Letters from Juvie

I receive letters from Juvie fairly often from a student for whom I have a soft spot in my heart.  He's made bad choices.  He's well aware.  We've sat in meetings with correction officers, ditched gang members, shared personal stories, fought hard and laughed harder.  This student grew up in a home devoid of love, honesty and discipline.  Maybe "home" isn't the right word.  Although his bad choices need to be owned by him, his childhood circumstances were out of his control and provided him with a sense of reality that made success difficult.  His heart longs to do good and every poor choice digs him deeper into a hole that makes it harder to escape.  I pray that this season in his life will be temporary.  I'll continue to cherish every letter I receive.  It makes my heart especially happy when he tries to hold me accountable for my personal time with God.  In this case, I will always hope for happily ever after.