“Those things never really happen.” said Michael, sitting in the front row of my 8th grade classroom.
I had just read a story from Chicken Soup for the Soul about a teenager who dropped his books walking home from school one day planning to commit suicide. However, because of the friendship that started when a boy helped him pick up his books, his mind was changed and he went on to be successful in high school and beyond.
My students had listened quietly while I was reading but I was surprised to hear Michael’s voice filled with so much doubt.
I defended the story I had read, saying, “Chicken Soup for the Soul is a book series focused on true stories that happen to ordinary people. I would expect it is based on a true story. Actually, I have a personal story of a similar event that could be in a Chicken Soup Book.”
I don’t know why I said that; I didn’t want to tell my personal story. It was just weird enough that most non-Christians would think I was crazy.
However, the class begged to hear about my experience. Even Michael seemed interested. Looking at the clock, I decided that there was just enough time before the bell rang. Starting slowly, choosing the words to my religious story very carefully, I shared.
“I attended a church youth group on Wednesday nights when I was in high school. One night while I was sitting on the floor in the audience listening to the youth pastor speak; I heard a voice in my head.
It kept saying, “Go take the microphone. I have something for you to say.” I argued with the voice in my head, looking around to see if anyone else was hearing things.
The voice reassured me, “Go up on stage. Tell the man that you need the microphone. I will give you the words.” I argued some more, seriously beginning to worry that I had lost my mind.
However, I found myself on the small stage, interrupting the pastor who was just about to dismiss the group to play games. He gave me the microphone and I stood facing the audience of about 60 teenagers, my peers.
I don’t know where the words came from but I heard myself saying, “Someone here tonight is planning to commit suicide. The Lord has asked me to come up here and tell you not to do it. He has a plan for you and loves you. Tell someone how you feel.” I sat down fast and was in shock at what I had done.
Now, the story could end here, with my friends looking at me oddly; but it doesn’t.
A couple months later, my mom bumped into a woman from the church, an acquaintance of hers. This woman introduced herself and told my mom a story. It was about her daughter. She had been planning to commit suicide but didn’t. She arrived home one night after youth group and told her mom what she was thinking about doing and what I had said that night.”
Looking around, I noticed that my students were very quiet as they listened to me reminisce. I smiled, “I have shared this story with only a few people. It still gives me goose bumps to think about it.”
As I took a deep breath and wondered if I had said too much in a public school classroom, the radio popped on, loudly. The song playing was “Spirit in the Sky”. No one was near the radio when it happened. The whole class was in awe and the silence lasted for several moments while everyone looked around a bit dazed and listened to the last few lines of the chorus coming from the radio, “Spirit in the Sky.”
- Author’s note – I remembered this event and decided to write it down when I was going through a box of old papers, mostly trash. I found a blue/green post-it, folded up, and almost pitched it. Instead, I opened it to see the words, “Spirit in the Sky”. I hadn’t thought of that day in my classroom in several years. Yet, with that one small piece of paper and 4 words, I remembered every detail including the look on Michael’s face and the sound of his voice. Let me say one last thing, “I promise that every word is true. It actually happened to me.”