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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, what a blessing you are! God used your words to speak truth into my heart this morning. I shared your devotion by email and I pray it will encourage and challenge us to slow down, smile, share an encouraging word, lend a helping hand and live out God's relational love with one another! God didn't create us to do this in our own strength and alone… He created us for community and to live out life together!
    Leslie

  4. I didn't even see your contest until this evening. This morning I read your devotional and it really connected with me. I struggled with this topic since I am in ministry at our church as part-time minister to children & families. I also have 2 little boys & a husband so it's easy for me to push aside friendships and let it just be through email/facebook. But I crave connection – your words are the best way to describe what I feel. I shared this on facebook this morning before I saw your contest & I am going to try to encourage my good friends Christi & Sara.
    Thank you for sharing your vulnerabilities & your temptations!

  5. Renee, This really hits home, I have spent so little time with my friends, in person, as of late. Life and its challenges of blending two families seem to have a bit overwhelming. I am struggling to find peace and laughter again. I know my wonderful Savior is there for me and I know my friends are right around the corner, I just need to step out!
    Thanks for a wonderful post and I am going to call and email one of my dear friends and make a lunch date.
    Be Blessed,
    kareng

  6. Wonderful post! I shared on my blog and linked back to you. I'll definitely be calling a good friend of mine from college (now 8 hours away) to make plans Easter weekend. Along with my best friend so we can get back into the habit of a monthly girls night.

  7. I agree with this 100%. I am sharing you with the 100+ friends I have on facebook. I can't afford the get-together with a friend right now but I am going to encourage a very dear friend by sending her a card this week. And, as soon as our family is blessed with a little more income, I will be the first one at the coffee place. Thanks Renee!! Nanci at [email protected]

  8. Thank you so much for your devotional. Recently I have been craving more face to face time with friends. I have now been intentional about scheduling coffee/lunch dates and organized a Bible study with a few friends.

  9. Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I try daily to keep up with your devotion and I love it!!! I have e-mailed it to a friend that I have never seen face to face! She is a childhood friend of my boyfriend, we have talked on the phone but have yet to meet. We send encouragements to each other when we can. May GOD bless you and yor ministry

  10. It's such a strange feeling…to sometimes crave friendship and push people away (or cloister away from people) at the same time. Perhaps email and technology makes us feel "safer" in relationship in some ways…but you are right…being with someone who loves you and understands you…someone you can love back…there's nothing like that…face-to-face…

    I posted your article on f.b. and have talked to a friend about meeting soon…as well as meeting my sister next week!

  12. Renee
    You have touched a very sensitive area for me….
    I have friends and then close friends but long for more face to face connections….
    This area is a struggle for me and would covet your prayers that God would meet this area in a way that only He can…..
    I would love to read your book and share it wtih a friend of mine ….
    Thank you for sharing what God has put on your heart…

  13. Yes, thank you so much for this devotional, I so needed to hear this! I'm going to contact a friend or two around here (moved out of state 1.5 year ago). Thank you for the challenge!

    I'm posting this on twitter.

  14. Awesome devotion! I just passed it on to each woman in our life group that meets weekly. It definitely IS worth it to be intentional about good, solid, faith-filled girl time!

  15. Thank you – I agree, too often I don't spend the time with my friends that I really need. This was a great challenge. 🙂

  16. Hi Renee! I am so relating to what you are talking about this week. I have a very special best friend sent straight from God to me! We can finish one another's sentences and a lot of the time we say the same thing at the same time. I will be sharing this with her. As a matter of fact, I sent yesterday's message to her, as well!! Thank you for allowing God to use you to minister to us. I wish we could meet face to face ;0)
    Becki~~

  17. I tweeted that "I'm obsessed with the concept of community, so naturally I want to read Renee's book, "A Confident Heart" — http://reneeswope.blogspot.com/" because I love experiencing the "complete joy by being like-minded, having the same love.." like Paul talks about in Philippians. Even though I know I was designed to be in community with people, I'm constantly surprised with how much I shy away from it! Later today I plan on going on a walk with a friend, and bringing up this concept, so that we can both be more consistent with meeting, not just with each other but with the circle of friends that are represented by both parties. I can't wait to see how our pursuit of community will impact ourselves as individuals and our friends 🙂

  18. I have heard so many Wonderful things about this book! I can not wait to read it. Over the last 2 years my journey to finding God, and living for God has been amazing! I still struggle day to day with myself, and worry. I find it hard to accept rejection, and just living more like Jesus. August can't come fast enough and I hope this book will help with my journey in Christ!!

  19. Renee,

    I'll share when I get home from work!! I loved the devotion today! I love you even more!!

    Have a wonderful, wonderful day, and if we lived closer, I know we would get together for lunch often!!!!!!!!!!

    Hugs!

    Tammy 🙂