Bullying: A Major Issue in the US

In the mornings I listen to Gospel Radio 1390AM in Chicago. My heart was troubled as I heard Pastor Hannah speaking about the teenage girl who committed suicide and the 9 students at her school who are facing various charges that stem from all of them bullying her. Bullying her at school, while she walked home, and also on social networking sites. The first thing I did was prayed for the children and as I type this right now I am reminded to pray for the families that will be effected by this as well. I prayed for the girl who committed suicide, the students involved in her bullying, and children across the US who face bullies daily.

This story hits close to home as my nephew was bullied. He was bullied by a boy in grammar school and had an order from grammar school that the boy was not to come near him. This same boy ended up attending high school with my nephew and resumed bullying my nephew. So one day my nephew decided enough was enough. My nephew and some of his friends went to the boys home and had a fight with the boy and his friends. My nephew and his friends beat the boy so badly that he ended up in the hospital.

So I found myself, with my mom and my sister at my nephews school in a hearing to determine what was his fate would he be kicked out of school and forced to go to a school for wayward children. A school full of bullies and children who have made poor choices along the way, a school filled with violent children. It was a difficult time for my sister in dealing with this issue. As the positive adults in my nephews life our response to him was 1 wrong decision can cost you your life. In life it is not all about what others do to us but it is our response and the consequences we must and will face for the decisions that we make.

Oddly his school did not want to label the boy as a bully. So it amazed me to read that 41 states have bully laws in effect for school aged children.

It is important that we as believers pray for and cover our children. It is important that we develop a great understanding relationship with our children in which they feel comfortable coming to us and sharing information with us. It is important that we instill a sense of pride and self love in our children teaching them right from wrong as well as teaching them about consequences.

Now this won't guarantee that our children will be perfect and won't make mistakes as this is the real world. It is all about creating that relationship and atmosphere for them to feel comfortable and also for us to have comfort and knowing that we have did our best as parents and trust God to do the rest.

So I encourage all those who are believers to pray for our children, our meaning the body of believers and those who are lost. Pray that God sends his laborers out into His harvest to save and protect our children. Our weapon of warfare is prayer and praise. Prayer does change things, pray and believe that is has been done and then give God a mighty praise.

Of course the world will never be perfect but with each prayer/praise session it can get better for someone!

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials