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Barren but Blessed – Trusting God with the Rest
Starting Them Off
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6
The main goal of the foster care system is reunification. Ultimately, we want to see these children return home to their parents. We want to see parents who turn their lives around, work hard and are success stories. Even going into my journey with the intent of fostering to adopt, I know in my heart that reunification is the main goal. Reunification is the true happy ending.
How do you love like there is no such thing as a broken heart and pour yourself into a child that may not be forever? It’s not always an easy task, especially when you’ve heard the stories that brought the child to you in the first place. However, Proverbs 22:6 holds a powerful message that should encourage you in your journey.
Proverbs 22:6 says that we should start children off on the way they should go and when they are old they will not turn from it. God has tasked us with a mighty job! We should start the children in our homes off on the way they should go so when they are old, when they move on from us, they will not turn from it.
Whether the children in your home are days, months or years old, it is never too late to instill in them the love and way of the Lord. Whether those children stay with you for days, months, years or forever, the work you have done in starting them off will follow them for the entirety of their lives.
Satan attacks our resolve and leaves us feeling as if we can’t possibly make a difference for the children of short stays or those with walls built of steel. Satan has no power in the face of our mighty God who has called you to this journey. You have the opportunity to start every child who enters your home off on the way they should go. You have the opportunity to point them in the right direction for the rest of their lives.
The next time you are faced with the true happy ending of reunification, even if it brings sadness to your heart, find joy in that you have started a child on the path that will reward them for the rest of their days.
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