melisssg99

[melisssg99]

I always think it's really weird how so many Christians seem to operate as if men and women are incapable of just being friends without things getting weird.

Then I am reminded how aggressively single and downright creepy a lot of guys are. The sheer number of female friends and acquaintances I've talked with over the years who have horror stories of terrible experiences with men attests to that fact.

And then I remember how a lot of western culture places a disproportionate focus and value on romantic relationships over friendships, and how common that sentiment is reflected in our media.

And then I remember how when I was younger it was legit just an expectation for friendships between guys and girls to develop romantic feelings. How I was teased by my own family about female friends, as if the adults around me knew my feelings better than I did. How confused I became as a result. How this constant treatment led to me ruining many friendships unnecessarily in my formative years because I could no longer differentiate romantic love from platonic love, and how common that experience seems to be for both men and women alike.

And then I think... Yeah, I guess it makes sense so many Christians assume men and women can't just be friends. It begins with perfectly valid concerns - usually about avoiding sexual immorality and heartbreak. Then it spirals into pessimism and perpetuates itself as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

All that being said, I really think it would benefit the church as a whole - especially western Christians - to stop fixating on romance so much and at least TRY to learn how to be friends with the opposite sex. Yes, we are still subject to human nature, and yes, we should still be establishing and enforcing boundaries, being wise with our company and the situations we put ourselves in, etc - but we should at least be capable of talking with one another and working together without feeling the need to scope out a mate and flirt. That sort of behavior makes sense for the unregenerate, but I truly think that Christians should expect better of themselves and each other.

Christian men and women can't function at their fullest together as the body of Christ when we're treating romance as the pinnacle of love. Learn to first love each other as Christ loves us and friendship with the opposite sex will be a lot easier.

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

running with my dress unbuttoned

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

𝑠𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑠.. ⋆

[melisssg99]

Vintage cottagecore moodboard

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

*minces onion and garlic for you with romantic intentions*

[melisssg99]

Being a young adult is so strange. You enter a coffee shop. The 20 year old girl waiting behind you cried all night because she just came to a new city for university and she feels so alone. That 27 year old guy over there works a job he is overqualified for, he lives with his parents and wants to move out but doesn’t know what to do about it. That one 24 year old dude already has a car, a house, and a job waiting for him once he graduates thanks to his dad’s connections. The 26 year old barista couldn’t complete his higher education because he has to work and take care of his family. The 28 year old girl sitting next to you has no friends to go out with so she is texting her mother. That couple (both 25 years old) are married and the girl is pregnant. The 29 year old writing something on her laptop has realized that she chose the wrong major so she is trying to start all over. We are not alone in this, but we are actually so alone. Do you feel me

[melisssg99]

[melisssg99]

Life hack!

If a woman is 9 months pregnant, she knows she’s large! You do not need to:

Tell her how big she is

Comment on how much she’s grown

Make jokes about painful labor

Say “whoa!” when she enters the room

Save yourself time and energy by simply not doing any of that :) I promise you she’s aware :)

[melisssg99]

WOMEN MUST EAT PROTEIN.

[melisssg99]

katie bertagnolli

[melisssg99]

Frederic William Burton (Irish, 1816-1909)

The Meeting on the Turret Stairs

[melisssg99]