In this episode of Faith with Friends, host Lisa Lorenzo is joined by her friend Shaunda to discuss God friendship and building others up. Shonda is mentor who has a passion for encouraging others to deepen their faith and develop Christ-like qualities.​

In this two-part series, Lisa and Shaunda delve into the topic of biblical friendships and what they should look like. They explore key verses from the Bible that highlight the importance of relationships in our spiritual growth and discuss practical ways to build meaningful connections with others.

- 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Faith with Friends podcast and the topic of God friendship and building others up.

- 00:00:30 - Shaunda's background and experience with mentoring and encouraging others in their faith.

- 00:01:10 - Discussion of Job's example of being a good friend and praying for his friends.

- 00:02:00 - Exploration of Proverbs 27:17 and how it relates to the impact of our relationships on our spiritual growth.

- 00:03:05 - Examination of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and the importance of encouraging and building up one another in our faith.

- 00:04:14 - Discussion of the qualities needed for meaningful relationships, including vulnerability, humility, and a willingness to learn from one another.

- 00:04:36 - The importance of constructive criticism and loving correction in the sharpening process.

- 00:05:06 - Understanding the faithful wounds of a friend and how they help us grow.

- 00:05:30 - The idea that everyone has a circle of influence and the importance of using that opportunity to encourage and build up others.

- 00:06:02 - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and the importance of having friends to help us up when we fall.

- 00:06:57 - The importance of finding a community of Christ, whether it be a church or online Bible study, and getting involved to make connections and grow.

- 00:08:43 - The importance of prayer and starting a prayer group in your sphere of influence.

- 00:09:21 - The importance of being grateful for the people who show up in our lives, even if it's just a few, and how God can use those moments to meet us where we are.

- 00:09:58 - The example of Job's friends intentionally coming to comfort him in his time of need and the impact that can have on our relationships.

- 00:11:20 - The lasting impact of friends who show up when we need them most and the imprint that leaves on our hearts.

- 00:14:04 - Discussion of 1 Peter 4:8-10 and the importance of loving one another deeply, offering hospitality, and using our gifts to serve others.

- 00:15:20 - The realization that all of our resources and gifts are on loan from God and the importance of using them to serve others.

- 00:16:15 - Discussion of Proverbs 17:17 and the challenge of loving at all times, even in difficult situations.

- 00:19:07 - The importance of being tethered to God through prayer and his word and how it impacts our relationships with others.

- 00:19:31 - The impact of walking with the wise and being intentional about surrounding ourselves with spiritually mature people.

- 00:21:10 - The significance of Colossians 3:12-14 in reminding us to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, and the importance of forgiveness and love in unifying relationships.

- 00:24:20 - The importance of conveying peace and love to others, and the need for unity among believers.

- 00:25:14 - The importance of love in relationships, and how it is only possible through Christ.

- 00:26:16 - The importance of seeking to sharpen one another in the body of Christ, and the urgency of doing so in light of the imminence of Christ's return.

​

## Quotable Phrases

​

- "Iron can only be sharpened by friction, by the friction and contact with another piece of iron." - Shonda

- "Encourage one another and build each other up." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

- "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." - Proverbs 27:6

- "God's still in control. He wants to meet you...if only one person shows up, God is going to use that." - Lisa

- "When I'm hurting is when he's the closest." - Lisa

- "It is the grace of God that we have any of it." - Shaunda

- "Offering hospitality or open your heart to one another without complaining." - Shaunda

- "It's not mine. It's on loan to me while I'm here. What am I doing with it?" - Lisa

- "None of this is in and of ourselves." - Shaunda

- "The world will know you by your love." - Colossians 3:14

​

## Conclusion

​

In this episode of Faith with Friends, Lisa and Shaunda emphasize the importance of biblical friendships and the impact they can have on our spiritual growth. They encourage listeners to be intentional about building meaningful relationships with others, using their circle of influence to encourage and build up those around them. They also highlight the importance of constructive criticism and loving correction in the sharpening process, as well as the need for friends to help us up when we fall. The episode concludes with a reminder to find a community of Christ and get involved to make connections and grow, as well as the importance of prayer and starting a prayer group in your sphere of influence. Join us for part two of this series, where we'll dive deeper into practical ways to cultivate God friendships.

Faith with Friends Podcast Show Notes

Guest Introduction

In this episode of Faith with Friends, host Lisa Lorenzo is joined by her friend Shaunda to discuss God friendship and building others up. Shonda is an experienced speaker, author, and mentor who has a passion for encouraging others to deepen their faith and develop Christ-like qualities.

Overview

In this two-part series, Lisa and Shonda delve into the topic of biblical friendships and what they should look like. They explore key verses from the Bible that highlight the importance of relationships in our spiritual growth and discuss practical ways to build meaningful connections with others.

Timestamped Chapter Summary

• 00:00:00 - Introduction to the Faith with Friends podcast and the topic of God friendship and building others up.
• 00:00:30 - Shonda's background and experience with mentoring and encouraging others in their faith.
• 00:01:10 - Discussion of Job's example of being a good friend and praying for his friends.
• 00:02:00 - Exploration of Proverbs 27:17 and how it relates to the impact of our relationships on our spiritual growth.
• 00:03:05 - Examination of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and the importance of encouraging and building up one another in our faith.
• 00:04:14 - Discussion of the qualities needed for meaningful relationships, including vulnerability, humility, and a willingness to learn from one another.
• 00:04:36 - The importance of constructive criticism and loving correction in the sharpening process.
• 00:05:06 - Understanding the faithful wounds of a friend and how they help us grow.
• 00:05:30 - The idea that everyone has a circle of influence and the importance of using that opportunity to encourage and build up others.
• 00:06:02 - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 and the importance of having friends to help us up when we fall.
• 00:06:57 - The importance of finding a community of Christ, whether it be a church or online Bible study, and getting involved to make connections and grow.
• 00:08:43 - The importance of prayer and starting a prayer group in your sphere of influence.
• 00:09:21 - The importance of being grateful for the people who show up in our lives, even if it's just a few, and how God can use those moments to meet us where we are.
• 00:09:58 - The example of Job's friends intentionally coming to comfort him in his time of need and the impact that can have on our relationships.
• 00:11:20 - The lasting impact of friends who show up when we need them most and the imprint that leaves on our hearts.
• 00:14:04 - Discussion of 1 Peter 4:8-10 and the importance of loving one another deeply, offering hospitality, and using our gifts to serve others.
• 00:15:20 - The realization that all of our resources and gifts are on loan from God and the importance of using them to serve others.
• 00:16:15 - Discussion of Proverbs 17:17 and the challenge of loving at all times, even in difficult situations.
• 00:19:07 - The importance of being tethered to God through prayer and his word and how it impacts our relationships with others.
• 00:19:31 - The impact of walking with the wise and being intentional about surrounding ourselves with spiritually mature people.
• 00:21:10 - The significance of Colossians 3:12-14 in reminding us to show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, and the importance of forgiveness and love in unifying relationships.
• 00:24:20 - The importance of conveying peace and love to others, and the need for unity among believers.
• 00:25:14 - The importance of love in relationships, and how it is only possible through Christ.
• 00:26:16 - The importance of seeking to sharpen one another in the body of Christ, and the urgency of doing so in light of the imminence of Christ's return.

Quotable Phrases

• "Iron can only be sharpened by friction, by the friction and contact with another piece of iron." - Shonda
• "Encourage one another and build each other up." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
• "Faithful are the wounds of a friend." - Proverbs 27:6
• "God's still in control. He wants to meet you...if only one person shows up, God is going to use that." - Lisa
• "When I'm hurting is when he's the closest." - Lisa
• "It is the grace of God that we have any of it." - Shonda
• "Offering hospitality or open your heart to one another without complaining." - Shonda
• "It's not mine. It's on loan to me while I'm here. What am I doing with it?" - Lisa
• "None of this is in and of ourselves." - Shonda
• "The world will know you by your love." - Colossians 3:14

Conclusion

In this episode of Faith with Friends, Lisa and Shonda emphasize the importance of biblical friendships and the impact they can have on our spiritual growth. They encourage listeners to be intentional about building meaningful relationships with others, using their circle of influence to encourage and build up those around them. They also highlight the importance of constructive criticism and loving correction in the sharpening process, as well as the need for friends to help us up when we fall. The episode concludes with a reminder to find a community of Christ and get involved to make connections and grow, as well as the importance of prayer and starting a prayer group in your sphere of influence. Join us for part two of this series, where we'll dive deeper into practical ways to cultivate God friendships.