FOSTERING

Our family is embarking on our next great adventure—we have become licensed to foster/adopt! We are equal parts excited and nervous. We have felt God nudging us in this direction and we are stepping out in faith with a “Yes, Lord.” While we know the world of fostering will undoubtedly come with hardship, heartbreak, and unknowns, we are eager to see how God will show up in mighty ways as we step well out of our comfort zone.

In the midst of praying about moving forward with fostering, we read through a Bible account with our kids that I am confident God brought to our attention for such a time as this. In 1 Kings chapter 17, we read about the prophet Elijah confronting King Ahab and Queen Jezebel about their idol worship and wickedness leading the entire nation of Israel away from the one true God. Jezebel hated the prophets of God and was known for having them hunted down and killed for the truths they spoke, making this a dangerous time for Elijah. As punishment for Israel’s idolatry, God sent a drought on the nation, yet chose to care for Elijah and provide for his needs in miraculous ways. 

Elijah spent time alone in the wilderness, drinking from a brook and having his food delivered by ravens each morning. When the brook dried up, God told Elijah to “‘Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food’” (1 Kings 17:9). Widows, at this point in history, were among the most destitute, helpless members of society. This woman had no husband to provide for her, no means of providing for herself, and she still had a son to feed in addition to herself. But from ravens to widows, God tends to use the least likely candidates to carry out His will. 

When Elijah came to the widow asking for water and bread, she told him, “‘I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die’” (1 Kings 17:12).  In response, Elijah told her to not be afraid, but to go and make bread for him first and then for herself and her son with the small provisions she had. In turn, the Lord would cause her jar of flour and jug of oil to not run out until the drought was over (v. 13-14). 

In faith, the widow obeyed. God kept His word. God provided for Elijah and the woman and her son—not out of the woman’s abundance, but from His. 

On paper, this woman was not the best candidate to be signing up to serve and provide for others. Her situation was desperate. She did not have the resources to care for her own household, let alone a strange man who turned up on her doorstep. But where we lack, God is more than sufficient. God called her to do what was impossible for her, but not at all for Him. 

We could not have read this story at a better time. While considering foster care, naturally the voice of fear and doubt has crept in. “Are we really the best candidates for this calling? Isn’t life challenging enough? Don’t we have enough on our plates? We have a child with a disability—is this biting off more than we can chew?”

The reality is—yes, we do have a lot on our plates. Life is challenging. This is more than we can handle. But it is not too much for God. 

God has shown us that whatever He calls us to, He will walk us through. We are humbly approaching this endeavor knowing that we are not enough. But He is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask or think, so we are leaning on His sufficiency, not our own. We are empty-handed, but stepping out in faith with a “Yes, Lord” for however long or short a season He is calling us to this. 

We are imploring you to be covering our family in prayer as we move forward with fostering. We know this will take a village and God’s abundant grace upon our family. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us!