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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

Confident Heart Friendship Gift Pak

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…”
Hebrews 10:25a

I sometimes wonder if I am one of the “some” that are mentioned in this verse. Oh I go to church. I worship, take notes and hang out in the lobby chit-chatting. But somewhere along the way I got “in the habit of not meeting together” with friends as much as I think God wants me to.

I didn’t mean for it to happen. Each day just seemed to fade into another. I couldn’t keep up with everything as a wife, mom, friend, daughter, neighbor, and working/ministering woman.

Time with friends was the one thing I could afford to miss. Or so I thought.

But then I found myself with an craving for connection that I was trying to fulfill with a white screen and black alphabet keys. Yet no matter how many times I checked email or Facebook, it was never enough to satisfy my craving.

Maybe you can relate. If so, be sure to read my “Craving Connection” devotion over at Encouragement for Today.

As I think about my craving for connection, and God’s emphasis on the importance of us “meeting together,” I can’t help but believe it’s because He created us to need it. We were created in His image after all, and God is always in community – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Always has been.

But it won’t just happen because we need it. So, today I wanted to share a few ways we can get creative and intentional about spending time with friends:

  • Plan a monthly girl’s night out
  • Invite a friend over for lunch or coffee
  • Find a hobby you both enjoy
  • Get away together for a day or weekend
  • Carpool together
  • Run errands together
  • Clean your houses or do laundry together
  • Prepare dinner together
  • Serve someone in need together
  • Reach out to a neighbor together
  • Start a Bible study or book club together

One of the things that encourages me is to have spiritual purpose to my friendships. I love doing a book study with a friend and meeting to talk about the questions at the end of each chapter.

I wrote A Confident Heart with that in mind, hoping friends will read it and encourage each other with the truths God put in it. We need that spiritual encouragement and transparency in our friendships, don’t we? So, this week I’m giving A Confident Heart Friendship gift pak away to one of you. Here is what it includes:

Confident Heart Friendship Gift Pak

One advanced copy of my new book A Confident Heart
to read and share with a friend.

$10 Starbuck’s Gift Card to share with a friend while you connect face-to-face and heart-to-heart over coffee, tea or dessert.

To enter to win — share this post with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, your blog and email. Let me know you did and then tell me one friend you will encourage with a call today or an email letting them know you’d love to get together. I’ll announce the winner next Monday.

Lord, You created us with a need for friends. Yet, we find ourselves rushing through our days with little time for face-to-face and heart-to-heart connections. Help us to seek You first as our ultimate Friend, and then reach out to others so we can have and be a close friend. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.


This post is part of my Encouraging Words Wednesday.

Comments

  1. Renee,
    Your blog has been a wonderful blessing to me! Thank you for letting God use you to touch others!

    I will be calling 2 of my dear friends today to chat, something we have not done in awhile.

    much love,
    natalie

  2. Wow! This really spoke to me this morning. I am one who has given up on meeting together. Email is my main connection with my friends and that makes me sad. I do truly wish to have a confident heart and connect with my friends on a deeper level as well as make new friends. Thank you for sharing!

    Brandi

  3. Thank you for today's devotion. What a reality check that was for me. I find myself doing the same thing – repeatedly checking that email when in all probability it is just more junk mail or a quick "Hi..just checking in to say hey" email from one of long lost friends I have lost contact with. After reading your devotion, I knew that there was a small group of friends that I needed to share it with.

  4. Renee~
    You certainly nailed me on this. It is nice to hear I am not alone in my somewhat obsessive e mail checking, but yet, how sad it is to replace friends with it. Thanks for the challenge to meet up with someone in person. I look forward to getting that on my calendar!
    Blessings,
    Heather

  5. Thank you for this devotion. I too have suffered a lack of in my friendships. Seems all are busy with everyday stuff we cant seem to find the time for each other. Weve been reduced to a text, a forwarded funny email and nothing more. Lonely is the word that comes to mind. I recently reconnected with a high school friend and am hoping to refresh that once upon a time beautiful friendship. God Bless Melanie [email protected]

  6. Hi Renee
    This is my first time on your blog but I do see you on FB and comment every once in a while. Anyway as I read this in the a.m. it encourage me and I have an elderly mom that I take care of and sometimes that can make things busy. I have a few friends at church but they are married and are busy and I am single so it would be good to connect and get some new friendships going and spend time with others and encourage them as well. Thank you for the encouragement you gave us this a.m.
    I shared it on FB also on Twitter
    Carol

  7. Thanks for the ah-ha moment this morning. I think sometimes we get so wound up in our day to day lives that although we may feel something is missing, we can't pin point it. I realized I needed to get some face to face time with my girlfriends. I will be sending emails like crazy today! Can't wait to read your new book!

  8. This devotional spoke to my heart. I have already forwarded this message on to my closest pals. I try to send out handwritten cards to 3-4 ladies that God has laid on my heart that day, to encourage them. I get together with my one special friend at least two times a month. We live about an hour away from each other and that face to face contact makes a big difference in our friendship. Thank You for all you do.

  9. Thank you for sharing your heart in today's devotion. I have recently felt the void of female friendship in my life, so your words spoke to my heart. It is so important for us as Christian women to encourage and lift each other up. I posted the devotional on my Facebook page. I am going to encourage a dear friend of mine who is going through a lot in her life as a wife and mother. She has a child who has special physical needs and I know it is hard on her. She is a beautiful person and needs to be reminded of that, like we all do.
    Amanda

  10. Shared this on FB, blog, email.A friend I will encourage today is one I just met. She suffers from depression and is disabled, and alot of her "friends and family" have seemed to dissapear out of the picture since her disability. She isn't able to drive herself and isnt able to get out much, and so I want to invite her out for coffee/tea and a chance to get to know her more and love on her, and show her there are people that DO care about her and her life! 🙂

  11. Thank you for your reminder that we do need our "face to face" time with our friends!!! Will get on that today…sweet blessings

  12. I receive so much encouragement from the P31 daily devotions. What an awesome ministry! I too miss the one on one time with friends. I am forwarding this to my friends with a challenge to get together. I have turned down invitations to get together with a life-long friend, because my life is so busy, but this message has really touched my heart. Thank you

  13. I am still digesting your devotion for today. It really stuck a nerve with me! I am finding myself checking email/facebook too many times throughout the day. I have struggled with finding fellowship for several years now (after a move) I have friends around but missing the God connection! Thank you for sharing. I am truly encouraged today knowing that others find themselves in the same place and knowing that God really does care about "contact" with others! God bless you and thank you for being open and willing to share what God shares on your heart!

  14. I always find myself emailing your devotions to my closest friends & family members. A friend and I were discussing (just last night) how busy we are. She's a nursing student and a wife, and I'm a mom, Grad. student and wife. We both run home based businesses as well. Time has gotten away from us and the only times we tend to see each other is either at church or if we are doing a home party together. I knew I missed her, but what an eye-opener this was! It's amazing how God speaks to us at just the right times! Last night at Revival at my church, the guest speaker, David Crane said this,"Isn't it amazing that God is never late? He's always on time. Never early, and never late. He is there RIGHT when we need him!" This devotion was perfect timing! Her and I both will have time this weekend to just hang out and catch up and I can't wait!!! 🙂 Thank you so much Renee!!!

  16. Good Morning! I wanted to share with you that after reading your devotion this morning, I will be contacting a friend of mine whose child has just had surgery. Typically I would simply email, but as soon as I started reading your words, I could feel a nudge in my heart to phone her.

    I know it's God telling me to call…and I plan to listen! 🙂

    I've shared this on my Facebook page with friends and I've forwarded your devotions to my mother in law and two girlfriends. I hope they get as much out of reading it as I did!

    God bless you and keep you well as you minister to others.

  17. My cousin Michelle is like my little sister to me. Though many miles used to separate us, we stayed close. Now though we live near, our busy lives keep us separated. We have plans to get together tomorrow night that we made two weeks ago.We need this time to catch-up on our lives.
    I read the write-up @ P31 for your new book. Renee, I need this book! I have spent my life as a pleaser. I need to learn a better way to see myself and to deal with emotional set-backs.

  18. I will be seeing my best friend from high school next month. She lives in S.C. and I live in Indiana. It is such a treat to see her. She is one of my only friends in Christ and we have known each other for years. Would be a wonderful treat to share this withe her 🙂 Thank you for all of your work and encouragement.

  19. WOW! It is amazing how easy it is to be personally disconnected in a super connected world. I am a total email stalker and I never had a second thought about it until today….Thanks! I'm sharing this post with my friends via email and hoping to use it as an invitation to connect in person!

  20. Renee,
    What an eye opener this was. I especially check email in the evening when, though I am not physically alone, many times I feel lonely. I sent this to my closest friend who all too often we communicate only by phone or text and I intend to invite her to lunch.
    Thank you.
    Leanne

  21. Renee, I was feeling like I was losing connection with my friends, so I started "Girlfriend Time" and we meet once a month at a restuarant to fellowship and eat lunch. It has been wonderful to see all the ladies. It is a blessing when two show up that haven't seen each other in years. We have had some great reunions. I send out about 50 invitations each month and there are anywhere from 4 to 16 ladies that show up. I love "Girlfriend Time" because I too need face-to-face conversation.

  22. Wow I really needed to hear this today. I have been craven connection a lot lately. I have my kids, my husband and my work but oh how long to connect face to face with friends. My BFF and I email daily, share blogs, devotionals and encouragement that is basically our life line to each other. It is sad to admit but we live in the same city but just never find time to meet face to face. Today we are going to schedule a “girlfriend date” and get connected. I am forwarding this too several of my friends today …Thanks so much for sharing your heart.

  23. I tend to be a homebody but long for that face to face connection. Thanks for your devotion today, reminding me the importance of encouraging one another. I hope to connect with a friend TODAY, not put it off any longer.
    Blessing from LA

  24. I am sharing via facebook. I have a girlfriend that is going through a similar struggle. We are both fighting for our marriage. We have been friends for a year now. God has strategically placed us in each others lives to help encourage one another with reminding each other that God is faithful, and to keep fighting the good fight during our hard days. She is such a blessing to me and I cherish my girlfriend that I have been blessed with!

  25. Thank you so much for your devotion this morning! It was just what I needed. I have so much to do today and had planned to back out of plans to get together with a friend. Your devotion helped me realize I need face-to-face time with my friends too. I'm posting the link on facebook. Praying for you as you prepare for your book release this summer.

    Mary

  26. Thanks Renee, for your timely reminder. I haven't seen a long time prayer partner in several months – I sent her an email to set up lunch within the week. Thank you for your faithfulness!

  27. Loved today's devotional and I have shared it on my Facebook page. I plan on carving out some one on one girl time with my friend Shannon.

  28. Thanks for this great devotional today. I shared it on my facebook and used a verse to encourage a long distance friend I will get to see later this month!

  30. I'm sharing your post via e-mail today and struggle with spending time with my best friend. She is married, has three children and works as the Director of Children's Ministries at church. If I didn't work with her we would never see each other. I long for some one on one time with her but it happens so rarely.

  32. Posted it on facebook to share…
    I have been in contact via email with firnds trying to keep in touch…hard when kids are at different schools, schedules etc…

  33. We were talking about this yesterday in our mom's Bible Study group. Something we all said we struggled with. Sharing this by email and with the Bible Study group.

  34. Thank you so much for this nudge in the right direction. I not only check e-mail frequently, I also check Facebook and realize it is for that connection you talk about. Today, I am meeting one of my FB friends for lunch to have some face-to-face time, and then tomorrow another dear friend to spend some time walking together. Virtual time really does not compare to real time. Thanks Renee.

  35. As my little special needs friend says, "Renee Swope you are on Facebook." I have several friends that I will encourage today but one in particular that is having a hard time not blaming God for current struggles will be on top of the list. Thanks!

  36. Renee, Thank you for the very kind encouraging words this morning. My heart has been longing to learn to stop doubting myself.
    I check face book looking for friends that I have missed and praying that we will meet again soon. It has been really hard for me this last year because we moved out of town where some of my closet friends were and now they don't have anything to do with me, a few said I just left them behind. A face to face relationship would really be good for me right now.
    Thank you again

  39. You know me, Renee! In my case, i am not checking my email over and over, for me it's FACEBOOK! But the lesson is the same. I spend the most time waiting to hear from some of my closest friends.
    Some have moved away, but many are still close enough to have that face to face contact.

    I will call my bestest friend Lisa today and freak her out! she will assume either I pocket-dialed her, or that there's an emergency! She will be so happy to get together – we always are – we are both pastor's wives, so it's just hard to figure out when. When we do, though, it's as though no time has passed and we talk 100-mph trying to catch up!

    So thank you for the challenge!
    Gayle

  40. I shared this with all my girlfriends by email. I have some of the best friends…..the lift me up when I fall, they walk beside me no matter what is going on on my life, and they make me laugh!!! I have been catholic all my life but just the past couple of years have I decided to have a relationship with Christ. My friends live that everyday and show me they have a real relationship with HIM daily in the way the act, think, speak and live – they are awesome role models!!!

    I just love when we can get together and enjoy each others company!!

  41. I am sharing your post via facebook and on a Christian Mommy group I am on. I will be checking in with a young lady I have been meeting with weekly to do a book/Bible study with. Our first study dealt with fear and the one we are on now is dealing with being confident. This would be so great for her!
    Thank you!!

  42. I'll share this through e-mail, on Twitter, and on my blog, as I'm on a 40 day Facebook Fast! I've been praying for a while that God would help me build stronger friendships that are rooted in Him. I've been working on organizing a small group Bible study for women and praying that God would lead me to the women who crave a deeper relationship with Him and with others who are like-minded. I have four names that God has put on my heart. I'll reach out to them this week and plan a get together so we can begin our study together.

  43. I admit I am email checker. But God has drawn me into some wonderful relationships recently that are truly times of encouragement, laughter, and loving Christ. Thanks so much for your obedience to the call God has placed on your heart for His daughters.

  44. WOW! This morning, after my daily bible reading and prayer time, I was about to go onto my usual morning mommy routine (shower, breakfast, pack lunch, etc…). But something literally tugged at my heart and I decided to see what the P31 devotional was before I did anything. WOW! (again). I've been so busy and I know I haven't been face to face w/ any of my friends lately. I'm posting this on FB and emailing two of my closest sisters in Christ to see if we can get together soon. Hopefully they haven't given up on me yet!
    Thank you and God bless you, Rene and Proverbs 31 Ministries!!!
    Marie

  46. I could really relate to your experience of continually checking email, Renee. It was like a light bulb went off when I read what God revealed to you; I really miss one on one time with my sisters in Christ; everyone is so busy with their families, work, school etc. that I don't want to burden them. Because of this I end up relying heavily on my blog friends for attention and friendship. They have been a blessing to me in several seasons but I know we were made to fellowship so I am going to imprint your message on my heart and be more intentional about seeking one on one, face to face time with my sisters.

    Thank you again for speaking to my heart today precious sister in Jesus. Love and blessings.

  47. Good morning. I am sharing your devotional and post. My sister moved 2 hours away almost 2 years ago. I still miss her daily like it was yesterday. We value every moment together and fight to get more!

  48. I put the post on facebook. I have several friends that email back and forth with me and we encourage each other. Thank you and everyone involved with Proverbs 31 – the devotions are the best and I look forward to waking up to read them. the last few days they have been amazing. I thank you for your faithfulness to our Lord – your writing is truly a blessing. God Bless You.

  49. Thank you. I too know that I need that face to face contact with my friends. I have a friend in MD that I talk to about 3 or 4 days of the week and love it. Its so hard to carve out the time but it is so worth it when I do. One of my best friends here when I go I say I just go and wallow in being with them I love it.

  50. Renee, Thank you so much for the devotional this morning. I too check me emails frequently and I am craving that face to face friendship in this busy world. I accept your challenge to get together with an old friend this week. Thank you for the encouragement.
    Kim