"Getting pregnant right before I started my senior year was definitely not my plan. Having a child with someone I barley new at the time and who I didn't even love was not easy!! But my my plans and God's plans are not the same, as I look back at my life I can see His hand upon mine! The statics were totally against us but together with Gods help we overcame them!! He gave me hope when I had none. He gave me the love I needed to love my partner, the patience when things did not go my way, and when I felt like running He gave me the courage to stay!!
I was a teen parent at 18 and all the statistics were against me. I had no moral support from my family or my baby's father. We even broke up due to my pregnancy but I knew having an abortion was not the answer!!! I could not live my life knowing I did this to my child while everyone else enjoyed there's!! So I sucked it up and had my baby. Yes I missed out on a lot. I'd be lying to you if I said it was easy, heck no, it was one of the hardest times in my life but now twenty years later I have an amazing beautiful young lady I call my daughter!!! And in between those twenty years I found my husband my best friend and it was my baby's father all along! We both had some growing up to do before we'd come back to each other and I know it was God who blessed me with this beautiful relationship. It might have started off wrong but everything was worth it in the end!!! My point is, yes I could've taken the easy way out, had an abortion, and enjoyed my life & my youth but this baby deserved a life just like any other regardless of MY situation!! A child is a blessing period."

​-Misty

“I got pregnant at 19 when I had a heart condition and was in my first year of architecture school. My boyfriend lived on the other side of the world and I felt alone and scared. My parents are ministers and I was so worried about telling them what I'd done and the consequence of that action. I had already been told that my heart might not handle a pregnancy and delivery and I was immediately beyond sick. My morning sickness was so bad, my doctor had to get special permission from my insurance for an expensive medicine to stop me from throwing up. She said if we couldn't get this under control, the baby and I were going to dehydrate or starve to death.

Most days of the first 5 months, I could hardly move. Yet not once was I not prepared to sacrifice my life for my baby's. I just prayed God would save him before He took me. My family eventually knew and were helpful and gracious. But there were other parties involved that demanded I get an abortion saying I could always "try again" for another baby in the future if I wanted. My response was that I could never have THIS baby again and that, though the circumstances were not ideal, life throws you curveballs and you have to find the purpose in them and learn to somehow thrive through the path before you.

My last trimester was also a struggle and I gave birth all the time praying my son would live even if I didn't. And as soon as he was born, my body went into shock and it looked like my fears were being realised. For the first time, I prayed for myself. Asked God to let me live, too, so I could see my baby and be the one to love him throughout his life. I wanted him to have me as much as I wanted to have him. I was spared that day and was later able to hold the love of my life and examine his perfect face, fingers, and toes.

Life as a single mother hasn't been easy. But everything in this world that is worth anything takes effort and sacrifice. My son has been the most worthwhile thing about my life and I'm just grateful that I was given this blessing that I didn't even know I wanted at a time that I didn't realise I needed it. I'm so glad I don't live a life where my son isn't a part of this world. He is bright and funny and compassionate. I have no doubt he will make his mark on the world as he has on my heart. He never felt like a choice, he felt like a gift.

I know the loneliness and the fear involved in an unplanned pregnancy and my hope is that everyone who goes through what I did realises they don't have to be alone. And realises you have real choices beyond to abort or not. I hope you find a helping hand and realise you are beautiful, you are pure, you are worth celebrating, and you are LOVED.”

​-Lita