Jessica Turner
About the Author

Jessica Turner is the author of Stretched Too Thin: How Working Moms Can Lose the Guilt, Work Smarter and Thrive, and blogs on The Mom Creative. Every day is a juggling act as she balances working full-time, making memories with her family, photographing the every day and trying to be...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
Find more at DaySpring.com
(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. Jessica,
    I am always looking for ways to live more intentionally. I realized that over the years, I have accumulated a lot of different notecards. I’ve picked them up here and there because I thought they were pretty or they were part of a sale I couldn’t pass up. Now I’ve challenged myself to sending them out…letting different people in my life know I love them and appreciate them just for being themselves. It’s a small gesture that doesn’t take much time, but means so much to the receiver. Thanks for all these great reminders of ways to foster friendship.
    Blessings,
    Bev

  2. This came at the perfect time, as I just reconnected with two friends, who live several states away this week. They’re not the best at keeping in touch, so I’ve decided that I need to be the one to be intentional in keeping us connected. Thank you for the reminder to make nurturing our friendships a priority, Jessica!

  3. I have been feeling some of the things that you describe in your blog. For me friendship is a beautiful thing but just like marriage, we need to be intentional about it. Knowing great people and having them in your life but yet still feeling lonely is a terrible thing. Just a few weeks ago I was trying to explain to a friend that I know she is very busy with life, so am I, but I would like to be “part” of that life….no new plans just inclusion. I love that you mention that simple change in your blog. Have a wonderful day!!!

  4. Great word! I sometimes feel lonely and I realize that I could do something about it by picking up the phone and calling a friend, who might be feeling lonely herself. I think the fear of rejection keeps me from even trying and it shouldn’t. For some reason we think we are the only ones, don’t we? I love the story about inviting the other family to the movies. I think maybe we will try to invite our neighbors over one evening since we are new to the neighborhood. And I’m a big fan of snail mail because it’s not so immediate. You can carry cards in your purse and write them out while you’re waiting in a doctor’s office or a kid’s sports practice and mail them when we you get a chance.

  5. Gah! I love this Jess!

    I always tell people that we are never going to get less busy. I am for all of your tips but I really have seen the power of incorporating friends into what we are already doing. There have been countless times that I have gone grocery shopping with friends that have littles or have even gone to their houses and help to clean or do laundry while we have great conversations.

    I am all about that intentional life! Ha!

  6. Jessica, I wholeheartedly agree. In fact, it’s something I speak on frequently. My favorite tip (along with most of yours!) is to set multiple dates when you’ve made the invitation. Why not set two or three opportunities to gather if you’re already on the phone (or text or email…). Usually, the initial query is the biggest roadblock to actually seeing friends.

  7. Love the blog post and as soon as I got to the texting suggestions, I stopped and sent a few texts. Thanks for the reminders on how to be more intentional.

  8. Jessica,
    “But if busyness is preventing friendships from flourishing, then something is wrong.” How very true that is. We get so busy in this day and age that we forget about people and then wonder why we don’t have more friends. I love receiving text messages, hand written cards, etc. from people. I send out hand written cards, emails, texts to people telling them I’m thinking of them, missing them, etc. They know they are thought of and loved. I want to stay close to my friends and treasure them!
    Blessings:)

  9. that is great. I agree.. for all my life I have been the friend who does the calling, the note sending and lil gift giving, remembering birthdays and making them special for friends, but I got really burned out and simply quit. I felt no one cared, every time I would call they appreciate it but never call me first to encourage me.i felt like the forgotten friend. even tho I was in a big group I always did a lot of the caring and finally had enough.our family went thru hard time and no one knew because no one calls, if I had called all of them then they would be there for us and care..but no one knew., not even my best friend of 25 years, it broke my heart and I pulled away. I don’t think everyones lives are so busy that they cant care when a friend is in a very sad spot in her life. so now im more cautious and intential in the smaller group of friends I do have. I still bless them and care but have guarded my heart more , so not to burn out and have my own light extinguished. its a balancing act in life for sure.. God, family, friends and everything that eats up our time.

  10. For us, summer means lots of times like you’ve described above: pools, cookouts, etc. But there are also a lot of “everyone’s on vacation at different times” times…and we are, like, “WHERE IS EVERYBODY?” It can be reeeeeally quiet. Thank you for this reminder to be intentional. Especially in the summer. 🙂