Day 6 - You Feel Hopeless

Letters to my teenage self 

A Devotional for Trauma Survivors 

Day 6 - You Feel Hopeless

Dear teenage self, 

You feel hopeless, and I understand that. Right now your perspective is pretty limited, especially since you keep looking down whenever you're talking to someone. When the Pastor is preaching, you're thinking about the drama at school, how to organize your music collection, and what you're going to eat for lunch. You're not focused on anything permanent.

Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do.

+Philippians 4:8-9 (NCV)

To feel better, you have to choose better for yourself. You have to train and discipline your mind to focus on things from above. What is God doing? What has God already done? What do you hope He will do for you? What has He already promised you? Look outside yourself, outside your little world, and into something deeper and more profound than the latest high school gossip. 

You are going to be more than okay. You will be a Mama someday and share all this wisdom with the four amazing kids you birthed from your body. That cute guy from Spanish clas? You marry him. He's their dad. So dare to dream. Dare to hope. Because life does get better. I'm living it now. 

Some of my favorite moments are just being silly with my kids and making funny faces, sounds or making up goofy song lyrics. Laughter is so good for the soul. I spent years training myself not to laugh because I hated the way it sounded. Now I'm learning to laugh again - and do it often. 

Let's Pray

Heavenly Father, sometimes I still feel hopeless because I forget to look to You for everything I need. Sometimes I forget that everything under the sun belongs to You. I'm sorry for doing that. I need Your Light in my life. Thank You for sending people into my life who love You and encourage me to dig deeper into Your Word and draw nearer to You. You are always good. You can always be trusted. I love You, Lord. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.

 

 

 

Day 5 - Watch the Company You Keep

Letters to my teenage self 

A Devotional for Trauma Survivors 

Day 5 - Watch the Company You Keep

Dear teenage self, 

Some of the people you're hanging out with are detrimental to your mental and spiritual health. So much of what you do is learned behavior.  You so desperately want to be healed, happy, and normal. You want to belong. You're willing to cut class, smoke with your friends, drink alcohol, and continue to defy every authority figure in your life. 

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

+1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Every time the Holy Spirit convicts you, you shut it out and ignore the voices you need to hear. Not all authority seeks to harm you. Not all friends are equal. Sometimes you become angry with the friends who set boundaries with you. Stop doing that. Those are the people who truly care about you. The ones who encourage you to deny "all that Jesus stuff" are not going to be your friends even a year from now. If you continue down this path, you will feel even more lonely than you do now. Sadly, you won't realize this until it's too late. 

Compromising your values will make the road to healing so much harder. You're going to struggle for many years, and then look back on this time and think "If only I had listened to..." I'm asking you to listen to the Word of God now and make different decisions for your future self. 

Let's Pray

Dear Jesus. I've made many bad decisions and listened to people I shouldn't have. When You have tried to guide me, I insisted on going my own way, even cursing Your name in the process. I cared more about what others thought of me than what You do. Please forgive me and lead me to a group of Christians who truly love You and will be good company for me. You are on the throne. You are my God. In all things, I want to honor You. It is in Your Holy name I pray. Amen. 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
+Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Stay tuned for another episode. See you next time! And remember, if you or a loved one is in danger, get help immediately, and don't stop talking until someone acts on your words.

National Domestic Abuse Hotline: 800-799-7233 Hours: 24/7. Languages: English, Spanish, and 200+ through interpretation service. SMS: Text START to 88788

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 Hours: Available 24 hours. https://www.rainn.org/

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Hours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish. https://988lifeline.org/

In Christ alone our hope is found

Run, don't walk for help! You're worth it.