504: The Myth of the ‘Perfect Friendship’

Friendships in motherhood are rarely as simple as we expect them to be. Today Karen and Emily are continuing our friendship conversation by tackling comparison, conflict, cliques, and what to do when a friendship changes. They answer listeners’ questions about unmet expectations and learning when to lean in and when to let go. If friendship feels confusing, discouraging, or just plain messy right now, we hope this episode encourages you!

Episode Recap:

Intro (00:00)

What is happening over on Wire Talk+? (4:01)

Where do your friendship expectations come from? (10:30)

How have your healthy friendships naturally changed over time? (12:56)

Ask God for what you need - even in your friendships (14:52)

Friendship doesn’t always look exactly like what we have imagined (18:02)

How do we handle conflict and tension in friendship? (18:30)

You can create space without ghosting people (21:37)

How do I make friends when everywhere around me is full of cliques? (22:00)

My friend continually brings up a topic of conversation that irritates me (25:25)

Continue the conversation over on Wire Talk + (28:00)

Scripture: Proverbs 17:17 (ESV) “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How has comparison (especially through social media) shaped your expectations of friendship?

2. Are there friendships in your life where proximity (distance, schedules, seasons of life) has changed the relationship?

3. When conflict or tension shows up, do you tend to address it or pull away? Why?

4. What kind of friend do you have the capacity to be right now? What kind of friendship do you realistically need in this season?

5. Is there one practical step you could take this month to strengthen a current friendship or pursue a new one?

Resources:

- Listen to the rest of the conversation with WT+: boaw.mom/insider

- Join our BOAW Moms Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BOAWmoms

- Check out our BRAND NEW Bible study: https://boaw.teachable.com/l/pdp/how-to-teach-your-kids-the-bible

Want More of This Conversation?

Wire Talk+ listeners get extended conversations every week! Today Karen and Emily walk through a friendship inventory to assess their current capacity for relationship and where they want to invest their time and energy. Insiders can download the friendship inventory for free!

To become a Wire Talk+ Insider, head here: https://www.patreon.com/c/BOAW and join us for the full conversation.