Peaches and Cream

That is how my day started out, with a bowl of delicious peaches and cream oatmeal. I was unbable to attend church today due to exhaustion, not feeling well, and a lot on my mind. Sometimes we just need days to be alone and get away from the business and chaos that we call life. I am glad that I get to go tonight and share a time of fellowship and worship with some other amazing youth and leaders. Following, I finally get some time with my best friend, Jayme. I start my first FULL week of school tomorrow, so be in prayer for that. I have this crazy goal of wanting to get all As this semester, so once again, be in prayer for that. I leave you with a prayer request and a story of a little kid who means a whole lot to me!

This summer, I was blessed with the opportunity to get to lead Matt Dean, a kid in my church group to Christ. We had a fun week of camp and I had a blast just hanging out and talking with him for the remaining of the week. Little did I know, that relationship we built would become important in the coming months.

His mom was the church group leader and so she requested my contact information so that we could keep in touch and for future visiting opportunities. Well, Matt decided to get my cell phone and began texting me. I learned a lot about Matt after the first couple of messages. Matt had a bad school life and was constantly teased, beat up on, hated, and threatened for doing nothing at all. After a fight at one school, he was suspended for five days and was then moved to a second school. The same thing still happened at the next school. I constantly prayed for Matt and tried to encourage him through every struggle he endured. Things got so bad at school that he began cutting himself. His mom recently contacted me and told me that all he does is stay in his room and wont talk to anyone in the family. She then asked me to please be there for him and to please try and talk to him. That is what I have been trying to do. So, I thought things had gotten better, when in fact, they are getting worse.

This past Friday night, I recieved a text from Matt that told me he was tired of everything he had gone through and that he just wanted to end it all. It was a text message telling me goodbye. I immediatley began talking with him and again constantly encouraging him, all while praying so hard. He had planned to commit suicide that night and told me his detailed plan. After many talks back and forth, and with God's help, Matt did not go through with his plan. He told me that he had thought about what I said and that he was going to give it another week.

Please be in prayer for all involved with this situation. Pray for Matt that he would have peace and joy, even during the hard times he is facing. Pray for his family that they would understand his circumstance and know how to deal with this situation. Pray for me, that God would give me the words to say in order to help Matt through this time in his life. I am asking for your prayers and would really appreciate you doing so.

Me and Matt at camp this summer