a MASTERCLASS In Hospitality.

Dear Andre, (2 min read)

The most valuable gift you can give someone is your full attention.
And the hardest gift to give… is your full attention.

Hospitality isn’t just the fruit on the table.
It’s the margin you build to be fully there when someone walks into your life.

I didn’t expect to be wrecked by a pile of fruit.
But here we are.

Side-note: Thank you to everyone for the support on my first book, Just Start. Hundreds of copies sold so far. if you haven’t left a review yet, please do: https://a.co/d/b3VTqxt

Okay, if you’ve ever wanted to wow people with how you care for them. This is for you.

We were in Central Asia, walking into a building that used to be a casino. Now it’s a headquarters for an organization that’s changing lives—literally. Lining the walls were photos of schools they’ve started and stories of families they’ve helped. It already felt sacred.

But then we opened the conference room doors…

And that’s when it hit me.

Towers of fruit.
Watermelon. Strawberries. Apricots. Cherries. Plates upon plates.
Three groupings of fruit arrangements—each with enough to feed a small village.

There were 11 of us. We could’ve been starving and still not finished it all.

It was too much. And that was the point.
It was a feast of intentionality.
A silent sermon in sweetness: You matter. You’re worth preparing for.

That was just the beginning.

We sat. We talked. For hours. They were fully present. (even though we were exhausted from the week) Not half-scrolling their phones. Not rushing us out. Just there. And when we left, they gave us gifts and packed up every last piece of fruit so nothing went to waste.

But what challenged me most was what the woman—our host—shared.

She was once a businesswoman. And she was good. But when she started following God, she chose a path that required dependence instead of competence. She stepped into education. Led the entire organization. Not because she felt strongest there—but because she needed God more there.

That messed with me.

Because I value strength. I value using my gifts.
But what if sometimes the path isn’t where you’re most effective—but where you’re most dependent?

I haven’t figured that out yet.
But I’m sitting with it.

Here’s what I know:

The most valuable gift you can give someone is your full attention.
And the hardest gift to give… is your full attention.

Hospitality isn’t just the fruit on the table.
It’s the margin you build to be fully there when someone walks into your life.

You don’t need a conference room in Central Asia to do that.
Sometimes it’s just a voice note.
Sometimes it’s inviting someone over with no agenda.
Sometimes it’s remembering someone’s favorite drink and having it waiting for them.

That kind of hospitality?
It sticks with people.
It transforms people.

If someone spent a day with you, would they walk away thinking:
I can’t believe they did that for me.
What would it look like to be that generous—with your presence, your preparation, your attention?

Not easy. But powerful.

PS here’s the link to buy the book and leave a review on Amazon. https://a.co/d/4Md2ZlK