Entertaining Vs Hospitality {A Just Open the Door Book Review}

**Book received for consideration. Post contains affiliate links. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

Company's coming.

This simple statement generally creates one of two emotions for most of the women I know.

For some, it's a sense of excitement. They love entertaining! They know how to decorate for any occasion, create fun themed meals and have a house that's perfectly suited for welcoming one and all for a can't forget experience. They're the ones we admire on Pinterest. They're the ones we often find ourselves envying. They're the Martha Stewarts of the world.

Then, there are those of us who are filled with dread. Entertaining, really? What will we do? How will I have room for everyone? How can I get this house looking perfect in time? How can I keep my kids from destroying one room while I'm cleaning another? What are they going to think about that spot on the carpet... or those dishes in the sink!?

Yes, I must admit, I am very much that last one. Never mind that I am a major introvert, but I'm also just not the best at entertaining. I stress, I don't know how to make sure everyone is having a good time, and I worry about what people are going to think--- about the food, about the house, about my hostessing skills or lack thereof. That certainly makes it difficult to 'Just Open the Door'... but if this sounds like you, I have just the book for you, 'Just Open the Door':



Change a generation with something as simple as an invitation.

For many of us, inviting people into our lives and homes feels more like inviting judgment on our entertaining skills and stress on our already maxed-out schedules. But what if you knew that opening your front door had the power to radically change the world? To make an impact and leave a legacy with everyday invitations?

Jen Schmidt has set out to reframe how we think about hospitality and to equip us to walk a road of welcome in our daily lives. Jen knows that every time we choose open-door living—whether in our homes or by taking hospitality on the road just like Jesus—those we invite in get to experience the lived-out Gospel, our kids grow up in a life-lab of generosity, and we trade insecurity for connection.

Just Open the Door is a personal yes-you-can guide to offering the life-changing gift of invitation. Whether you’re a seasoned host looking for renewed inspiration or a nervous newbie not sure where to begin, these personal stories, practical ideas, and poignant insights will give you the confidence you need to see your home as the most likely location for changing the world around you, one open door at a time.

To be clear, this is NOT a book on entertaining. You're not going to be learning how to set the perfect table or set up the perfect make your own ice cream sundae bar. Listen, I've read many of those books, and I enjoy them, don't get me wrong. But for the most part, they sit on my shelf... a reminder of what I could do if only my house was better, finances were better, kids weren't so chaotic... well, you get the idea. Entertaining books are great... but rarely used. (And oh hey, a great contributor to that clutter that keeps me from inviting people over!)

No, this isn't a book about entertaining at all. Instead, it's a book about hospitality, and there is a great difference between the two. Entertaining is about putting on a show--- the food, the drinks, the decorations. The pinterest look, the Martha Stewart worthy events. You know, those things that have us all going crazy and running around like fools with a bottle of bleach scrubbing every baseboard. Hospitality isn't about what your home looks like, it's not about making everything perfect or the most talked about in town... it's simply about allowing others in. Into your life, into your home, into your heart. It is a reminder that it matters more to just feel welcome, than to be surrounded by perfection. It's about the people, not the details. And isn't that something we can all learn from?

If you need that little reminder and that little push to start opening your door and inviting others in, this book is a must read. It is available to purchase now at your favorite Christian book retailers!