One year ago our family started on a new adventure of fostering. For my wife and I, becoming foster parents was an answer to many years of prayer. While we knew some of the blessings and challenges associated with fostering, most of how we’ve grown in the past year could only have been learned through experience.
We have by no means arrived, but here are five we have learned through our first year of fostering:
1) Be ready for change.
Bringing young children back into our home came with many lifestyle adjustments. We had always been taught that fostering was not for the faint of heart, but would turn our world upside down. They were not wrong. I forgot how many questions young kids have and just how needy they can be at times. Lol.
2) Lots of time, love, and patience are required.
Kids need lots of attention, quality time, correction, and instruction. This is especially true for kids in the foster system. Because, while their arrival may turn your world upside down, it’s because to some extent, theirs already is. They come into your home needing all the love, time, patience, and grace that you can give.
3) Fostering is a family effort.
We have found that teaching and training our biological children their role in fostering is hugely important. Raising extra children in your home is a team effort. It stretches you. It tests you. It grows you. Including your children. Especially if you have older children (all of ours are older than our foster children), we’ve found that they are just as much a part of your success as you are. There are family adjustments and sacrifices that have to be made, so it is very important that everyone knows their role on the team.
4) Prayer and perseverance are essential.
Fostering takes a lot of hard work and a lot of heart work, but it is so worth the effort once you know it’s what your family is called to do. There have been times in the past year when we honestly didn’t know if we were equipped for this. But we just continued to take things one day at a time. We chose to pray. We chose to lean into God’s grace. And we chose to simply keep striving to make a difference.
5) Unconditional love is a must for the win.
There have been many times when all we knew to do were these two things: be consistent, and love unconditionally. Unconditional love sees a child’s needs beyond their challenges or misbehavior. Unconditional love chooses to help through hurt. Unconditional love makes the decision to love others like Jesus loves me.
This past year of fostering has brought so much joy to our family. We can honestly say that we are closer to each other and closer to Jesus than we’ve ever been. Our hearts have been made full as we’ve learned to love deeper, wider, and more like Jesus.
On any given day, there are nearly 440,000 children in foster care in the US. Many of these children are still in need of a good home.
If you’re considering fostering or have questions, please feel free to reach out and let us know. We’d be glad to help you on your journey.
