RELATIONSHIPS RANT
What makes mJa member Hayley Woods boil with rage...

I hate it when people don't face up to the "problems" they have with each other, and gossip about it to anyone else except the person they've fallen out with.

Young people - no matter what their background or upbringing - need friendships. That's why they form gangs: they need to belong to something.

For teenagers who have been brought up in front of a screen (TV or computer), it's easy to get used to doing everything alone, in your own little world. But that's rubbish! At home, in the house I share with some other Christians, there are some young girls who visit us: they're learning very quickly that making cakes, bumping down the stairs or even water fights with washing up water is loads of fun because we do it together!

If no-one at church looks out for you, how are you going to know that Jesus loves you? It's great to help people into a relationship with God - but friendship with other people is so important, especially for us young people.

We need to emphasise the fact that as a church, we are a family. And we need to lead by example - we're not perfect and of course we'll make mistakes, but our relationships with each other need to be strong enough to bring other people in. Yes, we have our ups and downs, and arguments; what matters is how we deal with them. Gossip and bitching should be outlawed!

A true family looks out for each other and takes every chance to encourage one another, instead of bringing each other down.