We Got Your Back


Get away from me you mother f@-/er is the greeting I received from a seven year old refusing to get out of his mom's car.  As I escorted him into the school he arched up and bit a chunk out of my middle finger.  A hurting frustrated little boy was striking out and the old principal was an easy target.

 I must admit that I was not amused.  His antics caused me to spill my coffee.  My finger was throbbing as I bear hugged him and carried him into my office.  My day of planned task completion flew out the window like an escaping caged bird.  All that mattered now was one first grade angry boy.  With a growly voice and crunched eyebrows, I informed him that I need that middle finger for driving on I-270.  Sarcasm is wasted on the young.

 Where most people see a misbehaving defiant brat, we see behind his actions knowing that there is an evil eating into his childhood like a malignant tumor engulfing healthy tissue.  The evil is one that we fight every day.  The evil is the worse form of soul robbing cancer called addiction.

 The boy doesn't want to come to school because he knows when he is at school his mom spirals back into darkness.  She is an addict.  He is afraid to come to school because he doesn't know if his mom will leave town abandoning him once again at grandma’s house.  Addiction is devouring this family.  He wants to stay home because he believes he is responsible for protecting his mom.

 This is not my first time fighting the cancer of addiction with this family.  Nine years ago I stood toe to toe with this boy's uncle and his mom as their mother fought and recovered from her bought of addiction.  Even though one family member survives and recovers the next generation may suffer this insidious disease.  Addiction is always lurking in the dark waiting for a moment of weakness. 

 Our boy is in a battle for his childhood, but he will not fight alone.  He can't push us away.  We are not going anywhere.  We know how to teach him how to fight the monster that haunts his dreams and eats away at his innocence.  God put this boy on our path and we leave no one lost in the woods. 

 We will make him the Royal Manor promise.  He is going to learn that we got his back and we don't back down.
  • If he is hungry, we will feed him.
  • If he needs clothes, we will provide them.
  • If he is scared, we will protect him.
  • If he is sad, we will provide comfort.
  • If he is crying, we will hug him.
  • If he is misbehaving, we will correct him and help him learn from his actions.
  • If he is willing or not, we will make sure he learns.
  • When he is successful, we will celebrate.
  • When negative influences surround him, we will teach him to stand strong.
  • When he is ready, we will teach him to lead.
So to the evil that is sending the cancer of addiction to eat away our boy’s childhood, be warned.  God put this boy on our path.  We will teach him to stand up strong.  We will show him how to choose the right path.  Evil is not getting this boy. He is our boy and we are not backing down.
 
Through his struggle our boy will learn to persevere.  His perseverance will lead to a sense of humbled pride.   Pride leads to hope.  Hope never disappoints.   Hope and love are the cure to the cancer named addiction. 
 
Pray for our boy.  Ask God to keep him safe and heal his aching heart. He is a boy of promise.  He is our boy. 

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