Dysfunctional Environment

I read this story from somewhere and like to share it here - A friend of mine grew up in a very dysfunctional environment. His father wasn’t around and his mother had mental disorders. When she wasn’t in the psychiatric ward, she was either in jail or with different boyfriends. There were all kinds of violence and abuse in his home. When he was three years old, his mother left him at a bus stop and took off with a boyfriend. For years this young man was in and out of foster homes and detention centers. He slept in abandoned buildings, in the woods, anyplace he could find. He had to steal food in order to survive. How could he ever make anything out of his life? All the odds were against him, and it wasn’t his fault. He didn’t have a fair shot in life. But in the seventh grade at a small inner-city school, he met a junior high counselor named Cindy. She could tell this young boy was troubled and had no stability, and she took a great interest in him and in getting his education back on track. But this boy was only in her school for several months before he dropped out. Every day for two years Cindy prayed, “God, please send him back to our school.” In the ninth grade, he came walking through the doors. Cindy was right there waiting for him. 

'Nobody had ever been looking for this young man. His home life was so dysfunctional that every morning Cindy would drive forty-five minutes to pick him up and bring him to school. Her motto was, “Correction does much, but encouragement does more.” The following summer he was mowing the lawn of an elderly couple. When they learned his story, they opened their home and took him in. They discovered this young boy had a gift of music, writing, and singing. He started performing at talent shows and community events. Every time, this elderly lady would be in the front row with her Bible in hand, cheering on this young man named Jimmy Wayne. In 2008, his song “Do You Believe Me Now?” hit number one on the country charts. He has toured with Brad Paisley and other music stars. Today he uses his country music platform to raise awareness about foster care and to help other children
in the same situation. 

'As with Jimmy, the odds may be against you. You don’t see any way your situation can work out. But God has the right people already lined up. The gifts He has put in you, the dreams, they didn’t get canceled because you had bad breaks, because somebody did you wrong. They are still alive. You can still become who God created you to be. It may feel like the fire has been turned up seven times hotter, but don’t worry. Your time is coming. God is saying, “The odds are for you. Things are about to change in your favor. That problem that looks permanent, it’s only temporary.”'