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Growing Friendships

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

New Habits in the New YearHaving reaped the benefits of strong friendships with whom I had shared good times and who I had helped get me through bad times, I always knew that I would make the effort to make new friendships when I moved, as I have several times in my adult life. But even without a physical move, there are changes in a woman’s life that often invite–or require–us to make new friends such as leaving or reentering the workforce, changing churches, involvement in your children’s activities, and many more.

Have you been hoping to find a new friend?
Are you hoping to deepen some relationships this year?
Perhaps you want to learn more ways that you can be there for your friends, or how to enlist help when you need it.

Growing Friendships by Tracy Klehn is an excellent book. Actually, my only criticism about the book is that this is the book that I wanted to write! Tracy Klehn shares personal experiences of her own growing friendships. In each chapter she gives the reader an opportunity to reflect on areas in which she needs to improve regarding her egrowing.jpgxisting friendships or steps she needs to take to make new ones.

I think that this book could help and inspire every woman.

Some women have many friendships and know that they wouldn’t survive without them. They feel like they are good at the skill of friendship. These women will smile and nod in agreement throughout and come away with new ways to make the most of them.

A few women don’t feel the need for friendship, or at least they don’t feel like they deserve the time that it takes to develop friendships with other women. I would hope that this book would encourage these women by giving real-life of examples of the value that friendships with women add to their lives.

Other women look at the friendships that others seem to have with a bit of jealousy, as if looking in from the outside. This book will motivate them to look at the women around them and bring to mind the efforts that others have made to include them.

There’s even a study guide that you can download www.tracyklehn.com that would be a great springboard to deepening your relationship with a few women in your neighborhood or at your church.

We have five copies to give away (they can be shipped to the U.S. or Canada). If you’d like to win, please leave a comment on this post, and check out the New Habits in the New Year guidelines at this main post.

Come back on January 9 to see if you have won. Please be sure that the email address that you provide is one that you check regularly, and also check your spam folder when the winners are announced if you see your name.

Reader Interactions


361 Comments

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  4. I am a friend of Tracy’s. It is a beautifully written book and I am learning a lot about past, present and future friendships. I recommend this book to any woman who has ever had a friend or needs a friend.
    Patti

  11. The philosophy of friendship has been retold. I have stormy weather and fair weather friends. I trust the stormies.

  17. I would love to have this to read and to come back to when I’m feeling like all my friends are so far away (maybe because they are). I always feel like I’m on the outside looking in, it would be nice for some insight.

  21. I would love to read this as well. There is so much to be learned from friendships. Us woman don’t usually have a bunch of girlfriends, but we are finding out that it is totally neccesary for our happiness. Oh you know what I mean.

  29. I think I really need to read this. It’s a dilemma I face right now. I have a lot of aquaintances, but no really deep friendships.

  50. I would love to have this book, even though I’m sure you could have written it just as well!!

  58. What new mom couldn’t use some new friends as well as maintaining the ones we had pre-baby? I would love to have this book!

  62. I need to make some new friends….who couldn’t use more…..

    Please enter me….Thanks for contest…..

  92. Seems like it would be a good read. I need more to read so bad. I have a hard time finding books I have not read. Good luck.

  97. I was unable to keep friends when I grew up because I was ashamed of not being able to bring new friends home. Now I would like to keep friends. This book may help me in this area of my life.

  101. One of my goals is to make a new girl friend in 2008. It’s too easy to stay at home and not put forth the effort required to really get to know someone. It’s worth it though, and I need this book for inspiration!

  110. This book is what I think I need to kick start me into new and lasting friendships…I am usually hesitant to begin…afraid of imposing…and end up losing site of folks I care about….except for family. I have had many wonderful people cross my path and have been blessed and sometimes inspired by their crossings…it would be wonderful to really “be” and “have” good and lasting friendships.

  111. Being a ministry family and moving around makes it hard to make good friends! i would love to read this!

  116. My daughter is a new first-time mom in a new town. This would be perfect for her. Thanks.

  122. I need this book TERRIBLY!! I have a tendency to close up and isolate when the things in life tend to be tough. As women, we are pulled and pushed in so many directions with our families and all of their needs, etc., that we lose sight of ‘who’ we are and tend to lose a part of ourselves each day. I believe our friendships with other women pay the cost the most when really, they are a huge part of helping us remain sane, focus on what is important, and help remind us that we aren’t alone and that there is always a friend available when needed. I am so blessed to have my friends that continually point me back in the (His!)right direction when I lose sight! I think this book would be so beneficial for me and to learn from!
    Your site is amazing and I am so blessed to have found it~

  138. Thanks for making me reflect about my new friendships without even having read the book! Having recently moved, had a child and made new girlfriends, I would find this a really interesting read. Thank you.

  145. This sounds like just what I need. I’ve recently moved to a new city to take a job, and I’m finding it very hard to meet people.

  167. The book sounds great, we moved away from our hometown and it is tough staying close w/ friends. Please enter me in. Have a great day!!!!!

  168. I am definitely one of those women on the outside looking in… Thanks for the chance to win.

  172. This sounds like a “MUST READ” for everyone. Growing and nurturing genuine friendship is so important in our lives and I think we all could use advice on cultivating and sustaining this vital connection that so enriches our lives.

  178. Having moved cross country last year, the subject of friendships is dear to my heart. Thanks for entering me in the contest.

  181. THis sounds like a great book for someone like me who has experienced a job loss or any big disruption in their social network when you realize that you dont have a lot of common with your current social group!

  183. I’d love to win this. This is exactly the kind of book that I love to read..in fact, I wish I’d wrote it!

  188. One of my friends I met in 1976. At a church function that I was introduced to friends of my longtime friend, the women were amazed that we had been friends for so long. I didn’t necessarily take the friendship for granted. I know that it is hard to maintain a friendship where one party moved out of state in 7th grade (1983) but we have been able to maintain it successfully.

  189. this sounds like an interesting book.I would love to read it. A person can never have too many friends. Friends are diffinately important…themommie

  192. I feel that my husband, with a job and ready-made friends (great co-workers), has it easy! Staying at home, it’s harder for me to feel that I’m getting adult time and friendships. I’d love to win this one.

  195. This is a very important topic/subject and really needs to be looked into in todays’ environment. These younger kids growing up really need this; heck, even some of us older tykes could use something like this to help us open up; great write

  198. It sounds like a wonderful book. Who can’t use more friends. I’d love to read the book – even if I don’t win the contest!

    Thanks for the opportunity to win, though. 🙂

  199. After becoming a new mom – my entire world has changed and I have discovered that I don’t really have this skill of developing friendships – this book would be great!

  205. I would love this book. I certainly could use the advice for not just my siblings but myself!

  213. Wow, this book is right on time. My New Year’s goal is to tend to my friendships that I’ve been neglecting, deepen some acquaintance relationships and create new friendships. This book would take me a step in the right direction.

  229. This is great. Would love to win this. I could use it for goodness sakes. thanks.

  230. I am one of those women who have lots of friendships which mean a lot to me… and I’m having a new lady over for lunch tomorrow whom I hope to get to know better. Because friends mean so much to me, I would love to read this book for better ideas in how I can interact with these precious ladies in my life. Thank you for the chance to win!

  251. I would really like to read this book! It would be a great addition to my collection, it sounds fantastic.

  259. This would be really helpful to me and my sister -in-law. We’ve both felt very socially isolated at times and are a bit shy, which so often gets misinterpreted as not being interested in others. Maybe this could help. Don’t think it would hurt!

  265. This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. Thanks for the chance to win!

  286. strange I was just thinking about this.. all the kids growing up and leaving home made me realize I don’t have any friends!

  295. Looks like a great book. I am in a Bible Study with some friends – we would really likek to explore this book – thanks
    Beverly

  312. I so need this book, I have a very hard time developing new friendships…If I don’t win, I’m definately going to see if my local library has it!

  313. Count me in. I need this book! I’m not so good at making friends, but as a military spouse the ones I do make keep moving away.

  317. This books looks interesting, I am a very private person and have a hard time making friends, hopefully reading this will help.

  324. I have lots of friends, but it seems we go in cycles…being close and then not so close. I’m wondering if the book could answer some questions for me. Thanks for giving me the chance to win one!

  331. We just moved from Oregon to Texas, and I’ve realized something with this major change: friends are EVERYthing! I’ve taken time to let my friends in Oregon know how much they mean to me, and I’m trying to reach out to new friends here in Texas. This book sounds like a great tutor for me in my endeavors. Thanks!

  332. I would love this book to help me rekindle and old and dear to me friendship as well as help to create new and lasting friendships.

  334. I have a bad habit of keeping myself locked in my apartment alone due to depression. I really need to read this

  335. Could definatley use this – army wives find themselves constantly forced to make new friends.

  339. I could really use this. I realize that I am “friend-adverse”, so I need help! Pick me!
    Stephanie
    williamspublic at comcast dot net

  348. Sign me up. I’m taking a step out of the boat and starting a book club in my area. This would be a great book to add to the list!

  349. I would really love to win this book. Sounds like a wonderful idea and a book that many women could benefit from.

  353. Oh please pick me…oh, that may explain one reason I have a problem making friends. I really would love a book like this. It is nice to know that I am not alone in the winding and criss crossing road of creating and keeping friendships alive as an adult female.
    Le Anne
    yardsaleprincess1@yahoo.com

  355. I could really use this. When I moved here to marry my husband I never really made any good friends. I’m finding it very lonely, especially now that I’m home with a newborn.

  357. Evening, I could really use this book. I have been a stay at home mom for 19 years! I had friends, but now we have grown apart. They have jobs, children younger than me, etc. Now, that I have the time, I need to rebuild friendships. Thanks for sponsoring this contest…..Cindi

  358. This book sounds so very interesting! Please sign me up!
    I just found your website and I must say, you have a lot to offer. Thanks!
    Rebecca