Called into Crisis

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No counsel is more trustworthy than that which is given upon ships that are in peril.
Leonardo da Vinci

I fell into someone's crisis by default. Newly ordained as an assistant pastor, I was sitting in my leather chair in my expansive office feeling rather pastoral when my intercom buzzed. "Jim, I've got someone on the phone who wants to talk to Toby. Do you want to take the call?"

"What's it about?"

"She won't say. When I told her Toby had gone to another church, she just asked for any pastor. I think I recognize the voice. She called Toby sporadically for a number of months."

"Thanks. Put her on." I tried not to sound too eager.

The voice on the other end of the line came across drained and hesitant: "Hello? Uh, are you a minister?"

"Yes I am," I replied, trying to sound as competent as my new title and office would have one believe. "My name's Jim. What's yours?"

"I better not tell you. But you can call me Cory. That's what I told Toby."

"Well, Cory," I said smoothly, leaning back in my chair the way I'd seen executives do on TV, "what can I do for you?"

"I don't know. I don't think anybody can do anything for me anymore. I'm not even sure — I probably shouldn't be wasting your time." It sounded like she was going to hang up.

"Wait a minute, Cory!" By now I was sitting up straight. This wasn't going as I'd expected. "What do you mean 'wasting my time'? That's what I'm here for. I want to help. Tell me what's going on."

"Okay," she said after a long pause. "Look, I'm feeling pretty worthless right now, and I didn't know where to turn. My parents kicked me out of the house. They told me I can't be their kid anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, honest emotion showing in my voice. "Why would they do that?"

"It's a long story. You ...

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