I need YOUR help!

Hello readers!!

I would love to do something new on JOJ...but in order to do it, I need your help! :)

I'd like to interview different Christian young ladies + older women, asking them questions and formulating them into different posts for this blog! 

Here's where you come in - what are some questions you've wanted to ask a godly woman, younger or older? would it be about life, the future, the past, God, the Bible, relationships...what would you ask? :) Please post YOUR questions (any and all!) in the comments below, and I will use some of them in my interviews! 

Thank you so much! Looking forward to what you come up with. :)

{ Rachel }

At long last I return...

Hello friends! I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I have not posted on here in a very long time. Due to the fact that Bible Bee studying had been taking much of my free time. Now that Nationals is over, I hope to get back into posting regularly. It was so nice to meet several JOJ readers at Nationals...blessings, Christianna, Elanee, Elizabeth, Eden, and anyone else I missed! :) It was also wonderful to see many friends again. The whole event was amazing...even though I didn't make the Semi-finals I had a blast :) 

{watching the challenge rounds!} Christanna and I sat together for a couple of these...that was fun! It was exciting to have friends up there competing! :) 

{Late night visits with friends} I am third from the left. We had so much fun!

So I hope to get back into regular posting soon! I'm going to miss you Esther. :( 

We'd love to do some guest posts on JOJ in the future...if you're interested, drop us a line! :)

Rachel 

The Hard Side of Being a Friend

“A [woman] that hath friends must shew [herself] friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a [sister].” —Proverbs 18:24

I’ve often struggled with my friendships. I don’t consider myself the best of friends at the best of times, and I know way too often I am demanding and unforgiving when I should be the opposite. I’ve often struggled with the question of how can I, as Christian young women, be a friend? Not just the kind that buys chocolate for my friends, or talks about the latest and greatest happenings—that’s only surface stuff. I like having things deeper than that. I don’t believe we can have real friendships if that’s all that is happening.

Proverbs 6:3 says, “Do this now, my [daughter], and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.” The “humble yourself” part of this verse could also be translated “submit yourself”. When you submit yourself, you are becoming open to criticism.

I’m sure you’ve seen somewhere a picture of a triangle with God at the top and a man and a woman at the bottom corners. It’s often used to help explain (in a rough way) how courtship and marriage are supposed to work (if I understood the object lesson wrong, then please tell me!). That triangle can also be applied to our friendships.

As we individually grow closer to God, we grow closer to each other. And our communication rises with us—closer to God. For the most part in my friendships, I have a hard time talking about God and what He’s been teaching me lately. It’s something I just don’t feel comfortable with…maybe it’s because I feel vulnerable.

That brings me to my final point: You are going to be vulnerable (and I’m talking to myself, as well as you!). If you are ever going to have a deep relationship with anyone, you have to be willing to be vulnerable. Exposed. Unguarded. And that’s really hard. But Jesus did it—I don’t think anyone has ever been more exposed for all the world to see than He!

While I haven’t given any real advice here, I’ll have to say—this is still a learning ground for me. I don’t have a magic trick for having friends or any how-to tips. I’m just praying I’ll be able to further bless, encourage, strengthen, and challenge those around me whom I am privileged to call friends. I hope you will be able to, as well.

Stand strong!
Esther