“I’m pregnant!” is supposed to be good news, the kind that most would-be moms celebrate.
Not Jennifer Polimino. Her moment of incredible joy was tarnished by feelings of guilt and shame from her past, the result of abuse that steered her in the wrong direction.
At age 12, Jennifer was nearly raped by a group of boys that hung out with her older sister. Jennifer was with them in an apartment with little furniture and no electricity. Four boys came after her at once and started pulling at her clothes. The only thing that saved her was a fifth boy who confronted them and pulled them off of her.
But sadly, at age 15, Jennifer was date raped by a boy who got her drunk.
Then at age 16, Jennifer began dating an older boy who was about to head off to college. She got pregnant and, after 4 ½ months of pressure from her sister and her boyfriend to have an abortion, she gave in.
Looking back, Jennifer believes that her life might have turned for the better much sooner if someone had come alongside her and said, “You don’t have to do this. Let me help you.”
Unfortunately, no one in her life stepped in to help, and she had shut out her parents because she feared she’d embarrass them. She felt trapped in a cage of secrecy and shame from the abuse she’d suffered.
Jennifer remembers sitting in church and crying the entire service because she suffered under so much guilt. She was so distraught she would repeatedly tell herself, “I never want to get married. I will never have children.”
Jennifer’s story is familiar to many of you. You’ve struggled beneath the weight of shame and guilt for years. It’s robbing you of your happiness and your peace. Maybe like Jennifer, you had an abortion but didn’t understand how complex and multi-faceted the grieving process can be.
I encourage you to join us for our conversation with Jennifer Polimino on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “A Mother’s Heart Redeemed By God.”
Her story is one of restoration and victory after a long prodigal journey. Jennifer is an author, a health and fitness instructor, and the happily married mother of two. She’s also living proof that God never grows weary of redeeming us out of our poor choices.
Join us on your local radio station, online, oniTunes, via Podcast, or on our free phone app.
If you need to speak to someone, we have caring Christian counselors on staff, and it would be their privilege to offer you a free initial consultation. Call us, leave your name and number, and they’ll get back with you just as soon as possible. The number during business hours is 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
I also recommend Jennifer’s book, Praying Through Your Pregnancy. We’d like to make that available to you for a gift of any amount. Check our websitefor details. If you can’t afford it, we’ll find a way to get it to you.
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