Two stories were told to me this weekend that serve to ignite my fire and passion towards those that are broken or have been broken or are on the verge of making decisions that led down a broken path. I want to warn you now, they are not pretty and I feel the call to share them because I think we all need to recognize what our teens are facing and hiding. If you do not like to read about issues regarding sex then please do not read any further. I rarely, if ever, write about this in such a blatant manner but I think it’s important to shed light on what is really going on today.
Another precept before I tell these stories is I do NOT know the people involved so if you happen to know me then do not try to assume you can ‘guess’ who the subjects are…what they need more than your curiosity is your prayers. Again I was told these stories (and others very similar) so the exact details are obviously lost…I’ll only give generality.
There were two young girls, I believe to be either in the eighth or ninth grade at the time, best friends. One young girl had an older boyfriend who was very jealous. They were already in a sexual relationship and one day he accused her of cheating on him. The young girl desperate to ‘save’ her relationship with this boy decides he can get ‘even’ if it would prove to him her love. She calls her best friend over who unknowingly is walking into a set up. When the best friend gets to the home she is then forced into a room her best friend’s boyfriend, locked inside and he rapes her while her best friend sits outside the door and waits. When he is done they then put the victimized young girl into the bathroom while the boyfriend/girlfriend have sex.
Once freed the victimized young girl presses charges (praise God) and the young man was convicted and the former best friend was not. However, I believe the young man didn’t have to serve any actual time…just had to switch schools. Since hearing about this I can’t seem to get rid of the stench of the evil it represents.
Second story… have you ever heard of an ABC party? Anything But Clothes. These began occurring on college campus’ (not since I’ve been but apparently it’s not new). Well, now they are having these parties in high school. You show up wearing anything but clothes (Ie: a box, a twister mat, etc) and then it just becomes a free for all. Sexual favors are swapped and I suppose it’s one modern day orgy.
There are other stories, other truths I hear straight from the broken-hearted that make the fire blaze with a desire to wrap all of these young women AND men into my arms and say “Remember who you are!” They are all victims of a longing to feel whole and complete. They want love and acceptance which God has for them but the enemy keeps them blinded by the false approval of peers vs the everlasting approval of God.
I shouldn’t say ‘them’…I should say ‘we’. I’ve encountered many young adults and even some adults in the same dark valley. If you are suffering in this silent hell remember that God is a breath away. Just say His name daily – Jesus. Say His name when you begin to feel inadequate, insecure, uncertain, anxious, overwhelmed, pressured, or lonely. He is here to bring light to the darkness.
Please pray for our youth today.
Blessings
Shannon