Discovering My Self-Worth after Teenage Pregnancy
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- Опубликовано: 17 май 2017
- At 16 years old, Rachel found out she was pregnant. It was a moment that she felt defined by for years. With help from others, her understanding of God’s love grew and she learned that it is possible to move on from past mistakes.
“When I first found … I was absolutely terrified. Here I was, 16 years old, having not a clue in the world about anything, and I was pregnant,” Rachel says.
She gave birth to a healthy baby girl, who was adopted. She returned to high school feeling insecure and unworthy of love. By the time she moved out of her small town to attend college, Rachel was looking forward to a fresh start.
“I was raised going to church. When I went to college, even if I wasn’t doing what I was supposed to be doing, that’s somewhere I always found myself every Sunday because that’s something my parents engrained in me,” she explains.
In a one-on-one conversation with her church leader, Rachel broke down and explained the ways her teenage pregnancy continued to weigh on her. If people knew who she had been, would it change the way they saw her now? The leader taught Rachel that her worth and potential would always be great in the eyes of God.
“It took me a long time to realize that it’s not just mine alone to deal with, that my Heavenly Father and my Savior are there to help, and listen, and to love and care about me,” she says.
Rachel also sought support from a professional counselor, who warned her about negative self-talk and offered encouraging advice. Today, Rachel feels better about herself than she ever has before.
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Thank you for carrying your baby so she could have an opportunity at life and another couple could have an opportunity to be parents.
Amen. 🙂❤
A mother's love for her child is the greatest love on earth. So placing your baby for adoption because you know it will give them a better life than you could provide at the time is the single greatest act of love I can think of. It's powerful. It takes SO much strength. It is completely selfless. You are a warrior!
Being a parent of 2 adopted children, I applaud your unselfish decision to have a childless couple experience the joy of parenthood.
Thankfully, when my sister fell pregnant, she had a supportive family to back her up, so she didn't put my oldest nephew up for adoption. She was in her early 20s
Sweetie I had my son at 17 he's married serving the Lord grew into a beautiful husband and Christian man I'm proud of him amen xox 😀
Thanks for sharing and well done! I love the quote from President Uctdorf which said, "don't judge me for sinning differently than you". We all struggle in one way or another and we just need to love each other and get on with life. It's hard enough as it is.
I have a daughter that was not allowed to finish her high school degree because they said she was and example to other girls and they would think it was okay. They also wouldn’t allow her to go to seminary anymore. She did get a degree and now owns her own business. And I love my grandson, she did marry the father of the baby and they are doing well. I am very proud of her and the person she has become even with a rocky start.
Thank you for being brave enough to share your story.
William Hunt o
I feel like I have felt the spirit telling need to watch this video of yours. I have been struggling with a lot of feelings of self worth because of some of the things that I have done that I am not proud of. Thank you for sharing your story.
We're glad you found the video, Rachel. You are a beloved daughter of God with infinite worth, and we're glad you're here! This video by Sister Joy Jones may provide some additional insight on our worth as children of God: www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/value-beyond-measure?lang=eng
Thank you for taking a courageous step and sharing your story. I wish you all the best!
Thank you for this. I don't know how many times I have felt like I was not good enough or that my mistakes were all I would ever be known for. This really hits home. Thank you.
Such a beautiful story!! What an incredible sacrafice and blessing she gave her baby as well as the family who adopted her. Such courage is amazing. God truly loves us and has a plan for each of us to experience his blessings even when we stumble.
I had my daughter at 16 too. Although there were struggles it was such a blessing. Heavenly father knew we needed eachother and i decided to raise her. I am now 32 and I know without a doubt I was meant to be her mama. No one could convince me otherwise that she wasnt an absolute gift from heaven, placed in my life when I needed her. God knows and has a plan for our lives, beyond our wildest dreams. I'm so thankful for his gift and guidance. Thanks for sharing your story
it is difficult to place one's baby for adoption. Nobody should judge this dear girl, she's right:she is worthy because Heavenly Father says so.
Thank you, for your inspiring words
I love that the Church gives such a strong message of "it's okay". That they say over and over that you don't need to be perfect to be loved by your Father. That, seriously, it doesn't matter the severity or quantity of sins you make, have made, or will make; Heavenly Father will always love you. Always.
My mum was 15 when she got pregnant from me my dad was 18...when my mum was 16 she had me...my dad turned 19 he left me and my mum...I was sad cuz I had to grow up 13 years without a father but my mum still raised me...
this touched my heart so much. i needed this so badly. thank you❤️
There is nothing worse than struggling with the thought that you are a disappointment to your Father in Heaven and our Savior. Feeling disgust for yourself is very hard to come out of, especially when you feel Alone and being the only member in your family. it is confusing because you are only looking within yourself for help and answers. pushing away other members that call or text because you feel ashamed. I'm glad the church is addressing those who feel so different from the typical lds family that unfortunately some of us compare ourselves to without knowing their struggles because they most likely ARE human and have had their own struggles. it is hard taking with a leader that does not understand that some things we do are completely normal in the environment we were raised in And live in with our non member family. example: having a relationship outside of marriage. Even though it may be one person, most people would actually consider you a strong, faithful and "morally good" person for being faithful and staying with one person l. you walk into a meeting to talk about it with a leader and you feel like you are near a murderer status. it is a very odd feeling to adjust to.. of course it is Heavenly Fathers commandment for a very very good reason as you can end up sorely heartbroken by giving yourself to a person that way outside of a marriage and He KNOWS what is best and unfortunately some times we lack faith and have to learn the hard way, but it is so so so very hard to decide you are going to have to be single as there is not many faithful members that would choose a convert and it's very lonely. it sure does make you take a bigger look at what our Savior had to endure and realize, it IS AMD WILL BE WORTH IT TO be a little lonely. We all have something we struggle with and yes, it will make you see what you do have. we have to stop comparing ourselves to others (this was my initial point ha!).
thank you for your courage and for sharing your story. You are inspiring! I am so glad you have found inspiration. The leaders sure can be AMAZING!
Crystal Dawn ...
Crystal Dawn Just remember that everyone is a convert to the the Gospel. Some people were born into it, like me, but at one point or another, each of us has to decide if it's true and worth it. There are lonely moments for all of us, believe me. And I do know that it is totally worth it. :)
the church is true, the atonement of Jesus Christ is true, there is peace, there is Joy in repentance, amazed at the love he has for me, to help me learn how to be obedient
Thank you for the message it was so relateable and one I needed to hear.
Beautiful. Thankyou for this message today, it's just been such a bad day....but this has been my ray of sunshine. You helped me remember that we all have gone though things in our past....but we just have to remember, its not the past that defines who we are. As president Uchtdorf said : "“Our destiny is not determined by the number of times we stumble but by the number of times we stand up, dust ourselves off, and stride forward.” Thankyou for being brave enough to share.
Thank you for your courage to share your personal struggles and your testimony, as well... we all sin, our sins and wrong doings are just different from one another. As it is us as individuals and how we live our lives.
Being a daughter, a niece, sister, an aunt, a cousin and friend of teenage mothers. I saw the sadness, disappointment, worthlessness, embarrassment, difficulty, judgment, loneliness, frightening pain and sorrow experienced throughout the years by these daughters of God, my sisters in Christ, Jesus.
And my heart just broke for them... I come from a catholic, and Jehovah Witness background. My parents joined the church with my two younger siblings, and I and my older sister baptized later on.
I was looking for a church to be baptized in and be a lifelong member of it.
I was blessed to be married in the temple, to a former missionary, my best friend, love of my life.
Blessed to be parents of two beautiful and lovely children, a loving boy, that is turning 27 years old today. And a lovely daughter. My family is the the reason I am still alive.
Nothing could have prepared me for the consequences we suffered, and still suffer, as a family and individually, through the years because of the choices my daughter made during her teenage years.
I became sick right after getting married and becoming pregnant for the first time. My immunological system attacked the fetus and I had a miscarriage.
My health problems are very serious and have been very difficult for my family, specially for my daughter.
She coped with it in a very contrary way of how she was brought up with the gospel in our home and the church in her life.
Her coping mechanism was to run away from the reality of our lives.
She became pregnant during her teenage years. It was the most painful time as a parent and not be able to help your suffering child with the pain and fear in her eyes, because of my health problems and fear of losing mom.
We did everything to help her and our beautiful granddaughter.
The father was also a teenage boy just few months older than my daughter. After the first year of the baby’s life, they became a couple again. He had moved to another state to go live with his father because of troubles with his mother. And they had lost contact with each other for awhile. He didn’t even know he had a baby girl until after the birth.
They still struggle, but now they have 3 beautiful children that are the love of their lives!
They have grown up together and are very strong as a couple and individually as well.
They work hard to take care of their little family. It’s not easy for them.
Going to school, working, daily responsibilities to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, clothes on their back, shoes on their feet, toys, education, medicine, reliable transportation, physical, mental, spiritual health, care and love for their little ones is a daily straggle for them.
But, with the help from us and other family members, most importantly, Celestial help, they are doing a great job.
She chose to have a baby in a very young, immature, unprepared age. Ignoring the consequences of being a very young mother. She struggles with self-worthiness and being worthy of happiness and love from our Father in Heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
It’s a personal problem that I, as a parent don’t have the power to fix it for her. Only through the tender mercies of our loving Celestial Father and the atonement of our Savior and Redeemer, she can be healed and made whole again.
My husband and his twin brother were adopted, their mother was only 18 years old when she had them and she already had a two year old daughter at the time.
Even though his parents were married at the time, the biological father didn’t want them.
He was a very abusive, controlling husband. After losing her twins because of him. She couldn’t be with him anymore, and left him 6 months after the twins birth.
Her choice to give her boys a better life, made her suffer a loss that could never be replaced.
But, brought joy to the lives of a couple that were suffering the losses of 5-6 miscarriages.
💕 💕 💕
Inspiring video. Thanks for sharing your story. :)
Thank you so much for this video. This video is what I needed.
Thanks for sharing your story. You're awesome.
This is awesome God Bless. Stay positive and know that God has, does, and will always love you. 😁😁😁🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you for sharing your beautiful journey with us ❤
thank you for your story
I was 17, when I fell pregnant with my first, n now he's 14 and I couldn't be prouder...
I hope and pray that my daughter does not tread this same path because of the difficulty and choice-limiting effect it will have on the rest of her life. BUT, if it does happen, the very moment she reveals it to me, I will rejoice and celebrate and love her and embrace her and shower my love on her and her beautiful little miracle. I have already made up my mind.
I support you
God is good ❤️
That’s a good story!
Amazing
As a people, as a culture we tend to do ourselves and others a terrible disservice by misunderstanding Matthew 5, and Alma 39 while forgetting Genesis 3. Love, compassion, and forgiveness are part of learning, growing, and experiencing life as well as requirements for Celestial glory. Yes we strive for high expectations but we often stumble and fall. As a father of 7 kids I know from personal experience and observation that life happens and the atonement is very real.
I got pregnant at 17, n stopped going to church, until i was 22.
💜💜💜
Amen
I respect your choice of putting your daughter up for adoption but I could never do that. I'm glad that you have your faith 💗
But GOD FORGIVES US ALL
Why did this happen to me
You put yourself in that situation that you could have easily avoided
i love You God and Jesus! Amen
John 8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
We all make mistakes from time to time; but we all have the capacity to repent. And when we do, the Saviour makes our sins " though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as the snow". 'Nuf said.
Just remember that Jesus Christ loves you no matter what happens.
Genesis
In the biginning god created the heavens and earth genesis 1:1
She gave up her baby😭😭😭
Yes but she was sooo young 😣
She did what was right for her. Anyone in that position has to make their own decision.