20 Years & Counting
Today I celebrate twenty years of working full-time at TreeHouse.
In 1989 I walked onto the deck of the Brooklyn Park TreeHouse and there was Anne Marie Bovie. “Hi,” she said, “who are you?” I feel in love with TreeHouse, a home away from home for thousands of teens and parents. Each person is expected to “help make this a safe place and to build community,” and they do.
When people join our community they find an caring environment with consistent values.
Our Values
* Spiritual Vitality
* Multidimensional Personal Growth
* Caring Relationships
* Service
* Teamwork & Collaboration
* Community
* Accountability
* Innovation & Growth
“Love” Was Not Enough
Angry, depressed and lonely describes most of my teen years. If I had given up as a teen I would never have known most of you. I would never have come out of the basement. I would never have come to enjoy my parents, made lifelong friends, found hope or gotten to know God.
I felt so unworthy. Ever felt that way? I was smart but “stupid”. I was gifted but misguided. In my anger and angst I would make foolish and hurtful decisions. Those decisions would make my life harder. Leading, of course, to more anger and angst. Building one upon the other anger became bitterness and angst became depression.
The Price of Fear is Too High
Last night as I sat in a TreeHouse support group I was awed with the humility and accountability of the teens present. They listened patiently and compassionately.
Directly and indirectly each teen reminded the other that “this is a safe place.”
Each teen who wanted caring support received it. And, remembering previous concerns, teens asked one another about issues and concerns that were mentioned in previous groups.
Without breaking confidentiality, similar questions include “How’s it going with…?”, “You said that…?”, “Wait, did you…or didn’t you?”
God Is Scary And Loving
Loving God includes being willing to allow the bright light of God’s word shine in your life. While, from personal experience I know how scary that can be, it truly is freeing to live with integrity. It’s scary living in the fear of God, but it’s amazingly freeing to rest in an awareness of your own imperfections without pretensions. It’s then that we can truly experience the wonderfulness of God’s love.
