If you were to meet any of my friends today, I strongly believe that one of the things that would tell you about me is the fact that I treasure my friendships a lot. And this is because I'm one of those people who absolutely believes that. Your friendships can affect your destiny. Your friendship can actually determine just like marriage, whether or not you fulfill purpose. And here's why. Hey friends. Welcome back to another episode while I'm on a roll here. I've really been the feeling like picking up the microphone to record since my last episode, which by the way, Thanks for all the love on that. Many of you have listened to it and. I've sometimes I feel like we are all living the same lives, you know, but we found good for Greg That he continues to help us day in and day out. To do this journey called life. And so we look forward to the things to come. And while we're doing that, we are leaning into the strength of consistency. And so here I am a recording on a Friday morning. I'm sort of switching up my upload schedule a bit. I think one update I need to give you as that we are likely going to be starting off season two. Before we actually had into next year. while I did start out the seasonal journey to make it like season one will be a year long thing. Season two, you know, you get the drift. I think really this. This this morning, actually, I've just been really pondering over this. Like, do I jump into season two? Starting what the Lord has been speaking to me about? Or do I kind of start it and season one And the holy spirit just said to me, The seasons are not to track what happens necessarily year up. Two year. But it is to truck. The different seasons of life that I'm taking you through. And so if it happens that I go through three different seasons in the year, then that's what the podcast is going to reflect. Right. And so I'm just really trying to learn, not to. Put God in a box and suggest give him the free rein to do as he will with this platform. And so, yeah, I'm more on that. So calm. I definitely would do like a closing episode. To announce all that before we get into season two, you know, give you guys a bit off. Uh, timeline as to when things are going to shape up. But. But that being said, Let's get into the meat of today's episode. I want this episode to be very, very sure. I know. I see that all the time, but we always end up talking a lot and I like talking. Okay. That, that is one thing that I do. And I do very well. Oh, at least I like to think so. But friendships, friendships, friendships. Most of my current friends are people that. I have known. For at least 10 years of my life. Most of these Ryan's naturally came from school. Neighborhood a few family friends here and there. But I've truly bonded with people that I've spent a couple of years in a setting confined space with them. Be it. School. Be it church or evening. Living situations, And it just so happens that most of my friends are actually not in the same geographical location as me. Lately though by God's special grace. Most of my friends, some of my friends, we are trusting God for moves, but. As of now, most of my friends have left Ghana. APIs Ewing school or work outside of Ghana and to somebody in Canada, somebody. In the us are mine. cut it all over arrow and. At least that that sense of proximity makes me feel happy, you know? Cause I know I can just get up, get a TK, uh, go visit them and I don't necessarily need to break the bank compared to if I had to go all the way to Ghana to see them. the last time I saw most of my friends was last year. About nine months ago now. And prior to that, I hadn't seen some of those friends for about 10, 12 years. Most of them, I hadn't seen them in six to seven years. And you would be wondering how we've been able to maintain those friendships. All this well. And also you, one thing, it comes with intentionality. But it also comes with having the understanding that God put these people in your life. Wheezing. You truly cannot do life alone. I don't care who you are. I don't care. What you have? I don't care. Listen, you cannot do life alone. And that is just the end of the Mata. for me, I put my all into my friendships, my friends. Uh, everything to me, my friends mean the world to me, obviously not every friend that I have is on the scene. Level right. That that yesterday I have my most closest friends. and then I have so people who are kind of hanging between the close friend list, but then not really close. Bye. When we get together, like the connection is there, the vibe is there, the energy is there and we get each other. And then there are also people who are sort of on the outer tier of that. But there are people that I can go to once in a while. They can come to me once in a while and we can really just pour into each other. And so that different levels too. The friends that I have, but all in all the preservational dues, friendships have come. Do you too. The intentionality of both parties to keep that friendship alive and also by the grace of God, because the, the friendships have not been without their struggles. You know, there've been times when we've argued seasonings, where we've gone with all talking to each other and, you know, by thumb. Good for growth. That's all I have to say on the motto. for growth. So I wanted to do this episode. Because this week, I sent a post to some of my closest friends on Instagram. And it was a post that GBOMBS made. She is. Someone that I really love. I like hair. she's one of these long distance mentors. Um, people in the body of Christ that I look up to who women who are thriving that really just encourage and empower me. To do better. So I actually encountered her through to. The solutions. She does those YouTube video with her, where they spoke about navigating female friendships. And as I was watching that video, I was just like, oh my God, this woman is speaking my language because this is just how I see friendships. They are super important to me. I don't just bring anyone into my little circle because like, um, We are breaking cycles together. We are doing things together. I need to know that you can stunt. On your own. When the time comes and I wasn't need to know that I can stand for you. You can stand for me and together we will. You know, do what the Lord has sent us to you. unfortunately GBOMBS lost her spiritual father. And then have brought that and then her biological father in the span of three weeks. Imagine losing three important people. And three weeks, I still kind of wrapped my head around the entire situation because she must be hurting so bad. But it was through this loss, that one of the things that I've always known got confirmed. And that is the fact that people mutter. The people that you choose to surround yourself with Marta. And why am I seeing this? So during this grieving period for G bums and all that. Her friends really sure that, and they really showed out for her. She had one of her best friends flying all the way from Nigeria to Canada, leaving her children, leaving her life, literally putting those things on pause just to come and be there for her sister. And the sisterhood really shown for me that every time I go back to watch that video, I literally cry. I just don't know what it is come from, But I really feel the sacrifice that she made for her friend. And they really moves me to the core. One of the things I tell most of my friends is that. I cannot be everything to you. As you cannot be everything to me. You need people. You need friends. You don't need just one good friend. You don't need just two good friends. You don't need just three good friends. One thing opposite. Someone always says in most of his messages, is that. In this world. Those who hate you do not matter. Like they are like by keys, like who really cares? I don't care if you don't like me. But it is the people who like you that matter because it is those people who would determine whether or not the season you are in continues to be where you remain or that you progress in life. Because sometimes those people have what it takes to move you up. So I want us to do this episode to encourage us to really begin to look into ourselves and reflect. And. Ask ourselves for every friend. In our lives. What value do I give this pressing? What value does this person give me? To get that. What do we, what do we form together? You know, it's like marriage, when. When two people come together, the Bible says that the L one. Now. Right. And, and to get out these two people can do so much. Bible says that when two people agree, they can't do anything. You know, and so this friend that I have. together? What do we stand for in the Kindle? When both of us stand on, we who'd has, does hell break loose. Do we shake the core of hell? Do we change things in the spirit? And of course. All our friends are not people that's. We. Pre you were there every day and you know, all that's right. Not all my friends are like that. I'm trusting God and still praying every day into seeding for them that they will come to see the light. But for now. There are sort of those people that you've known for so long They, you know, there is a reason why God put them in your life. And so you are just trying to stay the course and really trusting, go to reveal that peppers. I see those more. So for us to begin to ask ourselves, like who surrounds you, who. Who do you call your friends? In your time of need. Can you trust these people to show up? Can you trust them to come through for you? Do you have any friends that you can trust that you know what? Even if I can pray for my soul today, I know that this friend is saying a word of prayer for me. Even if I can feed my soul today, I know that this friend. Has the ability to provide for me in my time of need. When I'm hurting. I know there's this friend I can lean on. When I need to vent, I need to run. I know there's this pressing who would give me that listening ear and encourage me. I, you surrounded by people like that. And I tell you, if you are nodes, then. You really need to begin to be intentional. First of all, the people they are letting into your life. And the number two. The daily workings. Putting in to ensure that they remain in your life.'cause some friendships are priceless. You cannot do this life alone. I don't care what principles you are armed with. See, you can watch All the nuggets. You can read all the books, how to do life, how to win in life, but relationships are important. And if you don't have them, you will get to a point where you realize that. I've made an arrow. I need someone to hold my hand as I go up the stairs. I need someone to keep my hand up, like Moses. So that we can keep winning the battle. I need someone. To just be there for me in the background, cheering me on. But I also need people that I too can pull into because there is no sense in life. If I just come and I'm on the receiving end of things, what am I doing to pour into the friendships that I have? What am I doing to ensure that people are becoming. Everything that God has called them to be. By my presence in Delise. What role am I playing in people's lives. And if you're looking within and you've identified people that you have that much, some of these descriptions that I'm stating. Then you're on the right track. And I just want is to really get to the point where every day. We give us souls the chance to be more intentional about our friendships to be more intentional. About the way we are saved, guarding the relationships that we have with people. Because at the end of the day, You can do everything for yourself. And that is truly the point of this podcast. Bible says that. and don't quote me on this. I'm just powerful. You're saying, you know, from how it speaks to me, but the word says that. True love. Is when you can lead down your life for a friend. Did not see when you can lay down your life for your mother. Or your father or your brother or your sister? Or your husband or your children before a friend, because before everything else, before every other relationship friendship comes, first friendship is what forms the basis of every relationship. Every good relationship has friendship. As the bees, right. And so if you cannot lay down your life for your friend, then. And see I'm in this with you, because this is a question that. Holy spirit asked me this week as I was just meditating on this entire thing of sister who'd of friendship. And I came on because of this scripture. And I really challenged myself and I was like, okay. I mean, I love my friends, but then the holy spirit was like, But can you die for this person? And I thought about it and I was like, oh, I mean, I can give everything I have. So that per I saying, I can, you know, I can do. All these other stuff. And he kept pushing. He's like, but can you die for this person? And I realized that I could not answer because at the end of the day, I am still putting myself above people. Even though I'm being very intentional. You know about. My preserving the friendships that I have and just showing up for my friends when they need it. And really just given them my support in everything I realize I was lacking the part. About truly. Going full on sacrificial mode. When it comes to the points of death. Can you let go of something? Just so that your friend can be well off. Can you literally pull your soul to that? Would you look that in the face and see that? Because I love this passing because this passing means the world to me. I am going to lay down my life for that person. And find if you cannot do that, then. I think that's we still have a long way to grow. First of all, in Christ. Because it is only when we come to know God in a setting way and understand the dimension of him that died for us on Calvary. We will not know. How to love our neighbor. And at the end of the day, it takes understanding. It takes patience. It takes a lot of things to nurture a friendship. To the point where you can boldly see without hesitating that yes, I can lead all my life with this person because they are my friend. I can lead on my life for that person. Because I know that in the laying down of my life for that person, I allowed them to become all that God has called them to be just like Heise laid down his life for me. So that I could truly completely and fully. Lived the life. That he planned for me. And so friends, I leave you with this today. I don't know where you may have picked from this, but I, I, I truly hope that you pick something in there for nothing at all. Pick it, the fact that's friendship equals intentionality. Friendship equals patience. Friendship equals sacrifice. But altogether. Friendship equals death to self. And until next time. Keep thriving.