Figuring out our calling

Jason and I have been really trying to narrow in on our purpose in this life. Broad thought, I know. But besides the obvious of being parents, which we are extremely blessed to do, we are talking about the bigger plans that God has for us as HIS children. What is our calling together, separately, as parents, as His children? God has laid on my heart the desire to take care of children besides my own blood born children.

Long since I can remember I have had the heart and desire to adopt children. Recently, God has brought to my attention the need to foster children. There are so many children without families to love them and homes to be raised in. Kids are living in group homes, not having the parent-figures they need or a loving home to feel safe in. Foster parents are in such need because these kids need stability and personal attention. Some of these kids are just waiting to go back to their original homes, but for one reason or another, they have to wait for a parent to recover or family situations to work out. Until then, they are left waiting.

So while this isn't something we are for sure going forward with, we are praying on it. It takes a special kind of person/family to be foster parents and I want God to be sure that this will be for us before we move forward. All I can do is keep praying and doing my research. We have attended an orientation on it and have had most of our questions answered. One thing we learned about what they are looking for in foster parents is that you don't need to have lots of money, you just need to be able to support yourself and your family, you don't need to be a perfect parent, you just have to have a heart for children, and really, they accept all kinds of parents; single parents, married folks, folks with kids, folks without, military, even us who are still not living together full time.

The foster child will have health insurance covered by the state. That was a main concern for us. The expenses in general is a concern, but we learned that we would get reimbursed for general expenses such as food and possibly child care. They provide us plenty of school supplies and donations from generous people who want to make sure foster kids are taken care of. We just need to provide the bed, the home, and be the loving leaders and mentors that the child needs.

Jason and I would love to take this opportunity to share God's love with one of His innocent children. Jesus loves orphans and desires for us as a human race, to care for them. This just might be our ministry. Please pray for us on it that God will give us an answer to this if it is our calling. And if not, then pray that he leads us into the direction He wants us to go in. Either way, we want to grow more and more to glorify His name.