She checked in last Wednesday night and one of our leaders put a wristband on her wrist. As she turned over her hand to fasten the band she noticed what looked like tiny razor cuts up and down the underside of her arm. The leader told me about it immediately. I know the student well. I also know that she is in Christian counseling at our church. She has a lot going on and we’ve made a way for her to get help–but somehow in the middle of a lot of “help” she still feels alone or like she has only a few things that she can control–one of them being what she does to her own body. The scars tell me that she feels alone and that she is desperately seeking for something to connect her with life again in a a way that doesn’t feel forced. So many love her here. But who will love her when she goes home? Who will love her at school? Who will speak truth to her when she is surrounded by lies?
I’m praying for a friend to come into this sweet girls’ life–someone who gets it. The movie “To Save A Life” is one of the few portrayals of the type of friend I’m thinking of. Someone who is a peer, but mature enough in their faith to know that gravity of one kind word, or the impact of an invitation to be with someone who is lonely or feeling dejected.
Maybe need to revisit how a teenagers every day living, walking, and being around others could literally change the course of another persons life–especially when that living, walking, and being around is infused with the love and hope found in Christ.
This girl has me thinking about Megan’s work at Saddleback with “Life Hurts God Heals”. There may be a need for it here. Maybe we need to go through the To Save A Life, Devo2Go again with our group. Or maybe, I need to share this story with our leaders and begin mentoring one student each to live this type of “lovestyle”. This blog isn’t a solution, more of conversation that needs to be cracked open again and the forthcoming thoughts implemented–immediately.
I’m sure there are others in the same boat, wondering where to start (again). There are others who are thinking about how to keep hurting kids from slipping away from our own ministries and care? What do we do on an ongoing basis to check the physical and emotional temperatures of our students? Maybe I should just ask them…novel right? I’ll start with that and let you know how it goes. In the meantime, I’d love to hear how you’re checking in with your kids and how you’re helping those who are hurting.
