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.

Scroll to the bottom of the page to leave a comment.

Please use only your first name in the “NAME” field.

Thank you for being a part of the story!

From your friends,

Kevan Chandler and Tommy Shelton
Authors of The Hospitality of Need

35 responses to “Testimonies from You”

Lillian

May 13, 2025

Remember the fairy tale about the two princesses? Every time they spoke, out of one mouth popped precious jewels, and from the other mouth jumped frogs, toads, and newts? Ewwwwhh. I am reminded of this when I remember my “toad mouth moment.”

It was after a trio voice recital at a prominent southern university—I was speaking with one of the singers (who was a friend) and said something like: “well, if your dress was as pretty as your voice, it would have been better.” Ouch. Oops. I saw her face fall and her eyes change and I knew instantly how unkind I had just been. That comment was not like me, at least the me I thought I was. So I went home, thought about my insensitivity, and wondered how I could make amends. I had a long conversation with Jesus.

Then I knew what I should and must do. So I wrote her, apologized, and offered to make her a concert dress. Somewhat to my surprise, she accepted my offer. We made a date to shop for a pattern (a high end designer one), fabric, and notions. I ramped up my sewing skills and labored over every step. A few weeks later, we fitted the dress: strapless, silk taffeta in turquoise, with a rhinestone accent on the bodice. It was perfect and she loved it.

It was not an easy project, but ever present during the dress construction, I was talking to Him about being the Christian woman he challenged me to be. I needed to learn to hold my tongue and the singer needed a new dress. That lesson has been memorable.

LikeLike

Share Your Story

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.

Resources