hollow-looking eyes

This week I visited with an 18-year-old woman. She had hollow-looking eyes. Her skin was pale. Her hair unkempt. She was in an orange jumpsuit; she was in jail. She’d been arrested for possession of heroin with the intent to distribute. My heart was saddened to realize that this young adult, who had lost over 40 pounds since I had seen her last, had succumbed to the ravages of drug addiction. The last time I saw her? In our church’s youth group. She was embarrassed. Ashamed. She spoke over and over again of needing to get her life turned around. Of needing God. I wondered how things would be different if we craved God as much as addicts crave their stash.