A partner in prayer, another set of eyes, a companion in trouble:  these are the benefits of spiritual friendship.

Self-Care and the Rare Gift of Spiritual Friendship

Posted on by Michele Morin

“Hey, we have a lot in common! Maybe we should meet for coffee?”

Coming from Facebook, a place where “friendship” usually remains distant and virtual, this was startling content. Add to that a full schedule and a hard bent toward introversion, and there was every reason for me to log off, click on “unfriend,” and run like crazy. The risk of a face-to-face meeting with a total stranger is way outside my comfort zone, and yet the outcome, in this case, was a real-life friendship and a lesson in self-care.

Even with open laptops and a list of technical topics for discussion, when I meet with this particular friend, the percent of time devoted to “business” may be pretty low. Conversations meander as coffee cups are emptied and refilled.  I almost always come away from face-to-face time with friends enriched and encouraged in a way that transcends even the satisfaction that would have come from spending that time hammering away at my to-do list. We gauge the temperature of each other’s hearts, and somehow our faith is shaped in the context spiritual friendship.

A partner in prayer, another set of eyes, a companion in trouble:  these are the benefits of spiritual friendship, and today at April Yamasaki‘s writing home, I am arguing for the benefits of curating an environment that allows us to go deep in each other’s lives. Click here to keep on reading. I think you’ll agree that friendship as self-care is a refreshing way to look at the time we spend with the important people in our lives.

April Yamasaki is a fellow member of the Redbud Writers Guild, and I’m glad to be teaming up with her today because I learned a lot from her book, Four Gifts: Seeking Self-care for Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength. When I shared my review here, many of you expressed a need for and an interest in developing a greater mindfulness in your approach to self-care. When you hop on over to April’s place to finish this post, be sure to check out other articles that also focus on spiritual practices for healthier living for your heart, soul, mind and strength.

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

51 thoughts on “Self-Care and the Rare Gift of Spiritual Friendship”

    1. Yes! Self care is one thing we overlook in our busy lives, but this is very short-sighted. Every area of life works better when we pay attention to our God-created needs for rest, nutrition, movement, relationship, etc.

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  7. In recent years, I’ve been making a concerted effort to invest in friendships. As an introvert, this has required great intention and discipline. But the rewards are immeasurable. Even on days when I’d like to curl up in my comfortable cocoon, I’ve never regretted the time I’ve spent with a friend. It does nourish the soul. We were created for fellowship – even introverts!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. We used to do a prayer partner thing at our church. That was such a blessing! Having an accountability partner/friend is so important and encouraging. Great post! Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Maybe it’s time to just find a prayer partner on your own? I imagine there are other women in your church who also miss the accountability! I hope you’ll look into it!

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  9. I just read your review on this book, and I think I need to get it. Your words describe exactly what I think my life needs right now. Thank you for sharing.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. The sort of people I get messaging me stuff like that on Facebook really aren’t the sort of people you’d want to go meet lol
    Debbie
    #thatfridaylinky

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Love this! We were never meant to go solo in our Christian life. The early church was mainly Jewish and the Jewish community was very much about connectivity and community. There were always at least pairs of them. It’s something we have lost over the centuries.

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Read the full post. I actually took some extra time reading because there were so many beautiful thoughts in this. I used to be a social butterfly but then for various reasons now I’m not. I need to be trying harder to be the one that is transparent and opens up first. This post definitely has spoke to my heart!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s good to know, April, and I think we tend to function in seasons socially. There are times when we crave social interaction, and I think it’s okay to have stints of hunkering down to process by ourselves. It’s good that you are aware of the need to be transparent and open.
      May God lead you in this season of life.

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