Pregnant Teenagers.

Dear Blog Audience,

I happened to find a Lifetime movie on youtube Wednesday night while I was babysitting and passing time while the kids were asleep. It was called, "The Pregnancy Pact" and it was based on these teenage girls in high school that all promised to get pregnant with their friend. It was hard to watch because of the whole abstinence vs. let's just give them birth control and the "they're going to do it anyways, let's just try to keep babies from coming from this." type of stance. I know this is the mind set of most of the western world. I was very glad that abortion was not a main message in the film. But what I got out of it (besides an overwhelming desire to be a mother again) was the loneliness all of those teenagers had. All the emptiness and constant striving to fill those deep wells within us that cry to be filled. All four of those girls wanted to have babies because, I believe, they thought that being a mom would fulfill them. So far, they had come up empty from each endeavor to fill their hearts. No boy or family or school or friend or party or experience had filled them. But a baby.... A baby loves unconditionally! A baby wouldn't care if they finished school or not! A baby would be the perfect thing to fill their empty holes.

The movie showed one girl struggling to take care of her baby. The main character, however, seemed to turn into a wonderful mom but she realized the weight of her actions when she caused her family humiliation and lost her boyfriend, the father of her baby. There was so much drama. So many hurt people hurting other people who tried to fix the problems but just ended up hurting even more.

At first I was like, "My goodness, American teenagers are so messed up these days!" But then I realized, I had had those same aches and longings and loneliness. I can't tell you how many times as a teenager and even as a young adult I tried to fill the void with entertainment, guys, friends, circumstances, fantasies etc. The only difference between me and those four girls is that Jesus hedged me in and protected me. He gave me parents that gave me boundaries and friends that also embraced purity. For me, I wasn't surrounded by people who were "doing it", I was in a group of friends that all joined the, "I'm waiting for wild, passionate, awkward, honey-moon sex" group on facebook. If not for those factors, I am very certain that I, too, could have been a teenage mother who was still just as empty and still just as hurting as she had been before she had her baby.

I got done watching it and as I thought about how it made me feel I just started thanking God for His mercy that led me to a place in my life where I consciously realized that Jesus really does satisfy and that He WAS satisfying my heart. No husband, child, house, country, friend, job, title or amount of money can ever match this feeling of confidence that I have in my Father to fill these deep wells inside of my heart. Even as a Christian teenager, I was empty because I was looking for something to fill me that had nothing in and of itself to give me. Only when I went to the Source of all things, did I find what I needed. Unless you find that Fountain of Living Water, you'll always get thirsty again.

If you guys are wondering where watching movies on youtube fit into my movie fast.... they don't. And I've been realizing how I've been feeding my flesh more. It's not that I have to give up movies. I really really really want to! I want to spend this year undistracted by the entertainment of this world. I really desire that. However, I'm realizing I need more grace. I'm willing to struggle through this because in the end, it's going to be worth it.

Love,
Me

"The Next Generation Is Coming Through Us."

Hello Blogging Audience,

Tonight at my Women's Captured meeting we had a phenomenal woman of God come and talk to us. The main topic of her message was women and the wounds on our hearts. She said many thought provoking and and true statements but one thing that struck me hard on the inside was when she said,

"Girls, the next generation is coming through us."

I never heard it phrased that way. It gave it such a sobering meaning. As a woman, I will be entrusted with the next generation coming from my womb and from my house. All through out history, since the very beginning of humanity, the next generation always came from the women.
On one hand, I'm honored to partner with God in raising up the next generation of men and women that will be history makers. But on the other hand, I'm terrified. I look around and see girls that aren't ready to be mamas. I see girls that can't even look someone in the eye because they have so little sense of self worth, how will this girl look at her beautiful daughter and say, "You're a princess." I see girls that dress like they've been treated- cheap. How will this girl raise a son who will respect women? I see girls that are still little kids on the inside, how will these girls be the authority and example that their children need? I see girls that think that fathers aren't important because they never had a father and the lie has blinded them from seeing the critical role a father has in the life of his son and daughter. How will her son grow up and be a man? How will her daughter grow up and know how to be in a trusting relationship with a guy?

These things are all common in my generation. Bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, jealousy, pride, self-pity, we ALL have these things in our hearts! And when we don't address them and take them to The Healer, we're going to raise a generation that says it's okay to be in an immoral relationship. They'll say it's okay to be mean, to be proud, to hold grudges, to put others down so that you feel better and to lie to cover yourself. I am not okay with this.

We, as women, must take our stand to be the example to the next generation. Whether it's your child or your sister's child or your neighbor's child or a child you see at wal-mart. Exemplify respect for elders, for your husband, for others in general. Go low and serve with a happy heart. Listen to them, encourage them, speak truth and identity over them. I want to see the next generation be the most God-fearing, truth loving, love giving and humble generation that has ever walk on the planet earth but they're not going to just be born like that. They're going to look to us as mothers, sisters, aunts, friends and people of authority. What we show them will be mirrored back to us. These little ones will come from us, our friends, our relatives, our neighbors and our peers. God wants to partner with us to raise a holy generation who will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb.

Jesus, show me how. Amen.

Love,
Me