‘He didn’t jump’
Q: How can I pray about the issue of suicide in my school?
A: Thank you for praying about suicide in your school. Just the other day, I saw a video featuring a mom whose teenage son had killed himself after being severely bullied. She said she wished that her son’s friends, who noticed him having a difficult time, would have said or done something to let her child know he was cared for. Your prayers are a way of caring for those who may be struggling with these same dark thoughts. And, as I learned last fall, prayer does have a tangible, healing impact.
I was driving along the highway to church one Wednesday night when I saw someone standing on the bridge above me. It looked as if he was standing on the other side of the railing—as if maybe he was about to jump. It was hard to see what was really going on, and there was no way for me to stop. But my thought went instantly to prayer. I had already been keeping my thoughts open to God during my drive, listening for God’s assurance that I was loved and cared for, as I was feeling down.
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