I’ll be honest: from the title, I was expecting advice about removing people from our circles. I was pleasantly surprised to read Downs’ championing building community (family) and reminding us to not exclude people we love while we work hard.

My very good friends open their home each Monday for something similar to what Downs describes, creating space for people who are new to the area, or who are lonely, to make friends while having a place to go out to and get fed.

Prioritising people we love and carving out regular time to meet up with people we enjoy is crucial. Having just moved country, one of my biggest prayers right now is to build that kind of family-of-friends here. It’s lonely being on our own, even when we’re working hard and following our calling.

Today Downs challenges us:

“BE BRAVE: Eat dinner with someone tonight. Call a friend. Text your family. Find someone to hang out with, and share your story with that person.”

This is about hanging out, having fun, growing a relationship. Who will you get in touch with?