Larry D. Veal
Some kids grow up surrounded by danger, pressure, and expectations that point them toward one ending. Set in the late 1970s and early 1980s, this memoir tells the story of a young boy growing up in Indianapolis, Indiana, coming of age in the middle of gang culture, violence, drug activity, racism, and judgment, while carrying a deep desire to belong and be seen. Though the decade has changed, the struggles facing young people remain painfully familiar today.Troubled Kids Need Jesus Too traces his journey from middle school through adulthood, told through the eyes of the child who lived it and the man who reflects on it now. He shares the realities of street life, fighting, exposure to guns and drugs, and the loss of close friends, while also revealing the quiet inner boundaries that separated him from crossing lines he could not return from.A pivotal moment forces him to confront the life he is living and the future he wants. Accepting Christ becomes a turning point, but not an easy one. He faces ridicule from people who remember his past and wrestles with doubts along the way. Anchored by scripture and conviction, he continues forward, choosing faith over familiarity.The story comes full circle when he returns to Indianapolis after college to work with youth through his church in one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods. What began as survival becomes purpose.This memoir is raw and honest, hopeful and reflective. It is written for troubled teens searching for belonging, for parents and educators seeking understanding, for faith-based readers and youth groups looking for a story drawn by real experience, and for anyone who believes that when we invest in young people and show we care, change with God is possible.
