I want to be a Christian more than anything, but I don’t know how. I don’t even know if I’m praying the right way, because nobody has ever taught me.

Confused

Dear Confused:
I love your letter, your tender heart and your love for your parents. Yes, God can hear your prayers. And yes, you can be a Christian without going to church. (But this isn’t an excuse for those reading this who just don’t want to go; being involved in church is important!)

You say you don’t know how to pray. Neither did the disciples. So Jesus taught them. You can find His teaching prayer, commonly known as “the Lord’s Prayer,” beginning in Matthew 6:9. Your parents won’t allow you to own a Bible, but you can read this prayer from a Bible at your local library. Basically, prayer is talking to Jesus and listening to Him.

To become a Christian is to place your faith in Jesus Christ, repent of your sins and follow Him. You can do that through a simple prayer:
“Dear Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner, and I ask You to forgive me. I believe You’re the Son of God and the Bible is Your holy Word. I believe the Bible is true, and because You said if we would genuinely ask for forgiveness, You would grant it. I choose to believe right now that You have forgiven my sins. I commit my life to You. In Your name I pray, Amen.”

I encourage you to tell your parents that you love and respect them but that you’ve decided to place your trust in Christ. Let them know that you won’t disobey them by going to church behind their backs, but when you leave for college (or when you’re on your own), you’ll take that opportunity to join a Bible study and a church. If you can meet with some Christian friends at school, it would be good to maintain some fellowship with likeminded believers. They can support you, teach you and pray for you.

Ask God to use your respectful attitude as a witness to your parents. Actions often speak a lot louder than words.

Dear Susie:
I started cutting myself last fall, and now it’s an addiction. One of my best friends is a cutter too, but the difference between us is that she always encourages it, while I secretly want to stop.

I know I should go to God first, but for me that just doesn’t seem possible. I’ve fallen far from Him, and it’s really hurting me now. I just don’t know what I should do.

Desperate

Dear Desperate:
No matter how far you fall away from God, He wants to welcome you back with open arms. Remember the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32? The earthly father who welcomed his son represents your heavenly Father, who will welcome you!

As you’ve learned, cutting is no light matter. I honestly don’t think you’ll be able to break this addiction on your own. You’ll need the loving support of your parents, and you’ll need professional help. I wish I could simply give you a big ol’ bear hug and make it all go away, but unfortunately, I can’t. This is too big for you to handle on your own.