19-year-old sophomore student Morgan had just switched her major to nursing and was preparing for her winter finals when she decided to take a pregnancy test.

“It came up positive super quick,” Morgan recalls.

Pursuing purity was important in Morgan’s fundamental Baptist community. So when she found out she was expecting a baby, she felt a lot of shame and feared how her family, church and friends would react.

“I went to a private Christian school. I was raised in the church. Faith was an important part of my family. So to have to tell everyone in my world that I was pregnant or having a baby out of wedlock really impacted me,” Morgan says.

‘I DO CELEBRATE THE LIFE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME’

During her Christmas break, Morgan stayed in her apartment and isolated herself from the world. She was feeling depressed and considered abortion. She was doom scrolling on social media, watching content relating to abortions.

“One of the videos was someone who went through a pregnancy. She referred to her pregnancy as just a flu and had an abortion. That stuck out to me so much. I was the good Christian girl who was going to church, and I got pregnant. It flipped my world upside down. But then that made me realize what an opportunity it was to have God give me this life and for Him to give me my son,” Morgan says.

Morgan did her best to attend her classes in the spring, despite the nausea she experienced. She also worked the night shifts as a CNA while taking full-time classes.

“It was crazy, but I did it anyway,” Morgan says.

After the spring semester, Morgan lost her scholarship and decided to live with her parents. It was difficult to live at home because of all the guilt she felt. Morgan also received a lot of criticism from her Christian community. 

As word about her pregnancy continued to spread, she decided to create a post on Instagram regarding her situation.

“I do not celebrate this act of sin, but I do celebrate the life that God has given me, despite my sin. And despite my decisions, God has been gracious to me. That was the kind of narrative I tried to put out,” Morgan says.

‘MY SON IS HERE FOR A REASON’

Facing an unplanned pregnancy impacted Morgan’s faith. But with the support of a pro-life ministry called Embrace Grace, Morgan was able to find the encouragement she needed to navigate her pregnancy and grow closer to the Lord. She learned the true meaning of grace through the ministry.

“It completely changed my perspective on my pregnancy, completely changed my walk with God. In that timeframe, I decided to dedicate my child’s life to God, and I raised this child with the viewpoint that my son is here for a reason. God is the Creator and created him for a reason and gave me as his mother for a reason,” Morgan says.

As part of the ministry’s program, Morgan received a scholarship to continue her college education.

“The ministry just wrapped their arms around me, even after I left. They gave the baby showers at the end of the curriculum. And even with my husband, they definitely gave him support as well, which was huge,” Morgan says.

Morgan gave birth to her son, Hudson, in July 2023 when she was 20 years old. She started taking classes at a community college two weeks after labor.

“I was pumping and doing homework at the same time … Seeing my son run to me after class just makes everything worth it,” Morgan says.

Morgan got accepted into nursing school last summer and has been doing her clinicals since then. She will graduate in May 2025 and hopes to use her nursing degree to invest in the pro-life movement.

“My son just made it so much more worth it for me going through that and then even continuing into the next semester when I finished all my prerequisites for nursing,” Morgan says.

‘IT IS SO WORTH IT TO CHOOSE LIFE’

Morgan and her husband, Trevor, endured through many challenges when they chose life for their son. Morgan was busy focusing on her nursing degree, while Trevor was attending the police academy and serving with the U.S. Army National Guard.

“It was really hard for him what we went through at the start of the relationship, just went through a whole lot. One thing we both are so grateful for was the fact we chose a hard decision, but it is so worth it to choose life,” Morgan says.

They got engaged a few weeks before the birth of their son. Trevor got deployed in Iraq shortly after, and upon coming back to the U.S. in January 2024, he and Morgan eloped at a courthouse. They celebrated their wedding ceremony in May 2024.

“I’m grateful that I feel like I’ve worked hard for it. I’m very proud of that. But I also feel like God has equipped me to do that, and His grace is so much more sufficient than I think any of us really think. We have to remind ourselves that His grace is so sufficient and His grace gives you way more strength to take on things than you think you can on your own,” Morgan says.

Looking back, Morgan is thankful for the support she has received from the people around her. God has also given her an abundance of grace as she worked toward accomplishing her goals. She believes it is possible for moms to choose life while turning their dreams into reality.

“God is the only one who can give life, and you were chosen to be this child’s mom for a reason. There are people, there are resources, to support you. And if you’re reading this right now, your life is not going to be over. No matter how much you think it is, it is possible to continue to pursue your dreams and to live a life as full as possible,” Morgan says.