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lingfish7's review
4.0
This book challenged me, and for that it was a worthwhile read. Through and through Rosaria was theologically sound, humble, and yet convicting. She challenges all Christians to engage in "radically ordinary hospitality" by opening their homes to their neighbors and dining with sinners like Jesus did. She encourages us to invite strangers into our home and to stop being so selective as Christians, fearful to have people who disagree with us come to our dinner table. Rosaria herself became a Christian because of the hospitality of two Christians who continued to preach the gospel to her even though she was dead set in her lesbian, atheist ways. So she of all people knows the power of simple hospitality to a broken world.
My favorite part of the book (and the part where I teared up) was the chapter where Rosaria tells the story of her mother's conversion on her deathbed. It was incredible, touching, and hopeful. I can't even begin to explain how much that one story inspired me to keep praying and to keep sharing the gospel, even to the most hard-hearted of men and women. Even if you don't read the rest of the book, that one chapter is worth reading alone.
I didn't quite like the way she structured the book because the timelines were not sequential. She kept jumping around from 2015 to 2017 to 2016 to 1999. I know that the unity of her book still stands, but the movement between timelines confused me a little bit and I would have maybe preferred her to stay at least someone sequential in order, even if not fully.
My main complaint is that Rosaria Butterfield is a little too "conservative homeschool culture" for my taste. That's why it's 4 stars instead of 5. There were a handful of sentences and paragraphs that rubbed me the wrong way, almost like I felt Rosaria silently judging Christian moms who worked and didn't choose the sacrifice of staying at home with children. I also didn't like her use of the word "biblical patriarchy" but that's mainly a word choice issue.
All in all, this was a lovely read. It was gospel-centered, encouraging, and convicting. I recommend it even if just to challenge your current understanding of Christian hospitality. I don't think many Christians can quite attain the "Rosaria level" but I think that's okay too. I'm glad that in the end she said you should just start somewhere. I'm not a full-time homeschool mom, so I don't have the time on my hands to organize as much daily hospitality as she does, but her story is meant to prompt me to use what I have to pour out to others. I know we can't quite do that as effectively during the pandemic, but I'm praying that after COVID-19 slows down I can get out there and invite strangers into my home.
My favorite part of the book (and the part where I teared up) was the chapter where Rosaria tells the story of her mother's conversion on her deathbed. It was incredible, touching, and hopeful. I can't even begin to explain how much that one story inspired me to keep praying and to keep sharing the gospel, even to the most hard-hearted of men and women. Even if you don't read the rest of the book, that one chapter is worth reading alone.
I didn't quite like the way she structured the book because the timelines were not sequential. She kept jumping around from 2015 to 2017 to 2016 to 1999. I know that the unity of her book still stands, but the movement between timelines confused me a little bit and I would have maybe preferred her to stay at least someone sequential in order, even if not fully.
My main complaint is that Rosaria Butterfield is a little too "conservative homeschool culture" for my taste. That's why it's 4 stars instead of 5. There were a handful of sentences and paragraphs that rubbed me the wrong way, almost like I felt Rosaria silently judging Christian moms who worked and didn't choose the sacrifice of staying at home with children. I also didn't like her use of the word "biblical patriarchy" but that's mainly a word choice issue.
All in all, this was a lovely read. It was gospel-centered, encouraging, and convicting. I recommend it even if just to challenge your current understanding of Christian hospitality. I don't think many Christians can quite attain the "Rosaria level" but I think that's okay too. I'm glad that in the end she said you should just start somewhere. I'm not a full-time homeschool mom, so I don't have the time on my hands to organize as much daily hospitality as she does, but her story is meant to prompt me to use what I have to pour out to others. I know we can't quite do that as effectively during the pandemic, but I'm praying that after COVID-19 slows down I can get out there and invite strangers into my home.
kcouchenour's review
5.0
This book is really convicting with great stories. It’s a practical example of how we should strive to be. I’d encourage any Christian to read it.
annag77's review
1.0
I feel bad rating this a 1, but this book just wasn’t what I thought or hoped it would be. Instead of being helpful and encouraging, I often found it to be judgemental and/or condescending in parts. Hospitality doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us, and I would have liked practical suggestions or ideas on how to obtain this gift (with God’s help), or even how to overcome reservations that keep me from being hospitable (fear of strangers, being self conscious of my home, etc.). We got a gist of this in one chapter and in the epilogue, but I really had to push through to get to that point.
The author also wrote this book as if it were a memoir and how she practiced hospitality in her life. Some of these seemed long winded and I sometimes found myself skimming. As I read, I often wondered if there was a fine line between hospitality and plain old socialization. I didn’t always agree with some of her stances or how she interpreted all of the scriptures. For instance, is it really okay to place hospitality above the needs of your spouse or children? I got the impression that the author implied that we should fill up any spare time we had with hospitality. If you pack your schedule each and every day with only hospitality, then where do you allow God to work in other ways of your life or to learn to practice other gifts He has given us?
I’ll just leave it at that, but I will be searching for other books on hospitality.
The author also wrote this book as if it were a memoir and how she practiced hospitality in her life. Some of these seemed long winded and I sometimes found myself skimming. As I read, I often wondered if there was a fine line between hospitality and plain old socialization. I didn’t always agree with some of her stances or how she interpreted all of the scriptures. For instance, is it really okay to place hospitality above the needs of your spouse or children? I got the impression that the author implied that we should fill up any spare time we had with hospitality. If you pack your schedule each and every day with only hospitality, then where do you allow God to work in other ways of your life or to learn to practice other gifts He has given us?
I’ll just leave it at that, but I will be searching for other books on hospitality.
davidbess's review
5.0
I've read the first two books of Rosaria Butterfield, and have become a fan. In her first book, she tells the story of her conversion to Christ after being a lesbian, LGBT advocate and English professor. In her second book, she expands upon the nature of Biblical gender identity and sexuality, offering much-needed clarity for much of the church as well as society. Now, in this third title, she moves to how to reach others, especially the ones who are less pleasant (such as her mother and her drug-addict neighbor). The way she does so is through radical Christian hospitality, which is the theme of the entire book. She inspires again and again with the way she accommodates others in her home despite having the meager means of a pastor's family. She in no way shames her readers for not following her example, but she certainly sets an example. I recommend this title for all Christians to learn more about the power of godly hospitality in sharing the love and the message of the living Christ.