{"id":273099,"date":"2022-07-30T09:09:45","date_gmt":"2022-07-30T14:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=273099"},"modified":"2022-08-02T12:34:30","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T17:34:30","slug":"teen-mom-circumstance-message-hope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/teen-mom-circumstance-message-hope\/","title":{"rendered":"Teen mom chose life in a difficult circumstance, and now spreads a message of hope"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A teenage mother who got pregnant in high school hid her secret so she could avoid being pressured into an abortion. She overcame the potential hardship of teen parenting to have a successful career, and is now looking to help other teen mothers like her.<\/p>\n

Fear of disapproval<\/h3>\n

Linda Crump was a senior in high school and looking forward to attending college when she discovered she was pregnant. With her boyfriend away at an out-of-state college, she wondered how she was going to navigate the challenges of teen motherhood. Crump knew with certainty she wanted to keep her baby, that it was the right thing to do. But she faced a formidable task: informing her mother about her unplanned pregnancy, fearing she\u2019d pressure Crump to have an abortion.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kept my pregnancy a secret, confiding only in my aunt,” Crump told Live Action News. “When I was past the first trimester and no longer eligible to have an abortion, my aunt told my mother about the pregnancy. She was predictably upset.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amidst the rising tension with her mother, Crump went to live with her aunt until her daughter was born. Driven by a will to give her child a comfortable living, Crump soon secured a good job, but surprisingly, her mother contributed additional financial support.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce my daughter was born, my family became supportive, but I was still experiencing a strained relationship with my mother despite her efforts at helping me financially,\u201d Crump said.<\/p>\n

Finding support<\/h3>\n

A friend told Crump about Teen Mother Choices International (TMI), and how the organization helps to support teenage mothers through mentorship and parenting programs, like the Teen Mother Choices Program. Crump was initially skeptical, astounded that \u201cstrangers\u201d would be willing to offer aid to women like her without any benefit to them. Crump couldn\u2019t have known at the time how her experience with TMI would impact her life in substantial ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe environment at TMI was one of such love and empowerment,” she said. “I was paired with a great mentor whose love was overwhelming. She was such a positive influence in my life and believed in my potential. She was the wing beneath my wings, inspiring me to be a great mother and achieve my dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ: New York shames teenage mothers in attempt to drop teen pregnancy rate<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

While Crump was raised a Catholic and had attended Mass, religion seemed more of an obligation to her, without any real meaning. She didn\u2019t quite understand who Jesus was and what he represented. But through TMI, she came to know of the love and salvation Jesus offered. The year she graduated out of the program, Crump got baptized, and became a dedicated follower of Christ.<\/p>\n

Now, as a TMI graduate, Crump wanted to give back. Never showing any interest in running as a sport, she was fueled by a desire to support TMI\u2019s Teen Thrive mission and a newfound confidence in her abilities, to participate in fundraising marathons.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy biggest joy was running in the Chicago marathon,” she said. “I also served as a small group leader. I can never repay back what I gleaned from my years in the program but wanted to do my part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, Crump married her daughter\u2019s father after years of living together and being the sole breadwinner. She didn\u2019t want to marry without some assurance the relationship would work. \u201cIt was important to me that we marry for the right reasons,\u201d Crump said. \u201cIt was very difficult at first as my boyfriend was trying to finish college and needed to mature and get a good paying job. The onus fell on me during the early years of our relationship to support our family financially.\u201d<\/p>\n

During this time, her affiliation with TMI was vital in helping propel her career. While working at Walgreens in an entry level job, Crump had her sights on a better paying job within the company, but without a college degree, she didn\u2019t think she had a competitive edge. She was wrong.<\/p>\n

Crump said, \u201cA volunteer with TMI had some connections at Walgreens and got me an interview for the position and thankfully, I got the job.\u201d<\/p>\n