Tension

We're experiencing the tension of being foster parents. 


This is not new for anyone who has been doing it for a while.  I'm sure it's the same for most whose ultimate goal is that the child is in the best place possible for them to flourish. 


As foster parents, no matter the town or the state, there is much tension in our hearts as we want the woman who birthed these children to know how much we love them and how we have done everything we can to protect and nurture them.  


We want her to know that SHE is loved, because we know this life hasn't been easy for her.  There's a good chance that she's where she is in life because of some things that aren't her fault. 


We want her to know we're not the enemy.  That we want the best for him. Whatever and wherever that may be.


We want redemption for her: restoration for her body, her spirit, and her life.  


But we, as foster parents, we love this sweet child who currently lives in our homes.  We want to grab the child and hold them and not let go.  


We want to make their birth parents earn the right to see them because they haven't had their best interests in mind. 


We want to grab the birth parent's face in our hands and say, "Don't you know what you've missed?  Was it worth it?" 


But then we realize that they have given us a gift for the past week, or months, or even years.  And that gift is the result of a life that has been littered with heartache and devastation.  


And there is the tension for foster parents all over this country. 


And we are personally asking for loads and loads of prayer as we navigate these new waters.  





On another note: 
I'm back from retreating at Created for Care and it was again a sweet, sweet time with other women who have hearts for adoption and orphan care.


I traveled with six other women from Montgomery who either are adoptive moms or in the process of adopting that came to the conference.

Adoptive mommas from Montgomery- Adopting kiddos from the U.S., China, Uganda, Ethiopia, and the DRC.  Love it!