Healthy Friendships III (How To Strengthen Them)

Healthy Friendships III:

How to Strengthen Them

 

What were the main points from Healthy Friendships II? (Why We Need Them)

Friends make

1. sweet times better (celebration),
2. scary times more calm (trouble),
3. strenuous times more victorious (competition), and
4. sad times more joyful (encouragement).

You can’t be best friends with everyone, but you can be friendly to everyone. 🙂

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What were the main points from Healthy Friendships I? (How to Make Them)

1. Use your eyes (look around and notice)
2. Use your feet (walk over)
3. Use your mouth (words)
4. Use your hands (invite into an activity)

A. Collaborate with God (pray about who needs a friend)
B. Ask for Courage (to go and make a new friend)
C. Make the Choice (friendships don’t just happen on their own)
D. Who Wants Chocolate? (share some gifts with others)

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So this week, we are going to learn how to strengthen our friendships (it’s more difficult than it sounds, trust me!).

Question: So how do you strengthen your friendships? What do you need to do to make your friendships better, stronger, etc.? Or, what causes a friendship to weaken over time, to eventually end?

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Main Point #1: Strengthening friendships is simple as well, but it is not easy (especially for guys). Here are four more C’s to help you strengthen your friendships:

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1. Collaborate with God (Pray)! (John 17:9-11, 20-24)
2. Share More Chocolate! (John 13:34-35)

a. write a note at Christmas telling what you like about your friend
b. compliment your friends on their appearance, grades, etc.
c. use some of your birthday money to get them a gift

3. Have Real Conversations (Don’t be afraid to leave the shallow end)!

a. ask questions (how was your weekend, how are things at home, etc.)
b. really listen!!!

4. Be a True Confidant! (Keep Secrets Well)

a. respect their privacy—no gossiping.

 

Let’s pray.

 

Discussion Questions

 

1. Know What?: Tell me something you learned from the lesson today.

2. So What?: Why is it important to have friends? Why is it important to strengthen your friendships? What happens if you don’t strengthen friendships?

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[Possible Answer: Friends help us in times of trouble and make the good times even better! Also, strengthening friendships is important because life can be tough—we need to have strong friendships just like we need to have strong muscles if we are an athlete!]

3. Now What?: What are you going to do this week to be strengthen a friendship?

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[Possible Answer: Pray, Share Some Chocolate, Have a Real Conversation, Respect Privacy by Keeping Secrets]

4. How What?: That sounds great, but it also sounds tough. How will you do that?

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[Possible Answer:

A. Pray. Pray. Pray. Ask for your heavenly Father’s help, just like Jesus did in Luke 6:12-16.
B. Practice this over and over again. It will be difficult and awkward and weird at first, but it gets easier and it gets better!
C. Persevere—keep practicing!]