At any given time in the United States, there are more than a half million children in the foster care system. In my state alone, the figure hovers near 14,000. In a nearby suburban county, the disheartening ratio is almost 200 children in foster care,...
When my husband and I became foster parents, we knew one thing for sure, we would steer clear of eating disorders. We knew my challenging experiences with a close relative during my formative years might trigger a familiar frustration, so we were careful to avoid...
About Families Who Foster and Adopt - Observations from the Side of the Pool 350 people were there—almost exclusively foster families and adoptive families. We had an enormous pool, a kids’ summer time favorite—greased watermelon polo, a hilarious DJ, and a triple zip line racing above...
The Stearns' Journey to Adoption - Part 2 Kirsten & Andy Stearns have been married 8 years, their son Lincoln turned 2 in January 2016, and they are in the process of adopting a special needs child, we now know - a boy, from China. They...
The Stearns' Journey to Adoption – Part 1 Kirsten & Andy Stearns have been married 8 years, their son Lincoln turned 2 in January 2016, and they are in the process of adopting a special needs child, either gender, from China. They have graciously agreed...
Our daughter is now eight years old and this holiday season was quick to remind me, "Papa, this is my first Christmas!" But this special little girl came into our lives a long time ago - at three months old when my wife, Amy, and I went on...
With one heartrending image the tide turned. For Europe, what was long a faraway, hand-wringing perplexity became an “up in arms we have to do something” call to action. Political leaders no longer avoided a position, vague offers of assistance no longer satisfied. Even now,...
Oswald Chambers said, “Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry.” The first time I underlined this in my copy of My Utmost for His Highest, I was in the middle of waiting for an adoption that was dragging on...
“I could never do that.” This line makes for a great excuse. It’s subtle, and a powerful means of keeping our distance from problems, pain, and even people. If we could “do that”—take a risk, help a child, stand up for someone in a vulnerable spot—we’d...
For many of us, somewhere along the line, God placed a mission in our hearts to welcome a child home! Perhaps more than one child, perhaps only for a few weeks, perhaps for a lifetime. The variables may be unique, but the mission was the...