Becoming a Mom at 17: Finding Grace in Poverty and Uncertainty

A Pizza Place and First Love

At 16, I picked up a second job at a little pizza place. Working meant independence — a way to avoid the strings attached to everything I accepted at home. Things like food, clothing, personal care items.

The pizza place became more than just a paycheck. The crew was fun, the atmosphere light, and it’s where I met the love of my life. Kind, thoughtful, respectful, and hilarious — he was exactly the person my heart needed.

“Despite my dad’s disapproval, my soul knew he was someone I needed in my life."

The Plus Sign That Changed Everything

A year and a half later, I realized my cycle was late. Even before I took the test, I knew. Standing in the bathroom at work, the pink plus sign appeared, and my stomach dropped.

My mom’s reaction? “I’m too young to be a Grammy.” Then: “Your dad is going to shit a golden brick. Let me tell him.”

He didn’t speak to me for three months. Living in the same house but being invisible to him taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: the kind of parent I never wanted to be.

Family Opinions and Hard Lessons

At four months pregnant, a beloved aunt took me to breakfast and said I either needed to get married or give up the baby. Her bluntness hurt deeply.

“Instead of love and support, I was met with conditions — but it only strengthened my resolve to choose my own path.”

That summer, I transferred to a school for young parents. Many of the girls were younger than me and already had multiple children. It was eye-opening and humbling, but I felt grateful for my supportive partner.

Marriage, Motherhood, and Proving Them Wrong

My boyfriend and I knew we wanted marriage, even before the pregnancy. At 17 and 18, we said “I do” and moved into his mom’s spare bedroom.

Another aunt boldly predicted, “You won’t last a year.” Those words hurt — but they also fueled our determination to fight for each other, especially when things got hard.

“Sometimes the very people who doubt you become the reason you keep going.”

Judgment and Resolve

I’ll never forget running into an old coworker when my son was four months old. I was glowing with pride, eager to show off my sweet baby. But when he realized the baby was mine, his face shifted into disgust.

It broke me — and then it lit a fire. I refused to let judgment define me.

“That moment taught me a truth I still carry: it is never our place to judge another’s journey.”

Struggling, Working, and Trusting

Financially, life was crushing. We were $6,000 in debt with medical bills before I was 18, couldn’t afford furniture, and ate hot dogs at a cooler we used for a table with milk crates as chairs.

At times, state assistance seemed like the easy answer, but deep in my gut I knew: if we wanted long-term stability, we had to build it ourselves.

So I worked. Retail during the week. A diner on weekends. And a full-time medical billing program during the day. For nine months, I logged 70-hour weeks. It was exhausting, but I felt divinely guided every step.

Eventually, I landed a steady job, and slowly we paid off the debt. By the time our son was four, we bought our first home.

“After years of struggle, the feeling of owning a home was pure gratitude.”

The Wisdom

Looking back, I see how Spirit guided me one step at a time. I didn’t know how to be a mother, a wife, or a provider at 17. I only knew the next step — and then the one after that.

The Takeaway

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You only need to take the step right in front of you, trusting that Spirit will reveal the path as you walk it.

The Invitation

Have you ever faced a season where you couldn’t see the whole path? How did you find your way through? Share your story in the comments — and if you’re in that kind of season now, let this be your reminder: you’re not alone, and you don’t need to see the whole journey to keep moving forward.