I've been with my boyfriend in a relationship for about five months now, but we've been good friends for about two years now. We started having sex about a month ago, and earlier this month I started having weird symptoms. So two days ago, I took a pregnancy test. It came out positive. I told him, and he said that he would stay with me through all of this. I promised I'd take another test two days later, so I took one this morning and it was positive once again. I'm terrified of what to do now. My dad is a minister, and my mom's a nurse. My older sister's always been a high-honor student&is 21 now attending college. I've always felt like the 'screwup' of the family, and this just adds to it. What should I do from this point?

First, tell your mom. Then just take care of yourself and your baby. What's done is done. You will be surprised how much people will help and support you. Just do what's right and everything else will fall in place.

Best of Luck and God Bless You and Your Little One

Hello,

My name is Olivia and I work at a Crisis Pregnancy Center in Gallup, NM. I'm not a counselor, but I wanted to write and encourage you. I know you're feeling really scared right now. You're nervous about how your parents will respond and about what other people will think of you. Keep your head up.

I know you're probably afraid that your parents are going to be ashamed of you, and if your father's a minister you may be afraid of how the church members will respond or what they'll think about how your parents raised you. If they are living their Christian lives right, your family and church family will accept you despite your condition NO MATTER WHAT. Guess what...every one of them has sinned before, so they have no ground to judge you, and in God's eyes sin is sin (Luke 6:37).

God's message is one of love and forgiveness, and He expects us to show love and forgiveness to everyone. I don't know if you're a Christian, but I'm sure that you know a lot about the Bible if you're a PK (preacher's kid). Jesus died so our sins would be wiped away in God's sight, so God would see us like we never sinned. He paid the price for every one of our sins (even the ones we haven't done yet) so we can have a relationship with God and spend forever with God in heaven. To get God to forgive you, all you have to do is ask for it! (1 John 1:9)

Your parents have probably been telling you to wait to have sex until your married, but I'll bet that to get your parents' forgiveness, all you have to do is ask for it. If they're Christians they have a responsibility to forgive you (Luke 17:3). After you ask God for forgiveness, be sure to forgive yourself, too. Don't think that you're a screw up and that you don't do anything right. Don't dwell on all that you've done wrong, think about what you can do right from this point on. Look at the time you've got left in life and what you can do with it. The possibilities are endless! Jesus says that he came so we could live life to the fullest (John 10:10).

I'm sure that your parents love you very much and will go out of their way to love you and your baby-that's unconditional love (agape love, Godly love). You're probably less than a month pregnant, but the sooner you tell your parents the better. You'll want to get to the doctor to make sure you get good prenatal care to make sure the baby gets what it needs.

Don't think about comparing yourself to your sister or how she's a success and you're not because you got pregnant. Life isn't over for you. It's going to be different, but you can still go to college, get your dream job (if you've got a dream job), and marry a wonderful guy. Your 15, you can still have an awesome life! Ask your family and God for forgiveness and start looking at your new baby as a blessing. There's a little person inside of you now, and God knew that baby before it was even formed (Jeremiah 1:5). The baby didn't do anything wrong, so look at it with a loving heart not like it's the enemy.

If you want to talk to someone, you can call me (505) 722-3299 or the Crisis Pregnancy Center (505) 722-3445. I'm not a counselor, but I can listen and encourage you. I also have access to a lot of information and know several peer counselors that you can talk with. I'll be praying for you.

Love in Christ,
Olivia

I hope I didn't sound like I was preaching at you, but I wanted you to know what the Bible says about forgiveness from God and Christians since your dad's a minister.

Dont think of yourself as the family screwup. you need to think about what you are going to do. and soon very soon you need to tell your parents that you are pregnant. dont be afaird tell them later will hurt them more. i kno that its hard. believe i've been there. so you have to tell them. talk to them about how you feel and what you want to do. you can still go to school and get an education. it just might be a little harder. you can still do everything you want to if you believe

hi amanda, i dont think that you should feel like the family screw up...thats no way to think of yourself. i dont kno much about being pregnant, but right now im having a little pregnancy scare of my own and i wont find out if i am or not until monday. but im 16, not much older than you are. im really scared and i have absolutely no idea what im gonna tell my mom. all i kno is that shes gonna kill me when she finds out that im pregnant...if i am pregnant. but yah just kno that you are not alone in all this and take care okay. good luck!!

I have been in your shoes. The only difference was I did finish high school but I had just moved out of my parents house, worked at a gas station and thought partying at 20 was the high light of my life. In a way I guess my mentality was that of a teenager ( wanting to party and such). My son was born 2 months before my 21st birthday. The father swore he would help but I found out after I got pregnant he was addicted to crack. I woke up and realized that life had only really begun for me. I worked long hours, stayed up lots of nights with a colic baby who had acid reflux. (Washed more clothes than wal-mart could sell (lol) but it was worth it.) When my son was 2 1/2 I decided if I was ever going to make it in life I needed a college education. So I got assistance and went back to school. Long days at school, late nights with my son and studying but again it was worth it, because I can be a better example for my children. I am now 28, married to a great man and have 2 other children. Right now you are probably scared to death. Trust the love of your family for support but realize that life as you once knew it is over (you have to be realistic). Don't give up on your dreams because if you do you will be that screw up you were afraid you were. You may have to take a different road that will be harder to travel than you originally thought. You made a mistake, but God doesn't make them! That baby will be the best thing you will ever have. Show your baby all the love and support you want from your family and the future is wide open for you and your baby.

Good Luck