Friends are the people you can go to whenever you need help with something, just want to hang out and have a good time, when you need somebody to talk to, and so much more. I am lucky to have such great friends in my life who I know I can go to for all of these things, but there is a certain group who I know I can go to for the deeper and more personal things such as my faith. For the friends who I get to share my amazing faith with, this one is for you.

I just wanted to say thank you because I’ve never actually told you just how much you have changed my life. You didn’t have to say anything grand or evangelic to do so, you just did. So thank you for all of the little things you’ve done and for being someone I get to grow in my faith with.

Thank you for not being afraid to get personal with me.

Sometimes people are afraid to talk about religion or their faith. They are afraid to let anyone else know that they have struggles in their relationship with God, or that they are questioning things. They’re afraid to have those deep conversations and open up, but you don’t hold anything back. We are able to talk about anything at all, whether it’s our struggles, our questions, or just our lives in general.

It doesn’t even have to be a faith-related conversation that we open up about. It can be an addiction, a family issue, a heartbreak, a difficult time, or anything at all. The point is that while I can come to you with my issues and get advice from a friend, I am also getting advice from a friend who understands my relationship with God because we’ve had those conversations about Him before. You can give me advice about how to get through it with God on my side, and vice versa. I know your relationship with God. I know what you want to hear, what you need to hear, and what words will do no good for you. We are as open with each other as friends could be, plus more because we have Christ in our friendship too. We can take our conversations to that deeper level and having someone to be able to do that with is such a privilege and a blessing.

Thank you for understanding and getting excited about church related things with me.

Whether it’s that church camp promo video we get so pumped about, a cool story in the news or social media that pertains to our faith, or just a time when God moves in our lives that we want to share with somebody, you’re there to understand and get excited with me.

Sometimes you just want to be able to share these things with people, but when nobody quite understands the significance of it, it’s like your words and excitement means nothing. So that’s why I appreciate being able to share those things with you.

Especially since each religion and denomination has a few differences, being able to relate to somebody who knows exactly what you’re feeling or what you’re talking about is a feeling and a connection like no other.

Thank you for being someone I can pray with, pray for, and be prayed for by.

Prayer life is a big thing that people struggle with. I know I do. And it’s also something that I know a lot of people aren’t always comfortable doing with other people. However, it brings a sense of unity between people and it brings God into the friendship. Whether it’s saying a prayer together before a meal or saying a prayer together during a time of hurt, confusion, or difficulty, bringing God into the friendship and into each other’s lives is truly incredible.

Whenever I’m struggling I know I can ask for you to pray for me and, even if you only pause for five seconds to ask God to be by my side that day, you do so. You care about me enough to ask God to help me, even though I know you need Him in your life as well. Yes I know, God is obviously great enough to be with everyone and help everyone through their struggles, but that’s not my point. My point is that you selflessly love and selflessly care about me. You want me to have God in my life during the good times and the bad times, and that is something I am thankful for that I have somebody who cares about my relationship with God.

I want you to know that I am here to pray for you too because I want you to feel God’s presence in your life as well. I care about your relationship with Him and your well being, so thank you for letting me ask Him to be in your life. Some people think they can always do it on their own or just depend on other people when they need help. But you humble yourself enough to realize you cannot do things on your own, so thank you for letting me pray to God to help and guide you.

Thank you for pushing me to go deeper in my faith without actually pushing me.

I don’t think you realize just how much of an impact you have in my life. I don’t think you realize that I wouldn’t be where I am today with you. You didn’t have to tell me “I think you should pray more” or “I think you should spend this much time during the day doing” whatever it is that may have “helped me” to encourage me to go deeper.

You simply sent a cool article about faith in our group message that made me pause in my busy life to read and realize that it had been awhile since I had sat down to pray. Or you sent a picture that made me realize just how amazing our world is or how kind people can be and I thanked God for such a wonderful life. Maybe you even sent a message saying that you were going through a difficult time and you needed some extra prayers, and you encouraged me to go deeper with God and ask Him to be with us as we helped you through it and to be with you during that time in your life.

You didn’t have to tell me what to do, you simply let God speak through you and live through your actions. You lived by example and you helped me grow closer to Him by doing so.

I believe that people are brought into our lives for certain reasons, and you are in my life because not only are you a great friend who I can laugh with, go on adventures with, and enjoy life with, but you are also there to help me through the difficult times and help me in my faith life. You were brought into my life and I hope that that’s where you stay because you’re the type of friend I want to keep. I thank you and I thank God every day for you.