Conversations About...

What does it look like to navigate college, athletics, and relationships in a new country? In this episode of Conversations With, four international student-athletes at John Brown University share their experiences adjusting to a new culture, finding community, and building meaningful relationships far from home. Whether you are an international student-athlete looking for advice or someone who wants to better support the international student-athletes in your life, this conversation offers valuable perspectives, encouragement, and practical insight.

October 5-8 is Friendship Week at the CHR! Friendship is part of how God designed us to flourish. In this episode, we’re talking about why friendship matters, what makes a friendship healthy, and how we can be more intentional about building meaningful relationships. We’ll explore what the Bible and research says about friendship and introduce our Friendship Challenge happening in the CHR to help you put it into practice!  

BIBLE VERSES REFERENCED 

• Genesis 2:18 - We were not designed to be alone. 
   

• Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 - Two are better than one; friends help each other up. 
   

• Proverbs 13:20 - Who we walk with shapes us. 
   

• Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times. 
   

• Proverbs 27:17 - Friends sharpen one another. 
   

• John 15:12 - Jesus calls us to love one another. 
   

• Galatians 6:2 - We are called to bear one another's burdens. 
   

• 1 Thessalonians 5:11 - We are called to encourage and build one another up. 
   

SOURCES & FURTHER READING 

• American Psychological Association (2023). The Science of Why Friendships Keep Us Healthy. 

• American Psychological Association (2023). Making New Friends and Keeping Existing Ones Is Hard. 

• Mayo Clinic (2024). Friendships: Enrich Your Life and Improve Your Health. 

• Wang et al. (2023). Social isolation, loneliness and mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nature Human Behaviour. 

• Ríos-González et al. (2021). Alternative Friendships to Improve Men's Health Status. 

• Baylor Religion Survey / Sam Stroope — Research examining the relationship between friendships within church and religious involvement. 

• The New York Times (2024). 5-Day Friendship Challenge — practical ideas for strengthening friendships through intentionality, reaching out, and vulnerability. 

A conversation about navigating the many relationships that shape the college experience from friendships and roommates to family, professors, teammates, and classmates. In this episode, Lilli and Kendra explore why relationships matter, how relationships change throughout college, and practical ways to build connection, communicate honestly, set healthy boundaries, and navigate conflict. 

Discussion Questions:

1. What makes a relationship healthy, safe and life giving?
2. How can you build meaningful relationships while still respecting boundaries and differences?
3. Is there a relationship in your life that is changing? What is one small thing you could do to strengthen that relationship or accept the ways it is shifting?

More helpful episodes to check out when starting college:

culture stress impacts college students

starting college - making friends & settling in

relationship with our parents

Courtney has a conversation with Dr. Steve Argue, a leading expert on emerging adults, and professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. They're talking about big transition in life, and navigating change well!  

Steve Argue 

Fuller Youth Institute 

Youth & Young Adult Discussion Guides 

Kendra speaks with Jen Pollock Michel about the role of desire in life and faith, about moving towards connection, and how we sometimes get stuck.

Jen is an author and speaker; you can find more of her work here: https://www.jenpollockmichel.com/about

A conversation about AI chatbots being used for emotional and mental support, and how to faithfully navigating a quickly shifting technological landscape.   ResourcesRisks & Benefits of chat bots as a therapist What is a large language model? Stereotypes in chatbots Stanford study on AI "therapists" 

Talk of social media is everywhere these days - what do we know about how it impacts our minds and our offline lives? Sam and Kendra dive into the science in a conversation meant to get you thinking about how you use your digital spaces and the science behind why it's so captivating.

Sources:

Anxious Generation (2024)

Andrew Huberman Podcast

Loneliness Epidemic – U.S. Surgeon General

Therapists Dr. James Hawkins and Nicola Hawkins talk about developing a healthy view of emotions, based on a Biblical understanding of how God created us. They share about finding harmony between emotion and logic, and how this transforms not only us, but our relationships and communities.

Learn more about Doc Hawk 

Dr. Hawkins' Chapel Message 

A conversation about navigating the realities and impact of culture stress - a form of chronic stress that impacts all college students, regardless of where they are from. This conversation with Seth Sears, the Associate Director of the Global Engagement Office at John Brown University, dives into symptoms of stress and ways to build the resilience that allows us to be formed in positive ways by difficult circumstances.

Discussion Questions:

• How have you seen chronic stress impacting your own life?
• What resources are available to you that could help you navigate a stressful season?
• How is culture stress impacting you, regardless of where you are from?

Students Ella and Jake share about their experience making friends and finding community in college. Hear their wisdom and advice gained through their own unique struggles & joys with creating friendships!