Stuck in a rut...

With the New Year so far consisting of resolutions and promises to 'make better' various aspects of life, today's mentoring sessions have reminded me that, for some, it's not as simple as turning over a new leaf.

For those whose parents have decided to call 'Time' on their marriage, or those who haven't grafted for the last four years of Secondary School and have just weeks until their GCSEs begin, there is no option to 'start again'. No quick fix.

It's impossible to give advice, having not been in similar situations, and I feel it's desperately unhelpful to pretend that "I know how you feel" when, honestly, I really don't!

So, what then?

The solution I've come to this week has been to get students to write down what issues they are being faced with, lay them on the table (the issues, not the kids!) and talk over each one to see how to deal with them. For those which can be rationally dealt with and shelved quickly, job done; this then leaves more time to focus on the tougher areas of need. It's a relatively simple process, but a good place to start. I found that many students saw the benefit of filtering out the 'non-issue issues' so that their brain could be freed up to concentrate on more pressing needs.

And, for the unfixable issues, we talked through strategies on how to live through them.

I guess today is no different to any other mentoring day, but the poignancy of New Year perhaps added an extra air to how some were feeling...the feeling of being in a rut they can't get out of.

Please pray for those students we see (and the thousands we don't) who may be struggling with an aspect of life at the moment from which there appears no quick fix. Pray that God will work in them behind the scenes, to help rationalise the scale of struggle; to remove the unimportant issues; and to provide peace and reassurance in the bigger things.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of [the unfixable], for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6