Your Inner Circle-by Heidi McLaughlin
Posted: December 17, 2024
There are moments and words that impact us profoundly and change our way of thinking and life. One of those times was when best selling author Gordon MacDonald spoke at our church on his book A Resilient Life. What stuck with me was on his chapter of friendships and challenging us to have an “inner circle” of friends who will help us finish well. After his presentation I spent some time with him and we continued that deeply satisfying conversation.
The process starts with honest conversations.
Within the next week I put Gordon’s words into action. I contacted three friends and arranged to meet them for breakfast once a month. We continued these lovely times of intimately sharing our lives, our joys and disappointments. Around that same time I also asked two other women to join me for a Bible Study and we continued these beautiful connecting times for over 15 years. I am also part of a prayer circle with two other friends; one from Alabama and one in California and we’ve been praying and sharing each other’s lives for 11 years.
These groups don’t just happen they are created.
All of this started 18 years ago and I continue to reach out and invest in these types of authentic, vulnerable and honest relationships. Why?
- We are created for relationship and they bring us our greatest joy. Yes, deep intimate friendships bring pain, but all of that teaches us to love better and learn to extend grace and forgiveness.
- Scientific research shows that those women who have loving and honest relationships actually love longer and healthier lives.
- Loving friends bring out the best in us, push us into our potential, and give us laughter and adventure.
- My friends pray with me and for me; and love me in ways that is Holy and deeply beautiful.
- When the rest of the world forgets about us friends show up when we need them.
- Friends listen to our hearts to validate our feelings; they ask curious questions instead of jumping to conclusions and judging.
- Friends handle our lives and stories with tender loving care.
Everyone needs an inner circle.
Somehow we’ve gotten off track and don’t fully grasp the power and beauty of deep loving friendships. Yes they cost. They cost us our time, our hearts and sometimes even our money. But the rewards are beyond any priceless gift you could ever imagine.
May I encourage all of us to reach out and lean in to what Gordon MacDonald is trying to each us about the power and beauty of circles of friendships. It’s an investment that will reap so much joy, health and enrich our lives beyond what we can imagine.
