before every fall retreat we ask our students to "write their hearts out" -- we give them a piece of paper with some questions and ask them to write anonymously about the things going on in their lives - and they do it, they write their hearts out.... they write about what they need most from the retreat....they circle the main issues they are currently dealing...they write about the #1 thing they are struggling with...and they write about their self-esteem. these papers are so beautiful...and devastating...and challenging...and a sincere call to prayer. these quotes are just a sampling (about 35 out of 175) from students who are going to be on the TA retreat this weekend (and just a glimpse into the heart of some teenagers...teenagers who are trying so very hard to make good choices and do the right thing)...if you have a chance and could take a little while to pray for these situations and for the others that aren't represented, we would be so very grateful (or maybe there's just one quote that you really connect with...just pray for that one student). May God have His way in these students' lives this weekend...may healing, breakthrough, wholeness, forgiveness, security, truth and love be present in great abundance.
I’m so confused about my future. Entering senior year has been such a scary experience. I’m not certain what I’m supposed to do with my life.
I have a really hard time getting along with my mom. I’m sure she means well, but the things she says to me really hurt sometimes. She’s negative about a lot of stuff and it’s hard for me to keep a positive attitude when that’s all I hear.
Right now my body is my enemy. When you look at me you see nothing wrong. But when I look at myself, I want to change everything. I can’t stop purging because I am convinced I deserve it. God has helped me come to peace many times on the issue but I fall back everytime.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to get away from lustful sins. I pray for help but it doesn’t feel like God is listening. I do have periods of strength, but, overall, I don’t feel like I’m making any progress. Every time I start to go forward, I get knocked back again. How do I get away from something that has such a hold on me?
I really dislike the size and shape of my body. I can’t really even describe how I’m feeling.
My parents had a rough divorce and I’ve come to terms with it, but sometimes I have violent nightmares that mess me up for the rest of the day or week. I can’t trust my dad to be stable and I never know when he’ll blow up. I rarely go to his house anymore and I refuse to travel with him. I just want to feel safe and for him to be normal so that I don’t always have to worry.
A past relationship with someone went too far. I gave in and let him have the one thing I held close to my heart. We ended up breaking up and now I feel worthless, like I gave the only thing I had to protect. I regret it with all my heart but I can’t take it back now. I just want to love myself again.
I feel that I need to please both of my parents so that one doesn’t think that I don’t love them. I feel sad sometimes and other times I feel like I’m in a bad dream and when I wake up it will all be fine.
This summer I basically cut all ties with my dad. I never see him, never talk to him. I didn’t think it would cause more hurt or loss in my life, just make it easier – looks like I was wrong.
I don’t know how to be ok with not being the best. I also feel lonely even though I have good friends. Everyone around me seems to be so beautiful and I can’t compare.
My mom died from being an alcoholic. My dad is an alcoholic, too, and I’m scared that I’m going to wake up and he’s going to be gone, too.
I’m always arguing with my parents. They don’t understand me. It’s like they don’t care.
I did some pretty horrible stuff last year and it has been a struggle for me to forgive myself.
I am VERY concerned about my future. I want to go to college but I’m not sure what for. Basically, I don’t know what I want to do with my life.
I’ve been cutting off and on for almost 2 years. It’s the one thing that’s destroying me and pulling me away from the people I care about. It’s the monster I can’t run from. I hate it.
The most difficult thing in my life right now is academic pressure and the pressure to be perfect. It causes me to be really stressed all the time and with school starting it’s gotten worse. I feel so overwhelmed at the end of every week and it’s hard to sleep most of the time.
I’ve tried to commit suicide but not many people know ‘cause it’s hard telling people. I try to fix things but I have no help.
Sometimes I feel like I don’t have the best of friends. They will trash talk people one minute and be all buddy-buddy with them the next. It’s sad that I can’t find any quality friends- not even at church. I don’t even know if quality friends exist.
I am extremely uncomfortable with myself - so others aren’t really comfortable being around me. I frequently stress over how I am viewed by others. It’s a scary place to be and I’m not really sure how to handle it.
I feel ‘fat’ I suppose. I have curves and I like them, it’s just I feel like I am taking up half a room when I walk in.
I feel depressed at times due to things I’ve done wrong or what I should’ve done in a situation. These feelings make me drop everything I’m doing and give up.
I feel awful. Like I’m worthless. Like a stupid failure. I feel like God hates me.
I hate myself when I look at pornography.
My grandmother was my hero. She got me through everything and pointed me in God’s direction. When I lost her, my life turned black. I’ve stopped attending church and I question everyone that tries to get close to me.
I talk to God all the time but never get a response no matter how long I sit in silence and wait. That is my biggest struggle because I feel that he doesn’t love me as much as he loves others around me who I know hear from him. I need reassurance in my faith.
Lately I have been wanting to starve myself. I’m afraid to tell my family or even my best friend because I don’t want them to be disappointed in me.
Words hurt. I’ve gone through highschool being called every name in the book. It’s not that I feel this way about myself but sometimes it seems easier to just let the world think of me in a way that’s not true rather than constantly defend myself.
It seems like society puts so much pressure on people nowadays to have a boyfriend or girlfriend and it’s really getting to me. I’ve never had a boyfriend and almost all my friends have. I know God will give me the right person at the right time, but it gets lonely sometimes watching happy couples on tv and at school. Seeing the notification on facebook that one of my friends is in a new relationship makes me sad…I wish I could have that, too.
I feel unliked, unrespected and not listened to by my parents. I feel like I’ve failed and things won’t get better. I just get the sense that my dad loves me but doesn’t like me or approve of me.
I’m a senior this year and it’s starting to hit me that I need to act like an adult now. I have to drive to school. I have to think about others. I have to lead my team. I have so much stress it’s overwhelming. I don’t want to get so caught up that I forget about the things that matter – God, friends, family.
I have not been active in God’s word for a month. I rarely pray. I know that I am saved, but I am not finding satisfaction in my relationship with Him.
I am very competitive and want to be THE BEST but that lead me to dislike myself when others do better.
Lust is a problem that eats away at me. I hate it, but I still indulge.
I really struggle with my relationship with my dad. He used to have anger problems and has really struggled with pornography. It is such a battle not to resent him. I have had to forgive him multiple times. It’s hard. I just want to get past this bitterness and be joyful.
My older brother moved out of the house and started going crazy…he’s a drug addict. He’s out of control and it’s making life difficult for my family. I feel like there’s nothing I can do.
I honestly hate myself and my life. I just want to start over again.
