In my first book, Real Teens, Real Stories, Real Life, published in 2002 I met so many teens whose stories were powerful. One of those most amazing and difficult story was written by a teen named Nichole.
In her story, on page 69, titled “A Place to Call Home”, she shared what it was like to be raised in a home where dad raised marijuana, where they were kicked out of their home, or ran from police.
One day her parents took all of their belongings to a storage shelter. They left behind all of their furniture, but they also left something else very important behind at that storage building:
Eleven-year-old Nichole.
She lived on the streets, in the houses of friends (they didn’t know she was homeless), and even in cars. Eventually she was placed in foster care when one of her friends’ parents discovered that her parents had abandoned Nichole.
Nichole shared the rest of her story with me recently. She wants to write a book for teens. She's working in her local church to keep the food pantry stocked. She's a mom, young wife, and a 20something who is a faith-filled woman.
I am encouraged by Nichole's strength, her faith, and how she has risen above her past.
PS: If you want to know more about Nichole's story today, you can go to Real Teen Faith (http://realteenfaith.com), if you wish.
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Fallon
"It is never too late to give up your prejudices." Henry David Thoreau
"In case of dissension, never dare to judge till you've heard the other side." Euripides
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