DeeperHope Institute

01/12/2017

https://www.egc.org/blog/2016/12/7/what-women-leaders-shouldnt-want-infographic

What do Christian women leaders report hearing or believing that they "shouldn't" want or need if they were a good leader? What kinds of life-giving connections to Christian women leaders want more of?

08/15/2016

Do the Christian women leaders you know lead lives of healthy balance? What gets in the way? The Woven team asked over 100 Boston area Christian women about it. Here's what they discovered.

7 distorted messages that Christian women hear

07/27/2015

DeeperHope is moving to Boston!

This September, after six years in Haverhill, DeeperHope and its founder will be moving to Boston.

DeeperHope's mission is to serve the spiritual lives of women in New England. As the largest and most diverse city in New England, Boston will be a vibrant new home for incubating research that focuses on Christian women's unique spirituality in every life circumstance.

With such a major transition, it's time for a new phase of discernment. I'll continue to keep you updated as things progress.

In Christ,
Jess Mason, M.Div.
Founder, DeeperHope Institute for Women's Spiritual Life

02/06/2015

For some, low emotional energy hinders friendships. Friendship & Availability 2 Ways: Pt2 http://wp.me/p3ChCC-wr

“Hand Using A Wooden Abacus ” by nuchylee. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net According to (at least) one woman I interviewed, those who develop strong ties are those who are available for friendship, both in time and in heart. In the last post, I looked at the challenge of weaving friendships into our schedule. But for some women, emotional energy (not clock time) is the real bottleneck. [ 577 more words. ]

02/06/2015

What does it take to form stable bonds? Availability, for one thing. Friendship & Availability 2 Ways: Pt 1 http://wp.me/p3ChCC-wn

“Priority Rubber Stamp” by Stuart Miles. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net When asked about what it takes to form stable bonds of community, one woman I interviewed pointed out the prerequisite so fundamental it often gets overlooked: availability. Those who want to develop friendships have to be available for it, both in time and in heart. Those who aren’t, don’t. This theory paints a picture for me. [ 315 more words. ]

01/22/2015

Feeling the winter blues? What's the relationship between winter blues and community? http://wp.me/p3ChCC-vU

"Snowy Tree and House" by adamr, image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net According to psychologist Dr. Stephen Ilardi, one of the top six ways to prevent or treat depression is just being with others. But in winter, New Englanders tend to see others less often, possibly contributing to the winter blues as much as, if not more than, the grey skies. [ 607 more words. ]

01/15/2015

Are common interests a necessary glue for lasting relationships? http://wp.me/p3ChCC-vv

“Two Horses In The Snow” by chrisroll. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Do you ever feel that some relationships "get off the ground" more easily than others? Why do you think that is? Unbreakable bonds stabilize and empower the rest of our community. But what does it take to develop those strong cords in the first place? This post continues our exploration of what it takes for our relationships to having staying power. [ 365 more words. ]

01/08/2015

What kind of relationships endure? Are Holistic Relationships More Stable? http://wp.me/p3ChCC-vg

“Cherry Tree With Roots With Fruit” by Vlado, Courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net What kind of relationships endure? Today’s post continues our exploration of various theories about what makes a relationship “stick”. In the last post I talked about the theory of unforced time together. Today I want to talk about the breadth of the relationship--how holistic is the rapport itself. I look forward to hearing your comments below. [ 558 more words. ]

12/19/2014

How do we go from friendly acquaintance to stable bond? The Petri Dish of Stable Relationship http://wp.me/p3ChCC-v5

Image courtesy of Photokanok at freedigitialphotos.net We want resilient connections with others. We’re designed to enjoy and need them. But what does it really take for us to move from a friendly acquaintance to a stable bond? Remember Petri dishes from biology class—those low, plastic dishes with a mysterious "substrate" in the bottom? If you exposed one to, say, mold by way of a Q-tip, and then kept it at the right temperature for a long enough time, voila, the tiny life form would eventually become visible to the naked eye. [ 447 more words. ]

12/12/2014

Ever wonder if your hospitality even matters? The Heart of Hospitality Pt 2, Your Part Matters http://wp.me/p3ChCC-ux

Photo courtesy of aopsan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net Welcome to Part 2 of my three-part post on the Heart of Hospitality—those states-of-heart we need before we can welcome others into our presence and community. In Part 1 I claimed that we each need a solid sense of home in God’s love ourselves before we can truly be hospitable to others. The good news is, that home in God's love is readily available to all of us who would receive it. [ 317 more words. ]

12/04/2014

What is 'Community' to You? Do you more: public, social, personal, or intimate connections? http://wp.me/p3ChCC-uf

When we talk about feeling connected to a community, what exactly are we talking about? Joseph Myers’ enlightening The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups asserts that for a satisfying sense of belonging, we actually need people in our lives at each of four levels of community. We need: 1. public connections of belonging in a wider community (like your mailman or an interest-based membership), 2. [ 433 more words. ]