“I’m sorry for the religion that shamed you, scolded you, judged you, and knocked you down. But that wasn’t Jesus.”
‘I’ve seen so many people leave the church because they could no longer handle being treated less than in the place that was supposed to be their rest.’: Woman talks religious double standard
‘The nurse came in and said, ‘Her new parents are ready for her.’ Only 15, I kissed her soft baby cheek, and placed her into the arms of her mama.’: Teen mom embarks on ‘beautiful’ open adoption journey, ‘I couldn’t have picked better parents’
“I hid my pregnancy for 7 months. I should’ve been picking the perfect dress for Winter Ball. Instead, I was writing a birth plan. Once my sobs slowed, I looked at her birth father and said, ‘Those are the people who will raise our baby girl.’ I wavered. I fought. I broke. But in the end, I knew what I needed to do.”
‘I have something to tell you.’ I vowed to abstain from sex until marriage. I didn’t think he’d accept it.’: Couple vow to hold off on sex until their wedding night, ‘We have a strong foundation’
“I had a secret of my own. I had to spill the beans about sex. I was so nervous!”
‘We have two brothers, 12 and 8, that need a home.’ A week later, I got another call. ‘Can you take in a 5-week-old baby.’ I became a mom to 3 boys in days.’: Woman adopts 3 children from foster care
“She had been left in a bush in the freezing cold and was miraculously found. This little girl that had been unprotected and forgotten—was being held safely in my arms. ‘Don’t become a foster mom as a single woman. It’s a death sentence. You’ll be single forever.’ I had a decision to make.”
‘It’s going to be rough, PLEASE don’t let him remember.’ My bike flew into the air. Part of my skull was gone.’: Man recovers from horrible accident, ‘The love of strangers overwhelmed me’
“There was a speeding car behind me. I don’t have any memory of it. People from around the world started messaging my parents, letting them know they were praying for me. Tears streamed from my eyes.”
‘I found pictures. ‘You can leave now.’ They went to cut off the ‘mother’ bracelet. We prayed for a miracle.’: Woman describes adoption scam, ‘We are trusting in God’
“I asked if she thought she was for sure going to give her child to us, and she hesitated. ‘Come quickly!’ Things were going fast, and she didn’t want us to miss it. ‘She wants you to meet the baby.’ I stood outside the room bawling in my husband’s arms.”
‘My husband never holds my hand in public, but he brings home my favorite ice cream even though it’s not the grocery list.’: Woman says ‘my husband loves in quiet, and that’s okay’
“You’ll rarely see him gush over me on social media. Flowers do not arrive at my office on special occasions for the world to see. He loves in the quiet of holding my hand in his truck while we drive. He loves in quiet by sitting by my side on a porch swing, watching our children play.”
‘We saw bubbles at the surface of the pool. ‘Someone needs to get him up now!’ He was limp and grey.’: Family share shallow water drowning PSA, ‘Please let your loved ones know’
“This was a pool game we played all the time. We knew many family and friends who did the same. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.”
‘I prayed every night for years God would change me.’ The loving environment I created for my kids was now in full question.’: Christian mom to LGBT daughter urges ‘LOVE is the answer’
“My kid was suffering in silence, drowning in fear of being abandoned because of who she is. She felt in desperate need of being fixed, to feel worthy in the eyes of God and her family. Her pain busted me in two.”
‘They blatantly said, ‘Stop having kids, it’s too much.’ Without restraint, we had babies 9 and 10.’: Birth mom to 10 says ‘I didn’t plan this, but I am so blessed!’
“People are curious. I’m a petite woman. They ask, ‘Are they ALL yours…like, came out of your body?’ When I say yes, they follow up with, ‘…How did you do it?’ I don’t. WE do it together.”
