We stand or fall by the value we place in the people God has positioned in our lives. It is the nature of a close relationship to make us vulnerable, but that is precisely where God wants us to be.

   Many people have been hurt when someone they have been hurt by someone they loved or trusted. Churches have been split and ministers have become emotionally and spiritually crippled when a close friend or fellow minister has disappointed or turned against them. This often causes them to shut themselves off emotionally to keep from being hurt again. That leads to isolation, which is never God’s will.

   The relationships you form will have a decisive impact on the success or failure of your mission in life. Love is the cornerstone of the Gospel and we cannot love if we do not keep our hearts open.

   How do you nurture real relationships, while at the same time protecting your heart?  What do you do when a good relationship goes bad?