Redemption

I attended a graduation ceremony this past weekend for a girl that I’ve know for quite a few years now. She had been going through the program offered by Teen Challenge (a one year residential program that helps men and women who have drug or addiction problems), and had finally completed all of the requirements. The graduation was a celebration of all of her accomplishments to straighten out her life.

It has certainly been a journey watching and intervening in her life for the past 5 years or so. There have been many others who have also worked to minister to this hurt girl, but it all seemed to not make much of a difference. The summer after her high school graduation showed the downward spiral that her life was becoming, but it was only when she hit rock bottom that she truly realized her need for a drastic change. She applied to attend Teen Challenge, knowing that without a radical alteration in her life-style, she didn’t have much of a future. A spot opened up for her last September, and through a series of challenges, she finally checked in.

It has been amazing to watch the transformation that has taken place through her time there. When she would call me before, I would hear a lot of, “Life sucks!” “Nobody cares about me.” “I hate myself.” But every time I spoke with her during her year down there, it was always positive, “This is really hard, but I know it’s good for me.” “Some of these girls drive me crazy, but I know I’m called to be an example for them, even when I don’t feel like it.”

To see this change in her makes all of those hours I spent more than worth it. She has made the decision to continue in her education at a Teen Challenge Institute and acquire her Pastoral degree. The ministry that this girl will have will be phenomenal. I know she will still have challenges ahead, but I also believe that God will see her through.

She recently asked me how I was able to continue to love her and believe in her even when she shoved it back in my face. I answered truthfully that it really wasn’t me doing the loving. It was Christ choosing to use this frail and imperfect vessel to communicate his love and forgiveness. On my own, I would have given up on many, including myself, long ago. It blows me away sometimes to think that God would desire to work through us, imperfect people, to carry on His work. But I am so thankful that He believed in me enough to not give up on me, and so I will continue to try and do the same.