by Kelli Garms | Feb 28, 2020 | Book Review
The word “hospitality” has always intimidated me. Hospitality is definitely not one of my gifts, yet Scripture commands all of us to be hospitable. Part of my fear comes from knowing I’m not an experienced cook, and I have always equated hospitality with feeding guests. Why would God ask me to do something for which He didn’t give me a gift?
Jen Schmidt answers this question with a clarification at the beginning of her book, Just Open the Door, when she makes a distinction between hospitality and entertaining: Entertaining elevates the host while hospitality honors the guests.
That’s the heart of hospitality: to point others to Him, to love on one another while affirming His goodness.
Suddenly, the task of hospitality doesn’t seem so daunting. As Schmidt touches on everything from writing a purpose statement for your home to getting your husband on board to working with a small space or budget, the concept of hospitality becomes attainable. And the beauty is it happens one step at a time. Just open the door.
Hospitality doesn’t have to happen within the walls of your home. It can be as simple as listening to an elderly neighbor’s stories or a neighborhood pick-up game. And showing hospitality in everyday moments can open doors to sharing the Gospel. What a legacy we can leave as we teach our children to carry on a tradition of hospitality!
One invitation can change a generation.
As a result of reading this book, I am finding myself looking for “open door opportunities.” I have tried to make my home more inviting without worrying so much about the mess. I am trying to say “yes” more when facing connection building situations. When all is said and done, the only thing you can take with you to Heaven is the people you’ve touched along your journey.
How about you? Are you ready to open the door?
P.S. Don’t miss the companion study to this book.
by Kelli Garms | Feb 21, 2020 | Spiritual Growth, Women's Ministry
I was recently reminded that overwhelm happens for one of two reasons:
- You are doing more than God asked you to do, or
- You are trying to do it in your own strength.
The first step in defeating overwhelm is to figure out which one of these two things is causing it. Did He ask you to do everything you’re doing? Have you taken something on without asking Him about it? Did you commit to doing something because you were intimidated or afraid to say “no”? If you’re not sure, ask Him. He will gladly show you what is on your plate that He didn’t put there.
If you can unequivocally say He called you to everything you’re doing, then ask Him to give you the strength to complete the task. You can’t do it in your own strength, and He doesn’t want you to try. He wants to show you that, when you lean into Him, you’ll never run out of energy, focus, or desire to complete the task. He’s waiting to help you; just let Him.
Here’s the catch: you have to be willing to give up the things He didn’t ask you to do, and you have to relinquish control if He did call you to it. This is much easier said than done, but again, He will give you the wisdom and strength to do both if you ask Him.
by Kelli Garms | Feb 14, 2020 | Spiritual Growth, Women's Ministry
How long is too long to wait for God to fulfill His promise? It seems everywhere I turn in Scripture recently, I am reminded that God’s timing isn’t our timing.
- Sarah giving her maid to Abraham to help God fulfill His promise to make Abraham a mighty nation
- The Israelites making the golden calf because Moses was taking so long on the mountain
- Saul seeking out a medium so he could talk to Samuel and get direction
- and so many more
It’s easy to sit back and judge them, but how many times do I believe God has called me to something, so I must push ahead? When He’s taking longer than I think He should I start to wonder if I should be doing something, saying something, planning something. Because doing something is easier than doing nothing, than waiting.
Instead, I should trust that, if He called me to it, He will make it happen in His timing. I can trust Him for just the next step because my goal is to walk beside Him, not ahead of Him.
by Kelli Garms | Feb 7, 2020 | Spiritual Growth, Women's Ministry
By now you probably know how much I value words. Words are powerful; they have an impact. And lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “freedom.”
Have you ever responded to someone’s request with “It’s a free country”?
- Can I sit here? It’s a free country.
- May I ask you a question? It’s a free country.
- Do you mind if I chomp my gum in your ear while you’re trying to watch a movie? It’s a free country (but you’re driving me crazy!)
Unfortunately, we have begun to think of freedom as the entitlement to do whatever we want, whenever we want, without fear of consequences because, well, it’s a free country. This isn’t the definition of freedom but of anarchy.
The truth is freedom doesn’t give us the right to do whatever we want whenever we want without consequences. Freedom means we have choices. We have the opportunity to choose with the understanding that all choices come with consequences.
Those who live in countries that aren’t free don’t have choices. They might be told what career they will pursue, how much money they can make, or how many children they can have, and they don’t have a say in that decision. Their spouses, their faith, and their standards of living are assigned to them without their input.
In this day when the entitlement epidemic is running rampant, it behooves us to remember that nothing is free of consequences, and chances are someone else paid the price for us to have a choice.
What a powerful punch that little word packs!
by Kelli Garms | Jan 31, 2020 | Family, Women's Ministry
I remember about 3 years ago when I chose my first word of the year. Until then, I hadn’t really understood why people chose a word of the year. How did a word of the year even help?
What I have found is it is much like setting a goal. If you’re not a goal setter, this may not help you understand, but I am a goal setter, or at least, I’ve become one.
I have found that having a word of the year helps me filter the things I add to my to-do list, the goals I set, and the people I allow to influence me.
My first word of the year was “Thrive.” Because we decided to homeschool our kids that year, it turned out to be the perfect word. For year 2, my word was “Savor” since we were in the midst of adjusting to homeschool, and I wanted it to be a positive experience. Last year, I chose the word “Undeserving” after hearing a sermon from my pastor which was incredibly convicting.
My word of 2020 is “Cultivate.” I read a book by this title at the end of 2019, and I discovered something about myself. I realized that I am too hard on myself. I expect too much too fast. I set an intention, and as soon as I meet it, I set a new one, not bothering to celebrate the accomplishment. So this year, I want to start cultivating things in my life, realizing they will take time and celebrating the victories along the way.
I want to cultivate my prayer life, my friendships, and my business. I want to cultivate characteristics in our family like peace, laughter, and patience. I want to learn from the hard things and spend time in the dirt because I know they have a purpose. And then I want to enjoy the fruit of the labor.
Do you have a word for 2020?
