Take Me To Post Comment Form The number of children in foster care is steadily increasing. The tragic circumstances behind these numbers reflect the condition of our world. Divorce, abandonment, incarceration, financial or emotional instability, addiction, abuse, teen pregnancy, or a parent’s deaths are common reasons. The people that choose to foster face dramatic changes and new sources of stress. Reevaluating and altering career and retirement plans in order to meet a child’s physical and emotional needs can be daunting. Social activities diminish, and friendships shift as time constraints enter into the equation. New schedules and financial issues arise unexpectedly, complicating life. The heartbreak of watching the child being forced to work through grief or emotional trauma from a previous living situation consumes much of your time and energy. Although you know the episodes are natural and necessary phase of the grieving, it can leave you feeling drained. With all of that said the heartaches and challenges of rearing a child pale in comparison with the privilege of influencing his or her life for eternity.

I have often contemplated God’s plan for my life, asking Him what He desired me to do in His service. I longed to know how I could make a difference, what I might do to play a role in transforming His kingdom here on earth. And the answer, at least in part, came with the addition of a little face in my home. Many children now in foster homes came to them emotionally wounded or with special needs resulting from pain, loss, or unstable homes. Yet we have a Great Physician who can fully and perfectly fulfill their needs and heal their hearts, building them into men and women He intends them to be.

Jesus instructed His disciples, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Then He took them in His arms, and placing His hands on their heads, started to bless them (Mark 10:14, 16). We emulate Christ when we take children into our home, pray for them daily, and teach them to pray. It is an incredible blessing to be instruments of His healing as together you confront each emotional obstacle hindering them. When they being to mature spiritually, you know the difficulties are worth it.

It’s often difficult for us to view what we do on a daily basis as anything more than part of our routine. Those commonplace tasks hardly seem noteworthy. However, when we’re invested in the children in our sphere of influence and our actions are powered by God’s direction, every little thing we do amounts to ministry.

The most powerful lessons are often taught with few words, simply by modeling a consistent example. We have an opportunity to mold their young, impressionable hearts. Lessons in humility, forgiveness, and grace abound as the child’s blunt honesty hold our feet to the fire, like all children, they watch us closely in our role of authority figure, testing everything to see if it rings true.

The dramatic changes that bring these children into our care weren’t a surprise to God. While I never would have chosen those circumstances, Job’s words say it best: “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity? (2:10). Our heavenly Father knows each child’s present needs as well as what lies ahead. He has chosen us as his primary caregiver to fill a crucial role in these kids lives: to serve Him by serving them.

If you think you would like to be a foster or adoptive parent, please call (877)210-KIDS. We currently have single people as foster parents and retirees in their late 60's. If you have love to give, they want to meet you.