08/04/2025
TODAY PLEASE HELP ME PRAY FOR THE RUNAWAYS…
From the time I was 13 until I turned 17, I ran away from home many times and saw things that no teenager should ever have to experience. I was exposed to so much that I should never have faced. I’ve slept in train car boxes, full of garbage, trudged through the woods at night, and hopped trains for rides. Once, I even rode on the outside of a boxcar, sitting right on top of the train wheels, all the way across the Delta from Escambia County into the Mobile train yard. I walked through the hood and ended up taking a nap in a park downtown. There was also a runaway shelter, and other things that happened, but some details are too much to share here. My face even made it into the newspaper.
During those scary times, the only thing I can say is, “But God.” He had a plan and preserved my life. Every time I see a missing poster with a child's or teenager's face, I'm immediately transported back to that time, remembering how vulnerable and unaware I was of the dangers in our world. Knowing what I know now terrifies me—it's frightening to think about anyone being left to face the elements of this world. And I'm not just talking about Earth, wind, fire, and water; there are far scarier things out there.
This morning, I saw another young teen reported missing from Baldwin County, where many of my own shenanigans took place. My heart goes out to the parents suffering and not knowing where their child is. But even more than that, my heart aches for the lost and wandering child. I have been that lost and wandering child.
There are many reasons why children run away, and the answers are not always clear. It often begins with a breakdown in communication. A young person may feel they can't talk to someone about their issues or may not have developed the emotional language to express their feelings yet. Sometimes they run away to find safety or to maintain some semblance of control over chaotic lives at home. They might be fleeing from abuse, or they may be prideful and rebellious, unaware of the dangers waiting for them.
Whatever the reason, we need to pray for them. They are not just prodigals; they are precious wandering souls that need a safe place to come home to. It might not be the place they left, but we must create a refuge for these lost souls.
Join me in prayer today for every lost and wandering child—whether you know where they are or if they are missing and only God knows. Let’s pray for their safety and safe return home, for someone loving and honest to find them and help them. Pray for God’s protection over them, so that predators waiting for the innocent will not get their hands on them. Pray that God protects them from diseases and drugs. Pray that He helps them overcome the trauma that led them astray. And pray that God sends guardian angels to watch over them until they are safely returned.
This is a burden near to my heart. If you are a teen, who needs help, please feel free to call me or the hotline number below for help today. I know the way HOME!
Hope and Healing with Amy Boles https://ameliaboles1215.wixsite.com/hopehealingamyboles
National Runaway Hotline https://www.1800runaway.org/
The National Runaway Safeline is available 24/7 to support you through a crisis, provide local resource referrals, offer a listening ear, + much more!
