She was so bubbly during dinner time. Ate her food so quickly in order to make it on time to church for her usual Wednesday night youth group bible study. A few hours later when it was over, her mom pulled into the church parking lot to pick her up. She opened the car door to take a seat and immediately her mother noticed that there was something different. Something heavy in the air. Nothing bubbly about it. Not wanting to be intrusive, her mom casually asked how her night went, to which she answered a short 
Mom pressed a bit more to discuss the topic they had studied that night and quickly moved on to ask who she had been “hanging out” with. The answer was pained, abrupt and disjointed. Leading her mom to believe that the heavy feeling she felt was not just her imagination but rather in her daughter’s demeanor. Point blank her mom asked, “Are you okay?”
To which she received a quick
Her daughter was very insistent and went as far as saying 
The truth…she was tired. Tired of being ignored. Later on that night she let her mother into the truth of the matter.
Her bubbly demeanor was burst
Can you relate? What do you do when your teen feels pushed aside, forgotten or left out? My heart breaks every time I think about what she must have felt. As an adult I’ve experienced that sensation of being left out, not being able to connect with those that we’d like to be friends with and the pain that goes with it. Imagine how much more devastating to a teenaged girl. I can see how that could happen to me because I was quite shy. This young girl however is extremely outgoing, involved in her church and always willing to help a hand. All the adults rave about her. You couldn’t ask for a sweeter girl. So why do kids her age not seek her out or include her. The saddest part is that this girl has been battling this issue quietly for several years now. She confessed to her mother that she even opened up about it during a bible study one night last year. She told them she felt left out and how she would really like to feel included, like part of the group. Do you know that not one girl approached her afterward. Poor thing was so disillusioned. It just doesn’t make sense. If anyone has some insight I’d love to pass it on.
As a parent our first instinct would be to protect our child’s heart. It’s so easy to get caught up in the hurt which quickly turns into defensive anger. What do you do when they get angry because they just can’t deal with it anymore?
Take this opportunity to speak to them about how God wants them to trust Him completely and that sometimes we place too much emphasis on the wrong things. How they shouldn’t let circumstances change who they are but rather allow God to mold them into who He knows they can be.
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”―
I’m praying for God to heal this girls wounded heart and send her some very special, close friends. That He in turn stir their hearts to seek her out, forming a bond created by His power. That she not allow anger in but rather cast it out in the name of Jesus and let down her walls in order to truly, freely trust that God is in control.
Though she may feel broken, she is not forgotten
Will you please join me in praying for this young lady that so desperately wants to connect? Also for her mother who is heartbroken for her daughter and probably won’t be getting much sleep tonight. If so please show your support by leaving your prayers and words of encouragement in the comments.
Happy to be linking up with: Modest Mondays, Proverbial Homemaker, Motivate and Rejuvenate Mondays, A Mama’s Story, What Joy is Mine, The Life of Faith, Mom’s the Word, Titus 2sDay, Testimony Tuesday, #RaRaLinkUp, Purposeful Faith, Cornerstone Confessions, Blog Hop, Teaching What Is Good,Wise Woman, WholeHearted Wednesday, Women With Intention, Three Word Wednesday, TellHisStory, Coffee for your Heart, Wednesday Prayer Girls, Word Filled Wednesday, I Choose Joy Link Up, Thought Provoking Thursday Link Up, The Deliberate Mom, Growing in Grace, A Field of Wild Flowers, Angela Parlin,While I Wait, Arabahjoy Grace & Truth, Imparting Grace, Little Things Thursday, Graced Simplicity, Fellowship Fridays, Friday Favorites, Friday Flash Blog,Momfessionals, Faith Filled Friday,Give Me Grace, The Weekend Brew,Sunday Stillness,A Group Look, Spiritual Sundays, Faith N Friends, DancingWithJesus
time 2 refuel 