The cupboard door was open...both the left and right side...I was down...really down...didn't think that I had anything to live for...I thought in that moment about grabbing mom's pill bottle and downing all of them at once...taking care of my miserable life...I was in 7th grade...I had a childhood friend...my best friend since we were 4...had turned hateful toward me...I didn't think that I had many friends...my parents fought a lot at night when I was supposed to be asleep...I got in trouble in school (23 detentions that year!)...I was MISERABLE...so there I stood...in front of the cupboard...with my chance to end it all...but a verse kept running through my mind..."God works EVERYTHING to the good of those that love him...to those called according to his purpose." Romans 8: 28...that became my life verse starting on that day. I shut those doors and that verse kept going through my head.
BUT it didn't stop there...unknown to me...my brother and mom and begun praying for me. They were encouraging me...my bro encouraged me to try out for basketball in 8th grade...I made the team and my world started to change. I came out of my shell...(some of you may wish I was still in that shell!!!! Oh...no more detentions either!!) One of my favorite teachers told my mom..."I thought Tim HATED me in 7th grade...but he sure is different this year!!" (Mrs. Sees was my 7th and 8th grade math teacher and musical director in 8th grade. AMAZING PERSON!) Life changed that year...I developed new friendships and God opened many doors for me with soccer, basketball and music. I think this is why I LOVE TO TEACH junior high so much...7th and 8th grade is such a pivotal time...it can mean life and death for so many teens.
I am forever grateful to mom and Paul...to teachers like Mr. Frain, Mrs. Sees, Mr. Harper, Mr. Farkas, Mr. Douglas, Miss A...and a host of other people...they saw something in me that I didn't...they took time to get through the hard shell of my life...they saw that I could do more than I ever thought that I could! THANK YOU for not giving up on that 7th grade boy that had little hope! God used each of you to save my life!! And God...THANK YOU for Romans 8:28...no better life verse in the world!!
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