Karen Ehman - A Life That Says Welcome: Simple Ways to Open Your Heart & Home to Others

Karen Ehmans book A Life That Says Welcome is full of practical wisdom and ideas that can make your life more enjoyable and your home a more loving place to be. She believes in opening her heart, and her book shows us many ways we can learn to do the samenot only to strangers (fairly easy) but also to family and friends (usually a bit more difficult). The arts of hospitality and of keeping a home are benefits youll gain from her book. I heartily recommend it.

Jeff Campbell, author of Speed Cleaning, Clutter Control,
and Spring Cleaning

Wouldnt it be fun to have Martha Stewart, Betty Crocker, and Shirley Dobson as your next-door neighbors? Well, okay, maybe not. How about something even betteryour very own mentor in a book! Karen Ehman is all of those wonderful influences without the intimidation. If youve ever longed for someone to demonstrate what it means to truly make your house a home, then your (and my) 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

From recipes to centerpieces to creative cleaning, Karen shows you how to have fun as a family while learning to care for others.

Susan Alexander Yates, bestselling author of several books
including And Then I Had Teenagers: Encouragement for
Parents of Teens and Preteens

This book should be read by everyone who wants to sprinkle more joy in their life and home. Though I am no Betty Crocker, I feel inspired to grab my spatula and whip up some homemade hospitality for family and friends alike. Thank you, Karen, for giving us this inspirational book that should be on every womans bookshelf!

Lysa TerKeurst, author, speaker, president of
Proverbs 31 Ministries

Karens book offers a good background in hospitality and todays form of entertaining as excellent ideas on how to put theory into practice.

Emilie Barnes, author, speaker,
founder of More Hours in My Day

Karen has provided us with yet another gem! With her usual warm candor, she has opened her life to us, showing all of us how to easily apply hospitality in our everyday lives. Everyone will be better for reading this book.

Jonni McCoy, Miserly Moms

Reading a book by Karen Ehman is like sitting down and sharing a cup of tea with a girlfriend. Shes honest, practical, and always has a great sense of humor. If youve struggled to know how to extend hospitality in the midst of raising a family, Karens practical strategies will help you open your heart and your home to whomever God sends your way!

Jill Savage, mother of five, executive director of Hearts at Home

With warmth, wit, practical ideas, and fantastic recipes, Karen has created Cliffs Notes on hospitality that even a busy, stressedout, non-Martha-Stewart-type woman can enjoy and use in her daily life.

Pam Farrel, international speaker and bestselling author of
Got Teens? and 10 Best Decisions a Parent Can Make

2006 by Karen Ehman

Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

Ebook edition created 2010

Ebook corrections 06.20.2016 (VBN), 04.10.2019

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

ISBN 978-1-4412-0054-9

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled AMP are from the Amplified Bible, copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permiss ion. www.lockman.org

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

To my other mothers

My spiritual mother, Patricia Esch:
For caring enough to reach out
to a crazy, mixed-up teenager while
lovingly showing her the way to salvation,
I dedicate this book to you.
Your life is a portrait of welcome and comfort.

and to

My mother-in-law, Shirley Ehman:
For un-birthday surprises, lovingly cooked meals,
and your ever-gentle reminder that
we are the sum of our choices,
I also dedicate this book to you.
How thankful I am that my choice of husband
came with a mother-in-love like you.
Time to celebrate!
(Dont worry, Ill bring the Cool Whip!)

Contents

One seldom writes a book alone, and this one is certainly no exception. There are many to whom I am indebted, for they have served as examples, mentors, and encouragers as I have spoken and written on this topic. I offer them all my heartfelt thanks.

My mother, Margaret Patterson, for serving as the original hospitality on the road gal. You have touched so many with your clever gifts, persistent prayers, and comforting company. The only thing better than having you for a mother is knowing my children get you for their grandma!

My wonderful in-laws, the Ehmans. Thank you for your continual examples of hospitality, your patience with me, and your unconditional love. I am proud to bear your last name.

My decades-long mentors: Suzy Williams, Debi Davis, Marcia Stump, and Andie Cocco. So much of what I have learned about being a welcoming wife, mother, and woman of God has come by way of your godly examples and your willingness to tell me of your mistakes and failures in hopes that I can do better. Im still trying!

Friends Carmen Harmon, Ellen Morse, Jill Kaltenthaler, Karen Leif, Jayne Penfield, and Tammy Underwood. Your support in my writing and speaking ventures and your own keen senses of decorating know-how and culinary expertise are such an encouragement to me!

My sweet (and a few sassyyou know who you are) sisters at Heart at Home Ministries. How I love working with you to bring ideas and refreshment to moms each year at our conferences, in print, and on the Web. Special thanks to the Michigan galsTrisha Hufnagel, Julie Gill, Sherry Nichols, Dorothy Whit-comb, and Pam Snyderfor keeping me humble, stopping often for eighty-nine-cent gas station cappuccinos, and hauling my books across state lines.

Friends Karen Andrews, Cindy Rose, Roseanne Schafer, Mary Simon, and Marcia Stump. You were the picture of hospitality to a severely sick, pregnant woman with two little ones in tow, allowing her to occupy your couch while you cared for her children for months on end. I will never forget it.

Coauthors and friends Kelly Hovermale and Trish Smith. Writing a book alone is certainly more work! I miss brainstorming with you while sipping herb tea and most of all Trishs fast-typing fingers. Friends Tim and Audrey Swanson, for unlimited access to your guesthouse, the summer kitchen, so I could write in peaceful and pleasant surroundings. Talk about hospitality!

Accountability partner Mary Steinke, for words of truth spoken sweetly but seriously, clever cards that arrive just when I need them, and obedience to the Spirits prompting to intercede for me immediately and then call to ask why. As Kenzie says, Wow, mom. Freaky! Observing your life propels me to pray.

My Baker-Revell family. Editors Jeanette Thomason and Lon-nie Hull-DuPont; Designer Cheryl VanAndel, and Assistant Managing Editor Kristin Kornoelje. Thank you for believing in me and working so hard to make this book a reality.