Last week in Grand Rapids, an eighteen year old girl landed her first job out of High School. No big deal, right? A normal part of life.
What if we told it this way: Last week in Grand Rapids, a single mom of a 3 month old baby boy, fresh out of high school, with no parents in the picture, landed the job she needed to support herself and her infant son.
And her YoungLives mentor was in the car waiting as she completed her interview and received the news. In fact her YoungLives mentor had driven her all across town, and helping her fill out countless applications because she knew how much this young mother needed the job to support her new baby.
Maria was a senior when she first walked into the YoungLives school lunch, she had just found out she was pregnant the day before and was clearly burdened by the news. She was fairly certain she was going to terminate the pregnancy, she couldn’t see another way out. One of our YoungLives leaders, Natalie, felt immediately drawn to her, she didn’t want to see Maria in this journey alone.
Natalie and her YoungLives coordinator offered to take Maria to the Pregnancy Resource center so she could take a pregnancy test understand her options, that there were other choices for her than terminating the pregnancy.
Maria declined and instead scheduled an appointment to have an abortion the following Wednesday.
Two days before the abortion was scheduled, the area in which her YoungLives club was located hosted their annual golf tournament fundraiser and Natalie, still burdened with Maria’s story and feelings of helplessness, asked everyone in attendance to pray for Maria. And they did. Hundreds of people going before the Father and asking that he give Maria hope and an ability to believe that she was not helpless.
Father we pray that Maria would make a different choice.
“Oh sweet girl, if only you knew how many are praying for you, you are not alone.”
The next day, not twenty-four hours later, Maria walked into the YoungLives lunch at her school: “I don’t want an abortion…”
Sometimes God’s provision is so sweet there are no words…
Throughout Maria’s pregnancy Natalie was one of Maria’s only constants, never knowing where she would pick Maria up from as she bounced from house to house.
Celebrating with her when she graduated high school in the spring.
Rejoicing when she returned to YoungLives club in the fall.
Offering her a bed in her home when her life was falling apart
Shedding happy tears alongside her as she held her healthy baby boy just before Thanksgiving.
Waiting in the car when she landed the job that would provide her and her son the stability and diapers they so desperately need.
And as their relationship grows, so does Maria’s belief that maybe there is something to all the Jesus stuff she hears at club. Maybe there really is a God out there who loves her and her son, who had her back, who sent her Natalie. Maybe…
If you want to learn more about YoungLives, click here. If you want to donate or get involved email greatergryounglives (at) gmail (dot) com.
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