Helping Friends in Grief
My husband Tom and I lost three of our parents in three years. While we grieved our losses, our friends showed kindness…
Helping Women Move From Fear into Faith
Category: friends
The Gift of Gathering Friends
I’m convinced God designed me to gather people. To serve them, encourage them and watch magic happen when strangers become friends. I…
Lucky in Love
In November 1985, as our loved ones gathered around, Tom and I walked the aisle, prayed, linked arms and promised to stick…
Somewhat Simple Soup Supper
I don’t want to carry gratitude around in seasons.
I want to carry it in my bones,
I want to rest it in on my tongue
like it is a language
that I never stop speaking.
~Arielle Estoria
How an Open Door of Hospitality Changed My Life, 1st draft
WE are Christ’s Body—His hands and feet. We are the ones with doors and tables and food that encourage other folks around us.
Don’t Quit in the Middle
We got married to be together. For better or worse. Let’s put on love. One touch here. A kiss there. A kind word. Love is made up of lots of little decisions. Let’s wear LOVE like a coat. Let’s wrap our SELVES completely in it.
The Art of Life
“At the basis of Jesus Christ’s kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the commonplace.”
Magical Friendship
It felt good just to hear myself say the words and to hear her listening. She went on to tell me about a difficult situation she and her husband have been navigating with a third party. Immediately the magic happened again. We were entering into each others’ lives and caring and responding. It helped me to get my mind off of myself; pray again for her and also feel relieved of my sad feelings.
Blindly Going
There were so many times I felt like I couldn’t change another diaper, or survive another tantrum or comfort my daughter through the night when morning would come so quickly. That I’d never be able to enjoy a so-called normal life. But I also recognized the Holy Spirit coaxing me to keep going (without seeing).
Better a Neighbor Nearby
“Better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.”
It’s been nearly a year now since Shari invited all the neighbor ladies over for a party at her home. A party to say goodbye to me. I wasn’t the only one in tears that night. Honestly I was crying a lot last year. I didn’t want to move from our home or our neighborhood. But we knew God was pointing us in the direction of South Carolina, after a job offer had been made.
Expectations
On my morning walk I was praying like it was my job— serious praying that befits this season. Friends with serious health diagnoses, a sweet friend fighting for her life after a horrific accident and a couple manuevering a very painful breach in their marriage—we love them all so much and we’re crying out for answers. It seems almost too heavy a burden sometimes.
Is Your Table Big Enough?
Is your table big enough for folks outside your family? Is your heart large enough to offer a hand of friendship to…