I always hesitate when I write about out of wedlock pregnancy. I don’t want to mislead any teenagers that it’s okay and will work out in the end. The Bible still says sex outside of marriage is wrong, even though the world says different.
However, I know it happens every day and some teens involved are professing Christians. When that happens, the family tends to love them through it, which is the right thing to do. But I worry that when we love them through it, we don’t make sure they realize they sinned, need to ask for forgiveness, and turn away from that sin.
I’ve written about unmarried pregnancy twice. In Rodeo Reunion, my heroine was unsaved and living with an abusive boyfriend. Just when she got the courage to leave him and press charges, she found out she was pregnant. In the end, a good Christian man fell in love with her, married her, and adopted her child.
I really worried that the book would send the wrong message. Especially to teenage girls who are so desperate for someone to love them. I was careful to show my heroine’s regret for past mistakes and that not many pregnant women find a good man like she did.
In my current title, Hill Country Redemption, my hero and heroine were high school sweethearts. Neither of them were Christians back then and they slipped out at night and slept together. Her dad didn’t approve of the hero and tried to interfere. Since her mom died when she was a young teen, the hero wanted to keep her relationship with her dad intact, and broke up with her.
And then she found out she was pregnant. By then, the hero was dating someone else to prove to her dad he was leaving the heroine alone. But she didn’t know that. After graduation, she left town and kept her little girl a secret.
Eight years later, she has to return after her dad’s death to sell her childhood ranch. She thinks the hero is still off riding broncs following the rodeo circuit. But surprise, he just bought the property next to her ranch to start a rodeo stock contracting business. Since it’s romance, you know they end up together. The story is about how that happens.
Both Christians now, I try to show their guilt over the mistakes that led to teen pregnancy, even though they don’t regret the blessing of their daughter. I also try to point out that them ending up together beats the odds of most relationships that result in teen pregnancy.
I hope I walked the tightrope and told Rance and Larae’s story well. That I can encourage girls in Larae’s situation without sweeping sin under the rug. Most of all I hope to encourage them that there are guys out there like the adult, Christian version of Rance.
This cowboy has one more chance to make it right…
He already lost her once…
Now he’s fighting for her—and their daughter.
When Rance Shepherd takes a job stocking cattle for a local rodeo, he’s shocked that his new client is his ex-sweetheart, Larae Collins. Now he’s determined to prove to the single mother that he isn’t the restless cowboy she remembers. But when he discovers her little girl is his, they both must forgive past mistakes for a second shot at a future together.
Get your copy:
(Also available at Walmart from mid-March until mid-June)
Award winning author, Shannon Taylor Vannatter writes contemporary Christian cowboy romance and has over a dozen published titles. A romance reader since her teens, she hopes to entertain Christian women and plant seeds in the non-believer’s heart as she demonstrates that love doesn’t conquer all—Jesus does.
She gleans fodder for her fiction in rural Arkansas where she spent her teenage summers working the concession stand with her rodeo announcing dad and married a Texan who morphed into a pastor. In her spare time, she loves hanging out with her husband and son, flea marketing, and doing craft projects.
Connect with her: Shannon’s Website, Shannon’s Blog, Shannon’s Facebook, Shannon’s Goodreads, Shannon’s Pinterest, Shannon’s Twitter, and Shannon’s Amazon Author Page. Sign up for her Newsletter to get a free e-book, recipes, behind the scenes info, & enter exclusive giveaways: Shannon’s Newsletter
Answer this question to get in the drawing for a copy of Hill Country Redemption: If unwed pregnancy has touched your life, what wisdom did you gain from the experience?
Giveaway Details: Ten copies of Hill Country Redemption will be split among commentors on Shannon’s blog tour. Winner’s will be revealed on Shannon’s Blog on April 13th.
Visit her on other blogs too for more chances to win:
Feb 23rd – Reading Is My Superpower Blog: https://readingismysuperpower.org/2020/02/23/love-stories-giveaway-hill-country-redemption/ (The giveaway on this blog has ended, but if you comment here, you’ll be in my drawing)
March 1st – Becky Van Vleet’s Blog: http://www.beckyvanvleet.com/home-decor-with-nostalgia/
March 17th – Shannon’s Blog: https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/
March 20th – https://shannontaylorvannatter.com/inkslinger-blog/
March 25th – The Seriously Write Blog: http://www.seriouslywrite.blogspot.com (Seriously Write doesn’t participate in giveaways, but I thought you might want to check out my writing advice)
April 1st – Regina Rudd Merrick’s Blog: www.reginaruddmerrick.com/blog
April 7th – Jennifer Hereen’s Blog: https://jenniferheeren.com/blog/
April 6th – June Foster’s Blog: https://junefoster.com/?page_id=855
April 2nd – Joy Avery Melville’s Blog: https://www.journeystojoy.net/
April 7th – Catherine Castle’s Blog: https://catherinecastle1.wordpress.com/blog/
April 9th – Laurie Wood’s Blog: https://www.lauriewoodauthor.com/author-my-blog
Hey Jennifer, thanks for letting me share my thoughts on your blog today.
My husband and I had our son 2 weeks before we got married. We knew better than to have relations before the wedding and there were some consequences because of it. I guess the thing that I learned the most through it, was God is very forgiving, gracious and still loved us in spite of our mistake. We have a God-fearing 23 year old son that we couldn’t be more proud of!
If we could go back and to-do it the right way…we certainly would!
That’s awesome, Trixi. I love hearing stories of it working out and your son is a blessing indeed.
I look forward to reading these books. May I suggest that you need not hesitate about writing stories with this subject? I say that because if the Lord has laid it on your heart to write them, then He must have a purpose behind it. Someone, somewhere will read them and be touched by them. Just a thought. 😊🌸
I look forward to reading both of these books! May I suggest you don’t need to worry about writing this subject matter? It seems to me the Lord laid it on your heart to write it, so He has a purpose behind it. Someone, somewhere will read one or both books and be touched by them. Just a thought. 😊🌸
(P.S. sorry if this posts as a duplicate comment. I commented earlier and hit “post comment”, but it hasn’t shown up.)
Thank you, Heather. I am hoping my stories touch someone and I actually got an e-mail from a reader who was touched by Hill Country Redemption. Thanks for trying so hard to get your comment through.
Don’t do. Reality is men do NOT want anyone else’s child. I should know. 12 years later I am STILL SINGLE after leaving an abusive relationship. Only good thing is I didn’t have to go through a divorce along with everything else. God still can give you blessings in your sins and not having to fight through a messy divorce was one. I already had enough else to deal with being a single mom after leaving my ex and having to get an order of protection against him and later fight for child support after he tried to say it wasn’t his kid.
Sounds like a great book. I think it’s good to tell these stories. I have regrets from my past that I pray I’ll be able to share with my children when they are old enough and can properly convey the sorrow I carry in my heart. I look forward to reading this!
Thank you for the vote of confidence, Lisa. I’m sure we all have regrets. We’re human.
I’m sorry you had such a rough time, J. I really feel for single moms. Our son is 18 and my husband is a very hands on father. I can’t imagine having to do it by myself. There are Christian men out there who can fill in the gap. Our nephew married a lady with two kids by two different fathers a few years ago. They’re all so happy and he treats the kids like their his. When funds allow, he’ll probably adopt them. God definitely gives blessings, especially if you focus on him.