Mercy Has a Seat Here.
Dear Friend,
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what it means to truly live out my values, especially the values of hospitality and faith. You know how deeply I care about creating spaces where people feel seen, safe, and loved. Lately, that calling has been pressing on my heart in new ways.
I heard a song the other day, At This Table by Idina Menzel, and it stopped me in my tracks. It was like someone had put words and melody to the very thing I’ve been trying to live. Lines like “At this table, everyone is welcome… At this table, everything’s forgiven… There’s enough for everyone” reminded me of the kind of space I want to offer, not just in my home, but in my life.
I want to live a wide-open faith. The kind where people don’t have to look or speak a certain way to belong. The kind of hospitality that says “Come as you are” and means it. No pretence. No performance. Just the sacred act of showing up - with your story, your questions, your heart, and being welcomed fully.
It feels like a radical thing in today’s world to make space like that. But it also feels like the most Jesus-shaped thing I can do.
So, I’ve been setting more places at the table - literally and figuratively. Practising listening more than speaking. Holding space instead of rushing to fix. And most of all, praying that those who pull up a chair would feel that mercy has a seat here too.
I don’t have it all figured out. But I wanted to share it with you. Maybe you’re being invited into this kind of hospitality too. If so, know I’m here, ready to pull out a chair for you anytime.
With love and gratitude,
Lauren x
Lauren Harkness
Canberra, ACT
Founder, At Her Table
