A year ago at a Young Life breakfast we spent the morning eating wonderful food and writing love on our arms with beautifully, colored markers. The dozen or so girls who were in my living room that Saturday morning were also treated to haircuts from the talented Miss Tammy. I sat in my usual spot enjoying the interactions of this easy going group of high school freshmen.
As I sat there, I had an overwhelming urge to ask the girls if I could wash their feet. Stubbornly, I put the thought to the back of my mind, reminding God that most of these girls would not even get the Biblical ideal of Christ serving others. But the nagging continued. Trying to shake it off I convinced myself that they would think I was a weirdo or pervert if I asked to wash their feet. But the push from above continued reminding me that I had earned the trust of these girls and would find the words to explain.
So I jumped in. Cathy and I took turns washing and drying the girls feet as they sat on the kitchen counter with their feet in the fragrant, warm water. When we got to one of my favorite girls, she winced as I washed her feet. At first, I thought she was ticklish then we saw the bottoms of her feet. They were cut to pieces in every direction. With tears in her eyes she revealed that she was a cutter. She had trusted this group with her most intimate secret and sat there with her feet in pain waiting for our reaction. One by one the other girls came and showed her their own scars from cutting and gave her the most tender hugs. Instead of shame her truth was met with acceptance and understanding.
God gave me that push and I praise him for my saying yes. That morning we were writing love on our arms as a hope for girls to choose love and life over cutting and depression. None of us were aware of this particular girl's anguish until through her courage she was able to share it with us.
She and I started writing together in January last year as an alternative to the blade that she craved. Last week, she told me that she has been blade free for the past 5 months. I am so proud of her and am so blessed to have her in my life. Her courage astounds me everyday. The hardships she endures are intense but she has turned to others to get through and relies on her faith more than ever.
In Him,
Joyful
11-13-2010
"To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery."
As I sat there, I had an overwhelming urge to ask the girls if I could wash their feet. Stubbornly, I put the thought to the back of my mind, reminding God that most of these girls would not even get the Biblical ideal of Christ serving others. But the nagging continued. Trying to shake it off I convinced myself that they would think I was a weirdo or pervert if I asked to wash their feet. But the push from above continued reminding me that I had earned the trust of these girls and would find the words to explain.
So I jumped in. Cathy and I took turns washing and drying the girls feet as they sat on the kitchen counter with their feet in the fragrant, warm water. When we got to one of my favorite girls, she winced as I washed her feet. At first, I thought she was ticklish then we saw the bottoms of her feet. They were cut to pieces in every direction. With tears in her eyes she revealed that she was a cutter. She had trusted this group with her most intimate secret and sat there with her feet in pain waiting for our reaction. One by one the other girls came and showed her their own scars from cutting and gave her the most tender hugs. Instead of shame her truth was met with acceptance and understanding.
God gave me that push and I praise him for my saying yes. That morning we were writing love on our arms as a hope for girls to choose love and life over cutting and depression. None of us were aware of this particular girl's anguish until through her courage she was able to share it with us.
She and I started writing together in January last year as an alternative to the blade that she craved. Last week, she told me that she has been blade free for the past 5 months. I am so proud of her and am so blessed to have her in my life. Her courage astounds me everyday. The hardships she endures are intense but she has turned to others to get through and relies on her faith more than ever.
In Him,
Joyful
11-13-2010
"To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery."
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