To Save A Life

I’m a family man. What shocks my wife time and again, is that I am also a very rough individual–both in presence, speech, appearance and demeanor, yet the kids flock to me. I’m still not sure what etiquette means….but my sweetheart keeps trying to instruct me to no avail. Yet I have the love of thousands of youth. Even with my rough mouth and strict attitude in classes or when instructing, the youth do not take offense.

For over a decade I have have taught the 12-13 year olds in Sunday School, and this year I have been given the 12-14 year olds and the freedom to teach whatever my heart desires. Kathilynn wonders why this happens, but if you ask any child who has ever been in my class, if I like them, they will say ‘no’.

‘Brother Buckley loves us.’

It’s true. Kids are smarter than most parents and adults will ever give them credit for. My kids look me in the eyes and know how I feel for them, and I show it by being up front and honest with them from day one. Personally, I know how smart they are and I try will all my might to treat them as the honorable people they can rise to be. That also includes understanding how they respond and how they hide from troubles or mask them, so you can notice and reach out a hand in those essential moments when they walk the line between leaning a lesson and giving up.

Heaven forbid they choose to solve a temporary problem with a permanent solution.

In this perverted world where most aspects are turned upsidown, we need to step up. To do more ourselves, throwing out our excuses of no time or resources and also work with and support the good efforts of others to build up our youth and teach them the values and skills they need to navigate the battlefield called life. I do it through Wanted Hero, teaching Sunday School, working in group youth settings and interaction with anyone and everyone as I walk in the community. Yet there are vehicles in motion which are worthwhile that we should review and consider.

One such vehicle is To Save A Life. I highly recommend you take a few moments and check out this amazing site and learn about the up and coming movie in January 2010. The creator, a Youth Pastor: Jim Britts has taken a special interest in the troubles and heartfelt cries from the youth of today:

If you have worked with young people for any period of time, then you know how much this current generation of teenagers is suffering. So much of our youth ministry is helping students who are struggling with addictions, parents divorcing, depression and even suicidal thoughts. As I studied Scripture, I realized that I could not read a page in the four Gospels without seeing Jesus reach out to the hurting, lonely, left out and lost.

The future is our children. Not just your children, but mine, our neighbors and every other youth within the community. Isn’t it time we stop leaving the future in the hands of other adults and shape it ourselves?

Get involved and Save A Life.

God Bless.
Jaime Buckley

You can contact Jaime Buckley by emailing jaime at JaimeBuckley@Gmail.com.