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I am writing on a plush, reclining loveseat in a lovely room in a gorgeous house.  We are playing with the worship band from our church, The Remedy, at a youth event in Williamsburg, VA.  The youth pastor arranged for us to stay in several host homes close by, and Chris & I along with our good friend Matt are in the home of Paul & Kathy.  And we are overcome by their incredible hospitality. 

They have fed us, baked an incredible dessert (who knew you could put yellow cake mix on top of apples with some sugar and cinnamon and get HEAVEN?!), given us impeccable rooms, time for me to love on their Maine Coon cats, more towels than we could use in a month, and the sweetest encouragements.  They are a beautiful picture of how the body of Christ is meant to work - open doors and open hearts, with no prior knowledge of who we are.  They didn't evaluate us to determine if we'd get along, if we were clean or cool enough, or whether they'd rather have someone else instead.  We were strangers, yet they have brought us in as if we are long lost family. 

Thanks for the reminder of how God welcomes us in, Paul and Kathy.  I hope that we can be encouraged by their unending kindness to show the same lavish welcome to those we entertain.  We may not have all of the same physical amenities to offer someone, but I'd be writing this post even if they lived in a 1 bedroom apartment - their kindness would outshine any mansion they could live in.

3 John 1:5-8

⁵ Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters,^[a] even though they are strangers to you. ⁶ They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. ⁸ We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.