I saw an article from one of my favorite authors/speakers this week, and it inspired me to write a post on the topic of sisterhood. In big bold lettering it states, “HAPPY GALENTINES DAY!” Then follows up with discussing ways we can cherish the sisters in the faith whom God has placed in our lives. Most people don’t like to celebrate Valentines for a number of reasons, one being they don’t have a significant other, and another being they think it was only created for commercialism. Whatever your belief, I ask that you read this article with an open mind, open heart, and try to see from my point of view. Today we will discuss what it means to be intentional with your inner circle of friends – and who you should be vulnerable with-, why we should celebrate Valentine’s, and how to leave a legacy for other women to follow.

SISTERHOOD – CELEBRATING THE WOMEN IN YOUR LIFE 

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Your Inner Circle & Seasons of Life

Throughout my life I struggled to maintain good friendships; whether because I didn’t fully understand what a good friend looked like, let alone how to be one, or I tried to put those friends in a position only created for my Savior. However, over the last eight or so years, I have come to see it isn’t about the longest you have known someone as much as cherishing the good ones God places in your life. What does this mean? You can’t choose what friends stay in your life through every season, just like you can’t manage the seasons in real life – although let’s be honest it would be nice to have our favorite season all year round right? As Mrs. Chris Caine always says, “There are three types of people that come into our lives; Those who are for a season, those for a reason, and those who will be with us for a lifetime.” Once we realize the ladies we have allowed into our lives and what their role is, we will be able to fully enjoy our lives. One of the shows I enjoy, that cultivates women coming together – which you can check out here, I highly recommend it -, discusses how we should only have about three to five women in our inner circle that we are fully vulnerable with. Anything beyond that is unhealthy and unwise because not everyone should be permitted full access into our lives all the time. Let’s look at two seasons of our lives where our Core Four are the most beneficial.

• A Season of Healing

During these times in our lives we have either gone, are going, or about to go through something and we need other women who can not only relate to us, but are living proof of a brighter and stronger day ahead. These type of seasons can be brought on by the death of a loved one, a child, etc. and in these seasons we need people who will encourage and mentor us in our fragile state. These women may only be in your life for a short time – a few minutes, a few weeks, or a few years -, or a deep and lasting friendship may be birthed out of these seasons. Whatever the case, if you are in a season of healing, you need to ask God to bring friends who can help you heal well and fully, and those to whom you can do the same.

•  A Season of Growth

This is a season of learning, processing, and mentorship. During this season, we need godly mentors and mamas/grandma’s in the faith. I have been in this season most of my life – mainly because I can be stubborn at times -, and so I know this season well! Many times we will have about 2 to 3 people in our lives we are receiving from, and 1 to 2 whom we are pouring into. Each of us have a unique testimony about life and faith, and there is a group of people we are called to minister to – whether you realize it or not. Through our cultural background to our economic status, everything we experience in this life is a platform to help others. I don’t believe we ever stop learning – if we do we need to check our heart -, but there are specific times where God is stretching us and causing us to grow in some area(s) of our lives. No matter how long God has placed someone into our lives, we need to ask for wisdom as to whether they are destined to be in our inner circle and how much of our life we are to share with them.

Be Intentional

When we find our core four, and those we are most vulnerable with, we need to be intentional with those relationships. If we truly appreciate and love these ladies, we will make time for them and not just “see how it goes” with our schedule. When we are intent on cultivating these friendships, and make them a priority in our lives, we will begin to have deep and meaningful relationships that bless one another and glorify God. Granite, I have a few ladies that I don’t get to see often, but we make up for it through texting/calling, and trying to plan vacations to see one another so we can maintain a healthy friendship. Regardless how often we are able to see our besties, we need be intentional in staying in contact with each other and letting the other person know how much we care so we are growing closer together instead of apart. Next we will discuss why we should celebrate Valentines – and how it isn’t just for our significant other -, and how we can leave a legacy for other women to follow.

Valentine’s Day

I have run across a lot of people who don’t celebrate this day for many reasons; two being they don’t have someone to love, and/or they think it is just a commercial holiday – I should know because I have fallen into these two categories in the past. First, I know we should be celebrating our loved ones all throughout the year. However, I also believe just like other holidays, we should set apart this one to remind those we love, and the fellow women in our lives who have made the most impact, just how special they are to us. The best way to do that is writing a card, taking them out to eat, spending quality time with them, and/or doing something they love. What are some things you like to do for the month of February for the special people in your life? Share them in the comment below.

Leaving a Legacy

To leave a legacy simply means; You have the unique opportunity to not only share His message with the world, but to use the gifts and talents inside yourself to help those in need and model what a Godly woman should look like. How awesome is that? If this is overwhelming for you, I encourage you to seek God on how to live this out and research scripture on the subject. A great example of this would be people like Billy Graham, Kathrine Koulman, Mother Theresa, and Smith Wigglesworth – just to name a few.

So we have discussed how to find your inner circle of friends that you can be vulnerable with, gave an example of a few seasons where having them is beneficial, and how to be intentional in your relationships with your CORE FOUR. We also seen how we don’t have to buy into the commercialism of the holidays, but can use this time to show those we care about our appreciation and love, and how we can learn to leave a legacy for other women to model in their own lives. This month let’s not just hide under the covers, stuff our face with chocolate, or complain about how it’s just for the suckers and businesses. Let’s embrace this month with joy, share our appreciation with those we love and hold dear, and remember to do something good for those in need. Share below how you will be celebrating this Galentine’s, and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you can get a notification in your email when a new article is posted.

Blessings,

~Angie~