If God made us for connection, one of the cruelest things we can do is to withhold our affection from someone who needs it, and one of the most gracious gifts we can give is to invite them into a friendship. The U.S. Surgeon General recently released an advisory on the epidemic of loneliness and the impact of social isolation, saying the physical effects of loneliness is equal to smoking fifteen cigarettes per day. Wayne and Kyle take a look at the conclusions of this advisory and the critical health effects that result from people who are lonely and isolated. Do our religious institutions help fill that void, or are they also part of the problem? How can we build and maintain healthy friendships that enrich our lives and put the love of Christ into the world?

Podcast Notes:

* The video recording of this podcast

* Surgeon General's Advisory on Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation

* CNN story on the loneliness epidemic

* Therese Mascardo's video on How to Make Friends as an Adult