A defining moment!

I sat literally frozen … Shocked … Could this really be happening? I couldn’t believe my eyes! My heart broken, my spirit crushed my soul mourning! We all have moments like this; moments that terrorize our psyches, those that shake us to our very core! It was August 6th, 2006, an event that I will remember as long as I live. You know when it happens, although you rarely see it coming … A defining moment!

I sat in stunned silence as tears dripped from my face to the ground below. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I watched between 75 and 100, mostly churched, teenagers raise their hands to acknowledge that within the past few weeks they had considered suicide! I was further shocked when a dozen or so raised their hands to say that they had a note or plan! Out of a group of about 200 half raised their hands to say that they had been considering killing themselves! And this was at a Christian event …

All that I could do was cry and wonder, “Why?” As I began to study I found the following staggering statistics:
60% of all High School Students have considered Suicide
15% have made plans
8.5% have reportedly attempted suicide
Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in young people
And all that I can think is, “We must not be getting it!”

WE MUST AFFECT CHANGE!!!

Young people today are dealing with adult issues. And they are not receiving the support that they need in order to handle the pressure that comes with the struggle!
1 of every 10 8th graders smokes daily
1 of every 5 used some type of drug with in the past year
1 of every 3 were drunk at lease once in the past year
Significant numbers report regular alcohol use including binge drinking
1 out of every 10 teenagers had sexual intercourse before age 13
1 million under the age of 14 have contracted an STD
And the church stands by with our hand over our eyes trying to avoid the reality!

We must give the children their innocence back!

I am usually the kind of guy that has a solution standing next to the problem before I bring it up. But this time I am still beside myself … I know that the solution is Jesus, but how … How do we change the dreadful realities that are stealing a generation? So this time, I ask for your prayers! We are seeking God for the difference makers; we are praying and fasting for the catalyst to change the fate of a generation! We are asking you to pray with us and for us … We are asking you to create a dialog with every young person you can, and let us know what they say …

We are asking for your help to MAKE A CHANGE!!!