Temple Clarke Studies

While pregnant with my third child, I started a women’s group in the city. We brewed Blanchard’s coffee, read a passage from the Bible, and talked about our lives. These women were hip. They were cool. So we started as we women do when we get together, by checking each other out. Our outfits and hair. Our bags and shoes. How our children look and behave. All on the sly of course, because we are not that shallow. 

Soon we learned that designer jeans, Frye boots, and a spunky personality might draw people to you, but honesty and vulnerability are the building blocks for the kind of friendships we crave. 

While pregnant with my third child, I started a women’s group in the city. We brewed Blanchard’s coffee, read a passage from the Bible, and talked about our lives. These women were hip. They were cool. So we started as we women do when we get together, by checking each other out. Our outfits and hair. Our bags and shoes. How our children look and behave. All on the sly of course, because we are not that shallow. Soon we learned that designer jeans, Frye boots, and a spunky personality might draw people to you, but honesty and vulnerability are the building blocks for the kind of friendships we crave. 

In this community, we learned that perfect parents and easy marriages don’t exist, that getting to know someone a lot richer or a lot poorer than you is a rare gift to be treasured, and that life is immeasurably better when it is shared deeply with others. In gathering together as women we fight the inertia of self absorption, self pity, and self disdain. When we get past comparisons and criticisms, we feel deeply for each one another and not just ourselves. 

This community finds its meaning in a spiritual context. Prayer, honesty, and surrender are woven into the fabric of Christianity, but you may not share that faith. No problem. Women in this group come from a variety of backgrounds. All that is needed is a willingness to be honest and  listen openly to others. 

Currently, I host women’s groups in the winter and in the summer. The friendships formed there don’t start by sharing parenting strategies, advice, or political and religious opinions. They start by sharing stories. The following recordings invite you into such stories. If your schedule is too busy to come, or if you're a regular and have missed a week, these recordings are for you. Hope you enjoy!