Open-Door Living {A Book Review}

**Book received for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.

If you ask me, there are two types of women in this world:

There are those who love to entertain. These women could put Martha Stewart to shame with their gorgeous table-scapes and delicious food spread fit for any occasion.

And then there are the rest of us. It's not always that we don't WANT to entertain, but we feel that we're not good at it. We stress about the preparations, the food, the entertainment. We worry that our guests will not like all the effort we've put into it.

Today, I'm sharing a book that is ideal for that second group, 'Open-Door Living':

Would you like to replace the expectations and anxiety of hosting people in your home with creative encouragement and easy ways to host others, all while pointing them to Christ? In Open-Door Living, Jen Schmidt helps you see that this is much easier than you think. She 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.

I am not what one would call a natural hostess. Now, I've thrown parties for my kids and family of course, but I always feel like I'm completely out of my element. I am certain I am not alone in this. We struggle so much to make sure everything is just right and Pinterest worthy that we forget to actually take the time to enjoy the moments. In the end, isn't that really what hospitality is about. Not just opening our homes, but more importantly our hearts to those in our community?

This book is a great way to take a little bit of that anxiety away. It's a short read, and can be skipped through as needed which means it's not just another thing to add to your already long to do list. Inside you will find practical tips to help take away some of the stress that hosting brings. These tips are easy to follow and understand which makes it an ideal option even for the most inexperienced of hostesses. The beautiful artwork and photography found throughout will have you excited to turn the page. You'll likely find yourself wanting to flip through it time and time again.



While I love the beauty and the tips throughout, I must say that my favorite part of this book are the recipes found within. There are a good variety of dishes that are perfect for entertaining... and easy to recreate with little stress!

New to entertaining, or wanting to do more of it? This book is a fun read and a great place to start. 'Open Door Living' is available to purchase now.