends, acquaintances and work people – even during the construction mess. Who wants to eat surrounded by holes in the wall, unpacked boxes, dirt piles in the backyard?? But, you know, it is always fun and several comment that we are brave and relaxed. However, we do need to reach out more to those we don’t really know – to truly follow the many Biblical examples. Thanks for the reminder and challenge.
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Heb 13 definitely chanllenges me – we actually used to entertain a lot before kids – but when you have newborn twins, having people over is pretty low on the list! Of course, they are 10 now, but we just seem to be out of the ‘habit’ of having people over. Thanks for continually challenging us!
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And then there’s me. I entertain more strangers than people I already know! I’m the organizer for three local Meetup groups, one for wine lovers, one for people wanting to cook with others and a new one for local food bloggers. I love to entertain and have opened my home to all of these groups.Some just meet occasionally (the wine group is most fun in warmer months when we can use my backyard and I’ll set the invitation to allow 40 to respond), the cooking group is both experienced and inexperienced cooks and we get together whenever someone has an idea for something they would like to try.
My favorite of all? The food blogger group! A bit more structure than the others, we meet once a month on a Saturday morning for socializing followed by an hour of education with a speaker knowledgeable in photography, web issues, social media, etc. It has been the BEST experience; we were all hungry for finding a community.
The best part of all of these are the real friendships that develop as a result!
I won’t even get started about the people I’ve had come live with us over the years for short periods of time, World Youth Day kids, exchange students, student teachers, even a young homeless man (with…sit down…a pet alligator. The alligator had to find a new home!)
It takes a real leap of faith because sometimes it’s not been all good. BUT the good has so far outweighed the bad, I would not change one instance if it meant not having any of them.
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“liked” RE on FB!
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My children are especially happy when we have guests visiting. They sense the laughter and good food and enjoy being a part of the conversation. I hope to teach them how important it is to be hospitable as you never know when someone might need an ear to talk with, a warm bed to sleep in, and a hot meal to eat.
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I love this idea and need to make a commitment to follow through.
I get stressed out and talk myself out of it.
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p.s. I am happy to be a new fan on Facebook! I also signed up for your newsletter. I love finding these new sites to enjoy reading and learning! Many thanks…
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I just retweeted, too!
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We live in a small apartment so it is hard for us to entertain very often. Usually any get-togethers we have are at someone else’s house and we make dishes to bring over and share.
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I enjoying entertaining but, living in a small apartment, I often feel like our space is too small. One of my spring resolutions is to be more intentional about having people over anyway, remembering that gracious hospitality is more important than the size of your home! On that note, we are also trying to invite a new friend over for every time we have our older, more “comfortable” friends over. I love being reminded of this verse – it definitely challenges me to get out of my comfort zone when it comes to entertaining!
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I shared this on Facebook (Rebecca Reichl Rogge)
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I shared this on Twitter (beachgirlbecca)
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I subscribed to your updates.
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I am a fan on Facebook (Rebecca Reichl Rogge) and Twitter (beachgirlbecca).
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Hospitality is one of my spiritual gifts. I lived in a 500 sq. ft. cottage for 10 years and couldn’t entertain there much. But my jobs at 2 different churches over the years gave me plenty of opportunities to exercise my gift. Now I am married and we have a small home with a tiny dining room. I love having family and friends over. It is cramped but I love having people over for meals and making their tummies happy. With warmer weather coming I would like to have neighbors over for BBQs. I think it would be a great way to get to know our neighbors better.
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I’m a follower!
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Fabulous verse! Yes, we have branched out…more than just friends and family in our “comfort zone.” I’m trying to simplify entertaining as much as possible, because I know if it’s too complicated, I just won’t invite people over. Sometimes that means ordering pizza and tossing a salad in a pinch. I find that folks appreciate this, though, even at the last minute. I know when people invite our family over without making a lot of fuss, it makes me feel like they’re comfortable enough being around us not to have to try to impress. Honestly, my favorite people to share a meal with are those who invite you into their homes, mess and all, and just enjoy the fellowship.
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My husband and I love having people over, but sandly enough it alway seems to be the same people over and over again. Hebrews 13:2 is an incredibly challenging verse, along with so many other scriptures that talk about helping and always taking care of those in need. I know what is right, but im the first to amit that i dont always do what it right…. But i take the challenge to open up my home, my pantry, and my heart to all the people out there who just need to be loved. Thanks for the wonderful reminder of how we are suppose to treat others.
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This is perfect for me! We usually have “the familiar” over because it’s just…easy.
However, in three nights we are having two sets of neighbors and their families over for “authentic Texas BBQ.” I am challenged by Hebrews 13:2 because I don’t seek out the unfamiliar too often – but it’s there that we can find our treasures, right? I am hoping to make some real connections at this dinner!
We are trying to have more people over that are new to our church (my hubby is a pastor) and to STOP saying, “Oh, you all should come over sometime…” because sometime never seems to happen. We are making plans and sticking with them!
Thanks for all you do!
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We love having people in our home. Sometimes it is difficult for us to plan ahead and invite people. By difficult I mean we just don’t do it. SO we end up asking old friends at the last minuted because we didn’t think to invite earlier. The last few years we have made a list of people we want to invite and then we plug them into available dates. The best thing we have learned to do is to flex and squeeze a new family into a dinner or dessert get together. It’s always good to ask folks even if you have just met them. Thanks for all the encouragement.
Kim D in SC
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here is a quote I’ve been thinking about
“Hospitality opens the door to uncommon community. It’s no accident that hospitality and hospital come from the same Latin word, for they both lead to the same result: healing. When you open your door to someone, you are sending this message: “You matter to me and to God.” You may think you are saying, “Come over for a visit.” But what your guest hears is, “I’m worth the effort.” Lucado
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
(1 Peter 4:9-10 NLT)
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Love it! I “liked” on FB!
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I think we do a good job of cooking for people we don’t know well! There is always room for improvement, but I think we do great!!!!
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My life has been turned upside down. In the midst of my own struggles, I’ve discovered how to be more flexible in helping struggling friends who need a cup of tea and a safe and listening ear. Or throwing together a homemade mac and cheese and eating at the kitchen table…because when a husband walks out on his wife….it’s good for a mother and daughter to come to a home where there is order and love and peace and “realness”….on the spur of the moment….and otherwise a meal would not be made or eaten. I don’t know that that is entertaining angels. But, I believe it is blessing God.
What a lovely giveaway!!!
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My husband is a pastor and so that sort of forces us to branch out by trying to invite all from our flock over at some time during the year. The biggest help to hospitality is to just practice it! I have developed routines that make it easier. I remember to set the table in advance, get the ice bucket out, etc.
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We are always entertaining. Especially Sunday after morning church. Sometimes it is a single person, sometimes a family who’s cook (mother/wife) is gone for the day. We try to do cookouts during the summer with many of the church families. My husband is a Pastor and in 1 Timothy is talks about the qualifications of a pastor one is “given to hospitality” so not only do we enjoy it, we also are fulfilling what God expects.
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Hospitality is something I strive for, but is still such a challenge. I’m so shy that it’s often hard to reach out to others. Usually I find myself entertaining out of town family or my kids’ friends. So yes, I absolutely find this verse to be a challenge.
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I facebooked as Creative2xmom
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I’m a facebook fan
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I’m a follower
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I love having people over – I think it might be because we rarely had people over when I was a kid, so I remember how excited I was when someone actually did come for dinner. Having friends and people from church over doesn’t scare me much at all – but the concept of having strangers over totally does. I would be so nervous that it could be unsafe; that they might have weird germs, etc. But then thinking about what your Grandma did, I realize how rewarding it was for her and the people she showed hospitality to. This verse is definitely a challenge to me.
Seriously, this is an amazing giveaway! I do have your book already but I would love to give a friend a copy – I have just the friend in mind, actually!
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I just “liked” RE on FB – and no, I didn’t know you had a page! How awesome! (My name is Jessica G — B—-.)
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I just linked to the giveaway on my FB page.
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I used to panic at the thought of entertaining until I looked at it as not entertaining, but as connecting. I LOVE connecting with people! Usually we just have friends & family over, but this past year my husband encouraged me to have our new neighbors over. We knew our kids went to the same high school & elementary school & he thougth it’d be a great way to break the ice. So we did, & it was GREAT!! We are now friends & carpoolers
What a great result from a fun night 
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What a great giveaway… Even ONE item would be a treat, but all three??? woo hoo.
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We tend to stick to the same people…our excuse is that we’re shy, but that’s a bad excuse to miss out on entertaining angels!
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I like RE on facebook.
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I like RE on twitter too.
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What a lovely giveaway! We love to entertain! We host summer parties where we invite people from all parts of our life – friends, family, work, etc. It is always wonderful to watch the connections and see all the people we like in one place!
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Tweeted! (@goodcookdoris). Thanks for a lovely giveaway!
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Thank you so much for your post. Opening our home to people other than our tight knit group of friends or neighbors has been a priority for us this year. But even though my husband and I try to go out of our way to invite “other” people over we still find ourselves falling back into what is comfortable.
Although God spoke volumes to me last month when we had a new family over for dinner…I say new because they aren’t part of our inner circle but not necessarily new to the area! Anyways, I decided to let go of all my expectations…we ordered pizza for dinner and I made brownies out of a box for dessert. And you know what…we had a blast!
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My husband & I have put that verse into practice during our 30 years of marriage though we have to continually remind ourselves to look outside of our inner circle of friends to those who are on the fringes & invite them into our fellowship times. That is why I read your blog as it challenges me to do more in the area of hospitality.
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I’m trying to figure out how to cook for a husband, let alone for a crowd! As a newlywed, I think I “win” for the most failed meals in a week…. but how blessed I am… he eats it all with a smile, whether or not I’m choking it down through tears!
Growing up, my family invited the poor, widows, and those with no family to share our meals – so this is my aspiration as I begin a family of my own. It’s going to take a little time, but I’m taking baby steps toward the hospitality habit!
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I just linked the post to my FB page!
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Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” What an exciting thought! If that doesn’t make me open my home to people I wouldn’t ordinarily, nothing will! Thanks for the wonderful ideas and encouragement you bring!
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I love to entertain! Since we do not live close to any family, I have always branched out and met people in our community to share a meal with. Most of these people have become our “family”. Since I have been growing for and running a farmers’ market for a few years, this Summer I will focus on having two local food dinners in our small town. I am very excited to bring our community together with fresh, healthy, local foods as the focus.
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I “Liked” you on Facebook, and I like you in general, hehe.
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Oh, and yes, I re-tweeted. I would love one of those PRECIOUS aprons to wear at farmers’ market!
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What a great giveaway!
I nod my head in agreement with you, dear one. We love to entertain. We also try to invite a variety of people to our home. It is fun to change up the scene… taco night, breakfast for dinner, kids rule night. We see it as a great way to share the love of God and be a safe place to relax and enjoy life.
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What a wonderful post! I think it is easy to welcome our family and closest friends into our homes because we can relax and not be so ‘reluctant’. What a beautiful challenge (and a divine one at that!) to extend our hospitality to ‘strangers’ in our lives. I recently moved to a new town, so I think I will start with inviting some new friends over. Every great friendship has to start somewhere!
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i just had two friends over for lunch. they are friends of mine but didn’t know each other. we had a great time – so at this time i’ve not opened my house to other than them. I also think hospitality can reach beyond our walls. When my son was about 5-6 yrs old we saw a homeless man. Colby wanted to take him lunch. so we made PBJ sammies, couple bags of chips, apple, bottles of water and colby put in a piece of bubble gum. I think THAT was a form of reaching out with hospitality. what do you think about that? thank you for the chance to win some lovely gifts.
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Offering hospitality to strangers is the bar to which scripture challenges us to go…so often we fall short. It is a great challenge and opportunity!
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There’s been many times in my life when I’ve extended just a little hospitality, even by just being welcoming to someone and offering a smile, where I’ve been blessed more than I think my small efforts might have touched them. I don’t extend the hospitality to get back … it just happens that way. Amazing Grace, truly.
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I did know you were on FB and I am happy to be a follower!
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What a wonderful verse! It challenges me to think beyond the norm when offering hospitality to others. Thank you for the awesome give away!
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About once a month I throw a party for international students, their spouses, expats, and au pairs. I invite those who I know from volunteering as a tutor through Princeton University’s international center, and I always ask them to please invite any friends they know. Many of them have taken me up on inviting their friends, so I get to meet new people through them.
The Bible commands care of the orphan, disabled, widow, poor, and foreigner (Ps 68:5-6, Prov 31:8-9, Job 31:13-32, Lk 14:12-13, Jas 1:27). I’m doing my part to show hospitality to the foreigners, and I plan to adopt an older child internationally in the future to welcome an orphan. This summer I’ll do an internship at a crisis pregnancy center, where the women I counsel are not relationships limited to the workplace but we’ll supply them with all sorts of materials like baby clothes and diapers and we’re willing to accompany them into the delivery room if they want. I’m looking for how I can help the other demographics as well.
Before moving to Princeton, I threw parties for internationals and volunteered for them in NYC and LA. I’ve been showing hospitality to international students for about a decade. I’ve done one-on-one conversation partnering, conversation class teaching, working at ESL schools, putting together dinner parties and excursions, starting Bible study groups, and offering to help new friends with practical things like moving house or introducing American product brands. It’s so much fun to meet people of other cultures, that I can’t imagine my life without doing this kind of service. I get to introduce them to Jesus as well as to American holidays and our traditional customs. In fact, I’m giving a St. Patrick’s Day Party tonight. Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Spaniards will be coming!
Over ten years ago I taught English, art, and cooking classes in Japan in the summers, and my homestay family really welcomed me warmly and introduced their culture to me. After I came back, I thought it is such a pity when students study abroad but then never end up becoming friends with the natives there and never get invited into their homes. That’s one of my motivations to make internationals comfortable here.
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Stephanie Reply:
March 17th, 2011 at 6:03 am
Oh, I forgot to encourage you all – the size and condition of your apartment don’t matter when you’re reaching out to internationals! They are so thankful to be invited over (some of them come from cultures where noone has friends over to their homes at all), and they want to experience authentic American culture – so you don’t have to hide what your house usually looks like. I introduced one friend to all the different types of kitchen utensils I have and their English names.
My apartment here is quite small – a one-bedroom with a room that is serving as our kitchen/dining/office/living room combined. But we can snugly fit about 10 people in here when we move the chairs around. Remember also, that in some other countries, they’re used to small homes anyway.
And there is a community room in the basement of the building that we can use for larger parties. In fact, a number of the internationals have asked me if they can use that room for throwing parties or ikebana flower arranging class, so my living here makes available to them a space they wouldn’t otherwise have had for their events.
Don’t forget that you can make use of other places to use for hospitality to internationals – reserve a room at your university campus and throw a party there, or coordinate party-planning with a friend at her pad, no matter how small. It’s the hospitality that matters, not the size of the room.
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Oh, one more thing: after the big party where you get to meet new people invited by those who you already knew, then we arrange one-on-one or couples hanging out with them so that we can get to know them better. Have someone over for lunch, dinner, or tea, or going out with someone to a coffee shop or to lunch or a walk or visit a museum together. I aim to meet up with at least one person one-on-one per week.
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Ok, last one, I promise! Another super-easy way to really fill a need is to invite an international to your usual Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter celebration. They usually have nowhere to go on that day and all the Americans they know are not available.
When we’re in town, we can easily invite someone over, but if we’re going to his parents or my parents, we see who back there we can invite – hey, as long as you let Grandma know how many people are coming so she knows how much to cook (and of course I’ll pitch in a make a dish or two), it doesn’t matter if they’re not family! At first we worried a little what she would think if we invited someone she didn’t know, but she’s very polite so she got used to it. For Christmas, we prepare a present or two for the international guest so when people open gifts he/she can participate.
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After being at a few friends’ last minute gatherings lately, I’m remembering how easy it is to invite a few friends over without everything having to be perfect. I have calls into 2 different couples that we’ve never had over to try to expand our hosting horizons.
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I love to have people over! My husband always feels awkward when we have people over from “different groups”. He says that it’s hard to get conversation going when people don’t know one another… but that’s the fun part for me! One Easter (and also Christmas), we had 7 people over and the only thing that linked everyone was my husband and me. All of these people didn’t have a place to go for Eater, so I invited each individual one by one until our Easter group grew. We knew some of the peple well; others we had met once or twice– some we didn’t even meet until Easter day (a friend of friend had told me about one girl who planned on eating cereal because she didn’t have a place to go. I said, NOPE, and gave her a ring.) I adore having people over to my home. It’s what makes me tick.
P.S. I just liked yoru page on Facebook. I thought I did this awhile back but just realized it was your personal page.
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I’m guilty of staying in my comfort zone when it comes to hospitality and entertaining. I enjoy it, and love trying new ides/recipes/etc but prefer to stick to close friends and family…just in case something goes wrong, you know!? Although the thought has crossed my mind several times to extend an invite to “strangers” I never follow through. Hebrews 13:2 has reminded me that we are to honor God with everything, including our hospitality, and I need to get out the “skinny branch” and reach out to others!
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I love that verse and have it on a plaque outside by our front door. I bought it years ago when we entertained all the time to one and all. We have strayed from doing that – for really no good reason other than laziness. Time to renew that verse into our lives.
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How do you feel about hospitality and does Hebrews 13:2 challenge you?
my God given gift isn’t exactly entertaining/hospitality, but i can enjoy having friends over for a good time. i’m better at being friendly and entertaining angels out in public, like buying someone their order in the car behind me at a drive thru, helping a stranger with someting, smiling and saying hi to a passer-by.
Do you always have the same people over for dinner or have you branched out?
i definitely always have the same people over, my branching out would actually be asking someone over for dinner. hahaha!
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We love to entertain and have friends/family over! However, in our busy-ness, we haven’t had too many people over besides family and scheduled growth group nights. We’ve made excuses… The house isn’t clean enough or we don’t have a “fancy” meal to serve. After re-reading Heb 13:2, I feel challenged to invite people from outside my circle of comfort and to not to worry about appearances as that is not what matters. My mind is filling with ideas and I am excited to get back in the habit of reaching out to others
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i DIDN’T know RE had a fb. but now i LIKE RE on fb
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I LOVE this verse, it is such a great reminder. I love to entertain though it happens a little less these days, We are Active Duty Military so it is hard to do sometimes for us. I have shared this link of the giveaway on Facebook. Thank you for doing this, so excited to maybe win:)))
Tiffany Carlton
timandtiffany@cox.net
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I love entertaining. I actually think it may be one of my spiritual gifts, but I have allowed the busyness of motherhood and constant stress about making it “perfect” to prevent me from really sharing that. I believe we should be willing to invite people over on a moment’s notice, but sadly, I don’t follow that. I would love to have a visual reminder to share in fellowship with more people.
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twitter share this giveaway
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shared on facebook
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subscribed to this blog
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Subscribed to the blog!
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First of all this is one of my favorite verses in the Bible which I have highlighted and underlined in my Bible. A friend of mine gave me a small plaque years ago with this verse after her Miscellanenous Bridal Tea as a hostess gift. I grew up in a household where my parents entertained friends, family and there Sunday school class year round. So my husband and I have continued the tradition all year long in our home with tea’s, baby showers, bible study gatherings, football parties etc. It all belongs to the Lord anyway including our home. Yes…we usually do have the same people over because their all an extention of our family anyway.
Happy Entertaining,
Kristin
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Liked you on Facebook!
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I absolutely love your BLOG and love the Hebrews verse. My mother often entertained with large and small groups of friends and our church family growing up. And, she often invited strangers to spend the holidays and special occasions with us. I find great joy in having friends and family in our home and have a husband who also loves to entertain. When I read that verse, though, it reminded me of all the years my mother truly lived that verse. Great memories and a reminder to share hospitality with strangers…as we may be entertaining angels. My mother passed away 15 years ago in April, and I am quite certain she is entertaining many ‘angels’ still today! Thank you!
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What a beautiful print! And a woman can always use another apron.
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I already “like” you on FB, of course!
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Just shared on FB!
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Hmmm… Well, we are great at entertaining family & friends, but it isn’t to reach out to others when only 1 sided… I am currently trying to teach my family about giving to others. This seems to be something not only my 3 toddlers struggle with, but sometimes my spouse as well. He always jokes that I would give away everything in our home if I knew I could get away with it:) Well, not everything, I would keep him & the kids! Ha! Praying this and many other verses over my home and those of us living in it.
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I am also a new follower on FB.
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I did know RE has a Facebook account
And yes, I subscribe 
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Love the quote! Love to entertain! I am just as comfortable with a houseful as I am with our family of 3! This past December I had surgery on the 15 and had two large parties, one on the 19th . . . high school basketball team. . . . a full feed! and the other one on the 23. . . . coaches, friends, and their kids. . . . full feed as well! They look forward to it each year. Tonight we are entertaining one of my hunbands co-workers who is a single man. . . . he loves my meatloaf! So, we try to have him out to our home for dinner every so often. Nothing stuffy just family food, fun, and hospitality. Can’t wait to open the grill! The sigh would look great in my kitchen. . . its a gathering place!
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Every year we try to reach out and aquaint ourselves to a new neighbor or parent from school. Such a blessing to know each one! And even a bigger blessing when our family has gained a new friendship!
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Now a fan of RE!
Already a RedLetter fan!
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Being in the military, our entertaining mostly consists of friends, since we have no family nearby. However, I was actually challenged by this verse several months ago and started having monthly “shop dinners”. We invite all of the Marines who work for my husband and their families to come over for dinner. We actually had our March dinner last night! We’ve also had them all over for the major holidays. It’s been such an incredible experience for myself and my kids to get to know these “kids” and to just love on them. Many of my husband’s jr. Marines are single, living in the barracks, and they’ve actually begun calling me Mom.
I also host many mommy/kid playdates at my house as well as socials for the Mothers of Preschoolers group I coordinate. I really do LOVE having people over.
Growing up, my parents often had company over. Every Sunday, we’d have someone new over for dinner. As I got older, that changed, but the impression was still made. I do need to make more of an effort to continue to reach out to those outside my regular circle, though. What a great reminder!
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WE have LOTS of company but honestly it is usually the same people. We have to PURPOSE ourselves to invite new or different people over. Sometimes being comfortable is a bit too easy…we need to push ourselves to show hospitality to new friends!
AND, I was just thinking as I read all your comments that we have the sweetest single friend who would LOVE to come over for dinner sometime…if we just ASKED him!!!
Thanks for a little “kick in the tushie!”
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This does challenge me! We do entertain new people a lot since we are military and move about every 2 years, but we could certainly push those boundaries farther.
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What a great give away! We love to entertain and I like to add Bibe verses to my decor whenever I can. Blessings…
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I could join the crowd of “I don’t but I should”. Actually, I don’t have any family nearby so I mostly only have a friend over now and again. Although I had some friends from an hour away come and stay for the night cuz they had a class to take near my house and it started really early. I offered to watch my friend’s 8mo. old while she took the class. I was crazy excited to have them here!
I am just beginning to work with some Buhtanese refugees and would love to have them over for food. I do get a little nervous about cooking (not sure what they like!), but with other folks I try to stick to things that are simple, but yummy. Reaching out to neighbors is a bit harder for me b/c I am single and it feels a little awkward to invite a couple over with just me here (my roommate is SO not into meeting the neighbors). But, I will work on it!!
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I tweeted about this giveaway at: @ justanette !
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And…now I am a subscriber to RE!!
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Thanks For the Chance to Win
I LOVVVVVVVE THIS print I love opening My home even to Strangers In hopes to entertaining angels 
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The red letter stuff is amazing. Looks so easy, but I know it takes time. I should be creative one of these days, but being a mommy takes a lot of time.
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I recently had all my girl neighbors over for a girls night. It was wonderful to see us all laughing…two are Christian, one Morman, one Jewish, and one agnostic. What a mix…I intentionally had a few things with scripture on them and it was interesting to see that they were all inspired..even mentionaing it to me.
We try to have the neighors over for some cookouts in the spring an summer. It is so good just to express care and concern for the people who live right around you. We have experienced some tragedy in the last year…one neighbor passed away and another is ill. We have had to band together and it has been amazing to watch.
Thanks for the reminder….
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How do you feel about hospitality and does Hebrews 13:2 challenge you?
I am all about hospitality!! I would have the masses at my house given the chance. However, I have a very anti social husband, who would think I am putting him through all kinds of torture if I had the amount of people out that I would like.
I would like to think that i have at one time or another entertained an angel or two.
Do you always have the same people over for dinner or have you branched out?
We have a hunting lodge, so there are many people in an out of my table. However, I would love to branch out and have a more diverse group in.
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I just wanted to comment–I know the giveaway is done. We moved to a state where we know no one the end of January. We’ve shared meals with more people since moving here than we did in years at our other place. We’ve been over to one other family’s, but most of the meals have been around our dining room table. As it is the only place to sit, it’s getting a lot of use. (We’re missing cushions from both couches and the recliner from the move. Hopefully, they’ll be here by the end of the month.)
It’s been a real stretch to open up our home in the condition it is in, but I’m praying and doing it anyway. It’s a 90 YO farmhouse in need of a lot of love and work!! Most of the meals have been just inviting whoever is over working to just join us in the next meal. It’s nothing fancy, as I am still waiting on all my fancy things with the cushions, but it’s healthy and hot.
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I do practice Hospitality, but i’m afraid i do it to much just to my church and family, you have challenged me to step out of my comfort zone.
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I am a follower!
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Hi Sandy. I haven’t actually finished by blog design yet. It’s a work in progress. I have been surfing the blogs that I am interested in to get more information on what it involves to be a blogger. I’m very excited about it. In response to your challenge of coming up with something different for a dinner party, I decided to have my granddaughter invite 3 of her friends from school over and I called and invited their parents as well explaining that I would like to get better aquainted with her friends and their families in a more intimate atmosphere than PTA meetings. The dinner is set for March 9th.
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