My Last Year | Teen Ink

My Last Year MAG

By Anonymous

     If, at the beginning of spring semester senior year, you had told me I would be in college, I would have said you were crazy, but that is where I am now. My tale includes some rather unique locales, including a trip to a juvenile detention center (JDC). You see, I was never the perfect kid in high school, and it took some hard measures for God to get my attention. I was saved at the age of 12, and for a few years, my life was on track. At 15, though, I became rebellious and things spiraled downward. By senior year, my parents had problems with me, although no one knew it since I still went to church, even participating in our Sunday School discussions. That was all an act.

In March, things really got out of hand. My temper flew off the charts and sometimes I got violent. One day, I was in a heated argument with my parents and ended up slapping my mother. Before I knew it, my dad had me pinned on the ground. Thirty minutes later, I was in a police car on my way to the detention center. I went through the whole process of “tagging and bagging” and found myself in an orange jumpsuit, locked in a small concrete cell with an inmate named Aaron. JDC is a place with four walls, a tacky dress style, rules stricter than anywhere within 50 miles, and bad food, but I took the whole thing in stride, convinced my parents wouldn’t press charges.

Three days into my new life as a convict, my section had visitors from the Rock of Ages Prison Ministry. When I heard their name, I recognized it as a group mentioned in our church budget. I fought with myself, knowing that God was already working on me, pushing me toward His goal of molding me into His image. The man who spoke didn’t deliver the normal message of salvation, or a hellfire and brimstone message either. Instead, he told his testimony of salvation, and invited anyone to come forward. It was then that I rededicated my life to the Lord. I started acting differently and finally admitted that while slapping my mother was an accident, my attitude was radically off-center from where God wanted me. I decided that even if I were stuck in jail, I would do as God asked.

Later, another church group visited and asked if anyone would like to sing. I volunteered to sing two songs, which intensified my status as a target for criticism among the inmates, but it also brought questions from others who said I had guts to get up and sing about God. I managed to get a small New Testament to read in my cell and my roommate actually asked me about it. It was there that I truly got to see God move, as the conversation led to my testimony, it led my roommate to the Lord. I invited him to my church at home and we got along very well.

After eight days, my parents did drop the charges and I went home. I remember the man from Rock of Ages saying he had graduated from Tennessee Temple University, and I decided that was where I too wanted to go. I have tried as much as I can to do God’s will, and although there have been times when I started to slip, I have returned as best I could, with His help.



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This article has 16 comments.


ElijahPeters said...
on Sep. 26 2013 at 8:19 am
ElijahPeters, Wells, Maine
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
Thanks for writing this.

on Sep. 26 2011 at 12:11 pm
cristibabygirl BRONZE, Blythewood, South Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;what you wanna be married to me for anyways?&quot;<br /> &quot;so i can kiss you anytime i want&quot;<br /> &lt;3

<3 i absolutly love this

 


on Jan. 5 2011 at 12:31 pm
just-another-url GOLD, Cannes, Other
16 articles 6 photos 151 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s a good thing to be strange. Normalness leads to sadness.&quot; -Philip Lester

I don't believe in gob but your story is very touching and well writen. It's good that you changed paths, took one that led to a better life. Good job :)

everstudent said...
on Dec. 14 2010 at 1:25 pm
This is really an awesome story, man. It's so cool how, in all places, you went back to God in jail. Your awesome! God's awesome! 

on Sep. 17 2010 at 9:48 am
SingleGal SILVER, Huntsville, Arkansas
5 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
PEACE LOVE DEATH

you r horrible espesialy saying that this thing sucks!!!!!!its really good gosh!!!!!ugh i really dis like ppl like u .......and another thing change your name god there is little kids on here

on Jun. 21 2010 at 2:32 pm
Supernova7 GOLD, Redford, Texas
16 articles 6 photos 394 comments

Favorite Quote:
Let me cry my tears let me live in sorrow as long as you promise to be with me tomorrow<br /> By Me:)

Good job:)           

asswipe said...
on Apr. 16 2010 at 3:15 pm
wowu suck and ur gonna end up in a trash can too 

eeeeeee said...
on Apr. 16 2010 at 11:41 am

lies

 


hahahahahah said...
on Apr. 16 2010 at 11:40 am

nice

 


joemomma said...
on Apr. 16 2010 at 11:40 am
it was very cool

on Mar. 3 2010 at 3:17 pm
hey nice man cool comment on yo thang

on Oct. 8 2009 at 9:38 pm
MeganAnne PLATINUM, Niskayuna, New York
24 articles 0 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
All my life I&#039;ve looked at words as if I were seeing them for the first time. ~Ernest Hemingway

good writing. I felt you and your experiences. Beautiful.

krysten SILVER said...
on Aug. 12 2009 at 1:08 am
krysten SILVER, Weiser, Idaho
9 articles 0 photos 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
Smile now or smile later, but remember the pain you hide, will only grow greater.<br /> *krysten*

wow good job!

Tashan SILVER said...
on May. 28 2009 at 5:07 pm
Tashan SILVER, Ponderay, Idaho
6 articles 4 photos 31 comments
It was a well written story, and I am glad you shared that

on Feb. 26 2009 at 5:35 am
Poet4God DIAMOND, Houston, Texas
54 articles 3 photos 6 comments
Awesome, good job in leading that person to the Lord.

Sometimes it's the strangest places that the best things can happen. Praise God.

on Feb. 9 2009 at 12:24 am
i admire you for using your writing as a testimony to what God's done in your life! very good writing