Welcome to Suzanne-a-pa-looza!
For the next two days, we’re going to celebrate the latest release by best selling author Suzanne Woods Fisher. She just released The Letters which begins a brand new series, The Inn at Eagle Hill. Today Suzanne is stopping by to share about her new book.
When widow Rose Schrock turns her Amish farmhouse into a bed and breakfast, she expects there might be problems. The reaction of her cantankerous mother-in-law for one. Disapproval from the church for another. But what she doesn’t expect is that the guests at the Inn at Eagle Hill will spill their problems into her life and into her heart. She also never expects the kind of help and support she gets from Galen King, the quiet and rugged horse trainer next door. Love, Rose discovers, can bloom in the most unexpected ways.
With inspiration from a true story and her signature plot twists, best-selling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge for a fresh story of simple pleasures and strong faith in a complex world.
Our pa-looza will continue tomorrow with a crazy good giveaway from Suzanne and her great publisher, Revell. Hope to see you tomorrow, too!
Welcome, Suzanne!
Open Home, Open Heart
“Blest is the close knit family whose bonds of love extend to each one in the home and each and every friend.” Amish proverb
The main reason Rose Schrock in The Letters chose to create an inn at the family home was because she loved taking care of others. In a conversation with her neighbor, Galen King, he asked her why she wants to convert the basement into an inn. He knew there were one hundred easier ways to make a living. Rose wasn’t deterred. She had a dream of having people come to her home, to be restored and refreshed, to create a place where folks can catch their breath and feel welcomed.
It seems genuine hospitality is a lost art. Most of us mix up hospitality with entertaining, putting pressure on ourselves to create an impressive experience for guests. Rose Schrock didn’t view hospitality in that way. She created a haven for others to find rest and refreshment at the Inn at Eagle Hill. The guest flat wasn’t fancy, but it was cozy. The breakfasts she served weren’t gourmet, but they were delicious. She gave guests the space to slow down, to be cared for without being fussed over, and to have time for reflection.
In The Message Bible, 1 Peter 4:8-10 says, “Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless – cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you.” True hospitality is more an issue of the heart than the wallet. It’s about welcoming people into your home and making them feel special. That can be done with as humble a meal as grilled cheese sandwiches and canned tomato soup.
How do you rate yourself on the hospitality scale? Which of your friends would you rate as a ten, and why? What are some ways your home could be even more inviting to guests? Here’s a hint for making your home a go-to place for your kids’ friends—good food and a margin of grace for the noise and chaos that accompanies them.
Thanks, Suzanne! We’ll see everyone tomorrow for our book giveaway!