Opening the Door Again

It is hard to believe that I am approaching 2 years since sweet B left my home to return to her family. She taught me so much in the 15 months she was in my home. I have never prayed harder or relied on Jesus more than I did then. It was really hard to say goodbye to her, but I know Jesus will continue to water the seeds that were planted in that year. 

After a long break from being a foster parent, the Lord has put it on my heart to open my home again to vulnerable children in the foster system here in Midland. If I am honest, it was a more difficult yes this time around. Why? Because, this time I know what I am getting myself into (sort of). All that being said, I know that these kids need people like me and you to be willing to say yes to opening our hearts and providing a safe, loving, stable home where they can begin to heal from the deep trauma they have experienced in their lives. They need someone to be willing to love them no matter how their trauma history makes them act or believe. They need someone to live out the gospel in front of them so that they know there is hope for healing for not only them, but also their birth families. 

When I came onboard at The Attic Foster Network in April I was in some ways forced to deal with the grief that loosing B had caused. I had tried, as I often do, to put in a box to the side. When I jumped back in to learning more about the impact of trauma and hearing how desperately we need foster and adoptive homes here in the Permian Basin, I could not ignore the pain that was coming up dealing with saying goodbye to a little girl who called me mom for 15 months. I knew that I wanted to be able to foster again and I knew I needed to go to Jesus with my grief and pain. He has met me in so many sweet ways in the last 6 months. He has continued to bring healing in me and continues to prepare me for the children that he will bring in to my home very soon. 

I finished my last training class with High Sky Children's Ranch last night. In the coming weeks I will be finishing up all my inspections, paperwork, home study and licensing visits.  I would love your prayers as I continue this process. I need Jesus to work through me. I can not, nor do I want to do this on my own.