{"id":2100,"date":"2021-05-24T13:04:34","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T13:04:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lovetalks.tv\/?p=2100"},"modified":"2021-05-24T13:04:34","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T13:04:34","slug":"sisters-not-frenemies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/sisters-not-frenemies\/","title":{"rendered":"SISTERS NOT FRENEMIES"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2100\" class=\"elementor elementor-2100\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d0f52d8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d0f52d8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{\"background_background\":\"classic\"}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c9f3862\" data-id=\"c9f3862\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e70537f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e70537f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the last few weeks, I have had a few situations that have caused me to reflect on my female friendships.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In my reflections about my female friendships, two things have emerged for me, the first is that the presence of these friendships has made a huge positive impact on my life. I consider these friendships to be what I call \u201csister friends\u201d, friends that have become like my natural family due to the memories and experiences shared.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The second is that some of my female friendships have been rather sad (frenemies). In case you are wondering what this means, I will expand on it in as we go along, so please stay with me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I am totally convinced that without the gift of \u201csister friends\u201d, my life will not be as rich and loving as it is currently. I believe that the gift of \u201csister friends\u201d has made life bearable in unbearable moments, the song \u201cWe all need someone to lean on\u201d comes to mind. I can attest to the fact that my sister-friends have supported me in dark times and celebrated with me in joyful times too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>The Bad Experience\/Story<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A not so nice experience in my university days, could have denied me of my \u201csister friends\u201d if I had not met a good mentor who encouraged me to reach out and believe that I can have \u201csister friends\u201d regardless of this experience and God healing me of the pain of the disappointment and betrayal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I am sure you are itching to hear the story, I had this childhood sweetheart that I honestly believed we were destined to be together (anyone remember your puppy love days), we were involved in a long distance relationship (please don\u2019t say how could that have ever worked, no wonder, hear me out please and whilst we are at it, I think I will do a piece on long-distance relationships in the future). Long story short, after several years of courtship and long distance relationship I found out he had been cheating with my closest friend at the time. My friend and I lived in England and he lived in sunny Africa, every holiday my friend would head out to sunny Africa and I would only visit during the Christmas holidays.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It transpires that whilst experiencing some challenges in her relationships with her boyfriend my boyfriend at the time had become a confidant and more. You can imagine my shock, horror, disbelief, anger and disappointment when I found out from him and not her. His reason for telling me was because he wanted to marry me and did not want to keep anything from me so that we could have an honest marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Whilst I found it easier to forgive him, I think I was more angry with my friend cause somehow I had the notion or buried deep in my subconscious at the time was that men will be men (I must say I don\u2019t agree with this but about men will be men anymore) and as I considered her a \u201csister friend\u201d, how could she do this to me?. Just so you know, all the parties concerned found peace in this situation and are not at war.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I did not marry him, neither did she and I am grateful to God that I know him now and I am married to God\u2019s best for me, phew thank God. However, that experience left me with a strong aversion to female friendships and caused me to struggle for many years to build relationships with women until my mentor challenged me.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Let\u2019s Be Sister Friends<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I want to encourage you, to not allow a bad friendship experience deprive you of \u201cbeautiful sisters friends\u201d. Sister friends are such an important part of my life, they are pillars of strength for me, we cry together, laugh together, support each other through thick and thin and love each other despite our frailties. Every woman needs \u201csister friends\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I remember reading about the alleged or imagined rivalry between Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks and in more recent times on X factors alleged rivalry between Dani Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Sharon Osbourne, with the press alleging rivalries due to age, looks etc, basically staring things that may not exist to bring disharmony, jealousy, rivalry and competition between beautiful women who are successful in their own right and unique way, yet having their insecurities played on by the press, pitted against each other for their own gains, basically salacious talk and media sales.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Whilst the examples above might be in the media, we do not have to look far whether in our own world or others around us to see and hear stories of women competing against each other rather than completing and supporting each other, it is so sad.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Let\u2019s Deal With Our Insecurities<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is no surprise to know that we all experience insecurities and the more we allow our father to show us and speak His love over us, the more we are made whole and overcome these insecurities that, lead to jealousy, envy, competition and other things amongst women.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Be Your Sister Friend\u2019s Cheerleader Not Competition<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some tips on helping be a cheerleader for your sister and not a frenemy:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Do not compare your gifts and abilities. Accept yourself and appreciate your gifts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Celebrate what you have, your age, shape, and style and appreciate and celebrate the same with your sisters\u2019 friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Be honest about your insecurities with yourself and God and allow him to heal you so that you don\u2019t act out of your insecurities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you are where I was when my mentor challenged me, Pray to God for good friendships<\/span><br><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Become a sister friend<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Believe the best of people<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Don\u2019t let your past hold you back from enjoying the richness and beauty of \u201csister friends\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you were the \u201csister frenemy\u201d like my friend in this story,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Ask for God\u2019s forgiveness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Where possible seek reconciliation<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Make a decision to become a \u201csister friend\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the last few weeks, I have had a few situations that have caused me to reflect on my female friendships. <br \/>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\"><!-- wp:button --><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lovetalks.tv\/2021\/05\/24\/sisters-not-frenemies\/\">read more<\/a><\/div>\n<p><!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3294,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-relationships"],"comments_count":"0","content_native":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3294"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lovetalks.tv\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}