Foster Care and Restoration

It's been just over the 3 month mark since our little guy joined our house. Although 3 months doesn't seem like much on paper, it has felt like much longer in a lot of ways. Jeff and I noticed that although we have only known of his existence for 3 months it almost feels like he has been with us forever. How does that happen? How does 3 short months create a feeling of knowing someone for a lifetime but also not knowing them at all? I'm still trying to sort this out in my heart and in my head. What I do know is we love this little guy and we are rooting for him and his family 100%. We are praying for reunification and restoration for his family.

In the last few months I have thought a lot about the topic of restoration. Foster Care at its core is about reunification. The ultimate goal for children is to be reunified with family; or kin care. To be reunified, there ultimately has to be a restoration that has occurred.

Restoration: the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition.

The Bible is a story of God's relentless pursuit of our love and ultimately God's attempt to restore our relationship with Him. God created the world and everyone on it so we would love Him and have a close and meaningful relationship with Him. He created man and woman in His image but Adam and Eve broke that relationship and chose to make decisions on their own. Humanity strayed from Him, over and over again; and God has been giving us second chances ever since.

Micah 7:18 says "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy".

The ultimate act of love and attempt to restore our relationship with Him was when God sent his son Jesus to live on this earth. Jesus died on the cross so our sins could be wiped clean in order for us to come to Him for another chance at the relationship God so desperately desires with us.

Jesus was the example of how we should walk, talk and ultimately live. Jesus showed us how God wants us to love the poor, care for the sick, and love the children. Jesus loved the children! Luke 18:16 says "But Jesus called them to him saying, 'Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these' ". God wants us to pour our hearts and lives into people, into relationship. Foster Care is one way to do this. While caring for a child in foster care, we are helping to restore what has been broken. God's desire is for families to be together, to be stronger together than apart. While foster parents are caring for children, it is hopefully allowing for parents or other kin to become well, or allowing time for other family to come forward. It is allowing time for families to restore their lives so they can care for the child/children. 1 Peter 5:10 says "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."

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Please keep our family in your prayers!

1. We continue to transition to adding someone new to our home. Someone who has brought with them a whole whack load of experiences, these experiences have shaped him to who he is today. We know only a small amount of these experiences and this makes the transition and getting to know him trickier but also very interesting!

2. Please pray for his extended family as they ready themselves for a new family member.