Hope for the Lonely with Charlotte Donlon

In this episode, Charlotte reads an essay she wrote about how the church years helps her feel less alone.

As we engage more deeply with the ancient streams of art and faith, how they inform one another, and how all of this can create profound new possibilities for belonging, we need ways to respond.

Through her work as a spiritual director for writers, artists, and those all along the belief-and-unbelief spectrum, Charlotte Donlon explores how belonging intersects with the contemplative life.

This essay was originally published in Christianity Today in 2019. This audio essay is also going to be live on Charlotte's Our Faith in Writing podcast.

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Charlotte Donlon helps readers and clients notice how they belong to themselves, others, God, and the world. Charlotte is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, the Church Street Coffee & Books Writer-in-Residence, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. She’s also the host for the Hope for the Lonely and A Writer’s Diary podcasts. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other.

She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging.

The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.

Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com. Thanks for listening!

Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. She also hosts A Writer's Diary, a podcast about writing and the writing life.

Charlotte helps readers, clients, and listeners notice how art and other things deepen their belongings to themselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other . You can subscribe to her newsletter here and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram. You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com. 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte helps readers, clients, and listeners notice how art and other things deepen their belongings to themselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

Writer and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon goes behind the scenes and provides additional information about each chapter of her first book, The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. She also shares details about her writing process, lessons learned from writing her first book, and other insights. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other explores various angles of loneliness and belonging. The book’s sections include Belonging to Ourselves, Belonging to Each Other, Belonging to Our Places, Belonging through Art, and Belonging to God. Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com. (Behind the Scenes with The Great Belonging was recorded as a video series that you can view at charlottedonlon.com.)Learn more about The Great Belonging at charlottedonlon.com (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). She also hosts A Writer's Diary (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/a-writers-diary-podcast), a daily podcast about writing and the writing life.Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is [The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other](https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). You can also follow her writing and book-in-progress about parenting with art at parentingwithart.com (https://www.parentingwithart.com/). 

This is Hope for the Lonely Unplugged Episode 27: Holiday Loneliness in a Pandemic.

We’re in the middle of a pandemic. People are tired and depleted. It’s easier right now for me to release new episodes without involving a producer, so I’m going to try it. We’ll see how this goes.

In this episode I talk about holiday loneliness during the pandemic. I also talk about a sermon a friend preached about suicide, so this is a content warning for those who need it. I also provide a quick update about The Great Belonging and other things.

Links to articles, etc. mentioned in this episode:

Reducing Holiday Loneliness During a Pandemic
Our Darkest Moments: On Suicide, Faith, and Hope

Charlotte's Book: The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other   

Learn More about Charlotte, Her Writing, and Other Projects

Sign Up For Charlotte's Email Newsletter


Charlotte Donlon helps readers and clients notice how they belong to themselves, others, God, and the world. Charlotte is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, the Church Street Coffee & Books Writer-in-Residence, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website. She’s also the host for the Hope for the Lonely and A Writer’s Diary podcasts. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. You can subscribe to her newsletter and connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.

In this episode of Hope for the Lonely, Charlotte Donlon talks to Marlena Graves about her new book, The Way Up is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself and the loneliness Christians may experience when they follow Jesus.From InterVarsity Press"Now, with God's help, I shall become myself."These words from Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard resonate deeply with Marlena Graves, a Puerto Rican writer, professor, and activist. In these pages she describes the process of emptying herself that allows her to move upward toward God and become the true self that God calls her to. Drawing on the rich traditions of Eastern and Western Christian saints, she shares stories and insights that have enlivened her transformation. For Marlena, formation and justice always intertwine on the path to a balanced life of both action and contemplation.If you long for more of God, this book offers a time-honored path to deeper life.About Marlena GravesMarlena Graves is a writer and adjunct professor. She has also worked at Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). Marlena holds an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute. She has been a bylined writer for Christianity Today, (in)courage, womenleaders.com, and Our Daily Bread, and she is also the author of A Beautiful Disaster. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Toledo, Ohio.Learn More about Charlotte, Her Writing, and Other Projectswww.charlottedonlon.comCharlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

In this episode, Charlotte talks to Jason Gaboury about his new book, Wait with Me: Meeting God in Loneliness.Jason Gaboury is a regional ministry director with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He's also an Anglican friar (Anglican Order of Preachers). He has contributed to a number of books, including Drama Team Handbook. He and his wife, Sophia, live in New York City with their two children. Wait with Me: Meeting God in Lonelinesshttps://www.ivpress.com/wait-with-meFrom IVP:"To be human is to be lonely." When his seventy-something spiritual director Friar Ugo spoke these words in a voice cracking with age, Jason Gaboury felt a deep sense of their truth.To the observer, Jason, a campus minister, active church member, and father with a young family, might not have seemed lonely. But it's how he felt. He has wrestled with loneliness ever since he can remember, perhaps before he can remember . . . through childhood, college, and into adulthood.When Friar Ugo challenged him to see loneliness as a context for friendship with God, things began to change. In these pages God invites you to stop and wait with him in your own moments of isolation and anxiety. It's an invitation into a journey through loneliness into a deeper life with God.Visit charlottedonlon.com for more show notes and to receive a download from Jason: Six Spiritual Practices for When You Feel Isolated or Lonely. (www.charlottedonlon.com/hope-for-the-lonely/2020/4/20/hope-for-the-lonely-episode-twenty-five-loneliness-and-meeting-god-with-jason-gaboury)Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

In this episode, I provide a quick update about the Hope for the Lonely podcast, my new podcast (https://www.charlottedonlon.com/lists-of-nine-podcast), my writing, my new weekly newsletter format (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/), and more. I also read a short excerpt from the foreword for The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://www.charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book), my book that will be published by Broadleaf Books on November 10, 2020, and that’s available now for pre-order. The foreword was written by Lauren Winner.Let me know if you have any feedback or suggestions!Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

In this episode of Hope for the Lonely, Charlotte Donlon talks to Robyn Kown about loneliness and our stories. Robyn is the founder and Executive Director for StoryTellers Live Ministry which includes StoryTellers Live Podcast as well as local community gatherings in 8 cities around the Southeast. Robyn says, "In the Fall of 2016, some friends and I got together weekly for a small group. Each week one of us shared our story. These were friends, some of them I had known for several years, and I was hearing things about them I never knew! We began to see each woman for who God created her to be. An idea began to form. What if this could be done in a large setting? I started dreaming with God and asking Him what this looked like. Over time I began to see a ministry unfold – a place where women share their stories in a large setting, where they could be vulnerable and brave and able to share an experience that God has done in their life. Other women in the room would hear that story and not feel so alone. They would think, 'if God did that in their life, He can do something in my life too!' Women would be encouraged to not only see God's story in their life but also share it with others. This was it! StoryTellers Live was born. "Robyn now coaches women on the art of how to tell real and personal stories of encounters with God. These stories can be heard on the StoryTellers Live Podcast. She lives in Vestavia Hills, Alabama with her husband and three children.Links:Storytellerslive.org (https://www.storytellerslive.org/)Instagram: @storytellerslivepodcast (https://www.instagram.com/storytellerslivepodcast/)Facebook: StoryTellers Live (https://www.facebook.com/storytellersliveonline/)Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

In this episode, Hope for the Lonely host Charlotte Donlon talks to Michelle Reyes, Ph.D. about loneliness and ministry.Michelle Reyes, Ph.D., is an Indian American pastor's wife, writer, and activist. She is also the editor of The Art of Taleh, a diverse Christian collective, and is passionate about faith, culture, and solidarity. She has written for Christianity Today Women, ERLC, Faithfully Magazine, and (in)courage, and has a forthcoming book with Zondervan on cross-cultural relationships (2021). Michelle lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two kids. More about Michelle Reyes, Ph.D.:Co-founder and Editor of The Art of Taleh http://www.theartoftaleh.com/Links to a few of Michelle's articles:Christianity Today, How To Talk About Race with Your Kids https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2017/august/how-to-talk-about-race-with-kids-racism.htmlChurch Health Reader, Racial Solidarity in the Church https://chreader.org/celebrate-differences-healthier-children-communities/Faithfully Magazine, When Dismantling Systems becomes a Biblical Pursuit https://faithfullymagazine.com/dismantling-systems-biblical/Michelle on social media:Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/michelle.ami.reyesTwitter: @drmichellereyes https://twitter.com/drmichellereyesInstagram: @michelleamireyes https://www.instagram.com/michelleamireyes/Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

Charlotte Donlon talks to Zac Hicks about loneliness, belonging, and hope. Zac Hicks is Canon for Liturgy and Worship at Cathedral Church of the Advent (Birmingham, AL) and author of The Worship Pastor (Zondervan, 2016). He has been married to Abby for almost twenty years, and has four kids—Joel, Jesse, Brody, and Bronwyn.More about Zac Hicks:http://www.zachicks.com/More about Zac's book:https://www.zondervan.com/9780310525196/the-worship-pastor/The song "Light After Darkness" mentioned in this episode:https://open.spotify.com/track/2xH5ngTtRWVKHxzRoIhaaQ?si=ZhPpSqdUTE6w9i7VoO8WWwCharlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

Charlotte talks to K.J. Ramsey about loneliness and suffering.K.J. Ramsey is a therapist, writer, and recovering idealist who believes sorrow and joy coexist. Her first book, This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers, releases with Zondervan in May 2020 and is available for preorder. You can follow K.J.'s writing at kjramsey.com.Show NotesK.J. offers much insight, wisdom, and grace in this conversation about loneliness and suffering. She believes in noticing the grace we encounter in the middle of our stories and provides examples of that throughout our conversation.A recent article by K.J. in Christianity Today about lamenting in community:https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/november-web-only/neuroscience-and-scripture-agree-it-helps-to-lament-in-comm.htmlLean more about K.J. and her writing:http://kjramsey.com/Learn more about K.J.'s book:https://kjramsey.com/bookCharlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

Charlotte talks to Gordon Bals about loneliness and grief.Gordon currently directs Daymark Pastoral Counseling in Birmingham, AL which he founded in 1997. He counsels in a variety of areas but especially focuses on issues related to marriage and family, grief and loss or religious and spiritual issues. He is an adjunct faculty member at Beeson Divinity School and author of Common Ground: Discovering God’s Redemption in Your Marriage. Prior to founding Daymark Pastoral Counseling, Gordon worked as an adolescent and family counselor and as an Assistant Pastor at a local church. Gordon has been married since 1990, has three daughters and in his free time enjoys being active, reading or spending time with family and friends.Show NotesGordon shares a whole lot in this episode about a Biblical view of grief incorporating Scripture, psychology, and various examples. Also, if you pray, please say a prayer for the family and friends of Aniah Blanchard.Learn More about Daymark Pastoral Counselinghttps://daymarkcounseling.com/Learn More about Gordon's Bookhttps://www.amazon.com/Common-Ground-Discovering-Redemption-Marriage/dp/0988328305/ref=sr11?keywords=gordon+bals&qid=1575995621&sr=8-1Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

Charlotte talks to Leslie Verner about loneliness and hospitality.Leslie Verner has her masters in intercultural studies and bachelors in elementary education, both from Wheaton College. She has taught in both public and private schools, for students ranging from fourth to eighth grade, though most of her teaching career has been for seventh and eighth graders. She lived in China for five years, teaching English as a second language for three years and studying Mandarin full-time for two years before returning to the states to get married and be a teacher in Chicago’s Chinatown. She is currently staying home with her three small children, but is a freelance writer and editor at SheLoves Magazine and volunteers with international students in her area. Though Chicago was home for about 15 years, she and her family currently live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where they enjoy “hiking” as a family (their oldest child is four). They also love exploring used books stores, craft coffee shops and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, though most of her days are spent chasing children at the library or park. Leslie blogs regularly about faith, family, social justice and cross-cultural issues at www.scrapingraisins.com.Show NotesLeslie Verner believes many people today feel lonely, isolated, and disconnected from God and others. We crave authentic community, but have no idea where to start. Real hospitality isn’t clean, comfortable, or controlled, but an invitation to enter a sacred space together with friends and strangers.Learn More about Leslie's Bookhttp://www.scrapingraisins.com/book/Learn More about Lesliehttp://www.scrapingraisins.com/Follow Leslie on Social Mediahttps://www.instagram.com/scrapingraisins/https://twitter.com/leslievernerCharlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/). 

Charlotte talks to Aundi Kolber about loneliness and the holidays.Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor (MA, LPC), an author, and a speaker living in Castle Rock, Colorado. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. She has written for Relevant, CT Women, and (in)courage. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain. Aundi is happily married to her best friend, Brendan, and is the proud mom of Matia and Jude.Show NotesAundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer, she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. Try Softer is available for pre-order now and will be released on January 7, 2020.Learn More about Aundi Kolber's Book (https://www.tyndale.com/p/try-softer/9781496439659)Visit Aundi's Website (https://aundikolber.com/)Follow Aundi on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aundikolber/)Charlotte Donlon is a writer, a spiritual director for writers, and the founder and host of the Our Faith in Writing podcast and website (https://www.ourfaithinwriting.com/). Charlotte’s writing and work are rooted in noticing how art helps us belong to ourselves, others, God, and the world. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other (https://charlottedonlon.com/the-great-belonging-book). You can subscribe to her newsletter (https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/) and connect with her onTwitter (https://twitter.com/charlottedonlon) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/charlottedonlon/).