It’s been a little over a year since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida. I was devastated by the recent news of two of the survivors committing suicide within a week of each other. I cannot imagine what these young people were enduring after such a traumatic event, but there is one thing I do know: suicide is not the answer! It is not the answer for anyone.

Because we live in a world full of sin, we sometimes have to endure pain, sadness, hurts, and difficulties that we may have never expected to face. But you do not have to face those difficulties alone. There is hope, healing, and restoration through Christ. He can heal those broken and hurting places in our hearts if we invite Him into our pain.

If you blame yourself for the painful actions of other people, I encourage you to recognize this as false responsibility. You are responsible for your own thoughts, feelings, and actions, NOT those of another person. Release yourself of the responsibility of others’ actions and ask God to speak to you about who you truly are as His child.

In my new book, Treatment or Transformation: 13 Real Stories Why You Can’t Argue With A Changed Life, I share the stories of 13 women who had the courage to face their pasts, their issues, and their unhealed pain head-on. During their time at Mercy Multiplied, God healed their hearts, renewed their minds to the truth of who they are and who He is, and radically transformed their lives. The pain of what they went through no longer has the power to direct their future!

I was inspired to write this book after watching the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, because I want people to know suicide is not the answer!! These 13 courageous young women have a very different outcome than the girl featured in 13 Reasons Why , because they chose to reach out for help.

God has a great plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. He can turn your tragedy into triumph, just like He has for thousands of women who have walked through our doors. Do not think for one more second that you are not loved or valued, or that your life does not have a purpose.

If you are thinking about suicide, please reach out for help. Don’t keep those thoughts and struggles to yourself. If you are a young lady between the ages of 13-32 who is struggling with thoughts of suicide or any other life-controlling issue and could benefit from our residential program, please call us at (615) 831-6987, or you can complete an application online and learn more about our program.

If you feel hopeless, I challenge you to get a copy of my new book Treatment or Transformation: 13 Real Stories Why You Can’t Argue With A Changed Life. These stories will prove to you that transformation and freedom from bondage are possible!