Jamie Lynn as a good example

I've been thinking this for awhile but haven't put my words on paper (or a computer screen). Jamie Lynn Spears obviously has not been a role model in the realm of chastity, but she has put forward a good example in another way: choosing life.

How much easier would it have been for Jamie Lynn to have an abortion and not have to tell the world about her pregnancy! Instead, she has made a courageous decision by owning up to the responsibilities that resulted from her choices. As I often tell our students, Spiderman says, "With great power comes great responsibility." When someone chooses to use the power of their sexuality outside of God's plan (well, even inside of God's plan), they need to simultaneously embrace the responsibilities that may come along with it.

Last summer I heard Janet Smith at a conference say, "There's no such thing as getting pregnant by accident." Sex and babies go together. God made it that way. They are not supposed to be separated.

So, Jamie Lynn, while not making good choices when it comes to sexuality, has shown young people that it takes courage to take responsibility for one's actions. By giving life to her baby, she will be making a brave choice that deserves to be recognized as such. It's too late to change past behavior, but we can still take away valuable insights from Jamie Lynn.