Friendship Development

In a shallow light-speed world, how can we really know and be known by another person? How do we make true friends? The Digital Age is all about change, but the need for true friendship never changes. We are designed for real engagement with others - for affirmation that goes beyond a simple "like" on social media, for connection over meals, for hope and excitement about the future. Above all, we need to be known and accepted for who we are.

You are meant to be in relationships that bring joy and connection—that help you know soul-deep peace and leave you feeling loved instead of lonely. Instead, surface-level friendships, filtered social media feeds, unresolved conflicts, and unhealthy relationships can often seem to harm our self-worth, spiritual growth, and mental health—and keep us from the very relationships that could bring that true connection.

"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person." ( The World According to Mister Rogers)

Living in an ever-more-fragmented society, it might seem daunting to make and maintain friendships. But what if we could overcome our isolation epidemic by harnessing the power of platonic relationships? In this rigorously researched and compelling book, friendship expert and psychologist Dr. Marisa G. Franco shares why making friends and forging platonic connections doesn't just help to combat loneliness and better our society, but will also help us to lead happier and more fulfilled lives.

Best-selling author Jen Hatmaker is convinced life can be lovely and fun and courageous and kind. She reveals with humor and style how Jesus' embarrassing grace is the key to dealing with life's biggest challenge: people.

Making new friends doesn't have to be a chore. Learn how to do it quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

This 3-in-1 guide gives you 120+ tools, scripts, and self-reflection exercises to help you heal attachment wounds, stop manipulative habits, and build meaningful relationships that feel safe, clear, and real. Plus, you’ll get a FREE 12-in-1 “Toxic Recovery” Bonus Bundle packed with even more healing tools to support your journey.

We all long to do life together with people who really "get" us. But it can feel like there are so many obstacles. But once you find real, authentic relationships maintaining those friendships and taking them to a deeper level can be even harder. In Here For It (The Good, the Bad, and the Queso), Amy Weatherly and Jess Johnston, bestselling authors and founders of the wildly popular "Sister, I Am with You" online community, simplify some of the trickier aspects of friendship and give you practical ways to deepen the friendships you already have.

The Big Cheese is the best at everything, and brags about it, too. When the annual Cheese-cathlon comes around, the Big Cheese is prepared to win, as always. But what happens when the quiet new kid, Wedge Wedgeman, comes out on top? Is a slice of humility all the Big Cheese needs to discover that some things are better than being the best?

In the best-selling tradition of The Presidents Club and Presidential Courage, White House history as told through the stories of the best friends and closest confidants of American presidents.

On the scale of stranger to bromance, where do your friendships land? As guys, we tend to get a bum rap when it comes to our ability to relate to other men. We talk work, sports, and buffalo wings, but struggle to move into meaningful conversation with our friends. Justin Erickson has identified seven kinds of friendships every man needs to thrive and grow as a Christian. Based on the biblical role models of men like David, Paul, and Timothy, these are the relationships that ultimately make you the man that God has called you to be.

Do you find it hard to connect with other people? Do your relationships feel stale and lack real, meaningful connections? Do you wish you were more confident, charismatic, and likable? How to Make People Like You is a book with detailed insights on everything you need to know when it comes to going from a shy, anxious, and awkward individual and transforming yourself into someone who can unapologetically be your real, genuine, and authentic self.

In spite of the hyper-connected culture we live in today, women still feel shamed for oversharing and being publicly vulnerable. And no matter how many friends we seem to have, many of us are still desperately lonely. Laura Tremaine, blogger and podcaster behind 10 Things to Tell You, says it's time for something better. Openness and vulnerability are the foundation for human growth and healthy relationships, and it all starts when we share our stuff, the nitty-gritty daily details about ourselves with others.

Friendships are one of the most important aspects of a fulfilling life, yet making and maintaining meaningful connections can be challenging. Unlocking the Art of Making Friends: A Complete Guide to Meaningful Friendships for Adults is a practical and insightful guide designed to help you build lasting relationships, overcome social obstacles, and strengthen your existing friendships.

Far from being fluffy sentiments, acts of kindness–whether given, received, or witnessed–are potent elixirs that have a profound and lasting impact on our mental and physical health. From boosting happiness to soothing the soul, kindness isn’t just a feel-good notion–it’s a powerhouse. It relaxes your nerves, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, and even slows down ageing at the genetic level. This audiobook serves as a beacon of light, urging you to spread kindness like wildfire.

It began as another newspaper assignment, a celebrity profile of the children's television icon. But in Fred Rogers, Texas journalist Tim Madigan found more than a fascinating subject. From their first meeting in 1995, at Rogers's invitation, the two became unlikely friends, a deep and abiding relationship that lasted until Rogers's death in 2003. In that time, Madigan found Rogers to be much more than the calm and compassionate personality of television. He was a person of unique human greatness who embodied love, compassion and wisdom his every waking moment.

When Mindy and her best friend, B.J. Novak, are approached on a dark street by a Charles Manson-esque character, naturally they’re unnerved. Turns out he’s a huge fan of The Office! Now Mindy’s feeling a little judgy. But the night is young, unseasonably hot, and getting weirder. Mindy and B.J.’s brief encounter with the drifter is about to take an unexpected turn in Sunset Junction.

Many of us wish to share a meal, share our faith, and share our lives with others. We want to open our home to friends and neighbors for the sake of meaningful community, but we're overwhelmed with hospitality hang-ups. Our welcome has been influenced by the messages of the world that tell us hospitality is about our ability to be, host, live, and cook a certain way. In Gather & Give, Amy Hannon inspires you to embrace the simple hospitality of the Bible that values connection more than perfection and people more than presentation.

More than six million readers can attest to the heartbreak and courage of Dave Pelzer's story of growing up in an abusive home. His inspirational books have helped countless others triumph over hardship and misfortune. Now this former lost boy, who defeated insurmountable odds to emerge whole and happy, at last takes us on his incredible odyssey toward healing and forgiveness.

For too long, women have been told that we are terrible at being friends, that we can't help being cruel or competitive, or that we inevitably abandon each other for romantic partners. But we are rejecting those stereotypes and reclaiming the power of female friendship. In Text Me When You Get Home, journalist Kayleen Schaefer interviews more than 100 women about their BFFs, soul mates, girl gangs, and queens while tracing this cultural shift through the lens of pop culture.