SS 10 “Teen Suicide Prevented”

This week’s Salvation Story, I believe, will help each of you to trust God even more, and also with the “order of salvation” in your family. All of us have more than a few family members who we know need to know the Lord, so we often focus on these family members while the Lord often chooses others to pave the way.

Such is the case with this salvation story that is very near and dear to my heart. It’s about my niece, Laurel, my older brother’s daughter, who I knew ahead of time the Lord would use to help bring both her parents to the Lord. Very often, the Lord prompts us to ask about “things to come,” things that are “hidden,” and such was the case concerning with Tom, who I knew desperately needed the Lord in his life.

Unlike my experience in a Catholic school where He used a nun to instruct me to open my heart to the Lord, Tom had a far different experience. When we were young, he and I would play dress up: he being a priest, while I was dressed as a nun. Of course, this was before I found out a nun couldn’t have children, and children were top on my list for when I grew up. Nevertheless, I told my mother often that I wanted to be a nun so I could be “married to God.” It was a bit prophetic, wasn’t it? 😉

Anyway, it was when Tom transferred to an all-boys school, and the priests were of a certain order that was known to be very strict—not just on others, but on themselves—but what they believed would bring about a better follower of Christ. And it wasn’t that Tom was personally ill-treated; it was what he witnessed. He saw his fellow classmates abused, which ultimately prompted Tom to turn his back on God, and it’s when he began looking into Eastern religions for the answers.

The day after he graduated from high school Tom hitchhiked from California to New York, then caught a freighter ship to begin traveling around the world. For the first several years, he traveled around Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, then met his future wife in Japan, who, like approximately 75% of their country, was raised Buddhist.

My brother, Tom, and his wife, Keiko, were married in a Buddhist church, and it was many, many years before they had their two daughters. Even though Tom often told me how Christianity “must be real because I was so different,” he was never ready to embrace the Lord himself. So, on one occasion, I believe it was the Lord who prompted me to ask the Lord how it would happen (Did you notice I didn’t say “if” it would happen?).

"Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: 'Ask Me about the things to come ...'" Isaiah 45:11

That’s when He reminded me of what He not only revealed to me but actually did in my oldest brother’s family. The full salvation story (that I know you’ll love!!) is set for a later chapter.

However, as a preview, before it ever happened, He showed me that my oldest brother, Robert, would come to know Him through his daughter. She was totally a daddy’s girl, so it made perfect sense to call her to know Him first, thus leading the way for her parents. So when I asked about Tom in Japan, I knew this was how it would be for Robert, too.

At the time of this salvation story, we were living on our farm and got an urgent email from Tom, followed by a long-distance phone call. Though he didn’t come right out and say it, he was very concerned about Laurel's depression. Later, I learned that teen suicides plague Japan—actually, double what is in the U.S. and triple the amount in the U.K. So when nothing worked, and even Laurel's school was warning Tom and Keiko to be watchful, he did what I thought he’d never do. He sent Laurel to visit us, alone—knowing full— well I’ve never been quiet about my love and devotion to the Lord.

As I said, I’ve never witnessed to anyone like most Christians are taught to do: trained and urged to “witness” by confronting them, like most evangelical churches. Instead, the Lord is simply such an intricate part of my life that no one who is ever around me for long would fail to notice Him, too.

So Laurel came for a visit, and the very next morning, when she woke, she walked in to find our entire family sitting in our living room, listening to Alexander Scourby while reading along in our Bibles. Afterward, we finished, and she asked what we were doing. When the children tried to explain, she said, “What’s a Bible?” Though I could have explained, I left the room so my children could share whatever they were led to. What I was surprised about later when I heard was that one of my children showed Laurel a picture of her as a baby with her family that was taped to our 3x5 Prayer Card. The picture showed her sitting on my hip with her family behind her, and my children explained that since that day, our family had prayed for her to know the Lord someday.

Laurel was only visiting for a few weeks, so I could have become anxious, knowing her visit would limit the time to share the truth with her. Yet, I knew very well this was NOT my problem, nor was it my goal, nor was it up to my children or me to “get her saved.”

“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today..." Exodus 14:13

You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf . . . Do not fear or be dismayed . . . the Lord is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12 KJV

So I did as the verse said and simply stood back to see the salvation of the Lord on our family’s behalf—knowing there were years— generations of principalities that were fighting against her knowing Him—which is the reason I know that it’s not US doing anything—He alone is who will do all the saving! 🙂

The first thing that happened was that God used my children. Early one more, three of my children ran to me shouting (with Laurel following behind) and jumping up and down, telling me, "Mom Laurel 'asked' to pray for salvation, so we led her in the 'sinner’s prayer.'” Yes, I know this is not the method I've personally been using, but there is no "formula" or set path to come to know your Savior.  My teenage son, Easton, then said he’d told Laurel that he'd feel better if she went to the altar, most likely since He was part of their V.I.P. Youth Program (and soon headed it up), and that's what happened that very night!

At a certain point in the service, the youth pastor asks anyone new to raise their hand, then they are asked to follow volunteers into the V.I.P. lounge for food and fun. As soon as they walked through the door, a corresponding male-to-male or female-to-female, who lives excited, loving, and welcoming, to come and eat with the newcomer while getting to know more about each other. Later the two return, usually sitting with them, until the altar call when they also come up to the front and later be who would speak to them about their salvation.

This clearly having it be his cousin, was one of Easton’s absolute favorite services ever, and later I heard he was very territorial about his cousin. 😉 Yes, it was partly him being a normal teen, but I also believe it stemmed from having prayed for his cousin for YEARS! I truly believe that God doesn’t “need” our prayers, but it is said to be incense when we pray. But even more, as I’ve said before when we pray or others pray for us, and inevitably He DOES what was prayed for, we each FEEL it as if it happened to us, and that’s why I believe He does it this way. 🙂

So that evening Laurel did go to the V.I.P. lounge, sat with Easton and then was thrilled to go to the altar and also sign up to be baptized on that upcoming Sunday. Her baptism could be a testimony in itself, but let me simply say that with her broken English and when the church heard about her mother raising her Buddhist and also saying “my family pray for me since I was baby” that led to the church erupting in excitement— everyone jumping to their feet and shouting praise!

Yet, is this all necessary?

Or did this actually adversely affect the outcome, because it was too my hype?

Whether a person sits quietly and even when I’ve asked a person to go home and speak to the Lord while they’re alone OR if they instead go through a lot of fanfare like Laurel—the proof is IF the person appears NEW—clearly is Born Again.

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” John 3:7 ESV

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” Psalm 34:4-5 ESV

Yet, the real proof is when Laurel returned home and her parents said they simply didn’t recognize her!! They said her face was actually glowing—and even said it was due to the LOVE I had given her! That’s the honest truth and they said it over and over each time I spoke to them and Laurel came up in the conversation. And though I’d love to have said “Oh, no, it’s not MY love but the Lord’s love” I knew it could just as easily interfered with what God had already begun, and Who needed to finish the story.

Laurel, like many young people, was frightened by many things, primarily her future and how she didn’t feel she could live up to her parents’ expectations and also compete with her older sister Lila. However, when she met and embraced the Lord, He saved her from all of those fears and her face radiated with His love!

It’s been many years since this auspicious event took place, and only a few years after, Laurel came to live with us attending school in the U.S. for a year, which helped solidify her relationship with the Lord. Not surprisingly her grades immediately went up and she said she never struggled in school again; instead, she’d simply ask the Lord to help her. In addition, she never shared her experience with her parents or sister, which I encouraged her to do, remaining discreet. I knew full well how Laurel would be forced to defend her faith and she was in no way prepared to do so—I’d say most could never defend their faith—nor do we need to. Instead, by Laurel simply living in His love, she began to overflow in His mercy and grace, which led to her sister Lila also coming to know Him—which will be our Salvation Story next week!!