DESCRIPTION

For many of us women, inviting people into our lives and homes feels like inviting judgement of our entertaining skills and stress on our already maxed-out schedules. But what if you knew that opening your front door was a simple and radical way to change the world?

Jen Schmidt is determined to prove it to you. She has set out to reframe how we think about hospitality and to encourage us to walk a road of welcome in our everyday lives. She aims to shatter the image of model homes and model lives, replacing it with relatable, everyday invitations determined to get to know the people around us from more than just a polite distance.

When we drop the idea of entertaining, and instead just open the door–just as we are–our guests get to experience the everyday Gospel, our kids grow up in a life lab of generosity, and we trade insecurity for connection. Just Open the Door is for seasoned hosts, nervous newbies, and everyone in between. It is a personal yes-you-can invitation. Through Jen's hilarious fails, personal tales, and practical tips, you'll start to see your home as the most likely location for changing the world around you.

About the author:
For the last decade, Jen Schmidt has been encouraging, challenging, and cheering on women to embrace both the beauty and bedlam of their everyday lives on her popular lifestyle blog, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. With a variety of topics—from easy dinner ideas and personal finance to leaving a legacy—Jen equips others to live life to its fullest, reminding them it's the little things that really are the big things in life.

A popular speaker, worship leader and founder/host of the annual Becoming Conference, Jen shares with humor and authenticity as she invites others to join her on this bumpy, beautiful life journey. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, five children, a few too many animals, and an available sofa for anyone who needs it.

in)courage
At (in)courage you are welcome to a place of faith, connection, and friendship, where you will always find yourself among friends. Founded in 2009 by DaySpring, the Christian products subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc., the vision for (in)courage was to create a new home for the hearts of women, where women take turns pulling up a chair to share their stories of what Jesus looks like in their everyday, gloriously ordinary, and often messy lives. Since then, (in)courage has grown into a vibrant community that reaches thousands of women every day, welcoming them just the way they are, offering a space to breathe, loving support, and resources for meaningful connection.