A Youth Worker's Guide To Helping Teenagers in Crisis

I am reading through this book that was given to me by one of the author's, Rich Van Pelt. I had coffee with him a month ago and he let me know that his book had been republished with Jim Hancock who added some stuff this time.

I gladly took my signed copy home and have been reading it during my recovery time.

Rich does a great job of summarizing the Columbine tragedy that those of lived through here in Littleton in the beginning of the book. I can still remember crying on his shoulders in April of 1999 and pleading with him for training. We asked him to come and speak to all the youth workers in the area and he did a marvelous job. I thanked him the other day for his take.

What's more, Rich has been a part of our southwest connection of youth pastors. His schedule hasn't allowed him to participate lately, but Rich will always be THE GUY we look to when the big crisis situations happen.

This book has been a great reminder to me that how I define a crisis and how a teenager defines a crisis are a lot of the times completely different. I realize that, at times, I underestimate the crisis in their life because I don't see it as one in my life. I was reminded to enter into their world, listen with compassion and seek to serve in anyway I can.

Thanks for the challenge Rich. In addition, this book is just simply a great resource and anyone and everyone who works with students should own this volume.