Today's book is from Zondervan Press and is written for Teens; however, is also very appropriate for parents of teens. Teen Pregnancy can be a very difficult subject for parents and teens to discuss; yet, Teen Pregnancy is becoming a national epidemic. Even "good, church-going girls" are facing this dilemna in ever-increasing numbers.
Mary Rudine has never been called by her name. First she was called plain Mary, then that was shortened to M. R. But for a long time now, it's simply been Mister. Mister and her best friend, Sethany, are active participants in their church youth group and they sing in the choir. Both wear Promise Rings - they vowed to remain sexually pure until marriage.
But Mister didn't realize how difficult it would be to resist Trey. He said he loved her; he meant that didn't he? One night, she allowed her emotions to carry her away from those vows. One night; one time; and now there is a baby on the way. Mister can't tell her mother, or her best friend, or anyone. She feels totally alone - separated from everyone, including God.
She remembers her Mother's favorite book - one that she has repeatedly urged Mister to read. The book of poetry, Mary, Mary, is written from the perspective of Jesus' mother as she suddenly finds herself with child. Mister believes Mary just might understand what it is like to be pregnant before there is a groom.
Entirely written in poetic form, this is a book within a book. Sometimes Mister speaks; sometimes Mary speaks. Very tastefully written, this book shares a beautifully unique perspective - one that can be used as a starting point for family discussions.
The book isn't very long - I read the entire book in just a couple of hours. It can currently be found on the Kindle Best Sellers "Free" List at Amazon. If you do not have a Kindle, you can still take advantage of the free books Amazon offers by downloading the free Kindle for PC App. There are also free Kindle Apps available for iPhone and other brands of cell phones. Check at www.amazon.com/kindle to download the Apps or to see if there is one for your phone.
For those of you who have a different brand of eReader, such as the Nook from Barnes and Noble, you might be able to find this book formatted for your eReader.
I started to stop here and publish this post, but I felt that I needed to personalize this issue with our family's experience.
In the spring of 1999, my nineteen-year-old son introduced me to his new girlfriend. He was rebounding from a disasterous relationship with the previous girlfriend and I had hoped for some time for him to reassess what was important in his life. What I could not know that day was that in just a few short weeks time, my first grandchild would be on the way.
They chose to tell me first, fearing how her mother would react. I told them both that we would find our way through this together. Her mother demanded abortion. The entire story is one more appropriately shared via Sparrow's Song. Here, I will simply say that it wasn't easy for any of us, but we did work through everything together as a family. Today, in 2010, my son and daughter-in-love are still married and they have three beautiful children, ages 10, 9, and 8.
The appropriate time to discuss this issue with your teens is now - before circumstances force it. Most of all, let your children know that they can come to you without fear and that you will be there to help them through, no matter what the situation.
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