Lorie had given up on her desire to be a parent, but that was before she met Natalie.
Foster Care
What difference does it make? Children’s’ smiles are deeper, their faces softer and more open. It is joy, pure joy.
Foster Care is an invitation to step into a story with life-changing highs and heartbreaking lows. We invite you to step into a story of a typical seven year-old-boy named Logan. Logan likes riding bikes, legos and loves playing video games with his brothers. Logan’s life is not easy. His mom struggles with alcohol and …
Roses are Red. Violets are blue. You probably remember these words from childhood. Like me, you might have even used them to create the perfect, colorful birthday card for a loved one. I can picture my crayon box emptied out on the table as I chose the perfect hue. I seem to remember a preference …
Life after foster care is risky, but so is love.
Our church has been engaged in Adoption and Foster Care for more than ten years now. We believe our calling as God’s people is to care for vulnerable children, giving them hope and a future. Throughout our journey over the past ten years of pressing into this calling, we have seen many families at Mosaic …
You may be thinking, “I’m not called to foster. You don’t understand. I can’t because…” God’s answer to us all is quite simple.
Sometimes children are placed into foster care not because of abuse or neglect but for physical reasons. Ones that could have been easily prevented.
Due to the challenges inherent in fostering, 60% of foster families nationwide won’t make it past the first year. However, we’ve found that the retention rate improves when fostering occurs within the context of a supportive community.
Mobilized volunteers make a difference. We cannot merely stand on the sidelines shouting words of affirmation or encouragement without taking action.
“One of the biggest blessings has been having certified babysitters available. When I have events, need to run an errand, or need a small break, I know that there are trusted people I can call on to come to watch my kids. “
Going to Grandma’s house was always a time of great anticipation, joy and expectation. We’d been taught how to say yes ma’am and no ma’am, and the same for all the elders. No matter how they addressed you, our response to them was met with words of respect. Visits were almost always planned and never …
Have you noticed how quickly people tune out when wide-spread needs or overwhelming statistics are mentioned? Our capacity to care has dramatically diminished because we’re constantly bombarded by needs too large for us to meet. We hear there are 400,000+ kids in the foster system. Or how 50% of foster families burn out after the …
“I’ve only come to do Your will.” These may be words that we have uttered many times, but really, what does this mean for each individual? For me, it means trying to understand God’s purpose for my life and how my work – professionally with the child welfare system, and personally. Trying to see if …
Foster and adoptive families, ministries, and organizations should know the value of a team better than anyone. We have all benefited from excellent training that shed light on what we saw in our homes. Some of us have traveled internationally with a group with whom we now have a lifetime bond. We have been in …
During this time of sheltering in, I pulled out the book, The Purpose Driven Life, by Rick Warren. I had initially read the book in 2002. Isn’t that who we are, people called to live a life of purpose? Do you know your purpose? He writes on page 148, “Humility is not thinking more of …
A young mom who recently left her abusive boyfriend is ready to start again but has no beds and limited furniture to begin her new life with her children. Whose responsibility is it to help her keep her kids home with her? A woman and her husband adopted special needs children from foster care and …
We hugged her more times than I can count. We told her we loved her even more, and then we finally pulled ourselves together and got into our car, leaving behind the child with who we spent countless precious hours with for the past 18 years. My wife, Sue, and I were driving away from …
As Christmas approaches, I have been thinking about the gifts God has given me this year. As with you, I received some gifts that I wouldn’t have asked for and didn’t want to open. However, it is a comfort that I don’t have to understand everything in my life because the God of wisdom understands …
A few nights ago, my mother-in-law stopped by to drop something off. As a fellow Christmas enthusiast, she was quite excited that we had a YouTube video of a fireplace playing on our television. I began to share how I discovered it, which brought me to the story of one Christmas in college. A Christmas …
