The Joy and Pain in Fostering.
Hey Guys!
What's new with you?
This morning I was reading a blog talking about fostering from the perspective of a seventeen year old with 8 foster siblings. Wow. I admire her family so so much.
I guess I haven't said it on my blog so far, but my family fosters. There's this stigma around fostering I think, in direct relation to the fact that almost every time you hear about fostering in media it's about how horrible, and abusive fostering families are, or how people's kids are being wrongly taken by the state. But in the eight months we've had kids in our home I've seen a far different side of fostering, the hurt in these kids is unimaginable.
My family has had the great pleasure of meeting, and being around several other christian foster families on the journey. It's amazing how over the past year such a foster forward culture has taken hold in my church. We went from having one foster home in our church to having four in less than a year. It's incredible to see what God does for those kids through their 'temporary families'.
It is also heartbreaking. The system is broken, and the people are broken. When you love and love and love on those kids it seems so hard to let them go back to the family you know has hurt them, or give them up to another foster family, because you know the change will be so hard for them. We've had one placement for eight months. We were supposed to have them for maybe a few days. It's been amazing to be able to look from the moment they entered their first foster home to the week they go back to their family and know that my family has been able to be with them through all of that.
How does it feel to know you're letting go? It hurts. A lot. But I'm at peace in this right now. It'll be hard to let them go, but I know God's plan is good for these kids. We need to remember to pray for the kids, and the parents. For safe homes, and renewed relationships.
I hope this post has given you insight. If you guys are interested I plan to do more posts like this in the future. And if you enjoyed my content don't hesitate to comment down below and also follow my blog.
Until next time, Bye! (Waves from behind screen.)
What's new with you?
This morning I was reading a blog talking about fostering from the perspective of a seventeen year old with 8 foster siblings. Wow. I admire her family so so much.
I guess I haven't said it on my blog so far, but my family fosters. There's this stigma around fostering I think, in direct relation to the fact that almost every time you hear about fostering in media it's about how horrible, and abusive fostering families are, or how people's kids are being wrongly taken by the state. But in the eight months we've had kids in our home I've seen a far different side of fostering, the hurt in these kids is unimaginable.
My family has had the great pleasure of meeting, and being around several other christian foster families on the journey. It's amazing how over the past year such a foster forward culture has taken hold in my church. We went from having one foster home in our church to having four in less than a year. It's incredible to see what God does for those kids through their 'temporary families'.
It is also heartbreaking. The system is broken, and the people are broken. When you love and love and love on those kids it seems so hard to let them go back to the family you know has hurt them, or give them up to another foster family, because you know the change will be so hard for them. We've had one placement for eight months. We were supposed to have them for maybe a few days. It's been amazing to be able to look from the moment they entered their first foster home to the week they go back to their family and know that my family has been able to be with them through all of that.
How does it feel to know you're letting go? It hurts. A lot. But I'm at peace in this right now. It'll be hard to let them go, but I know God's plan is good for these kids. We need to remember to pray for the kids, and the parents. For safe homes, and renewed relationships.
I hope this post has given you insight. If you guys are interested I plan to do more posts like this in the future. And if you enjoyed my content don't hesitate to comment down below and also follow my blog.
Until next time, Bye! (Waves from behind screen.)
Amen.
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