"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up."
~Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10

As mentioned last week, we are beginning a new column on relationships. This column will present evidence from the Bible and from science regarding the importance of relationships and how to build and nurture them. We see many important friendships in the Bible (i.e. Jonathan and David, Ruth and Naomi, Paul and Timothy) and they demonstrate to us that relationships are important to our emotional and spiritual growth. We also can see characteristics of good relationships through these examples and throughout other passages in the Bible.

I think most of us realize how important relationships with others are. But even though we realize how important being connected to others is, sometimes it feels like finding, building, and maintaining relationships is not easy. From my academic work on relationships and from advice given throughout the Bible, I believe there are some things that we can do to find, build and maintain relationships with others. And, through this column, I want to share those tips with you.

As we begin our investigation of relationships and how to build meaningful friendships with others, it is important to acknowledge that we were designed for relationships. God wants to have a relationship with us and He created us to have relationships with each other. As we see in Genesis 2:9, we were designed to be in relationship with others:

"And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

We need other people and as it says here, it is not good that we should be alone. In fact, research has shown for 50 years that people who are alone die sooner, experience more physical ailments, and are less satisfied with life than those who have other people in their lives. Embrace what you were designed for: a relationship with God and relationships with other people.

As we begin this series, I want you to think about certain relationships in your life that you want to focus on as we go through this series. They may be new relationships that you are trying to build. They may be stable relationships that you want to nurture and grow to be deeper, or they may be troubled relationships that you want to repair. Whatever the status of the relationship, the tips and information presented in this column should be helpful.

And, as we begin this series, may we all praise God for the special people in our lives and for the meaning, purpose, comfort, encouragement, and love that they bring. Relationships are a gift from God that we must cherish, protect, and enjoy.

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy."
~Philippians 1:3-4