Day 13 - Church is Far More Important Than You Think It Is
Dear teenage self,
Church is far more important than you think it is. Stick with it. Stick with the friends who pray for you and encourage you through Bible Scripture. They might be a little "nutty" to you, but you're not exactly the picture of health right now. Take a moment to listen to what they're trying to tell you. In 20 years, you'll wish you had. So do it now.
Friends can lead you astray or hurt you. Most of the people you call friends are overwhelmed by what's going on in your world. They can't help you. They don't know how and it isn't fair to ask them to.
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
+Psalm 62:5 (ESV)
In your quiet moments, seek God. Bring before Him your hurting and broken heart. In the moments at church, bring your hurting and broken heart before Him and the congregation. In the moments with your friends, just relax and enjoy the goodness of God. I know that is easier said than done. Try. Focus on their laughter, their joy, and find a way to adopt it for yourself.
You are creating a future for yourself right now in this very moment. You cannot in any way ruin the plans God has for you, however, you can choose to enjoy the journey or focus on the things that hurt you. I know it's hard, and we'll address it more tomorrow. For now, I just want you to breathe and focus on church, prayer, finding good Christian friends, and reading the Word of God.
Your daughter, getting baptized at the same age you were when you tried to commit suicide. Look at the goodness of God! Embrace it! Praise Him!
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, You have plans for all of our lives that are so amazing that we cannot even conceive how miraculous they are. Thank You for holding all the days of our lives in Your capable hands. Lead us all to churches that worship You and teach Your Holy Word as You wrote it, adding or subtracting nothing in the process. In Jesus' Name. 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/
You're so angry with the world around you that bitterness is leaking from your pores. Every time you open your mouth to speak, your words start another wildfire that will not be easy to put out. There are brief moments in time when you feel you can control yourself and others when you just speak before you think.
For most of your life, no one has listened to you. Throughout the duration of the abuse, you were telling people what was happening as it happened. Your Mother suppressed your voice, asking you to be quiet because the message you were conveying wasn't pleasant. Your grandmother asked you to be quiet about it because the message you were conveying didn't match her vision for the legacy she was creating. Your teachers asked you to be quiet because your message wasn't appropriate for other little ears. The cops asked you to be quiet because they also didn't want their secrets told.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
+Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
The hardest part of your healing has been to reconcile the fact that Jesus has never left you, even when you were being raped and abused. He saw everything and is angry with your rapists and your abusers. He saw everything and cried right along with you. He saw everything and walked with you through it, giving you strength when you had none. He carried you when you could barely stand on your own two feet. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you.
You have never been shamed for these horrific acts. You spent years claiming it, hiding away in a proverbial den of shame. Finally, you accepted that the shame belongs to those who committed those shameful acts, and you began to embrace freedom. Keep moving forward. It only gets better from here.
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, I will never understand why or how people can commit such atrocious acts against others, especially defenseless children. Help us all see Your light, love, and healing, even in the darkest times. Bring that which is currently in the darkness into light and free abused people from their abusers. Bring justice to the unjust situations in life. You are always good, and You never condone evil. I love You, Lord Jesus. It's in Your Holy and precious name, I pray. Amen.
Just as Fred hugs his teddy bear, Jesus hugs you when you cry.
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/
