“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” - Genesis 1:27 

If you haven’t read Part 1 of my story, I encourage you to go back and read it to continue forward in this journey.  I could continue in the middle or the end of my story, but I’m going back to the beginning.  All the way back to Genesis, in the Bible, and the genesis of my life, where stories begin. The heart behind why I do everything.  Jesus loved us, created us, and passionately pursued us. He designed us for relationship. He wanted a relationship with us, so He created Adam.  Then, He saw Adam alone and created Eve to be a helpmate, a partner, and a reflection of His love for us. Marriage, the beautiful example of His pursuit and love for us brought together by the unity of two people.

Every story, every life begins with the unity of two people.  The genesis of some of us are broken, marred by this world, while others are filled with beauty and joy.  Usually it’s a mixture of both, a back and forth throughout life. My beginning was a little different. Imagine a 15-year-old cheerleader, an 18-year-old boy with a guitar and a motorcycle in the Appalachian mountains.  Sounds like a classic romance novel, right? Well, that was actually my parents. Married at 15 and 18-years-old. About a year later, I came along.  

A 16-year-old girl caring for a new baby, dropping out of high school to care for another life.  On top of that, a 19-year-old boy enlisted in the military and attending basic training. I was born on a military base in Missouri.  It was the beginning of a life filled with wanderlust for me, as well as the start of a new family.  

The beautiful thing about God’s story is it starts with marriage, but continues into family.  In God’s perfect design, the love of two people multiplies in the form of tiny humans. Those children are loved because of the love of God and the love of their parents.  Today, we get so caught up in ambition and material things. God’s plan was never for materialistic things. It was never for the brokenness we’ve seen today - children without homes, adults wandering around alone.  

God’s plan is really so simple.  It is to have a relationship with Him and with each other; to love the Lord and each other.  Anything else, even a home for teenage mothers, is secondary. All of the world’s trappings will go away, but our relationships will carry into eternity.  That 15-year old girl and 18-year-old boy? They are still together today. Because of a Christ-centered relationship, they raised me and my sister who came along seven years later.  How could I not start a home for teenage mothers when I know the truth of what they’re capable of - especially with Christ?  

Statistics show that children of teenage mothers are increasingly likely to end up in prison, become a teenage mother themselves, live in poverty, or drop out of high school.  God says otherwise. I’m living proof. Commit your relationships to Christ, your marriage (or future marriage), and family to Christ. With Him always at the center, He wins every time.  Tune in next month to hear more of my journey to start a home for teenage mothers!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alycia Marie is a free-spirited missionary and follower of Christ. She spends her days wandering around the city with the unique family that God has given her. At this time, she is currently working with two non-profits to tackle rebuilding families in the city of Milwaukee. In her free time, she plays with preschoolers, writes in coffee shops, and travels the world.