Lonely? Do you feel like you have a lack of authentic friendships in your life? Learn how to meet that desire for better relationships with my friend and fellow broadcaster Corey Mann!
He shared his story of entering into a 12 Day Friendship, loosing that friend because of a car accident after a For King and Country concert, and bravely moving forward from that trauma.
I have SO MUCH respect for Corey. He's one of those people that I have looked up to and admired in Christian radio for years. He is EVERYONE's friend. What are his secrets? He's about to share them all with you. Learn the art of friendship.
1. Sitting Shiva: The Art of With
"It takes courage to be kind, it takes bravery to befriend. " -Corey Mann.
SHOW UP! When someone you know is going through a crisis, don't leave them alone! Corey Mann is a morning radio show host for a Christian radio station, Pulse FM, in Indiana. The radio station had a concert with For King and Country this June. A couple on their way home from the show got into a tragic accident. The wife, Leslie, died at the scene, the husband, Craig, was taken to the hospital. Corey showed up the next day in the husband's hospital room to just BE with him.
In the faith of Jesus, the Jewish faith, when someone looses a loved one , they sit shiva for seven days. You sit, you heal, you just be together. I call that the "gospel of with". God commands us in Joshua 1:9 to be strong and courageous, but then promises to go with us wherever we go. WITH. That's the way to be a good friend. You don't have to fix things with a quote. You just SHOW UP, be WITH them.
2. Need Creates Community
"Need creates community. People are going to come out of the woodwork to help you .You don't know me. I don't know you. I was a stranger when I came out of the curtain, we're leaving as connected friends, if there's anything I can do let me know." -Corey Mann.
Friendship is not what the other person can do for you, but it is the blessing of what YOU can do for the other person. It seems in our modern society that we work to connect with people that can elevate our careers or status. Then we wonder why we feel so empty. The art of friendship is about feeling fulfilled by what YOU can do for another human being in need, not what you can get from them.
3. Connect in Real Life : Go Offline
"I met Andrew and his wife 6 years ago... he's a good dude. Unfortunately his oldest daughter lost a battle to cancer. Every once in a while Andrew will like something on my Facebook page, I'll see his name with a thumbs up...and I watch him on social media, this is a good dude, why are we not friends other then this weird surfacy platform?! So I asked him "hey can we be friends?" I will fill out an application, I will fill out a resume, I have some references, I can be a good friend. We had a good laugh about it, but now we are friends." -Corey Mann
I'm a big fan of doing the opposite in life. Instead of cultivating followers and friends online, why not pick up the phone, call a friend and invite them to hand out in REAL LIFE? If you have a void of authentic relationships, this is your flashing red sign telling you to get off line, and BE TOGETHER.
I heard it once said that friendships can be catapulted 10 years if you EXPERIENCE something together. A trip, An experience, even a great movie. That's what BONDS you. Not likes.
4. Be A Cot Carrier
"Think about the 4 guys who said let's dig through the roof, come down from above to get to the savior. That's the kind of friend that you want to be... There had to be a leader that goes, whatever it takes to get to Jesus...that's the kind of person I want to be. That's the brave one." -Corey Mann
There's a story in the bible of 4 friends that carry their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Each friend had to take a corner of the cot, walk through the desert, and tear off roof tiles to get their friend healed. It was by their faith that their friend was forgiven and could walk again! Be unwavering in your friendship. No one is perfect. We all have our moments when we are the paralyzed friends. Show up to be a cot carrier, and when you need the help, someone will be there with you too.
Please listen to the FULL STORY of Corey's 12 Days of Friendship on the podcast, and let us know what you think! When you leave a review, Apple then sends it to even more people. Together we can make a difference!
If you'd like more inspiration to live a strong and courageous life, sign up to be a BRAVE BABE! Get my "Brave Life Planner" for free, and regular encouragement on how to obey God's command to be "strong and courageous".
Follow Corey! His podcast: "What Else?" with Corey Mann.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrcoreymann/?hl=en
Check out his latest Tik Tok's inspired by this podcast!