#55 Noelle Rhodes [Friending]

Today we're continuing our series on cultivating community, creating meaningful connections and building lasting friendships, and I'm chatting with Noelle Rhodes, host of the Friending show. Noelle starts by sharing her own personal struggle with friendship. When she moved back to the States, after being a missionary in Northern Ireland for several years, most of her friends had moved on. She was lonely and was having a hard time making new friends. That low point started her journey to researching and talking about female friendships. Noelle describes how relationships affect us and says "loneliness is the worst poison for the mind, and friendship is as valuable as daily exercise." We chat about what to do if you feel like friend groups have already been established and you're on the outside. Noelle tells us to invite ourselves in…and bring food! She explains the difference between cliques and groups, and how to know if you're in a toxic relationship. We also talk about having a "social spark" with someone and how to invite them into a deeper friendship. Noelle says "time is that currency of trust and trust is what makes space for vulnerability, and then vulnerability leads to depth in friendships." Noelle is a pastor, podcaster and playwright. She has studied female friendship for the last 4 years and hosts the podcast, Friending – a show that helps women have life-giving friendship no matter what season of life they are in. She resides in New Jersey with her wild children, husband of 18 years and dog with three working legs.   MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Friending Podcast   NOELLS'S FAVORITE 5 Aldi Candles – First Snow Constant Comment Tea The Queen's Gambit Mrs. Meyers Peppermint All Purpose Cleaner Gray Walmart Sweatpants!   CONNECT WITH NOELLE Instagram | Website   WORD OF THE YEAR – WORD STUDY You have your Word of the Year. Now what? Make it meaningful by studying what the bible says about your word. Get your Word Study!