This 6-day reading plan features devotions that will inspire you to open your heart and home in generosity and hospitality. Each day’s reading shares about a woman in American history whose life exemplified these characteristics. Readings are drawn from the American Woman’s Bible published by Thomas Nelson Bibles.

2. T hi s 6 - d a y re a d i n g p l a n f e a t ur e s d ev o t i o n s t h at
w i ll i nsp i re y o u t o o p e n y o u r he ar t a n d h o m e in
g e n e r o si t y a n d ho sp i t ali t y. E a c h d a y ’s re a d i n g
s h a r e s a b o u t a w o m a n i n A m er i c a n hi st o r y w h o s e
life e xem p li f i ed t h e s e c h a r a c t er i st i c s. R e a d i n g s a re
d r a w n f ro m t h e A m e r i c a n W o m a n ’s B i b le p u b l i s he d
b y H a r p er C olli ns C hri st i an P ub li shi ng.
Day 1: R o s e H aw t h o r n e L a t hro p : G e n e r o si t y . . . a W a y o f Life
Day 2: Net t i e F o w l e r M c C o rm i c k : D e d i c a t e d C hr ist i an Phi lant hr o p i st
Day 3: E v e l y n L e To u r n ea u: C har i t y A s a W a y o f Li fe
Day 4: E v a M c G o w n : S elf -A p p o i n t e d W elc o m i n g C o m m i t t e e
Day 5: C at her i n C o f f i n: E n t er t ai ni ng S t ra n g e r s
Day 6: M a r t h a W as h i n g t o n: Tre a t i ng O t h e r s w i t h Ho sp i t ali t y

3. Day 1
Tr u e g e n e r o s i ty is no t a b o u t th e w i l l i ng nes s to p a r t w i th
m o n ey a n d p o s s e s si o ns . It is a b o u t a w a y o f life a n d a n
a tti tu d e o f th e h ea r t.
T h e g e n e r o u s life is o n e in w h i ch g i v i ng is s i m p l y a n
o u tw o r k i ng o f a n i nner c o nv i cti o n. It is a life o f o u tw a r d
fo cu s . J e s u s s ai d , “ S eek first th e k i n g d o m o f G o d a n d H is
r i g h te o u s n e s s , a nd all t h e s e th i ng s s h al l b e a d d e d to y o u ”
( M a tt. 6 : 3 3 ) . T h e p u r su i t, th en, s h o u l d no t b e r i ch es ,
b u t G o d ’s k i ng d o m .
T h e tr u l y g e n e ro u s o ne is th e o n e w h o p u r s u es G o d a n d
allo w s th e Lo rd ’s lo v e to flo w th ro u g h e v er y a cti o n o f life .
Tr u e g e n e r o s i ty is g i v i ng p ro m p te d b y lo v e , re g a r d l es s o f
th e s el f- s a cr i fi ce inv o l ved .
G o d h a s g i v e n freel y to u s . W h e n w e live in th e l i g h t o f
th i s tr u th , w e w ant to freel y g i v e b a c k to H i m a n d to
o th er s .
S e c o n d C o r i nth i a ns 9 : 7 s a y s th a t w e s h o u l d g i v e “ no t
g r u d g i ng l y o r o f n e ce s s i ty ; fo r G o d lo v e s a ch eer fu l g i v er.”
W e c a n g i v e ch eer fu l l y b e c a u s e w e a r e th a nk fu l fo r w h a t w e
h a v e b e e n g i v e n a n d w e k no w th e b l es s i ng th a t c o m e s fro m
b ei ng g e n e r o u s w i th o u r ti m e, o u r ta l ents , a nd , y es , o u r m o n ey .
T h i s tr u th h a s n’ t c h a n g e d fro m th e ti m e J e s u s w al k e d th e
ea r th u nti l n o w .
R o s e H aw t h o r n e L ath ro p , w h o g a v e g en e r o u s l y o f h er ti m e,
res o u r c es , a n d life to m i ni ster to c a n cer p a ti ents , s a w it th i s
w a y : “If ti m e m a d e a n y al ter a ti o ns in s o v ital a m atter a s th e
b e s t m e t h o d s o f ch a r i ty, C h r i st w o u l d h a v e to l d u s s o
. . . H e h a s no t s a i d a w o rd to c o ntra d i ct H i s firs t tea ch i ng ,
s i m p l e, d i rect, u n a v o i d a b l e, l ea d i ng to p er s o na l s a cr i fi ce a n d
i m m e d i ate H o l y lo v e .” T h at is a g e n e r o u s life i nd eed .
Rose Hawthorne Lathrop: Generosity . . . a Way of Life
Th e re is o n e w h o s c a t t ers , y e t in cre a s e s m o re ; a n d t h e re is o n e w h o
w it h h o lds m o re t h an is rig h t , b u t it l e a ds t o p o v e rt y. Th e g e n e ro u s s o u l
w ill b e m a d e rich , a n d h e w h o w at e r s will als o b e w at e re d h im s e lf.
P r o v e r b s 1 1 : 2 4 - 2 5

4. Day 2
T h e h ea r t a n d s o u l o f N etti e F o w l er M c C o r m i ck is re v ea l ed in
th i s w el l - k no w n q u o te: U s efu l nes s is th e g r e a t th i ng in life — to
d o s o m eth i ng fo r o th er s l ea v e s a s w e e ter o d o r th a n a life o f
p l ea s u r e .”
B o r n in B ro w n ville, N ew Yo rk , N etti e w a s s e v en w h e n h er
p a r ents d i ed a n d s h e w ent to live w i th h er g r a n d m o t h e r. A
s er i o u s ch i l d w i th a d e ter m i ned , s tro n g ch a r a c ter, h er p a r ents ’
d e a th ta u g h t h er th a t life w a s s h or t, a n d s h e w a n te d to m a k e
h er life c o u nt fo r G o d .
W h e n N etti e w a s tw enty - o ne, s h e w a s intro d u ce d to C y r u s
M c C o r m i ck , th e w ea l th y inv en to r o f th e M c C o r m i ck g r a in
re a p e r. D es p i te th e d i ffer e n ce in th ei r a g e — h e w a s tw enty -fiv e
y ea r s o l d er — th e c o u p l e m a r r i ed in 1 8 5 8 . N etti e a n d C y r u s h a d
s e v e n ch i l d ren, tw o o f w h o m d i ed in ch i l d h o o d .
T h e G re a t C h i ca g o F i re o f 187 1 d e s tro y e d th e M c C o r m i ck
H a r v e s ti ng M a ch i ne C o m p a n y ’s fa c to r y. C y r u s h a d al re a d y
m a d e a fo r tu ne a n d h e c o ns i d er e d no t reb u i l d i ng a n d s i m p l y
reti r i ng . W h e n N etti e d i s a g r eed , C y r u s allo w e d h er to m a k e th e
d eci s i o n, a s h e rea l i ze d s h e a n d th e ch i l d re n w o u l d b e th er e
l o ng a fter h e w a s g o n e.
N etti e o v er s a w th e c o n s tr u cti o n o f a l a rg e r fa c to r y, w h i ch
o p e n e d l es s th a n ei g h te e n m o n t h s a fter th e fire . N etti e a s s i s te d
C y r u s in r u nni ng th e p l a nt a n d la ter, w h e n th ei r s o n to o k o ver
th e fa m i l y b u s i nes s , a d v i s ed h i m . H er c o r re s p o n d e n ce w i th h er
s o n i ncl u d ed l eg a l is s u es , s trik es , b u s i nes s a n d inv e s tm ents ,
a n d th e p ro b l e m s th a t a r o s e w h e n th ey c o ns o l i d a te d to fo r m
th e I nter na ti o na l H a r v e s ter C o m p a n y.
N etti e b el i ev e d th a t th ei r m o n ey w a s a s a cr e d tr u s t to b e u s ed
fo r g o o d . S h e b e c a m e a g e n er o u s a nd d ed i ca te d C h r i sti a n
p h i l a nth ro p i s t. S h e g a v e l a rg e s u m s fo r c o l l eg es a n d h o s p i ta l s
in fo rei g n l a nd s , d o n a te d to A m er i ca n c o l l eg es a n d h el p ed
fo u n d a t l ea s t fo r ty - s i x s ch o o l s . O n e o f th e fa m i l y ’s fa v o r i te
p ro j ects w a s th e M c C o r mi ck T h eo l o g i ca l S em i na r y in C h i ca g o ,
g i v i ng o v er fo u r m i l l i o n d o l l ar s i nto th i s p ro j ect.
N etti e h el p ed i m p ro v e th e S o u th er n m o u nta i n s ch o o l s ,
intro d u ci ng c o u r s es in d o m e s ti c s ci ence a n d m a nu a l tra i ni ng .
S h e w a s i ns tr u m enta l in s etti ng u p ch u rc h e s in th e a r e a a n d
s ta r te d S u n d a y s ch o o l cl a s s es . S h e a l s o p er fo r m e d “s m al l
k i nd nes s es ,” s u c h a s p a yi ng fo r a y o u n g m a n ’s d enta l w o r k o r
a r ra ng i ng fo r th e ca r e o f a m i ni ster ’s s i ck w i fe
To a fr i end , s h e re m a r k ed , “Yes , m o n ey is p o w er, a s y o u h av e
s a i d , b u t I h a v e a l w a y s tr i ed no t to tr u s t in it, b u t ra th er to u s e
it fo r th e g l o r y o f m y M a ster.”
Nettie Fowler McCormick: Dedicated Christian Philanthropist
G iv e , a n d it w ill b e g iv e n t o y o u : g o o d m e a s u re , p re s s e d d o w n , s h a k e n
t o g e t h e r, a n d ru n n in g o v e r w ill b e p u t into y o u r b o s o m . F o r w it h t h e
s a m e m e a s u re t h a t y o u u s e , it w ill b e m e a s u re d b a c k t o y o u .
L u k e 6 : 3 8

5. Day 3
F ro m h u m b l e b eg i nni ng s , R . G . a n d E vel y n “ M o m ” Le To u r nea u
w o u l d i m p a ct no t o nl y A m er i ca n i nd u s tr y a n d e d u c a ti o n, b u t
a l s o th e live s o f c o u ntl es s y o u n g p e o p l e. E v el y n fell in lo v e w i th
R . G . w h i l e s h e w a s a y o u ng girl a n d th e c o u p l e e l o p e d w h e n
s h e w a s s i xteen. D es p i te th e fa ct th a t R . G . h a d no tra i ni ng ( h e
h a d to d ro p o u t o f s ch o o l d u r i ng th e ei g h th g r a d e), h e w a s a
h a rd w o r k er a n d lo v e d inv enti ng th i ng s ; E v el y n w a s b eh i nd
h i m all th e w a y .
Tra g e d y s tr u ck w h e n th e S p a ni s h flu ep i d em i c o f 1918 to o k th e
life o f th ei r i nfa nt s o n. A l th o u g h ra i s ed in C h r i sti a n h o m es , R .
G . a n d E v el y n h a d no t c o ns i d er e d G o d a s i m p o r ta nt in th ei r
o w n lives . T h ei r l o s s a n d g r i ef c a u s e d t h e m to re a s s e s s th ei r
p r i o r i ti es. In a c o m p l e te tu r na ro u nd , th ey c o m m i t te d th ei r lives
to th e Lo rd a n d i m m ed i a tel y b e g a n l o o k i ng fo r w a y s to s er v e
H i m . T h ey to o k ch i ld re n to S u n d ay s ch o o l a n d o p e n e d th ei r
h o m e to a n y o n e in n e e d o f a m ea l , a B i b l e s tu d y , o r j u s t
s o m e m o th er i ng .
In 192 9 , w h i l e th e re s t o f th e c o u ntr y w a s reel i ng fro m th e
s to c k m a r k et cr a s h th a t l ed to th e G re a t D e p re s s i o n, R . G . a n d
E v el y n fo u n d e d R . G . Le To u r nea u , Inc. T h e c o m p a n y d ev e l o p e d
th e w o r l d ’s l arg e s t ea r th - m o v i ng m a ch i ner y, w h i ch w o u l d
re v o l u ti o ni ze c o n s tr u cti o n a n d ro a d b u il d i ng. A s u cc e s s fro m
th e b eg i nni ng , it w a s n’ t l o ng b e fo re th e c o m p a n y e a r n e d a
h a l f m i l l i on- do l lar p rofit.
T h e y o u n g c o u p l e d i d no t k no w w h a t to d o w i th s u c h
p ro s p er i ty . “T h e m o s t I’ve e v er s p ent in m y life o n a h o u s e is
$ 5 ,0 0 0 ,” E vel y n to l d R .G . “It’s to o m u c h m o n ey .” T h ey cr e a ted
th e Le To u r nea u F o u n d a ti o n in 193 5 to h a nd l e th e ch a r i ta b l e
s i d e o f th e b u s i nes s , a n d c o ns i s tentl y g a v e a w a y 9 0 p e rc ent
o f th ei r i nco m e.
R ea ch i ng o u t to h o m e l e s s b o y s , R . G . tra i ned a n d e m p l o y ed
th em , w h i l e E v el y n o p e n e d th ei r h o m e, b e c o m i n g “ M o m ”
to tw enty to th i r ty b o y s a t a ti m e. M a ny o f t h e s e b o y s
b e c a m e p a r t o f th ei r fa m i l y, m o v i ng w i th t h e m w h e n ev er
th e Le To u r nea u s o p e n e d n ew p l a nts in d i ffer ent p a r ts o f
th e c o u ntr y.
In 1 9 6 9 , th e y ea r th a t R . G . d i ed , E v el y n w a s c h o s e n a s
th e M o th er o f th e Yea r b y th e A m er i ca n M o th er s , Inc., a n
o rg a ni za ti o n th a t p ro m o te s a n d h o no r s m o t h e r s a m o n g
th e fi fty s ta tes , D C a n d P u er to R i co .
Evelyn LeTourneau: Charity As a Way of Life
It is m o re b l e s s e d t o g iv e t h an t o re c e iv e .
A c t s 2 0 : 3 5

6. Day 4
E v a M c G o w n w a s hire d to a ct a s th e h o s te s s o f F a i r b a nk s ,
A l a s k a . In real i ty, h er e m p l o y m e nt w a s s i mp l y a n o ffi ci al
re c o g ni ti o n fo r w h a t s h e h a d b e e n d o i ng u no ffi ci a l l y fo r y ea r s .
In 1914, E v a M o n tg o m e r y j o u r ney e d to w a rd A l as k a; tra v el i ng
a l o ne fro m Irel a nd , cr o s s i ng A m er i ca , a n d s ai l i ng u p th e
C a na d i a n c o a s t w a s a d a u nti ng ta s k fo r a s i ng l e y o u n g l a d y .
B u t E v a p e r s ev er e d a nd e v entu a l l y a rr ive d in th e fro ze n A rcti c;
s h e w a s o v e r w h e l m e d b y th e i m p re s s i v e , b u t i nti m i d a ti ng
l a nd : h u g e m o u nta i ns , n ev er - end i ng s to r m s , a n d s eem i ng l y
i nter m i na b l e l o ng ni g h ts . T h o u g h w ro u g h t wi th trep i d a ti o n,
E v a fa c e d h er fea r s ; h er fu tu re h u s b a nd , A r th u r M c G o w n, w a s
w a i ti ng fo r h er.
E v a a n d A r th u r enj o y e d a v er y h a p p y u ni o n. E v a w a s
d ev a s ta te d w h e n h er h u s b a n d d i ed u n ex p e c ted l y . B ei ng l eft
a l o ne in h er a d o p te d h o m e, s h e k n ew s h e n e e d e d to k e e p
b u s y . “It c a m e to m e th a t p e r h a p s n o w I c o u l d b eg i n th e w o r k I
h a d fel t l o ng a g o I w o u l d fi nd h er e . I d i d no t k no w j u s t w h a t it
w a s . I w ent to th e w e e ch u rc h m y h u s b a n d to o k m e to o nl y a
fe w d a y s a fter o u r m a r r i a g e, a n d I k nel t d o w n a n d s ai d , ‘Lo rd ,
I ’ m re a d y .’”
R e m e m b e r i ng h er o w n feel i ng s o n a r r i vi ng in A l a s k a , s h e
b e g a n v i s i ti ng th e n ew c o m er s , tel l i ng t h e m th a t s h e k n ew th ey
w er e “d o w n in th e v a l l ey ,” a n d th en e n co u ra g i ng th em , s a y i ng ,
“ b u t y o u s h o u l d s e e th e fi ne s i g h ts b ey o n d it!”
W h e n W o r l d W a r II c a m e, s h e w a s o ffi ci al ly p u t o n th e
p a y r oll to fi nd h o m e s fo r th e ci v i l i ans w h o a c c o m p a n i ed th e
s er v i ce m e n to A l a s k a . A fter th e w a r, a n i nfl u x o f n ew p e o p l e
fl o o d e d in, a n d E va c o nti nu ed to h el p w i th th e h o u s i ng n eeds.
H er m o d e s t c o m m e n t a b o u t h er s el f w a s, “I g a v e w h a t I c ould,
b u t I g o t it b a c k a th o u s a nd fo l d .”
Eva McGown: Self-Appointed Welcoming Committee
C a s t y o u r b re a d u p o n t h e w at ers , fo r y o u w ill fin d it aft e r m a n y d ay s .
E c c l e s i a s t e s 11: 1

7. Day 5
Catherin Coffin: Entertaining Strang ers
N i c k n a m e d “th e G ra n d C entr a l S ta ti o n o f th e U n d e rg r o u n d
R a i l ro a d , th e h o m e o f Le v i a n d C a th er i ne C o ffi n in C i nci nna ti—
j u s t a cr o s s th e O h i o R i v er fro m K entu ck y — b e c a m e a n a tu ra l
s to p o v er fo r s l a v e s e s c a p i ng fro m th e S o u t h to th e fre e s ta te
o f O h i o .
W h e n th e F u g i ti v e S l a v e A ct w a s p a s s e d in 1 8 5 0 , m a k i ng it
i l l eg a l to ai d a r u na w ay sl av e u nd er th re a t o f i m p r i s o nm ent o r
a fi ne, C a th er i ne a n d Le v i m a d e n o c h a n g e in th ei r a cti vi ti es . To
th ei r cr i ti cs th ey inv a r i a b l y rep l i ed th a t, a c c o rd i ng to S cr i p tu r e ,
th ey w er e d u ty - b o u n d to h el p a n y i nd i v i d u al w h o c a m e to
th ei r d o o r.
W h i l e s o m e m i g h t h a v e g r o w n w ea r y o f th e c o n s ta nt s tre a m
o f v i s i to r s , C a th er i ne ch eer fu l l y s er v e d th e re f u g e e s b y c o o k i ng
fo r th em , c o l l ecti ng d o n a ti o ns , w a s h i ng th ei r cl o th i ng , listeni ng
to th ei r tro u b l es , h el p i ng t h e m fi nd e m p l o y m ent, a n d a s si sti ng
in s m u g g l i ng t h e m to s a fer l o ca ti o ns .
In h er w a r m a n d h o s p i ta b l e h o m e, s h e o ffer e d to m a n y th eir
firs t e x p er i ence o f i nter ra ci a l fr i end s h i p a n d C h r i sti an ca r e .
A b ra h a m lo o k e d u p a n d s a w t h re e m e n s t an din g n e a r b y . W h e n h e
s a w t h e m , h e h u rrie d fro m t h e e n t ra n ce o f h is t e n t t o m e e t t h e m
a n d b o w e d lo w t o t h e g ro u n d.
G e n e s i s 1 8 : 2

8. Day 6
S o m e p e o p l e h a v e th e n a tu ra l i ncl inati o n to b efr i end
o th er s ea s i l y ; o th er fo l k h a v e a q u i et a n d res er v e d m a n n e r.
H o s p i ta l i ty m a y c o m e m o re n a tu ral ly to th e o u tg o i ng , b u t
it c a n b e p ra cti ce d b y all o f u s . A s a m atter o f fa ct, 1 P e ter
4 : 9 tel l s u s w e s h o u l d s h o w h o s p i ta l i ty “ w i th o u t g r u m b l i ng .”
T h i s h o s p i ta l i ty c a n h av e m a n y fa c es . M ay b e w e s i m p l y m a k e
o th er s feel w el co m e a n d a t e a s e in o u r h o m e s o r ch u rc h e s o r
p l a ce s o f b u s i nes s . M ay b e w e o p e n o u r h o m e s fo r m ea l s o r
o th er fello w s h i p e v ents . M ay b e w e re a c h o u t to o th er s w h o
a r e n ew in o u r c o m m u ni ti es o r ch u rch es .
M o st o f u s c a n p ro b a b l y re m e m b e r a ti m e w h e n s o m e o ne w a s
h o s p i ta b l e to w a r d u s . P er h a p s it w a s th a t a w k w a rd m o m e n t
w h e n w e w er e a t a n ew ch u rch , c o ns i d er i ng tu r ni ng a r o u n d
a n d l ea v i ng u nti l s o m e o n e a p p ro a c h e d a n d s i m p l y s p o k e to
u s . It m i g h t h a v e b e e n a ti m e w h e n w e fel t u n co m fo r ta b l e in a
n ew en viro n m e n t a n d s o m e o n e c h o s e to re a c h o u t a n d i ncl u d e
u s in a c o nv er s a ti o n o r a cti v i ty .
M a r th a W a s h i ng to n w a s k no w n a s a l a d y w i th d e co r u m a nd
cl a s s , b u t s h e a l s o h a d a w ay to m a k e p e o p l e feel a t e a s e in h er
p re s e n ce . A s A m er i ca ’s firs t “first l a d y ,” s h e s et a w o nd er fu l
e x a m p l e o f h o w w e c a n all tre a t o th er s w i th h o s p i ta l i ty.
Martha Wash ing ton: Treating Others with Hospitality
Th e fo re ig n e r re s id in g a m o n g y o u m u st b e t re a te d a s y o u r n ativ e - bo rn.
L o v e t h e m as y o u rs e lf, fo r y o u w e re fo re ig n e r s in E g y pt . I a m t h e LORD
y o u r G o d .
L e v i t i c u s 1 9 : 3 4

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