We need to care and be kind to one another. I was blown away when I learned how America has failed older kids in the foster care system. Once foster kids reach the age of 18, they "age out". How can we possibly allow the most vulnerable kids---those without parents---to be released into the world with no help? Many of them have nowhere to go or live. A shocking number become homeless, turn to drugs or alcohol, or even prostitution. I ran a fairly successful restaurant at a young age, but I found that having a packed restaurant and making money wasn't… Read More
Adoption/Foster Care
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I have always liked the thought of kids giving a helping hand to other kids. When we decided to homeschool, I began to look for opportunities where we could serve as a family. People need help in many different ways, so we never lack a place to give a hand. What we started with our older son has now trickled down to our younger son. One of our favorite places to serve is The Ronald McDonald House. We go to bake cookies or some other treat that will then be shared with the guests. It is their home away from home… Read More
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Even before we were married, my husband and I knew we wanted to grow our family through adoption first. I initially felt a need to adopt when I was in high school and saw the orphan crisis up close through one of my trips abroad. It wasn’t a magical spiritual moment or a lightbulb that went off or a verse that jumped off the page. I just realized I didn’t have that strong need to carry and birth a child the way my friends did. Instead, I had an overwhelming desire to see orphans grow up in the security of… Read More
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It’s been said that life can change in an instant. For me, a trip to Africa in 2012 altered the course of my life forever. On that trip, I was introduced firsthand to orphans. I had read about them and seen videos, but actually holding a child who did not know the love of a family stirred my heart. Already a mother to two beautiful girls, my heart was pulled in the direction of international adoption. In 2013, my husband and I started the long and difficult journey of growing our family through adoption. We knew we were being called to adopt… Read More
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For years, my ministry revolved around music. I joyfully played the piano every week for worship. And during the week, I taught piano lessons to children in the church with the hope that they, too, would embrace a love of worship of God through music. Most of my time, though, was invested in my family. My three girls became the main focus of my life. I was very content with my music and my little family. But one day, I saw a booth at our local festival for fostering children. As I looked at the pictures of the faces of… Read More
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It is said that history often repeats itself. Twenty years ago, my daughter spent Christmas break ministering in an Indian orphanage. She met four orphans who would drastically impact her life. Some fifteen years later, she was able to reconnect with one of those children. She learned that he was now a seminary student and had a strong desire to see a children's home open in Pune, India. Feeling the pull of the Lord on our lives, my husband and I went on a short-term mission trip last year to India to meet this young man and… Read More