SUSAN [Names have been changed to respect confidentiality.]

When I was a freshman in college, my boyfriend and I had started having sex at the beginning of the year. He was the first one I had ever had sex with. Then I missed my period and felt nauseous so I took a home pregnancy test that was negative. Still, I wanted to be sure, so my boyfriend and I went to the Pregnancy Help Center for a free pregnancy test.

My counselor, Elizabeth, asked me, "Susan, are you ready to be a mother, if you are pregnant." I said, "No." Then she said, "So why are you having sex?" I answered, "Because it feels good." Then she said, "So you want the pleasure, but you don't want to take responsibility for your actions?" I said, "I never thought about it like that."

When, Elizabeth led me through the self-administered pregnancy test, I was nervous, scared, and felt all alone. I realized that I wanted to stop having sex until I was married, so I didn't have to live through this fear and worry again. Elizabeth encouraged me to consider "Secondary Virginity", a second 'chance.' She explained that this would be difficult to uphold without the help of Jesus.

Several weeks later, Elizabeth called me to see how I was doing. I told her that I wasn't pregnant and my boyfriend and I had not had sex again. I did not want to have sex until I was married. Going to the pregnancy center really helped me see a different way to live my life. Sharing what was on my heart during a time of great anxiety helped me to follow God's ways, and not my own.