Book Review: The Loneliness Solution

 

Alexis A. Goring's Review of 

The Loneliness Solution: Finding Meaningful Connection in a Disconnected World 

by Jack Eason (Author)

 

In an era when face-to-face interactions with friends is replaced by online interactions with "Facebook friends," this book by Jack Eason is just what the doctor ordered!

 

Filled with practical advice on how to make lasting friendships that are fostered in person, Eason teaches us the value of old-fashioned community. He reminds us of a time when we actually talked to each other in coffee shops and spend quality time together, in person without modern technology as our sidekick or third wheel. 

 

Through the word and real-life stories in this nonfiction book, The Loneliness Solution: Finding Meaningful Connection in a Disconnected World, the author encourages us to connect with each other again in a way that is meaning, deep and real.

 

Loneliness is on the rise and is becoming as prevalent as the modern day technologies that keep us occupied. This book is a challenge to the status quo and a call-t0-action for every lonely heart. 

 

Beautifully written, this book is a keeper! 

 

It's also a perfect gift for your loved ones this Christmas!

 

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Author Bio:

Jack Eason serves nonprofit organizations throughout the United States and around the world as a consultant for fundraising, growth and development, board governance, and other areas of ministry leadership. 

Jack is the Executive Stateside Director of Crossover CUPS Mission, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has been privileged to serve the local Church and missions-related organizations around the world for 30 years. Through the ministry of Crossover, Jack's team led student camps on the East and West Coasts for many years. Jack also produced a nationally syndicated radio and television show aimed at students for over 15 years. Now the Crossover CUPS mission impacts the lives of families in the Dominican Republic and Malawi.
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Jack is married to Lynette Eason (the real famous one in their family, an accomplished author) and is the father of Lauryn and Will. He and his family live in Simpsonville, SC. Jack loves Jesus, his family, sweet tea, and serving others. 

In the last 15 years, God has used him to raise tens of millions of dollars for organizations like Christian radio, children's homes, mission efforts, pregnancy centers, and more. 

Whether it be raising funds for your upcoming special event or facilitating a training for your Staff and Board of Directors, Jack Eason not only has a heart to serve... he has the experience to connect and impact your team. Simply put, Jack gets results for the groups he speaks for! 

Jack is passionate about helping people understand the impact we can have when we work TOGETHER.

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Book blurb for The Loneliness Solution:

 

Statistics show that, despite our connected worldworld — and partly because of it —we are lonelier than ever. Social media tricks us into thinking that we are engaged in genuine friendships, except we never quite get beyond that feeling of being outside someone else's life and looking in every so often at what they choose to show the world. Instead of intimacy we get little more than what amounts to digital small talk. But there is a solution. 

With plenty of good humor and practical advice, Jack Eason invites you to discover the benefits of doing life together with other brothers and sisters in Christ. Grounding his message in Scripture, Eason helps you:

- learn the obstacles to real community
- reimagine what real friendship looks like
- discover a place of true belonging
- and more

If you're tired of feeling lonely, this encouraging and community-building book is just what you need.

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Buy this book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

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Connect with the author:
Website: https://www.jackeason.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackeasonspeaks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wjackeason/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackeason
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/JackEasonCMI
Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jack-eason-podcast/id1485111148

 

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Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): 

Many thanks to Revel Publishers for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. 

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor FlyBy Promotions/Momentum Influencer in the last 30 days, from the same blog, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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Enter this book giveaway contest for your chance to WIN a copy of this book by filling out the entry form on the Rafflecopter widget below: 

 

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Interview with Amberly Neese (Part 2 of 2) about "The Belonging Project"

Welcome Amberly Neese again to the blog today!

She's here to, via this pre-made interview from Audra Jennings (publicist), finish telling you all about her book, The Belonging Project - Women's Bible Study Guide with Leader Helps: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive.

Gentlemen: I'm sorry, but this one is for the ladies! Feel free to share this two-part interview with the women in your life. Ladies: We're wrapping up today with Part 2 of 2 of this pre-made interview featuring Amberly Neese. 

Enjoy!

~*~

A Message from Audra Jennings, publicist: 

In The Belonging Project, speaker and comedian Amberly Neese combines Bible study with delightful humor to create a refreshing and engaging experience that will encourage and equip women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging by loving and serving one another. She describes The Belonging Project as an exploration of the New Testament as it pertains to biblical community. 

“God has designed us to live in mutually beneficial relationships and has given us the blueprints to do so in his Word. The study is designed to encourage, empower, and equip participants to thrive in the community to which God has called them,” she shares.

Neese provides biblical and practical help for cultivating meaningful relationships that glorify God through an examination of the many “one another” scriptures throughout the New Testament. She groups more than fifty of them into themes in order to lead readers on an exploration of how to:

Find One Another

Fellowship with One Another

Forgive One Another

Fortify One Another

Having women in our lives to help us grow in our capacity to love, serve, and forgive is always important, regardless of what is going on in our lives and our world around us. However, now, more than ever, we’ve become keenly aware of the need to pursue and build an authentic tribe. She shares more about that in the interview below.

~*~
Part 2 of an Interview with Amberly Neese,

author of of The Belonging Project

Question: We’ve been in the midst of social distancing for what seems like forever now. How has this period of time made meaningful relationships all the more important?

Amberly Neese: Social distancing has made us painfully aware of the pangs of loneliness and disconnection. Zoom parties and drive-by encouragement are wonderful, but they are no substitution for sitting knee-to-knee with a friend, sharing our hearts. In addition, for some, having a house full of family in quarantine can be fun (and loud), but it may not be a conducive place to be truly seen and heard.

The time away from others has helped us see the need for others in our life. Biblical community is more important than ever as we rebuild from the quarantine. One of my closest friends lost a child during this season and the inability to hug her family, have a service for her sweet daughter, mourn collectively, and support her clan in this tragedy have been salt in her wounds for sure.

The Belonging Project highlights some ways to love and serve others from the comfort of one’s living room as well as the sweet discomfort of sitting with a friend in her pain. Social distancing may put a damper on connection, but there are ways to encourage others without breaking quarantine. I am a hugger—more like a tackler—so this time has been hard for me, but it has allowed me the opportunity to explore new ways to comfort, encourage, and connect with others.

Question: Sometimes social media is the only way we keep up with our friends. How can social media be both a help and hindrance to our friendships?

Amberly Neese: Social media can serve as a wonderful way to stay in touch, but it can also serve as a source of discouragement. It is easy to get caught up in the “compare snare”—the heartache of being left out and/or comparing oneself to the feed of others. It is easy to believe that someone else’s feed, their social media gallery, is an accurate picture of their lives. I rarely see dirty dishes, marital discourse, unemployment, bad hair days, or depression on Facebook or Instagram. We only share good stuff and only after it has gone through a filter to remove our wrinkles and uneven skin tone.

We should avoid comparing our real life to the “reel” life of others because it begins to give us a false sense of reality, and we can suffer from envy, disappointment, and dissatisfaction—mindsets that erode a biblical community.

Recently, I found out on social media that many of my cronies (an old school word for friends) had started a Bible study. Without me. To try and keep the numbers reasonable, they had made a list, and I wasn’t on it. It crushed me. 

The ironic thing was I had already started writing The Belonging Project, my attempt to encourage women to seek community with others in Jesus’ name, and I was not invited. It took me a little while to recover, but my husband and I have also since started a Bible study with an amazing group of folks who were hungry for community as well.

Question: What can we learn from the life of Jesus about living in community? How was this so different from the political, social and religious culture of the day?

Amberly Neese: Jesus was counter-cultural as he set an example of including others that others cast aside. He loved those who were hurting, broken, and vulnerable. He chose to invite twelve others to do life alongside him and paved the way for us to do likewise.

Throughout his time on earth, Jesus said things that seemed revolutionary (and downright crazy) to his contemporaries. He broke through cultural, political, and social barriers during his thirty years of life and three years of public ministry. His followers (including the apostle Paul, who penned many of the letters in the New Testament) followed suit. Their behaviors, practices, and words often flew in the face of the culture and helped shape history.

God has designed us for community. In fact, Jesus was so passionate about community that He not only chose disciples—twelve guys of varying backgrounds, personalities, and gifts, to walk with him in his journey. He also instructed them to do likewise with others. He invited a myriad of others, including many women, to partner with him in ministry along his path. 

Through his teachings and the teachings of His followers, we have a blueprint for the community that he has designed for us. This blueprint can be found in the phrases in the New Testament that include the words one another, such as love one another, encourage one another, serve one another, forgive one another, and many more. Some of these concepts were certainly counter-cultural in the time of Jesus and are today as well. Jesus spoke these words in times of political, social, and religious tumult and they are so applicable in our current context as well.

Question: What are some tips on finding your tribe? As we search, what are some things we also need to find within ourselves?

Amberly Neese: Despite what we see in movies and magazines, where personal strength and winning are celebrated, we are created for community. We are meant to encourage one another, walk ahead of and behind one another, and create connections with one another. Yet even as part of a church, we often fall prey to societal patterns of comparison and competition and miss out on true community.

To find one’s tribe, we should first pray about it and ask God specifically for people alongside whom we can grow, serve others, and be willing to step outside of our comfort zone.

We need to make sure, however, that we also are willing to be vulnerable, humble, and a safe place for people. Biblical community is not for sissies. We are a broken people, and even when made holy by the blood of Jesus, we sometimes make broken choices. We speak unkindly, we act unfairly, we give grace unequally.

Community with other believers can be challenging and can take a lot of faith, but it is a gift and it is worth the hard work of extending and embracing forgiveness.

Question: The last week in the study focuses on fortifying one another. What does that look like in a practical, daily way?

Amberly Neese: It can take all shapes and forms, but first, one should commit to spending time to find a body in which you can grow in your knowledge of God’s word, stretch your faith muscles, and be built up by other believers.

If we are going to find our tribe and learn to thrive, we need to be committed to encourage others. Not the “Oh my, what a cute dress!” encouragement (although that is always fun, not the wearing a dress part, but the compliment part), but the encouragement of others in their walk with Jesus. Ask yourself: How can I encourage someone in his or her spiritual walk today?

We live in a discouraging world. The political climate, the tragedies all over the nation, the starvation of children all over the world, the disregard of the value of human life, the threat of war, the rise in stress and anxiety—it is overwhelming. How do we keep our perspective? By focusing on Jesus and encouraging one another daily. Do one small thing today to encourage another believer. One could also consider encouraging someone you know who has left the church with a text, call, email, or letter.

Finally, one can easily develop a habit of gratitude through daily practice—perhaps by writing down all the things one is thankful for each day. Find a friend with which to share that list. It becomes a blessing to both parties!

Question: How is The Belonging Project designed to be used? What are the components of each week’s study?

Amberly Neese: The great thing about this study is its versatility. It can be done with a few friends or with hundreds of ladies. The format is designed to be easy and enjoyable—five days of lessons each week for four weeks.

There is a daily lesson, memory verses, calls to action, and questions to grapple with for each week’s teaching. The lessons are designed to be completed in about 20 minutes. Each day starts with a “One Another” verse, which sets the tone for the day, includes a scripture focus and questions for reflection, and ends with a Call to Action.

Since each of the days in the study covers another “one another” from the New Testament, if those doing the study have extra time, they can also read through the entirety of the chapter from which the verse comes to get a more full picture of the context in which it was written.

Then once a week, you’ll gather with your group to watch a video, discuss what you’re learning, and pray together. The session outlines, which provide options for both a 60-minute and a 90-minute session, include discussion questions, activities, prayer prompts, and notes for the video segment (available separately). You’ll find the outline for each session at the end of the personal lessons for that week.

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Get Involved:

The Belonging Project - Online Bible Study Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1142464136110827/



For more details and to reserve your spot in one of the small group discussions,
go to https://www.amberlyneese.com/bible-study.

The Belonging Project - A Bible Study of the “one another” sayings by Amberly Neese

https://youtu.be/-MtYuN40XRg

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Buy Amberly's book, The Belonging Project on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

~*~

Blurb for The Belonging Project:

Discover true community. 

Has the pursuit of the “perfect life” left you feeling depleted, disappointed, dissatisfied, and disconnected? Are you tired of being lonely and left out at work, home, church, and online? Are you hungry for true community, deeper connection with God, and friendships that are greater than just “likes” on social media? Are you ready for real connections with those around you?

In this four-week Bible study, Amberly Neese provides biblical and practical help for cultivating meaningful relationships that glorify God through an exploration of four “one another” sayings in the New Testament:

•   Love one another 

•   Serve one another

•   Build up and strengthen one another

•   Forgive one another

In her trademark style, Amberly combines Bible study with delightful humor to create a refreshing and engaging experience that will encourage and equip women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging.

Other components for the Bible study, available separately, include a DVD.

Bible Study Features:

•   A shorter, four-week study is ideal for in-between or busy times.

•   Accessible and friendly format.

•   DVD features the amazing Amberly Neese, who masterfully combines solid Bible teaching and delightfully funny humor (in four 20-minute segments).

•   Inspires and encourages women to pursue deeper relationships and true belonging for a more fulfilled, purposeful life.

•   Helps women grow in their capacity to love, serve, and forgive.

•   Study guide with leader helps includes group session guides, discussion questions, prayers, video viewer guides, and more.


~*~


Author Bio: Amberly Neese is a speaker, humorist, and encourager with a passion for “GRINspiring” others. 

As a featured speaker for the Aspire Women’s Events and the main host/comedienne for Marriage Date Night, two popular Christian events that tour nationally, she enjoys touching the hearts and minds and funny bones of people all over the country. 

The Bible says that laughter is good medicine, and she has found it’s also like glue—helping the truths of God’s Word to “stick.” Neese loves to remind women of the power and hope found in Scripture. Through a flair for storytelling and a love for Jesus, she candidly opens up her story alongside God’s Word to encourage others in their walk with Him. She is also the author of the women’s Bible study, The Belonging Project. 

With a master’s degree from Biola University, Neese serves as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University. She and her husband, Scott, have two teenagers and live in Prescott, Arizona, where they enjoy the great outdoors, the Food Network, and all things Star Wars.

For more information, visit her website www.amberlyneese.com. She is also active on Facebook (@Amberly Neese – Comedian/Speaker), Twitter (@amberlyneese), and Instagram (@amberlyneese).

Devotionals for the Heart: Faith

Legacy of Faith
A devotional by Glynis Becker

“Listen, O my people, to my instruction; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not conceal them from their children, But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done.” –Psalm 78:1-4 (NASB)

So many of us, especially at this moment in time, are craving conversation and fellowship with others. Even those of us who are homebodies and introverts are yearning to talk and laugh with those we miss. So, as imperfect as it is, aren’t we all grateful for technology that can help bridge physical distances and give us a connection with those we love?

My own extended family is separated by many miles. For several years, my family has had an ongoing video chat using the Marco Polo app. Some days that chat is quiet, and some days it’s busy, but most often it’s just a few people checking in with what the weather is like and what’s on the schedule for their day. Sometimes we ask for prayer for ourselves or others. We talk about things we would talk about if we were sitting around drinking coffee and chatting. I love it.

When my grandmother, in her 90s, came on and gave her Easter greetings recently, she reminded us why Easter is the best holiday of the entire year and what a wonderful gift Christ gave when He conquered the enemy, once and for all. I absolutely agree with her, of course, but her sweet video reminded me of another beautiful gift God has given me: a family legacy of faith.

I have been in church nearly every Sunday since the Sunday I was born. My parents both grew up in Christian homes. Their parents all grew up in Christian homes. My family has never been shy about talking through matters of faith: truths we learn in the Bible, how to apply these things to our daily life, the lens through which our beliefs allow us to see the world, who we can help, how we can love—all of these things have been in our regular, everyday conversations for my entire life.

I feel very fortunate to have had family members who passed down their knowledge and wisdom, their stories, their experiences of what Jesus means to them and I realize how important that is to share with others. We see time and time again in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, the commandment to “remember” or to “share” or to “tell.” The people of God were told to build altars and celebrate feasts, all in an effort to continue the story of His faithfulness throughout each subsequent generation. We also see how one or two generations of forgetfulness can cause a lot of brokenness.

Does your family have a legacy of faith? There’s no better time than right now to say ‘thank you’ to those members of your family who have led you in wisdom and faith. Make a point of continuing that legacy with the children in your own family.

But if you’re reading this and wishing that you had grown up in different circumstances, just remember that every legacy starts somewhere. By God’s grace you can be the one who changes your family tree, so rejoice in the opportunities He will give you to pass on what you know.

Each new day becomes a choice. What will our legacy be?

Let’s Pray: Today, Lord, give me opportunities to share you with my family, my friends, and people I meet. Help me choose to make my legacy one of faithfulness, mercy, love, and kindness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:

Glynis Becker writes devotions and inspirational fiction, hoping someday to have a published novel on her resume.

She has co-written several screenplays, including the film Sinking Sand, available on DVD and digital streaming.

Glynis, whose childhood was spent all over the country as an Air Force brat, has called South Dakota home for many years, along with her husband and two teenage children.

When she’s not writing or reading, she is watching more television than she should and crocheting. You can find her at www.glynisbecker.com.

Devotionals for the Heart: Tammy's thoughts on technology and disconnect

How Can We Be So Disconnected in Such a Connected World?

A devotional by Tammy Karasek

I wonder if any of us ever give much thought to how many ways we are connected to people these days. Think about it. To check in with friends or family, we are able to walk or drive, to call or at least send a text, write a note or send an email. It’s enough to make you dizzy thinking of the many ways we can reach out and connect.

Yet sometimes, even though we can do something, it doesn’t always mean we do. I’m guilty of this. Often someone will come to my mind and I’ll think Oh, I need to call her. I’ll continue with the task at hand because I don’t have time to talk at that moment. I plan to send her an email when I finish what I’m doing. Then I move to the next task and head out the door for an errand. As I back out of the driveway, I remember and tell myself I’ll do it tonight when I get back home.

But I don’t remember.

Recently, I felt overwhelmed with all the “doing” I was attempting and never quite feeling like I had accomplished a thing. It was as if every time I crossed one thing off of my to-do list, three were added before the ink was dry. I kept meaning to slow down and reconnect with friends. Really, I did.

The days continued on and I noticed God putting the same scripture verse in front of my eyes, and in places where I didn’t expect. Whether written on a painting, a sermon on the radio or even someone sharing it at Bible study.

“A friend loves at all times." ~Proverbs 17:17a (NASB)

Time went on and it became more and more evident that God was working hard to get my attention. There was no way I was going to be able to ignore God’s promptings. People I wanted to connect with kept coming to my mind. I was so hooked on my electronic gizmos and gadgets and the many things commanding my attention on those screens that I was missing an important fact. I was so busy being connected to the world I’d become disconnected with my friends and family. How could I say I love them at all times when I wasn’t making them a priority?

It’s amazing how electronically connected we are to people all over the world. But how many of us are paying attention to those around us who are quietly crying out for just a few minutes of our time. We spend hours on our screens, but we no longer sit across the table from a hurting friend over a cup of tea or at least check in with them regularly. Do we add a friend’s name to our daily to-do list to check in on them? People are hurting all around us. I’ve heard others’ say, "I don’t know what to say, and I don’t understand what they are going through." Who says we have to say anything or understand the situation? A card in the mail is great, but your presence is even better.

I’ve been quite convicted of this recently. I hope you will give this some thought about the people you are connected to as well. Is there someone God keeps bringing to mind? Trust Him, there’s probably a reason for it. In our overly connected world, they may be feeling very disconnected.

Step out of your comfort zone and give them a call. Maybe they are craving some time with you. You may find it did you some good, too.

~*~
Author Bio:

You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life. Tammy’s past filled with bullying and criticism is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and share with them the Reason to smile. 

She’s been blissfully wedded to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 36 years, mom to their grown daughter, Kristen and wrapped around the paw of a little puppy named Hattie.

She’s the President of Cross N Pens Christian Writers and a member of ACFW. She will be published in the 2018 Divine Moments book – Cool-nary Moments.
~*~
Connect with Tammy:
Blog - http://www.tammykarasek.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/tickledpinktam
Email - tickledpinktammy@gmail.com

Book Review about friendships between women

Book: Messy Beautiful Friendship: Finding and Nurturing Deep and Lasting Relationships
Author: Christine Hoover
Reviewed by: Alexis A. Goring

In her book, Messy Beautiful Friendship, Christine Hoover tackles the topic of friendship between women.

She doesn’t hold back in her exhortation and encouragement for women who have struggled to find and nurture deep, lasting relationships. The author shares scenes from her personal life story and points out her flaws. Yet her tone is not critical. She writes with wisdom, care and finesse. Her tone is kind and comforting yet at times a bit forthcoming but for good reason.

It is obvious that the author has learned life lessons and she wants to save the reader the heartache that comes when you don’t have a close, honest and open friendship with another woman. She makes a clear case that no matter what stage of life a woman is in, she needs women friends who speak her language and can uplift her heart. The value of a friend who understands you and isn’t afraid to point out what you need to work on is priceless.

Hoover doesn’t leave her readers clueless. She provides sound advice in each chapter as to how to find and nurture deep relationships with other women that last. She shares strategies to help women overcome the roadblocks that stand in their way to having true, reliable friends. She addresses the issues of insecurity and isolation. The author does a great job of letting the reader know that she is not alone. She opens the readers’ eyes with her “biblical vision for friendship” that, if applied, will reap great benefits.

This book is divided into five parts:

#1: A New Vision for Friendship

#2: Threats to Friendship

#3: Discovering and Deepening Friendship

#4: Being a Friend

#5: Receiving Friendship

The real-life scenarios in each of these five parts of Hoover’s book are written in a way that’s engaging and encourages empathy. She talks about how the struggle to find good friends gets harder when you get older but shows the reader how it is still possible to have your dreams come true for friendships that stand the test of time, with God’s help. God is part of the picture in this book. The author reveals to the reader how faith in God plays a key role in finding and keeping friendships that are godly and good for you.

Hoover accomplishes her goals in this book page by page. Her writing style is friendly and warm. Her stories are relatable and applicable to the modern woman. This entire book is wonderful and inspirational.

As a reader, I now feel motivated to invest in finding and nurturing friendships with women that last for a lifetime.

*Disclosure: I received this book free from Baker Books through the Baker Books Bloggers www.bakerbooks.com/bakerbooksbloggers program. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html

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