Can you remember the last time a kind word lifted you up? Perhaps it came from a trusted friend, or maybe your boss took a moment to recognize how skilled you are at what you do. Words of encouragement do more than just let us know we are appreciated or noticed—they...
I picked up the phone, sure needed a friend Hoping to find some perspective and wisdom in pain, on the other end I heard grace and truth, and started to see God confirmed what you said in his Word and then somehow it made sense to me And I was a little more free when...
Today, Mark is joining me to talk about an important, though often forgotten, topic: listening. Listening is a skill that takes practice, focus, and a willingness to set aside our thoughts and engage with others. It’s not always easy, but when we put in the effort,...
Do you feel like you are lacking friends? Do you have moments of loneliness? Have you felt like you want to grow your friendships but don’t know how? Well, that is exactly what we are talking about on the podcast today. In this episode, I’m joined by Craig Cooper....
Today’s article is an excerpt from Better Together: Because You’re Not Meant to Mom Alone. Grab your copy here! There’s a letter I received that I’ll never forget from a mom I may never personally know: Dear Jill, several weeks ago, you and I...
Several years ago, my daughter and I wrote a book called Better Together all about building your “mom tribe.” These are the women you hang with, the ones you care for, and those that care for you. In this book, I talk about sharing our stories and how we all have...
We all need each other. In good times and bad, we’re designed to live in community with other people. More than anything, when we care for one another, we’re Jesus with skin on. No friend will ever forget a time when you were Jesus to them. In my Better Together book,...
Two nights ago I hosted a girl’s night out at my house. We kicked the boys out (well, we were nice about it) and ate pizza, talked, played games, talked, made sundaes, talked….you get the picture!Every mom needs a community of women around her who...
Thank you to all of you who participated in our friendship discussion over the past week and a half. It’s been a great conversation about the joys and the challenges of friendship. I’d like to offer 5 tips for friendship based upon our discussion:1) You do...
My friendship with MarLo (far left in picture) is slowly restoring my belief that the pastor’s wife really can have a good friend in the church. I’ve experienced alot of hurt over the years with people coming and going at church. You spend time with them,...
Last week Mark and I had the opportunity to spend a whole 48 hours in Orlando, Florida at a church planting conference. While there I had the opportunity to have dinner with long-distance friends Nancy (left) and Doris (middle). Nancy and Doris used to live in...
Everyone needs a friend or two who you can allow to see the “less than ideal” side of you. My friends Becky, Tonya, and Diane are those friends. Being the CEO of Hearts at Home could be a full-time job if I let it be. But I’m unwilling to do that....
My friend Becky is a cheerleader! She is faithful in cheering me when life is good and when life is hard. She’s also a prayer warrior. When Becky says she will pray…I know she means it. Becky and I live about 30 minutes from each other so we don’t...
My friend Amy is like an adopted aunt to my children. Amy and I met at church. She’s single and lives away from extended family so she’s become a member of our extended family. Amy and I have helped each other out on home projects. We’ve taken care...
My friend Crystal is my walking buddy. She’s also the closest thing to a neighbor that I have. When we first moved to the country, the subdivision I now see out my western windows didn’t even exist. Now I have “neighbors” about a half mile...
