A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others

by Karen Ehman

The thought of hosting a dinner party or even having a friend over for coffee is enough to give some women flashbacks of lopsided cakes or doomed casseroles from home economics class. But opening up your home to others doesn't have to be fancy or frightening or cost a fortune, says Karen Ehman.

In A Life That Says Welcome, she offers a practical, painless (no crafting or cooking aptitude required) course on hospitality. It helps busy women open up their hearts in order to open up their homes. Full of tips, ideas, recipes, to-dos, and how-tos, A Life That Says Welcome shows readers that opening up their homes is less scary and less work than they might think.

Genres: Nonfiction, Christian, Christian Living, Self Help, Faith, Religion, Christianity

235 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

Karen Ehman is a speaker, a New York Times bestselling author, a contributing writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today online devotions and a teacher in the First 5 Bible study app. She has written 21 books and Bible studies including Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All and the 2020 ECPA devotional book of the year Settle My Soul. She is a graduate of Spring Arbor University and serves as President-Elect of their Alumni Board of Directors. She has been featured on TODAY Parenting, Redbook.com, Foxnews.com, Crosswalk.com, YouVersion.com, and is a monthly columnist for HomeLife Magazine. Her passion is to help women live their priorities as they reflect the gospel to a watching world. Karen is married to her college sweetheart, Todd, and is the mother of six children: three biological and three in-laws by marriage—although she forgets which ones are which. She enjoys collecting vintage Pyrex kitchenware, cheering for the Detroit Tigers, and spending her days feeding the many people who gather around her mid-century dining table to process life and enjoy her county fair blue-ribbon winning cooking.

Reviews

[Bethy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for my Ministry of Hospitality class I took this semester at Southern Seminary with the Seminary Wives Institute. It was a good read with lots of illustrative personal stories and practical, creative ideas. I appreciated the central theme, being that hospitality is about an attitude that seeks to make God the focus and make other people feel welcome, not an attitude of making yourself the focus/trying to impress people/entertain. While being honest about her own faults, the author gently calls the reader to check her (she addresses women in this book) attitude when it comes to hosting.

It did get a bit flowery, girly, and corny at points, which both nauseated and distracted me, as those things usually do, and it's possible that a small portion of the theology was disagreeable to me (I might have to clarify something with the author to know if I disagree with her on it or not), but I made it through alive and took the good stuff with me. Also, it seemed to me that the lines got blurry - there is a chapter called "Hospitality on the Road" in which she discusses what to do when you can't host or are not hosting people in your home - send care packages, bring gifts when you're a guest, etc. to make people feel welcome - I'm not sure that these things can be officially classified as hospitality, since I would associate hospitality with your own home, but it does still fit the title of the book, and I loved all of the ideas she presents for what I would just call "ministering to others." She takes the definition of hospitality beyond "making people feel welcome in your home" to "making people feel welcome in your life," so I guess it all works in her definition of it.

There's plenty of fresh ideas to help you make people feel welcome, including recipes and tips on house-cleaning, overnight guest prep, and spiritual prep. I would recommend this for all my Goodreads friends.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a little different than I anticipated, but I really enjoyed it. Hosting has never been an issue for me, but it is something I still like to improve. This book starts at the beginning. Karen covers everything you might want to do to prep yourself, your family, and your home to welcoming guests. She is very Christian, and her love of Christ is beautifully woven into every paragraph. This might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoyed it.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of becoming a more hospitable person, a woman who helps people feel they are important and valued, to feel welcome in my home. Ehman shares lots of ideas and examples of how to become better at that.

Her writing reminds me a little bit of Jen Hatmaker whose writing I discovered about two years ago. And if you're interested in THIS particular book, be sure to give Hatmaker's writings a look.

In referring to the excuses women often use to keep from being distracted from their own routine, Ehman writes: "I need to learn to keep a quiet heart. To trust that if God has allowed an interruption in my day, it serves a purpose. To believe that the time to finish what work I thought needed to be done will be given to accept that he is diverting me from my 'plan A' to his greater plan."

[Bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing overly profound and seemed a bit dated at times (it was written in 2006), but I did enjoy reading the book overall. It had a good mix of encouragement and practical tips. I liked that it included other book recommendations and quite a few recipes throughout.

A few thoughts that spoke to me:

Pg. 18 - She distinguished between entertaining (puts the emphasis on you and how you can impress others) and hospitality (puts the emphasis on others and making them feel refreshed).
Pg. 185 - We can seek to be the kind of Christian who makes others feel comfortable, loved, and wanted simply by being with them.
Pg. 235 - Embrace your lot in life. Don't spend your days wishing you were someone else, that you owed their fine things or lived in their fancy home, or that you were living their apparently wonderful life.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple book on how to be a better hostess/host and do simple things that make your home more welcoming.
This is not a book about how to make your house the fanciest, but more about not being afraid to invite people into a simple place.
I enjoyed the practical tips and helpful ideas to make it a more welcoming place to stay.

[Mary Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It emphasized that our heart toward others is the most important aspect of offering hospitality. It also offered a bunch of practical tips and ideas.

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

[Nicole Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this simple and easy to read book with some practical tips. Maybe nothing earth shattering, but caused me to changed the way I viewed somethings for sure! :) Probably would have chosen 3.5 stars if the option was available. :)

[Amy M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars Reading Challenge Book? Yes! This is my book about Christian living.

I tend to be a tad introverted by nature. I love interacting with folks online (still wishing I could find a great online discussion group!), but I’m best with smaller groups in person. And maybe I’m a little bit of an anxious entertainer. I have a toddler, and my house reflects that. So, it’s hard to open my home without worrying about how it looks.

For that reason, I could relate to Ehman’s book. I really appreciated how she first grounded her ideas about hospitality in Scripture. She makes it clear that hospitality isn’t just a good idea, but something that we’re told to extend to others. And since we’re commanded to show hospitality to others, how do we go about it?

The word “welcome” gets used in this book, and that makes sense. Hospitality shouldn’t be about showing off how great we are, but more about making our guests feel comfortable and at home with us. For myself, I know that when I’m thinking about what will make guests feel cozy and well cared for, that takes away some of the anxiety. After all, extending hospitality isn’t about showing off what we have; it’s about sharing it.

This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at Building Life's Library: https://buildinglifeslibrary.wordpres...

[Elizabeth Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is packed with practical tips on home organization, making meals, raising children, and overall hospitality. But the best part is the wise encouragement on how to imitate Christ's humble hospitality. It is written for women who believe in Biblical roles of men and women, so keep that in mind if you're not so traditional.

[Lindsay Kamel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is speaking my language. I feel God is calling me to use our new home to reach out to the community through a lot of entertaining. I however, was not brought up in this atmosphere. I am very intimidated to be compared with Martha Stewart but I love casually having people over to hear what's on their heart. This book talks about this balance. "God began to teach me that there is a huge difference between 'entertaining' and offering hospitality. Entertaining puts the emphasis on you and how you can impress others. Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others and strives to meet their physical and spiritual needs so that they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home." That's what I'm talking about!!

[Teresa Appelwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this in hopes of appeasing my anxiety when it comes to opening up my home to friends for something other than holidays or birthdays. I like how she talks about what women she actually polled cared about. It is pages of encouragement from the viewpoint of a Christ follower. She comes across as a real person, with "of-the-flesh" opinions. It is filled with encouragement, several recipes and ideas, many of which just give you an "Ah-ha" moment - like simply remembering what it is that made you feel so welcome at a friend's house. Anyway...I thought it was worth reading, just as a refresher, and for a few ideas. I will very likely read through it a couple more times, just to get those ideas fresh in my brain, again.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes a bit breezy, but a very nice look into how to practice hospitality. It mixes together principles and practical applications effectively, placing primary focus upon the necessity of first of all making your home welcoming to your own family before making it welcoming to others. I would have appreciated more theological "meat" but of course that's what I always think about these more popular works. I recommend it for anyone, especially those operating with a Christian perspective, looking to understand how to effectively open their lives for the benefit of others.

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read that gives plenty of encouragement to open up your heart and home to others. You won't finish this one and feel discontent because you don't have the biggest home or the fanciest decor. Instead you'll be reminded that the key to an hospitable atmosphere is our love for Jesus overflowing into the lives of others.

[Ginger · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a long time since I've read a book that was both so biblically grounded AND yet so practical. Tons of great ideas here. Highly recommended.

[Lynnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some really great ideas/tips - not only for being a hospitable hostess but also mom/wife/friend.
Some areas were rather dated (not as applicable now) and some made me feel talked down to.
But it was well worth the read. I got a couple recipes, cleaning tips, and an awesome journal idea to do with my daughter!

[Desiree Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not everyone has a gift of hospitality yet we have the heart to love God's people. Karen Ehman, spoke to several areas of that heart in this book. The chapter that was the most helpful to me was the one about having a small house. Sometimes we feel inadequate or what we have to offer is not enough. It was a blessing to get tangible ideas about how to do this well. I would recommend this book!!

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

A life that says welcome.

3.5 stares


"The Life That Says Welcome" by Karen Ehman is a heartwarming guide to hospitality. Ehman's practical advice and personal anecdotes make it a relatable read. It inspires readers to open their homes and hearts to others, fostering a sense of community.

[Linda Madden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read with wonderful suggestions and tips for becoming a more hospitable and welcoming woman, whether it's in your own home or meeting others where they are! I look forward to faithly stepping out to see how God will continue to use me to serve others!

[Rebekah Barkman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book to be quite dated and ended up skimming through the last half of it. A few takeaways, but there are much better books written on hospitality such as “The Life-giving Table” and “The Gospel Comes With a House-key.”

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good tips and reminders (both spiritual and practical), but a little flowery and fluffy.

[Hannah S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical tips on ways to show hospitality. It even has some recipes to try.

[Ashtynn Kalso · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of amazing tips on how to be a more hospitable person, from decorating, recipes, cleaning, and more. She includes many of her own experiences from opening her home and heart to others and shares how others can do the same, no matter how big or small your space is. Excellent read for those that feel God pulling them towards living a life of more hospitality!

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Karen Ehman has a really relaxed style, while still being really instructive & informative. She's very relatable. The book calls us to come up higher, but it's never judgy. She's very gracious. I love the tips for fun, inexpensive hospitality; the recipes; being grateful for the homes we have & thinking how we can fill them with more love; frugal decorating tips. It's a light read, but impactful. I read it for the first time 8 years ago & I call a lot of it to mind to this day. I've just reread it, & it's as good as I remember.

[Karen P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The most powerful message is that hosting is about making your guests feel refreshed, rather than impressed! Good messages to help get your heart in the right place. This book ended up mostly being a list of tips and ideas, but that wasn't what I was looking for - I really wanted greater expansion on the theme of welcoming, and felt disappointed with so many bullets on fragrances, recipes, and care packages. I am grateful for the examples she shared of welcoming others and loving them, even when it isn't convenient for you.

[Luvnlattes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable read on hospitality. The author calls out root issues that keep us from offering hospitality -ones we often gloss over as valid reasons for not doing something. She gives many ideas for opening your home and your heart. Some you'll relate to and others you won't, but there's probably a little something for everyone. I especially enjoyed the thought-provoking questions at the end of the book that give you the kick-in-the-pants to get going and open yourself up to what God has in store for you.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book full of ideas on how we can open our hearts and homes to others. Too often we get buried in our to do lists and see visits and entertaining as a grand affair that we must spend days preparing for or we look at the impromptu visit as an unwelcomed event. In this book we are encouraged to follow the promptings we feel to reach out and share. It is not as complicated as we think.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book! Great tips on cleaning, organizing, decorating, and cooking (including recipes), as well as pointing out different aspects of hospitality (what Ehman calls "hospitality on the road"). If you're interested in hospitality at all, or just a woman, this book would be a good read for you.

[Virginia Knowles · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic on hospitality.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the idea of this book but the book itself was just ok

[Ginger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this on my sister-in-law's book shelf. What a treat! Although I don't think her recipes suit my diet, her ideas of serving others is exactly on the mark.