"I can't believe that you let me sign your table the first time I came to your house for dinner. I'm surprised that you don't want to be sure that I'm going to come back." "Of course!" I replied, "Everyone who shares a meal with us at our table is invited to sign it regardless … Continue reading BECAUSE COMMUNITY ISN’T A SYSTEM OF EVEN EXCHANGES
Tag: Faith
I had planned on using solitary time at home to catch up on my to-do list. But I ended up laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling instead. Telling God my list of grievances, and finding comfort under the blanket of self-pity. I am over forty years old, but sometimes I still pray like … Continue reading HOW TO THROW A GROWN-UP PITY PARTY
Anyone who knows me at all knows that hospitality is my jam. My table is where my purpose, passions, skills, resources, and the needs of my community intersect. Hospitality has grown to be about so much more than hosting overnight travelers or having company over for dinner. It isn't something I practice for one-time events … Continue reading PRACTICING HOSPITALITY TO MYSELF
Last night I gathered around my table with the community of young women who have become my family. It is hard to believe how much has happened since we last met. It seemed appropriate to take a break from our current book discussion and spend the evening sharing about how we are feeling about the … Continue reading HURTING & HEALING IN COMMUNITY
It's one of the most common questions that I'm asked when I'm sharing about hospitality. "Do you invite different people into your home, or the same people?" And my reply is always, "Both." I believe there is tremendous value in opening our front door wide to invite people to our tables for one time affairs. … Continue reading BECAUSE HOSPITALITY IS BOTH
"I am still learning how to shepherd this long work after the initial burst." This is the quote that leapt from my laptop screen yesterday, as I read a post entitled "The Ministry of Saying Goodbye (and Sticking Around)" by D.L. Mayfield. The "burst" she's referring to is the whirlwind of publishing her first book, … Continue reading SHEPHERDING OUR WORK
One of my favorite Old Testament stories is found in the Book of Exodus. It is a story about a great victory that is won through faithfulness and community. In Chapter 17 the Israelites are triumphant because of Moses' faithfulness to God's leading, as well as God's faithfulness to His people. But this epic battle … Continue reading VICTORIES ARE WON WITH COMMUNITY
