There’s just something about girlfriends.

Regardless of whether you’re six or sixty, a girl needs to be surrounded by her friends. As children, we invite them over for playdates to dress up and have a tea party. As teenagers, we long to reach the age to meet them at the movies or the mall. In our twenties and beyond, we look forward to “Girls Night Out”, enjoying everything from manicures to coffee and conversation in a judgment-free environment.

No matter what our age, we look to our girlfriends to provide shoulders to cry on, ears to listen and hearts to hear things the men in our lives may never understand (besides, should we really subject our mates to why it’s important to have so many pockets in one purse? Let’s be fair, ladies.)

But in an era of Facebook and Twitter, our face time with friends seems to be on the decline. While it’s not uncommon for someone to have hundreds of friends via social media, how many of those relationships are really tried and true? And if we’re being completely honest, how many of those friends do you really have the time to invest in?

I recently decided to reflect on these questions myself. As a result, I came up with my quintessential friend list: 7 friends no-one should be without in their lifetime. While they may come into play during different stages of our lives, each are unique in their purpose and valuable beyond words:

1. The School Friend

   Whether from grade school or college, there needs to be a friend in your life that remembers your days of bad hair, bad fashion and yes, even some bad choices. This friend has a history with you that helps you embrace the best of your past while encouraging you on towards your future.

2. The Contemporary Friend

   This may be someone at work, church, or in the neighborhood that just ‘gets’ you. You grew up in the same era and strive for the same goals. You challenge each other in your profession, whether that happens to be as a working woman or a stay-at-home mom. The two of you understand the importance of dreaming and achieving goals and are there for each other when you need an extra boost to reach the stars!

3. The Mommy Friend

   One of the most critical friendships when you have kids five and under, nothing is off-limits with this friend. From poop to vomit to tantrums, the Mommy Friend gets you at a time in your life when nothing else makes sense. You’re there to let each other know you haven’t lost your minds and to remind each other when potty-training gets hard that no-one in Kindergarten still wears diapers (oh yeah, and that showering daily is a luxury, not a requirement!).

4. The Faithful (& Faith-Filled) Friend

   You know the one. Not only can you count on this friend to always be praying for you, but you can call on her at any moment to join you in your spiritual battles. She is thoughtful, selfless, positive, giving, dedicated, and above all else, loves deeply. When you need a pick-me-up to remind you of how precious you are in God’s eye, this is your girl.

   Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thes 5:16-18

5. The “Learn From” & “Pass On” Friends

   All of us need someone a little older in our lives that’s willing to walk beside us through this journey that we can “learn from”; someone who’s been there, done that and is willing to tell the tale. Likewise, we need to find someone we can also walk alongside and “pass on” similar information to. This is one of the sweetest and deepest ways we can grow as women.

6. The Fun Friend

   This is your cut-loose, karaoke-singing, weekend road trip friend. Whether you have a random urge to get creative and paint a sunset at the beach or feel like driving across the state line just for kicks, this girl is up for it! Fun-filled and free-spirited, this friend sees the glass half-full and can even make sitting in traffic a blast when you’re with her.

7. The Best Friend

   We all need a best friend. You know the one. The friend you call that can not only occupy all the above roles, but is there when you need her regardless of time of day or how silly the request may happen to be. She’s the first person you call when you break-up with your boyfriend, go into labor, or lose someone close to you. Regardless of time apart or miles away, this is your go-to girl.

Friends are the strings that help knit the stories of our lives together. Just as each of us go through different seasons of life, so do our relationships vary during these times. Still, each of the friends above stays with us through every page in the book of our lives. Nothing is sweeter than having the heart of God manifested here on earth through the life of one of your friends.

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. – John 15:12-13