Friendspiration: Word of God on Friendship

The Word of God is filled with verses pertaining to friendship(s). These scripture verses are insights and wisdom of instruction regarding finding and keeping friendships as well as how to live our lives on a daily basis according to Christ’s teachings. I will not be covering every scripture but want to share just a few of them with you.

Proverbs 13:20 indicates that “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” This tells us that it is important to choose our friends wisely and to keep the right company. I Corinthians 15:33 further states that “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character.”

Other scriptures such as Proverbs 17:17 tells us that “a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” No matter what is going on in our lives, a true friend will love us and help us through our adversity.

Encouragement, commitment, love, and support are the qualities of a true friend. Someone who encourages us in the faith and helps guide us along the way to make a strong commitment in that faith through their love and support is a friend worth seeking.

Galatians 5:13 says we are to “serve one another” and Ephesians 5:21 says that we are to “submit to one another.” Serving each other is a way of expressing God’s love and being helpful to another person’s spiritual, emotional or physical welfare.

Guidance from the scriptures help us understand how we are to interact with one another and are commandments for us to follow in our everyday lives. How to live with each other; how to treat each other; how to seek out wisdom and guidance for direction and purpose as we follow Christ’s teachings.

In conclusion, I Peter 4:8-10 says, “…love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever.” Now that is “true friendship” shown to others through the faith that we live out each day.

May the Lord help us to share our lives with others and live out our faith each and every day in the way that Jesus taught us through his promises.

Blessings,

Yvonne

Friendspiration: Inspiring Friendship Quotes

As I look around my music/writing room, I see a number of “creativity” quotes to help keep my mind focused on creating beautiful things . Friendship is the same. When we cultivate those friendships, we (as well as they) can blossom into beautiful and lasting friends who “stick closer than a brother.”

Various types of quotes are happy thoughts that we can look at throughout the day. They bring a smile to one’s face and help us remember the small, simplistic things in our lives.

So it is with friendship quotes. They help remind us to look at the “simple things” and to “cultivate” the friendships that God has sent our way–those blessings in disguise just when we need them the most.

There are a number of blogs that have posted inspiring, thought-provoking, beautiful and funny quotes about friendship. Following are just some of the numerous quotes I have gathered for you to ponder and perhaps apply to the friendships you now have (or have yet to find) and to renew friendships that have gone astray. Enjoy and happy reading.

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.”–Walter Winchell

“”Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'”–C.S. Lewis

“A single rose can be my garden…a single friend, my world.”–Leo Buscaglia

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”–Dale Carnegie

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.”–Unknown

“What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”–Confucius

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”–Albert Schweitzer

“A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad.”–Arnold H. Glasgow

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”–Audrey Hepburn

“Never idealize others. They will never live up to your expectations. Don’t over-analyze your relationships. Stop playing games. A growing relationship can only be nurtured by genuineness.”–Leo F. Buscaglia

“Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have her nonsense respected.”–Charles Lamb

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”-Marcel Proust

“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”–Zig Ziglar

“Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.”–Woodrow T. Wilson

“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.”–Ed Cunningham

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”–Bernard Meltzer

“A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”–Donna Roberts

“It is not so much our friends’ help that helps us, as the confidence of their help.”–Epicurus

“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.”–Abraham Lincoln

“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”–Carl W. Buechner

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”–Unknown

“Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”–Albert Camus

“To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.”–Brandi Snyder

A friend is hard to come by but the one who “holds all our tomorrows” will be the greatest friend of them all–Jesus!

Blessings,

Yvonne

Friendspiration: Friendship Quotes

While doing some research on friendship, I came across a number of quotes that described friendship and decided to share them at this time.

The following quotes are from a book entitled, “Thank Heaven for Coffee and other little pleasures.”

“Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.” –Mother Teresa

“The best mirror is an old friend.” –George Herbert

“I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul rememb’ring my good friends.”–William Shakespeare

“He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the King for his friend.” –Proverbs 22:11 (NIV)

“Friendship with oneself is all-important because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” –Eleanor Roosevelt

“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.” –Henry Ford

“Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother’s house when disaster strikes you–better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.” –Proverbs 27:10 (NIV)

“I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don’t believe I deserved my friends.” –Walt Whitman

“Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never ties, and a touch that never hurts.” –Charles Dickens

“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of the little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.” –James Allen

“The most I can do for my friend is simply to be his friend. I have no wealth to bestow on him. If he knows that I am happy in loving him, he will want no other reward. Is not friendship divine in this?” –Henry David Thoreau

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I l earned from my Father I have made know to you.” –John 15:15 (NIV)

“A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they’re not so good and sympathizes with your problems when they’re not so bad.” –Arnold H. Glasgow

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” –Mother Teresa

From a friend who is “tried and true” to one who shows acts of kindness, herein lies the virtues of true friendship.

Dale Carnegie was quoted as saying, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

“A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” –Unknown

Let us all cultivate true friendship with others “for if we haven’t learned the true meaning of friendship, then you really haven’t learned anything.”–Muhammed Ali

Blessings,

Yvonne

Friendspiration: What Is A True Friend

The definition of True Friendship, according to The Free Dictionary, is as follows:

  • The quality or condition of being friends
  • A friendly relationship
  • Friendliness; good will

According to Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Friendship doesn’t need an invite. They can show up at your door with a caring, loving attitude to help us through a situation/circumstance that is going on in our lives without them realizing there is a need. A true friend:

  • Doesn’t unfriend you even if things get messy.
  • Believes and wants the best for you.
  • Accepts you for you.
  • Doesn’t abandon you.
  • Continues the friendship regardless of distance.
  • True friendship is love.

Just recently my husband and I visited with friends that we knew for approximately 20 years but we had not seen each other for the past five years. Yet, when we stopped by unexpectedly while visiting in the area, it was as if we had never lost touch. We discovered that they had their house on the market and would be moving out of state just as soon as their house sold. We reconnected during our time with them and will keep in touch even when they move away.

So it is with God’s love. He sticks closer than a brother and will never abandon us no matter what. We are a child of the King. Let us walk in love and become true friends who show love towards others.

Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be humble and gentle in every way. Be patient with each other and lovingly accept each other.” This is the basis of true friendship.

May the Lord bless you as you rekindle lost friendships and discover new friends along the way.

Blessings,

Yvonne

Friendspiration: True Friendship

A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times. Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)

The Book of Proverbs is filled with verses pertaining to friendship and how it impacts our happiness and enjoyment with those who are around us each and every day.

At our local church, we have made it a practice to go out for lunch with our “lunch bunch” group almost every Sunday after the service. We have selected three different restaurants that we currently rotate to throughout the month and we welcome any one who would like to join us for lunch to do so. Sometimes we only have a small group of 5 and sometimes we will have a higher number who join us. For my husband and I, it has been a very rewarding and meaningful time; and the fellowship and friendships we enjoy each week have been such a blessing to our lives.

We have been able to talk about various topics from A-Z and no matter what our differences, we have grown to love and respect each other’s opinions and insights.

At this time, I have decided to do a post or two–or three–on what it means to be a true friend and to see what the Bible teaches us about this particular topic. Scripture verses will be from both the Old and New Testaments, as well as friendship quotes from other sources (individuals from the past/present) . My hope is that you will gain some additional knowledge or insight into God’s word as well.

Friendships can be with our spouses, family members, co-workers and those we grew up with but who live a greater distance away and friendships can also be rekindled as God brings us together through various circumstances that happen in our lives (i.e. graduations, weddings, reunions, deaths).

Let us be open to being a friend not only to those people we know but to individuals we meet that we don’t know as well. God will bless your life immensely!

Blessings,

Yvonne