Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights.
This episode focuses on Chapter Five of The Great Belonging.
Read MoreWriter and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights.
This episode focuses on Chapter Four of The Great Belonging.
Read MoreWriter and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights.
This episode focuses on Chapter Three of The Great Belonging.
Read MoreIn this episode, I talk to Jason Gaboury about his new book, Wait with Me: Meeting God in Loneliness.
Read MoreIn this episode, I provide a quick update about the Hope for the Lonely podcast, my new podcast, my writing, my new weekly newsletter format, and more. I also read a short excerpt from the foreword for The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other, my book that will be published by Broadleaf Books on November 10, 2020, and that’s available now for pre-order. The foreword was written by Lauren Winner.
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In this episode, I talk to Robyn Kown about loneliness and our stories. Robyn is the founder and Executive Director for StoryTellers Live Ministry which includes StoryTellers Live Podcast as well as local community gatherings in 8 cities around the Southeast.
Robyn says, "In the Fall of 2016, some friends and I got together weekly for a small group. Each week one of us shared our story. These were friends, some of them I had known for several years, and I was hearing things about them I never knew! We began to see each woman for who God created her to be. An idea began to form. What if this could be done in a large setting? I started dreaming with God and asking Him what this looked like. Over time I began to see a ministry unfold – a place where women share their stories in a large setting, where they could be vulnerable and brave and able to share an experience that God has done in their life. Other women in the room would hear that story and not feel so alone. They would think, 'if God did that in their life, He can do something in my life too!' Women would be encouraged to not only see God's story in their life but also share it with others. This was it! StoryTellers Live was born.”
Robyn now coaches women on the art of how to tell real and personal stories of encounters with God. These stories can be heard on the StoryTellers Live Podcast. She lives in Vestavia Hills, Alabama with her husband and three children.
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her onTwitter and Instagram.
In this episode, Hope for the Lonely host Charlotte Donlon talks to Michelle Reyes, Ph.D. about loneliness and ministry.
Read MoreIn this episode, I talk to Zac Hicks about loneliness, belonging, and hope. We had a great conversation and I’m so glad to share it. I appreciate Zac’s heart for the gospel and his ability to communicate it to others.
In this episode I talk to K.J. Ramsey about loneliness and suffering. Our conversation was fantastic. She offers so much insight and grace and makes room for others to rest in God.
Listen to Hope for the Lonely Episode 20: Loneliness and Suffering with K.J. Ramsey
Read MoreIn this episode, I talk to Gordon Bals about loneliness and grief. Our conversation was so helpful to me as I’ve been dealing with a specific form of grief the past several weeks. I hope others who listen will also be comforted.
Read MoreIn this episode, I talk to Leslie Verner about loneliness and hospitality.
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In this episode, I talk to Aundi Kolber about loneliness and the holidays.
Someone recently asked me how we can help others who struggle with loneliness. I fumbled through an answer and honestly don’t even remember what I said. But I wish I had said that one thing we can do is invite those who struggle with loneliness to talk about it. I truly believe naming our loneliness and talking about it reduces the amount of power loneliness has over us. And holding space for others to talk about their suffering is a huge gift to them because so few people do that.
If you or someone you know struggles with loneliness, I invite you to listen. My new batch of episodes (with amazing guests!) is releasing over the next several weeks. This episode on loneliness and the holidays with Aundi Kolber is live now. She offers gentle insight and many great suggestions for those who experience loneliness.
Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC), an author, and a speaker living in Castle Rock, Colorado. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. She has written for Relevant, CT Women, and (in)courage. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain. Aundi is happily married to her best friend, Brendan, and is the proud mom of Matia and Jude.
Aundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer, she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. Try Softer is available for pre-order now and will be released on January 7, 2020.
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her onTwitter and Instagram.
The Hope for the Lonely podcast is back! I recently finished the manuscript for my forthcoming book: _The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us To Each Other_. It will be published by Fortress Press. Look for it in the Fall of 2020. In between now and then look for over a dozen interviews about loneliness, connectedness and the spaces in between. Here's to facing loneliness together...
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her onTwitter and Instagram.
I read Henri Nouwen’s Reaching Out several years ago when the women in my primary friend group at the time were all reading Henri Nouwen. It’s what we did back then. I decided to revisit this book because I’m not sure if I agree with it now. I know Nouwen discusses the movement from loneliness to solitude, but I don’t remember the details. Did he say loneliness leads us to solitude and then we don’t struggle with loneliness anymore after we embrace and practice solitude? Is that what he said? Because if that’s what he said, then I disagree. Are we allowed to disagree with Henri Nouwen?
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Hope for the Lonely Small Group Discussion Guide
Week One Episode 2
Starting the Conversation
Opening Questions
(Everyone is invited to share their answers with the group.)
Before we get started, what are your initial thoughts about the topic of loneliness? And, what do you hope to gain from our Hope for the Lonely small group meetings?
Take one-to-two minutes of silence to let go of any cares, concerns, etc.
Listen to Episode 2 of Hope for the Lonely (11 min 22 sec)
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever talked about loneliness with anyone?
2. Did any of the definitions of loneliness from this episode catch your attention? How do you define loneliness?
3. In this episode, Charlotte talks a bit about the loneliness of motherhood. What seasons have seemed lonelier to you?
4. When you have struggled with loneliness, what has given you hope?
5. What additional thoughts or observations would you like to share?
Read Psalm 13 together.
A Prayer
Lord, when we feel forgotten or alone, comfort us. When we wrestle with our worries, give us peace. Enable us to trust you, to receive your love, and to rest in your grace. Amen.
Share prayer requests and pray together.
Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her onTwitter and Instagram.
In this episode I explore connections between loneliness and art and the act of creating. I share input from others on the topic, as well.
Listen to Episode 15: Loneliness and Artists
Read MoreIn this episode, I explore connections between loneliness and busyness, focusing primarily on young adults who are some of the loneliest people in the United States.
Listen to Hope for the Lonely Episode 14: Loneliness and Busyness
Read MoreIn this episode I explore loneliness and marriage primarily through sharing several vulnerable responses about loneliness and marriage from the anonymous online survey for this episode. I also give a shoutout to how great therapy is for people who need someone to talk to about their loneliness.
Listen to Hope for the Lonely Episode Thirteen: Loneliness and Marriage.
Read MoreIn this episode I share some scientific proof that loneliness is complex.
Listen to Hope for the Lonely Episode Twelve: The Complexities of Loneliness.
Read MoreIn this episode, I look at some of the sources of hope we can hold onto in the midst of our loneliness.
Listen to Hope for the Lonely Episode Eleven: A Heap of Hope.
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