Participants: Pr. Marquis Johns (Host), Mariah Hunt, Shannon Bellanger
Series Code: TNJ
Program Code: TNJ000017
|
00:08 Welcome to The New Journey, a program about real life people,
00:12 with real life testimonies, doing real life 00:15 ministry for Jesus Christ. 00:16 I'm your host, Pastor Marquis Johns. 00:18 Join us on The New Journey. 00:52 Have you ever wondered how Mary might have felt being a young 00:57 lady pregnant out of wedlock? 00:59 Well, on today's show we have one such young lady, 01:02 who may just help us understand how Mary was feeling. 01:05 Mariah Hunt, how are you doing young lady? 01:07 I'm good. Good, fantastic. 01:09 And her mom, Shannon. 01:11 Shannon, how are you doing? 01:12 I'm doing great. Fantastic, fantastic. 01:14 Before we get started, I just want to commend you 01:17 on the step that you are taking. 01:18 This is very courageous. 01:20 What you're going, most young people wouldn't do. 01:22 When they find themselves in this type of a predicament, 01:24 or situation they clam up, they isolate themselves, because they 01:28 fear judgment, and they fear people just not understanding 01:31 what they're going through. 01:32 And so I want you to know that we commend you. 01:34 Thank you. Is that alright? Yep. Good. 01:35 Now, I do also want you to know that we're going to ask 01:38 you tough questions. 01:40 But we're asking these questions because we feel like you telling 01:43 your story will help some young lady, who may be in your 01:45 position, or who may be contemplating doing some of the 01:48 things that got you into this position. 01:50 So what you're doing is you're being a good model, 01:53 you're helping us understand what's going on in the mindset 01:57 of the teenage young person who ends up in a 02:00 pregnancy situation. 02:01 So with that being said, why don't you tell us a little bit 02:04 about yourself, like where are you from? 02:06 Um, I'm from Indiana, a really small town. 02:10 Okay. Which really small town is that? 02:12 Craigville. Craigville, okay. 02:14 I was thinking Craig's List when you said that. 02:16 But in any event... So Craigville, Indiana. 02:21 Tell us about... Are you currently in school? 02:23 Yep, I'm in 11th grade, and I go to school full time. Okay. 02:27 And I still live at home. 02:28 Okay, still live at home with mom. Yes. 02:30 Okay, fantastic. Now, here's where we take the turn. 02:34 So tell us about... Are you still with the young man who 02:38 you're having the baby by? Yes. 02:39 Yes, okay, so tell us the story. 02:41 Where did you guys meet? 02:43 How did you guys meet? 02:44 Was there a twinkle in his eye? 02:45 Was there a sparkle in yours? 02:47 Tell us about that. 02:48 Um, we met at school my sophomore year. 02:50 And we started talking, and dating, and now we've been 02:56 together for a year and a half, and things are good. 02:59 Okay, so tell us about this dating. 03:01 You know, I'm a little bit old, and removed from the scene. 03:04 Shannon, I don't know if you remember what it was like 03:06 in high school dating, but we're out of the loop. 03:08 So how does take place? 03:10 Do I kind of pass you a note? 03:11 Do you pass me back the note? 03:12 How did the whole relationship come about? 03:15 Um, we passed notes in school, back and forth, 03:18 because we weren't allowed to talk. 03:19 And then we'd talk outside of class, and outside of school, 03:23 and he'd come over. Okay. 03:25 We'd just hang out, and that's how they do it 03:28 these days, I guess. 03:30 Okay, so Shannon you were okay with... 03:31 Tell us his name again. Tyler. 03:32 Tyler, so you were okay with Tyler. 03:34 You knew Tyler? Yes, we know Tyler very well. 03:36 Okay, okay. So Tyler and you are starting this relationship 03:40 and now you're spending some time in school, but you're also 03:42 spending some time outside of school. 03:44 So are you guys going on dates, or are you just dating? 03:47 We were dating. We would go on dates, and we would just 03:51 hang out, and we usually just hung out at my house, 03:55 or his house, or places like that. 03:57 And so, Shannon, you were okay with this dating? 04:00 Yes, we were okay with that. 04:01 She was sixteen years old at the time. 04:04 And to me it wasn't a problem for them to be dating at all. 04:08 Okay, okay. So up to this point, had you guys had the 04:12 birds and bees conversation, to where we start talking about, 04:15 Hey, this is what happens in these situations? 04:18 Had you had that conversation? 04:19 We'd had that conversation awhile ago. 04:22 And it was very prevalent in my mind that this 04:26 is what's going on, and I know what goes on these days. 04:29 And please be careful, whatever you do, please be careful. 04:33 Okay, okay. So now you and Tyler, you and Tyler are dating, 04:39 and how long are you dating before the 04:42 relationship becomes intimate? 04:45 We were dating for six or seven months before we started. 04:49 Okay, and so mom, you and mom have had the conversation 04:52 about the birds and bees. 04:53 Now this relationship becomes an intimate relationship. 04:57 Now I'm assuming this was the first time for you. 04:59 Yeah. Okay, so this first time, based on the conversation that 05:04 maybe you and mom had had, did you take some precautions 05:07 the first time that you guys were intimate? 05:09 No. No. Can I ask why not? 05:11 What was it that, you know, was the situation, 05:14 was it one of those where you were spending time together, 05:16 you were looking in his eyes, he was kind of looking in your 05:18 eyes, and you said, Oh, this feels right! 05:20 And so you move forward? 05:21 Or why didn't you take those precautions? 05:25 I guess we didn't really plan on it happening, and it was one 05:28 of those situations where you just... It kind of happened. 05:31 And then... So we didn't plan on it or anything, and I guess 05:34 we just weren't prepared. 05:36 Okay, okay. So now after this how are you guys continuing 05:40 the intimate aspect of your relationship? Yes, we did after. 05:45 And in the process, did you ever say, Okay, well this time lets 05:49 take those precautions? 05:50 Were there ever moments when you decided, 05:52 we will take precautions, versus others where, in the heat of the 05:55 moment, if you will, you didn't take those precautions? 05:57 Yeah, after I didn't really want to be in this situation, 06:01 and so I thought we'd better take precautions 06:04 so it doesn't happen, but it wasn't always like that, so... 06:08 Okay, and how did Tyler feel? 06:10 Who brought that up? 06:11 Who said, Hey, maybe we should take these precautions? 06:13 Was it you, or was it Tyler? 06:15 It was kind of a conversation we both had, because we both 06:19 thought that we're too young to be in this situation. 06:22 And we really didn't want it to happen, so... Sure, sure, sure. 06:25 Okay, so now, young lady, Indiana, high school crush, 06:31 high school sweetheart. 06:33 You guys have been in a relationship for 6 or 7 months, 06:36 the relationship becomes intimate, 06:37 you continue the intimate relationship. 06:39 At which point did you share, or did you share with mom 06:43 that you had now become intimate with Tyler? 06:45 No, I didn't tell her, but I kind of figured she knew. 06:49 Okay, so let me ask this question, and then I want to 06:52 I want, Shannon, I want you to weigh in on this. 06:54 Why didn't you tell Mom, seeing as how you had already kind of 06:57 had a conversation about it? 06:59 Because what the viewers, and what the audience, and even I, 07:02 would like to know is, what is it that prevents teenagers who 07:06 are sexually active, or who are being intimate, from sharing 07:09 that relationship with a parent, adult, or someone that they 07:12 trust who's older than them? 07:13 What was it, given that you had had these conversations 07:16 in the past, that prevented you from sharing with your mother 07:19 that you were now being intimate with your boyfriend? 07:21 I think she already knew. 07:22 And I kind of figured she knew, so I didn't think 07:26 that I had to tell her. 07:27 I didn't really want to have that conversation with her. 07:29 I mean, we have a good relationship, 07:31 but it was kind of awkward for me. 07:33 Why don't you think teenagers who are active, 07:37 why don't you think they talk to their parents? 07:40 What do you think is the reason why? 07:43 Well, for some teenagers it might be that it's an awkward 07:46 situation, or they don't know what their parents will say, 07:48 or they feel like since they're doing something that most adults 07:53 do, that they don't need to tell their parents, 07:56 because they're grown up, and they can do what they want. 07:59 Okay, okay. So now, Shannon, Mariah says she didn't talk 08:06 to you about it because she knows you're not stupid. 08:08 Right. And so she figured, well, she already knows. 08:11 I'm not going to go up and say, Hey mom, guess what I'm doing. 08:14 Did you know? I had my suspicions. Okay. 08:17 I wasn't 100% positive, but there were times when 08:21 we would be like, No, you're not going up to your room. 08:25 If you do go up there to do homework 08:27 the door stays wide open. 08:28 You know, things like that. 08:30 Trying to take our own precautions at the same time. 08:33 Sure. But no, I don't think that I... 08:35 I think, maybe, she didn't tell me because she would think I 08:40 would be disappointed. 08:41 Right, right, right, right. 08:43 And so, I want to go back to the statement that you made, 08:49 Mariah, that a lot of young people aren't forthcoming with 08:54 that information, because they feel like they're adults. 08:57 So at which point you and Tyler were engaged in intimacy 09:00 did you feel like, Hey, you know, I'm kind of an adult here. 09:02 I kind of know, you know, I can take care of 09:05 myself a little bit. 09:06 Were you feeling that way? 09:07 I guess, kind of. I mean it's something that adults do, 09:12 but still I felt like I was a teenager. 09:14 So, I mean yeah, I guess I felt superior, and older, but... 09:20 Right, right, right, right, right. 09:21 ...it really didn't change anything. 09:22 Right, right, because there is... 09:24 I remember growing up, and Christ tells us we have to have 09:29 this childlike faith, you know. 09:31 And in having childlike faith, I have sometimes wondered, 09:34 and pondered what exactly Christ meant. 09:36 And so, Shannon, maybe you will remember growing up as a kid, 09:39 you wake up in the morning, and you go to the shower, 09:42 and you have faith that the water is going to be hot. 09:44 After you get out of the shower, you have faith that when you 09:47 open the refrigerator there's going to be cold milk in there, 09:50 and a box of cereal for you to eat. 09:51 You have faith that your clothes are going to be there, because 09:54 you have faith that your parent is doing their job. 09:56 And so the adult component is not just what got you here as 10:01 a child, but it is also taking care of, and being responsible 10:04 for the child that you bring here. 10:06 Have you and Tyler, or had you and Tyler kind of thought about 10:09 that once you actively, once you have an active intimate life? 10:13 I don't think we thought about it. 10:15 I mean we didn't think that, Oh, that couldn't happen to us, 10:19 or that's not going to be us. 10:21 So what you didn't think; you didn't think that pregnancy, 10:24 or something couldn't happen to us? No. 10:26 You thought, Well, this could happen to us. 10:27 I mean, it's possible, but we never really thought it would. 10:30 so we didn't really think about it. 10:32 We're, it wasn't something we talked about. 10:36 Okay, so that fateful day, and again, this is probably a very 10:43 candid conversation that we're having here, granted, but... 10:46 So the day comes when you realize that you've, 10:50 your cycle has lapsed. 10:52 Take us to that day. 10:53 Take us to the day when you realized... 10:55 And Shannon is already... 10:57 Take us to the day when you realized, Uh oh, I think 11:02 I may be pregnant. 11:04 I remember that day very well, actually. 11:08 Then walk us through it, if you don't mind. 11:09 Um, I woke up and I realized that I hadn't started my period 11:14 for a couple of days, and that wasn't usual. 11:17 So I usually started in the middle of the month, 11:19 and I was waiting for it. 11:21 And I heard that if you stress about it then it doesn't come 11:24 just to scare you. 11:26 So I took a couple of days, and just thought, Oh, it will come. 11:30 But then I woke up that day, and I found out, 11:32 I mean, it's been too long. 11:34 It's just not going to come. 11:35 So I remember I called Tyler, and I told him. 11:38 And he's like, Oh, don't worry about it. 11:40 You'll be fine. Just wait a couple of days. 11:42 So I waited a couple of days, and then... 11:46 So we're stringing together a couple of days, 11:49 a number of times. Yeah. 11:50 So we're waiting for about a week and a half, two weeks. 11:52 Yeah. Okay. So it wasn't just one day. 11:54 I kind of knew, and it took me a while to realize that 11:58 Wow, I guess it can happen to me. 12:00 So... Uh huh, uh huh. 12:02 But I remember I was upset, and I didn't know what to do. 12:04 I didn't want to be a parent. Right. 12:06 I mean, I didn't want to tell my mom. 12:08 I didn't know what she was going to think. 12:10 So it was a very, it was a hard day for me. 12:13 And I just remember crying, and being upset, and not knowing 12:17 what to do, but wanting to talk to my mom. 12:19 And so you've come to the conclusion, I am, I'm, pregnant. 12:23 Yeah. You talked to Tyler. 12:26 This is no longer, I think, it's possible, it's maybe, 12:31 I don't know. It's definite now. 12:34 Yeah. You talked to Tyler. 12:35 What is Tyler's reaction? 12:36 He, I guess you could say he was, he wasn't as 12:41 worried as I was. Uh huh. 12:43 He kept telling me everything was going to be okay. 12:45 And I guess I was the one with the most doubt, 12:48 and the most like, I mean I didn't know what I was 12:51 going to do, or what I was going to tell my mom, 12:54 or how people were going to look at me, 12:56 or anything like that. 12:58 And he just, he just was, It will be okay, 13:01 and just so sure that everything was going to be fine. 13:03 So, I mean he was happy about it, but I mean I was, 13:08 I guess that I was the one that was the most worried 13:10 in this situation. 13:12 And so Tyler is... How old is Tyler? 13:13 He's sixteen. And he's in the same grade as you? Yep. 13:16 Okay, so same school, same grade. 13:18 So now, let's paint the picture. 13:20 So we have this sweet, innocent girl, if you will, 13:24 who is smitten with this guy in her class. 13:28 They begin a relationship; passing notes, 13:31 talking in the hall way, dating outside of school, 13:35 and mom knows about it. 13:36 His parents know about the relationship as well, 13:38 I'm assuming. Okay. 13:39 Parents know about it six months into the relationship 13:41 the subject is broached. 13:43 Here we are, we're being intimate, we continue on, 13:46 and then that fateful day happens where, Oh my, goodness! 13:49 I can't believe it! 13:51 Like you said, it can, and it has happened to me. 13:54 You go to Tyler, and Tyler is like, 13:55 Hey, it's going to be okay. 13:56 So does that calm you down just a little bit? 13:59 Not really. Not really? No. 14:02 Tell me about that. 14:03 It was good to know that he thought that everything was 14:06 going to be okay, and that he wasn't like, Oh well, I guess 14:10 I'm just going to leave. Right. 14:12 I know I wasn't too worried about it, because I know he's 14:16 a nice guy, but I was just glad that he was okay with it. 14:19 And I mean, even though it should have made me feel better, 14:22 I kind of just... I was more worried about my mom. 14:24 Right, right, and that's where we're going next, 14:27 because there's now at least two other conversations 14:29 that have to happen. 14:31 There's the conversation with his parents, 14:32 and the conversation with your parents. 14:34 Walk us up to the point where what you're thinking, 14:37 what's going on in your mind when you know, Oh my, 14:40 I have to tell mom about this. 14:42 I was scared, very scared. 14:46 I mean, me and my mom have a great relationship, 14:48 but sometimes we're not very good at 14:50 communicating with one another. 14:51 And so I knew that this conversation had to happen. 14:54 I just put it off as long as I could. 14:56 And how long was that? 14:58 Four and a half months. 14:59 So, mercy! Okay, Shannon. 15:02 Yeah, yeah. Shannon, we've tried to keep the doors open 15:07 when they're studying, we know that they're going on dates, 15:10 you know that they're hanging out. 15:12 We're not stupid, so there's a possibility... 15:15 We know that they're probably intimate with each other. 15:20 And so, at four months? Uh huh. 15:27 And were you showing yet? 15:29 Like how far along are you now? 15:31 It's almost six and a half months. 15:33 Almost six and a half months. 15:34 At four months were you showing at all? 15:35 I, yeah, yeah. And so, were you doing, were you doing, 15:39 were you taking the precautions? 15:41 Were you wearing the bigger shirts, and things like that, 15:42 so as to put mom off a little bit? Yeah. 15:44 Mom, now, okay so have you noticed 15:48 anything up to this point? 15:49 She was cheerleading up to this point; 15:52 cheerleading for the high school team. Wow! 15:55 Right. Up going to school every day. 15:58 I didn't notice her being sick in the morning. 16:00 I didn't notice any of the telltale signs. Huh. 16:02 Until I did notice one day that she had stretch marks 16:07 on the side of her belly, and I thought, Wow! Okay. 16:10 Hold on a minute! Okay. 16:12 So did this create the atmosphere for the conversation, 16:14 or did you come to mom and say, Mom, I'm pregnant. 16:17 That kind of created the atmosphere. 16:18 Okay, so you saw these stretch marks, and you went in. 16:20 You said, Hey, what's going on here? Right 16:22 So tell us about that. 16:23 It was very difficult because once I realized what those 16:27 stretch marks meant, it was hard for me not to see, 16:30 and not notice, and I was very disappointed at first. Okay. 16:36 Not so much in her, but disappointed for her future. 16:40 Okay. And what that meant for her future, 16:44 and how much more difficult that was going to be. 16:46 And I'm not sure what else to say about that. 16:53 I mean I just, still there's nothing, you know, 16:56 we can't change that. 16:58 I tell her all the time, God doesn't give you more 16:59 than you can handle. 17:00 Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. 17:02 I tell her that all of the time. 17:03 So is there a time now, the realization has hit: 17:06 We're pregnant. Right. 17:08 Is there a conversation that you have with Mariah and Tyler 17:13 about the situation? 17:14 Do the families, like tell, lead us through that. 17:17 Because this has to have been... 17:18 We had a family conversation with Tyler's mother, 17:22 his step father, myself, and the two kids. Okay. 17:26 And sat down and said, We know that this isn't going to be 17:29 easy, and we're here to help you as much as we can. 17:32 And I wanted to make sure that his side of the family 17:34 was also just as supportive, because I can't do this 17:38 all by myself; they certainly can't do this all by themselves. 17:41 Right, right, right. 17:43 They need to finish school. 17:44 They need to go to college. 17:46 They need to still better themselves. 17:48 They're still teenagers. 17:51 You know, they're still kids. 17:53 So, now, unfortunately, or fortunately, depending upon 17:58 from which angle you're looking at this, there are a number of 18:01 options when a young lady finds themselves in 18:04 in this predicament and situation. 18:06 Did you ever entertain any of those other options? 18:10 Do you understand what I'm asking? Yes. 18:11 Did you ever entertain any of those other options? 18:14 Yes, I did. I thought for quite a long time about adoption, 18:21 and I really, I mean, I know that they're people out there 18:26 that would love to have kids that can't, and I'm blessed 18:30 that I can, but I'm just not a strong enough person 18:33 to be willing to, I mean put joy in somebody else's life, 18:37 I know that, but I just, I couldn't put myself in that 18:42 position to do that. 18:44 And I knew that with the help of my mom, and with Tyler's 18:47 family, and with Tyler that, and with God, that I could 18:52 do it, no matter what, so. Okay. 18:54 So, so, so, so, so, Shannon, God where are You? 18:59 Where are You right now? 19:01 I prayed a lot about this. 19:03 I prayed for answers. 19:05 I prayed for guidance. 19:08 I prayed for Him to just show me the way, and what am I supposed 19:11 to do as far as how to even deal with her in this situation. 19:16 I mean, because I was not happy. Okay. 19:19 So, and I got the answers that I needed. Okay. 19:22 And that's why I'm here with her, and I've been by her side, 19:27 and we're going to be alright. 19:29 So your baby is now having a baby. 19:36 Now this is just a moment for you, and I don't know if you've 19:40 been able to share this with her. 19:42 How are you feeling about becoming a grand mother? 19:49 I've already chosen the name Nana, so it doesn't 19:52 sound like grandma. Okay. 19:54 And I'm, you know, I'm excited for you. 19:59 I think you're going to be a fantastic mother. 20:02 I wish that you would have waited to do it. 20:05 But I'm here for you, and I'm going to help you as much as 20:09 I can, and as much as you need. 20:11 Thanks, mom. We can get through this. 20:16 Great, great, great. Now, this is the segment, 20:20 this is the portion of time in the show where I want to give 20:22 each of you an opportunity to speak to our audience. 20:25 First I want to start with you, Mariah. 20:28 Out there right now there's a young lady who is watching, 20:30 who loves their boyfriend just as much as you 20:34 probably loved Tyler, and who's contemplating 20:37 taking that next step. 20:39 I'd like you to speak to them and tell them what you think 20:45 they should do in that situation. 20:47 As a matter of fact, almost as though you have it to do over. 20:50 Oh, wow! And then I also, I not only want you to address them 20:54 in that fashion, but I want you to also then talk to the young 20:58 lady out there who's 15, 16 years old, 21:01 and she's currently pregnant. 21:03 I want you to talk to both of those young ladies. 21:06 Right over my shoulder here, I want you to speak to them 21:10 about the decision that you've made, how it's effecting you, 21:13 what you would do if you could do it over. 21:17 And how trusting God in this situation is helping you. 21:23 Go ahead. In this situation I would say that to any girl, 21:28 that it's not worth it. 21:30 No boy in high school is worth it. 21:32 I mean, if they say that they love you, they may mean it, 21:35 but that doesn't mean that you have to, or you shouldn't feel 21:39 forced to, or anything like that. 21:41 School is really important, and I would, I honestly wish 21:44 I would have waited. 21:45 Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh. 21:47 So now in the audience watching right now there is a young lady 21:52 who's 15, she's 16, she's pregnant. 21:55 What I want you to do now is I want you to speak to her 21:58 about how trust in God can pull you through 22:01 a situation like this, almost as though, like what you would 22:05 say about your mom. 22:06 You know, how mom, she's your mom regardless. 22:08 She's here. I want you to speak now to that young lady and say 22:11 to her, speak to her about how trust in God through a situation 22:14 like this can really anchor her. 22:18 Well, I think God works in many different ways, and He's always 22:21 there, and no matter what, He's not judging you, or looking down 22:25 upon you, or anything like that. 22:27 He will always help you just like your parents will. 22:30 He loves you no matter what. 22:32 So I just know that without the help of my parents, and God, 22:36 and with all the support that I wouldn't get through it. 22:41 But, yeah. Alright, alright. 22:43 Now Shannon, we're going to take a more informed perspective 22:47 on this, because you're a parent. 22:49 And out there there is a young lady, there is Mariah, 22:55 who is now active with her boyfriend, 22:58 or she's contemplating being active with her boyfriend. 23:01 And you have the opportunity to have the conversation with that 23:04 young lady, like you wish you had been afforded the 23:07 opportunity to have that conversation with Mariah. 23:09 She's contemplating, she's come to you, she's saying, 23:12 mom, I love Tyler, and we're thinking about going 23:16 to the next level. 23:17 I wish I would have happened. 23:18 I know, I know, I know. 23:20 So what we're going to do is we're going to now speak 23:23 to that young lady. 23:24 I want you to speak to that young lady. 23:26 Right over my shoulder there's a camera. 23:27 I want you to speak to that young lady. 23:29 She's contemplating, because she loves her boyfriend, 23:33 taking the relationship to the intimate place. 23:36 Can you now speak to her? 23:38 I would say, if I had that choice, that you need to 23:44 pray about that before you do anything. 23:46 That you need to look at all of the problems that come 23:51 with having the blessing of a baby. 23:54 You know, there's, who's going to pay the bills? 23:58 Who's going to take care of that child when it's sick? 24:01 Who's going to take care of you if you're a teenage daughter, 24:05 or boy with a baby on the way? 24:08 Someone still has to take care of you, so how are you able 24:12 to take care of another human being? 24:13 You have to rely on someone, and who's that going to be? 24:18 There are a lot more things that are involved in having 24:22 a baby than just being intimate and having a baby. 24:25 Uh huh, uh huh, and this, what you're speaking to now, 24:29 is the potential eventuality, if you will, of if you're going to 24:34 engage in an intimate relationship, 24:36 a child is something that could happen. Exactly. 24:39 A child is something that... 24:40 And so what in essence I hear you saying to that young lady 24:43 is, You might want to wait. 24:46 You might want to think about that. 24:47 There's some, again, like you said, more important things. 24:50 There was a phrase going around when I was in school amongst 24:53 the young ladies, Books Before Boys. Uh huh. 24:56 You know, let's put books before boys. 24:57 Let's make sure that we're doing what need to do in school, 25:00 because God has blessed us. 25:04 I mean one of the first gifts that He gave to man was to 25:06 be fruitful and multiply. 25:08 But if you look in the Bible, this is something I'd like to 25:10 share with both of you, and maybe even you can share this 25:13 with Tyler, if he's watching, or you can share it with 25:15 him on your own time. 25:16 When God created Adam, Adam seemingly was perfect. 25:22 Everything was great. 25:23 Everything was just wonderful. 25:25 And God looked and said, It is not good that 25:28 man should be alone. 25:29 But I need you to know that there were a couple of things 25:32 that God put in place before He gave Adam an help meet. 25:37 I want you to notice that the first thing He showed him, 25:39 He said, Listen, Adam, here is your work. 25:42 Adam had a job. Before he ever got a wife, Adam had a job. 25:49 And then God said, Not only is your job to tend and dress 25:52 the garden, but here is where you will live. 25:55 Adam had a place for his wife to stay before 26:00 he ever had a wife. 26:01 So as you contemplate going to that next level, 26:04 and as you think about these things, you have to understand 26:07 that God in His perfect, infinite wisdom, 26:11 before He gave Adam a wife, He made sure Adam had a job, 26:17 and a place to stay that wasn't mom's house, it wasn't dad's 26:23 house, it was his own house. 26:24 You understand what I'm saying? 26:26 And then the third, and most important thing that I'd like 26:28 to just impart to you both, is that what God did, 26:32 that was he tested the mind of Adam. 26:35 You know, He said, Adam, what are these animals here? 26:39 And Adam was able to give a name to each one of those animals, 26:43 signifying not that He was originating the name only, 26:46 but that he knew exactly what God would call them. 26:50 His mind was linked to the mind of God. 26:53 And when sin entered the world, we lost that mind. 26:56 We lost our minds. 26:58 And so this is why Paul tells us in the book of Philippians, 27:01 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 27:05 So if you, from this point on, to the young lady, 27:08 and the young man that's watching, and is considering 27:11 intimacy, or considering possibly having a child, 27:15 think about these things. 27:16 If you don't have, first and foremost a job, if you don't 27:19 have a place to stay, and most importantly, the mind of Christ, 27:23 then you're not ready for this responsibility. 27:26 You're not ready for this responsibility. 27:28 I, again, I still applaud and commend your bravery. 27:31 And I'm sure, I'm sure, that as your mom said, 27:34 you'll be a good mom. 27:35 And maybe this child, you can share those three things with. 27:38 If they come to you, Mom, I'm thinking about going to the next 27:41 level with my boyfriend, my girlfriend, you can say, 27:45 Well, here's something that a pastor told me: 27:48 job, place to stay, mind of Christ. 27:52 And you, even now, are still afforded the ability. 27:55 You can dare to dream that this won't be 27:58 repeated with your child. 28:00 God bless you, and we welcome you on your new journey, Mariah. 28:05 Thank you. |
Revised 2016-07-12