Friday, March 28, 2014

not protecting our hearts

A lot of well-meaning people keep telling me there is no way they could ever do foster care.  I mean, it would be so hard to say goodbye.  They gently suggest that I protect my heart in this process.

My responses have been fine tuned over this past month.

First, in our own strength we can't either.  It never dawned on me to open my home to children in need of a loving family before two years ago.  God planted that desire in our hearts for his good purpose, so even though it is us holding and kissing this precious Sweet Pea each day, it is really Him.

Second, I spend very little time thinking about the day we will say goodbye.  How can I be fully used by God today if I am worried about the "someday" that may never come?  We have no idea how long and complicated this journey will be so it became very clear to us early on how pointless it would be to dwell on something that we have no control over when will actually happen.

Third, we have chosen not to protect our hearts.  How could we possibly?!  She needs our whole hearts today.  And God is capable of healing our broken hearts as he is in fact already doing.  I have cried over this Little One more than once and I expect to many times more.  What an honor it is to cry for her!  Why do we as believers fear pain?  God is good in the heartache and the joy!

This song spoke to me years ago and has more relevance now.  It was not written as a song about foster care but it applies completely to our feelings toward this season we have with Sweet Pea.


1 comment:

amanda said...

I LOVE this Alexis! God wants our whole hearts and to give Him that we have to love His people with our whole heart. You are teaching this sweet girl what it means to give God your whole heart by loving her with yours!