Frustrated

Dear Frustrated:
Your “friend” is taking advantage of you. True friends seek to keep a healthy give-and-take balance between them. It sounds as though this “friendship” is severely out of balance. You’re always giving, and she’s always taking.

Because you’ve talked with her, and that didn’t help, I suggest two things: Stop doing favors and put some distance between the two of you. This will force her true colors to show. If she really cares about being a genuine friend, she’ll want to talk things out when she notices the difference. She’ll apologize and work hard to stop being a taker and will strive to be a giver. If she doesn’t? Seek other friends who care more about you as a person than simply what they can get from you.

Dear Susie:
I really want to grow closer to God, but I’m just not motivated to read my Bible every day. Do you have any ideas?

Needing a Push

Dear Needing a Push:
Choose a friend to hold you accountable and set a goal for both of you to read the entire Bible in one year. Here are a few things that have motivated me:

• I choose a version I haven’t read before.

• One year I decided to read the Bible through on my knees.

• Another year I read it through out loud.

• Consider listening to the Bible on CD.

If you’ll read three chapters every day and five chapters every Sunday, you’ll automatically have read the entire Bible in one year. After you and your friend have accomplished this, treat yourselves to dinner at a fancy restaurant. You may also want to consider participating in Brio’s read-through-the Bible program listed each month in our “In Step” devotional section.

Dear Susie:
I know only three people who don’t have a cell phone! I want one really bad, and I’ve been saving for months. The problem? My parents don’t think I need one, because they say wherever I go, they’ll be there. But that’s not totally true.

I’ve prayed that whatever God wants will happen. Will you help me try to understand what God wants to happen with this situation?

Wanting to Fit In

Dear Wanting to Fit In:
I really appreciate your sensitivity to wanting God’s will. And because you’re willing to continue seeking His guidance, I encourage you to say something like this to your folks: “Can we pray together about this whole cell phone thing three times a week for a month? During that time, I believe God is big enough to either change my heart and help me see I don’t really need one, or He’s big enough to change your hearts and guide you to reconsider allowing me this privilege. After praying together for a whole month, I’ll respect and accept your decision.”

Could it be that your parents don’t have the money right now to add another cell phone to their current plan? Remember, when you do get a cell phone (whether it’s in a month or in three years), it really should be because you need one. When you’re old enough to drive, when you’re working a part-time job—those are great reasons to warrant a cell phone.

The way you signed your letter makes me wonder if the biggest reason you’re wanting a phone is simply because everyone else has one, and you feel left out. God is BIG enough to answer your prayer, but He doesn’t always answer how we think He should. I believe you’ll trust Him with the answer He gives you and your parents.

Dear Susie:
There’s a lovely young horse at my riding stables that I want to buy. But she has a best friend, and I don’t know whether I should pray and ask God if He can provide an owner for this horse’s best friend, or if I should just wait for another horse.

Seeking

Dear Seeking:
I love your tender heart and your concern about taking the horse you want to purchase away from her best friend. Animals are resilient. The horse may initially show signs of missing her pal, but when you shower her with love and attention, I think she’ll bask in that and be extremely happy.

The wonderful thing about being a Christian is serving a God who truly cares about everything that concerns you! Go ahead and pray about it. Ask God to provide a good home for this horse’s friend. He loves animals and cares about their welfare even more than we do.