Solutions April 2017 | Page 66

circles in church. Women of all ages could benefit from reading the stories and accepting the challenges! Q: People, especially women, have a habit of comparing themselves to each other. You talk about this in Craving Connection, how does this affect us? A: Comparison can crush us. It can make us feel unworthy, small, and defeated. Comparison is a thief of joy and can affect our lives and hearts in a myriad of ways. At (in)courage, we encourage women to connect instead of compare – to allow grace for one another and to stamp out jeal- ousy at it’s first sign. Craving Connec- tion has 30 chapters and challenges to help encourage us to connect instead of compare – consider it an antidote to comparison! in the lives of the people I love. I’ve seen women forge deep and mean- ingful friendships within my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group, of- fering to watch kids, bringing meals, and bravely stepping out into new friendships. I’d fill pages with stories of the ways the people in our church have been friends for decades, years of friendships pursued and maintained via coffee, time spent together, love poured out in everyday ways. These are the building blocks of connection – time is the currency of friendship. Buy the Book! Q: If you could go back and re-write your devotional, is there anything you would add? A: If I had a hundred pages to fill, I’d share the stories I’ve seen of friendship Comparison can crush us. It can make us feel unworthy, small, and defeated. It is the thief of joy... 66 Solutions