Girls, could we talk? Trafficking is not the answer to your future.
I was a foster parent to brothers whose grandmother told their mother that if she wanted to make money to go out and have sex with guys. The example she set was not wise. Our former foster son is now serving time in prison for child pornography distribution.
I want to encourage you to pursue the purpose God has for your life, not the purpose your parents or friends or anyone else has for you. You have a unique gifting. His purpose for you is good. Believe me!
I have been married for over 60 years to my high school sweetheart. We were pretty much homeless when we met in school. My adoptive mother had gone off with another guy and told me I would have to finish school on my own. I was only 16 years old. I’m so thankful for the farm family I was working for who offered to take care of me until I graduated. My husband’s parents moved out of the area and he lived in the basement of his grandmother’s home that had been rented out to another family.
We got engaged and when we went to the courthouse to get a certificate to get married, the judge asked me if it was a case of “have to.” I asked him if he was implying that I was pregnant. I told him I was a virgin. He handed me the certificate. We graduated from high school on a Wednesday, got married the next Saturday, celebrated our honeymoon on Sunday and went back to work on Monday.
By the way, there were family members who would not come to our wedding because they said it would never last. Guess we showed them, didn’t we?
We are now the parents of seven wonderful children, 20 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren. We are so blessed to have them in our biological family. Our church family is larger than that. You would be amazed at how many people come up to me and call me mom, grandma, great-grandma. I love them. I love all of them.
What legacy are you going to leave your family? Do you want them to follow your example? What do you want them to say about you?
Charlotte Jennings, Federal Way
