Posts

Showing posts with the label Common Ground

31 Days to Building Better Friendships

Image
An Interview with Amberly Neese, Author of The Friendship Initiative After a long year of separation, we long for connection. Despite faster internet connections, better WiFi hotspots, and more ways to stay connected than ever before, our lives still feel less and less connected. We desire healthy friendships but feel less equipped to make and foster them. In The Friendship Initiative , Neese dives into the friendships and connections Jesus made to reveal 31 keys for building relationships such as: exercising grace, asking/answering questions, having compassion, exercising humility, being present, reaching out to those who are different, and more. Each devotion includes Scripture, a devotional reflection, practical application ideas, and suggestions for reflection and prayer. Readers will find encouragement and practical help for connecting with others in their everyday lives by focusing on loving others as Jesus did. Q: In addition to the Common Ground Bible study, you also ...

Overcoming Conflict by Following the Examples of Biblical Siblings

Image
  Part 2 of an Interview with Amberly Neese, Author of Common Ground The Scriptures hold the key to living at peace despite our differences. In each week of the four-week  Common Ground: Loving Others Despite Our Differences  Bible study,  Amberly Neese  combines stories of sibling rivalries from the Bible with personal experience, humor, hope, and her love of God’s Word.  Common Ground  provides a how-to for overcoming conflict by examining sibling relationships from the Old and New Testaments including: Joseph and His Brothers: How to Combat Jealousy Moses, Miriam, and Aaron: How to Work Together Despite Differences Mary, Martha, and Lazarus: How to Appreciate the Contributions of Others Rachel and Leah: Having Compassion for the Plight of Others These stories point readers to peace and reconciliation in all their relationships, reassuring them that it is possible to find common ground with everyone—despite their differences. Each week focuses on...

Loving Others Despite Our Differences

Image
Part 1 of an Interview  with Amberly Neese, Author of Common Ground In her new Bible study, Common Ground: Loving Others Despite Our Differences , author, speaker, and humorist Amberly Neese leads women in a study of sibling rivalries in Scripture so that all members of God’s family can find a safe place to come together to navigate conflict and heal relationships. Whether it is in politics, the professional world, a party, or a pew, every person faces some kind of conflict on a daily basis. It’s not only in-person interactions that can become heated—social media is deluged with opinion-spewing, hurt feelings, and broken friendships. What we so desperately need is hope and practical tools to navigate the tumultuous waters in order to live at peace with everyone. Q: These days it seems like people argue just for the sake of arguing rather than trying to find common ground. Do you have any theories on why every topic seems to be so polarizing? Honestly, with feelings of isolatio...

It’s Time to Work on Our Relationships

Image
  It’s Time to Work on Our Relationships Amberly Neese leads women in a study of sibling rivalries to find common ground With feelings of isolation and disconnection at an all-time high, it’s more important than ever to learn to live at peace with others, even when we disagree. In her new Bible study, Common Ground: Loving Others Despite Our Differences , speaker and humorist Amberly Neese leads women in a study of sibling rivalries in Scripture so that all members of God’s family can find a safe place to come together to navigate conflict and heal relationships. Whether it is in politics, the professional world, a party, or a pew, every person faces some kind of conflict on a daily basis. It’s not only in-person interactions that can become heated—social media is deluged with opinion-spewing, hurt feelings, and broken friendships. What we so desperately need is hope and practical tools to navigate the tumultuous waters in order to live at peace with everyone. Fortunately,...