About the Author

Kathi lives with Roger and a bunch of chickens in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. There they host writer retreats, and Kathi writes about how to do life with God a little closer today than yesterday. She’s a best-selling author and absolutely loves her Clutter Free Community on Facebook.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Spending time with God and my family, I celebrate Sabbath with reading, cooking, walking, and feeding animals on our ranch.

  2. oh how cutting words from a child to another child can be, how wonderful kindness from one child to another can be! I LOVE soup! That is my go to in the cold month of the MidWest. God bless you Kathi and the release of your book!

  3. I love spending time with God in prayer and studying the Word. There is something healing in soup. Thanks for sharing your story. God bless you.

  4. One of our favorite Sabbath gatherings after worship is bringing our very hardworking niece and husband, along with their four children around our table to rest, relax, and soak up our hospitality to reenergize them for the new week ahead. What joy to our hearts!

  5. For many years I would have a roast in the oven and prepped veggies ready to go when we left the house for church on Sundays. My father-in-law would join us or other extended family members. It is a cherished memory.

  6. Good morning! Thank you for your encouraging devotional this morning. I’m wondering how many people in your church or other churches (The readers of this comment) actually reach out to people in your community that have intellectual or physical disabilities? I know the majority of churches across the United States don’t do this and this is the perfect opportunity to really reach a large population of unreached people group by your kindness and your sharing and your invitation and transportation to church. Most of them have no access to social media, live in poverty, have no way to get to church or church events, and are very lonely. I encourage you to find someone in a group home or someone in your neighborhood or a family that is struggling with the difficulties of raising someone with autism and invite them to be part of your church community. They are often overlooked and yet Jesus’ heart is with them .

  7. Kathi, I just finished reading one of your other books. This post was so encouraging… Especially to someone who gets super intimidated about inviting people over. You framed it in such a different way. Thank you! This helps me have more courage to reach out and gather in!

  8. When our kids were at home, we always had Sunday lunch, often feeding one of their friends with us – especially when there were youth there w/out their parents. I’m a sucker for the lonely-looking ones!

  9. Food is such a great connector and way to meet friends, we’re sitting at a table at a church potluck and meeting. New friends are sharing joys and sorrows with a good friend. I love recipe books, so this sounds like a great one for adding our Lord into, the connection with friends. It would make a great gift maybe even one to myself. (Are there vegetarian recipes in it?)

  10. I feel the Lord has been laying on my heart sharing baked breads with others. Recently made 2 loaves of banana bread and took to an assisted living home where a former teacher was now living. It was so fun and they loved the bread giving me feedback on which recipe was the best. Today I baked my first sourdough bread and delivered to friends with a scripture, Jesus’ I am the bread of life statement. Absolutely love sharing and baking foods for others

  11. Thank you for offering me a seat at your table. It is very nice to meet new friends. I look forward to the new Fall Season with its pretty colors and brisk breezes.

    I enjoy watching the Holiday Baking shows on the Food Network. I can’t bake and I don’t do fancy cooking. My grandmother was a great cook but she wanted me to be a great student at school.

    It seems that some people were born with extra hospitality and they move around the kitchen with ease. I can take meals to the sick and I can purchase food for the pantry but if someone has to be entertained at my house, I would be very nervous. I don’t buy food that is pretty and tastes great. Smile.

    I will just make phone calls and send text messages and do errands to help others.

    Thank you for understanding.

    Brenda

    • Brenda – I 100% define hospitality as all those things that you described. Bringing food to those who need it. And sometimes, going to someone’s home is an extra burden. Delivered food is a gift to someone who is in the thick of a crisis our just having a hard day.

  12. So very true. I’ve lost my husband/best friend to death recently & the greatest gifts I’ve received are: ‘Heat your oven. We’re bringing pizza to bake & a salad for dinner to eat with you tomorrow’ or ‘Let’s eat lunch together at the park & then walk& talk.’ Inexpensive but share foods & time with others to fill loneliness. I’ve been blessed by neighbors & Christian Friends. It means so much during this period of my journey & not having any family.

  13. I like to spend the Sabbath connecting with God and honestly just relaxing, wherever it be a nap or watching a TV show/movie, etc.

  14. What a beautiful devotion! Years ago when I was going through my divorce, I remember a meal being delivered to me and my girls from our new church. I never experienced anything like it.

    I joined the cooking team so I could be part of blessing others. There is something about receiving a homemade meal – Jesus sees you!

    During COVID my friends and I formed a new team since the church shut down and we still cook and deliver homemade meals to people on our prayer lists.

    Come sit at my table ❤️

  15. My specialty is one on one lunches where i make homemade smoothie bowls for my friends, relax & enjoy time together.

  16. As an introvert, it’s easy for me to stay home alone. But like every human, God created me to need connection. So periodically, I invite a friend or family over for dinner. It’s extra work, but it’s worth it. ❤️

  17. KINDNESS COUNTS! Let’s “all be the SUNSHINE” in the lives of others. Can you imagine if everyone give kindness to others, in our thoughts, love, and deeds, how much better our world would be? Thanks for sharing! Let your Light SHINE, Matthew 5:16.

  18. My fave Sabbath practice is morning yoga followed by lectio divina and Scripture/prayer journaling.

  19. I was the new kid in 3rd grade. We’d only moved across town but it was like a whole other culture from the school I had left. On the playground before the bell rang, twin sisters approached and asked if I wanted to play with them. Then at lunch they asked me to sit with them and even offered to share the fresh baked cookies their mom had sent in their lunches. We’re all rapidly approaching 60 and we’re still friends. I live near an elementary school and always think of them and their kindness on the first day of school. When my kids were still in school I always packed extra in their lunches in case there was an opportunity to share. You can’t always pay someone back for their kindness but you can always pay it forward.

  20. Once a month our church has potluck after morning worship service. I love this time of visiting with friends, and I don’t have to get my house ready for company or make sure that the dishes I take all “go together “. There is always plenty of food, and it’s a great time of getting to know some of those that leave church quickly on regular Sundays. I truly believe sharing a meal is one of God’s wonderful gifts to us!

  21. Wow! I’ve never thought about a meal being so relational. I must reframe my thinking of a shared meal from being just another task to meaningful connection. Thank you for such insight.

  22. I love to find out where people are from or grew up and ask them their favorite recipes. We come together and share food from our culture !

  23. Kathi your words are so encouraging … I have experienced the ups and downs of cooking for many and now for only two. My husband and I wanted to start Sunday soup day to invite our friends and family to stop by for a cup of soup so we could connect with them. I will be purchasing your book to help make this happen! Love all your ideas and prayers .

  24. We have a bachelor neighbor that we’ve invited to holiday meals with us for probably about 15 years. Also, an elderly neighbor with no family came sometimes. One Easter, when a couple of my children were away at college and wouldn’t be with us, I made sure we had plenty of food and looked around at church for people to invite for dinner that day. Two single mothers and their children joined us and we had a wonderful time! I don’t consider myself a great hostess, but have found that people just enjoy being included.

  25. My favorite way to spend my Sabbath is after church gathering at my in-laws house for Sunday lunch and an afternoon of relaxing, football, puzzles, pool time, and always tons of conversations. Since joining my husband’s family 10 years ago, it’s grown to be something Iook forward to weekly.

  26. I have a big table and love gather around it with friends and family to share real. Once a month I invite a small group of ladies o er for tea, treats, a discussion around scripture, (currently Proverbs 31) and prayer
    The wisdom, laundry tears sjated around this table fill me with sucj awe for the grace and goodness of God. A copy of your book would bless my gatherings immensely!

  27. This resonated with me on so many levels. I was that new girl, but in fifth grade, and you never forget that feeling! Thanks for the encouragement to scootch over (love that word!) to make room for someone. It makes all the difference!

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