What do you think of when you hear of unwed teen moms? I confess I haven't given that subject much thought since I breathed a sigh of relief when my own three children walked down the aisle without babies in arms. My opinion changed last week when I spoke to Teen MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers).
Listening to their stories, hearing their concerns, and watching their pain-filled tears, I realized I had it all wrong when it came to teen pregnancy. These girls were precious. They loved their babies and lived to do the right thing. Some were abused by their parents. One found her father dead when she was four years old. Most didn't have nice things to say about the men who fathered their babies or the schools that rejected them or their peers who mocked them by deliberately pushing heavy objects into their blossoming bellies.
These girls sought love and found pain. Society's opinion of them lowered their already low self esteem. These young girls care for their little ones, look into their infant's eyes and pray their child will be free from the pain they feel.
What about us? What can we do to bring a splash of serenity into their impossible-to-imagine young lives? I applaud TeenMOPS and Pregnancy Care Centers who reach out and help. As Christians and as churches let's love these girls and their babies like Jesus loves them--unconditionally.
May the person who is without sin cast that first stone. Afterall, except by the grace of God go I. Praying for hurting girls whose greatest sin is their desire to be loved. May they find that love in us because Jesus lives in our hearts.
Splashes of Serenity,
Elaine
