One thing that I don't get much of but I truly enjoy having is girl time. It's nice to hang out with other women of God and just laugh and have a great time. Too often our lives get to busy to build those relationships and we miss out. The Bible tells us over and over again the great benefits of having a close Godly friend--I personally think that other than your spouse your best friend should be of the same gender. It just makes things WAY less complicated! So I wanted to give a little shout out to Rebeccah and Shelby who hung out with me at the mall yesterday before I move on to talk about the benefits of having a close friend. You made my day! Thanks for being patient with me while I counted out the Jelly Bellys so that I didn't go over my calories. You're both the best!
The benefits of having a girl time with a close friend:
Number One: A Friend Sticks Closer than a Brother
"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24
If you have an awesome girlfriend, hold on to her. Do what you can to grow and nourish that friendship. You can't go around and be BFFs with everyone. That's a little of what the first part of the verse is talking about. When you have "many companions" you are letting all your acquaintances have just as much say and influence in your life as your best friend who you know and trust. This can be bad--especially if not all your friends are Christians. I also think "the friend who sticks closer than a brother" has to be a Christian who is doing their best to live their life for God otherwise they don't understand true commitment or loyalty or forgiveness that friendship really needs.
Number Two: You Can Trust a True Friends Words Even if They Hurt
"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." Proverbs 27:6
A true friend will tell you what you need to hear even if you don't want to hear it. Your Christian friends should be challenging you to go even further in your walk with Christ. They should hold you to a high standard. Yes, sometimes it might hurt your feelings if they call you out on your non-Christian behavior or dress but they are doing it because they want to see your relationship with Christ grow. A true friend's motives can be trusted. They shouldn't just tell you what you want to hear even if they know it's wrong.
Number Three: A Friend Loves at ALL Times
"A friend loves at all times..." Proverbs 17:17a
A true friend loves you for who you are. They love you when you are doing the right thing. They love you when they are doing the wrong thing (even though they shouldn't agree and should point you back in the right direction. See #2). They aren't fickle. They don't try to pit you against your other friends. They love you as is and as unconditionally as possible. And if you are their true friend you do the same for them.
Okay, so I know there are so many other benefits to having awesome friends. I challenge you to find some and post them in the comments section.
I also want to say, congratulations to Hermione Williams on winning our first ever prize giveaway! Hermione, please email me your mailing address so I can get your prize pack out to you right away! Keep an eye out for more chances to win in the future. Thank you for everyone who participated and thank you for reading Life as a Minister's Wife!
Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day where we celebrate the love in our life. Unfortunately it can also be a horrible day for those without the One in their lives. What would you say to me if I told you that everyone has the opportunity to be loved by the One everyday? It's true. It can happen. First, I want to talk about the five Greek words for love and then we will talk about the One.
When I think about the FOUR Greek words used to explain love I realize just how limited the English language can be. The Greek language uses the four different words at its disposal to explain the difference between the love you feel for your husband and the love you feel for your cheeseburger. In English it's just love. What a shame. No wonder people don't really understand what love means.
The first Greek word for love is Storge (στοργή) his means affection. I think when most people talk about their love for their cheeseburger they are talking about storge love...I hope.
The second Greek word for love is Philia (φιλία) this is a love between friends. You love your best friend, that's philia love. Ever wondered why the City of Brotherly Love is called Philadelphia well I think you are starting to get the picture now.
The third Greek word for love is Éros (ἔρως) this is romantic love or could also be translated erotic love. It is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing, but it doesn't have to be strictly sexual in nature. When we think about the commercialized version of Valentines Day the ad agencies are more than happy to sell us eros love. It can strong and passionate but it is often short lived. This is the love used to describe dating and marriage.
The final Greek word for love is Agápe (ἀγάπη) this is the unconditional love of God. Agape transcends any other kind of love out there. It is perfect and unconditional. Many people believe they agape their spouse or their boyfriend or girlfriend, but in reality the only person truly capable of perfect agape love is God. It is a sacrificial love.
Now...about everyone being loved by the One...
If you haven't figured it out by now, the One that I am referring to is God. God is waiting for each of us. He gave himself sacrificially to bring agape love to us. If we are willing to accept His sacrifice and ask forgiveness for our sins, He will never stop giving us the agape love we crave and were in fact created to receive. He wants to have a real and living relationship with us. He wants to be our Valentine, our love, and our desire. Even when we as humans fail, His agape love never will!
As husbands, wives, boyfriends, and girlfriends, we should be doing our best to give our significant other agape love. We should be willing to forgive and work through problems. Yes, there are times it won't be easy. Yes, we will fail. We are not God! We can only try to imitate and practice His agape love the best way we can. Thankfully, He is there to set the example in our lives if we will only start a relationship with Him.
Make God your Valentine this year and you will never be alone again!
