Being Called

We have some news that we want to share with everyone.  Thought you might want to hear the back story on how this all came about!  So here it goes:

In November of 2011 I went to the ACE conference at North Phoenix Baptist Church.  During break time we could have lunch and walk around the bookstore and booths.  I really do not like the booths much (ya know the ones at the fair that give you FREE stuff to put in a bag), but my friend wanted to walk around them.  I was at a booth and my friend called me over to another booth because they were having a giveaway.  So I filled out all the info and the form had questions on it like are you interested in more info on foster care, adoption, how to help the homeless etc.  I looked to see what booth I was at and it was Arizona Baptist Children’s Services.  I asked some questions about the foster care/adoption and moved on.  A week later I was at Wendy’s and they now have a program that does foster care.  I mentioned all these things to R and it was left at that.
At the beginning of each new year I like to ask God to show me a verse that He would like me to focus on for the year and he gave me a few:

Matthew 22: 37-39

37 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  38 This is the first and greatest commandment.  39 And the second is like it You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

1 John 3:17

17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in Him.

In March I started a Bible study on Nehemiah: A Heart That Can Break (which is a fab study if you have time).  During this study she asked:  Is there something that you have not dreamt in the presence of God because you are afraid?  I answered:  Yes, about adding children to our family because I know that it is medically not possible.  Even fostering would be amazing!  With God all things are possible!

At the end of April R was at the men’s retreat so I was at church alone.  I went to first service and at the beginning of the sermon the pastor asked:  Is God calling you to be a foster parent or adopt?  I heard that and started crying.  I do not recall what the rest of the sermon was about.  Then at second service (choir and orchestra normally are there at the beginning of service then get dismissed) I felt God tell me that he wanted me to stay for second service.  So after I was dismissed I texted R to let him know I wouldn’t be home just in case he got home while I was there and then prayed to God and said to him.  Lord, if that is what you wanted me to hear (Foster Care) then please Lord say it again.  I sat down and listened.  Only this time the pastor didn’t say it.  I still do not know what the sermon was about that day because I just began praying and talking to God though the service.  Then towards the end of the sermon pastor said it again:  Maybe God is asking you to foster or adopt…  Wow God.  I was amazed.  Then the pastor said something that is so true, but I didn’t realize at the time.  This is the reason why God had me stay for second service.  He said:  When two people are married and God is calling one person to do something he will call them both.  Then at the end of the service the pastor stood up at the front to pray with people if they needed while we all sang.  God told me to go pray with him that day.  **So far out of my comfort zone** We prayed for R that day and his heart.  Then I asked a lot of people to pray for R’s heart to be softened to this idea to show him too!  Then I waited…I wanted this all to be from God not something that I was putting in R’s head.

In May our Young Married’s Group was asked to put on a Foster Care event for Arizona Baptist Children’s Services.  So we planned crafts, games and singing for them.  We went and did that the Friday before mother’s day and it was amazing!  Those children were so precious and so were the families that they were with.  After I asked R what he thought and he said it was good and not much more.  I didn’t want to push him.

After that I thought about something…if I do not mention something to R about this then how will he know that it is on my heart.  You see I hadn’t mentioned anything since November of last year.  So we had a date night and I asked God to open an opportunity for me to ask him about it.  God provided that time.  I asked him, so what is God showing you about being a foster parent?  He said I feel a peace about it.  I shared a little with him, but not too much not to sway him.  Then I asked him again the same question.  He said that he feels a peace about it and that God talks to him differently than he does with you.  He said that where God uses scripture over and over or has things “pop” up over and over for you he gives me a peace that everything will be ok.  He said I feel that this is something that we will do.  I told him more of what God has shown me and asked him if I could call Arizona Baptist Children’s Services that upcoming week and he said yes!

That week I was praying that God would show me what Bible Study to lead in the summer and God just was not telling me!  So I had decided that I would just pick one.  That next day I called Arizona Baptist Children’s Services and expected to leave a message, but they answered.  I told her who we were (from the event) and that we felt called to be foster parents.  She said where do you want to start just a meeting to learn about it or classes!  I said classes we are ready.  She said ok they start June 5^th.  The exact same day that the Bible Study I was going to lead was to start.  God wasn’t answering me because He knew that he had these classes for us to start and that I would not be leading the Bible Study.

R and I had talked about wanting to Foster when we were dating!  God knew then that He had this path for us!

God has been so amazing through all this and the 10 weeks of classes!  He showed us that His hand was in this.  He prepared this path for us and has blessed us!

We are done with classes now and any day now we will be certified and have a child(ren) in our home.  We are excited and nervous, but we know that God has our back and will protect and provide for us!