Pine Ridge has all the concepts of a small town with the fact that everyone is related in some way. Sometimes you cannot share stories because word will get around.

As much as I like to share what happens here there are too many stories which I cannot share. But these are stories that will stick with me forever. Stories of pain, suffering and the consequences of pain. Pain leads to poor decisions.

One of the things I was taught in seminary was that as a pastor we are privileged to be invited into people’s lives and into the hardest, darkest times of people’s lives.

The last couple of days I have been exposed to some horrible situations. People I genuinely care about have been caught up in some dark issues. Issues that I am powerless to help. I can only be a presence in their lives hoping and praying that they will make the right choices.

Some are doing it to survive, or at least make their lives a “little better.” In other cases, stress leads to unhealthy reactions that lead to poor decisions. In the meantime, I must watch people hurt themselves or their families. And there is NOTHING I can do. It sucks!

It is hard to watch them go through the pain their decisions cause them and their families.

I just need to remember that God loves them and so do I.