This is a common thing I hear from people who feel like just maybe they could do this, but they have a lot of fear to jump into this world.

I think the biggest question you need to ask yourself is, are you able to love unconditionally. Because that is what this takes.

There is going to be voices of fear inside you saying things like

I will get too attached. It will be so inconvienient. My family won’t understand. I don’t know if I can give up the comfort I am used to. I don’t know if I can witness hard things, child abuse, parental drug use, difficult behaviors. I don’t think I am a good enough parent.

There are levels to truth to each of those fears but the underlying thing is just fear.

I think to have what it takes to be a foster parent, you need to be fearless and give a fearless yes. Because at the end of the day you becoming a foster parent means a kid knows love. A kid who is in the scariest situation of their life knows safety. A kid who has experienced abuse, neglect, starvation, cruelty, hurt, pain, fear knows the opposite. You can be that change.

You can provide a clean warm home. You can provide comfort. You can provide stability. You can help facilitate healing. You can provide hope. You can provide unconditional love.

I want you to know foster parenting has been the best thing I have ever done with my life. Not only did it give me a purpose beyond myself and my immediate circle. But it gave me a forever daughter who brings so much joy to our life. It has brought me amazing relationships. It has brought me closer to God.

So maybe if you are questioning if you have what it takes, ask yourself if you can put your selfish desires aside for the sake of a child knowing love and safety and hope in their future. Because when it comes down to it, that’s what foster parenting is.

The thing is, if you choose love over comfort you will be blessed more than you will know. Love does hard things, choose well, choose love.

If God has called you, He will equip you. It isn’t about our own capacity and if we have what it takes. It’s about us being willing to step into someone else brokenness just as Jesus did for us. We have make the right choice, over the easy choice. It’s about us being willing to end the orphan crisis. It’s about us changing the future. It’s about saying yes when the world will give you a million reasons to say no.

We don’t have to be perfect parents. That’s what God’s grace and mercy is for. We simply need to be willing.

I am not saying to go into this blind. Educate yourselves, gather your supports, do everything you can do to be the best at the role you are being called to, but know on the other end of a yes you are changing someone’s world.

Your willingness to love, to prepare and to make room for a sweet little soul who needs some love will change you for the better. Because you simply cannot unsee the things you will see when you become a foster parent, and suddenly so many things that seemed so important, fall to the wayside because their are children in this world who need you. Who need you to simply say yes. 

Check out another youtube video I did a while ago about 7 ways to be a great foster parent.