I was just introduced to a Christian folk song by Jason Gray. It’s called… “Jesus Loves You (And I’m Trying).
The title hooked me.
It made me think about one of my admonitions to new staff. I tell them, “You have to decide to love these kids… because some days they will be very hard to like.” I then go on to explain that when all a child has known in life is that the people closest to them will hurt them, they learn how to push everyone away. This includes, most especially, those who claim to “help.” The young trauma survivors we work with use anger, silence, profanity, tears, and anything else they can think of to keep everyone at a distance. At Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, we believe “What’s wrong with that kid?” is the wrong question. “What happened to that child?” is the question that leads us to understand each child and what they are communicating through their behavior.
These behaviors are [unconsciously] designed to make loving each hurting child difficult. But not for Him. As the song says, “Jesus Loves You.” Through our Spiritual Life services, we tell our kids about Jesus’ constant and immutable love. Even when human beings let them down or are still “trying” to love them, Jesus is with them. He has been with them through it all.
The song is funny and clever and jaunty. It will not win a Grammy anytime soon. But it does convey the message of trying to love those who irritate us and [SPOILER ALERT] recognizes how hard it is to love ourselves.
But, “Yes, Jesus loves me.”
If you are interested, you can listen to the song here.
Please keep our kids and staff in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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