I’ve not lived near blood family for the entirety of my adult life.
That’s quite the contrast from how I grew up: neck-deep in family on O’Neill Lane in Osage County, Oklahoma. O’Neill was not only my last name but the last name of everyone who lived on that lane, too.
When I fell in love with a USAF fella in college, thus began a couple of decades of moving all over the place where no place held any relatives–except for a brief period when a couple of cousins lived in Ohio while we were there.
Looking back, though, I can see all the ways God chose this life I’ve lived, and I haven’t regretted it one iota. Then and now, I feel in my bones how I’ve always been where I’m supposed to be. Today, I’m meant to be in Colorado just as assuredly as the sun is meant to be in the sky.
But without the advantage of close-by family, you quickly learn that your circle of family must widen to include those who don’t share blood with you.
Your definition of family must expand to include what I like to call framily. And whether you lived smack dab in the middle of your own family or live across an ocean from them, I bet you have some framily of your own–friends you love like sisters through thick and thin.
So, here’s a project honoring that framily: Friends Are Family We Choose. It’s the smallest book I’ve ever written, but she’s mighty in purpose.
I worked with my first literary agent turned gift book editor, Ruth Samsel, on this project with Harvest House, and what a pleasure it’s been! Isn’t she just so dang pretty?
In his book, Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guider writes, “Language is how you create a culture.”
Culturally speaking, we’re missing the mark on how to speak respectfully to one another. It’s too easy to regularly hand out destructive criticism and hoard affection. Friends Are Family We Choose is a resource that helps turn that around.
And it would be the perfect book to honor your own framily on occasions such as:
- National Friendship Day (Sunday, August 4th)
- Birthdays
- Friendsgiving
- Christmas
- Galentine’s Day (February 13th)
- Pastor Appreciation Month (October)
- Military Spouse Appreciation Month (May)
More specifically and personally speaking, it would be the perfect gift to honor the:
- Hostess
- Adopted Aunt or Grandma
- Pastor’s Wife
- Military Wife
- Bible Study Leader
- Small Group Leader
- Neighbor
- Bestie in your life.
Basically, this poignant-with-a-side-of-humor book works for any gal you want to thank for being the friend you love like family!
Friends Are Family We Choose is available for preorder at Barnes & Noble, Target, Walmart, Christianbook, and Amazon (Amazon link is an affiliate link). Preorders are a big blessing to an author because they tell a bookseller to keep this item in stock. And preorders can be a blessing to the buyer because, if you choose to purchase from Amazon, you’ll receive the book at the lowest retail price between when you order it and when the book releases. AND your card won’t be charged until the book ships.
Here’s to using language in a way that builds up your people! And to having a good book to gift to a good friend who is a gift to you!
Much love, dearheart,
K
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