“I’m pregnant.”
These two words can be the beginning of one of the most extraordinary
times in a young couple’s life together. The joys of becoming a parent, the thrill of the birth, the delight at every advancement in the new life - nothing else quite compares.
But an announcement of pregnancy also can be one of the most discouraging moments young people will ever experience. If the pregnancy is unwanted, either because of bad timing early in a marriage, or because there is no marriage, only three options present themselves to the mother and father: having an abortion (see: Sexuality Issues), keeping the child themselves, and placing the child up for adoption.
Are You Ready to Be a Parent?
- Are you willing to give the next 18-20 years of your life to be responsible for your child?
- Can you raise a child and still meet your own school, career and social needs?
- Can you meet all the responsibilities of being a parent without having to depend on your family to take over for you?
If a young parent answers no to any of these questions, then they should seriously consider adoption as the best and most loving life giving choice for themselves and their child.
Adoption is a legal procedure, which places a child with adoptive parents who raise the child as a member of their own family. The child legally becomes a permanent member of the adoptive family.
Adoption may also be the answer for couples that are unable to have biological children. Couples wanting to adopt a child must apply and be accepted as prospective adoptive parents by a government approved agent. A thorough home study is done to ensure that the couple will be able to give proper care and love for the child.
Wanting to provide a secure family for a child reveals both love and maturity. Getting married because you are pregnant is widely recognized as a poor basis for building a loving family. Marriage failures are high for those who marry under such pressures.
For more information, contact: Adventist Adoption and Family Services, 6040 SE Belmont Street, Portland, OR 97215, (503) 232-1211. Or visit: https://adoption.com/seventh-day-adventist/
From: ABZ’s of Adventist Youth Ministry
© 2000 John Hancock Center for Youth&Family Ministry
Permission to copy for use in the local congregation or group.
