Always Invited

It's hard to believe we are already halfway through November, which means the holidays are quickly approaching! This season can be stressful and fast paced for most of us, as it brings on the pressures of hosting, family gatherings, shopping, and traveling.

Today we get to talk with Krista Gilbert, founder of The Open Door Sisterhood, who reminds us of why we gather in this season—"to remember and reflect Christ," and what that can look like practically.

Krista is a believer, wife, mom, life coach, podcaster, and speaker, with a passion for helping other women flourish in the home and in life. Whether you have the Christmas decor up or are barely realizing Thanksgiving is next week (we're in that group!) , her wisdom and practical tips are going to equip and encourage you as you enter this season of festive hospitality!

Connect with Krista on IG: @kristatgilbert

Explore her website and life coaching: kristagilbert.com

Follow the Open Door Sisterhood: @theopendoorsisterhood

Listen to her podcast: Our Time to Rise, E429: 7 People You Need to Buy for This Holiday Season

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Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, ⁠⁠⁠@theartofhospitality.co⁠⁠⁠, and our website, ⁠⁠⁠theartofhospitality.co⁠

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Given that hospitality is normally a conversation within female circles, we thought it was time to debunk the myth that hospitality is limited to women. Many would say it’s a gift or calling of primarily women, but biblical hospitality is commanded of everyone, and can look as diverse as the two genders. But to confirm and prove our thesis correct, we thought we'd ask the men themselves - "Do you think men are capable of practicing hospitality? If so, what does this look like in your life?" Six of our friends shared some wise answers with us, each one of a different age and season of life -- yet all confirming, yes, indeed, men can and should be hospitable.

Whether you're a guy or gal listening in, you'll walk away encouraged to spur your people on in this pursuit of hospitality, and appreciative of the unique ways God has created us to serve one another!

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, ⁠⁠@theartofhospitality.co⁠⁠, and our website, ⁠⁠theartofhospitality.co

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Have you ever noticed how similar the words "hospitality" and "hospital" are? Jesus's life modeled this connection, as His compassion towards the sick and vulnerable always paved a way to serve and heal their souls.

Dear friend & ICU Nurse, Jen Martin, gives us perspective on how serving people’s physical needs paves the way to serve them spiritually with the gospel. Jen gives us practical ways to do this, especially for those of us not trained in a medical profession (and might even be scared of blood like me - Kenz), starting with the power of prayer. How would heaven and earth look different if we prayed every time we passed by a hospital?

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, ⁠⁠@theartofhospitality.co⁠⁠, and our website, ⁠⁠theartofhospitality.co

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We’re back with another Q&A episode! One our most candid convos yet, Kenz & Bella cover a wide variety of questions asked by YOU, our friends and listeners. From crazy college stories, to red flags in hosting and dating, this conversation is fun, unexpected, and hopefully helpful, as we share advice learned from personal experiences, scripture, and trusted mentors!

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, ⁠@theartofhospitality.co⁠, and our website, ⁠theartofhospitality.co

How do we stay present with our family, friends, and even our guests, when our schedules are full and our attention is divided? Our new friend and guest, Ashlee Gadd, is sharing some ways her experience as a mom and wife has helped her stay present in her home and her hospitality.

Ashlee is the founder of Coffee + Crumbs, an online community bringing mothers together through honest storytelling. Her passion has led to many creative endeavors, including her book, Create Anyways, which helps women pursue their creative gifts alongside their motherhood experience. In this episode, she encourages me and you, in every life season, to be creative with our hospitality and invite others into our raw, fast-paced, messy lives. Let's stay busy, staying present.

Connect with Ashlee:

ashleegadd.com/ | @ashleegadd

Grab a copy of her book: Create Anways

Coffee and Crumbs:

coffeeandcrumbs.net/ | @coffeeandcrumbs

Some would say dinner parties were for your grandma's generation...plot twist: they're thriving and here to stay. Who doesn't love an excuse to pull out the fun dishes, light all the candles, and share a fun meal?! The planning process can be intimidating for all of us, but this week’s episode provides helpful insight to staying calm, being present, & having fun when hosting.

Gather around for this week’s episode with dear friend and engagement/event professional, Makenah Mader! Creator of Golden Gatherings, Makenah is sharing her inside tips on how to intentionally plan a dinner party for guests & the steps she takes in the creative process. You can find her on Instagram @gldngatherings and @makenahpaige for all the inspiration you need!

Something powerful happens when we gather around a table and break bread together. Since the beginning of time, food has played an integral role in the formation of communities across every culture and continent. It's central to hospitality and our humanity.

Given this significance, we found it time to debunk the myth that cooking is only for experienced moms or housewives. Our friend, Megan Walla, is a young adult reclaiming this lost art form, as she's seen that breaking bread around her kitchen table always has a way of breaking down the walls people enter in with. From her famous broccoli chicken casserole recipe to tips for budgeting, she's sharing simple ways to start serving your people one meal at a time.

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, @theartofhospitality.co, and our website, theartofhospitality.co

As every season of life can bring new rhythms and routines, new friends and commitments, it can be challenging to steward a heart of service and prioritize community. Jenavieve Lopez knows this to be true, and has seen that lots of prayer, creativity, intentionality, and humility are essential to serve others like Christ.

Jenavieve is a wise friend whose heart for hospitality really grew and flourished in college, as she spent 2 years as a Resident Assistant (RA) on campus, investing in freshmen girls and serving their needs with an open door and listening ear. She shares with us practical ways this passion has transpired in her new season of post-grad and marriage, as she seeks to value people and offer them a sense of belonging.

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, @theartofhospitality.co, and our website, theartofhospitality.co

Welcome to Season 2 of Always Invited! We're excited to deepen the conversation as we continue to grow together in the pursuit of hospitality and sacrificial service.

To kick things off,  today we're sitting down with Rebekah Peters to talk through practical ways we can design our space or home to be hospitable and inviting. Rebekah is Kenzie's mom, Bella's "second mom," and a talented Interior Designer, who finds her passion in designing spaces that balance beauty and function to best serve her clients. She shares with us some unexpected and stunning parallels between the beauty in our homes and the beauty of the gospel, giving opportunity for our spaces to practically serve others and reflect our ultimate Creator.

Today we are closing out Season 1 of Always Invited, just as we close out a sweet season of life, living together in Waco, TX. Reflecting on some of the summer's sanctifying experiences, as we opened our door and walked through others, we are sharing three things God has taught us about hospitality. These takeaways will hopefully encourage you in your own journey, as they carry us into the next season of life, and of this podcast.

Stay tuned for season 2 which will start in mid September! We can't wait to continue these conversations and grow alongside you. Leave us a review and let us know what you'd like to hear more of in S2!

Follow along for more content and encouragement over on Instagram, @theartofhospitality.co, and our website, theartofhospitality.co