The Heart of Friendship | How to Make Friends, Female Friendship, Adult Friendship, Friendship Advice

Are you helping… or are you enabling? It’s not always easy to tell the difference, especially in our closest relationships. In this episode of The Friendship Tour, we’re closing out the 3-part Strong Friend series with a conversation that gets right to the heart of support, accountability, boundaries, and the weight of “superwoman” expectations. My guest, Latasha Kennedy (founder of Girlfriends Th...

The Strong Friend Unmasked Are you the “strong friend” in your circle? The one who always shows up, holds everything together, and carries the weight of everyone else’s struggles? While being dependable and supportive is a gift, it can also come with a hidden cost—frustration, resentment, loneliness, stress, and even physical symptoms like panic attacks and high blood pressure. In this episode of...

Are you the "strong friend"—the one everyone calls when life falls apart, the steady one who always shows up? If so, how do you feel about it? And who do you call on when YOU need support? In this episode of The Friendship Tour, Latasha Kennedy and I explore what it means to carry that role in adult friendship—and how it can sometimes leave us feeling unseen or worn out. We’ll unpack 3 common mist...

SELAH: A time to pause, reflect, and recharge your life and friendships.​​ Sometimes the best thing we can do for our ourselves—and our friendships—is to pause. In this short episode of The Friendship Tour, Cecelia shares how the word Selah (found in the Psalms and beautifully echoed in Forrest Frank’s song) reminds us to stop, breathe, and reflect. She opens up about taking her own little “Selah”...

WELCOME TO THE FRIENDSHIP TOUR! Have you ever scrolled through Facebook friendship groups, hoping to find your people, but still come up empty? You’re not alone—and that’s exactly why The Friendship Tour exists. This is the podcast for women navigating the beautiful (and sometimes complicated) world of adult friendships and female friendships. Whether you’re longing for deeper connections, looking...

Adult Friendship, Purpose, Motherhood & More Being a good friend means celebrating and supporting other amazing women. And, that's what I'm doing this week! In this episode, I highlight some of my favorite conversations about friendship, faith, motherhood, and living with purpose. Listen in for encouragement, practical advice, and inspiration from other women who are doing incredible work: Pri...

This week’s episode of The Friendship Tour is short, sweet, and full of joy. I’m talking about quality time with loved ones (and with myself), celebrating a big podcast milestone, and sharing something exciting and new that I’ve been working on behind the scenes. Press play to celebrate with me, hear the latest news, and get inspired to savor the rest of your summer with family and friends. Let’s...

Do you dread small talk? You're not alone. In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I share practical, encouraging advice to help you make peace with those polite, sometimes awkward conversations that often open the door to meaningful friendships. I walk through four simple truths about small talk that can help you stop overthinking, loosen up, and confidently connect with new people. Whether you'r...

I'm back with part two of my conversation with sociology professor Chryssy Payne, and this time we’re going even deeper. In this episode, we unpack the “No New Friends” mentality and how it may be doing more harm than good—especially for those of us trying to build healthy, lasting adult friendships. We also talk candidly about church hurt, the challenges of trusting again, and how to find your pe...

This episode is all about community — what it really means, why it matters, and how it shapes our sense of belonging. Join sociology professor Chryssy Payne and me as we explore how community meets deep human needs like validation and identity, even in our increasingly digital world. We share stories from our younger years, talk about how technology helps us stay connected (and sometimes gets in t...

The Friendship Tour Book Club is back — and you’re invited! In this quick bonus episode, I’m sharing everything you need to know about our next gathering: 📘 We’re reading My Friends by Fredrik Backman. 📅 The virtual meeting is tentatively set for Saturday, September 6th 🕔 Exact time is TBD based upon time zones. (Last time, we met at 5pm PST / 8pm EST.) Get the Book! 🛍️ Grab the book through th...

In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I'm joined again by my lifelong friend, Kina Thornton Frazier. Together, we take a walk down memory lane, reflect on nearly three decades of friendship, and share our thoughts about what makes (or breaks) new friendships. From setting healthy boundaries to trusting your instincts, Kina and I talk through some red flags in new relationships and why pacing mat...

Have you ever met someone who seemed excited to connect—but every time you reached out, they were “too busy”? Or maybe you’ve found yourself overpromising on a friendship you couldn’t follow through on. If so, you’ve likely experienced (or unknowingly done) a little breadcrumbing. In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I share a personal story that introduced me to the concept of breadcrumbing in...

In this follow-up to our episode, Why Am I All Alone?, author and rehabilitation consultant, Val Walker returns for a powerful conversation about the hidden ways social media shapes our confidence and friendships—especially for women navigating adult connection. With hundreds of online “friends,” why do so many of us still feel alone? Why does a single unanswered message or unliked post feel so pe...

In this quick update, I'm sharing a few exciting changes happening with The Friendship Tour : A fresh new look that captures the heart of friendship A new newsletter for friendship tips, encouragement, resources, and early access to events An open invitation to send in your questions for an upcoming Q&A episode Let’s stay connected — just choose a way and say hello! 📬 Sign up for the newslett...

Have you ever found yourself wondering, “Why am I all alone?” In this heartfelt and honest episode, I’m joined by author, Val Walker to explore one of the most tender—and often silent—struggles many women face: isolation and loneliness in adulthood. Val shares the powerful story that sparked her journey into researching loneliness. Val’s story highlights the harsh realities of and complicated emot...

Have you ever had a friend say something so kind that it stuck with you for years? Words have power—and in this episode of The Friendship Tour, I’m talking about how we can all become the kind of friend who uses words to build others up in faith, in love, and in friendship. This episode is inspired by the theme from my kids’ school—“Speak Life.” What started as a the school’s theme made its way in...

How to Be a Better Friend: The Ministry of Presence Have you ever gotten that call or text—the one that says, “My mom died” or “He left me”—and suddenly you’re frozen, unsure what to say or do? You care deeply, but you don’t want to make things worse. In this episode of The Friendship Tour, we explore a powerful, often overlooked way to support your friends: The Ministry of Presence. Sometimes, th...

In this just-for-fun bonus episode of The Friendship Tour, I sit down (again!) with New Zealand-based travel blogger Sarah Kennerley for a relaxed conversation about one of my favorite topics - traveling! After the last episode on how to travel with friends without breaking the friendship, Sarah and I kept the conversation going—and hit record while we did. In this lighthearted follow-up, we swap...

Travel and friendship—two of life’s greatest joys… and sometimes, biggest challenges. In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I'm joined by world traveler and travel writer, Sarah Kennerley, to talk about what really goes into planning a trip that strengthens your friendships instead of straining them. Fresh off of a multi-generational trip with friends myself, I'm sharing real-life stories, red f...

Fact or Fiction: People Don't Like Me Because I'm Honest We’ve all heard it: “People just don’t like me because I’m honest.” But is that really the case? In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I unpack the truth behind honesty in friendships—where it helps, where it hurts, and how to do it well. I explore the difference between honesty and bluntness, and why the way we speak truth matters more th...

In this mini episode of The Friendship Tour, I share a special thank you to everyone who joined the very first Friendship Tour Book Club meeting — it was a beautiful night of laughter, honesty, and connection. But today’s message isn’t just a recap — it’s an invitation! I want to hear from YOU. For an upcoming Q&A-style episode, I'm collecting your real friendship questions: What’s been hard?...

In this episode of The Friendship Tour, we get real about vulnerability — what it means, why it’s terrifying, and why it’s absolutely essential for deep, lasting friendships. I share a personal story about opening up to Mia during my journey with infertility, and how her response showed me what true friendship looks like in times of pain and uncertainty. Her words offered more than comfort and und...

In this heartfelt episode of The Friendship Tour, I sit down with an old friend, Mia Overton-Smith, for a deep, honest conversation that starts with confidence—and goes so much further. Together, we explore where confidence really comes from and what happens when we struggle to believe we’re enough. As the conversation unfolds, we dive into topics like self-love, body image, healing from internal...

In this episode of The Friendship Tour, I share real insights from real women who are part of the Women, Friendship, and Community Facebook group. From friendship breakups to mom friends to the wisdom we wish we’d had years ago—this one’s full of heart, truth, humor, and wisdom. As a group, we recently explored four questions: ✨ Are you team “No New Friends”—or do you stay open to new connections...