the great belonging: how loneliness leads us to each other

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/). 

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/).