Together Is a Beautiful Place: Finding, Keeping, and Loving Our Friends

by Bailey T. Hurley

Overview

Are you lonely? Do you struggle to find the real friends you long for? Here is your invitation to build lasting friendship through meaningful and intentional practices that anyone can do.
The older we get, the less we find ourselves spending time in the company of good friends. Organic friendship becomes nearly impossible—after all, there are all sorts of obligations tugging at our attention. Or we find ourselves getting frustrated with shallow, draining conversations. Or, most painful of all, we feel like no one wants us—and who wants to be rejected?

If you have found yourself desperately wanting connection but confused about why you are not experiencing it, you are not alone. And you don’t have to stay there.

As Christian women, our faith calls us to support one another on the path of growing as a follower of Jesus—a call that will connect us, create a solid foundation for trust, and bind us together in Jesus’ love, no matter what struggles we face on the road of friendship. Together Is a Beautiful Place offers practical habits that are sustainable, deep, and valuable.

You will

• identify what makes a godly, lasting friendship;
• tackle lies and false expectations about what it takes to build lasting friendship; and
• learn to tackle the barriers to friendship and invite healthy friendship rhythms.

You will find that it is possible to grow healthy friendships, starting now.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781641583169
Publisher:	The Navigators
Publication date:	05/17/2022
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Bailey T. Hurley is everyone's favorite community cheerleader. She encourages women to pursue a faithful relationship with God so they can build fruitful friendships in their corner of the world. Bailey holds an MA from Denver Seminary in leadership. She currently lives in Denver, CO, with her husband and kiddos.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Together Is Better 1

Friendship Pep Talk: A Toast to Friendship 18

1 Worthy of Friendship 21

Friend-Date Idea: Coffee-Shop Crawl 31

2 Friendship Filters 55

Friendship Pep Talk: Find Your People 55

3 DIY Friendship 57

Friend-Date Idea: Cake Day 70

4 Never Too Busy 75

Friend-Date Idea: Sole Mates 90

5 When the Friendship Doesn't Measure Up 93

Friendship Pep Talk: Don't Give Up 107

6 Friends for a Season 109

Friend-Date Idea: Podcast and Pizza Party 119

7 Better to Give than to Receive 123

Friendship Pep Talk: Unseen Moments 137

8 Sticks and Stones 139

Friendship Pep Talk: You Made a Difference 150

9 Show Your Sweat Stains 153

Friendship Pep Talk: Celebrate Uniqueness 165

Epilogue: Together Is a Beautiful Place 167

Acknowledgments 174

Notes 177

What People are Saying About This

Maggie Wallem Rowe

Truth be told, I seldom read nonfiction books by authors less than half my age—the generational gap in life experiences is too wide. In Together Is a Beautiful Place, however, Bailey Hurley winsomely offers fresh yet timeless principles on friendship building that I have found to be true in nearly seven decades of life. We are never too old to discover new friends who can become the old friends we long to have. I’m thankful to Bailey for pointing the way to rich relationships for a new generation.

Sally Clarkson

Bailey’s book is timely and wonderful. It will touch you deeply in addressing women’s needs and longing for companionship and intimacy with friends. She shows clearly how to make this possible by applying practical and insightful ideas. I loved this book, and I think you will too!

Jonathan D. Holmes

Bailey Hurley has written a remarkable book that has the power to transform not only how you view friendship but how you do friendship. Brimming with Christ-centered joy and exuberance, Bailey takes you by the hand (as any friend should) and helps you navigate the often-overwhelming terrain of friendships in the modern world. One part guide, one part friend cheerleader, Bailey is the friend we all wish lived next door (and who we could grab a mug of coffee with). But more than that, Bailey ultimately directs our gaze and affections to our truest friend—Jesus Christ. Grab this book today and get motivated because friendships have the power to make a scary and lonely world a little less frightening and a whole lot more inviting.

Amy Lively

Having known Bailey personally for many years, I trust her friendship advice. She knows how to show up, love, and serve! Bailey gently but boldly names the fears that hinder healthy relationships, but she doesn’t leave us stuck in that lonely place—she puts tools in our hands to help us become committed girlfriends, freely giving and receiving the friendship we crave. She helped me realize that my friendships aren’t just about me, about my satisfaction or fulfillment: This is about Kingdom building, one intimate connection at a time.

Ann Swindell

Bailey Hurley’s book Together Is a Beautiful Place is a thoughtful resource for those of us who want to make—and develop—Christ-centered friendships. Through sharing her own story (full of friendship victories and failures), Bailey offers practical tools and spiritual insights so we can cultivate true friendships that flow from the love of Christ.

Kelsey Chapman

Bailey beautifully illustrates the power of togetherness and the importance of building life-giving connections in Together Is a Beautiful Place. Through her masterful demonstration of building an inclusive table, she reminds us all that genuine relationships are within our grasp, even when community building feels out of reach. By sharing her own extremely relatable journey of friendship fumbles, she powerfully showcases how meaningful friendships are cultivated, not wished into existence. Deep, long-lasting relationships require intentionality, and Bailey gives us a blueprint to better understand what it really takes to cultivate meaningful connections when each of us inevitably finds ourselves in a season where it’s time to make friends again. If you’ve ever struggled with building a close-knit community, this book is for you. If you have lifelong friends you cherish but find yourself wondering how the heck to make the most of your time in maintaining friendships, this book is for you. We all long for a table with a spot reserved just for us, and Bailey tells us how in Together Is a Beautiful Place.

Shasta Nelson

There is a big difference between a social life and truly being in community—and if it’s the latter that you want, Bailey will inspire you step-by-step on that journey. With poignant honesty and contagious hope, Bailey guides us all to the deeper friendships we’re made to experience.

Kristin Schell

We all crave meaningful connection, but we often struggle with how to make and keep authentic relationships. Now more than ever, we need a mentor like Bailey Hurley to come alongside us with godly wisdom and practical advice. Together Is a Beautiful Place is a must-read for women of all ages and stages in life.

Holly Mackle

With lots of heart and gospel truth, Bailey invites us into a safe space to consider the essential topic of friendship. Let Together Is a Beautiful Place remind you of Christ’s compassion for every woman, motivate you toward a right understanding of sacrificial living in friendships, and call you to more in relating to one another in kindness, just as it did for me.