Question from a reader:
Ok, do guys and girls really view platonic friendships differently? Is it really possible to be “just friends” on both sides?

What’s your opinion? Possible? Not possible? Why?

By Staff Writer Arianna Zander

“How could you?” My words are ice. Tears decorate Taylor’s brown eyes, and she backs away two inches. Licks her lips, studying her pink nail polish instead of me. “I… I didn’t mean to. You know I’d never hurt you on purpose. I’m your best friend.”

I shake my head, and reach for the door handle. It’s cold, and I feel the shiver all the way to my toes. “No,” I whisper, closing my eyes. “Ex best friend.” (more…)

By RTF Staff Writer Kalli Simmerman

Ever done one of those trust exercises where you fall back and let a friend catch you?

Well I haven’t. It’s not that I don’t trust my friends. I would trust them wholeheartedly with certain things. Such as taking care of my things if I was gone, or handling my money, or my feelings given a certain situation.

However…

(more…)

By Staff Writer Stephany Mendia

I have a few guy friends who (I will be honest) are really good looking. They are like brothers to me, and I’ve seen them go through mood swings quicker than even I can! (more…)

By RTF Editor B.J. Hamrick

We interrupt our usually scheduled sarcasm for this brief announcement: Three years ago, my life was forever altered by someone I didn’t know. Someone I thought didn’t exist. Someone I swore had died at birth.

Until I met him.

“Mom,” I announced .2 seconds after I laid eyes on the boy, “I’ve found the man I am going to marry.”

If this seems fast to you, imagine how my mother felt. In one brief second I went from spouting math equations like, “Singleness = happiness and marriage = bondage”, to asking, “Where’s the church and the white dress?” (more…)

By Staff Writer Jennifer Grimes

Dear Callie,

I know you’re going to be confused when I don’t show up at your house this  afternoon and I don’t answer any of your calls. In fact, this is the last email message I’m sending you. Why? Well, it’s a really long story. (more…)

Happy Retro Day! This is for anyone who has moved away from friends or watched their friends leave them behind. (I’ve been there, too.) I hope you find this helpful and encouraging. Enjoy! ~Halee

by RTF Staff Writer Catey Yuen

I’m a social person. I’ve always had a lot of friends since I was really young. But when I moved from California to Colorado two summers ago, all of that changed.

When you’ve lived in the same state your whole life, it’s easy to stay in contact with people. After all, most of the people you know, you’ve known for a while. Almost all of my friends came from the church I’d been going to for years. It required very little for me to meet new people and still hang out with the old ones.

Then we moved and it all changed. (more…)

Hey everybody!

Over the past couple of years we’ve gotten a lot of questions from you guys. Questions about relationships, self-injury, sex, suicide — you name it. Each time we hear from you, we remember why this site is here — because of awesome people like you.

So we just want to remind you that if you have a question, we’d love to hear from you. No topic is off-limits. We would also love to share your question on the site, but you can tell us if you’d rather that we didn’t (we will never share your real name).

So go ahead and unload your problems in the contact box or email us at realteenfaith at gmail.com. Just put “advice” in the subject line.

Drop by every Friday to check out this new feature! Until then, we’re looking forward to your questions!

Halee, BJ, and E.

PS – We’re especially looking for your relationship questions for February!