Stephanie welcomes Grace Valentine, author and speaker, to explore how to navigate friendships and understand God’s timing when life doesn’t seem to make sense. This conversation will equip every woman navigate friendships better; it will also be a very insightful tool for every man who has a woman in their life whom they wish to understand just a little better 😊. Do not miss the questions that real-life college students Annie, Grace, and Katie have asked Stephanie to ask Grace! Some of the highlights of the conversation include,

God's Timeline and Purpose: It's easy to feel out of sync with God’s timeline, especially when life doesn’t match personal expectations. Grace underscores the importance of trusting God’s bigger picture. God withholds no good thing from those who walk according to His purposes; understanding that His view is far broader than ours invites peace in seasons of waiting and uncertainty. Pursue what God has for you in the present moment, looking for His goodness and purpose therein.

Living Set Apart: To be “set apart” is to align one's life with God’s purpose, which often means not adhering to cultural expectations or norms. Embracing this biblical truth involves trusting in God’s plan, even when it leads away from social acceptance or immediate gratification. It calls for a life marked by holiness and discernment, focusing on eternal significance rather than temporary pleasures.

Dealing with Past Hurts and Rejection: Grace shares her personal experiences of being bullied and not fitting in, even into adulthood. She invites us to address past hurts and rejections by bringing them to Jesus, rather than seeking fake comforts like revenge or outward success. Healing comes from acknowledging these wounds and inviting Jesus into the healing process, which transforms insecurity into strength.

Navigating Jealousy: Addressing jealousy in friendships, whether you're the jealous one or the recipient, requires honest confession and a celebration of others’ successes. Grace advises confessing jealous feelings to friends and committing to celebrate their achievements genuinely. This helps to break down feelings of inadequacy and build stronger, genuine connections.

Understanding Friendship Dynamics: Grace Valentine highlights the importance of recognizing different types of friendships as defined by Aristotle: friends of convenience, pleasure, and goodness. Friends of convenience include neighbors or coworkers with whom you maintain amicable relationships. Friends of pleasure are those you share enjoyable activities with. Friends of goodness are deeper connections that foster mutual growth and support. It’s crucial to discern these dynamics, as it aids in cultivating meaningful relationships that align with shared values and support spiritual growth.

Practical Application and Community Building: Grace stresses the importance of actively engaging in community building, especially when feeling isolated. This involves initiating relationships and activities that foster deeper connections. For example, regularly planning intentional gatherings, serving others, and being a beacon of Christ’s love, all cultivate a supportive community and aligns personal actions with God’s mission.

Grace and Stephanie invite us to view friendships and life’s timing through the lens of faith. Let’s cultivate vulnerability, active love, and discernment in all relationships! Whether navigating college life or adult challenges, this will foster relationships grounded in love, mutual growth, and a shared purpose in Christ.

MEET GRACE VALENTINE

Grace says, “I'm an author, blogger, podcast host, and speaker. I grew up near New Orleans, Louisiana, in a suburban town called Mandeville. In 2018 I graduated from Baylor University with a degree in journalism. I currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia, where I enjoy going on runs and eating lots of sushi. I am just a girl who loves Criminal Minds a little too much. On Saturdays you can find me at the farmers market or sleeping in a little too long. I've learned many lessons the hard way, laugh a little too loud, but try to embrace each day and the life God has given me. It is an honor to connect with you. Thank you for loving me and my hot mess self.”

More at https://gracevalentine.org/ 

MORE ABOUT “THE BETTER FRIEND”

Tired of one-sided friendships that leave you feeling lonely? Make the shift to life-giving connection. Friendships should build us up, not leave us scrambling to prove our worth. But in a culture obsessed with popularity, it’s easy to settle for shallow friendships that take more than they give.

The good news is that meaningful friendships with sisters you can lean on anytime are possible. In this encouraging book, author, podcast host, and speaker Grace Valentine offers twelve powerful truths to help you rethink the way you connect with others. As someone who has been through the low-lows and high-highs of friendships—saying goodbye to those that were stuck or one-sided, uprooting her whole life and starting over in finding community, and nurturing long-distance friendships—Valentine knows what it takes to make good friends and to be a good friend.

When you build better friendships with people who help you become the best version of yourself in every way, you become better, get to know God better, and experience confidence in who He made you to be. Whether you’re ready to level up your current friendships or start fresh, The Better Friend gives you the tools you need to build life-giving connections in any season.

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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