WE ARE CALLED TO LOVE THEM

We’ve always believed the Bible is clear that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Our faith was first tested in that 17 years ago when we were expecting our third child. I’d had some health issues which should have made pregnancy impossible. Several doctors advised us to terminate this pregnancy that was deemed potentially deadly for both of us. We refused, and our daughter was born healthy and beautiful.

We knew our biological family was complete but we still felt a call to care for the orphans among us. So, in 2014, we became foster parents. It wasn’t long before God put the first of many girls in our lives. She was in our home for four years before she would officially become ours. Within a few months, we adopted another placement that had come into our lives. So we quickly went from a family of five to seven! Yet God wasn’t done with us.

While we were out of state visiting a family friend, we came across two more girls that were in need of a family. Through God’s amazing provision, we ended up bringing those girls home the summer of 2018. We finalized their adoption March 2020, just before the pandemic closed down the courts.

We have always sought to be used by the Lord, so when a call came in August for a “temporary” placement of a healthy baby boy, we felt we could manage something short term. Were we in for a surprise! Not only is that little boy still with us after eight months, but he came with serious health issues that has inundated our lives with constant medical appointments. But we know this is what God wants right now. Had we known all the medical issues we would be facing, we might have passed. But God knew where He wanted this little boy.

People always tell us they can’t imagine fostering a child they love and saying goodbye. We’ve been there. But that’s a heart issue. That’s about us. We don’t want to get hurt, we don’t want to be inconvenienced. But these kids need love, and we are called to love them, regardless of what we may lose or experience. So if anyone is thinking about fostering, we always say: do it. Take the class. See what it’s like. Pray. Believe us, God will take you to amazing places you never thought you’d be!