Q: Anna, you’re the Social Media Co-
ordinator at (in)courage. You’ve been
married for ten years and have three
kids under five. I believe you found
(in)courage about seven years ago
when you were in a very lonely sea-
son, and you’ve been a part of the
community ever since! What do you
want readers to learn from the new
book Craving Connection?
nities and create lasting friendships as
well. In this time of smartphones, Twit-
ter and filtered timelines, our cravings
for connection may be stronger than
ever because they only get half-met.
Q: You talk about how fear holds us
back; why is it important to conquer
fear?
A: God promises in 1 Timothy that He
A: That is correct. First off, I hope the
hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of
readers of Craving Connection realize power, love, and self-discipline. We
that they are not alone in the pursuit
need to conquer fear so that we can
of real friendships. That they are not
embrace and nurture the spirits He
the only ones who have struggled with does give! Fear blocks us from fully
developing and maintaining friends.
living into who He made us to be, and
That they are not the only women
has no place in real friendships.
who have been hurt by other women.
None of us are alone in this! Second, I Q: Tell readers about the connection
pray that the readers feel a stirring for challenges they will find in the book.
deeper connection within their com-
munity, within their friendships, and
A: At the end of each chapter, the
within their relationship with the Lord.
writers offer a Connection Challenge.
These three bonds are so important
These challenges are practical, able
for women, and most of our cravings
to be done in our everyday lives with-
for real connection begin in one (or
out too much work, BUT they are very
more) of these three spaces.
intentional in the ways they help fulfill
our cravings for connection. Each
Q: Do you think people are craving
challenge is specifically designed to
connection now more than in the
help us connect with God, our friends,
past? Why?
and/or our communities. The chal-
lenges range from purposefully pray-
A: I do. There is real and true value
ing for a friend to inviting people into
in the friendships we cultivate online.
our homes, asking someone for for-
During the loneliest time in my life,
giveness to completing a random act
online friendships were my lifeline. For
of kindness. Each challenge will abso-
various reasons it wasn’t feasible for
lutely deepen the ways you connect
me to nurture ‘real life’ relationships,
with others!
and the friends I made via the Inter-
net helped to see me through some
Q: What ages will benefit from this de-
dark times. But nothing beats face-to- votional?
face connection. I think sometimes
we feel like we’re fulfilling our cravings A: Craving Connection is perfect for
for connection with our online friends, college women to grandmothers,
but we all need to live in our commu- high school small groups to ladies
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