Saving Boo

Looking at the clock, she had at least another two hours before picking up Boo. Lovingly nicknamed Boo from the Monster’s Inc. movie, her daughter was sure a handful.

Almost an adult now, she allowed Boo to make more responsible decisions. She tried hard to teach Boo what she needed to know before she was really on her own out in the big bad world. She covered all the tough topics and even had a few crises here or there with Boo, but as time wore on, she felt Boo was making more wise choices about her life.

Looking down at the computer to finish her letter, the phone started to ring. She noticed it was Boo calling in. Most likely she wanted something or wanted to be picked up early from her friend’s house. Little did she know, it wouldn’t be her daughter on the other end of the line.

“Boo is sick and wants you to pick her up,” said her friend.
“Okay, I’ll be right there,” she said.

Not thrilled about the 25 minute drive, she got into the car and drove to the friend’s house. Tired and ready to get home after pulling into the driveway, the friend came out of the house and walked up to the car.

“You need to come inside,” she said.

Not knowing what to think, Boo’s mother went into the house where she saw the friend’s parent at the doorway. This parent was only informed that Boo was not feeling well. Encouraged to go up the steps to the friend’s bedroom, she turned the corner and immediately knew that Boo’s life was at risk.

“She’s been throwing up over and over,” the friend said.

Taking one look, Boo was stretched out on the bed like a mannequin, with a pale ashen face and limp body.

“What’s wrong?” she said to Boo.
“Take me to the hospital, I think I’m dying,” Boo barely uttered.

Her words were slow and quiet while her eyes were staring off at a distance.

It was obvious after more questions and observation that Boo couldn’t move. Upon further investigation, it was uncovered that Boo and her friend were given marijuana to try. It was not the first time Boo had tried it. Assuming the person that they just visited was trustworthy, Boo and her friend began to use it.

Within minutes from taking it in, her body became like a doll, unable to stand while the vomiting began. Trying to carry Boo home, her friend didn’t know what else to do but get her to the house. Boo was insistent that her friend call Boo’s mom.

It didn’t take long before Boo’s mom called 911 emergency. While she waited for the help to come, she laid her hands on Boo and began to pray.

“Dear God, touch Boo’s body right now in the Name of Jesus, and remove this drug out of her body immediately. Heal her and revive her with strength to get through this. Bring a peace and calmness as she calls out Your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.”

It was all that Boo’s mom could muster through her mixed thoughts. She told Boo to say Jesus over and over in her mind even if she couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. Although Boo did not recognize her own mother’s voice, she slowly nodded that she would.

The ambulance arrived quickly with the paramedics heading to the bedroom to diagnose Boo. Monitoring Boo’s vitals, it was evident that she was in the danger zone of dying. Her blood pressure was dropping dramatically. After a few more questions, Boo was transferred from the bedroom into the ambulance and taken to the nearest hospital.

Boo’s mom was trying to keep it together but she was losing focus on the directions given to her by the police officer for the hospital. She had never been there before or knew her way around the area. The police officer took compassion on her and offered to direct her to the main road and follow the (H) signs for the hospital.

The drive seemed forever. Praying the entire time, Boo’s mom was begging God to keep her little girl alive and to remove any bad drug out of her system.

It seemed like only yesterday that Boo accepted God in her life. But the world was always tugging on her. She wanted to experience things that other teens and young adults do. Have a drink, smoke a cigarette, try a joint, and have sex. Boo knew that those things would only lead down a wrong path, but temptations were hard to just lay aside.

As parents, we pray for our children that God’s Word would stick to their hearts, mind and soul. We ask God for their protection and well-being. We pray against the evilness that lurks around every corner. However, there comes a point in which our teens will make their own choices, despite how much we disagree or how God feels about it. Teens are faced with an overabundance of pressure to conform to the world instead of the path God calls for them.

We pray and worry. We hope that the influence and training from us and God would be enough to keep them on the straight and narrow track. God says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way they should go and they will not depart from it.” But like a Prodigal, they are insistent of doing it their way, without thinking of the cost. All we can do as parents is pray and use God’s Word against the enemy forces that try to persuade our children. We also seek and ask God to remind them of the cross and what He has done for them.

Running through the hospital doors, Boo’s mom threw herself against the front desk asking for the whereabouts of her daughter. The waiting seemed liked hours when in essence it was only 25 minutes. They would not allow her to see Boo. Worry turned into fear, then into panic. She couldn’t understand why it was taking so long?

The compassion of a male nurse could see the building of anxiety on her face. He got up twice to check on Boo and ask the doctors to see her mother. Finally, he let her through the doors giving her directions to the right room.

Peeking around the curtain, there lay Boo. Like Sleeping Beauty, she was unresponsive at first.

“Boo, it’s mommy,” she whispered.
Unable to move her head, Boo said, “I’m sorry Mom. Am I going to die?” 
“No, Boo. God is not going to let you. He protected you and is going to help you get better,” said her mother.

Boo’s color started to slowly return in her motionless body. It would be another half hour before she could turn her head. Boo’s mother held her hand, feeling the softness of her skin. It was warm, not clammy when she first found her.

As time went on, nurses and doctors made their rounds to finally speak to Boo’s mother. The story was unfolding itself as to what transpired in the previous hours. They didn’t have a clear picture but made assumptions that the marijuana was wet, laced with PCP or Angle Dust. It could have also been a mixture of her medication she was on. Either way, the effects went quickly through your body with no chance of undoing the damage. It was also difficult to analyze in hospital tests. Boo and her mother were learning quickly how dangerous her life was in.

“I will never, never, try this again,” said Boo. “I almost died. I don’t want to die. I want to live,” said Boo.

Boo’s mother knew she was telling the truth. It was visibly written all over her face. Wracked with pain throughout her body, she shared her fear of not recognizing those around her when it happened.

“I prayed Mom. I prayed I wouldn’t die. I prayed that God would let me live,” she said.

Boo took a vow that day. She would never touch drugs again and she would warn anyone who tried.
After filling her with fluids and completing all the tests, she only had to prove she could walk on her own to be released. The days after were not all rosy. She had drug residuals left over in her body which continued on and off for days. Pain, blurriness, and vomiting. It never seemed to end.

Her life was changed. She knew God loved her and protected her. She was being drawn back into God’s arms again. Like the prodigal who came home, Boo came back to God on that day.

If you have a teen or young adult caught up in a drug addiction, know that God is powerful through prayer to bring them home too. Don’t give up. Give in to God instead. He is the Anchor you need to hold on to as you pray for your child’s return.

Read out loud these paraphrased scriptures and insert your child’s name. They are valuable tools – the words of God, powerful and in authority.

Expose all sin in (Child’s Name)’s life and bring him/her into repentance. Reveal truth to (Child’s Name) so that he/she would no longer be deceived, but instead, confess his/her sins and to be cleanse from all unrighteousness. I John 1:8-9
Heavenly Father, even though (Child’s Name) is full of substances and despises the good things and believes drugs are sweet, make every bad substance on his/her tongue bitter and distasteful. Restore in their mind and body what is good. Proverbs 27:7
God, it says in Your Word that those who harden their hearts falls into trouble. May (Child’s Name) be fearful before You. Melt his/her hardened heart and in the end be blessed. Proverbs 28:14

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