Elohim November 2015 | Page 41

daughter turned she heard, “Don't give up! Don't quit!” God placed people in her life that supported her, encouraged her, and loved her. Bullying had caused her to lose hope. She felt alone and afraid. Now she was surrounded by people who wanted to help her. She wasn’t alone and it gave her hope. My daughter’s school counsellor, a precious young woman, told her to journal her thoughts and her pain to God and to trust Him to help her. Although I had said much the same thing previously to her, she wasn’t ready to listen to me yet because she was still mad I had invaded her privacy, so I praised God when He used another person to speak to her. It was truly a “God thing” because in this particular public school, teachers and counsellors did not give spiritual advice to their students, they were discouraged from doing so in fact, but I believe God gave this woman boldness to speak to my girl about embracing her faith in God and it impacted my child at a critical time in her life. She also gave my daughter some very practical ways to “stand up” to the bullies at school. Hold your head up. Act confident. Do not retaliate or get angry. (Bullies are intimidated by those who do not fear them.) Respond evenly and firmly to them or say nothing and walk away. Page 41