In the midst of feeling sad and disconnected during a socially distanced year, my friends and family have reconnected in some really creative, fun, life-giving ways that we've kept up because we've loved it so much. Some of these ideas might work for you and your loved ones:
1. Marco Polo. I'd heard of the Marco Polo app several years ago but never got around to trying the video messenger app. I currently have multiple friend group conversations going on Marco Polo, and it has become my friend lifeline during this season of life. I especially love that video messages can be recorded at any time and watched later. I often watch the day's videos as I cook dinner, as I snuggle into bed for the night, or as I get up and have my first cup of coffee. We've laughed, cried, and lived a lot of real life with one another over this app.
2. Snail Mail Tea Party. I had a stash of cute note cards from our pre-pandemic life, and I've started sending them off to friends, family, and anyone else who crosses my mind during this time. Did you know a tea bag can be mailed in a card without needing any additional postage? Yep! You can send your friends a cup of tea and a sweet note as a day brightener. If you don't have cute note cards, don't sweat it. I've been known to use a piece of notebook paper with my own silly sketches for decoration.
4. Texted Prayers. I adopted this habit several years ago, long before COVID-19. Rather than telling someone I'm praying for them in response to hard news, I've started pausing whatever it was I was doing to send them a prayer via text. There is something incredibly powerful about being able to reread words someone has prayed over you while sitting in the doctor's office, or while laying awake up in the middle of the night with worry. Don't be self-conscious about praying "out loud"—the words you write will be precious to the recipient, even if they aren't perfect.
Are you looking for more resources? Have you checked out our books?
Kendra, Julie and Kristin
Our newest book, One Good Word a Day, offers simple but deeply spiritual meditations that will help readers linger on one word each day so they can identify and reflect on how Jesus as the Word influences their daily lives.
Looking for encouragement in your friendships? Our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship, includes a daily scripture, story, and friendship prompt. It's encouraging and slightly challenging (in a good way!) in helping you find, keep, and love your friends.
Our devotional for tweens is a great complement to our devotional for women! 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture, short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece, granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships from an early age.
We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness. They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon.
We're in this together,
Kendra, Julie and Kristin
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