This I Believe

I believe everything happens for a reason. Something unexpected could happen to you, but I believe God made it happen to better you as a person.

In 2006, my cousin Tawni was at a hard time in her life. She was mixed up with the wrong crowd, and a had a boyfriend that treated her like dirt. Tawni was in love with her boyfriend, Cory, or so she thought. He filled her head with lies and made her think she could never find anyone as good as him. In October of 2006, Tawni had a surprise that would change everyones lives. She was pregnant! When she told Cory, he broke up with her. Everything was going wrong. She was in school and dropped out because she couldn’t handle the pressure of being pregnant in school. After Christmas things started to change.

Tawni moved to Louisiana with our grandparents. She met new people who didn’t judge her because she was pregnant at a young age. Tawni got her GED and began working for my grandpa as a secretary at an oilfield company. When she came back to visit family, she met an old boyfriend. His name was Aaron. They began talking and got back together. Tawni remained in Louisiana during her whole pregnancy. Things kept getting better in her life. Aaron was by her side every step of the way. It was finally for the baby. Aaron drove seven hours to be at the hospital when the baby boy they named Brylan was delivered. Tawni is an excellent mother. Brylan made her age and become a better person.

In 2008, Aaron proposed to Tawni. Of course she said yes. They will be getting married May 9. Tawni couldn’t be happier. I get to be her maid of honor, I’m very excited too.

When Tawni got pregnant this quote, by John Wooden, came to mind, “If you not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” If she wouldn’t have gotten pregnant, she would still be hanging out with the wrong people. She would have the boyfriend that treated her horribly. But worst of all she wouldn’t have Brylan.

Tawni’s experience has helped me understand that even though things seem bad at first, they always turn out the way God intended them to be.