“Where can I go when I need help?” – you

This Friday I want to give advice to all our readers. I am going to introduce you to some resources so that you don’t have to feel helpless when you or someone you know is struggling. The following includes some common problems, along with some organizations where you can find help any time:

Self-injury (cutting)
Door of Hope: This organization offers free counseling (online or by phone) by certified Christian counselors for teen girls or young women.
ASHIC (American Self-Harm Information Clearinghouse): Here you can find a variety of resources and information about self-inury. (more…)

by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews

Sam wasn’t a bad guy, really. In fact, he was a really great guy for a while.

Sam was chosen by God for a special purpose. An angel even appeared to his parents before his birth, telling them about the child they would be raising. And throughout Sam’s life, God was with him. He directed Sam’s actions and blessed him with an amazing gift.

Until one day. (more…)

“Sometimes I really don’t like my parents. I don’t think they understand me at all! I don’t know what to do- they’re driving me crazy! Help!” ~ James

hey James,

Parents can be hard to get along with sometimes, especially when they don’t seem to see your point-of-view. But I applaud your effort to work on this problem! Here are some things you can do:

1. Talk to your parents. I know sometimes it may seem absolutely futile, but they need to know how you feel. So ask them if you can sit down and have a talk sometime. Schedule a time if you have to, but make sure you have their full attention. (more…)

by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews

Sometimes I have bad days.

Don’t we all?

A bad day is like the furry, big-teethed monster under the bed that we feared as children. It grabs us and pulls us down into the depths. It manifests itself as an uncooperative alarm clock that maliciously refuses to beep on time. It’s the little old lady in the car in front of us who stubbornly pokes along at 10 mph under the speed limit. (more…)

“I want to break up with my boyfriend but the last time we broke up, we got back together because he was scaring me. He would punch the walls and hurt himself. That includes cutting himself. I feel trapped being with him but I don’t love him like that any more. Help!” ~ Abby

Hey Abby,

Feeling trapped is not a good thing in a relationship. It sounds like you want to get away from your boyfriend but you’re afraid of what might happen.

He’s using that fear to control you and it’s really not good. You need to tell someone about what he does, how he hurts himself- his parents, your parents, a teacher, a guidance counselor, a pastor. He needs some help, but not from you. (more…)

 

“I really like this girl, but I don’t know how to tell her or if she even likes me. Help!” – Kurt

***

hey Kurt,

You are not alone! We’ve all had trouble interpreting the actions of our crushes. Sometimes it’s like trying to read another language. But here are a couple things to consider:

How does she act around you? A girl will act differently around her crush than her friends. She may get really quiet or she may talk a lot more. Either way, it will be different. She will also find excuses to hang around the guy she likes. And she’ll watch him, though she may pretend not to or blush if he catches her watching. (more…)

 
by RTF Assistant Editor Halee Matthews

There he was. The man of my dreams. Everything I ever wanted in a guy. It was all there– on a notecard.

See, I like lists. A lot. Any time I have lots of ideas floating around in my head, I make a list… or several. So naturally, when it came to the kind of guy I wanted to marry, I made a fantastic list.

I thought about values, personality traits, the works. I poured out my heart in a list of adjectives on an index card, and I kept it in my Bible. (more…)

“Hey, I was wondering… does God punish people?” – Josh

*****

Hey Josh,

Way to go with the deep question! You definitely got me thinking. To find out about the nature of God, we have to check out the Bible. And there’s one particular passage that comes to mind that I think will help answer this question.

Most of us know the story of David and Goliath. But the Bible has much more to tell us about David, including the bad choices he made. And he made some really bad choices. In fact, David had a man killed so he could have his wife! (I know it sounds like a soap opera, but I’m not making this stuff up! You can read the whole thing in 2 Samuel 11.) (more…)