Just for Women Wednesdays- Being Deliberate in Friendships

There is no greater blessing than a Godly Christian friend. Can I get an Amen on that! My life is better and changed because of amazing Christian friends God has placed in my life. Stop and say your friend(s) name aloud right now. Thank God for your friend(s). Now look at how you treat them. Do you keep in touch with them? Do you see them face to face often? Do you know some specific things to be praying for for your friend? Do you tell them you are praying for them? Have you sent them a card lately? Do you call and leave them a message on their phone even if you can't reach them and talk to them? These are some things I have been thinking about lately. I admit I fall short... but I want to be a better friend. Don't you?

The cure for loneliness is making personal connections. There is something the Internet cannot do for our friendships that personal connections CAN do. Cultivating Godly friendships take time, effort, and energy. It doesn't just happen. It's work and it takes being deliberate. Trying to keep up with everything else in a week can bring a woman to kick her friendships to the wayside until she has time to "really talk" to her friend. But what we do when we give in to this type of mentality is actually turn down the volume on our friendships. Then we wonder why we feel disconnected from our friend.

So what's a woman to do to keep the friendships burning brightly? I've identified three simple things you can do today to help you be more deliberate in your friendships. It's nothing new but it will get you to thinking about being more deliberate in being a godly friend.

ake a phone call once a week. Each Sunday look at you calendar and consider when you are going to call your friend. This simple action can keep you from forgetting your friend and letting "life" get in the way. A phone call is important because it really shows your friend you care enough to call and keep up with them. Maybe you call them on the same day of each week to make it easy on yourself. Find what works best for you to be able to keep a commitment.

chedule face to face time with your friend at least once a month. Keep a specific time that you meet with your friend. Otherwise time will get away and it can be months before you see your friend face to face- one on one. For example- Maybe you meet the first Monday of each month to have lunch. Maybe you meet once a week after work to walk and talk. Whatever you do, meeting face to face with friends can boost your spirits make you feel connected to your friend instead of feeling isolated from them.

rite a note of encouragement to your friend. Tell them what you see in them and how thankful you are for them. There is no email, no face book message that is better than the handwritten personal note of a friend. When I receive a handwritten card, I feel so loved. Don't you? Keep cards and stamps around so you won't have to scramble to find one.

I pray this post has encouraged you like it has encouraged me. Life is crazy busy. Either time will run you or you will run time. These three simple things are not difficult to do. But if you have a friend you want to keep each of these three things will change your friendships for the better and will make all the difference. Quit giving excuses about why you can't meet and be deliberate with your friendships. Give them the time they are due and be realistic with each other about finding a time to meet. Decide together you will keep it. Then watch your friendship grow and grow and grow!!!!

Proverbs 18:24a says, "A man that has friends must show himself friendly..."

Are you showing yourself to be friendly to your friend?