Open-Door Living | Book Review
Back Cover
Open-Door Living is a gift book inviting you to replace the expectations and anxiety of hosting with encouragement and easy ways to welcome people into your home and point them to Christ.
Jen Schmidt starts with an invitation to the heart of hospitality, then shares her best practical ideas to remove stress from four aspects of hosting: food, cleaning, atmosphere, and connection. Featuring beautiful graphics and devotional reflections, Open-Door Living will give you the confidence you need to share the gift of your home.
My Thoughts
Well, my first impression? This book is beautiful! (Satin ribbon bookmarks always make me happy.) :) The photography and on-trend graphics are a feast for the eyes. I read it in about 20 minutes, but it left me with plenty to think about and made me excited to try some of the tips and suggestions!
You want to hear a secret? I'm an introvert - surprise, surprise. Like, an introverted introvert. Although I work hard to overcome my hide-in-the-corner tendencies and focus on loving others, it's still a struggle sometimes. I really do enjoy having people into our home, but often the stress of an "entertaining" mindset leaves me so mentally exhausted that I forget the blessing of hospitality and end up closing the door...again. Open-Door Living was a sweet and helpful reminder of what is really important, with more than a few thoughtful correlations between the power of the gospel and seeking to love others as Christ has loved us.
"Extending hospitality is about freely giving of ourselves while granting others the freedom to be themselves. Shifting our focus from us to them removes all unnecessary expectations."
Jen encourages you to take pencil to paper and think about which of these four elements of hospitality seems most challenging - preparing and serving food, cleaning the house, creating a warm atmosphere, or connection through conversation? She then packs each section with easy budget-friendly recipes, handy secrets to sprucing up decor (while spending next to nothing!), and more ideas and tips on how to make guests feel at home without stressing yourself out.
Whether you are a new bride just beginning to show hospitality, or a seasoned hostess looking for fun, inspiring ideas and a reminder of what it means to live with an open door, I'm pretty positive you will enjoy this breath of fresh air. Click here ** to get yours!
"Our homes - no matter how imperfect - are the most likely location for changing the world around us."
*I am a B&HPublishing/Lifeway Blogger. I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.*
**(This post contains Amazon affiliate links. That means that I'll earn up to a 10% commission if you make any purchases after being referred through my website. Don't worry - it's at no extra cost to you.)