Love does hard

"You can't change the world and play it safe at the same time." ~Richard Blackaby

My niece Meagan tagged me in a post earlier about Foster Moms... It started with this:

"You stand in the gap for little ones in the hardest days of their lives. You're the middle mom, filling the space between brokenness and redemption."

Of course, that applies to foster Moms AND foster Dads too! My husband often says it's the front line battles of ministry... caring for the neglected, abused, abandoned and sometimes forgotten.

The article talked about how Love does the hard things, and it got me to thinking about the God who is Love and how He takes the surrendered life right smack dab into the middle of hard things -- and gives us a small glimpse of Who He is and His character. Then, in His Sovereign Grace... He molds us into His Image and uses every hard thing for our own good and His glory!

I'll never fully comprehend His great love for me... But by His indwelling Spirit, I can share His Love with these little ones He assigns to me.

You see, foster care is an assignment from Him, an invitation to draw in close and watch Him take you to hard places you sometimes wish you'd never gone.

The hardest place of all... your own spaces between the brokenness of who you were before Christ and the magnificence of His redemption since knowing Him.

In every tear that falls, I'm reminded of the tears I shed as a little one, hidden from others but never from Him.

In every rejection and criticism, I'm reminded that He was rejected, shamed, beaten and pierced for my every transgression.

When I think of all the heartache and misunderstandings that occur when the decision to foster or adopt is made, and my heart hurts, and I'm weary and worn, and I want others to know the truth of what it's like... He lifts my head, His word gives me hope and His people encourage my heart.

You see, I've been blessed my whole life to be in a family and have many close friends who've stepped up and adopted, fostered, or otherwise cared for children who's parents either couldn't or wouldn't. Many of those children are now grown with families of their own now, and others are still small children growing and learning to love despite the trauma. Some know they are adopted and some do not. But all of them are now loved, safe, and thriving in their families, regardless of how their life biologically began.

I've also been blessed with family and friends that faced those tough decisions to give up a child for adoption or to the care of others, knowing their heart would one day heal, yet the loss would change them forever. I respect and admire each of them for putting the child's needs first. The ones I admire the most are those that understand that their love for the child they birthed is best shown by giving them a forever family, whether the ones given away ever knows them or not. God knows them each by name, and nobody comprehends adoption better than He does!

My niece and nephew and several of my cousins were adopted, all with differing backgrounds and stories. But one thing rings true with each of them... They've grown up cherished, chosen, and surrounded by a family that welcomed the chance to love them whole-heartedly.

Is it tough to walk this road?

You betcha!

Is it rewarding?

Absolutely!

Is it hard?

The hardest!

But through each step, God shows me His grace is sufficient, His plan is bigger than I can imagine, and His way is best!

Today, I'm praying for my other foster parent friends, for my adopted friends and family, those standing in the gap and those who are either considering fostering or adopting or have placed children up before.

May God strengthen your heart, may His word comfort, lead and guide you, and His faithfulness be a reminder to you that He sees all and He longs to fill your own heart and life's journey between brokenness and redemption always only with Himself.

The struggle is real, but God is bigger! May His loving presence permeate every broken hard place you've ever been. May this truth resonate with you: as long as you have breath, redemption is available! Surrender to Him right now, let Him heal what only He can. And never forget God's promise that He will never leave or forsake His children!! AMEN!

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