With the suicide of the Canyon High School student, I sit heart breaking for his family, for all the other students and with overwhelming desire to hold my children close. Christianity Today reports that suicide is the 6th most common cause of death for children between ages 5-14. Staggering that a child between those ages could think their life had no value and be so saddened that they would take their own life. Even more disturbing is that every 17 minutes in America according to the report in Christianity Today someone tries to take their life. It is hard to understand suicide at any age. What does Suicide mean to our Faith, Our Salvation? Romans 8:32 offers a great deal of hope that nothing a believer does will separate us from the love of our father in heaven. There are also 6 examples of suicide in the Bible, I have to believe that God gave us these examples so we would know that he loves us and what to expect in this life.

As a teenager I recall two mothers taking their lives. Those were hard deaths but they were easy too because we could be angry at the moms, how could they leave their children. Later my dads childhood friend took his life and in another event a friend took his life at that of his son. You can't wrap you mind around it but then 5 years ago my cousin decided that this world was just too much and ended his life. A young man with what looked like everything to live for and yet he ended. He I know had faith, salvation and at one time wanted to go into ministry. What causes someone to think that its just too bad.

Last week I blogged on hope and that there is never NO HOPE because we always have eternity and all the stuff happening here on earth is just the "STUFF" in between but I am grown, I have walked through pain, I have healed, hurt, been hurt, and made it through with a loving GOD! What about our children why? Why and can we ask why? I believe we can tell GOD "I don't understand Lord, help me have faith." Scripture refers to Jesus asking a man of a sick child if he had Faith and the man replied "NO, help me have Faith." In this time of loss, in this time when we are all confused, when it seems like there is no hope, there is. Another life should not be lost in vain and one way as parents and friends we can do that is by opening our hearts and our arms. We have to create a safe place for our kids, our spouses, our friends a place where they can tell us anything without fear of being judged. To feel all alone, to feel like no one would understand and that your life is worth nothing, most of us have felt that at some point but it quickly passes but when someone doesn't have somebody to go to why wouldn't they end it all. This world is a scary place. Open your hearts, open your minds and be some ones safe place to fall. Give a teenager a HUG TODAY! Reach out and tell your kids, a kid around that their life is precious, that you would miss them if they were gone!