We Didn't Know They Were Angels: Hospitality Even When It's Inconvenient

by Doris W. Greig

Book by Greig, Doris W.

Genres: Christian

404 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

Reviews

[Kristen]

This book is such a treasure! she does such a great job of encouraging hospitality without feeling overwhelmed! The stories in this about their family hospitality are such a delight and help me to desire opening my home and time up to others! I also enjoy the recipe ideas in the back!

[Betsy]

Good inspiration, but dated. I appreciated how saturated with Scripture it was!

[Rebecca Newman]

This is a very convicting and inspirational book about opening your home and hearts to God's work through hospitality. In the first half of the book, the author relates her experiences of hospitality along with scripture and encouragement. The second half of the book has a recipe section of quick and easy fixin's when company is planned and/or just shows up. Many recipes include canned soups, jello, etc. This may be because the book is dated (jello and canned soups had their heyday) or it may be because these are things you can keep on your shelves waiting for when the opportunity to open your home arrives unexpectedly.

Three huge take-aways for me:

1) You are never too busy to be hospitable because.....
2) It doesn't have to be a lavish affair. Good times aren't had by fancy food or decorations, but by people. (I tend to make big deals about people coming over- which actually leads me to do it LESS and to avoid spontaneous invites because nothing fancy is prepared/house isn't perfect/etc./etc.)
3) Your friends and family are easy to be hospitable to. What about the crotchety old woman whose husband just died down the road? Those IN NEED are the ones we should be seeking out opportunities to show hospitality to. Having our friends over is not quite the same thing-it is just as much for US as for them.

[Beth]

Good challenges to make hospitality part of your lifestyle: relaxed and accessible, open and joyful. The devotional style chapters were enjoyable and had a number of nice quotes from other authors, too. The recipe section is pretty dated (jello, canned mandarins, cream-of-soups and the like), but other than that, a lovely little book.