Shine the Light, Y'all

I’m working on another blog that encompasses my life as a pregnant teen.  I get way too overwhelmed and emotional when I start working on it, so I can only do it a little at a time. I talk about people that helped me along in my tough journey and relive some harsh moments.  Today I used my story and my experiences in a positive way and “shared the love” with a random girl I have never seen before. 

I talked to a girl at the high school today that is 8 months pregnant. She’s not the only girl there that is going through the experience.  And this pregnancy isn’t usually their first.  Want to know what I said to her? I asked her how she was feeling to which she replied, “miserable.” I said, “I’m sorry, I know it’s tough going to high school and being pregnant-I’ve been there. I’m Mrs. Overton and my room # is 304-come by and see me if you ever need anything.”  I also assured her that everything is going to be ok and work out. She smiled and made small talk about contractions, her other baby at home, and her future.  I listened to her and didn’t judge her.  Here is what I never got when I was pregnant at 16: assurance, sympathy, or compassion.  What I usually was received with was judgment and crude remarks.  No matter the age at which a girl gets pregnant, people fail to see that it’s still a pregnancy. She is worrying about the same things any mother would, but is overlooked because of her age.  She is still carrying life inside of her and is trying to figure out how to enter into motherhood while society judges her.  It is not socially acceptable to be a pregnant teen; however, making her feel less because of a choice she made is not the way to go.  I had a teacher and the school secretary show me kindness.  The secretary would send notes to the class I was in with bible verses on it, or she would pull me out of class and give me food and a drink in the office.  I had a teacher who took me under her wing to make sure I would graduate and graduate with honors. I had a counselor who set me up with a support group-with an awesome leader and other girls who taught me how to get through.  However, I never had someone show me compassion and tell me that even though this happened before it “should have” that everything was going to work out and that this beautiful baby growing inside of me would grow up to be great and do great things regardless of the mistakes his parents made.  I felt at times that the pain I was enduring was something I deserved since I had hurt others with getting pregnant outside of marriage.  I didn’t ask for assurance, sympathy, or compassion but looking back I know I needed it and I didn’t get it from school and I certainly didn’t get it from my church.  I did have some supportive people at church and one lady in particular I owe a lot to, but for the most part the church failed me.  This morning when I was listening to “Focus on the Family” on my way to work there was a lady talking about how when you feel distant from God that He sends people to you to be His light.  Even when you are at your lowest, He still has and wants a relationship with you and so he sends other people to be there for Him in a way.  Those people become a blessing to you in your life.  I think we’ve all been there when we felt like someone was put in our life at that time to be our “Christ” and let Him shine through them.  I also think that we expect it sometimes-expect others to be there for us when we feel like God isn’t.  Today, after hearing that, I really thought about if I am the light for others and if they feel Him through me.  I hope I am a blessing to them and I hope I was a blessing to that girl today.  Often times Christians don’t say hurtful things to people so they think they aren’t as bad as the other person; but sometimes not saying anything-not saying positive words or speaking truth into people’s lives- sometimes that is just as bad as not saying anything. The sin of silence will get ya, and we are all guilty of it.  So, not that you have to be extravagant in your words or actions, but just be the light, y’all. 

More to come.