For over three years, I have been blessed to work as a foster care case manager at Gateway Woods. I have learned many lessons throughout my years here. One particular lesson I have learned is to trust and surrender to God. One way I have been able to experience this is by watching and working with my Christian foster families. These foster parents show me daily how Christ calls us to love every individual even when it gets challenging.

In foster parenting, there are many ups and downs with working with foster children. I have seen how much love and energy they pour into the children every single day. It amazes me to see them give of themselves daily to fulfill The Great Commission. Being a foster parent is not an easy job but it is worthwhile in the end to know you have been able to bless a child or children with learning about the gospel of Christ.

Another lesson I have experienced is how to trust. Trust is something I have particularly been challenged on while I have been at Gateway. Luckily, my foster parents have demonstrated what it means to fully trust God and His plans for them. Our foster parents have to trust and surrender to God their lives and their family’s lives to better serve the foster children.

Many times foster parenting takes a toll on the family, it becomes a struggle to really see any progress with the foster children. When these challenges come, I have seen foster parents lean completely on God for reassurance and they continually trust that God has a higher purpose to why the child is placed in their home.

The road of foster care is long, challenging, and sometimes overwhelming but my foster parents are always living out scripture in their homes. A scripture that comes to mind is, "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Luke 9:23. I am honored to see foster parents take up their cross and follow God in their calling to be foster parents.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Even with all the trials foster parenting can bring, in the end it is wonderful to trust that all of this is worth it. Even if there are struggles, it is important as Christians that we Trust God that everything will bring honor to Him in the end.

In Galatians 6:9 it states,

"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." This verse reminds me of how to keep striving to serve others while Leaning on God, trusting He knows what He is doing. My foster families show me how much God loves us and how we are called to surrender to Him daily. It is a great privilege to be a foster care worker at Gateway and I cannot imagine doing this job without our wonderful foster families.