Dear Readers

First, thank you to all of you who have sent emails and messages of support and encouragement following last night's post, and to those of you who are sharing the link to the video. It's helping other people, and that was the goal of all who were involved in the project ... to help those who are struggling to find a reason to keep on living, to help those who feel so alone, to help those who doubt that God really does love them just as they are. And the video is doing just that, friends, it sure is.

Last night, a friend called me to ask about a text message I had sent her earlier in the evening ... a text I meant to send to another friend who has the same name. I've chuckled several times today about my mistake ... one friend who kept saying she didn't get the text I sent, and the other friend who thought I was losing it when she replied to my wrongly sent text and I didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Before the conversation ended, we were both in tears as I shared some of the responses I've gotten concerning the video. My friend said something as we talked that pierced me to the core of my being, something I think I may well ponder for a long while to come.

"If you don't think God is on your side, Terrie ... how can you doubt that He is on your side and that He loves you? He is so on your side!"

It was when I clicked off of the call with my friend that I knew what I needed to post tonight ... tonight's post simply MUST share some of the brave, courageous, heart-warming, heart-wrenching comments I've received since posting the video yesterday. My prayer is that your heart will be touched as mine has been ... that God will spark a fire deep within you to reach out to others, to share yourselves openly with those around you who are aching to know they are worth fighting for ... to know they are loved ... to know they are treasured.

"I'm 13 years old and all I want to do is die because I'm not normal like my friends. My uncle sent me this video. Maybe it will get better for me too."

"I am Mike. I want to die. I cheated on my wife 5 times, and I wish I could die."

"I am 62 years old and my sister committed suicide 25 years ago. My family was never the same after she died. She was gay and couldn't live with the guilt and the shame that our family made her feel. I will never forgive myself for not loving her for her and nothing else. Thank you for being so brave and telling your story. Lives will be saved and people will keep living. Thank you so much, Terrie."

"My name is Ann and I am 31 years old and I have three children. My husband died two years ago and I've been having an affair with a married man for the last six months. I hate myself so much and I often think of taking my life. The only reason I don't is because I don't know what it would do to my children if I did."

"Being gay and over 50 and living in a small town in Arkansas means that I have lived in the closet my whole life. I can't move because I take care of my parents who are 84 and 85 years old. My partner lives in the next town over and we have to meet in another town where no one knows either of us. The first time I considered killing myself was when I was 18. Thank you for sharing your story, Terrie. I don't know you, but I know this video will help a lot of people." 

"I hate myself because I am fat and ugly. Everybody thinks I am gross and stupid. I wish I had never been born."

"Terrie I have no idea who you are but I love you. My cousin committed suicide last year. She was 19. I wish she could have seen this movie you made. I think it would have helped her live."

"I hate myself because I'm gay. I don't want to be. I'm a jock and if my teammates knew, they would kill me. My father is a elder at church. I would rather die than disappoint my father."

My prayer tonight, dear readers, is that you just read those stories with your hearts ... that your ears are wide open to the message ... God loves all of us ... and we need to love one another like He loves. When I was chatting today with the friend who called me last night, I told her about the 13-year-old girl whose message had touched me so deeply. My friend's reply? "One saved, hundreds to go."

To you, sweet 13-year-old young girl ... you've gotten inside my soul ... please, please, please don't give up. Ask for help. You've got a wonderful, exciting, precious life ahead of you ... it really will get better, I promise, I promise, I promise. And to you, my dear readers ... "One saved, hundreds to go," ... what do you say we let God use us all together to help those hundreds?