There’s a quote in my office, it was one that inspired me during a particularly difficult time in my life. I found it on the back page of relevant magazine, the last word section. If I remember correctly it says something like, “Hope is born in the dark, we watch we wait, we never give up.” (Anne Lamott) These words mean more to me now than ever. One of my students attempted suicide last night. It’s insane how much a middle school student can change from fall to spring in a single school year. It’s unthinkable the amount of despair a teenager can feel at such a young age. I’m feeling the weight of youth ministry and wondering if we are doing things right. God knows we give our very best. I pray that we can be a light and a connection to hope. The words of Lamott remind me to watch and to wait, and to never give up.