Category: Friendship

You Need a Friend

“Do I really need friends?”

This question was recently asked by a newcomer to our church, after she happened to mention to me that she really didn’t have any close friends in the area. Though she’d lived here for many years, she still had not really established any relationships beyond the surface of small talk and playdate arrangements with other moms. She added that she really gets all the advice and encouragement she needs from the blogs she reads and of course, her daily Bible reading.

Read More

Is Small Talk Worthwhile?

Maybe you are an introvert like me, and you just don’t want to put yourself out there. You’re not willing to be vulnerable in this way. Maybe you are of the mindset that you don’t have time for any more friends, so you keep your eyes on the horizon as you walk through the halls at church, and you breathe a sigh of relief when you make it to the car without being stopped. I have to admit, this has described me a time or two. I like to make productive use of my time, and chatting in the hallways does not usually seem to fit that goal.

Read More

Counseling Our Friends

Licensed therapy requires that the relationship remain clinical. Once counseling is over, the relationship is also over. As biblical counselors, we often counsel friends, and sometimes we become friends with our counselees after the counseling ends. Our counselees are not just “clients”, they often are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Read More

But I Don’t Know What to Say!

Sometimes, the more we say, the less we encourage–especially when someone is suffering a terrible grief. Sometimes, there is no right thing to say. But that doesn’t mean that we should not be present. Our suffering sisters need to know that they are not alone in their trouble, grief, or pain. While they may know intellectually that the Spirit of Christ is with them, sometimes they need a human being to translate that Spirit to their hearts.

Read More

Who Cares for You?

Be sure you take the time to connect with a strong sister in Christ who will remind you of truth, pray with you for strength and wisdom, and help you watch for pitfalls of sin in your own life. Seek someone who cares for you with whom you can be genuine and open about your own struggles. Be willing to be vulnerable, that is one of your best defenses against pride and calamity in your life.

Read More

Disclaimer:

We are not a licensed counseling agency, nor are we psychologically or medically trained therapists. We offer ‘pastoral’ counseling intended to bring life change through heart change.