Monday, September 16, 2013

Being a Teen Mom



Being A Teen Mom

 

When our September Commercial rolled out as My Inspiration, I knew that it needed an explanation. And that is what this particular blog is about.  As I am humbled by the success of Revitalize with Rebekah. I have to give the glory to someone other than me. Because this company didn’t start like most successful companies have started. Typically the start of most companies goes something like this, “I attended a 4 year college majoring in business, and then minored in marketing, and then I got some investing money and moved forward into starting this company.” However, that is not my story; I did not get that comfortable beginning. See I didn’t get a good start on anything, quite the opposite. I was/am a teen mom.



I was a 16 year old when I got pregnant, and got married and had a baby. I then dropped out of high school my sophomore year to ensure that my child would not have the stereotypical “teen’s baby” childhood. I made up my mind the moment I had her to never get a babysitter, never put her in child care, and never live in a poor neighborhood with poor schooling. To accomplish this with little help seemed to be an impossible feat. But I was going to die trying. Shortly after my daughters 1st birthday I had gotten a job at a restaurant while my husband at the time stayed home. And shortly after that, I had gotten a divorce. With no family support, I had moved into an apartment as a 17 year old with a friend, and got my GED. My x husband had my daughter every Thursday evening into the weekend. To make sure I never left her with a babysitter I worked 40 hours in 3 days to insure that we would have enough money to survive. I would sometimes close the restaurant at 2-3 am, sleep 4 hours, wake up and be back to open the restaurant in the morning, 3 nights in a row.


 It was a very hard 5 years of my life, I was at the restaurant, attended online classes at Northampton Community College, and was a full time mom. It left me always busy, and always on the go. I believed and still believe that the best investment you can make is to play with your children, and to be one on one with them, be real, and have your children have a direct impact on your family. And that is what my daughter saw/sees. I didn’t make her clean her room, or teach her to read at a young age just because I wanted her to be well rounded. I needed her. Just as much as she needed me. I needed her to be “hands on” in my life, because she was all I had. I needed her to help me clean the bathroom before my virtual online classes started. I needed her to be patient with me when I was on the phone with a professor for an hour. I needed her to be my inspiration for aspiring to be a better mom and Christian. I needed her to show me I was worth more than a pregnant 16 year old. I needed her love, and I need it to know that I could pour love into others. 


My daughter supported me to start this company. She didn’t understand what that entailed when she volunteered to support me. But at the same time she didn’t understand what it meant to me when she would put the blanket on me when I fell asleep at 6 pm on the couch due to being over tired. She didn’t understand what it meant to me when she stepped into my conversations with people to brag on how great of a mom I am, or how hard I work. She didn’t, and doesn’t understand how greatly she has impacted me when she believes in me. Knows for a fact that I have no limit of greatness, she feels I can accomplish anything. And little does she know it, but she now knows deep inside of her that she can also accomplish anything, because she has seen me do it. So her goals in life are bigger than mine ever could be. 



Before when I said I have to give the glory of this successful company to someone else, I did mean my daughter. But I also meant the Lord. See, when I decided to give my life to the Lord at a young age, I gave him my future. And when I thought I screwed up my future by getting pregnant, I wanted to back track, and get an abortion. It being scheduled and everything planned. God used my sin for greatness. He changed the “typical teen pregnancy” outcome, to a miraculous story. Only one person I can give the glory to is Him, because he gave me my daughter.

I have been urged not to write this blog. To keep this company impersonal and to keep my past “in the past”. However the truth is that this company is different than anyone else, it isn't about just making money. Its about to be real and life on life. So here I am. This company is about having the ability to change families and homes everyday from the inside out.  Because we don’t just clean, we revitalize lives.

3 comments:

  1. Rebekah. I am so impressed with how this company has grown and so glad that you shared your story. It is such an important part of how you know what your families need when you revitalize their homes. I am so grateful for your help and inspired by your mission to help families make lasting changes from the inside out. As a single parent myself, I think of you often when i am able to look at the kids' baby memorabilia in my nicely organized attic, make a quick nutritious dinner from a pantry that is labelled and organized or like this weekend quickly locate and decorate my home with fall decorations by simply going into a bin labelled "Fall decorations) in my basement! You knew just what I would need to help my home run more smoothly and as a result more happily! I wish that I hadn 't needed daycare services for my little ones but with the help of you and your team when I am home with my family I can really enjoy spending time with them. Heartfelt thank yous and again congratulations on your success!

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  2. Your story is powerful Rebekah, and I agree that it should be shared. Yours is a story of how an unplanned pregnancy helped you move to greatness. Too many people equate unplanned pregnancy with "ruined life."

    I was an unplanned pregnancy. My mother had an abortion scheduled with me..yes, in 1972, before Roe v. Wade, abortion was legal in some states, and she planned to travel from PA to NY where abortion was legal. But my father found out and stopped her. I don't know why you stopped your plans, but I can tell you myself, that even living through a miserable childhood, I'm glad I was not aborted. I'm sure that your daughter, living with your doting affection, is even more glad that you did not abort her.

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    1. Thank you so much for your encouragement. It means so much that we can encourage others as well. God is a huge reason why I have succeeded so much. And my daughter was just the fire to push me. She is my all in all. I am so greatful for such a blessing as great as she is.

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