THANK YOU!
I believe that interceding on behalf of others is especially tender to the heart of God. When we come before His throne, selflessly pleading for Him to act on behalf of another, I just wonder at what kind of pleasure it must bring Him.
Maybe you know a family who fosters, but aren't sure how to pray. Here are 7 ways you can pray for foster families:
1) Pray that foster moms and dads trust God with the future of the children in their care. It's a daunting task to consider them not being under a trusted wing of protection. Pray they remember that God sees those children and that He cares. Deeply.
2) Pray that biological children can adjust to new siblings when they come, and say goodbye when they leave. These kids deal with emotions and situations that are hard for little hearts to handle. Pray they learn to look to God when dealing with change and heartache.
3) Pray that parents have the strength they need to meet the daily challenges of fostering. Raising children is difficult. Raising children from hard places is extra difficult. Throw in multiple trips to government buildings, extra doctor's appointments, and visitations with birth parents...It can quickly become a draining lifestyle. Pray that foster parents get the rest, support, and energy they need to accomplish the tasks before them.
4) Pray that families trust God with the potential heartbreak of foster care. There is nothing like looking at a child you love knowing they might go back. The weight of that ever-looming grief is heavy. Ask God to help moms and dads have peace, believing He will carry them through.
5) Pray that foster families make the most of the opportunity they have been given. The gospel is the most life changing thing they can give a child. Pray that families show the love of Christ and speak the love of Christ. Pray that the hearts of the children would be soft to Jesus, and that the Gospel would take root in their young lives.
6) Pray that biological children embrace a lifestyle of protecting and providing for the vulnerable. I have often worried that by deciding to foster, my two kids would become embittered. Pray that God helps families to make fostering a family mission. Pray that it would strengthen rather than weaken the faith of the biological children.
7) Pray that God would raise up more foster families. The need is great. Few things bless the hearts of foster families more than hearing of new foster families! Pray that God would call more Christ-following families to open their homes to displaced children.
Subscribe to Just Beth
Wonderful post. My Daughter and Son-in-love have become foster parents and we have gone through the journey with them as Granny and Poppa. I fell hook line and sinker with each and every child I have been bless to be given time with as they stay with them. (We live 3 hrs away so not always accessible) My kids couldn't take advantage of someone else's loss when they bought their home so I couldn't imagine them going into foster care with the thought that they may be blessed with a forever family. I know how soft their hearts are and how giving especially our Daughter is. They barely complete the training when they were place with 3 siblings 4 months just barely 2 and barely 4. I couldn't pray for the bio family to loose their children but I feared for my families hearts as we went through the ups and downs of court visits and visitations and missed visitations and the hassles of being "part of the system" and daily falling deeper and deeper in love with these children. So I opened my heart to God and asked him how I should handle this when what I really wanted was what was best for all concerned. All of a sudden I knew how to pray for the best outcome for all. I asked for the blessings on all concerned parties. I ask for the best outcome for everyone. I thanked for the opportunities be be part of these amazingly resilient children's lives. I continue to pray for them all the same as I did before we were blessed to become legal Grandparents as I do for each child that falls under our families care weather it is for one day or forever. I ask for blessings and guidance on how to answer my daughters concerns, lay people as they ask rude and ignorant questions, as those who ask out of true concern and those who make statements that I can't even phantom people feel that way. I ask for grace when an over tired Mom lashes out because she is sensitive and takes a comment not in the frame it was offered or just needs to take "it out on someone and wouldn't dream of taking it out on those she is blessed to care for". I have learned that when loved ones lash out in times of stress what they are really telling you is ... I trust you to keep loving me when I am at my most unlovable best. God has blessed me in so many ways in my life and I feel truly blessed to see the investment we put into our children as they invest in the lives of others. This is such a beautiful post .... may I suggest one more prayer I pray? I also pray for those who have to investigate and those with the tough job of removing those children from parents who don't want to give them up even for the child best interest. I pray for those who have to weigh all the facts and place those children with others and I pray for those who have to make the decisions to if need be terminate those biological families rights. That all involve are making the best choices for these tender little souls intrusted to their well being. Thank you once again for your wonderful post!
ReplyDelete