She plopped down heavily next to me on the front pew.  "I
need to talk to you," she said.

     I could hear the tears in her voice.  "What's the matter?" I
asked quietly before the evening service started.

     "The other girls in the youth group have formed their own
little group.  They say because my folks don't let me come to all
the church services and youth activities, that I cannot be a part
of their little group."

     The tears weren't just in her voice now.  I questioned her to
make certain I understood what was going on.  I assured her that
as long as I was the youth pastor, no such little groups would
exist in this church.  Furthermore, I assured her that she was no
less a Christian, and no less spiritual, just because she didn't
meet the standards of other people.  I confirmed I would discuss
it openly with the youth group next Sunday night and it would be
done.

     She thanked me and left.  I sat alone on the front pew and
tears came to my eyes then.  I searched my own convictions to see
if perhaps I had, indeed, caused such a thing to happen in my own
youth group.  Something changed in me that day and that little
teenage girl will never know how much her broken heart changed my
life for ever.

Phil.


It Sounds Like God To Me.
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