Entertaining Angels: Red Letter Words, The Hip Hostess, The Reluctant Entertainer GIVEAWAY!
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!)
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
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.
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!
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!
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!
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!
Joined you on Facebook! (I think that counts.) :D
Just subscribed to your blog! :D
I shared this on Facebook! :D
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.
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.
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!
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 :-)
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!
Oh, and I just subscribed to your blog! Woohoo!!
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. :)
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.
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.
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.
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. :)
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.