Kendra Roehl - 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls: A Devotional

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100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls

Copyright 2021 by Julie Fisk, Kendra Roehl, and Kristin Demery. All rights reserved.

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To our mothers and our daughters, who inspired this book

Friends can be what make us happiest... or craziest. They can encourage us, help us when were going through hard things, and push us to be better. Or they can hurt us, lie to us about ourselves and others, disappoint us, and keep us from reaching out for new friendships.

If youre reading this, youre probably interested in good friendships. Maybe youve been bullied or had trouble making friends. Maybe you have good friends, but you still fight now and then or accidentally hurt each others feelings.

But God made us to enjoy friendships. How do we do that in a culture that doesnt always support friendships or that sometimes encourages unhealthy ones? We start by recognizing that friendship was created by God to honor him and benefit us. No matter what happens in life or how friends may fail us at times, he never will. He will always remain our faithful friend and the one we can learn from and talk to about anything and everything.

Friendship works when we turn to what God says about healthy relationships and apply those truths to our friendships. What does God say about how anger, conflict, disappointment, jealousy, and competition harm our friendships and what we can do in those situations? We can find ways to be a good friend when life is hard or confusing or uncertain. Living Gods way, we celebrate when our friends succeed, when they win, and when life is amazing.

This devotional will help you think through and find answers for the hard questions about friendship, help you build stronger friendships, and give you ideas for ways to celebrate your friends. Check out the Friendship in Action sections for fun activities you can do to strengthen your friendships or start new ones!

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.

PROVERBS 27:6

I am so angry. What was McKinsey thinking? Im never talking to her again! Adrienna slammed her locker a little harder than usual as she turned to Brittany.

I dont think McKinsey knew that Ciara has been spreading rumors about you when she invited her along to the movie. I think she was trying to help you guys work things out, not betray you, Brittany said. You cant be mad at someone who didnt know the whole story and was trying to be kind.

Adrienna frowned. It hurt a little that Brittany didnt agree with her, that Brittany was sticking up for McKinsey instead of her. I dont know. Maybe McKinseys just as bad as Ciara, she said.

McKinseys been a good friend, Brittany reminded Adrienna. You dont want to ruin that by jumping to conclusions. Remember that other time, with Lisa?

That had been a bad mistakea time Adriennas hasty temper had gotten her in trouble and nearly lost her a friend. Adrienna sighed. I guess youre right. Thanks, Brittany.

Brittany smiled, and they walked together toward the doors leading to the bus line.

When we have a friend who loves us enough to correct us, we should not take that blessing lightly. It is so much easier not to confront than it is to gently hold our friends accountable. But the Bible teaches us that true friends will call us out on our wrong actions, unlike false friends who may speak sweet words even as they push us to make choices Jesus doesnt want us to make.

Wouldnt you rather hear truth spoken in love from friends and family than listen to the fake sweetness of those who dont really care about you? But that requires wisdom on our end. We have to be willing to listen with an open heart, to accept correction, and to recognize that our friends and family are on our side, even when they tell us that we were wrong. Hearing truth may feel painful in the moment, but its the only way that we can grow.

Have you been ignoring a painful truth someone you love has shared with you sincerely and with your best at heart?

Have you been avoiding a painful conversation with someone you love about their behavior?

DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP

Make a promise to your friends to tell one another the truth when they are doing or saying something ungodly or unwise.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

MATTHEW 19:19

Dear God, please send me a friend, Jamie prayed, looking around the crowded middle school cafeteria. Her stomach knotted as she looked from table to table, full of students laughing and talking. Everyone seemed to already have their own friend groupsand none of them noticed Jamie standing by herself.

Jamies family had just moved to this town. She hadnt wanted to leave her old hometown and everything that was familiar. Even after a few weeks at the new school, she still hadnt met anyone to talk to. Jamie started heading toward a lunch table in the corner. Maybe no one would notice if she sat there by herself.

Hey, Jamie!

Jamie turned to see Alisha, a girl from her local church.

Want to sit with me? Alisha asked. She nodded toward a nearby table.

Jamie followed Alisha to the table.