Uncommon Purpose

Celebrate with Mandy and Stephanie as they share their meaningful moments from Season 2, Spiritual Friendships. In this episode they reflect on the following:

• Reflections on the basic human need of relationship
• The value of the face-to-face experience of relationship
• Comfort and its different meanings in friendship
• The discomfort and value of repair
• Confessional community
• Confrontation defined
• A recap of our incredible podcast guests
• A peek into what is to come!

Resources:

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Curt Thompsom

Being Known Podcast

Confessional Community

Books by Curt Thompsom

• Anatomy of the Soul
• The Soul of Shame

A gentle note about this episode.

Hi Friends, in this episode our guest shares a deeply personal and emotional story about an accident involving her son which had a lasting impact on their lives. It is a conversation filled with love, resilience and hope, but it may be an emotional journey for some listeners. Please feel free to listen at your own pace. Take care of yourself along the way. And as always, we are grateful you are here with us.

Join Mandy and Stephanie as they have a very tender conversation with Stephanie’s dear friend, Jamie Brunner. They are blessed to share some of the highs and lows of their 28-year friendship as a testimony of the blessing of spiritual friendship and the value of walking alongside. In this vulnerable conversation they discuss the following:

• How they met and cultivated their friendship
• How friendship was maintained over the years and across the miles
• The way friendship weathered the different seasons of life
• The power of faith and God in their lives and friendship
• The impact and blessing of coming alongside amid crises
• Letting loved ones come alongside in hard times
• How to let your safe people in and why
• The way spiritual friendships bring support during heartbreaking situations

Resources:

1 Kings 3:9

Alongside by Sarah Beckman

Mandy and Stephanie have a heartfelt conversation with friend and author Sarah Beckman. Sarah shares the inspiration and research process for her book and gives many practical ideas about implementing the principles she learned along the way. In this rich conversation they discuss the following:

• What it means to come alongside in friendship
• Tiers of friendship defined
• The important role of curiosity and asking questions
• The important role of listening
• How to have hard conversations with those in crisis
• Real life examples of how to love your neighbor
• The little things and how they matter

Resources:

Find Your People by Jenni Allen

Sarah Beckman

Alongside: A Practical Guide for Loving Your Neighbor in their Time of Trial by Sarah Beckman

Jenni’s Ice Creams

Farmgirl Flowers

Mandy and Stephanie host a very special conversation with guest Landon Porter. He gives valuable insight into male friendships. In this conversation they discuss the following:

• The different relationship needs of men
• The value of being known for men
• How men find and cultivate friendships
• The value of shared experiences
• How to pursue mentorship and why it’s important
• Friendships between men and women and appropriate boundaries
• Workplace relationships
• Good bible study and discipleship resources

Resources:

1 Timothy 3:2

People Fuel by John Townsend

Better Man

Vince Miller

Chris Harper

Chris Harper Quote: “Your church will never rise above the emotional and spiritual level of its men.”

Mandy and Stephanie share about a few friendships that are found in the scriptures. They talk about why each story is meaningful to them both. Thinking about the insights, wisdom, and examples that can be gleaned from the stories. In this conversation they touch on the following:

• Favorite friendships found in the Scriptures
• Paul and Barnabas, “mission field besties”
• A Biblical example of conflict between friends
• Gods’ goodness in reconciliation
• The need to balance grace and truth
• Ruth and Naomi, loyal friends
• Age is just a number in friendships
• Impact and influence in friendships

Resources:

• Acts chapter 9-15
• The book of Ruth
• Stages of Grief
• The book of Job
• The Bible Recap
• The Bible Project

Mandy and Stephanie engage in a vulnerable conversation with Katie Chow as she shares her heart on finding and maintaining friendships through the many seasons of life. They talk about the following:

• Intentional pursuit of friendships regardless of ages or stages
• When friendships change and how to walk through the changes
• Sharing your love and appreciation for your friends
• Pressing into the uncomfortable seasons of friendship
• Keeping flexibility and allowing friendships to grow and change
• How to navigate when friendships don’t go as hoped
• Grieving when friendships don’t survive change
• Honoring friendships for what they are/were
• Bringing vulnerability into relationships
• Cultivating authentic friendships within family

Resources:

Titus 2:3-5

Join Mandy and Stephanie as they talk with their dear friend Sue Scott. Sue shares such a richness of life experience in friendship and relationships. Sue talks about the following:

• Deep friendships
• How uncomfortable conversations can create lasting relationships
• What long term relationships look like
• The difference between self-consciousness and self-awareness
• The value of paying attention in relationship
• What is attunement
• The role of Holy Spirit in friendship
• When and how the role of parenting turns to friendship with children

Resources:

Titus 2:3-5

Growth Seekers

Mandy and Stephanie share a heartfelt conversation about the more challenging topics of conflict and forgiveness in the specific context of friendship. How to walk this out in relationship using real life vulnerable examples. Talking about the following:

• Gossip- what it is and why it is destructive
• Processing- what healthy processing looks like
• The needs we carry in conflict
• The impact of not keeping our word or commitments
• Owning our capacity with confidence
• How to repair after conflict
• Restoration and reconciliation
• Healthy boundaries
• How conflict can lead to deeper connection and intimacy

Resources:

Lisa Damour

Trust by Henry Cloud

Brene Brown BRAVE resource

Unoffendable by Brant Hansen

Mandy and Stephanie discuss what it takes to maintain friendships as well as the importance of grace, listening, learning, honesty and openness when cultivating and maintaining friendships. Sharing thoughts on:

• The intentional pursuit of friendship
• How hard friendships can be for women
• Taking risks to build friendship
• Stewarding relationships well
• Releasing expectations
• Praying over your friends and friendships

Resources:

Margin by Richard Swenson

Amos 3:3

Mandy and Stephanie continue the conversation about cultivating friendships. Sharing friendship experiences in real time, the value of true authenticity and vulnerability in relationships and the holy gift of true friendship. Reflecting on:

• What to look for in a friendship
• How to show up well in friendship
• What makes your people, your people
• Tiers of relationship
• Navigating needs in relationships
• Attributes of a good friend
• The risks of relationships
• The role of faith in relationships

Resources::

Find Your People by Jenni Allen

Find your People Study Guide by Jenni Allen

Alongside By Sarah Beckman