I loved watching my grandma layer together her quilts on the giant wooden frame that filled her entire living room. Grandma’s quilts had beautiful, hand-pieced tops and a durable quilt back. There were layers of batting sandwiched in between, all held together by the intricate pattern of her meticulous hand-stitching. Grandma’s quilts were beautiful, warm, …
Wait No More
In 2018, nearly 690,000 children spent time in U.S. foster care. Sadly, many of those children will find there are not enough foster families to accommodate them in their community. In some cases, children are being placed with families hours away from their homes, schools, and everything familiar to them. In other cases, they aren’t …
When I was asked as an adoptive mother and foster-care advocate to reflect this season on what it means to be thankful, I had to look up the meaning of thankful. According to Websters Dictionary, it states, conscious of benefit received, expressive of thanks, well pleased: GLAD. I have had to be intentional about what …
November is National Adoption Month and chances are that if you are reading this blog post, that you have a special place in your heart for kids who are in care. You may or may not realize that we can each play a vital part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster …
November is National Adoption Month. A time that has been dedicated to raise awareness and celebrate adoption. What started as a week of recognition has grown leaps and bounds. People have stepped out in faith, growing their families through the various facets of adoption. Adoption is not a new concept. Long ago, King David shared …
When my wife, Trisha, and I signed up to be foster parents 20 years ago, we were in our mid-twenties and had never parented before. As you would expect, there was a lot of paperwork to fill out. One particular form that is common in foster care and adoption lists conditions and experiences that may …
The Fall of each year serves as a reminder that the year is coming to an end, and we are headed into the busy holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas are times when families gather to share stories while making new memories. For my family, whether the elders pray or the children pray. Prayers are coveted …
How do you determine if someone is an expert in a given field? I’ve always thought that an expert has personal or professional experiential knowledge of a subject and has successfully navigated through it, grown beyond it, or found some way to grow from it. (“It” being whatever I happen to be researching at the …
For the past 25-years, I have either advocated for children as a Marketplace leader or worked with Marketplace leaders to positively impact the lives of children, families, and communities. From my corporate career in banking and finance to my philanthropic engagement through community-based organizations, there has been one question that has always surfaced, “What should …
Ben & Jessica are a married couple who attend Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2012, they heard their church was hosting a Foster Care Information Session. The church partnered with Coalition of Care, a nonprofit ministry serving as a bridge between local churches and vulnerable children in southwestern Ohio. Coalition of Care Collaboration When …
“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.”
I hear it at least weekly— “If it weren’t for my church… ” This is the chorus of an ever-growing choir. What follows varies from a simple statement to tragic stories met with timely redemption. You might expect stories of individuals trusting in Jesus because a local church pointed them to Him. You’d be right. …
They blazed a pathway to connect prospective families with the child welfare agency.
Pure and undefiled religion, as defined by James 1:27, is to look after vulnerable children and widows while maintaining our gospel message. If our churches will embrace care for vulnerable children through US foster care, we must do more than supply new foster homes. We need churches committed to mentor broken families, children with special …
As an adoptive parent, have you ever had the fleeting thought that perhaps you didn’t hear God right? When you believed He called you to adopt, or that He made a mistake in calling you? Maybe you’ve expressed to God, a close friend, or even a therapist (your child’s or your own) about how hard …
The trajectory of my life changed forever when my 18-year-old, unwed birth mother came to know Jesus Christ as her savior. She didn’t have the resources or family support to raise me. Knowing this, her pastor helped her make the loving choice to terminate her parental rights and put me into foster care. After a …
How To Start A Foster/Adoptive Family Ministry Equipping the Church for Lasting Impact in Child Welfare Eight of ten children were off to school, covering four campuses, three cities, and five grades. She stared with disbelief at the city official. It was mid-morning. The house was almost quiet except for the pair of three-year-olds in …
God is calling His church to enter this battle right now. Somewhere on your watch, there’s a child that needs you.
“Where does she live?” We ask this so we know which church to call to get the mom connected.
I can imagine how his day started. At eight years old, I suspect Noah woke up, fed his dog, and left for school. He walked solemnly to the bus stop, feeling a small ache with every step. He thought about the night before, his mom’s cries colliding with screams from his three-year-old sister. And Gary, …
