The Numbers are Staggering

Jump to Comments

Kayleigh my AMAZING girlfriend wrote a blog yesterday about a event taking place today all around the world. It’s a very simple task and yet it can raise the awareness level on a topic that is not regularly discussed. Today I wrote “Love Wins”on my arm in Greek. Today people all around the world will write the word love, or a saying about love on their arm, to help raise awareness. Check out these stats:

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults from age 15-24.

• The suicide rate among adolescents aged 15-19 was 8.2/100,000, or 1,621 deaths among 19,882,596 adolescents in this age group.
• The suicide rate among young people aged 20-24 was 12.8/100,000, or 2,373 deaths among 18,484,615 people in this age group.
• In 2005 (latest available data), there were 32,637 reported suicide deaths.
• A person dies by suicide about every 16 minutes in the United States. An attempt is estimated to be made once every minute.
• Estimates suggest that approximately 800,000 Americans attempt suicide per year.

Honestly the reason this is so important to me is because I could have been ONE of those numbers. When I was in 8Th grade my parents got a divorce, and I slowly slipped into depression. I was not a Christ follower at the time and looked for “love” anywhere I could find it. Drugs, Alcohol, Relationships, Cigarettes, Sports, and yet I still felt so empty… My dad was gone, I felt so Un-wanted, so betrayed. I remember lying in bed at night wondering what was wrong with me, why did I feel so empty inside? Then the thought hit me, I wonder if anyone would even miss me… I knew my father couldn’t he had already left and didn’t care anymore! So I fell asleep and woke up the next morning and had a “regular day”.

Went to school did my work, rode the bus home, and watched some TV. But I got home that day and TV seemed boring. All I could think about was that question, “would anyone even miss me?” So I made the decision that it was not worth it anymore, I did not want to hurt anymore! So I went into the kitchen and got a knife, but before I could do anything, I thought to myself, this is going to hurt! So I decided there would have to be another way. I went into my bedroom and tied my bed sheet to the top bunk of my bed and then tied it around my neck. I passed out for about 2 hours… I remember waking up and taking off running, only to be quickly pulled back do to the sheet around my neck. I quickly untied myself and fell to my knees and began to weep!

Why didn’t I die? I kept asking! Why didn’t it work? It was in that moment that I realized that there must be something more to life. That there had to be a reason that I woke up. Shortly after that my mother forced me to go to Youth Camp. Where I found the answer to all my questions… Jesus mended my heart that week and showed me what a true father’s love is like. One who will never leave or forsake me. One who LOVES me just the way I am. I know now that God was not done with me yet, and now I live for Him! Waiting to see what He will do next! There maybe someone in your life who is struggling with depression, or thoughts of suicide, or cutting themselves. Talk to them, seek out help, RESCUE IS POSSIBLE, and believe me 1 Cor. 13: 4-8 & 13 are SO TRUE! Remember Jesus died for ALL of mankind.

Love Truly does Win

2 Comments

Filed under Christ, God, Life, Love, Thankfulness, Thoughts

Tags: Cutting, God, Help, Life, Love, Resue, Suicide, Thoughts