Good times with good friends

ByTamera Alexander
9 Comments

This past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting some dear friends from our Colorado days. Only, Jeff and Donna Crane live in Oklahoma now. We had such a wonderful time.

IMG_7090Jeff, Donna, Tamera, Joe

Even though we haven’t seen them in years, we’ve stayed in touch. So we picked up right where we left off. Don’t you love friendships like that?

 

IMG_7094Jeff and Donna Crane, Kelsey and Kurt

It’s hard to believe we’ve been in Nashville for eight years since moving from Greeley, Colorado. Gracious, the years are flying by. I’m so thankful for friendships, both the old and the new.

There’s a poem by Lois Cheney from a book entitled God is No Fool that’s resonated with me for years. It begins…

People important to you, people unimportant to you, cross your life, touch it with love and carelessness, and move on. There are people that leave you, and you breathe a sigh of relief, and you wonder why you ever came in contact with them. There are people who leave, and you breathe a sigh of remorse, and wonder why they had to go and leave such a gaping hole. 

Children leave parents, friends leave friends, acquaintances move on. You think on the many who have moved into your life with hazy memory. You look on those present and wonder.

I believe in God’s master plan for our lives.

I believe in God’s master plan in our lives too. And leaving Jeff and Donna behind in Colorado definitely left a gaping hole. So I’m especially grateful for their visit this weekend and that God purposed our lives to cross paths all those years ago.

IMG_7099Donna and Kelsey (they’re fun together!)

I recently made some new friends too in Rick Probst and Dan Ratcliffe from FaithTalk Live in Atlanta. I’ve done many interviews in the past few years which have been fun! But when Rick and Dan welcome me to their Atlanta radio show, it feels like I’m sitting down with friends. Much older friends. : )

 

Screen Shot 2015-08-04 at 7.27.05 AM

Click to listen

Yesterday as we chatted, Rick and Dan asked me to put them in an upcoming book, and the thoughts are already spinning as to how that might play out. These guys are such fun. We laugh (a lot), chat about life, kids, careers, families, and every other topic that comes to mind.

What’s a characteristic about a dear friend that you love most? Is it the ability they have to make you laugh? To see God’s hand in your life? To say just the right thing at the right time? Or maybe it’s that they lovingly confront you and hold you accountable (that’s a prized attribute indeed).

I always look forward to hearing from you—and I’m thanking God right now for the blessing you are in my life.

Tamera

In case you haven’t heard of Jen Hatmaker yet… Oh my word, love her! Her upcoming release, For the Love, is hysterical too. It’s full of grins and humorous reminders of what’s most important in life. Don’t miss it! It feels like she’s sitting right across the table from you chatting.

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Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist and one of today's most beloved authors of inspirational historical romance and women’s contemporary fiction. While being Gram Tam is her current favorite role, she’ll never turn down a stroll through an old cemetery or browsing through antique shops. In These Hills, her newest novel, releases September 2026.

9 Comments

  1. I have a sweet friend, who just happens to be a fabulous author, who is a wonderful combination of sweet and sassy. She is a delight to tease, and she gives as good as she takes! But she also has such a heart for God and is a wonderful encouragement to me as well. And to top it off, we were born only a few days apart! (I’m the more mature one, of course. LOL) Love ya!

      1. LOL, hugging you from here, Linda. You duct tape crazy lady! I LOL when Jen talks about the ‘no fly zone.’ Yes, so true! Thanks for sharing, babe. Love you much.

  2. I’m giggling over the video you posted of Jen Hatmaker! I still fondly remember the famous blog post she wrote a few years ago about how she’s the worst end-of-school year mom ever. I laughed till I cried because I felt her pain. If you haven’t read it, head to google and type in ‘Jen Hatmaker’s post about end of school year’. It will come right up. Hilarious!

    1. Yes! That’s the first I heard of her back then. That blog got her on the Today Show then God used that to raise her visibility. And visible she is these days. So funny. Her blend of sarcasm, snark and sweetness is perfect! Thanks for sharing, Becky.

  3. I’ve watched her on tv when her husband and her were remodeling their home. She sounds like a neat lady. Thanks for sharing the video!

  4. So glad your friends were able to visit, Tammy. Friends are such a blessing, and I treasure mine.
    I especially like being around friends who enjoy laughing, because laughter is such a good stress-reliever! 😉

    Enjoyed these photos—especially seeing your precious kiddos.
    I’ve heard of Jen H. but hadn’t watched her videos before—thanks for sharing!
    Thank you also for being such a sweet, caring friend to so many (including moi)—you are amazing. 🙂

    Love you, Patti Jo

  5. I’m so glad your family was able to reconnect with old friends, Tammy. I know that feeling too, and how wonderful it is to see someone again that you’ve known for so long. Having been born in Flordia, raised in Ohio, and now in Tennessee, I’ve been blessed to make friends along the way that I cherish, and miss. I’m in Daytona Beach right now, and tomorrow evening, I’m meeting a friend for dinner that I went to school with in Ohio who now lives here. I think it’s been around 6 years since we last saw each other. I’m excited! Praise God for good friends.

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