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b'Editor\\u2019s Note: Today\\u2019s reading addresses self-harm.\\nAllyson pushed up her sleeve, revealing an angry red scar in the shape of an F. F for failure.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153No.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Colette reached out and gently took Allyson\\u2019s hand, exposing her scarred forearm. Some scars white and barely raised. Some still red and scabbed.\\nColette raised her purple gel pen. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Not failure. Look.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nGently, she traced a word on Allyson\\u2019s arm, using the F as the first letter, the looping cursive gliding over old scars until it read, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Forgiven.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nColette pulled out another pen, this one blue. She wrote, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Family of God.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Then, choosing a pink pen, she wrote, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Fabulous.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nAllyson giggled through her tears. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Fabulous?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Yeah you are, girl!\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Colette grinned. Then she sobered, tears in her eyes.\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Allyson. I love you. Seeing you in pain breaks my heart.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I know.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Allyson looked away.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153But God loves you even more than I do.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d Colette pointed to the words onAllyson\\u2019s arm. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153This is what God thinks of you. You are no failure, and you don\\u2019t need to carve a mark to tell yourself you are. It\\u2019s a lie. You\\u2019re forgiven, loved, a child of God in Christ.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I just\\u2026wanted to let some of the pain out.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nColette held her hands. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153You don\\u2019t have to shed your blood. Jesus already shed His.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d She pointed at Allyson\\u2019s chest. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153No matter how bad you feel about yourself, that\\u2019s not how He feels. To Him, you\\u2019re\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\u2014Colette pulled out a red pen and wrote\\u2014\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153flawless in Christ.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9dAllyson nodded and gripped Colette\\u2019s hand.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Is there someone you can talk to about this?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d asked Colette.\\nAllyson nodded. She gave a shaky smile. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I don\\u2019t want to keep doing this. Canyou go with me to the school counselor\\u2019s office?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nHe saved us\\u2014not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy\\u2014through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 (CSB)\\n\\u2022Have you or a friend ever been tempted to self-harm? What were you feeling? What are some other ways you could work through those feelings without self-harming? \\n\\u2022 Stress, grief, or other difficult emotions can be overwhelming and confusing to deal with. What are some ways you can turn to God to help you deal with your emotions? Who is a trusted person you can talk to about these feelings\\u2014a counselor, a parent, a teacher, or someone else? \\n\\u2022 It\\u2019s easy to forget who we are in Christ when we are experiencing hurts. What are some verses that can help you remember your identity and value in Christ? \\nIf you are self-harming or are thinking of self-harming and you need someone to talk to, you can set up an appointment for a one-time complimentary phone consultation with a licensed counselor through the Focus on the Family Counseling Service by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time).\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nRomans 8:1-2; Colossians 1:13-14'