We “unexpectedly” became foster parents again about 15 months ago. 🙂
❔ Why did you begin fostering?
We originally set out to SUPPORT foster families through Restore Network, because we saw the great need through our own daughter’s foster parenting experience in another state. Through a series of events, we were approached for an emergency placement of a specific child with specific needs that our family was equipped to meet. The rest is history!
❔ What has God taught you during your foster care journey?
He has reminded us that He is trustworthy and provides for needs we didn’t even know we had… how to love a biological family that is in constant chaos, because they need to know His love most of all; that falling in love with a child from hard places is easy. but working through their stuff is HARD– doing that and then having to physically give that child back to HIS care is even harder. Our biggest blessings have always come through the messiest struggles, but we learned there is a WHOLE new level of messy, and a whole new level of blessing in foster care! He has reminded us there so much that we have yet to learn about His love and how He works in a broken world…and that He invites us into that work.
❔ What hope do you hold onto during the difficult seasons?
We hold on to the hope that God sees the beginning from the end, knows every detail of every hurt and joy, the pain and the struggles, the weariness, the confusion of all involved, the lostness and even the moments of anger and despair at the injustices of this fallen world. We trust that He loves the kids who pass through our lives far more than we do, that He WILL one day make all things right, that He can bring beauty from the ashes of the most devastating circumstances makes the difficult seasons bearable.