Not everyone is your friend. And not everyone is supposed to be.
In Episode 62 of The Middle Child Podcast, Royal Boles sits down with her friend Jalesa for a real conversation about friendship, faith, community, discernment, growth, and what it means to have friends in the fire.
Royal shares why having the right people around you matters, especially when you're going through difficult or transformative seasons. Real friends aren't only there for the celebrations. They're the people who can stand beside you through allegations, rumors, lies, loss, and moments when your life is changing.
This conversation also gets into the reality of friendships that change over time.
Sometimes you have to recognize that you've outgrown a season. Sometimes God removes people. Sometimes people need to be repositioned in your life. And sometimes the person you're looking for as a friend is actually someone you need to become for somebody else.
In this episode, Royal and Jalesa talk about:
- What it really means to have friends in the fire
- Why everyone isn't meant to be in your circle
- The importance of having people who will stand with you
- Why real friends have to be willing to tell you the truth
- Having friends who protect you instead of tearing you down
- Why community matters during difficult seasons
- Finding your tribe
- Asking God to reveal, remove, replace, and reposition people
- Recognizing when you've outgrown a friendship or a season
- Why outgrowing someone doesn't automatically mean you have to hate them
- Learning how to reposition people in your life
- Friendship, faith, discernment, and accountability
- Knowing when to help someone and when to step back
- The importance of praying for your friends
- Being intentional about the people you allow around you
- Becoming the kind of friend you want to have
- What Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teach us about friends in the fire
- Why the right people can help you walk through transformative seasons
One of the biggest questions from this conversation is:
Who's really in your circle?
Because everybody who calls themselves your friend may not be a friend who is willing to stand with you in the fire.
And while you're looking for those people, don't forget to ask yourself:
Am I that kind of friend for somebody else?
⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 — Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego: Friends in the Fire
01:45 — Welcome to The Middle Child Podcast
03:32 — Why Royal Is Intentionally Walking Through Her Healing Journey
04:21 — Why Royal Needed Her Friends in This Season
05:33 — What It Really Means to Have Friends in the Fire
06:23 — The Conference Lesson That Changed Royal's View of Friendship
08:40 — Why People Hide What They're Going Through
09:44 — Friends Who Protect You When You're at Your Lowest
11:13 — Why God Gives Us Community
12:09 — When Your Friends Help Lead You to Jesus
13:20 — Reveal, Remove, Replace & Reposition
14:36 — Becoming the Friend in the Fire
21:30 — When You've Outgrown a Friendship
23:00 — Finding Your Tribe & Walking Into Purpose
28:01 — When God Removes People From Your Life
31:16 — Friendship, Integrity & Keeping People's Secrets
35:49 — Pray for Your Tribe & Ask God for Discernment
38:25 — What It Really Means to Stand With Someone
42:00 — Tell the Truth, Be Discerning & Be a Good Friend
47:43 — What God May Be Doing Through Your Friendships
🎙️ ABOUT THE MIDDLE CHILD PODCAST
The Middle Child Podcast with Royal Boles is the show where you are seen, loved, and appreciated.
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