Episode 62 :: Karen Ehman :: Stories of Biblical Hospitality + Loving Like Jesus

Happy Thanksgiving week, friends!! Today on the podcast, we have the wonderful and wise, Karen Ehman. Karen is a seasoned author of many books, and Bible Studies. She's also a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, among others, as well as a wife, a mother, and the list goes on and on of the hats she wears.

Happy Thanksgiving week, friends!! Today on the podcast, we have the wonderful and wise, Karen Ehman. Karen is a seasoned author of many books, and Bible Studies. She’s also a speaker and writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, among others, as well as a wife, a mother, and the list goes on and on of the hats she wears. Karen loves to use her words to tell other people about Jesus and to encourage women to work through their priorities so that their lives can reflect the Gospel.

Her latest book, Reach Out, Gather In, is all about hospitality, and I thought not only is this message from her perfectly timed going into the holidays, it's perfectly timed because I think we all need a refresher on what it means to be hospitable toward one another. We talk about how things look different, but the heart can still be the same during this covid version of the holiday as well as how Jesus modeled hospitality and more.

This conversation carries so many great reminders and insights that can be tucked into our hearts as we walk into this loaded holiday season. I think my favorites were about processing what it means to entertain people, and to show them hospitality. And then, I want to be a better “noticer.” When my daughter and I pray on the way to school, one thing we say is that we ask God to give us eyes to see one another the way He sees them. I pray that no matter what you are walking into this Thanksgiving, or any other average day, you are able to do that for someone else AND that someone else can do that for you too. They matter, you matter. All our stories matter. Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

Episode Partner:

Armor Up, Warrior Princess

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Jamie Ivey’s Episode featuring them on her gift guide!

References:

-Proverbs 31 Ministries (Karen’s page)

-First Five App (from Proverbs 31 Ministries)

-Keep It Shut

-Her study of Philippians :: What Matters Most

-Reach Out, Gather In: 40 Days to Opening Your Heart and Home

-Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well -her February release!

-white chocolate covered oreos (you’re welcome)

-When Making Others Happy is Making You Miserable: How to Break the Habit of People Pleasing and Live Your Life -her August release!!!

Local Ways (for Tennesseeans) to Partner with Ministries/Meet Needs

Homeless Shelter in Murfreesboro

Last Call 4 Grace - Ministry to Homeless and Disadvantaged in Murfreesboro

Women’s Shelter in Murfreesboro

ASP- Appalachia Service Project

Men of Valor

International Ways to Partner with Ministries/Meet Needs

-Food for the Hungry :: Donate wells

-Other donations or Christmas gifts that can be given to help others around the globe through Compassion International (this is one thing we love to do every year!)

-Writing letters to Christians persecuted for their faith through Open Doors

-Prayer Partners with Voice of the Martyrs or send Christmas Care Packs

-Hannah Brencher’s The World Needs More Love Letters

Scripture References:

John 1:8 -Bear the light of Christ

John 13:34-35 /1 John 4:19 -we model the heart of Christ with how we love and how we treat everyone

Acts 28 -Paul shipwrecked on Malta and the locals showed him hospitality

(LOTS of Scriptures!) -Hospitality is a spiritual gift

Luke 10:38-42-Mary and Martha

Romans 12:13- “Practice hospitality”

Colossians 3:12 - Putting on compassion and putting on kindness

Matthew 9:36 // Psalm 86:15- Seeing people the way He sees them