Close by to where I live, there is a shopping center known as The Square, where there is a variety of shops, restaurants and a movie theatre. It’s also a spot for young teens to hang out on the weekends.

In 2009, I began to notice a group of kids that seemed to be there all of the time; mornings, throughout the day, and the last to leave in the evenings as well. There was about fifteen of them and they would always be together.

I found out later, they were homeless.

I could not get this group of kids off my mind. Night and day I would find myself thinking about them. I would even wake up in the middle of the night, and start praying for them.

There was one girl in particular that I would always picture in my mind. I knew enough that the Holy Spirit was nudging me to go and find this young girl and talk with her.

One Sunday afternoon, I took my two girls up to The Square to get an ice cream with the hopes of seeing the kids and having an opportunity to talk with them. I didn’t see them so we decided to brouse through the fabric store. I noticed The Square’s security guard was there. I got excited thinking she would be a good person to talk to to find out what’s going on. I started up a conversation, and began asking her some questions about the kids. She immediately opened up telling me they are great kids, but homeless and that she is concerned about them and one person in particular…. a pregnant 15 year old girl.

She went on to say that she had been talking with her everyday; encouraging her to have an abortion and that she could take her to get the abortion, but warned her to take care of it as soon as possible because she was already 5 months pregnant.

I listened, handed her my card, and asked if she could help connect me to the young girl. She immediately grabbed her cell phone and called, who I will call, Ava. Ava picked up right away. I listened as the security guard told her that some lady would like to talk with her.

Ava was directly across the parking lot at Jack in the Box. She told the security guard to tell me to feel free to come and meet her and her friends. My girls and I quickly jumped into my truck and headed over to Jack In The Box. When I pulled up, Ava was standing outside, leaning against a wall by the front entrance.

She was young, beautiful, just starting to show, and very curious why I wanted to talk to her.
I told her all I knew at that point, which was God had put her on my heart and I want to help anyway I could. I asked if she had seen a doctor yet. She said, “No.” I told her I could help her to see a doctor or anything she needs. First thing she said was, “Can you take me to CAPS?” which stands for College Ave. Pregnancy Center. She said, ” I went there once and that is where I found out I was pregnant. They are really nice there. I would like to go back.” I didn’t know anything about CAPS, but I told her I would happy to take her, and that I would pick her up at Jack in the Box the next morning at 10:00 am. When I arrived that next day, she was where she said she would be and right on time. I was so happy to see her. I bought her something to eat at the drive through and we headed out.

Almost immediately after walking through the front door, the gal at the front desk, jumped to her feet when she saw who had walked into the room, “Ava! So nice to see you! How are you?” Ava looked surprised that she remembered her. I could see that she was really touched by that. The receiptionist brought her back to meet with the nurse and for a check up to see how Ava was doing. As soon as she was in the back room, the receptionist came up to me and quietly asked, “How do you know Ava?” Realizing at this point, I was in a place where doctors and nurses work to support pregnant mothers who are facing all kinds of situations, I shared how I met Ava. She said, ” We didn’t know if we would ever see her again. We haven’t stopped praying for Ava ever since she walked into our office a few months ago. We are so thankful to see her and that she is still carrying the baby!”

It was clear in that moment, I was a part of something God was doing. His eye was upon Ava and her child and He was connecting people to support this precious young girl. He had a beautiful plan for not only Ava, but this new life inside of her.

Now to make a long story a little bit shorter, I became very close to Ava over the next four months, and this is what I learned…. She had been adopted at four years old, and so badly wanted to keep this baby. Her parents kicked her out because she would not have an abortion. She not only wanted to keep the baby, but her plan was to hold on and parent this precious child as well.

We stayed close and talked almost everyday for the next four months. I took her to her appointments, and helped her with what she needed. She stayed with us whenever she wanted to…. It was a complete honor and joy to walk beside her through her pregnancy.

Over time, she was becoming more and more aware of the fact that she was 15, homeless, had no support from her family, and couldn’t give this child the life she so wanted the child to have. It was a tough situation that demanded a brutal decision; one she did not want to make.

I will never forget this one night….. It was winter, very cold, pouring rain outside and only a few weeks before the baby would arrive. Ava called me and asked if we could talk and now. I quickly jumped in my truck and drove over to The Square to meet her. She was freezing cold, in flip flops, soping wet and very pregnant. I knew something was becoming clear to her in that moment. She jumped into the passenger seat of my truck and with tears and a knowing in her heart, she told me she had decided to give the baby up for adoption.

In the next few days, we had an appointment set with a lady who connects young mothers to families. A couple days after that, Ava, her boyfriend, and I read over potential parent profiles. They chose one couple out of eight. However, we learned the next day, a different door had opened up for the family she picked, but another family had suddenly re-emerged. The year before they had been chosen to adopt a baby boy, after waiting fourteen years, but the mother changed her mind at the thirty day mark, and took the baby back. Ava heard this and said, ” I want to meet them.”

I will never forget sitting with Ava in the adoption coordinator’s office, with the couple who were trying to adopt again, when about ten minutes into the conversation, Ava looked directly at the couple and suddenly blurts out, ” I like you two! I want you to have my baby. And I will sign whatever paper that is saying I will not change my mind. I promise.” Tears, disbelief, and joy all around….I could see Ava felt peace about this couple and her decision.

She went into labor only one week later. The adopting parents joined me in the delivery room as I coached this mama to birth a beautiful, perfect, healthy baby girl into this world. Ava asked me to hold the baby for her, and place her into her new parents arms.

Ava wanted a open adoption, and the family did too. She has stayed close with the family and her daughter all these years, celebrating birthdays and holidays together.

God and Ava not only blessed this family with a child, but Ava was blessed with a beautiful, loving, family as well.

For it was always His perfect plan to adopt us as His children, through our union with Jesus, our anointed One, so that His tremendous love that cascades over us, would glorify His grace- for the same love He has for the beloved Jesus, He has for us. And this unfolding plan brings Him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5-6 The Passion Translation