Self Injury

About a year ago I went to a training seminar on teen issues. It dealt with some of the deep stuff that teenagers deal with and how, as Youth Workers we can help. One of the subject discussed in that seminar was Self Injury. At that point in my life this was not a subject or issue I had any experience of. I'd heard of it but had never had a direct encounter with it, but somehow that segment of the seminar leaped out at me as if I could almost tangibly feel God telling me ‘Get ready. You’re going to be encountering this’. That feeling was overwhelmingly strong so I did a little background reading and a little praying and went on with my life.

Well, it almost a year later that I actually encountered it but I thank God that he gave me some warning. I have no idea how I’d have reacted if I’d been unprepared. As it is, I'm doing what I can to help. I'm not sure why God pressed this particular issue so deeply into my heart but I suspect this is not the only time I'm going to encounter this.

I know there are so many others out there who are hurting, crying, dieing inside and for whom Self Injury is the only way they know how to cope. If that's you my heart cries for you. My soul cries for you. I’m no-one special, but i burn within to reach out to those who hurt. I wish I could find a way to tell you how much you are loved, how special God thinks you are, I wish I could hug you, be there with you, i wish you could know that God wants to take you up in his arms and hold you until there are no more tears, that Jesus weeps for your pain, that he cries out in intercession for you, that he longs for you to know his love and and healing.

I hadn't planned to write these words, but for some reason my heart is breaking and I feel compelled to write this. I don't know if anyone will read it or if I'm writing to a vacuum BUT I can't ignore the feeling that there's someone out there crying out to be loved. If you're reading this post, if it's somehow meant for you, please, please please, whoever you are, don’t do this alone. There are people out there who care and who can help. Know that you are loved and I am praying for you.

I’m going to end and post this now before I second guess myself and change my mind.