teens

My heart just breaks for the youth today. I spent time, after leading a "small group" of seventh grade girls at church tonight, chatting w/ a recent high school grad about the pressures kids face at school today. Pot/marijuana use is so common-place today for teens. I remember the alcohol and relationship pressures, but as an almost-30 year old now, drug use while I was in school was still pretty taboo. It's heartbreaking to think that real life must be so horrible that kids use drugs to escape it. I mean, I too enjoy "escaping reality," but I usually do it in the form of reading a book. Although, I guess my weakness is still a weakness that should be kept under check, for example, if I read to avoid my responsibilities as a mom/wife, then I am sinning just as much as the student taking drugs. However, the addictive powers of drugs and alcohol is scary. Not only does a student have to stand their moral ground and say no to alcohol and sex, they have to make the choice to turn down drugs.
Father God, help these students to walk in Your ways, to be firm in their faith, to trust that You are all they need to be made whole, & to be content w/ Your reality. For those that don't know You, may then find Your arms to be their saving grace.