Full-time ministry often prevents women (and men) from maintaining old friendships and enjoying new ones. The pressures of ministry, family, church life, outreach, and being obedient to the Lord leave little room for heart-to-heart chats over coffee. But female friendships in ministry is of vital importance and should be nurtured under any circumstance.
Below avid blogger and best-selling author of The Church Planting Wife, Christine Hoover, shares her tips and tricks on how to blend high octane ministry and deeply fulfilling female friendships in ministry.
RELATED: Faithful Friendships
Female Friendships in Ministry
1. You’re usually going to have to be the initiator. Other women will assume that you’re too busy, that you have tons of friends, and that you aren’t like everyone else. The fact that you’ll have to be the initiator is just one of those things that comes with the ministry territory, but it doesn’t have to be an excuse for self-pity.
2. You can have friends in your church, very good friends in fact, but you still must keep an openness to others. You don’t have to be everyone’s best friend, but you don’t get to choose whom you love either.
3. You must plan ahead and get dates with friends on the calendar otherwise ministry events and needs will swallow up all your time and you will find yourself in lonely emotional places. Be good to yourself and your friends by making time for friendship.
