Your entire life is about relationships with others. The outcome of your life—where you live, who you share your life with, who you work with, who you develop friendships with—have a huge influence in who you become.
You were destined to have relationships with the people around you. God uses many of those relationships to bring blessing and encouragement into your life. Often those relationships are bridges on the path of God’s plan for your life.
As you pursue strong new relationships, seek out those who are of like faith and similar interests.
- Find a good church in your neighborhood;
- Spend more time around people;
- Join a club or non-profit group;
- Play sports and sign up for a team;
- Make eye contact and smile;
- Start a conversation;
- Ask someone out for lunch or coffee.
Once you’ve built a deeper friendship:
- Be patient when someone needs to tell you their story;
- Be tender when someone has hurt feelings;
- Confirm your support by what you say and what you do;
- Be honest—without judgment;
- Remain open to new relationships.
Remember, making new friends is an intentional decision. You have to put yourself out there to meet people. People will come to you if you let them.
