Tag: friends

Friendships

Vulnerability

Posted on By wrenhowsway

There’s a popular saying that says, “Check on your strong friends.” My truth: I’m someone who has struggled with vulnerability. It is still tough for me and I’m sure others admit we need help or that they we are struggling. We all have so many unique stories, traumas, and experiences that may impact how we interact with others.

How do you assist someone who doesn’t know how to ask or receive help?

Well, great question.

While I can’t answer for everyone I can say for me I’m grateful that I have friends who are patient and supportive and provided a genuine listening ear when I was ready to share.

One of my favorite quotes from George Washington Carver says, “Anything will give up its secrets if you love it enough. Not only have I found that when I talk to the little flower or the little peanut they will give up their secrets, but I have found that when I silently commune with people they give up their secrets also – if you love them enough.”

It is so true that if you love someone they with soon open up to you and share their story that may be near and dear to their heart. Love never fails.

 

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. I Corinthians 13:4-8

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Play the Cards Dealt

Posted on By wrenhowsway

I had the pleasure of playing some card games with friends this weekend. We played one particular game called Phase Ten. To win the game you had to complete 10 different phases. Some phases were easy and some were much harder. Playing phase 10 was fun, but also frustrating. Some rounds you were able to complete a phase in one round, while in other phases it would take several rounds to get to the next phase.

It was frustrating to see other people moving on to the next phase, while you were still stuck on the same phase. When someone was stuck (I’m the person stuck 🙃) on a particular phase  – we termed the phrase, “You can only play the cards dealt.”

It’s a term that became very true of the game, but is also applicable to life. Life is great; however, some days or even seasons it feels like you are just playing the cards life dealt when things happen which are completely out of our control.

Like in the game of Phase 10, some things are dealt which aren’t fair but continue to weather that phase with grace until the next phase. The next phase may be the best season of your life!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)

Friendships

Spotters

Posted on By wrenhowsway

I used to be a cheerleader, in elementary school. I was not a cheerleader for long but just go with me on this journey for this story. Lol. ? One of the things that I vividly remember is when it was time to do a pyramid and someone had to go up to be thrown in the air, there were at least two people helping to hold them up in the air, while another person stood behind them to “ spot them just in case they fell.

How many of y’all have spotters? ?

Y’all, how lovely it is to have spotters in your life. We all need friends that can spot us and pour into us when needed.

Have y’all heard the story of the paraplegic in the Bible? His friends were clutch! They carried him, pressed through the crowd, climbed on the roof, made a hole in the roof and lowered him down, so he could be healed. (Mark 2:1-12) Even when they encountered an issue and couldn’t come through the door, they strategized! #howsway I could Lowkey teach this message. ?

Do you have any spotters that will lower you down through the roof, correct you, speak life into you, pray for you, encourage you, and keep you lifted up?

Life often gets tough, but are your friends in your inner circle able to spot you?

“Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.”

Proverbs 18:24 MSG