The past few weeks since we launched our first (in)courage book, Craving Connection: 30 Challenges for Real-Life Engagement, have been a breathtaking, busy, beautiful blur. Your response, your support, and your excitement over this project have all blown us away. Friends, we have loved every single minute of sharing this book with you. And we aren’t ready to stop talking about connection and community — far from it!
Here at (in)courage, our heartbeat is that you will be encouraged by the stories we share and moved to share your own stories with your face-to-face, next-door, over-the-fence, see-you-in-the-carpool-line, work-in-the-next-cubicle communities. Each and every one of us does crave community, and this book is meant to serve as a resource as you engage with people you see in your everyday, real-life lives.
As much fun as we’re already having experiencing our first book with you, we wanted to do more than just talk about it. After all, that’s what Craving Connection is about! So for the next several weeks, you are invited to walk with us as we each dig deep, find our brave, and reach out to make those connections that just might blossom into true community.
For five weeks we are inviting you to join us in completing the challenges described in Craving Connection. Starting next Tuesday, February 7, we will share an excerpt from a chapter in the book, as well as some discussion questions and the challenge for that week. We’ll ask you to complete the challenge by Friday. (And, friends, we are SO EXCITED to hear how it turns out for you! We know God is going to show up big time!!) To encourage you in your weekly challenge, the author of each week’s chapter will join us every Thursday for a conversation on social media (stay tuned for info on these chats on both Facebook and Instagram.)
So . . . are you in yet?! Need more details? Okay, here you go:
5 Weeks of Craving Connection Challenges
Tuesday, February 7: A Grand Blueprint for Hospitality by Jen Schmidt (page 256)
Tuesday, February 14: I Can’t Even by Amanda White (page 86)
Tuesday, February 21: A Safe Harbor by Robin Dance (page 120)
Tuesday, February 28: He Knows and He Is Near by Eryn Hall (page 22)
Tuesday, March 7: Longing for Loyalty by Erin Mohring (page 128)
Tuesday, March 14: Time to wrap up and talk about what’s next!
There’s no need to sign up or join a group or anything, though you may want to subscribe to emails from (in)courage to be sure you don’t miss any of the posts. Just join us here on the blog each Tuesday, carry out the challenge in your daily life during the week, catch a live chat with the authors each Thursday on Facebook, and know we’re here cheering you on!
Friends, we are so excited to walk through the next several weeks with you. We believe with all our hearts that we are better together — and that includes in our pursuit of deeper friendships and more authentic, more life-giving community. Let’s do this, together.
Let’s pray for God to prepare our hearts for a season of growth and blessing and connection. And let’s pray for a willingness to step outside our comfort zones and our past experiences, for a partner to do the reading and challenges with, for the connections that God is already orchestrating behind the scenes.
We’ll dive into the challenges right here next Tuesday. Will you join us?
Leave a Comment
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Hi All,
Yes, of course I’ll be there! I’ve already given two copies of Craving Connection to friends as gifts and I’m blogging about Craving Connection this week with a giveaway of a copy of CC 🙂 I guess you could say, I’m up for the challenge. I love that the book is a compilation of some of the most gifted Christian writers and I am in a season where I need to get creative with keeping and building connection and community. Looking forward to it….
Blessings,
Bev xx
Donna Torrado says
Bev would you share your blog page. I did not do the study but would live to read the blog so I could know more about the book.
Wish I had done it.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Donna,
Don’t worry, you’re not too late to the party it will just be beginning. My blog address is http://walkingwellwithgod.blogspot.com maybe you can win in the giveaway?
I haven’t read the whole book yet, but it sounds like we’ll read along with the plan here at (in)courage listed above. Each section is about 8-10 pages with ideas to consider, ways to engage, and challenges to take. Now that I know the dates (in)courage will be doing this, I’m going to encourage my readers to join in. I hope you’ll join in too.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Carrie says
Yes I would like to join the group.
Anna Rendell says
Bev this is awesome!! We will be sure to share your series with our community, and look forward to having you join in the fun here too!
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Hey Anna,
I’m not doing a whole series, but my blog is talking about “Craving Connection” this week (with giveaway of the book). I am then inviting my readers over to the (in)courage site to participate in the 5 weeks of reading and challenges. Now that I’m working from home, I need to think “outside the box” in terms of making connections and building community and am inviting my readers to join me.
Blessings,
Bev 🙂
Anna Rendell says
Love, love, love this Bev! Gosh you’re one of our favorites <3
ps - I work from home too, and 100% understand what you're talking about here. Way to be intentional about those connections!
Linda says
It sounds so wonderful, however, last year, the year before, I would get al excited, oh yes, I want to do that, buy the book , sign up, actually get involved for maybe a couple or three sessions and all those unread books are in boxes!! I know they are there! I don’t like it! So this year, I have told myself no more wasting money on things I’m not going to finish, and things that embarrass me when I run across them because I never gave them closer. Until I start finishing what I start, I’m not starting anything else! I’m certain you ladies are loving one another and this is a great thing, it’s not for me ! Thank you
Anna Rendell says
Hi Linda! That’s a very practical and soul-serving commitment – good for you! The great news is that for this series, there’s no need to sign up or join a group or anything, though you may want to subscribe to emails from (in)courage to be sure you don’t miss any of the posts. Just join us here on the blog each Tuesday, carry out the challenge in your daily life during the week, catch a live chat with the authors each Thursday on Facebook, and know we’re here cheering you on!
Linda says
Thank you
WENDYBLESS says
BLESSINGS TO EACH OF YOU MY SISTERS IN CHRIST JESUS. YES, I AM UP FOR THE CHALLENGES. I LIVE IN A NURSING HOME, AND I HAVE PARKINSON’S DISEASE, AND FIBROMYALGIA, AND I AM IN A WHEELCHAIR BECAUSE I CANNOT WALK. I AM ON DISABILITY BENEFITS AND ONLY GET ENOUGH TO COVER FOR MY RENT SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BUY THE BOOKS, BUT I WILL TRY MY BEST TO DO WHAT I CAN. IT WILL BE A PRIVILEGE TO BE A PART OF THIS. MAY THE PRECIOUS HOLY SPIRIT BREATHE UPON THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND BREATHE UPON EACH ONE OF OUR LIVES, AND MAY HE BE GLORIFIED. LOVE AND PRAYERS, WENDY MACDONALD
Lashawnta Gandy says
Hello Wendy, if you don’t mind could you email me your address & I would like to purchase a book for you & have it delivered to you.
WENDYBLESS says
BLESSINGS TO YOU LASHAWNTA GANDY. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN I RECEIVED YOUR E-MAIL JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO. THIS IS VERY KIND OF YOU TO PURCHASE A BOOK FOR ME AND HAVE IT SENT TO ME. I KNOW THE LORD WILL BLESS YOU BACK 100 FOLD. MY ADDRESS IS WENDY MACDONALD, 567 VICTORIA AVENUE, 231D, WINDSOR, ONTARIO, N9A4N1 YOU WILL BE IN MY PRAYERS DAILY. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF THIS. IF YOU LOOK INTO IN-COURAGE’S PRAYER WALL UNDER TOPIC-NURSING HOME AND LIVE-LAUGH-LOVE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO READ A BIT OF MY PERSONAL TESTIMONY. GOD BLESS YOU LASHAWNTA. SHALOM WENDY MACDONALD
Stacy says
Hi!
Where do I get this book please?
I would love to be involved!
Blessings,
Stacy
Kelly Gallagher says
Yes I would like to join the group.
Anna Rendell says
Hi Kelly! There’s no group to join – just meet us here on the blog each Tuesday, carry out the challenge in your daily life during the week, catch a live chat with the authors each Thursday on Facebook, and know we’re here cheering you on. We hope this five-week challenge fits right into your real life!
Jules says
I’m in I still need my book though. Going to order today.
Naomi Fata says
Sounds like a great idea! Looking forward to connecting !
Lori says
Sounds fabulous! Excited to see where God will take this. I won a copy in a give away, and I am most grateful. ❤ Thank you!
Mary says
I have the book and I’m ready to go.
Cyndi says
I’ve got the book .. ❤️ It .. can’t wait to start Feb 7th
Kathryn Evers says
I would love to join for the challenges and connection. I’m not sure how to sign up or get involved though
Anna Rendell says
Hi Kathryn,
There’s no need to sign up or join a group or anything, though you may want to subscribe to emails from (in)courage to be sure you don’t miss any of the posts (you can do so at https://aws.incourage.me/subscribe). All you need to do is join us here on the blog each Tuesday, carry out the challenge in your daily life during the week, and know that we’re here cheering you on!
else-marie says
i like to join
Anna Rendell says
Great, Else-marie! Just visit us right here each Tuesday for that weeks excerpt and challenge – no need to join a group or anything. Easy peasy. 🙂
Debbie Eklund says
I’ll be there!
Roseann Llewellyn says
Looking forward to meeting all of you ….thanks for the invite!
cammie says
I’m in!!!
Karen says
Bought 3 of the books…gave one to my daughter in law, and one to my best friend…and kept one for myself!
Looking forward to 2-7 with great anticipation!
Thanks to all of you for all that you do to encourage us to lead a fulfilling and God honoring life.
Hugs,
Karen
Leslie Lynn Gore says
I am so sad bought the book was super excited,about this study left it on the bus and I can’t get another anybody have a spare book,your Sister in Christ. Leslie Gore.