God’s Got This: Prayer Guide For Foster FamiliesSample

“Daily Routines” You may have had these children in your home for a day or many months. Either way, you have probably borne witness to their good and not so good characteristics, for, let’s face it: They are kids! As such, they are being as authentic as they can be, and you are being as positively influential as you can be. These are all good things! But in orphan care, as in so many areas that are close to the heart of God, you are engaging daily in spiritual warfare. As you get to know these children more and more, you will probably fall in love with them. For the seasoned foster parent, you have likely learned how to guard your heart while still loving willingly and extravagantly. You know the value of mothering or fathering in the middle, although you have experienced the difficultly of loving and releasing over and over again. You know the importance of being that safe harbor in a storm. You know firsthand the hard places your kids have come from and so you stand in the gap, again and again. For the newer foster family, you are growing mightily in your work as a foster parent and in your walk as a child of God. How can you not? Standing on the front lines for these children day in and day out means you are standing on the front lines of the war against the modern orphan, and at times it may feel overwhelming. Let’s stop here and reflect on the mighty kingdom work you do each day. As the lyrics in “Do Everything,” one of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs, says, “You're picking up toys on the living room floor for the fifteenth time today, Matching up socks, sweeping up lost cheerios that got away.” As you are fostering, these daily routines have likely become a part of your life. The mundane, the monotonous, and the unsung moments are special to you, and even sentimental. As you love on God’s kids from hurting places, realize that you are protecting, honoring, and praying over the least of these. You know that you are making your own adoptive Father very happy by being His hands and feet to these children He calls by name, even if others do not always understand why you do what you do. Carry on soldier, carry on!