WHY?

Do you remember when you were a teenager?
What did you think about?
Did you have any worries or concerns that seemed monumental to deal with?

When I tried to think back to when I was in my teens, (and that was so long ago), I remember worrying about what clothes to wear to school and if I looked good in them. I hoped I didn't get a breakout of acne when it was time for the school dance.

I remember wishing the cool basketball player, who was a year ahead of me, would give me at least a second look.

I can't remember anything that was devastating enough to commit suicide.

That's what a beautiful teenage girl did this past weekend. What could have been so horrible in her life to make her do that?

Now her friends are second guessing themselves, wishing they had been more attentive to her. I'm sure her parents and siblings feel much the same way.

I've been wondering why she didn't reach out for help to someone. Could it be possible she did and no one heard her cries for help.

Our young people are in a crisis. They don't seem to know how to handle or solve problems or know where to turn to for help.

Yet, just last week there was an article in the local paper about a young girl who cared so much about her classmates she passed out religious tracts to them on the playground. Obviously, she found that her faith in God was something she knew she could cling to in time of need and in joy.

What happened to her? The principal of her elementary school, told her to cease and desist. She wasn't allowed to hand out religious (especially Christian) literature at school. Her grandmother didn't take it lightly. She felt her free speech rights had been violated and contacted legal help. Action is now pending.

These two stories brought to mind a "what if" scenario. What if the troubled teen had access to a religious tract or someone had told her how God loves her no matter what, would it have made a difference, and would she still be alive?

No one can know for sure. Isn't it time that strong people take a stand for free speech and religious tolerance in our schools, before our children have been lost?

Please pray for the family of this young girl and for her classmates and all who knew her. Let's hope her life wasn't lost in vain.