For years, researchers have shared how the quarter to a third of American children who grow up without a father are more likely to drop out of school, become drug addicts, and end up in poverty…or in prison. Even more heartbreaking is that some of the three million vulnerable children in America’s foster care system …
Pro-Life
On June 21, we will recognize Father’s Day. For many, whose relationships with their fathers are strained or marked by abuse, or whose fathers are absent from their lives, this will perhaps be a difficult day. For others, who enjoy healthier relationships with our fathers, we will honor them. And, depending on our circumstances, will …
Some years ago, at a retreat for adoptive moms, I asked the question: “What do you wish you would have known before you fostered or adopted?” I wasn’t surprised by the answers. I wish I had known that I could get so angry at a child I really loved. That this would expose my wounds …
Children entering a new foster care placement need time to fit into your home.
Several years ago, while training our trauma curriculum in Armenia, I described two principles: Abuse happens in the context of an interpersonal relationshipHealing only happens in the context of a healthy, stable interpersonal relationship. Pastor Raphael, a local minister, raised his hand, stood up, and asked if he could share a story. I invited him …
As I watch the round-the-clock media coverage of the corona virus pandemic sweeping our country, I can’t help but think of the silent epidemic that has been invading our public-school system over the past decade. The epidemic is largely invisible to those outside the system. It is an epidemic of childhood trauma and neglect that …
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness […] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, …
If there was one vastly underestimated resident at The Manor, it was Will, the doctor with Down syndrome.
Jessie Gallaher describes the challenges and joys she experienced in adopting five siblings from foster care, and how she has grown in her faith and in her passion for supporting children in foster care.
Chris and Alicia Johnson are parents to 10 children, seven of whom were adopted out of the foster care system. They refer to themselves as the #JohnsonDozen.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the world in unprecedented ways. Children and families who are either in the foster care system or are at risk of being so, are no exception. COVID-19 has impacted children, biological families, foster families, adoptive families, the court system, support services, agencies…virtually every area of the child welfare system has …
“You cannot pour from an empty cup. You must fill your cup first.” Dr. Karyn Purvis
A former hospice nurse found her calling in caring for “the least of these”
“The Crisis in Foster Care” read the Washington Post headline. The article, dated January 10, 2020, talked about “an acute shortage of foster parents.” A simple online search yields numerous links to similar articles in recent years, decrying the shortage of foster families – both nationally and locally. Less than a decade ago, there were …
I distinctly remember the first Mother’s Day after I experienced my abortions. I can still picture the scene as me, my parents and my siblings loaded into the family minivan to head to church. As I think back to that gorgeous, Texas spring day, I can still see the sun shining brightly in the sky …
Fifteen years ago, I celebrated my first Mother’s Day, but it looked a bit different than others. It wasn’t filled with my baby smiling up at me, flowers, or a handmade craft. I was a first-time mother in one way, but also not. I chose life for her. I carried and birthed her. She resembled …
It is Mother’s Day, many years ago. Six excited children are anxiously holding up pieces of cardboard; carefully wrapped in tinfoil, with large pink letters that spell “MOTHER,” taped on the front. While I took my turn with the other children speaking about the special qualities of mothers. “M” is for the many things… Little …
Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it seems to run, and sometimes it seems to walk, but time is always a thread of moments. Sometimes moments feel meaningful, and sometimes moments feel mundane. I have recently taken time to reflect on my childhood in order to pinpoint the moments that have significantly shaped me. I …
Through the years, I have come to understand that Mother’s Day, oftentimes, encompasses a myriad of emotions. The dichotomy of immense joy coupled with unbelievable sadness and grief. It is a sacred space where mere words struggle to fill the void and can serve as a reminder of unfathomable anguish and represent immeasurable heartache. For …
One of the most complex situations I have dealt with has been becoming a stepparent. I remember being so in love with my husband that I thought I could take on anything needed to keep us together. Once we were married and living as a family, my anxiety kicked in. Life became real, really fast. Through …