01. Name a couple of your favorite books. What traits do those books have in common that make them so good? The book clubs I’ve been a part of made a concerted effort to offer a variety of selections. Some I wouldn’t have known about, had we not read them. Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction? Which book would you recommend to a friend or perhaps to a book club if you’re not part of one?

02. Author Bob Merritt parallels his wife’s spaghetti and meatballs to friendships, dubbing his close friends “meatball friends.” He says as his wife’s meatballs simmer all day with the sauce, they become part of the sauce, as does the sauce become part of the meatballs. He adds, “When it comes to friends, it’s the quality of the meat and the quantity of the heat… Once you find quality friends, you need to add heat and simmer time.”

My Yaya‘s are definitely my meatball friends (don’t miss the recipe Kathy and Matthew gifted us with at the end of the Sixth Stop) We’ve had fantastic simmer time sessions over the years. Who are your meatball friends? What does adding heat look like in a friendship? What about simmer time?

03. Cakes and other fun foods play an integral role with my Bible study buddies. The shallow side of my Abbies and B on B girls surface because we’re so easily enticed to attend Bible study when food is on the table. How about you and your friends? Do you have a favorite restaurant where you meet or a favorite dish one of you makes to share? What are they, and would you share the recipe?

04. When we met the Butter Babes on our fourth stop, I told of the time Fay organized a number of women and a bountiful amount of food for a meal after my mother’s funeral. I confessed I was challenged to accept all the help and generosity they brought with them. (I’d have much rather been on the serving end versus the receiving end). How well do you receive things from your friends? How can you focus on your friends’ thoughtfulness, perhaps their motivation, as opposed to worrying how you’ll put that gift to use?

05. Each one of the friends I talked about on our fifth stop brings accountability and intentionality to their friendship table. They keep me on my toes. Who does that for you? And who do you keep on their toes? What does that look like?

06. One of the many enviable traits my Elizabethan sisters from our sixth stop possess is they are both incredibly flexible. Not much of anything ruffles their feathers. Claude Chabrol describes him perfectly: “You have to except that sometimes you’re the pigeon, and sometimes you’re the statue. How flexible are you? How about your friends? What’s one way you could perhaps add some flexibility to your calendar and your friendships?

07. Praying with my prayer warriors has been educational, to say the least. We’ve learned to ask intentionally and specifically regarding our concerns. Becky taught us boldness and determination. If you’ve been in a prayer group for a while, what have you learned about a praying life? If you’re not yet in a prayer group, what would it take to start one?

08. Being a prayer warrior, especially for a prodigal, requires hard work. From your own experience, how have you experienced the Lord at work in the life of a prodigal? Are you a journaler? If not, were you inspired by Olivia Mitchell’s prodding per her mother’s journal on our eighth stop? What changes in your prayer life will you implement this week? 

09. As our journey together is ending, we are still ultimately heading heavenward. Therefore, we still need to keep an eternal perspective. Pam’s idea does just that; she has dumped gift giving for birthdays, as in things (which you can’t take with you to heaven), and has embraced the giving of experiences to each of her children, one by one, exploring and learning about new places. What kind of experience would you like to give to a family member or friend? Do you have a place you’d like to return to time after time, or do you want to go somewhere new? Where would that be? And where would that be if money were no object? 

10. Our last stop explores the invitation— the joy of being invited, being included. What are some ways you could invite someone for a quick cup of coffee? Can you think of someone you would like to know better or who perhaps needs your ear? Can you think of someone who needs to hear the gospel? Pray about who you can invite into the kingdom.