You're listening to the Allender Center podcast with Dr. Dan Allender. Each week, we dive into topics that reflect something of what it means to foster hope and healing in a world so in need of restoration. These conversations grow out of the work we do with individuals and communities across the country,

which you can learn more about at the Allander Center.org.

It may be obvious to everyone, but it's summer, my love.

It is summer.

It seems like a long, I mean, it wasn't actually that bad of winter, but, you know, if you live in Seattle, you have to complain about the winter.

It's just not ethical.

It's just the way it is with weather wimps like us, who live between 35 and 75.

But now it is officially, fully, completely summer.

And what we're going to talk about is some of the summer realities that may be part of your life,

and that is you are likely going to make a visit to someone

that you care for, family, friends, or someone will be visiting you, and you will be a host to

family, friends, strangers. And we want to talk about that as part of what it means to offer summer hospitality.

So, my love, when you think about, oh, my goodness, the role of being either a guest or a host,

what comes immediately to mind? Well, I think it takes vulnerability on either side of the gate and to be gracious and interested in the other person and offer goodness. We do that as a host family or even as we go to other people.

Well, I think of you as one of the most remarkable hostesses I've ever encountered.

I love coming home to you.

So I love being a guest in your own.

I guess I'm not a guest.

But nonetheless, there's a power to welcoming.

And we'll talk about that, particularly in our second podcast. But what we're going to be

spending time first on is generally, whether you're a host or a guest, just some basic core,

I would just call it practical wisdom for going about this summer task. And certainly it might be going on

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