Being Intentional with loving your friends from faraway
I know right now it’s hard not spending time with friends and not getting go out, it can be hard to stay connected with your friends when you don’t see them every day.
My best friend actually moved away last summer, and we have had to do the long-distance friendship for 8 months now, and I think we have learned a couple things. People are having to learn how to stay connected in new ways now that we are mostly staying home. Also, it’s just important to learn how to love those who aren’t with us all the time.
It can be essential to build relationships with family and friends who don’t live close to you, but there are some remarkable ways to be intentional with relationships. I’m going to share some tips I’ve learned on how to stay connected and be intentional with your friendships from far away.
Staying Up To Date With Friends
A kind of obvious one is calling or face timing, my best friend and I try to face time a couple times a week. Sometimes we just call out of the blue, and sometimes we set up a time to talk, but either way, it’s essential to stay up to date with your friend or family and what is going on in their lives. This can help you be more intentional with them and how you love them.
Next is this fantastic app called Marco Polo; literally, this app is incredible. It allows you to send videos back and forth, it can help show your friend what is going on in your life, while seeing what is going on in theirs. I love getting Marco Polos from my best friend, it helps me see what she is doing that day much better than a text could.
Writing Letters
Another way to stay connected is through writing letters, it may seem kind of silly with all of the technology we have today, but I always feel so loved whenever I get a letter. Even if you talk to your family and friends all the time, an excellent way to encourage them and show them you love them is by sending them a little note. I promise it will make their day, plus everyone loves having a pen pal!
Zoom calls are a great way to bring a group of friends or your family all together at once. You can make it super fun and intentional; for my Grandparent’s birthdays, my cousin put together Kahoot games about them, and it was a blast.
Bible Studies
Another great way to stay connected is to do a bible study or read a book together, it can be a really great way to see their opinions and grow closer together. If you are reading a good book, send it to them or recommend it to them. My best friend and I are total book worms and recommend books to each other all the time, we are also doing the same devotional right now, which has been really fun!
A fun way to connect is over a TV show or movie, and this might sound silly, but when you both get into a series, it can be an enjoyable way to stay connected. My best friend and I both love the show When Calls The Heart, they just finished their 7th season, and it was enjoyable to hear what she thought about the episodes and the finale. She also recommends the best movies to me, and it is always fun to talk about those after we both watch.
Building Each Other Up
In friendships, it’s crucial to build each other up in Christ and pour into one another, even over a long distance. God puts friends and family in our lives for a reason, and it’s essential to let that person know when you are thinking about them. I always feel so loved when someone simply sends me a text saying they are thinking about me, I believe God puts those tugs on our hearts for a reason, and it may help bring a little joy into that person’s day.
It’s essential to be creative when intentionally loving someone, especially from far away! It can be as simple as sending them a text saying you love them or sending them a Bible verse that reminded you of them. It’s the little ways that we can really show someone that you care about them and grateful for them.
Being Vulnerable
When building friendships from far away, it’s crucial to be real and raw when you talk to them. Vulnerability is an excellent foundation for deep relationships, and although it might be scary or feel risky, with that risk comes some fantastic friendships.
One incredibly important thing is to make sure to be there for your friends, even when you can’t be there. Even when you live far away or can’t be right next to your friend, you can still be there for them when they are struggling or walking through something hard.
Being There For Each Other
Maybe it’s just listening as they work through what they are feeling or offering advice when they need help, but be sure to walk with through every point of their life, not just the easy fun parts. When both of you are intentionally loving each other and speaking truth into each other, it is a fantastic friendship.
Proverbs 16: 24 says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” I love this verse because it’s an excellent reminder that our words can have such an impact on others, and we can uplift and pour into our friendships even when we can’t be with each other.
Relationships are all about compromise, including friendships! When you both are working to connect and love each other well, it can be so awesome. But even when you are trying to seek out friendships and trying to get to know and connect with someone, just try to love them in the way God does and to be vulnerable with them, and it may lead to a God-given friendship.
Creative Ways To Love Each Other
Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” Even when you are far away or can’t be with someone, hold close to your friends, and find creative ways to intentionally love them.
I hope this helps you connect with your friends, and you can pour into each other during this time. Please know that you are fully known and fully loved by our awesome creator! Please reach out if you need anything:) How do you connected to your friends?
-Gracie K
Instagram: gracie.k.johnson
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Great job babe. I’m so proud of you 😉