Jessie’s Story

***Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this post belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs and viewpoints of Baby Steps.

I’ll never forget that day I found out I was pregnant. It was a cold Fall day at my house, I took a home pregnancy test and was so concerned because I was a selfish, naive and rebellious 16year old at the time. Partying and doing things I should not have been doing and thinking nothing bad would ever happen to me especially getting pregnant. Guess I thought I was invincible. You would never have guessed it though being that I was a “Christian” and went to church with my mom on Sundays but the rest of my days were living in sin. My ways caught up to me as they do in life sooner or later but what I didn’t realize at the time, was that God actually was setting me up with the best blessings in life and it was up to me to listen to that small voice. Of course, I heard the voices of others around me telling me to “just get an abortion” including the baby’s father. I felt like everyone around me was saying you’re too young, you have your entire life ahead of you and you’re going to ruin it by having a baby now! Including my best friend at the time who was pregnant as well but unfortunately got an abortion. My curiosity got the best of me and I remember opening up that phonebook in my kitchen and looked up abortions, I found Planned Parenthood, called them, got off the phone and said out loud to God, what am I doing?! I’m not going to get an abortion! I immediately went into the shower and cried out to God, and made promises to him that IF he got me through this then I would live the rest of my life for him and stop all my bad ways. It was then that I for the first time in my 16years of life felt the Holy Spirit come over me. 

I certainly felt overwhelmed, scared and alone during my pregnancy as the father left me and didn’t share with my mother the news until she found out through the mail about 4 months later since I was using her insurance to go to my prenatal appointments. Never occurred to me that they would send her a welcome packet congratulating me on my pregnancy! That was a very scary time and I was speechless when that happened needless to say. She was crying her eyes out and asked if it was true. She had never even met the father of my baby since I was sneaking around in a relationship with him being that he was 22 years old. You can only imagine how she felt, hearing that her baby girl is pregnant with a man’s baby she’s never even met and that I’m keeping the baby.

I went on that night to share with her the ultrasound picture I was already keeping in my wallet of my son. Yes, I was pregnant with a baby boy. I went on to tell her that even though I was a Junior at this time in HS I had took the initiative upon myself soon as I found out I was pregnant to accelerate my education and I was taking Senior classes my Junior year so I could graduate a semester early and get a jump start for the busy life I had in store for me once my son would be born. My mother eventually got on board with me and even found a College where my son and I could attend and live on campus together once I graduated from HS. That was a blessing in itself. Now, the college wasn’t what I really wanted as I always dreamed of going to school in NYC and study acting/dance but I knew that I needed to

make the right decision for not just for me but what was best for the both of us now that I was going to be a mother. At just 17years old with my 4 month old son we would embark on our journey at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa which happened to be only 1 1/2 hrs. from my home so it truly was a great opportunity to still get my Bachelors degree in Communications and even Minored in Dance, my other love. So all my dreams did not fade away by giving life to my son, in fact they were better than I could have ever asked for. My son was my motivation to always want to do better. Of course, the college years were challenging, being a full time college student, mother to an infant and working full time during summer breaks but it all was worth it and made me a better person as to who I am today and I wouldn’t change it for the world. It was through the strength of God that I got through my college years as a Deans student, dance choreographer and single mother! It’s amazing the doors He will open for you if you just listen to Him and go down the path He has set ahead for you. See, I never had to go to NYC to be on TV, it was back in my hometown that I would have that opportunity to do so. After my college graduation I moved back to Allentown, PA and worked for WFMZ TV in advertising. During my years there I wrote and produced voiceovers for commercials and was an actress in many others even including a movie. My last couple years there I went on to be the Entertainment Reporter for their Starwatch segment on live TV. Funny how God works if we only let Him lead the way and follow the path He has set before us.

In fact, everything comes full circle because the man that I married 10 years ago I met in a barbershop while taking my son for a haircut. If it wasn’t for my son I would never have met my husband 13 years ago. Ironically, after lots of conversations when we first met we realized we had been going to the same gym for years but not once did our paths ever cross. God is so strategic. He wanted our son to be part of our story as to how we met. My husband is not only a wonderful husband and best friend, he is the best father I could have ever asked for, for my son. He adopted my son once we got married and we can happily say that we raised him in a loving home and now is a college graduate himself working in a Marketing position which he went to school for. 

Nothing in life is easy and being a mother is the best rewarding job a woman will ever have. Surprisingly, through my unplanned pregnancy my respect and love grew deeper for my own mother and our relationship flourished and are very close to this day. I lost a lot of friends along the way when I first found out but that was God just weeding out the ones that were not true friends. When you go through something so life changing and traumatic at such a young age you definitely learn quickly that priorities shift, friends may change and being the best role model you can become for your own child is important because children learn by what they see. I love my son unconditionally who is now 22 years old and only pray he will follow the path God has set out for him as well. We all have a story, mine certainly could of been a lot different if I would of chose the easy way out (I was just one appointment away from it) but I thank GOD I did not and instead gave my baby boy life, because that’s what he deserves and every child deserves. I have made it my life mission to help save as many babies as I can in this world while I’m here. I am a pro-life advocate and motivational speaker who has volunteered over the years in faith based pregnancy centers, women’s homeless shelters, 40 Days for Life campaign, and have shared my testimony in schools. I pray my story will continue to have a positive impact in others lives including those reading it today with encouragement and inspiration. God bless and never give up!

Philippians 4:13