Hi! My name is Gemma, and I am the single mother to my beautiful daughter Josephine.
2021 was the hardest and most beautiful year of my life. I found out I was pregnant at 17 while trying to get out of an unhealthy relationship. My pro-life values were tested. It took all my courage to face this huge reality and change in my life. But the challenge didn’t stop there. A few months later, I lost the father to suicide and had to navigate this added, horrific situation, accompanied by guilt, shame, and regret. Thankfully, giving birth to my baby girl was such an amazing gift. Having Josephine was the biggest blessing in my life, but it has also been the hardest adventure I have ever had to undertake. Becoming a single teen mom has been scary, parenting alone is exhausting, and navigating the realities of choosing life is not easy.
These challenges have brought me to my knees and into a deep encounter with God's mercy. My beliefs have been tested, my relationship with Jesus has been tested, but through it all, Jesus was and continues to be victorious. I have been radically transformed; my faith is stronger than ever! Having touched such intense pain and been carried through, I am now confident in God's plan for me, and I daily seek to surrender everything to Him. I know that He is a good Father and will carry Jo and me through whatever rough waters still lie ahead.
Josephine is almost four years old now. Since working with survivors of sex trafficking in Colorado, Jo and I have been on quite a journey. At the beginning of this year, We moved to Ohio, following the Lord’s promptings without knowing exactly what was in store. All I knew was that He was inviting me into a deeper relationship with Him, and let me tell you—He has been so faithful. My love for the Lord has grown in ways I never thought possible, and His provision has been constant, even when the path has been uncertain.
Living in Ohio has been such a blessing. I’ve spent much of my time in prayer, drawing near to the Holy Spirit, and striving to remain open to His lead. I’ve been working as a nanny, which has been a beautiful opportunity to stay close to Josephine while providing for our needs. Parenting Jo is truly a dance—she pulls every ounce of energy, fire, and love out of me, often in the same breath. Watching her grow and explore her little world fills my heart in ways I never imagined and keeps me focused and hopeful as I work on becoming more patient and consistent. I have also been blessed with some incredible friendships, people who bring me so much joy and encouragement in my pursuit of holiness, and I am deeply grateful for them.
As I look ahead, I don’t know exactly where the Lord is calling me next, but I have so many dreams on my heart. I long to play the cello, to continue pursuing piloting, and one day (hopefully soon) have a home and a family. These dreams feel so big and far away at times, but I trust that God has placed them in my heart for a reason. Right now, my focus is on taking each step as He leads, knowing that in His perfect timing, all things will come together.
I still work with AromaRosary (aromarosary.com) to provide support for pro-life ministries and to spread my love of the rosary with others. I invite you to come along with me and to continue to help support Josephine and me as we serve the Lord through this work.
As I continue my journey as a single mother, your continued support means the world to me. I am so grateful to the Christian non-profit EquipNet, which will now be helping me manage all my donations. My goal is a consistent $3,000 a month, which will go toward living expenses, childcare, food, gas, insurance, and more. While nannying has been such a blessing, I still find myself constantly living out of my savings. All donations go directly to me except for minimal processing fees.
Again, I am so incredibly grateful to each of you who has come alongside me. I will be praying for you, and I thank you so much for choosing to help me continue to choose life and share my mission with others.
Gemma