by Soo-Inn Tan | Apr 26, 2024 | 2024, Loving Others, Relationships, Spiritual Friendship
I remember the evening clearly. It was a rainy night. We were having dinner at a club a little down the road from P.J.’s famous first A & W restaurant. He was one of the elders of a church that was standing with me at a very dark time in my life. He...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 29, 2024 | 2024, Articles, Authors, Loving Others, Soo-Inn Tan, Spiritual Friendship, Young Adult Ministry
In recent conversations with my friends in youth ministry, one theme keeps emerging. They tell me that more and more youth are grappling with depression and this often leads to self-harm. Some threaten suicide. And some succeed in carrying it out. This was brought...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 15, 2024 | 2024, Community, Spiritual Friendship
I am in the Malaysia Theological Seminary (STM) for a few days, to teach an intensive course on spiritual friendship and it made me think of old friends. STM was a school that made me feel welcomed and allowed me to work with them at a very difficult point in...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Mar 7, 2024 | 2024, Aging, Loving Others, Mentoring, Spiritual Friendship
Do you know where is Beaufort, South Carolina? No? Go Google it. I am in Beaufort right now and, since yesterday was my birthday, it was also the place where I celebrated my 69th birthday. It was a very special birthday. I was with my beloved Bernice and with...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Feb 23, 2024 | 2024, Community, Corporate Worship, Small Groups, Spiritual Friendship
Did you know there are three kinds of loneliness? I didn’t until I read the first chapter of Together (1). (Dr Vivek Murthy is the 19th surgeon general of the United States.) Here is what he wrote: Researchers have identified three...
by Soo-Inn Tan | Dec 8, 2023 | 2023, Loneliness, Loving Others, Relationships, Spiritual Friendship
A time of rapid and many changes brings many opportunities and many dangers. Scott and Gratton write: As we live longer lives with more transitions we now have an opportunity to rethink how we form and sustain relationships. The adaptability and flexibility of...
