Friends Edition (January/February 2018)
Find presents for a special friend that deserves more than a candle or lotion; get rid of the friend-busters in your life; decide to get back in touch with a long-lost friend; and discover tips on how to be a better listener.
Find presents for a special friend that deserves more than a candle or lotion; get rid of the friend-busters in your life; decide to get back in touch with a long-lost friend; and discover tips on how to be a better listener.
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SKGfun<br />
magazine<br />
helping girls navigate the teen years, with big smiles and copious laughter<br />
<strong>January</strong>/<strong>February</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
<strong>Friends</strong>
SKG fun<br />
J A N U A R Y - F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
- writers -<br />
REBECCA CARAWAY / KATE JONES / ANNA MCCAULEY /<br />
AMANDA BROWN / JULIA FINDLEY / HAILEY HUDSON /<br />
OLIVIA NICKERSON / SARAH CNOSSEN<br />
- photography -<br />
LEAH BUFFALINO<br />
- design -<br />
AMANDA BROWN<br />
Volume No. 7, Issue No. 1<br />
W W W . S K G F U N . C O M
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
SKG FUN<br />
THEME: FRIENDS<br />
Get in Touch 04<br />
Be a Better Listener 06<br />
Put Your Phone Away 08<br />
4 Super Fun, Super Cute, Super<br />
Unique Gifts for Your Bestie<br />
08<br />
Put Your Phone Away<br />
11<br />
16<br />
Prepare with Prayer<br />
Make a Friend's Day 22<br />
T-shirts 25<br />
Credits 26<br />
Front cover: Leah Buffalino<br />
T<br />
My Friend and I False Alarm<br />
14<br />
Prepare with Prayer 16<br />
Break, Bust, Burst 18<br />
22<br />
Make a Friend's Day<br />
Visit<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
to view this current issue on your<br />
computer
SKG FUN<br />
EDITOR'S NOTE<br />
Amanda Brown<br />
E D I T O R - I N - C H I E F<br />
The number one question I get when I tell people I'm homeschooled is, "But . . . what about your<br />
social life?" For a while, the only social life I had was made up of church and co-op (extracurricular<br />
activities). Then I got into soccer and my world expanded beyond anything I ever thought it could.<br />
Yes, homeschoolers have a social life. It may not be as large as others', but as important as friends<br />
are, good grades are more important.<br />
As an introvert. making friends for me is difficult. No longer can I use the playground method:<br />
marching up to someone and demanding they play with me. Now I'm in college, surrounded by<br />
adults that are learning how to make a living.<br />
This semester, I was walking around and so may people were waving at me. It took me a few<br />
minutes to process all this. Like . . . wait! I made all these friends this semester? Who was this<br />
friendly, outgoing Amanda last semester?: During Winter Break, I managed to retreat in my room<br />
again. I wrote my book, listened to my music, and had very little to do with the outside world<br />
besides work.<br />
But it's good to be back in the company of my fellow humans. If you're an introvert, dare yourself to<br />
shed your stereotype and try to be friendly. You'll amaze yourself . . . I mean, I amazed myself!<br />
Me, the girl who used to write letters and ask people for permission to be their friend.<br />
God made us to be a relational creature. As fun as it is to be all alone sometimes, reach out and<br />
challenge yourself to be more friendly this year than you ever have.<br />
Here's to making and being a friend!<br />
Amanda Brown<br />
S K G F U N | 2
A FRIEND IS ONE THAT KNOWS<br />
YOU AS YOU ARE, UNDERSTANDS<br />
WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN, ACCEPTS<br />
WHAT YOU HAVE BECOME, AND<br />
STILL, GENTLY ALLOWS YOU TO<br />
GROW.<br />
- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE<br />
S K G F U N | 3
FEATURE<br />
JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
why you should write a long-lost friend<br />
in touch<br />
By Rebecca Caraway<br />
get<br />
T h e r e ' s s o m e t h i n g a b o u t o l d<br />
f r i e n d s , t h a t ' s h o w t h e s a y i n g<br />
g o e s .<br />
And it's true we all have a<br />
good friend who maybe you<br />
grew up with, but then<br />
something in your life tore<br />
you apart from each other.<br />
A few years pass but then<br />
you're cleaning your room and<br />
you come across an old photo<br />
of the two of you and you're<br />
hit with the pain of Nostalgia<br />
and regret. You think about<br />
contacting them but you are<br />
worried that it might be weird<br />
since too much time has<br />
passed. Here’s a list of a few<br />
tips and reasons why you<br />
should contact them.<br />
1 . T h e y m o s t<br />
l i k e l y f e e l t h e<br />
s a m e w a y .<br />
If you and this person you<br />
want to reach out to were<br />
really close they most likely<br />
miss you as much as you miss<br />
them.<br />
Depending on how you fell<br />
apart there's a high chance<br />
they miss you<br />
and would love to reconnect<br />
with you.<br />
S K G F U N | 4
with an old<br />
Reconnecting<br />
like you could be<br />
friend<br />
hope you found these tips<br />
I<br />
and don't forget that<br />
helpful<br />
takes a lot of effort<br />
friendship<br />
time to build but it's<br />
and<br />
worth it. Nothing is<br />
absolutely<br />
than a good friend who<br />
better<br />
knows you and will always<br />
really<br />
by your side!<br />
stay<br />
FEATURE<br />
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
2 . I t w i l l b e n e f i t<br />
y o u r c o n f l i c t<br />
challenges. Also you don't know what's been<br />
going on with your friend since you’ve been<br />
apart. They could be going through a rough<br />
time and reconnecting with an old friend<br />
like you could be just the thing they need.<br />
r e s o l u t i o n s k i l l s .<br />
Reconnecting with an old friend can be a<br />
little awkward at first especially if you lost<br />
touch because of a fight but if you are able<br />
to work things out it will benefit you in the<br />
long run. Fixing a lost relationship will<br />
help you learn to deal with conflict in a<br />
mature manner which will help you in the<br />
future as an adult.<br />
just the thing they need<br />
4 . t h e y<br />
e a c h o t h e r .<br />
Since you and your former best friend<br />
have been out of touch for a while, the two<br />
of you have probably gone through a lot<br />
of hard things since you were friends. The<br />
great thing about old friends is that they<br />
know all about your past and your former<br />
scars so they know how to help you in<br />
new<br />
Old friends have known you since before<br />
you were even really you, they’ve seen you<br />
grow to the person you are today! Since<br />
they've known you for so long they<br />
understand you like most people can't. They<br />
know who you used to be and if you take the<br />
time they could get to know who you are<br />
now which will create a bond that could last<br />
forever.<br />
u n d e r s t a n d y o u .<br />
3 . Y o u c a n h e l p<br />
5 . T h e r e ' s<br />
n o t h i n g t o l o s e !<br />
Even if you and your friend ended on<br />
bad terms reaching out to them couldn't<br />
make anything worse. Reaching out to<br />
your friend would do no harm and if you<br />
put enough effort into a rekindled<br />
friendship it could be very rewarding. If<br />
you really miss this friend take a risk!<br />
S K G F U N | 5
etter<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
be a<br />
b y k a t e j o n e s<br />
listener<br />
S K G F U N | 6
LISTEN UP JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
q u e s t i o n<br />
1.<br />
C a r e<br />
3.<br />
As Christians (and good human beings in general) we<br />
are supposed to love and care for others above<br />
ourselves. The most important facet of being a good<br />
listener is that you must take an active interest in<br />
both the person and what they have to say.<br />
others have to say – many times your<br />
curiosity will be piqued and questions will<br />
come naturally. When you care about<br />
people you will have a genuine desire to<br />
know more and keep them talking.<br />
2. p a y If you truly care and are listening to what<br />
a t t e n t i o n<br />
Don’t let yourself get distracted. Put<br />
your phone down. Sit still and look<br />
directly into the other person's eyes:<br />
show them that they are the most<br />
important person to you in that<br />
moment.<br />
Some people talk more easily and word things better<br />
than others do. And some enjoy talking so much that you<br />
have to pay close attention to get to the heart of the<br />
matter.<br />
p a t i e n c e 4. h a v e<br />
Focus: do not let a single thing they say<br />
go in one ear and out the other. And<br />
hardest of all: don’t get distracted by<br />
your own problems. You can relate, but<br />
don’t interject and try to give advice or<br />
tell about your own experiences (this<br />
shows that you think more about<br />
yourself than about others).<br />
Listening can be hard.<br />
It takes time and willingness to put in an effort.<br />
You may find yourself worn out after especially<br />
deep conversations; but it is worth it. You will<br />
never regret showing love to your fellow people<br />
by listening to them: sometimes it is the only<br />
thing we can do that will truly make an impact.<br />
S K G F U N | 7
p h o n e<br />
w a y<br />
b y a n n a m c c a u l e y<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
put your<br />
S K G F U N | 8
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
We are living in a day and age where nearly every teenager is<br />
in possession of a cell phone, smart phone, iPod, etc.<br />
This fact is not altogether<br />
bad. On the contrary, I’m<br />
glad that I have my phone<br />
as a way to communicate<br />
and keep up with friends,<br />
even when we’re not able to<br />
see each other in person.<br />
Even still,<br />
is online communication<br />
a decent substitute for<br />
socializing and<br />
communicating with<br />
someone in person?<br />
The short answer:<br />
Absolutely not.<br />
The long answer: I will<br />
always value in-person<br />
interaction with my friends<br />
a hundred times as much as<br />
I value texting with them.<br />
As I said above, I enjoy<br />
texting my friends- when<br />
I’m not hanging out with<br />
people. However, you can’t<br />
compare text messages to a<br />
real conversation with a<br />
friend. And when we’re<br />
spending time with<br />
someone, that should be all that<br />
we are focusing our attention<br />
on.<br />
We’ve all been in a<br />
situation where we’re<br />
hanging out with a group of<br />
people and everyone is<br />
constantly scrolling on their<br />
phone. And it sucks. It’s<br />
hard to carry out a decent<br />
conversation with someone<br />
who’s busy staring down at a<br />
screen and trying to be<br />
involved in many different<br />
conversations.<br />
Staring at your phone while<br />
supposedly “hanging” out with<br />
someone else says “I’m bored”.<br />
It says “You are not<br />
entertaining enough for<br />
me”, and it says “I would<br />
rather talk with the people<br />
in my phone than socialize<br />
with you”.<br />
Maybe that’s not always the<br />
intended meaning, but I<br />
believe that it is the true<br />
meaning. We all have<br />
situations where we’re out<br />
with friends and have<br />
to take a call or text a<br />
parents, but unless it’s 1.<br />
An emergency or 2.<br />
Involving a parent, it can<br />
wait (rather like texting and<br />
driving).<br />
Being able to spend time<br />
with a friend (or with a<br />
group of friends) is one<br />
of the greatest things in<br />
life.<br />
Enjoying the company of<br />
someone I care about and<br />
having real conversations<br />
with them is something I<br />
value very much, and I wish<br />
our generation as a whole<br />
would stop taking it for<br />
granted.<br />
Every time you’re in the<br />
company of friends and you<br />
pull out your phone “just to<br />
check up on things”,<br />
whether you’re writing a<br />
long text to another friend<br />
or sending a completely<br />
meaningless photo of the<br />
floor to your snapchat<br />
streaks, you are wasting<br />
time that you could be<br />
spending with a friend.<br />
By Emma Bigelow<br />
S K G F U N | 9
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
So let's stop.<br />
Let’s save our “snapchatting” and<br />
“social texting” for when we<br />
aren’t surrounded by peers,<br />
friends, and family. Let’s try to<br />
make the most of the<br />
opportunities when we get to<br />
enjoy the company of the people<br />
we care about.<br />
<strong>Friends</strong>, if you are in the company<br />
of others, unless there is an<br />
emergency, please put your phone<br />
away.<br />
By Emma Bigelow<br />
S K G F U N | 1 0
4<br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
s u p e r f u n , s u p e r c u t e ,<br />
s u p e r u n i q u e<br />
g i f t s<br />
f o r y o u r b e s t i e<br />
b y a m a n d a b r o w n<br />
S K G F U N | 1 1
PRESENTS FOR YOUR BESTIE JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
S h e ' s s u p e r s p e c i a l . Y o u r b e s t f r i e n d h a s<br />
l i s t e n e d t o y o u f r e a k i n g o u t o v e r i n s a n e<br />
a c c i d e n t s , c r y i n g o v e r y o u r b o y f r i e n d a n d<br />
c e l e b r a t i n g f i n a l l y a c h i e v i n g t h a t g o a l . S h e<br />
d e s e r v e s s o m e t h i n g a s s p e c i a l a s h e r , n o t j u s t a<br />
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l i t t l e J h e a d b a n d s<br />
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y o u f a n c y ! S o f t c o v e r , $ 1 5<br />
S K G F U N | 1 5<br />
S K G F U N | 1 2
PRESENTS FOR YOUR BESTIE JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
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s o m e o u t - o f - t h e b o x i d e a s f o r w r a p p i n g p a p e r !<br />
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S K G F U N | 1 5<br />
S K G F U N | 1 3
SKGFUN.COM<br />
my friend<br />
and<br />
i b<br />
y j u l i a f i n d l e y<br />
f a l s e<br />
a l a r m<br />
S K G F U N | 1 4
MY FRIEND AND I JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
Summer camp: amazing times growing close to God and<br />
the people you're stuck with for a month or more.<br />
The past two summers it's what<br />
I’ve done, which means I have a<br />
ton of stories about things that<br />
have happened.<br />
This past summer takes the cake<br />
though. The camp I worked at is in<br />
the middle of the Mojave Desert so<br />
it's hot and sandy; it also has<br />
terrible cell phone reception. I had<br />
two places on camp property that<br />
my phone could easily send and<br />
receive messages.<br />
But only two days a week were we<br />
allowed to go to my favorite spot:<br />
The prayer Chapel. It was about a<br />
10 minute walk from my cabin and<br />
my friend and I would go up there<br />
to watch the sun set and talk about<br />
anything and everything.<br />
This one day was one of the last<br />
days we would get to do it together<br />
because she was going home since<br />
her contract was only for 6 of the<br />
10 weeks. So after eating dinner<br />
with a few staff who had invited us<br />
over, we set off to go watch the sun<br />
set. As we reached the top we saw<br />
that some people had the same<br />
idea: a few of the girl junior<br />
counselors were up there taking<br />
pictures of the beautiful landscape.<br />
As they finished they started to<br />
leave. Now the camp often told us<br />
that there were snakes on property<br />
and a few weeks before, our lovely<br />
“GrUncle” (Grumpy Uncle . . . it's<br />
another long story) had killed a<br />
baby rattlesnake with a frying pan.<br />
So we already knew that we needed<br />
to be careful. But I had yet to see<br />
one, and since it was so toasty, that<br />
night I was wearing basketball<br />
shorts and flip flops. The prayer<br />
chapel was also set into some rocks<br />
fairly high up.<br />
As the counselors left, one of<br />
them screamed, “OH MY, IT'S A<br />
SNAKE”<br />
I did nothing; I quite literally froze.<br />
After they threw a few rocks at it,<br />
they left. My friend and I stayed to<br />
watch the rest of the sunset. Then<br />
we decided to go and sit<br />
somewhere with lights since it was<br />
getting dark. Then we remembered<br />
the snake. And since both of us had<br />
on flip-flops we decided to text our<br />
GrUncle and baby brother. We told<br />
them the situation, simply by<br />
saying “Snake, Prayer Chapel,<br />
HURRY.”<br />
Next thing we know, we see<br />
headlights. And then we realize that<br />
they got their counselor to drive<br />
them down and they are<br />
brandishing shovels. When they<br />
reach the top ,they ask where the<br />
snake went and we tell them we<br />
have no idea. We just needed them<br />
to know that we were in danger and<br />
needed help, not that we were<br />
idiots that would chase a<br />
rattlesnake while we had on flip<br />
flops.<br />
To say they were disappointed is an<br />
understatement. They left without<br />
a word and my friend and I set off<br />
into what we later found out was a<br />
Coyote den. But that's another<br />
story for another day.<br />
S K G F U N | 1 5
SKGFUN.COM<br />
PREPARE<br />
with prayer<br />
dealing with people you can't stand<br />
b y h a i l e y h u d s o n<br />
S K G F U N | 1 6
PREPARE WITH PRAYER JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
Last year I started having a big<br />
problem with someone in my life.<br />
Although this person and I<br />
used to spent lots of time<br />
together, I suddenly<br />
couldn’t stand her—and I<br />
wanted to be far away. The<br />
drama this person caused<br />
started to really get on my<br />
nerves; it was no fun to do<br />
anything with them<br />
because they were always<br />
complaining, poking their<br />
nose into someone else’s<br />
business, or talking<br />
negatively about someone<br />
behind their back. Not<br />
only is this annoying and<br />
not something I want to<br />
join in on, but it’s<br />
something that I as a<br />
Christian am actually<br />
commanded not to join in<br />
on. Recently I selected<br />
several new Bible verses to<br />
memorize. One of them<br />
was 2 Timothy 2:22-23,<br />
“Flee the evil desires of<br />
youth and pursue<br />
righteousness, faith, love<br />
and peace, along with those<br />
who call on the Lord out of a<br />
pure heart. Don’t have<br />
anything to do with foolish<br />
and stupid arguments,<br />
because you know they<br />
produce quarrels.”<br />
If someone is causing<br />
drama and dragging you<br />
down, it’s completely okay<br />
to remove yourself from<br />
that situation. You are not<br />
obligated to be best friends<br />
with everyone—in fact,<br />
your closest friends need<br />
to be fellow Christians<br />
who are pushing you<br />
closer to God. However,<br />
because of activities and<br />
schedules and life, you<br />
might not be able to get<br />
away from that person you<br />
can’t stand—which is<br />
exactly what happened to<br />
me. I was still seeing this<br />
person at least once a<br />
week. Since I couldn’t<br />
remove myself from the<br />
situation, I needed to find<br />
a solution. As I considered<br />
the situation, I finally<br />
realized that there was a<br />
simple answer: pray.<br />
Before each inevitable<br />
meeting with this person, I<br />
began to saturate both of<br />
us in prayer—prayer for<br />
my friend that she would<br />
grow closer to God and<br />
prayer for myself that I<br />
would act kind and loving<br />
towards her even if she<br />
was difficult to be around.<br />
It’s been a few months<br />
since I have begun<br />
preparing myself in this<br />
way, and I don’t think this<br />
person has grown any less<br />
difficult. She’s still very<br />
annoying to be around.<br />
However—I think, and I<br />
hope, that I have changed.<br />
As I seek to show God’s<br />
love to everyone, even<br />
annoying people, I think I<br />
am softening and growing<br />
and preparing to take on a<br />
world full of annoying<br />
people in the same way<br />
that Jesus would—with<br />
love. Prepare yourself with<br />
prayer, and you can do the<br />
same.<br />
S K G F U N | 1 7
t<br />
b y o l i v i a n i c k e r s o n<br />
burs<br />
FRIENDSHIP BUSTERS JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
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Sarah curled up on the<br />
hotel<br />
R<br />
bed,<br />
E<br />
her<br />
A<br />
laptop<br />
K B<br />
propped against a pillow.<br />
Her heart felt heavy, and<br />
she knew she needed help.<br />
u<br />
s<br />
"Lyla, can you come here?<br />
I need to talk to you about<br />
something." Lyla walked<br />
into the room and took a<br />
seat next to Sarah.<br />
and awkward, like a wedge<br />
has been driven between<br />
us. I just don't know what<br />
to do! Maybe I should have<br />
responded differently... but<br />
doesn't it matter that she<br />
doesn't spend as much<br />
time with me as before?<br />
Doesn't it matter how I<br />
feel?"<br />
Lyla smiled. "This sounds<br />
similar to something that<br />
happened to me and my<br />
best friend as a kid. I won't<br />
go into all of the details<br />
now, but I know exactly<br />
what to say to you."<br />
"What's up?" Sarah took a<br />
deep breath as the story<br />
spilled out.<br />
"A few months ago, I was<br />
upset with Audrey for<br />
befriending that new girl<br />
in school. Because she<br />
wasn't spending as much<br />
time with me as before, I<br />
assumed the worst about<br />
her. I just felt so hurt and<br />
betrayed. I had thought<br />
that we were best friends,<br />
but having her spend<br />
more and more time with<br />
the new girl made it seem<br />
like I was losing her<br />
forever. Audrey keeps<br />
assuring me that nothing<br />
will ever replace the kind<br />
of friendship that we have,<br />
but I can't keep these<br />
bitter, jealous feelings<br />
from bubbling up. Now<br />
whenever I talk to her, our<br />
conversation is strained<br />
Sarah groaned. "What's<br />
that?"<br />
"Yes, it matters how you feel,<br />
but I don't think Audrey's<br />
doing anything wrong. It's<br />
good that she's reaching<br />
out to the new girl at<br />
school. Honestly, Sarah, to<br />
me it seems that the<br />
problem's more with you.<br />
Have you looked at how<br />
you've been acting towards<br />
Audrey? C'mon, let's go to<br />
the Bible."<br />
"Lyla, I know what verse<br />
you're going to bring up. I<br />
just need some help<br />
getting this resolved with<br />
Audrey. That's all." Lyla<br />
patted her on the back.<br />
"Well, my dear sister, this<br />
is best place to get help.<br />
Ah, here it is!<br />
S K G F U N | 1 8
FRIENDSHIP BUSTERS JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
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1 Corinthians 13. Now I'll<br />
start listing off things that<br />
define what love is, and<br />
you examine if that's how<br />
you've been acting to<br />
Audrey, okay?"<br />
Sarah sighed. "Fine, I'll do<br />
it. Go ahead."<br />
love<br />
is patient<br />
is kind<br />
does not envy<br />
is not prideful or<br />
puffed up<br />
does not behave<br />
rudely or seek<br />
its own desires<br />
is not provoked<br />
thinks no evil<br />
bears all things<br />
hopes all things<br />
endures all<br />
things<br />
believes all<br />
things.<br />
of the most popular<br />
genres of our day and<br />
Well, I'll leave it there.<br />
What do you think?"<br />
Sarah swallowed hard. "I<br />
think..." She cleared her<br />
throat. "I think I've pretty<br />
much failed on every one<br />
of those things. I guess I<br />
felt so hurt and abandoned<br />
I didn't even realize just<br />
how cold and bitter<br />
and...totally distrustful I<br />
was being towards<br />
someone who's always<br />
been good and loyal to<br />
me. How could I have<br />
been such an awful<br />
friend?"<br />
"I know, I have too. But<br />
Sarah, you can still do<br />
something about it. Don't<br />
give up now. I'm sure<br />
Audrey will forgive you.<br />
Although there's Someone<br />
else you should ask for<br />
forgiveness first though."<br />
Sarah nodded. "I know. I<br />
need to ask for God's<br />
forgiveness. I'll do it right<br />
now, and then I'll call<br />
Audrey."<br />
She gave her sister a hug.<br />
"Thanks, Lyla.<br />
Jealousy,<br />
anger,<br />
doubts,<br />
gossip,<br />
mistrust<br />
these are just a few of the<br />
things that can destroy<br />
friendships, or at the very<br />
least damage them. You<br />
may wonder how you<br />
could ever think that way<br />
towards a good friend, or<br />
maybe you're wondering,<br />
"How do those things even<br />
start to form and cause<br />
issues?"<br />
Well, it's one word. Sin.<br />
Sin is anything you think,<br />
do, or say that is wrong.<br />
That's why there are these<br />
kinds of problems.<br />
Jealousy, anger, doubts,<br />
gossip, mistrust – all of<br />
these and others can<br />
slowly build up over time<br />
because of little things.<br />
I've had my own<br />
experiences with these<br />
problems. A long time ago<br />
I let jealousy, doubts,<br />
mistrust, and anger all get<br />
ahold of my heart. It didn't<br />
come like a big flash and<br />
then bang- no, it started<br />
with little seeds getting<br />
planted in my heart that I<br />
watered, and they ended<br />
up growing into a thistle<br />
bush.<br />
Perhaps some of my fears<br />
were grounded, but I think<br />
most of them were not. I<br />
sinned against my friend<br />
and against God, all<br />
because of my own<br />
irrational fears, selfishness,<br />
and pride.<br />
especially amongst teens<br />
young adults) is the<br />
S K G F U N | 1 9<br />
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FRIENDSHIP BUSTERS JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
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Usually most people don't<br />
recognize the root<br />
problem of their sin (yes,<br />
I'm using a lot of plant<br />
metaphors). I know that I<br />
didn't realize it.<br />
Oftentimes we think about<br />
sin as the surface sin that<br />
is most able to be seen, but<br />
the root problems for<br />
most sins are selfishness<br />
and pride. Once we get<br />
down to the root of sin<br />
and dig it out, it's easier<br />
for the sins that you<br />
commit as a result of<br />
selfishness and pride to<br />
wither away.<br />
Christ as our Saviour, and<br />
believe that He took our<br />
sins upon Himself, we can<br />
be saved! Isn't that great<br />
news?<br />
Now that we've established<br />
the root problem, we can<br />
focus on these more easily<br />
seen "busters". Let's take<br />
jealousy, for example, and<br />
see what the Bible has to<br />
say about that.<br />
1 Corinthians 13:4 – "Love is patient,<br />
love is kind. It does not envy, it does not<br />
You see, we're all sinners.<br />
We're born sinful.<br />
boast, it is not proud."<br />
Many, many years ago sin<br />
entered the world, and we<br />
were destined for hell.<br />
That's the cold hard truth.<br />
However, God promised<br />
that He would send His<br />
Son to save His people<br />
from their sins. We could<br />
never have done anything<br />
on our own to save<br />
ourselves from our sin,<br />
and that's the amazing<br />
thing about the gospel.<br />
God sent His only Son,<br />
Jesus, to come to the earth<br />
as a baby, then when He<br />
was grown into a man, die<br />
on the cross to save us<br />
from our sins. If we only<br />
repent of our sins, trust<br />
Philippians 2:3 - "Do nothing out of<br />
selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather,<br />
in humility value others above<br />
yourselves."<br />
Let's see what the Bible has<br />
to say about gossip.<br />
Ephesians 2:9 – "Do not let any<br />
unwholesome talk come out of your<br />
mouths, but only what is helpful for<br />
building others up according to their<br />
needs, that it may benefit those who<br />
listen."<br />
of the most popular<br />
genres of our day and<br />
especially amongst teens<br />
young adults) is the<br />
S K G F U N | 2 0<br />
emporary genre
FRIENSHIP BUSTERS JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
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16:28 – "A<br />
Proverbs<br />
person<br />
perverse<br />
up conflict,<br />
stirs<br />
a gossip<br />
and<br />
close<br />
separates<br />
You still with me?<br />
<strong>Friends</strong>hips have a weak<br />
base when they grow on<br />
any of these problems, and<br />
that's why it's so important<br />
to get them while they are<br />
still small, to dig up the<br />
root before it has a chance<br />
to spread and grow<br />
deeper.<br />
You see, things such as<br />
jealousy or mistrust,<br />
doubts or gossip towards<br />
your friend also affects the<br />
way you think about them,<br />
not just your friendship<br />
with them. These little<br />
seeds can grow into<br />
something that causes<br />
significant damage and<br />
hurt, just like we saw in the<br />
little story at the beginning<br />
of this article.<br />
If you feel as if you've<br />
already done something<br />
like this, it's not the end.<br />
My friend and I have a<br />
stronger friendship than<br />
ever, even after going<br />
through something like<br />
this. Ask God for the<br />
wisdom to know what to<br />
do, and look to His word<br />
for guidance! Believe me,<br />
girl, it helps! And if you've<br />
already put your faith in<br />
Jesus Christ for salvation,<br />
you'll know that Jesus will<br />
forgive you for whatever<br />
mistakes you make and<br />
have made.<br />
I encourage you that if you<br />
are struggling with these<br />
troubles, talk to your<br />
parents, pastor, youth<br />
leader, older sister, or a<br />
godly friend.<br />
Most importantly,<br />
however, just lay it all<br />
before God. He's the<br />
number One person to go<br />
to for all of your troubles,<br />
and it really helps! God<br />
cares so much about you,<br />
and He loves you more<br />
than you can ever imagine.<br />
Don't try to hold it all in or<br />
take care of it yourself.<br />
Keep fighting against the<br />
sin that is trying to get hold<br />
of your heart, and keep<br />
building up your spiritual<br />
armor to fight against<br />
Satan and sin. I know you<br />
can do it, with God's help!<br />
One of the most popular<br />
book genres of our day and<br />
friends."<br />
age (especially amongst teens<br />
and young adults) is the<br />
Contemporary genre S K G F U N | 2 1
SKGFUN.COM<br />
MAKE a friend's<br />
D A Y<br />
b y s a r a h c n o s s e n<br />
S K G F U N | 2 2
MAKE A FRIEND'S DAY JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
Send random<br />
texts of<br />
encourageement<br />
S e n d r a n d o m t e x t s o f<br />
E n c o u r a g e m e n t .<br />
This could include goofy (clean) jokes, adorable motivational<br />
illustrations, or a simple phrase or sentence that says, “thinking<br />
of you.”<br />
Usually, when a friend comes to my mind, however randomly, I<br />
take it as a God-hint to pray for them. Who knows? They could<br />
be struggling with a decision or a parent or a circumstance in<br />
that very moment, and your text could be the well-timed bit of<br />
sunshine parting their stormy clouds. Don't hesitate! Those<br />
moments can be fleeting, and whether you will ever know or<br />
not, you could be the cause of a smile on their face.<br />
l i s t e n !<br />
Be willing to simply listen. No matter the topic, or how many<br />
times you may have heard the same thing over and over, some<br />
people need a soundboard to release the stress they've let build<br />
up and to vent their frustrations.<br />
However, after they have voiced possibly their entire life story<br />
– be it from birth to present day, or merely the past TWO days<br />
– DO NOT simply shrug them off with a, “Wow. That's tough.”<br />
Take the opportunity to be an Encourager. Someone once said<br />
“Kindness costs nothing.” It's the same with encouragement.<br />
You will serve to strengthen a dear friendship AND lift them up<br />
in mind and spirit. You never know, they may one day return<br />
the kindness and be your soundboard.<br />
Send random<br />
texts of<br />
encourageement<br />
b e t h e f r i e n d y o u<br />
This point practically sums up all of the above: Be an<br />
Encourager. Have a willingness to listen. Don't take for granted<br />
the little things. And always do one better. All of these<br />
combined will make you a pretty good friend.<br />
w i s h t o h a v e .<br />
S K G F U N | 2 3
MAKE A FRIEND'S DAY JANUARY/FEBRUARY <strong>2018</strong><br />
SKGFUN.COM<br />
Send random<br />
texts of<br />
encourageement<br />
This could be the simple act of sharing a ponytail (or mascara)<br />
to a girl in need, offering your extra napkin, a friendly hug, or<br />
surprising your bestie with their favorite coffee drink. I don't<br />
know anyone who doesn't like to receive gifts, do you? It's nice<br />
knowing you make an impact on someone's life and that they<br />
would take the time to do something for you.<br />
i t ' s t h e l i t t l e t h i n g s .<br />
Don't take for granted the people God places in your path. It<br />
doesn't have to be a gift. It could be the offer to help study for<br />
an upcoming test, or help in washing a new car, you name it.<br />
Whatever it is, it's usually the little things that mean the most.<br />
g o t h e s e c o n d m i l e . d o<br />
This could go right along with the point about using little things<br />
to brighten a friend's day and will definitely apply to life in<br />
general. You will find joy in many things, people included, if<br />
you apply this virtue diligently.<br />
o n e b e t t e r !<br />
If a friend asks a favor that is in your power to accomplish, do<br />
it. But always do one better. What does that mean? If they ask<br />
you for desperate help in studying, take it up a level and make<br />
it FUN. Add little goals for each chapter/module/section<br />
accomplished. Maybe recite flash cards to each other in wacky<br />
accents – this could be a humorous way to recall the answers<br />
when needed.<br />
Strive for the highest. Be servant-hearted, like Christ, and take<br />
it up a notch in every task. Be that your chores at home,<br />
responsibilities to your family, and in how much you value<br />
your friendships.<br />
S K G F U N | 2 4
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Next issue's theme<br />
Ah, families! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. Whether you're<br />
family<br />
an only child, surviving life amongst a crowd of boys or living with a<br />
bunch of sisters, this issue will be chock full of information for bonding<br />
with and appreciating the family God has given YOU! Get excited.<br />
Coming your way March <strong>2018</strong>.