When my wife and I began working from home, we had many friends from our individual workplaces. For a while, we kept in close contact, but it wasn't too long before we found ourselves more and more isolated and less and less active participants in lives outside our comfortable home.

For me, it was easy to call up the guys and plan time to hang out and reconnect. But, it wasn't so easy for my wife. She felt like she had nothing in common with the women who she used to have solid friendships with. They seemed to have less to talk about every time the got together, and my wife started to feel really lonely.

God meant for us to have strong friendships, especially women. It's their lifeline and support system beyond their families. Good friends are their safe harbors to share laughter and frustration, joy and grief. Having a close connection with friends is a part of God's plan, and every woman needs them.

When my wife's struggle to reconnect with her friends began to really get her down, she picked up a copy of Tracy Klehn's book, Growing Friendships: Connecting More Deeply With Those Who Matter Most. Through Klehn's personal experiences, shared pieces of Scripture and friendly advice, my wife found new inspiration to find those friendly connections with other women that she was truly, deeply missing.

Men and women have different needs when it comes to friendship—and it's all part of God's plan. He created us with our individual needs for support and connection and it's important to nurture those friendships and tend them like gardens.