When Dreams Collide with Needs: Inside Our Decision to Become Foster Parents

What does it look like when your dreams collide with the reality and needs of others? What do you do when you feel the Holy Spirit whispering to you what is next? Do you leap? Do you freeze in fear? Do you move any direction at all?

Our life is full. It is full of children and homeschooling. Full of ministry opportunities and work that we love. We are so very comfortable in the place that God has us. Honestly, the comfortable makes me uncomfortable. Comfortable makes me stagnant in my faith and in my drive to move forward. I have a sign in my office, that says "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders", from one of my favorite worship songs, Oceans. The bridge to that song says:

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

It would be so easy to rationalize that we are doing enough. That we are fulfilling our calling from the Lord by what we are already doing. And yet doing so would stifle the whisper in my heart. The Holy Spirit's voice calling me to more. He has more for us, for our family to do. 

A few weeks ago, we having a discussion about dreaming. Really about our failure to dream. I touched on that conversation previously, but that conversation led to more. It led us to action. It led to laughter about how many of our past words we were going to have to eat. God must laugh at us, when we try to make plans of our own.

We made the decision that our family was complete while I was still expecting our third. It was a hard pregnancy for me, an emotional one. I knew she would be my last child I would carry. We made it clear to MANY people that we were done and our family was complete. Yet, as the kids get older, there is an empty place in my heart. Room for more. There are children already out there. Children that my husband often meets in his line of work. Our hearts and broken for these little ones, who by no fault of their own end up in need of a family and a home. 

It took us about 2 minutes of discussion to decide. Our hearts were already on the same page. We quickly learned our kids where right there with us. We are going to open our home to foster children. A decision has already led to a first step and then a few more. A first round of paperwork has been turned in, orientations attended and meetings scheduled. 

We don't know what the future holds. We know that this will be the hardest thing we ever do it. We also know that because He has called us to it, He will equip us to walk through it. This is certainly deeper than I would wander on my own and it will push the boundaries of my faith. It is a true leap off the cliff of faith that I am counting on Jesus to be there to catch us at the bottom. 

"But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one."              2 Thessalonians 3:3