Testimonies from You

The Hospitality of Need is all about caring for one another and seeing our needs, not as barriers or burdens, but as tools to grow deeper in fellowship with one another and with God.

We would love to hear from you! If you have read the book, please take some time to consider how you have experienced the hospitality of need in your own life and community. Then share your story with us here in the comments, and see what others have said as well. If you haven’t read the book yet, we would love for you to pick up a copy and join the conversation. In the meantime, please feel free to read through the comments below. We hope you are encouraged by these testimonies.

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Thank you for being a part of the story!

From your friends,

Kevan Chandler and Tommy Shelton
Authors of The Hospitality of Need

34 responses to “Testimonies from You”

Abbie

May 29, 2025

In our world, the fastest, strongest and biggest are brought front and center. Kevan can’t be any of those things. He simply brings his true self. My husband, Zach, often does as well—on account of being unable to control his ADHD impulses. (Kevan still prefers Zach without Adderall… most of the time). Zach told me his first memory of Kevan was wheelchair racing down the hallways of the local baptist church in 1st grade. This was definitely the beginning of a forever friendship.
Fast forward years into our early 20s. My own personal introduction to Kevan was their side-project band “Twoe of Port Greywine.” I did not fully grasp the concept of a harmonica-mandolin duo with John Donne sonnets as lyrics but now I get it and wish I’d thought of it. Fast forward again: Zach and I are now in our late 30s raising children- it can often be lonely and tiring. It can be a time where it’s easy to lose both your identity and your people, especially with various moves and the never-ending balance of work and family life.
I’m increasingly grateful for each visit from Kevan and Katie. I see Zach fully alive, and fully himself, once again. All cynicism melts away and it’s like those two are dreaming the dreams you dream when you’re a kid but can’t fulfill them yet and then forget them and become adults and settle into adult routines with doctor appointments and work schedules. When Zach and Kevan are together they dream those dreams—and for better or worse—have the autonomy and impulsivity to act on them. This always involves music, writing and exploring. I’m pretty sure neither could resist another race down a local baptist church’s hallway.

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Through engaging real-life stories, Kevan Chandler and Tommy Shelton share what can happen when we invite others into our lives—hardships and all. Ultimately, this is a book about friendship . . . the kind that God has called us to live in . . . friendship that goes deep and flourishes, not in spite of our needs but actually through them.

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