Not Good

A recent, heartbreaking conversation between me (F) and a teenager (T) in my former youth group...

(F) How's it going, man? (While throwing an arm around his shoulders.)
(T) Not good.
(F) What? Why not? Aren't you having a good time at the youth rally?
(T) Well...what do you want me to say...Yes? Well, things AREN'T going good. My parents are getting a divorce.
(F) (In disbelief) YOUR parents? No way! Are you joking with me?
(T) No.
(F) (Grabbing his shoulders to look into his eyes) I'm SO sorry, man. I'm so sorry...

This is from a teenager that was in a seemingly happy family. Parents were involved at church, even taught other adult parenting and marriage classes. Teens loved being in the youth group.

Now, the dad and the other teen have fallen away from attending church, hopefully they haven't fallen away from God.

All I know is, there is a teen boy who hurts tonight. The only family he knows is being ripped apart at the seams. He is terrified that he will have to choose a parent to live with. He thinks that parent will move him away from his friends, his extracurricular activities and, worst of all, his support at church...his youth group. And, in some weird way, he might even feel like it's all his fault.

And we wonder why God hates divorce...