Dysfunction Junction

As a youth pastor you get exposed to a variety of struggles that young people deal with... Whether it be family drama, getting into college, or trying to figure out this whole 'God Thing'... It seems like most of the discussions I have, though, end up being about some 'boy' or some 'girl'... I know - SHOCKER!!! I get anything from "He broke up with me" to "She cheated on me" to "I really like him and he doesn't know I exist" to "we're fooling around, and it's so hard to stop" or "my boyfriend isn't really a Christian - is that okay?" 

Unfortunately - I'm far to experienced in the realm of 'dysfunctional' relationships... My mother would tell you that I had an addiction to 'controlling' women - not drugs, hooch, or tobacco - just domineering women... Strange, I know... But I've recently discovered that I have a student that has found himself in the same situation... He (and another fella) are being 'jerked' around by a very attractive (hence why they are being 'jerked' around), but confused young lady... She, apparently, is trying to have her cake and eat it, too... By that I mean - keep both of them in the wings as she needs, or desires...  Quite frankly - nobody deserves that kind of treatment... There can't be two 'first chairs' in any ensemble - unless, of course, they play different instruments... 

I guess I care enough to 'blog' about this topic because I've been there... Too many times... I've let women/girls dominate my thoughts, my actions, my self worth, and my choices... Praise God that He saw it fit to give me a wife that loved and supported me - even when I didn't deserve her... But I hope for my student's sake - that he, too, comes to the realization of his worth through Christ... If we could even get a glimpse of how special God thinks we are - we wouldn't let someone else's opinion ever beat us down... We'd walk tall and proud... So what are you waiting for - STRUT!