Developing “AND Friendships”
Hi, dear friends! Linda and I are enjoying a restive week in Big Sky, Montana (yes, it is a real place!). As I sit at the dining room table with my computer open and I gaze out at the dark blue placid lake with an eagle soaring overhead… it’s a bit hard to concentrate!
We look forward to seeing herds of elk, bison, and moose when we visit Yellowstone National Park. We are excited to see the gushing geyser named “Old Faithful,” which spouts a super-heated plume of water skyward twenty times a day. And Old Faithful is what I am sharing with you today–how to create “AND Faithful Friendships” as dependable as this natural phenomenon!
Quite frankly, it seems the term “friend” lost its meaning as it now mainly denotes a connection on social media. I bristle when I hear people say they have hundreds or thousands of friends online. It makes me want to ask them, “So, who can you call at 2 a.m. when you need someone to listen to your heart cries?”
So, what are “AND Friendships”? Why do we need them? The term AND Friendship is drawn from Paul’s words when describing this type of deep friendship, “Therefore encourage AND comfort AND build up one another, just as you are doing.” ( I Thessalonians 5:11 AMP). These are the three keys to developing a deep and enduring friendship and they are not separate or exclusive. Instead, they are intermingled. AND stands for:
A- Actively Praying for others
N– Nurturing and Encouraging others
D– Developing others
AND friends selflessly pour into the lives of others. Always praying for their friends. Nurturing, encouraging, and helping others develop a deeper walk with Jesus are hallmarks of an AND Friend.
While we all have friends, what we truly need are a few AND Friends. It takes time, vulnerability, and devotion to establish these key relationships. Jim and Kathy Powell are an example of two of our many AND friends. We are blessed to have known them since 2008. They’ve made walking our path in life…with the difficulties we’ve faced…so much more bearable as they encourage and cheer us on.
People who are not interested in helping you draw closer to Christ or are too busy with their own endeavors, while they may be friendly, are not AND Friends. They may be people we care about or are ministering to but are not the kind of people we can look to for a deeply mutual and satisfying companionship as we walk together with Christ.
When we reconnect with AND friends after a period of intense preoccupation with life (such as moving to Colorado), it seems like no time passed. They maintain an encouraging, prayerful, supportive, and encouraging friendship with us. They desire us to draw closer to Christ and accomplish the tasks set before us. That is why it takes time and intentionality to develop AND friendships. As Linda’s dear mother Thelma used to say, with startling clarity, “To have a friend you first must be a friend.”
I have learned a great deal as we attempt to be AND Faithful Friends with those God brings into our lives. I have learned to invest in the lives of others, to encourage and nurture when a hug or card is needed and apply the power of praying for my close friends. I hope what I am sharing with you can help you add AND friendships to your life.
As we continue to help you seek to live Your Refreshed Life, we desire to add value to your lives, helping you draw nearer to Christ and to accomplish His plans for your life. We want to help you be a light to those with whom you interact on a regular basis. We would love to hear how we have encouraged you. Please email your stories to us at reen.waterman@navigators.org.
