Jen Schmidt shares from the abundance of her life as a hostess. She encourages readers to just begin where they are. Don't wait for the perfect home, the perfect children (ha!), the perfect food or the perfect time. There is no such thing.

Jen assures the reader the she is still evolving in her hospitality journey, "...nothing would mean more to me than for you to come along...to write your own ending while I'm here writing mine." Jen candidly writes about the fears that we all face, the nervous and indecision but she asserts that only in opening our home will we stumble upon unexpected opportunities and realize greater depth in our relationships.

If you are content to continue on in a shallow, isolated existence, then this book is not for you. But for those who long to make connections, to move past surface connections, Jen has many marvelous suggestions and lots of real life examples if the rewards in opening her door. And ironically, some of her most memorable get togethers were what outsiders might consider a disaster!

Jen reminds the reader that hospitality is really all about opening our heart to the Savior--offering him our best, focusing on Him first and letting our home be an extension of our service and devotion to Him.

I loved that Jen gave practical ideas for how to begin making hospitality a way of life. How to be on the lookout for ways to open your home and ultimately your heart to people that God places in your path. What are you waiting for? Grab your copy of Jen's book and Just Open YOUR Door!

For more of Jen's down-to-earth wisdom on family life, frugal living, and feathering your nest, visit visit her blog, Balancing Beauty & Bedlam.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of Just Open the Door from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Everyone is capable of opening up their homes and hearts. In our world today we think we need to have everything all together - but really we just need to invite. Hospitality gives us opportunity to live and share the gospel. We just need to say yes!

It’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for me to share what I’m reading this week. Over the last few weeks I’ve been sharing multiple books, but today I’m just talking about one. The book is Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt. It’s not newly published. It’s actually been out for a while. I’ve seen several people talking about it, and some have even said it changed their lives, and the way they view hospitality. Any book that gets that kind of review is one I need to read!
You might be a bit skeptical, and think this book can’t be life-changing, but I think it is. The subtitle of this book is, “How One Invitation Can Change a Generation.” As you read through these pages, you’ll see that it’s not just a nice-sounding slogan. It’s a real truth.
Before I read Just Open the Door, I equated hospitality with entertaining. But they aren’t the same. As Jen explains, entertaining focuses on you as the hostess, while hospitality focuses on your guests. When I read that, I started to think about times I’ve visited my friends’ homes. I have been invited to dinner when all the laundry is put away, the toys are in the toybox, the couch pillows are placed just-so.
I’ve also shown up on the spur-of-the-moment, when things we less-than-perfect. (Not purposely, which can be kind of rude. It just happened that way.) It didn’t bother me in the least. I almost felt more welcome in the slightly messy than I did in the perfection. Hospitality means welcoming people into our homes and lives, even when they aren’t perfect. The truth is, when I spend time with my friends, laughing, talking, and sharing, I barely notice the imperfections—if I notice at all!
I have always loved having people over. But I always seem to find a reason not to do it. We live too far away. Our house is too small. I can’t afford a nice meal. But honestly, those things don’t matter much at all. Opening the door may not even mean opening the literal door to my home, but the door to my life, and inviting someone else in.
As I read Jen’s stories about opening her home, about lives that were altered, friendships made (and even a husband found!), I began to consider my own life. How many times have I missed out on new relationships, and maybe lasting friendships because I haven’t been willing to just open the door? It’s opened my eyes to the many opportunities I have to reach out to others.
Jen talks about inviting friends over for an impromptu lunch, picnics with volleyball, one particular party that was altered by a tornado warning, neighborhood block parties, potlucks, and everything in between. I think we’ve messed up because we’ve allowed Pinterest and social media to make us think that if we don’t have perfect decorations, gorgeous, drool-worthy food, and the perfect atmosphere, we can’t have a good time.
But it isn’t true.
Here is one of my favorite points from this book: we model our hospitality after Jesus. And He never even owned a home. Yet, we see Him reaching into others’ lives constantly. We see intimate conversations on rooftops or around campfires. Teachable moments walking down the road. And the simplest food—things like bread, fish, corn and figs. Yet, He touched the lives of so many people.
Jen gives so many examples and great ideas for hospitality. From reaching out to moms at sports practices, to meeting your neighbors, to having dinner around the family table. Some of the ideas I’ve thought of, but others were new to me. I’m ready to start opening my door (figuratively and literally!) even when the situation may not be perfect. After all, if I wait until everything is perfect, I’ll probably never do it. I can’t wait to start testing her ideas!
Do you invite people to your home regularly? Do you want to, but just don’t feel like you can? Do you struggle with perfection, and feeling like you’ll never get your house clean enough, or your food yummy enough, or your décor pretty enough? Then you need to read this book, and see how one invitation really can change a generation.

This is an encouraging and inspiring book on hospitality. It’s not just a “how to” book on hospitality, although she does give some excellent, practical tips. It’s more like having a personal conversation with the author about our fears and worries on having others in our home. She has motivated me to rethink some aspects of hospitality and renewed my desire to minister to others in this way. Highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Hospitality is not beyond you even when it does not come naturally to you
Published by the B & H Publishing Group, Jen Schmidt presents "Just Open the Door. How One Invitation Can Change a Generation". Schmidt shows that not only the extroverts, but also the shy and introvert as well as people who live in small places can be creative in receiving visitors in their homes and show them a hospitality that bears fruit. Schmidt writes from her own heart and experiences. She shows how she herself worked in small steps which encourages the reader to try them also. Then the fear of inviting judgement, the fear of limited entertainment skills and the fear that there will not be place in an already loaded time-table will be more manageable and positive experiences can take place. Schmidt based this book on the Bible where the central message can be found in Romans 12. Every chapter presents answers to real-life questions about hospitality which were asked on her blog. Some chapters also offers "Extra Helpings" written by family members or friends that fit the topic presented in the previous chapter.
I appreciate the book and highly recommend it because it shows the reader that she (or he) can take small steps in opening their home (and heart), welcoming strangers and offering hospitality just as Jesus did. It is a valuable resources especially to people (such as I) who have not learned the art of hospitality from their mothers, but also for everybody else who wants to apply hospitality.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#JustOpenTheDoor #NetGalley

A book for the hesitant host. The author gives numerous examples, ideas, and personal experiences to put anyone at greater ease when contemplating opening the door to a friendship. I appreciated the letters at the end of each chapter which addressed concerns and gave practical advice for how to work with individual limits or circumstances. The chapters are written in small steps I didn't feel too scared to try. I don't (and won't) be ready to be as exuberant and open of a host right now as the author is. She has a bit of head start on me. But her experienced suggestions were helpful. I followed through on some little niggling ideas to just open my mouth and invite our neighbors over for my first attempt of the season at a grilled pizza.. I'm still growing in this area. But this book helped me get out of my worries and think more about the worries of those around me.

Bravely written to make this introvert a bit braver in a acting on a little more kindness to those in need of a place to rest and renew for any space of time.

Lovely book detailing why hospitality is a Godly calling and how we can incorporate it into our lives, no matter our circumstances. This book encourages me to look for Opportunities to practice this in our every day lives.

I've followed the author's blog for years, and this book feels like that - a chat with a welcoming friend.

Just Open the Door
How One Invitation Can Change a Generation
by Jen Schmidt;

B&H Publishing Group (B&H Books, Holman Bibles, B&H Español, and B&H Kids)

B&H Books
Christian
Pub Date 10 Apr 2018


I am reviewing a copy of Just Open the Door through B&H Books and Netgalley:


For so many of us we feel that if we invite people into our lives and homes it feels like we are inviting judgement into our homes and lives, onto our entertaining skills and stress on our already insanely busy schedules. What if instead of fearing judgment you knew that opening that door could change the world in a radical way. To make an impact and leave a legacy with everyday invitations?


In this book we are encouraged to walk a road of welcome in our daily lives. We are encouraged to practice an open door living whether in our homes are on the road as Jesud did.


This book is a yes you can guide to offering a life changing gift of invitation. Whether you have been hosting for awhile or a nervous newbie this book will help you.


I give you Just Open the Door five out of five stars!

To quote Jen Schmidt, “Somehow we’ve dressed up this simple desire to gather, and we’ve laced it with imposing expectations and the pressure of performance.” If this quote resonates with you, please consider finding encouragement and inspiration in Just Open the Door.

The book is biblically based, and draws its core message from the love in action section of Romans 12, specifically verse 13: “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” In Christian circles, we often talk about spiritual gifts. Schmidt is quick to note that hospitality isn’t assigned to those possessing the gift, but a command to all of us.

The book encourages and inspires the reader. It pushes you to think beyond the obvious. Chapters are supplemented by real-life questions that Schmidt has received in letters from her readers. Schmidt also provides suggestions to take your hospitality to the next level. An added bonus is snippets from guest contributors – who include members of her family and close friends.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.)

Hospitality doesn't always come naturally to me but it is an area where I would love to grow in. When I saw the book, Just Open the Door, I thought it would be helpful and challenge me. I was correct.I loved that Jen shared why hospitality is so important but also shared some very practical tips. I thought it was a very good balance of the two. We are called to welcome others into our home and show them the love of Christ. I love that she unpacked this throughout the book. As someone who needs the practical, I also really appreciated the tips and ideas.Her book inspired me to look for ways I can be opening up my home. To look past the myth that you need to have the perfect home and instead be reminding why instead. I recommend this book if you are looking for a vision for inviting and some ideas to get started and to make it simple.I was blessed to receive an electronic copy via NetGalley. My opinions are all my own. Thank you for the opportunity.

This book considers every single excuse we might have for not opening our home to other people, and blasts them out of the water. She talks about fails, spontaneous invitations, full-fledged parties. My favorite part, she gives very convincing reasons why, as Christians, we aren't supposed to consider showing hospitality, we're called to do it.

Joy wrapped up in a little ol book. I never imagined I'd read a book about hospitality but this is a great read. Operating in a Kingdom mindset means operating in hospitality. We never know who God has for us to help. This book is a reminder of God's love, his patience and forgiveness and just plain kindness.

I read Just Open the Door expecting to get a few practical tips on how to be a better hostess and be more willing to open up my home. I gained so much more than that from Jen's beautiful story. Throughout the text, Jen pours out her personal experiences with opening her door and her heart to others even at times when it wasn't the easiest or most obvious idea. The book has inspired me to show up as I am, to invite friends into my life without pretense, and to open the door to life. I will refer back to this book time and time again for inspiration on being a better friend and living life with an open heart and mind.

I was intrigued by this companion book to a bible study by the same name. I liked that the author shares from the heart and doesn’t make things complicated. I felt as if we were sitting down for coffee swapping family stories about how God moved in our lives. I didn’t feel intimidated or bad as Jen talks about her learning journey in hospitality from scripture and points to Bible reference that show how Jesus and others loved their neighbor. She talks about how she watched her parents; “an ordinary couple living the natural outflow of their faith, putting a smiling face on their heart of welcome”. She says “But the aroma, it created drew others in and changed the dynamic. It changed people’s lives”

I was blown away when this author explained the difference between hospitality and entertaining. I hadn’t a clue. She talks more about this topic but basically she says, “…Biblical hospitality offers our best to God first, understanding that our best to others will then fall into place. It transforms our selfish motives and elevates our guests…All the attention focuses outward: “You’re here! I’ve been waiting for you. No one is more important than you today & I’m thrilled you could come.”...“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.” I loved that.

The author points out that the Old testament God tells us to welcome and love strangers. “In the New Testament early believers took the command seriously and used their homes as a place for extending grace to others.”

There is so much inside this 250-page book. Some of the topics talked about are: Everyday Moments, Who are my Neighbors, Come as You are, The Elephant in the room, Spontaneous vs on purpose, Hospitality as worship and so much more. I highly recommend this book and study to everyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher & Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine https://tinyurl.com/y9lwbfrs
SVP Promotion

Great book on hospitality and friendship. She writes with humor and faith ,with good tips on entertaining. Enjoyed reading about how she makes friends and her party ideas. The gospel in action.

Wow. It’s so scary when you hear the word hospitality. How many times do you cringe and think “nope” not me, I’m not enough, house is not good enough, big enough, clean enough. I can’t cook gourmet food. Any of those is a lie. Biblical hospitality offers our best to him first, understanding that our best to others will then fall into place. Hospitality, unlike entertaining, treats everyone as a guest of honor rather than grasping at honor for yourself.

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.

This book is so convicting to me while somehow still being very encouraging for this introvert! Jen gives advice and encouragement in "Just Open the Door" that makes opening your door seem totally doable and less intimidating. Which is a good thing as we are all wanting to be more hospitable.
As Jen says, “Biblical hospitality offers our best to Him first, understanding that our best to others will then fall into place…The posture we assume in hospitality is one that bends low, generously offering our heart to another despite whatever interruption to our own plans or comfort.”

Filled with practical tips you can put into practice immediately, readers will relate to the transparency with which Jen shares honest hospitality moments. You see....it’s really not about us....it’s about them. And who doesn't want to feel included, loved, and special?
I love that this book is written for all stages of life. It gives practical advice for young mommas) as well as those who are having teens in their home. It even shares advice from her mother and other family members that has been modeled through those generations. As well as experiences her children have modeled!

This book blessed me so much and enabled me to see hospitality in a completely new and life changing way. Highly recommend it!
This book was sent to me for a review by BHbloggers.com (B&H Publishing and LifeWay).

Helpful and inspiring, with stories and examples. Besides explaining why hospitality is so important, the author gives some practical ideas to get started.

This book was AMAZING. I cannot recommend it enough. I devoured this book, literally reading it in a couple of days (and staying up way too late to do so). Jen's very relatable tone as she writes - with humour, honesty, and conversation - makes this easy to read. Her practical tips and letters at the end of each chapter gave enough 'how-to' to make the book easy to put into practice, without feeling like you were reading a self-help book.
Ultimately, while the book is about hospitality, it challenged me to open not just my home, but my heart and my life to those around me. I'm eager to get my hands on the Bible study that accompanies, and am participating in the online book club!

I don't know about you guys but when it comes to hospitality and entertaining, I always feel like that's somebody else's niche, not mine. I think about all reasons not to do it and not all of the reasons to do it. Jen Schmidt's new book, Just Open the Door has a completely take on what it means to open your door to other people. It's more about them than it is about you. With tons of practical advice and tips, this a must read for anyone who wants to not only entertain but to connect with other people.



What I liked:



There were so many things I liked about this book. When I found out I had the opportunity to read and review Just Open the Door, I will admit I was skeptical. Not because I thought it wouldn't be a good book, I knew it would. I love Jen's blog and her style and I was positive it would be both a good read but very practical and spiritually based. But, I'm not that person that invites people over. I'm a book reader, an introvert at times and I like quiet and solitude most of the time. Calm and zen. That's what I need to focus and to keep my anxiety at a tolerable level. But let me tell you, this book blew me away.



Jen was able to make me, one of the least likely people to invite others over, want to do so. I always worry about having enough food, the right furnishings. I want things to be perfect and lets face it, they usually aren't. But Just Open the Door is more focused on what you are doing for others by letting them into your home and life than what it's doing for you. We often times are so worried about what other people would think of what we have and don't have to realize what an encouraging and thoughtful thing it is to let someone in.



I was so encouraged by the way Jen Schmidt made it seem so easy in every aspect. She talks about everything from introverts to neighboring. She gives practical tips and ideas and relates everything back to spiritual principles. I had never even thought of hospitality in this way before. We live in such a socially conscious world. It's all about social media and presenting your best face to the world. We have gotten away from being connected to each other and spending good quality time together.



I loved the humor and practicality of this book as well. You'll have to read it to figure out what the "Bra and the Broom" method is lol... I related to this book so much. I see all of these great things on Pinterest, like table settings and ideas for entertaining and I'm like... there's no way I can do that. But this book shows you that people are more interested in the fact that you want to spend time with them. They don't care what your table looks like. I loved it!



What I didn't like:



There wasn't anything about this book that I didn't like. I know that some of you might think, so this is a Christian book and probably not my thing. Listen, it is based on spiritual teachings and for me that was wonderful, but it is not a book that is preachy or overbearing. Schmidt is able to make this subject relate to simply anyone and that's the beauty of it.



Bottom Line:



Even if you think, you can't just open your door, this book proves you can. It's okay to let people in. It's okay to make them feel like you want them in your home and your life. I can't recommend this one enough. Such a great lesson in what it means to be hospitable. Also, if you haven't checked out Jen's website, I encourage you to do so. It's amazing!