Life That Says Welcome, A: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others [Paperback]

Karen Ehman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006

The thought of hosting a dinner party or even having a friend over for coffee is enough to give some women flashbacks of lopsided cakes or doomed casseroles from home economics class. But opening up your home to others doesn't have to be fancy or frightening or cost a fortune, says Karen Ehman.

In A Life That Says Welcome, she offers a practical, painless (no crafting or cooking aptitude required) course on hospitality. It helps busy women open up their hearts in order to open up their homes. Full of tips, ideas, recipes, to-dos, and how-tos, A Life That Says Welcome shows readers that opening up their homes is less scary and less work than they might think.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Great hospitality isn't about gourmet food or gorgeous décor (what a relief!)

When it comes to hospitality it doesn't matter what size your house is, how it's decorated, whether or not it's spotless, or what you cook or don't cook. The secret to making guests feel comfortable is more about the condition of your heart than the condition of your home.

A Life That Says Welcome helps you make others feel refreshed, rather than impressed, in your presence. It's packed with inspiring tips on how to

decorate well on a budget
make the most of your space (no matter how small)
be prepared for unexpected company
create delicious, simple dishes your guests will enjoy

You'll be encouraged to not only open your home but to open your life as an avenue for God's love everywhere you go.


"Karen's book offers a good background in hospitality and today's form of entertaining as well as excellent ideas on how to put theory into practice."-Emilie Barnes, author, speaker, founder of More Hours in My Day

"Karen's practical strategies will help you open your heart and your home to whoever God sends your way!"-Jill Savage, executive director of Hearts at Home

"If you've ever longed for someone to demonstrate what it means to truly make your house a home, then your prayers have been answered."-Lisa Whelchel, bestselling author of Creative Correction, The Facts of Life and Other Lessons My Father Taught Me, and Taking Care of the "Me" in Mommy

Karen Ehman is a speaker for Hearts at Home and the coauthor of the popular Homespun Gifts from the Heart and Homespun Memories for the Heart.

About the Author

Karen Ehman has been described as profoundly practical, engagingly funny, and downright real. Her passion is to provide women with creative tools and doable ideas to help them both simplify life and glorify God. She is the director of the Proverbs 31 Ministries national speaking team and the author of five books. You can find her blogging at www.karenehman.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Revell (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0800731395
• ISBN-13: 978-0800731397
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #285,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen Ehman has been described as profoundly practical, engagingly funny and downright real. Her passion is to provide women, wives and mothers with creative tools and doable ideas to help them both simplify life and glorify God. She the Director of the Proverbs 31 Ministries national speaking team and is a contributor to Focus on the Family's magazine Thriving Family.

She is a featured speaker for Hearts at Home conferences for moms and is the author of four womens books including A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart and Home to Others and The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized. She is also the project creator of the Hearts at Home Just for Moms Planner an organizational tool designed specifically for the purpose of helping mothers organize their personal and family lives.

She has been a guest on national television and radio programs including The 700 Club, At Home Live, Engaging Women, The Harvest Show, Moody Midday Connection and Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family. She is a graduate of Spring Arbor University with a B.A. in Social Science and has been married for 24 years to her college sweetheart Todd. She is the mother of three sometimes quarrelsome, but mostly charming children: Mackenzie 20, Mitchell 16 and Spencer 13.

Before motherhood, Karen was a teacher and high school coach who actually had hobbies. Now she spends her days running carpool, parked in the football bleachers or baseball stadium or stealing away to a coffee shop to write or to work on a new speaking message. Though hopelessly craft-challenged with pitiful, partially finished scrapbooks, she enjoys baking and cooking and has won several blue ribbon rosettes at various county fairs for her cookies, cakes, pies and breads.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great, practical guide to hospitality and home management November 14, 2006

By J. Thomas

Format:Paperback

I loved reading this book. I gathered encouragement and practical tips on every page. The author's personal stories and humor make this a book that is fun to pick up and hard to put down. The book motivated me to plan ahead for cooking, invite others over more often, and do simple things such as lighting a candle at dinner to make family time feel more special. She gives great tips for cleaning that actually made me itch to pull out my cleansers and tackle my housecleaning! I would recommend this book to anyone, old or young, who likes practical suggestions shared in a warm, conversational tone. Tea, anyone?

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A good and helpful read! October 12, 2006

By Armchair Interviews

Format:Paperback

Hospitality is on the decline, in my opinion. We're busy and don't focus on the art of entertaining like we used to do. I admit I don't have the gift of hospitality. After reading A Life That Says Welcome, I realize that it's not about what I do, but the condition of my heart, rather than my home.

There are tips and techniques to open your heart and home to unexpected guests, use the space you have and maximize it, decorate with what you have and within your budget, efficient entertaining, 'put out' good food that won't consume your time or stretch your budget or challenge your talent--and so much more.

Peppered with stories and biblical references, Ehman offers up a challenge to let your heart be the home of hospitality.

Armchair Interviews says: It's a good read.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent selection of tips, tricks, and techniques for receiving guests with warmth and spreading joy. January 5, 2007

By Midwest Book Review

Format:Paperback

Written by Hearts at Home speaker Karen Ehman, A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others is a practical introduction to the art of hospitality. Ad Ehrman explains, the secret of hospitality isn't primarily about how one's home is decorated or maintained, or what dishes are cooked; it's making one's guests feel welcome, and comes straight from the heart. Material matters are of course discussed as well, including the basics of battling clutter, dustballs and dirt; decorating on a shoestring budget; tips for hospitality on the road; and much more. As a devoted Christian, Ehman also shows how to open not only one's home to guests but also how to open one's life and soul as an avenue for God's love. An excellent selection of tips, tricks, and techniques for receiving guests with warmth and spreading joy.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Laughs and encouragement January 15, 2007

By Kirsty M. Hammond

Format:Paperback

I love this book. I have 3 small children, a husband, and a hyper dog. We want to entertain more and hope that people feel welcome in our home. I found encouragement on every page of this book, and many chuckles through-out. The humor hidden within the pages always left me coming back for more.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! June 16, 2008

By Leslie A. Morris

Format:Paperback

This book has been just what I've been looking for. The author is so real and encourages everyone to practice hospitality no matter what size of home you live in. This has allowed me to realize that what I have can be used to bless people. I don't have to have the best of everything, I just have to be me. Great resource!!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good reference for incorporating hospitality into our lives December 3, 2010

By H. Laack VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Ehman has written a wonderful introduction for incorporating hospitality into our daily lives, without ostentation or excess stress. She includes hints on basic organization that will enable us to avoid total chaos even if we never reach perfection in our housekeeping. She includes recipes that probably lean a little too much toward high fat and sweetness, but they are the kinds of "comfort food" that can make guests and family feel easily at home. Overall, a nice common sense book to remove the intimidation of God's call to hospitality for all Christians.

One weakness that drops this from 5 to 4 stars: there is no index! A book that includes more than thirty recipes scattered in several places and even more hints on quick cleaning and easy decorating definitely needs to have a better way for readers to find a favored excerpt or recipe quickly.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars profound--worth reading and re-reading July 31, 2009

By Shawna M. Singler

Format:Paperback

This book is worth reading with a highlighter in hand. Ehman's take on hospitality-- to refresh, not to impress is dead on. I also like her idea that hospitality begins with your family. The recipes she includes are delicious. I heartily recommend one for your home library and one for a friend. It's also well suited to be a Bible study.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful book! August 3, 2008

By Brenda N.

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I've read many books about hospitality from a Christian perspective and this ranks as one of the best.

One feels they are sitting down and having tea with a friend as she shares her homemaking journey. There is a great deal of practical information, too.

Just the kind of book one loves to curl up with to relax and be inspired.