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We're on the Road ... Let's Connect!

September 11

In the next few weeks the two of us will be on the road. We hope to see many of you. We’ll be speaking at McLean Bible church (co-hosted by The Falls Church) in Vienna, Virginia on October 1. You can register by clicking on the “register” button on the banner above. We hope that many of you in the greater Washington, DC area can join us for this event. On October 10 and 11 we’ll be speaking as a part of the True Woman conference in Chicago, Illinois. We’ll also be on the radio daily on Revive Our Hearts, September 11-17 and FamilyLife Today, September 15-19. Both of these shows may be heard nationwide (check your local listings) or on the web at www.familylife.com and www.reviveourhearts.com.

One of the dreams that the two of us have had from the beginning of the Empty Nest project is to encourage the creation of an “Empty Nest Community”—a nationwide group of girl friends. We hope that both our speaking and our personal radio conversations will help spur you to gather together with other empty nest women. Each of us need women with whom we can share honestly the challenges of the empty nest but also with whom we can become as “iron sharpens iron,” sharpening and challenging one another to take definite, specific steps to discover the next great adventures that God has already planned for us in this new season. Your adventure may be something totally unexpected, or it may be the coming to fruition of a dream you’ve had to “put on hold” as you raised your children. It is always helpful to sort out options in the context of a community of friends. Clarity often comes when we bounce things off of one another.

We have written our book with the hope that it can be used as a tool to help women discover God’s purpose for their second half of life. It is designed to be used in a small group setting with the purpose of helping one another discover their passions and new avenues for service in this new season. Many groups of women across the country are already meeting together to read the book and grow together.

We invite you to start a group in your city! And we hope to hear from you the things that you and your friends are discovering as we take this journey together.

Barbara and Susan

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Anonymous @ 9/18/2008 5:06:07 AM 
To our friends starting groups and a party! way to go. There is so much comfort in being with other women! Somehow we can make each otehr laugh in a way that men just can't. We are thrilled you are stepping out in faith to host a party and start a group. We are praying for you each week!
Blessings, Susan
Anonymous @ 9/15/2008 1:43:31 PM 
Thanks to all of you for listening to us on FLT and for writing. It's so encouraging to hear from readers of our book and from those of you who want to start groups. We would LOVE to hear from you as your groups form and progress. We've had some good feedback from a group in Cleveland who are loving the process. We trust the same will be true for you. And for our friend in Bartlesville, OK, the closest we'll be to your area is Dallas next April. Maybe you can attend then?
Barbara
Anonymous @ 9/15/2008 12:25:12 PM 
To the Texas gal wondering what to do with the rooms full of stuff. If you mean furnishings, don't get rid of too much. They'll need it to set up apartments and eventually houses of their own one of these days, even if they don't want it now. If it's usable small stuff, goodwill is a willing recipient. If it is truly
'junk', after making sure they don't want it for sentimental reasons, pitch it! When my younger son left for college and I cleaned his closet I couldn't believe some of the stuff he'd "saved." There is nothing sentimental about worn practice jerseys that never made it to the laundry basket! Arkansas
Anonymous @ 9/15/2008 10:20:27 AM 
Barbara and Susan,
I listened intently this morning to your wonderful message. Our situation happened with little preparation. One minute my husband and I had a busy, confusing at times frustrating household and then overnight it was just the 2 of us. We were like strangers until we went away for a weekend to reinvest in each other. Of course we are still working on this transition, but my question do you ladies have any suggestions about the bedrooms they have left behind. 17 years of stuff no longer needed or wanted.
I look forward to listening to what more you have to offer this week and how to invest in our new Grown Up Life. Thanks from Texas.
Anonymous @ 9/15/2008 6:05:20 AM 
Barbara & Susan,
I just wanted to let you know that God is really "guiding me" to have an Empty Nest party. I had ordered your book & extra bookmarks to send to friends earlier this year, but have been lazy in sending them out to invite them to a Book study on the Empty Nest. After a weekend of having a pity party, I felt very far away from God, and very isolated. This morning, I turned on Family Life Today, and your program was on. I feel like God is saying, "what more do you want as confirmation that you are to send those women invitations today?" I am going to do just that. I have a tendency to become depressed & self-absorbed, and I know God is trying to help me by confirming & re-confirming what I can really do to help not only myself, but other women. Please pray that I will become other-focused & not stay in this depressed state of mind. Thank you for all you are both doing to help all of us "empty-nest moms" out here.
Anonymous @ 9/12/2008 9:01:24 PM 
We're starting next week in Colorado Springs. We are going to use the 4 week discussion guide. Looking forward to it.
Anonymous @ 9/11/2008 6:32:11 PM 
Barbara and Susan,
Your site has been a great encouragement to me. I have started an Empty Nest group in my town of Bartlesville, OK. We have around 12 women ranging from the last child leaving to the first one leaving with 5 siblings left at home. I am so excited to see how God uses the group, not only as Empty Nesters, but also to a few who may not know out Lord. Will you be coming to a city near Tulsa or anywhere in Arkansas?
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