#christian friendships

[dorene78]

[rentedvsl]

i thought when i was in high school that having trouble making friends was something you would just overcome as you got older. now that I'm older & out of school, i realized it's actually harder. theres no classes, study halls, or school events to get to know someone in, & there are very few events organized by parents you have to go to anymore. you have to work, but depending on the job that can be a hard place to make friends. because who is truly authentic when they're under that kind of pressure & exhaustion? making friends when you get older is hard. making friends means you take the leap by suggesting hanging out with a coworker outside of work despite having no idea if they are only nice to you out of necessity. making friends means having uncomfortable conversations & driving people long distances and running out of things to say in the car. making friends means staying after church instead of walking out as soon as service is over and talking to that one girl you only ever smile at every sunday. making friends means saying "we should grab a coffee sometime" while your hands are shaking

[proverbs31girly]

Send this to your non-blood family 💘

[ae-cha08]

When you truly Love Jesus and spend time in Prayer and the Word, the way you Love people changes. You'll become patient and compassionate towards them and you'll start seeing them through the eyes of God.

Only then, it is possible to Love a person unconditionally.

[tadpoles-and-daydreams]

Why I cuss (affectionately) at my deities, sometimes, and why it's important to me

I'm having some feelings tonight, so here have another "Frog is rambling again" post. This one's about Loki, because they seem intent on speedrunning teaching me shit. Seriously it's been like three weeks.

I wasn't prepared for what working with Loki actually looks like. /pos

Because what that actually looks like, apparently, is sitting watching a comedy anime and getting the distinct vibe that it has a sense of humor that Loki enjoys. And then realizing that's because Loki is actively hanging around... watching fuckin' anime with me. Why the hell would Loki want to watch a dumb comedy anime with the funny little guy he works with?

Seeing a post about watching comedy as a devotional act to Loki later felt intentional, so I ended up deciding to do just that.

Thing is, I grew up exposed to the idea that God is an all-powerful being who deserves nothing less than the best and humans are the scum of the earth. I'm only now seeing that it's been damaging my relationship with my deities. I'm afraid to just chat with them 'too casually.' I apologize if I feel like I said something that's too disrespectful. I've apologized to Loki multiple times because he pulled some shit and my response was "god damnit Loki" or "you motherfucker."

And then they remind me that I call my mom the same thing, and she laughs. It's the same with my friends. All because it's not insulting, or disrespectful, it's a sign of affection. I would never say that and mean it; they know that, so it's funny. It's playful.

Amongst many other things, Loki is teaching me that joy is to be valued. This world tells us that it's dumb, childish, or any other assortment of negative descriptors- and that it has no place in spirituality. Certainly no place in the presence of a god- and that's fucking sad. I think Loki is sad about it too. I think Loki's fucking pissed, actually. How dare we be made to feel shame for what makes us happy. The gods deserve to partake in our joy and our fun just as much as they deserve to be part of our sorrow and fear.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm starting to think that hanging out with some fucker who's scrolling through memes and blasting music might just be a nice change of pace for them.

[onceatpeace]

[gnnosis]

on friendship

[ falsettos, “what would i do?” / @beetlejuices / dead poet’s society (1989) / “old friends,” simon & garfunkel / the west wing 01x12 / the raven cycle, maggie stiefvater / ted lasso, 02x12 / “lost in the light,” the bahamas / our flag means death, 01x06 ]

[cariiibaez]

[tumbler-polls]

[ingravinoveritas]

So, in honor of David hosting the BAFTAs this year, The Guardian is soliciting questions for him to answer, and I just needed to share a selection of them...

(Sharing this last one only because the secondhand embarrassment is so strong, and why would you even ask David this. Also agreeing with someone else who said this question is so clearly made for Michael Sheen...)

[ae-cha08]

Maybe you are struggling to wait for God’s best. Everything in your heart, mind or flesh may be crying out for a shortcut — one that will relieve the pressures of life right now.

Though you can’t hear, perceive or see God’s master plan for your life, you can trust Him today in your struggles. Surrender all your hopes and desires to Him. Keep praying for as long as it takes. His presence will be an incomparable comfort if you choose to wait. 💙

[k-wame]

Stonemouth (2015) · S1·E01 · 08.06.2015

[illustratus]

David and Jonathan by Cima da Conegliano

[onceatpeace]

[caffeinatedbisexual]

Another one because these books truly crack me up

[adventists-in-michigan]

Relationships are hard. Thankfully the bible gives us several principles on how to maintain a healthy relationship. Here are some.

Forgiveness: "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32

Honesty: "Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body." - Ephesians 4:25

Humility: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." - Philippians 2:3

Respect: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." - Matthew 7:12

Communication: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." - James 1:19

Unity: "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:3