Meet Our Community of Care®: We are not in this alone

As we approach our one-year anniversary of becoming foster parents, I am most grateful for the Community of Care® that surrounds our family. Despite the questions about the outcome with things such as nerve-racking court dates riddled with much uncertainty and the other unpredictable elements of foster care, one thing became abundantly clear: we are not in this alone.

  • Liz helps with homework from time to time, but she also makes it a point to occasionally visit the school cafeteria and have lunch with our third-grader.
  • Dottie texts for specific prayer requests that she can send our church’s foster care prayer team.
  • Beth T. brings cookies and Bible verses on note cards I can spread around the house in key places for encouragement.
  • Grayson plans her retail work schedule around helping with crazy after school carpool a couple of days a week.
  • Luke and Sandy pitch in with carpool support for my big kids.
  • Amanda is a teacher at the school who checks in for daily hugs.
  • Beth C. is faithfully available for pick-ups in a crunch, running out for prescriptions so I can stay home with a sick one…and strawberry ice cream.
  • Becky takes the girls for play dates during court, adventures that they love and distract them from the intense anxiety the uncertainty of these days might otherwise bring.
  • A faithful, hand-me-down crew of three or four Mamas make shopping bags appear on my doorstep as the seasons change.
  • Gretchen & Zach faithfully serve as respite parents so we can reconnect with our trio of biological tweens.
  • Susan allows our foster girls to call her Nana and treats them as if it were true, which they relish.
  • My bio kids’ teachers and a school administrator listen and support, alert to any special listening ears or attention the trio may need as they walk through this emotional season.
  • Our parents show attention and affection equal to that of our bios—Christmas, Easter and birthday celebrations for all five!
  • People text who love us with verses, emojis and funny memes, all things that remind me that they are cheering and caring for our whole family.

My list could go on with the countless others who check in and sincerely ask, “How is it REALLY going?”

We recently celebrated both our foster girls’ birthdays within the same week, and as I looked around their parties at the people present, I was moved by the outpouring of care and love for these little lives. How powerfully healing for our girls to be loved so well and tremendously encouraging for our biological family to feel so supported!

This is what Jesus meant by LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

As we pour out our love to these foster children, we are being filled by the Lord and His people paying attention, showing up and serving through their gifts and resources. This is the body. This is our village. This is a biblical framework for service. This is the Community of Care® that is essential to healthy fostering.

I cannot imagine this ministry without this support. And THIS is why we choose FaithBridge.