Worshipping with our Home

I've lived many different places. Some homes I have stayed in were just a matter of weeks. My dorm was a matter of months. And then of course my parents house which will forever hold a special place in my heart. My in laws home, the first month after we were married, and my host families houses during my 6 month mission trip.

Have you ever walked into a space and just knew this was where you belonged? I do it with a lot of bookstores... When Alex and I saw the pictures of our little house posted on the realtor's listing online, we loved it. It had an open floor plan with large windows to let in light, just enough bedrooms, and a kitchen sink that would make Joanna Gaines weep tears of joy. We kept catching each other's eyes during the walk through and mouthing, "We are HOME!"
That was on a Friday, we put the offer in the very same evening.
Sunday it was accepted.
And a little over a month later, we moved in.

Our home is our gift. Alex and I both come from big families, so for us it's always easy to pull up a couple extra chairs to the table, or double the recipe. Large gatherings can be part of our comfort zone.
But I want it to be more than that.
I want our hospitality gift to be an act of worship. I want people to feel the presence of God in our house. I want people to come here tired and out of sorts and leave feeling happier and more refreshed. I want people to see our home as a place where people can come together, where they can be heard, where they can be loved on.
I want our house to become a doorway to heaven.
Even if that looks as simple as sitting at the island sharing coffee.
Or coming over and laughing out loud at "The Office".
Or chasing after toddlers who are trying to bathe in the aquarium.
I want our house to be filled with joy and laughter, but I also want it to be a quiet place where people can feel safe enough to share their stories and their tears.
We have the actual structure of a house, but I want to make it a home. The first place to do that is to move in with our hearts and doors wide open. To be open and accepting to people swinging by and then staying for dinner. Coming over for game night. Watching cheesy movies. Dance parties with the babies. All of it!

The Bible has a lot to say on hospitality, the most famous verse probably being Hebrews 13:2. Another great example is Elijah and the Widow in 1 Kings 17:7-24; that woman opened her door to a man who didn't have anything and shared her last little bit of food with him. That simple gesture, saved her son and herself from starving to death during the famine that followed. One of my favorite stories from the Old Testament that is highlighted in Lysa Terkeurst's book, Univited, is the story of Abigail and David. Abigail's husband refused David hospitality and friendship, which caused David to get quite mad and threaten to kill him. Abigail, hearing this, dropped everything, got up and went to him bringing him food and reassuring words. He disbanded his small army over her welcoming attitude.

My mother is German which means she's always ready to drop everything and host someone. You can walk through the backdoor of her house at any given time, to find snacks prepped in the fridge, coffee that can be whipped up in two minutes, and someone who will sit there giving you their full attention. My parents had a great friend group of young parents when I was growing up and one night a month we could gather together at someone's house and hang out. The snacks weren't fancy, the houses would get louder than anything and so much love and wisdom were shared. You aren't born into this world with the instinct to mattress surf the stairs, some knowledge must be handed down by our elders {aka the teenagers who were left to supervise us}. I want my children to have great memories like I do.

Jen Hatmaker {my favoritest person/author in the whole wide world in the history of ever!} sums it up perfectly in her book, For the Love,
"I guess I prefer something a bit more organic, less program-driven. Instead of waiting around for church to assemble a perfect group dynamic of People Who Can Meet on Tuesdays, maybe just invite some folks over. A shared table is the supreme expression of hospitality in every culture on earth. When your worn-out kitchen table hosts good people and good conversation, when it provides a safe place to break bread and share wine, your house becomes a sanctuary, holy as a cathedral. I've left a friend's table as sanctified and renewed as any church service. If you have a porch, then you have an alter to gather around."
I absolutely love that quote. It inspires me to go to new levels of friendship. To leave my door propped open. So here's to all the future soda spills on my carpet and laughter echoing off my walls. Here's to the angels I will host unawares. Here's to the wisdom I will receive and the love I will learn to pour out upon people's rumpled souls.

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