Moving to a new city at 41 was one of the hardest transitions Katrina ever faced, but it also taught her the profound importance of community and friendship. In today’s episode we discuss how intentional living can transform not just your relationship with yourself, but also your friendships and sense of community. From personal stories of loneliness and losing close friends to finding new connections in unexpected places, we cover it all. We'll show you that it's okay for friendships to be seasonal and offer biblical wisdom from Ecclesiastes and Proverbs to guide you through those challenging times.
Ever felt isolated after a big life change? You're not alone. Discover how stepping out of your comfort zone, through prayer and volunteering, can lead to forming meaningful relationships. We also examine the value of long-distance friendships and mentors, who can offer indispensable guidance and support, even from afar. Whether you’re experiencing a life transition or simply looking to deepen your current relationships, this conversation is packed with actionable advice and heartfelt encouragement.
Friendship is not just about being there for the good times. In this episode we dive into the essence of true friendship, especially during challenging moments like illnesses and surgeries. We emphasize the importance of vulnerability, accountability, and authenticity, moving beyond the superficial interactions often seen on social media. Proverbs 27:17 teaches us that true friends sharpen and support each other, and we’ll explore what that looks like in real life. From balancing relationships to showing grace and forgiveness, we provide practical tips on fostering deep, meaningful friendships that can withstand the tests of time and change. Join us as we navigate the beautiful complexity of intentional living and the blessings of genuine community.
Moving to a new city at 41 was one of the hardest transitions Katrina ever faced, but it also taught her the profound importance of community and friendship. In today’s episode we discuss how intentional living can transform not just your relationship with yourself, but also your friendships and sense of community. From personal stories of loneliness and losing close friends to finding new connections in unexpected places, we cover it all. We'll show you that it's okay for friendships to be seasonal and offer biblical wisdom from Ecclesiastes and Proverbs to guide you through those challenging times.
Ever felt isolated after a big life change? You're not alone. Discover how stepping out of your comfort zone, through prayer and volunteering, can lead to forming meaningful relationships. We also examine the value of long-distance friendships and mentors, who can offer indispensable guidance and support, even from afar. Whether you’re experiencing a life transition or simply looking to deepen your current relationships, this conversation is packed with actionable advice and heartfelt encouragement.
Friendship is not just about being there for the good times. In this episode we dive into the essence of true friendship, especially during challenging moments like illnesses and surgeries. We emphasize the importance of vulnerability, accountability, and authenticity, moving beyond the superficial interactions often seen on social media. Proverbs 27:17 teaches us that true friends sharpen and support each other, and we’ll explore what that looks like in real life. From balancing relationships to showing grace and forgiveness, we provide practical tips on fostering deep, meaningful friendships that can withstand the tests of time and change. Join us as we navigate the beautiful complexity of intentional living and the blessings of genuine community.
Speaker 1:
Welcome to the Joy Podcast, your women's guide to living a joy-filled life. We are your co-hosts, katrina Morris and Allison Jordan. We are grateful you joined us, as we have real and raw, faith-based conversations surrounding motherhood, marriage, careers, friendships and everything else in a woman's daily life that's right, ladies, grab your cup of coffee and pull up a chair as we dive into all the things.
Speaker 2:
Hello everybody and welcome to this episode of the Joy Podcast, and today we are continuing our series on intentional living. Katrina. Tell us what we're talking about today.
Speaker 1:
Well, I'm going to start with scripture and my glosses. In Ecclesiastes 4, verse 9 and 10, it says Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either one falls, his companion can lift him up, but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up, but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. So we are talking about friendship and relationships and what we can do to be a good friend. And how can we be a good friend? And then how do we navigate seasonal friendships and going through life?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, because not every relationship is going to be one you have for your entire life. Yeah, because not every relationship is going to be one you have for your entire life. Right, you know, I think of childhood friends I had that are still dear to my heart in that season of life. But because of life and moves and different States, we're not close like we used to be. So you know, you and I were talking about this because some relationships we have are yeah, for a season Just for a season and I mean I'm thankful for them.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, and I can remember hearing that for the first time, hearing about seasonal relationships and friendships and thinking you know, when I was younger I really wanted the best friends. I wanted the friends to have forever, from childhood to adulthood. And then you recognize that you get out of high school and you get out of college and you go through life and things change and seasons change, and so I think it's really important to embrace where you are and where we are ourselves. And I know that there are some people maybe listening, some women, who say, well, I don't really have any close friends, I feel lonely, and I can say we've both been there as well.
Speaker 1:
We sure have. So, Allison, let's just because we live on the edge and tell all of our things.
Speaker 2:
Let's just go all in.
Speaker 1:
So have there been a time where maybe you felt lonely, or that you just felt like your friendships weren't maybe as deep?
Speaker 2:
Yeah, maybe like surface level, and I think that's what we have to kind of differentiate. You know friendships. I think during our life we're going to have different sets of friends and things like that, and some that are a tight friendship where you're telling everything to, you, do life together, or different things like that. And then you have relationships with people, and there there may be many, I mean hundreds of people that you have. You know different kinds of relationships with. You know church friends or work friends or different things like that, and those are all wonderful and they all have their place.
Speaker 2:
But deep friendships, the ones that you do you tell everything to. They know your family, you tell them the hard things, you tell them the fun things, all of the things that you just do life and hang out together. It's hard when you go through seasons where you've lost those friends, or maybe you're in a lonely season and you don't have those. So I definitely have been there in times of my life I think of especially, you know, probably close to 10 years ago, when the Lord was taking us into a new season of a new church, home and a new workplace. For me it was challenging because I had been where I had been for almost 20 years and had developed some really close friendships. But then moving to to where we were, I mean, I had family there and I'm so thankful for that, but the friendships, they didn't all follow me.
Speaker 2:
Um and it was heartbreaking, but at the same time, I had to look within and say, okay, lord, you are the friend that sticks closer than a brother, like Proverbs says. You are the friend that sticks closer than a brother. Like Proverbs says, you are the friend that sticks closer than a brother. And so I really prayed to allow God to heal that part of my heart, but also to prepare me to be a good friend, and so these are some of the things that I think we all can take note of is to what does it take to be a good friend when you're in a season where you don't feel like you have friends? Because it can be heartbreaking, like we talked about.
Speaker 1:
Oh, for sure, and I think it can be very lonely, and I'll read the Proverbs 18, 24 that you just quoted One with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother, and so you know, you read that and you think, okay, well, one with many friends. Well, I have many friends and I can remember in my twenties thinking I want a lot of friends and you know that was the desire.
Speaker 1:
You go out and you're in your twenties, you're hanging out with so many people, but you're not necessarily telling all of those people your life story and things that you're, you're going through and so when you do reach that lonely stage or that lonely part because I think we all will go through it and if you're going through it right now.
Speaker 1:
We do want to give you some things to help you to lean in and be able to get over this particular season of loneliness. Um, I was just there, like you said, about 10 years ago. I was there just a couple of years ago and I've said it many times when we moved and we moved to Wilmington and we left all of our family and all of our friends that we had known for 40, I was 40, I was 41 when we moved, yeah, and so that was really difficult, but you know, really I didn't recognize the really, um, I guess the loneliness that would follow when you don't know anyone. And so when we moved here my children, scott, you know me, we didn't know anyone, and so I remember recognizing oh wow, I just miss community.
Speaker 2:
I miss people.
Speaker 1:
I miss women.
Speaker 2:
I think we're both that type of person Like we love. I guess we're extroverts, and some are you an extra, we're an extrovert yeah, I definitely am, and so I love to be around people and you are that way.
Speaker 1:
So when?
Speaker 2:
you when you're taken out of that of your people?
Speaker 1:
yes, how do you get in? How do you know and that's the thing you have to, you have to one look in the mirror. So for us, we had moved. There wasn't necessarily anything negative that had happened. The move was very positive, but having no one, it was still a lonely place to be, and so I had to put myself out there, and really what that means is I had to just pray a lot, and what happened in that time period was the recognition of the importance of community and people and who my, my family and those friends who I knew I could call to say hey, I miss you, I'm struggling.
Speaker 2:
Can you help me, can you?
Speaker 1:
speak life into me, because I really don't even know which way to turn and you can have that long distance. Yes, and you know that was the thing I had was a few women. We had started a Bible study in our community and I was best friends with those women for years. We interceded for our spouses. We, I mean 10 o'clock at night one of us would text and say girl, I am struggling. And I and I look back at that and think what a gift.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and I didn't recognize it.
Speaker 1:
Sometimes we don't recognize a good thing until it's gone Right, and and I did not recognize how important it is to have one, two, three really close people that are in your corner, that will support you, that will have the hard conversations, that will intercede for you when you're just broken. Yeah, and so for me it was a matter of just praying and talking to the Lord and he fortified the need for community in me and, honestly, it was the craziest thing Our church was doing. A women's simulcast with.
Speaker 2:
Priscilla Shire and I had never I am an extrovert, but I had never, ever, ever gone and just volunteered randomly to participate and help with a woman's ministry and that was the first time I met you, yeah, and we just I mean we just met, so it's not like we really got to interact a whole lot.
Speaker 1:
no, but they were having this women's um simulcast with priscilla shire and I texted the pastor's wife and I just said, hey, I would love to help anywhere that you need, I can do anything. And so she responded back and said, absolutely. And so that really started cultivating some friendships. But what it did more than that is it gave some familiarity. Oh yeah, and I think if you're in a lonely place sometimes we look for familiarity and that just means we've seen the same face three or four times.
Speaker 2:
And you know what spoke to me about that, because that was the first time I met you and I remember going into that event and I remember um Suzanne introducing us to you, and I remember thinking, man, that how bold, I'm so thankful, I mean that spoke volumes to me that you would move here and like immerse yourself into like a big event like that. I'm like that that's how you do it, that's how you cultivate community. Like it's hard to put yourself out there and I had so much respect for you. I'm like I like her. I mean just because I thought that's that's bold. I mean because it's not everybody can do that. Not everybody will just put themselves like immediately go into a situation where you don't know anybody and say here I am to serve, here I am to just help that had I not moved.
Speaker 1:
Really that's not. I've always had a bold personality and I could teach and I could do things corporate, but just inserting myself into a women's group and community was just not. I did not do that but I was so lonely that the Lord, just he just pushed me and said you need to volunteer. And so I appreciate you saying that you know to me about the respect and things, because I really I don't think I ever would have done that had I not moved and been in a situation where if I did not get involved, I was going to sit in a lonely, closet, praying and asking God to change something, but I wasn't willing to change.
Speaker 2:
Well, and I think you just hit the nail on the head because you said, um, you know, not just sit back, I want I, I went to get involved and you have to get involved. And you know, like, for us, when we did move churches and I changed jobs and literally the job that I was starting was like it was a brand new place, so I knew nobody. I mean, you know, my family all went to the church, but I did not really have friends there. I had my mentor, who has been my mentor for now about 22 years and even still to this day. I mean, she's about 25 years older than me and I love her like another mom, but she's a dear friend and she always had my back.
Speaker 2:
But we're in different seasons of life and, um, you know, we still connect even though we don't see each other all the time. We met for lunch last week and I cherish that kind of friendship. But, you know, when I was coming in there, I didn't know anybody. I, you know, I knew my family, but that was it. And I craved relationship too. I love friendship, I love community, and so I knew I had to get involved and so I went to ladies Bible study and I went to different events because I had to look within and say, okay, I want to be a friend to someone else.
Speaker 1:
So what does?
Speaker 2:
that look like how. How do we do that? Yes, going and getting involved, putting yourself out there, but how else do we do that?
Speaker 1:
You know, honestly, I think sharing a smile you know, it's not necessarily relationships start with body language, with a smile, with just a form of communication that doesn't have to. You don't have to meet the person for the first time and talk for 20 minutes.
Speaker 2:
You can right, and sometimes you do. You hit it off with somebody and you just talk.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely, but I feel like they can be cultivated with a smile and a friendly gesture. How are you today? And then you know I can relate this to church because to me the church is really where we got involved here being at the studio, it was just me, yeah Right, and it was Scott, and you know we were here. But going out and doing business, you do meet people, you network and that was all great.
Speaker 1:
In business, you do meet people, you network and that was all great, but it wasn't a true community that I was building, the, the, because you don't know about the values and all of that it's. It's a different, um, I guess, way to make friends because you have business, you have a business mindset, um, but in the church and then meeting people and connecting and having those conversations, um is really how I think, um, they're forged, you know, and you know, getting in those small groups and things like that.
Speaker 2:
And as you start in small groups and or or putting yourself out there and saying, lord, how can I be a friend? Sharing a smile, like you said, katrina, and just a kind word, or you, you meet somebody else that has a similar um like or a similar hobby or something like that, and you just kind of strike up those conversations and see where the Lord takes it. But being a friend, you know, I'm thankful because in that season of my life when I felt very lonely, god did open up the doors for some deep godly friendships that I still have to this day. And he also restored another dear friendship through that that I thought I had lost. And just to see how God brought restoration back to that friendship has been.
Speaker 2:
I mean I could, I could cry. I mean I don't want to cry. Look at me, I'm glad I wore my waterproof mascara. Yeah, but I'm so, I'm thankful. Thankful because only only he could do that. Yes, but it takes willing hearts to just say Lord, I don't want to just depend on somebody else to be what I think they should be. I need God to prepare my heart to be who he wants me to be for for other people in any relationship.
Speaker 2:
But specifically today, as we're talking friendships, I want to be a good friend, and so you and I were talking about different things how to be a good friend, what can you do to be a good friend to somebody else? What are some things that you think of the dear friendships that you had, that people have done for you or that has you have seen that has been something that has just meant a lot to your friends?
Speaker 1:
Well, I think just accepting me for me and being able to be a part of you know my life in a way where you are accepting of maybe my bold personality or we may even have different, a difference of opinions, but you know we share the same values. That really is important to me. I can be friends with all sorts of people but for a really true, deep friendship to be cultivated it really comes with spending time with that person and praying together or even just knowing that they care. You know I've had people bring things. I've been sick many times and had lots of surgeries. In Virginia I went through a period of about five years where I had six, six surgeries in one area and there were meal trains and there was so much outreach. It was absolutely a beautiful experience because of the people and the friendships and those people.
Speaker 2:
That's community and that's beautiful. That's the beautiful form of community.
Speaker 1:
And I think it's not all about having one or two friends, it's about the community in the friendship as well.
Speaker 2:
And so that's the relationships when we talk about friendships. I mean we can have lots of friends and relationships but, like you said, that, that deep connection, that deep friendship. It's not going to be 500 people, no, sometimes it's less than a handful.
Speaker 1:
Absolutely that's how I've seen it in my own life too. Absolutely but. But they accept you, right. But then they're also able to have hard conversations. So you need an accountability partner, someone who can say you know that may not be the best decision, and so I think that is so important. If you have to have a mask on to be around your friends, they're not your real friends.
Speaker 2:
Unless you're at a party that involves masks, but that's the only time.
Speaker 1:
And I'm all for a fun dress up party. We know you, we know you are, but in an everyday life.
Speaker 2:
That's right. No masks allowed.
Speaker 1:
No, because I think about so many people that, oh, man and and I don't want to step on any toes, sorry- if I do, I've got my steel toe boots on today, but I look sometimes and I see groups of friends and I feel like they're all trying to outdo each other. Competition, you know, and it's competition but it's not even that it's looks or best dressed, or you know. I think everybody should be in their own personality and you know, if you want to wear who God created you to be all unique and special.
Speaker 1:
So that's not the issue, but I just see where they're almost uncomfortable around each other, and so maybe you're thinking of a friend that you are like that with right now. You know, maybe that's not the best friendship that is you know out there for you, Because we should be able to be makeup free. Sweatpants, no bra, yeah, and just be real.
Speaker 2:
Well, and you make that really important point there, because to have that deep friendship you do have to be able to be real with that person and so that person to speak life into you and to have accountability.
Speaker 2:
That's not going to just be with every relationship that you have, but those deep friendships that I have, these are the friends that can come to me and say you know what, allison, you know if I'm praying over something or if I'm struggling with something. Those are the people that can come into my life and say you know what, allison, have you prayed about this? Are you? Are you in scripture? Are you looking to see what God says about this? Have you? Have you talked to your husband about this? Have you prayed with your husband about this? You know, those are the kinds of things but anybody just coming off the street or just knows me, I mean they don't have that kind of access. Right, right, right, right right. But the people that do life with me and know me know the hard places, that know okay, I'm sad about this, or they know the deep grief of things that I'm walking through.
Speaker 1:
And maybe you get a text. Hey, I'm thinking about you, just wanted to let you know I'm praying for you today and sometimes, you know, I've been in a very busy season where my friends actually said to me I'm texting you, but you don't respond, and you don't respond, and I know there was some frustration there and so, while I had to say I'm sorry, I had to really mean it or maybe I had to pull back from that friendship because at some point it is a two-way street and I understand and you have to look again into your own self. Why am I not texting this person back? Why am I pulling back? Is it something that I need to address? And so I think that's a good point, absolutely.
Speaker 1:
We always need to look in the mirror first. You can't fix other people Right, but when you can approach it from a godly perspective and understand if you've done something wrong, apologize, friends will forgive. Yeah, and I think friends will forgive.
Speaker 2:
That's one thing about true friendship is you show grace to each other. Yeah, like you said, certain seasons of our life Sometimes I'm in a season where I you know, my friends know this is a crazy season for her. So what can I do for her? Or I recognize in my friend's life, you know what this season for her is crazy. What can I do to be a good friend to her during this season? But, like you said, you have to look to if, if, if, the relationship is only going one way, because to have a relationship it's a two way street.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely so, if it's just a crazy season, that's one thing. But if that's continual, whether on your part or the other part, you do need to see if that is a relationship that has just gone through its season and you're going to still be friendly and and love each other. But is that going to be a deep friendship, like it always has been, but showing grace and forgiving? Because there again, if you have a close friend, it's kind of like a family member. You're probably going to have disagreements, right? Yeah?
Speaker 1:
And that's okay. You're not going to agree on every topic, every thing. You're just not, just not, or.
Speaker 2:
I may say something and hurt their feelings. I mean because when you go through the life of friendship and doing life together, sometimes they catch you in an off mood and you say something you wish you wouldn't have said or you weren't as nice as who you wanted to be. And I've had that happen to me and I've been that friend too and I've had to go and apologize and say please forgive me.
Speaker 1:
Yeah. And I've had them say that to me too, and I think that's it just being truthful. Yeah, and I think, um, you asked me earlier and I'm not sure if I even answered it, but before we wrap up, you know my girls were young, or still young, when we moved, and you know my girls were young, are still young, when we moved, and you know, being in elementary school, being in middle school, it's a very hard time.
Speaker 1:
And I think that's when we're teaching our kids to have friends and to make friends, and they're seeking out friendship and you know, one thing I can say is leave it up to the Lord. So you have to really pray about the community and the friendships that you have, and that's what happened with us is? You know, the girls were distraught. Mom, we're leaving all of our friends, we're leaving everybody that we know.
Speaker 2:
We don't know anyone.
Speaker 1:
And it was hard and you know, all we did was pray. I said, well, what we can do. We can pray for the right community, we can pray for the right neighbors, we can pray for the right church the right school friends and when you pray about those things and you're continuing to walk, he will take care of them.
Speaker 1:
Maybe not tomorrow, but I can say when we moved here, my girls ended up meeting the sweetest young lady. She's in our neighborhood. We love her to pieces and she is actually in between. My oldest is 13. My youngest is 10. And this young lady is in between their age. I think she's getting ready to be 12. And she gets along with both of my girls and they ride bikes and they just do things and she's precious. Her family is sweet. Bikes and they just do things, and she's precious. Her family is sweet and we consider her such a blessing that God brought you know, god brought to us.
Speaker 1:
We didn't have to go out and seek it, and I think that's where and the church, and you know we have to pray for God to put us in the right place and the right community, and he will do that.
Speaker 2:
Because you do want those around you that are going to have close access to you to have the same morals and the same values and the same biblical morals, all of those things. Because if you're hanging out with people that don't match those values, that's that can be dangerous territory. Yes, doesn't mean we're not kind and love and we you know, but those deep I'm talking about doing life with other people.
Speaker 2:
Those are the things that you have to. You have to have those same values and morals and and things like that values and morals and and things like that. And you know, we were talking about some ways that, as we talk about intentional living and how to be intentional in those relationships, what are some things that we can do? Maybe you're sitting there going.
Speaker 2:
You know I do have dear friends. I have a couple of dear friends that we may not talk every day, but we'll text, or we Snapchat and we're all in different seasons of life and life is busy and crazy. Or we Snapchat and we're all in different seasons of life and life is busy and crazy. But you know what I know at any matter of any time, they have my back, yeah, and I have theirs, and that's because we understand, we trust each other and we've walked a lot of life together and that's a beautiful thing. But with that kind of relationship comes great responsibility, and so here's some things that we were talking about that we can do to cultivate those friendships, those life friendships. One of the things is I love to love all my people, and so I want to know what their favorite candy is.
Speaker 2:
I want to know what their coffee orders, because at any time love language, walking up, and if I know they're having a bad day, I can walk up with that cup of hot chocolate. Or, you know, black and tan from Port City, java. You know, because I know that they love it. And what can I do to bring that smile like you were talking about? What are some other things that you've done? Or you know that your friends have done for you? Well, I think.
Speaker 1:
I think just checking on me yeah. Hey, hadn't heard from you in a while. How are you doing?
Speaker 2:
Yeah.
Speaker 1:
You know, or you know how are things going, and that was so important when we moved um, Because again, it just became so difficult. And so, again, not not foregoing the hard conversations I've had, friends, give give me some hard truth, and it may be hard. You don't take it personally that they're trying to hurt you. But when they're able to give me the hard truth and then also back it up with scripture and then give me guidance to move forward, that is a true friend, Right? And then just laughing you can laugh, you can cry.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, sometimes you do both, even in the same conversation.
Speaker 1:
I think that's the biggest thing is just being real. I'm tired of of filters on Instagram and all of that, and I know that that's not even part of this topic, but I feel like so many people nowadays live life through a filter and that's not how we are to live. We are to be real, because when you're real, you will attract the right people.
Speaker 2:
You know, another thing that um I love about deep friendships is, you know, my dear friends, I love their kids like my own you know, and they love my kids like their own. Yes, and that's how you know you have a true friend.
Speaker 1:
That is, that is true.
Speaker 2:
You know, and that is one thing you know, on the times, the hard times of my life these last couple of years have. I've walked through some really hard things in my life and those dear friends, sometimes they didn't have the words to say Um, but they sat with me. They just showed up and just sat with me and that speaks volumes, because to be able to just sit with someone and not have to fix it for them, that takes a special person and that's a true friend.
Speaker 1:
You want to lead us out with a?
Speaker 2:
verse. Yeah, so we were talking about, you know, some of the things about friendship, and I think, did you read the one about the golden rule? Did you read that? And Luke and the gospels? No, Okay, Well, we can read that one. There's another one I wanted to read too, but I'll let you look that one up too. But you know Proverbs, let's see 27,. 17 says as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Speaker 1:
I don't have my glasses on.
Speaker 2:
As iron sharpens iron and that's the beautiful thing about friendship is you sharpen each other. And I think about the deep friendships in my life, those that God has allowed to go on for a number of years, the ones that he has restored and the ones in this current season my life that are so dear. And I'm telling you it's not tons and tons, but it's a handful of precious dear people that are friends, that are like family, of precious dear people that are friends that are like family, and these they sharpen me like iron and they do stick closer than a brother, and I think it's important too to recognize so with us being extroverts, that you know we really love relationships, even just as a whole.
Speaker 1:
I love going to church talking to people. Hey, how are you doing? Um, you know just really anywhere talking to people, hey, how are you doing? Um, you know, just really anywhere.
Speaker 2:
And so that fuels me.
Speaker 1:
You know some people, it doesn't, and they don't want to go to the busiest store, they want to go to the quiet store or at night, when I will say there are times when I do want to do that.
Speaker 1:
But for me, just having relationships in general just fuel me and give me so much passion for life. But what I'll say and then we'll close it out and talk about what we're gonna, yeah, chat next week. Um is luke 6 31 says just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them, and so it's the golden rule, whether you you know it's biblical or you've heard it, and in secular it's do unto others as you would have them do unto you, but that is really a biblical rule, yeah, and and it's not about vengeance and it's not about they hurt me. I'm going to hurt them back.
Speaker 2:
That's not what it's about to be a friend to have a relationship, whether you have a close friendship or just to be um in relationship with other people is think about what you would want them to do for you and do that, so be intentional. And the other thing is how we want to. We wanted to close today is you know, we were feeling very strong on our heart that those of you on the other side of this screen or here in this recording today are struggling. Maybe you don't have that deep friendship that you want so badly, that you desire, or maybe you're just lonely in relationship. And before we even push record on this episode today, we stopped and prayed over you because we've been there, we know the lonely times, and so I just want you to know that you have been prayed over today.
Speaker 1:
And it's just a season. It is, but you may have to put yourself out there and be uncomfortable.
Speaker 2:
Know that you have been prayed for and that you are loved and that those relationships are out there, those deep friendships. And it's hard to trust, it's hard to love if you have been hurt because relationships are messy, but they are worth it. And so just continue to, like we said, be intentional. Do put the focus on you and what you can do to be a good friend to someone else today, absolutely so next time. What are we talking about, katrina? We are talking about intentional.
Speaker 1:
Oh yeah, intentional. Living with a work life balance, having balance how to pretend you have it?
Speaker 2:
We're going to pretend we have it by the time we come back on that, but it is something that's hard to do, so we're going to jump into that next episode. But, as always, y'all, thank you for joining us today. We love this time to talk together, but also to talk to you. We feel like you're right here and maybe, maybe one day we'll all be together and we can just have a big.
Speaker 1:
We should do a live, we should do a live event.
Speaker 2:
But we should also do a live podcast.
Speaker 1:
We need to do a live podcast. We'll do that yeah we'll do that. But yes, thank you ladies. If this inspired you, send it to Give us a five-star review. They mean a lot to us. Let us know that you love this and it's meaningful to you and that it uplifts you.
Speaker 2:
That's right.
Speaker 1:
That's how we are coming into your house as a joy-filled group. Yeah, together.
Speaker 2:
We're all in this together living life.
Speaker 1:
And so we want to bring some joy into your house today. That's right, thanks guys. Bye everybody. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the joy podcast. Our passion is to help you find your purpose and joy in the hard things of life.
Speaker 2:
Join our conversation by liking, following and subscribing so you don't miss the next episode. We are grateful for you and would love your feedback. Please leave us a five-star review, wherever you listen to this podcast.