Book God Allows U-Turns for Teens 256 pages Bethany House Publishers March 2006 ISBN: 0764200909 Do you feel like you’re headed down a road that shouldn't be traveled? You’re not alone. Sometimes it’s too easy to find the wrong path. Sometimes you just feel lost. But God is waiting to help you turn your life around; He wants to show you the way. This powerful collection of stories from real-life teens offers encouragement and support as you overcome poor relationships with your parents, physical or sexual abuse, drug addiction, or painful consequences. With God, all things are possible. Are you ready for a U-turn?   More for Teens Daize Shayne: Surfing in a New Direction Skateboarder Richard Mulder: A New Way to Get High More articles for teens on CBN.com

amazing story

The Cop That God Sent

By Karen Kosman

CBN.com –LA MIRADA, CALIFORNIA

That summer my parents lost their full-time baby-sitter. At fourteen, I took over the responsibility of my younger brothers and sister. The summer days were exceptionally hot. One day, as I noticed the police officer directing heavy traffic from the nearby horse races, I felt compelled to take him an ice-cold glass of juice. I found out his name was Bill, and his warm smile made me feel like I'd known him for a lifetime. I learned he was married and had two children. Number three was on the way. Somehow I knew he was a good dad.

He loved to tease me, and after a few repeat visits he told me, "You know, Karen, fights have broken out at the police department. Officers are fighting over whose turn it is to be stationed on this corner where a gracious young teenager serves cold drinks with a smile."

Finally the day arrived when Officer Bill was no longer stationed at our corner, and I really missed our chats. He had become kind of like a father to me.

A few weeks later, a stranger came to our door, posing as a contractor. He had personal information that convinced me he had been hired by my dad. I allowed him into the house, but when he got me alone he grabbed me from behind. I felt a knife blade against my throat as he said, "Don't scream or I'll kill you." A ripple of terror shot through my whole body. The rapist stole my innocence and left behind a shadow of fear that seemed to attach itself to my soul.

After he left, I escaped to a neighbor's home with my sister and brothers at my side, where my parents and the police were called. That afternoon, I longed to be my daddy's little girl once more, to have him hold me and tell me that I'd be all right. When he learned I'd been raped, he turned and walked away from me. The foundation of my world crumbled.

When the police questioned me, I felt more like a criminal than a victim. My parents had their own pain and were unable to meet my needs. I felt alone and abandoned.

The day Mom called me to talk with two detectives I had reached the bottom of my despair. Suicidal thoughts plagued me. It was with a reluctant heart that I entered the room where two men waited for me. I lowered my head as I sat on a dining room chair. My hands were clasped so tightly they ached. Inside I screamed, Don't they know each time I repeat my story, it's like being tortured again? My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a familiar voice say, "Karen, do you remember me?"

When I looked up, I saw the deep blue eyes of my policeman friend, Officer Bill. He gently placed his hands over mine and said, "This terrible thing was not your fault. It's okay to cry." Tears I'd kept locked up finally escaped.

At that moment, God allowed a U-turn in my life—one that turned me around from a path of discouragement and suicidal thoughts. Through the help of this special policeman, God placed me on a path of hope and gave me a spirit of renewal.

In addition to the help my friend Bill offered, I started attending a local church and soon committed my life to Christ. As I grew in my faith I saw clearly how God's providence had been at work. Bill had been promoted to detective and assigned to my case. In time, he became a surrogate dad to me. I knew God had arranged a U-turn in my life, with this special fatherly policeman as my guide.

On his days off or after work, Officer Bill often stopped by my house and sat at our kitchen table, talking with Mom and me. He introduced me to his wife, Helen, who welcomed me. Their home became a safe harbor for me, where unconditional love continued to help me heal. God knew I would need some special friends to survive. God reached out to me and as I reached back to Him, He provided for everything I would need to survive being raped. God took the evil that invaded my life and used it to His glory.

Yes, it's true that God allows U-turns, but sometimes He sends people to help show us the way. I am so thankful God provided a policeman to help me change my direction.

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