This is my second month interviewing families who have adopted. God has put it on my heart that people need to hear these stories. We need to be encouraged! Even if God has not called you to foster or adopt, there are ways the church can help support the families God has called. The church is NOT doing enough. Families who feel they are called to foster aren’t because they do not feel supported or equipped. It doesn’t matter what age you are or your circumstance, God can use you! The month of April I have chosen my friend Whitney to share her story. Hear her story and how God can use you. I love what she said, “Fostering is a ministry of the Church.”
My dear friend Whitney recently adopted two sweet kids from foster care. She is truly one of the most compassionate and caring people I know. She is an encourager and uses a difficult situation she went through to uplift other moms in a similar situation. We met through Bible Study Fellowship. We were in a small group together but never spoke. It wasn’t until five months into the year we had our first conversation. Our leader, Diana asked us for prayer requests. She looked at me and told me to share some exciting news. I began to tell our group I was pregnant with twins. As I told the story, I asked for prayer. I was scared. I just miscarried a few months ago and I did not know how my little body was going to carry two babies. My last two pregnancies were not easy and resulted in many complications.
Whitney came up to me after class the following week. She recently delivered a baby girl, Halle. Her baby girl was stillborn. This mom came up to ME to encourage ME! To pray for ME! She gave me a gift, I still have today. It was a weekly calendar, pertaining to the development of my babies. Each week had a scripture or many scriptures that I could pray God’s Word over my girls, helping me draw close to our Maker. It was a blessing. She told me everything would be ok and to keep myself in God’s word, clinging to our Creator. It was that conversation God used to put us together. It developed into a wonderful friendship and she is one my dear friends today.
Listen to her story and be encouraged! All people of all ages can help support these children God loves so much! Start praying how God can use you and how you can help a fostering family or foster yourself!
Psalms 68:5-6a “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families….”
Matthew 18:5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.”
