Relationship = Growth

I am thankful for the people I have in my life.
Sometimes, I don't know where I would be without them.

I am living and learning, and making mistakes along the way, but without the support and genuine interest in me that is nourished by those that know me best, I would never grow; indeed, I would very well continue along a path of ignorance. I think, to avoid sincere relationship is to submit yourself to the ignorance of your own flaws and failings, and to live day by day unaware that you have the potential to fulfill even greater potential; to be oblivious to opportunities for growth and a deeper maturity is to place a great hindrance on becoming someone who is able to be used and trusted, and to developing faithful, responsible character. And our lives are spent so quickly!
The capacity to change and grow is not something more conducive to adulthood; it is for anyone who is willing.
I think maturity has nothing to do with age - but everything to do with willingness and a desire for understanding and personal growth. The thing is, for growth of any kind to be productive, pruning is essential. And areas we have that need to be pruned are not usually visible to our own eyes. Otherwise, we would take more caution to prevent those areas from growing. Sometimes, the foliage of our own lives, characters and mindsets look the same shade of green; the same 'healthy' luster from every angle to our own eyes, but someone else may notice a wilting, withering branch beginning to droop from the place where they are standing. And it's then that, when notified of this, we are the only ones capable of deciding whether to cut that dying branch off, or let God remove it. And in the process, be willing to undergo the exposure of our pride and the embracing of vulnerability. 
Which could possibly be two of the hardest ideas for humans to grasp. They have been for me. And I am guilty of walking down the path of ignorance, or the path of pride that generates ignorance, because I have been afraid of these very things, and the discomfort that is caused by having layers of myself stripped back or cut off. But I have discovered that the pruning is indeed necessary to having a vibrant, mature, meaningful, productive life, and is somewhat the key ingredient to sustaining deep, honest relationships with people. Which has always been one of my greatest desires. To have thriving relationships not only with other people, but also an intimate, thriving relationship with God.
Because I sincerely believe Relationship equals Growth.

But it demands an openness to change and a vulnerability to moments of discomfort and confrontation and requires the ability to see these not as things to take up offense at, but to see them in the context of the bigger picture, which is ultimately the growth and maturing of your own character and purpose and call. And your ability to be molded and refined into something that God prizes, and can use.
Most importantly, this pruning process requires the befriending of a thing called Humility, and the embracing of a process called 'being humbled'.
Sometimes, making mistakes and looking foolish amongst those you know and care about, and who know and care about you in return, is far better than walking in isolation and ignorance at the expense of your pride, and the avoidance of growth, and the fulfilling of your potential. Learning to see correction  and words of caution as beacons of light pointing you in the best direction, instead of attacks on your own person, or who you are is the start of the journey towards success and maturity and wisdom. It is learning to see that the bearers of these messages want the best for you, and care enough about you to want to keep you on track when they notice you digressing or falling behind. If others didn't care, they wouldn't take the time.
I don't think it is possible to have growth without relationship, and true, sincere relationships without growth and change being the main result.
God is a God of relationship, so it is only normal that we should be refined and challenged and shaped into something beautiful through these. All that is required is willingness, humility and vulnerability, and an understanding of God's heart toward correction and discipline to be able to welcome it with open arms instead of running away from it and becoming stale and stagnant. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

Relationship = growth.

To stand humbled in a place of worship before God, knowing that you are richly blessed and moving forward, maturing and growing, while at the same time in close relationship with people is, I think, a place that God designed all of us to be.
So again, I thank him for those he's placed around me to uplift and strengthen and build into me, because I wouldn't b where he wants me to be if I took these relationships for granted. God shows me his love and care for me through the words and actions of others.

He is amazing <3