An Open Letter to Maddi Runkles, Teen Mom

Maddi Runkles, teen-mom-to-be, recently made national news when she was banned by her Christian high school, Heritage Academy, from walking in her graduation ceremony. Why? Because she’s pregnant and chose to keep her baby. You can read her very own account of this from the Orlando Sentinel HERE. Maddi Runkles and her story have touched me at the deepest level.

Photo Credit: Andrea Tierney

June 4, 2017

Dear Maddi,

I’ve been thinking about you a lot. You’ve been the topic of conversation in the faculty lunchroom. We stand with you. By all appearances, you are an involved, hard-working student with leadership skills. But you’re human too. Now, the trajectory of your life has shifted and you’re going to be a mom. Unfortunately, your school is punishing you for that.

Maddi, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry on behalf of people who call themselves Christ-Followers, yet would treat you in such a fashion. Being a student at a Christian school, I am sure you have learned all the accounts of Jesus and His interactions with sinners. I am also sure that you know that He treated each one with dignity, respect and grace. Each time, His kindness and mercy were the foundation upon which renewal was built. The woman at the well in John 4, the woman who anointed Jesus in Matthew 26, the woman caught in adultery in John 8…all of them received tenderness and mercy from the Lord. And so should you, dear one.

You see Maddi, I was you 26 years ago. The circumstances were a little different for me though. I went to public school, but I was in a youth group at the church where I grew up. But then, I wasn’t after it became known that I was pregnant. And it wasn’t just that I was banished from my youth group. That was bad enough. The real blow was that no counseling, or help, or grace, or encouragement was offered by the leadership. Then there were the parishioners. Many of them spent a whole lot more time talking about me instead of to me about how they could help or pray for me. One woman even humiliated my beloved grandmother at a women’s Sunday School luncheon by speaking ill of me and my child in front of a roomful of women. It was embarrassing and painful, as if my situation wasn’t difficult enough. However, like you, I also had wonderful and supportive parents, for which I am very grateful.

These slights and insults hurt my feelings deeply and I began to feel anger and resentment towards “God’s people”. This eventually caused my hurts to creep into an unsettled anger and frustration towards God too. I wondered why He would allow “His people” to behave this way and began to doubt that even He had tenderness towards me. But that was wrong thinking on my part and I implore you not to make the same mistake. As a result of my ill-feelings, I lapsed into a period of some years where I held God at arm’s length and wanted nothing to do with “those people”, or church, or God for that matter.

What I didn’t realize back then is that sometimes God’s people don’t do a very good job of representing Him. And frankly, I have been both the recipient and the perpetrator of that kind of mess in my lifetime. However, I eventually found a church where grace, mercy and Jesus’ love were the foundation of the message and at the heart of the people there. I learned about true grace, that restoration is possible, and that God’s love for us is not conditional.

What I didn’t realize back then is that sometimes God’s people don’t do a very good job of representing Him.

This is not to say sin is glossed over or ignored at my church. Accountability is important. However, broken and sinful people (which we all are) are never cast aside and left to figure out what’s what on their own. Addiction, unplanned pregnancy, and any number of other things that might cause people to be ostracized are actually inspiration for a variety of support groups and ministries at our church.

My advice to you? Find a place like that, Maddi. Find a community of faith that will love you and your precious son and encourage you to regroup and be restored. Find people who will support you as you seek Jesus and move forward with dignity. I pray that you don’t allow the hateful and not-very-Christlike ways of some to color your opinion of Christ Himself. No failure, no mistake, no poor judgement is beyond the reach the cleansing blood of Jesus and His desire to love you and show you grace.

A very kind retired pastor, who wasn’t even a member of my former church, started a young adults’ group. He did this specifically so that I, and another young couple from youth group who were teen parents, would have a place to go and connect in a small-group setting with other believers. I will never forget his kindness, which played a significant role in my restoration.

Maddi, I wish you could see me now. My baby girl is all grown up and a college graduate. I am happily married to a man who adopted her and has been the only father she’s ever known. I am a high school teacher and God has provided me the opportunity every one of my 13 years of teaching to minister to young women like you. Girls who have had babies, or are pregnant, or have had abortions have sought me out because they knew they could talk to me. For that reason, I’m not shy about my story. I ask Him every September to show me who I need to see. And He does, every single time.

Don’t be ashamed of your story. Tell it. Explain the hard truths that you learn while your story unfolds. Share how God redeems and restores. Let it be a means of pointing others to Jesus. Use it for God’s glory, because that is what He wants. Nothing is wasted in God’s economy and your mess will become your message in His hands. Your choice to acknowledge and accept responsibility is touching millions of people. We see you. We support you. We are praying for you. And maybe, dear Maddi, the lives of  unborn babies will be saved because you took a stand while taking a fall.

And maybe, dear Maddi, the lives of  unborn babies will be saved because you took a stand while taking a fall.

I am praying for you and promise you that the words of Revelation 21:5 are true. Rock-solid truth is found in them:

And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

May God abundantly bless you as you move forward, eyes fixed on Him. May your parenting be guided by His wisdom and may your heart be healed and restored as you move on into a future filled with hope.

Yours in Christ,

Tracy (Former-Teen-Mom-Turned-Teacher)

23 thoughts on “An Open Letter to Maddi Runkles, Teen Mom

  1. I’m in tears. This is powerful and beautiful. I love how strongly you take a stand for kindness and cooperation to be displayed to those who take responsibility for their actions. You’re a true inspiration to us all.

    1. Thank you so much. Having been in her shoes, I know how much it hurts. Love is the only response.

  2. Amen sister!! Thank you for sharing your heart and praying you too dear Maddi, if you read this, experience Christ love for you trusting his arms that are open always, and he is happy to hold you through these times.

  3. I actually got tears in my eyes by the end of your post. When I heard of this story these were some of my exact thoughts. Thank you for sharing your own story and being a mentor to the girls who need you.

  4. This is a beautiful and Christ-like response. It was brave, given the condemning climate of our world today. It was heart-felt and compassionate. Thanks!

  5. I’m going to tell all high school boys and girls this. Do not fear having sex before marriage and having children for there are sooo many people who will love you, support you, and give you money for your future children regardless. Gone are the days where we cared about our future and going to college. Gone are the days where representing our families and surname meant something. I blame 16 and pregnant Tv shows. Who knew it was so hard to simply go to school, study, participate in extracurricular activities, go to church, follow the law, and not become teenage parents. Maybe my parents dropped the ball. Maybe their parents did too. This new generation I am apart of is something else. 🙁

    1. Tracey, I think you are right that the glorification of teen pregnancy is an issue – like with shows like 16 and pregnant. However, I could never claim that it was easy for me to be a teen mom. Yes, I had support but I also caused myself a lot of unexpected heartache and difficulty. That said, I think there’s always room for grace. People make poor choices, Christian or not. I sure did. Yet I also cared about going to college and my future, so I did. It took me nearly 12 years to finish my undergraduate degree before I went on to get my Master’s. It wasn’t easy, but with God’s help and support from loved ones, I did it. If I could choose what I would tell high school boys and girls, I’d tell them that God loves them and that it’s easier to follow His plan because He knows best. However, I would also tell them of His grace and mercy, which abounds to sinners one and all. I consider myself a trophy of God’s grace.

  6. Maddie had well-off parents. So
    many single teenage unmarried
    mothers do not. Many are
    themselves living with single moms
    and money is super tight. Maddie
    knew she could stay with her
    parents and brother; she would not
    be forced Into some low wage work
    straight out of high school just to
    survive. She could take her time and
    go to college while having a home
    and income from the grandparents.
    If only all families were so well-off
    and so open to children without
    fathers…
    but go around the world and see,
    almost nowhere is it accepted,
    except reluctantly when it cannot
    not be undone. Some cultures are
    stricter than others, but the
    pressure is almost always on young
    women to avoid illegitimate children
    and therefore sex before marriage.
    There’s nothing new under the sun.
    Maddie made a calculated risk that
    she wouldn’t be sent to a mother
    and baby home and forced to give
    up the baby for adoption. So many
    poor girls had to do that and still do.

    It’s all about money as usual! Hope
    her parents will keep on having good
    health and income to support her.

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