All InSample

Friends
Angelina Rogers

The earliest I remember having a friend was 1st grade. Her name was Alex. We did everything together in elementary school. After 6th grade, we went to different junior high schools, where I met two more friends, Valerie and Amy, who have been my friends for the past 29 years. Alex was in my life for a specific time frame: a season. Valerie and Amy remain my lifelong friends. As we got older, we went to different colleges and started our adult lives. We stayed connected but also made new friends. I’ve learned that it's ok to have various types of friends in your life for different reasons and seasons.

Joanna was in my life when God saw I needed her. She helped me find Him. She walked with me in faith until I could walk by myself. As you get older, you will discover that God uses you to be a friend to someone who may need you. Alisha has helped me in my adult life, and we are still living life together.

Friendship will weather time, distance, and seasons. Just because you don't hang out with your friends as much as you used to doesn't mean you are not friends. Friendship may look different over time, but remember that God had them in your life for a reason or season, and now you don't need them as close to you.

In this passage, God tells us that He has put people in our lives for a reason. It could be a childhood friend, a family member, a teacher, or a coach, and once that purpose is fulfilled, that friendship will either disappear or lay low. Those friendships that will last a lifetime are the ones that you still need, and they become family. They live life with you by walking alongside you.

You can make a difference in someone's life, whether you're there for the long or short term. This can be accomplished by speaking about and protecting them or providing a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen.

As you go about your week, think about how you can be a friend to someone. Step out in faith and obedience; God has someone in mind for you to make a difference in your life.

Have you seen friends come and go in your life? How does it make you feel? Who has stayed around?