Building Bridges

What is Experiential Hospitality with Isaac French?

This is the audio version of my weekly newsletter, Experiential Hospitality, where I share stories and insights to help you craft unforgettable spaces and experiences through design & hospitality.

Building bridges, I've often hesitated
to speak too directly about my faith,

not because I'm ashamed of it, but
because I want to welcome people

from every background and because
it's most likely not the reason you

are following me in the first place.

Still, I can't be honest about my
life or my work without saying this.

I am a follower of Jesus and
that has defined my whole life.

I respect those who disagree with me
no matter what about, and I always

try to learn something from them.

This is one of the things I
love so much about America.

As flawed as we are, we still have the
right to follow our individual consciences

and to fearlessly express our beliefs.

And this is why I and countless
millions of others are so shaken by the

assassination of Charlie Kirk last week.

I know he was controversial,
but he was an upstanding man.

And in no world did he deserve to
die for doing what he did best,

passionately engaging others in debate,
challenging assumptions, and making

people think about what they believe.

He inspired millions, myself included, and
even many who strongly disagreed with him.

Now look, I know I've already lost some
of you and I'm about to lose more, but

please stay with me just a little longer.

It is exhausting to live in a world where
we must constantly calculate all the

possible ways we might offend others.

You didn't talk about this
or that tragedy, so you

must be a fill in the blank.

But what about that thing he said?

Again, fill in the blank, but also
check context too, and on and on.

I can't mention every horrific event.

There are way too many innocent
people suffering around

the world every single day.

My heart grieves for so many.

It's easy to get depressed,
but this world needs hope.

What I can do is use whatever
small platform I have to speak

up when my conscience urges me.

I must.

I am okay with the fact that a
thousand people unfollowed me a few

days ago for lamenting that a husband
and father was murdered in front of

thousands while exercising his right
to speak and for saying that we must be

radicalized not to hate or retaliate,
but to love and build bridges.

Yes.

As a believer, I am deeply saddened
by the loss of a fellow believer who

imperfect, as he undoubtedly was, set
an example for millions of others.

But this isn't just about Charlie Kirk.

It's about something deeper.

Look, there are good people on
both sides of our political divide.

There are bad people on both sides too.

I don't identify with political sides.

As a Christian, I believe our
mission is to be ambassadors.

Not of a political party, but
of a transcendent kingdom.

This is where my faith meets my practical
mission to create beauty in the world.

To build, to care, to live by values
worth living and dying for, to lead

by example, even in the little things.

Beauty isn't just aesthetic.

It's the choice to respond to
ugliness with something better.

To see the image of God in people
who see the world completely

differently than we do.

Charlie's death is a tragedy regardless
of what you thought of his politics.

A 31-year-old father gunned down
for his beliefs, leaving behind a

loving wife and two small children
who will grow up without their dad.

As a young dad with two small
children, myself, this breaks my heart.

But we must not let this
tragedy pull us further apart.

Ugliness and hate cannot win.

It can only inspire us
to choose love instead.

This is why I'm writing to you today.

I'm recommitting to my mission
and inviting you regardless of

what you believe to join me.

First in creating more beauty, wherever
we are in our work, in our words,

our every daily choice, big or small.

Second in loving more boldly, not just
people who think like we do, but the

kind that builds bridges across divides.

Third in living by values worth dying for.

Stop and think about it.

What do you live by?

What do you live for?

I'm striving to put others first,
starting with my own family to show

kindness to strangers, to speak the
truth, even if it hurts to love.

If you've made it this far, thank you.

In closing, let me say this, I
feel emboldened to share my faith

more boldly than ever before.

If you don't know Jesus, I invite you to
open your heart and ask him to come in.

He's the source of all love, and he
led by example, not just words in

returning, misunderstanding, hate.

And even murder with
forgiveness, love and life.

I want to help you, whoever you are,
if there's any way I can, everything I

have that is good, I owe to him and to
all those, he's faithfully sent to me.

I'm praying for the Kirk family
for so many hurting people for

our country and for our world.

But I'm also acting.

I'm loving.

The world has enough ugliness.

It doesn't need more from us.

Let's answer darkness with light, division
with love, brokenness, with beauty.