I’ve hesitated to share this journey and where God is taking us in this season… but as I sit around at night reading other people’s journey’s and being encouraged, I can only hope I could do the same for others.

Throughout my single years, after college and before I got married, I spent sometime doing mission work. Overtime I thought to myself- One day I’m either going to move to these places and take care of the orphans or I’m bringing them all home.

Fast forward. I’m married with two BABIES. Elijah is 2.5 and Emerson is 17 months old.

Right after Cliff and I got married we attended an informational meeting about fostering. We both knew then that this is something that God is drawing our hearts to, but the timing just wasn’t right. Having children of my own has ignited part of my heart to love that I never knew was there. Over the last 12 months I have felt God in tender moments just whisper “Don’t miss out on me right now…” and I wasn’t quite sure what He was going to do. Around New Years every year Cliff and I have started writing our goals individually and together. Cliff said over and over he wasn’t ready this year, but I knew God was telling us differently. Even with our littles being so little and the unknowns that are there, God made it so clear to both of us that now is the time.

There’s a longing in my soul and I cannot ignore the fact that we have been given a responsibility as christians to help the orphan. Its not practical for Cliff and I to go on mission trips so God told us to make our home the mission. I’m still trying to swallow all of this and through it all our eyes remain on Jesus.

Last fall we got in touch with Uniting Hope 4 Children (UH4C) which is a faith based nonprofit agency that places foster children. After meeting the staff, and hearing the mission that God has called them to, we knew our story was starting to unfold. We hope you can attend a meeting soon to hear their story and see how you can help.

Some statistics… Would you believe that just in the state of Georgia, nearly 12,000 children are in the foster system. 60% of foster families quit because of lack of support. 90% of the kids that age out of the system end up in child trafficking or prostitution. Foster kids that age out typically put more children back in the system. Can you swallow that? Its hard for me. And where is the church here? I think the church is honestly uneducated with the realness of this issue and how to tanglibly help. My job is to be an advocate… To tell you, so you can tell others. Not everyone should bring children in their home, but we all have been called to take care of the orphan and you can give compassion when you don’t have anything else to give.

He brings light to darkness. He gives HOPE and RESTORES every broken heart. And the good news of the gospel is that no matter who we are, where we have been, or what we have done, God is still so good. God left the comfort of heaven to rescue me and you because He knew we needed saving. He made a way and extended such grace. My heart is to do the same for the children that are in the foster system with the goal of reuniting them to delivered and Christ like parents, pushing them to Jesus when all seems lost. It’s the gospel, tangible, before our eyes.

My life song…

“…And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” -Hebrews 12