Their need was my prayer
When I was in middle school and high school there was a woman in our church who was always loving on and welcoming foster children into her home. Her daughter was one of my classmates, so at various events I found myself in her presence – at least close enough to watch and be captivated by the way she loved vulnerable kids. She was my introduction into foster care.
Her impact on my life shifted my dreams for my future – fostering became a part of my plan.
Fast forward several decades and far more stories than can fit in a single post – our family is heavily involved in foster care and adoption advocacy. Children and teens have often made their way through our front door, but never through the formal foster care route I expected.
Chris has been on the forefront of serving the children of our state through his work with 111Project. They’ve seen huge strides forward in child welfare. He comes home with story after story after story of incredible things he witnesses.
My role – well, it has mainly been one of supporting him, so he can do the work he is called to do. SnapShop Online, Young Living, blog collaborations – all ways I can help support our family as he works tirelessly for the children of Oklahoma. His role has also meant that it was not necessarily the best idea for us to serve as foster parents. I’m grateful for the ways I can contribute, but it is not what I imagined my role in foster care in Oklahoma would be.
Our church has an active and vibrant adoptive and foster parent community. It is a place of support, rallying for each other and for kids, and getting the help we all need. A couple of weeks ago, a foster family in our church (that recently became foster parents through a program Chris launched!) shared a need for help during work hours. They were given the opportunity to foster a newborn, but needed someone to care for him during normal work hours each day. I had years of ‘unanswered prayers’ to foster and no way to meet it. They had a need and no way to meet it. A match literally made in heaven.
Here is what I know about hopes coming to fruition – sometimes it is simply a matter of keeping my eyes open, being available, and being ready…without losing hope.
The last two weeks I was given the tremendous gift of being able to love on the most precious baby because two incredible foster parents chose to ask for help. They could have turned down the placement, but instead they tossed out a request – not knowing the very thing they were asking for was an answer to a prayer I was praying.
Several friends commented to me over the last couple weeks that my days must have felt long – watching a newborn, running businesses and homeschooling 5 kids. In fact, it was the opposite. My days felt so full of joy and gratitude – they felt sweet and dreamy and a million kinds of wonderful.
The pacifiers are gone and there are no longer burp clothes and tiny bottles by my sink. Goodness we miss the presence of that little one, but I will be forever grateful for the gift of his life and the last two weeks spent with him.
