March 26, 2025 • 20 mins
God shows up in extraordinary ways for foster parents when we embrace the truth that we're participating in His holy work of restoration and redemption.
• His grace is sufficient for our weakness, covering our doubts, fears, and mistakes
• New mercies arrive each morning—only when we need them, not a moment sooner
• Hard things are exactly what Jesus calls us to, equipped with His strength and comfort
• We are not invisible—God sees every midnight cry, pantry prayer, and moment of faithfulness
• Our service is bigger than we realize—we're friends of God helping bring His plans to life
Keep saying yes, keep pressing into Him, even when your voice is shaking. This is holy ground you're walking on, and God is not finished with your story.
I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text!
Connect with me on Instagram: @Fosterparentwell
@nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/
Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to the Foster Parent Well podcast, where we
have real candid, faith-filledconversations about all things
foster care, adoption and trauma.
I'm your host, nicole T Barlow.
I'm a certified parent trainer,a certified health coach and an
adoptive parent myself.
This is a space where you canfind support so that you can
care for your kids with asteadfast faith, endurance and
(00:57):
joy.
I want you, glad you're here,whether you're listening from
the school pickup line, hidingin your closet with a cold cup
of coffee, from the schoolpickup line hiding in your
closet with a cold cup of coffeeor walking laps around your
neighborhood trying to squeezein five minutes of peace and
self-care, you guys, I am withyou.
I see you.
I just am really glad that youhit play today.
(01:17):
Now, before we dive into thedeep stuff, can we just have a
little real life moment?
It has been a week, and not thekind of week that I usually
have, not the kind of week whereyou lose your keys in the
fridge and you have to microwaveyour coffee three times
Although, yes, I have had to dothat too.
(01:39):
I'm talking about a big week,you guys, a holy ground kind of
week, a week where I have seenGod just show off.
In the foster and adoptivespaces that I get to be a part
of Y'all, we are watchingfamilies say yes, like actual
(02:00):
kids, walking into actual homes,new parents saying we don't
know what we're doing, but weknow that we are called.
And they're stepping into thedeep end of this ministry with
courage.
And it's not the kind ofcourage that comes from having
it all together, but the kindthat says Jesus, if you don't
show up, we are sunk.
(02:21):
It's that kind of big week, youguys.
We've seen reunificationcelebrated.
We've seen some broken storiesthat have started to mend.
We've had a front row seat tothe Spirit of God doing what
only he can do restoring,redeeming and renewing.
(02:42):
And I don't know about you, butin the middle of the chaos and
of the caseworker emails andtarget runs for last-minute
pull-ups, I need to be remindedthat we're not just doing good
work, we are doing God's work.
This is holy, this is ministry,and it matters more than we
sometimes realize in the moment,in the day-to-day.
(03:05):
So today's episode is a littledifferent.
I want to take some time tospeak life over you.
I want to bring us back to theWord, not because we need one
more thing to do, but because weneed to be anchored, we need to
be reminded who God is, who weare, what he has promised to do,
(03:26):
and especially when we're tired, you guys, when we're unsure,
when it feels like the system iswinning, we have to come back
to that space.
So, whether your house is quiettoday or full of chaos right now
, my prayer is that this episodewill breathe fresh courage into
your soul.
Not the cheap motivationalquote kind of courage, but the
(03:50):
kind that's deeply rooted inscripture, the kind that is
backed by the faithfulness ofGod and infused with the power
of the Holy Spirit.
So let's get right in Spirit.
So let's get right in you, guys.
2 Corinthians 12, 9 says but hesaid to me my grace is
(04:10):
sufficient for you, for my poweris made perfect in weakness.
Therefore, I will boast all themore gladly about my weakness
so that Christ's power may reston me.
Listen, I know the weight ofsome of the things that you guys
are carrying right now thesleepless nights, the trauma
(04:30):
meltdowns, the feeling that youare way over your head in this
one.
But can I just remind you, hisgrace is enough.
It's enough regardless of whereyou are in the process.
So if you're just stepping intothis space.
First of all, I'm sorry becausewe talk about a lot of hard on
(04:52):
this podcast, but if you arejust stepping into this space,
he is enough to carry your fearsand doubts.
You can hand that over to Him.
If you've been doing this for avery long time, he's enough to
be your strength and endurance.
Today, if you're in the spacewhere you're facing grief
(05:14):
whether it's grief ofreunification and having to see
a child leave, or even griefover your present situation you
know grieving what you thoughtthis would be like, or grieving
you know, grieving what yourhome used to look like.
He is going to give you thegrace to get through it, not
(05:34):
alone, but by his side.
This is not by your strength.
This is not your perfectlycolor-coded behavior charts
that's going to make adifference.
It's not your ability to keepit all together, you guys.
It's nothing you do.
It's his grace, and the beautyof that is where you feel the
(05:54):
weakest.
That's exactly where his powershows up the strongest.
So take a breath.
You're not doing this alone.
You are completely covered byHis grace, and I promise you,
you guys, even in the momentswhere it doesn't look like it,
even in the moments where you'reworried about how all of this
(06:18):
is going to affect your kids inthe long run.
I promise His grace is coveringit all.
Lamentations 3, 22 through 24says because of the Lord's great
love, we are not consumed, forhis compassions never fail.
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
(06:39):
I say to myself the Lord is myportion.
Therefore I will wait for him.
Portion, therefore, I will waitfor him.
So maybe you don't feel likeyou have enough grace for
tomorrow.
We can trust that he will giveus what we need for tomorrow.
He'll give it to us tomorrow.
His mercies are new everysingle morning.
(07:00):
So guess what?
You guys?
He hasn't given you the graceto get through tomorrow yet
because tomorrow hasn't come.
He hasn't called you to thatyet.
I think I've told this story onthe podcast before.
But when we first started goingthrough this process, or when
we really got into foster carewith our first placement, our
(07:21):
first placement was kind of aroller coaster when it comes to
the case side of things, thecourt side of things, and so it
looked like they were going tostay with us.
Then it looked like they weregoing to go home, and when you
are in that up and down rollercoaster all the time.
It is hard to guard your heart,it's hard to protect yourself
(07:43):
which I will say side note, Idon't think that we're supposed
to fully protect ourselves fromthis hurt but it's hard to not
worry about what tomorrow isgoing to bring, because it's so
all over the place, and so I wasreally worried what
reunification would look like.
Those our first placement, thetwo boys were with us for two
(08:05):
and a half years before theyended up going back to their
biological family and somewherein this process I just remember
the Lord saying to me if youworry about tomorrow, if you
worry about what's going tohappen tomorrow, you're going
through all the emotions of thathappening, but it hasn't
(08:28):
happened yet, so I haven't givenyou the grace to get through it
yet.
You're going through all of thatemotion without my grace, and
just this feeling that I neededto trust that if he called me to
that in that moment, that hisgrace would be enough, and it
(08:48):
was.
And I think, time after time, Ihave learned to trust that you
know he is going to give me thegrace I need for that day, and
it doesn't matter what it is.
You know.
Maybe you're worried orconcerned how you're going to
feel when kids go home, butmaybe it's not that.
Maybe it's you're worried orconcerned how you're going to
feel when kids go home, butmaybe it's not that.
Maybe it's you're worried aboutwhat it's going to look like
(09:12):
when your kids become teenagers,or if they're throwing tantrums
now, what that is going to looklike when they get older.
I have a child that we alwayssay that, if you know,
especially when he was little,like if he left your house you
needed to check his pocketsbecause he had a bit of sticky
(09:32):
finger syndrome and y'all thefear of what that was going to
grow into when he got olderreally consumed me sometimes.
You know.
But just remembering that theLord covers all of those things
that he's going to give us whatwe need to parent our kids well,
and he's also going to give ourkids what they need in order to
(09:54):
find Him and follow Him In thebook of Habakkuk.
I love this book so much,especially all of the important
truths that we can take from itin foster care.
But what happens in the book ofHabakkuk is Habakkuk looks out
his window and basically seesall of this violence and all of
(10:17):
this stuff going on all the time.
And he's crying out to the LordLord, do something, this isn't
right, you need to step in right.
And he's crying out to the Lordover and over and over again.
And finally he says to the Lord, like, why aren't you doing
something?
And the Lord gives him a littlesnippet as to what he's doing.
And the Lord, you know, kind oflifts the veil a little bit and
(10:40):
allows Habakkuk to see what'sgoing on behind the scenes.
And then, when Habakkuk does seewhat's going on behind the
scenes, and then, when Habakkukdoes see what's going on behind
the scenes, the Lord says, hey,I'm raising up this evil people
to conquer right, to conquer you, and it's going to change
everything.
And Habakkuk's like, no, no, no, I don't want it to happen that
way, right, because we alwaysthink we have a better idea of
(11:02):
how things should go.
But I love that, at the end ofHabakkuk, right, that the Lord
gives Habakkuk a glimpse of allthe things that are going on
behind the scene.
And at the end of Habakkuk,habakkuk says he's in this place
, where he says, though the figtree should not blossom, nor the
(11:24):
fruit be on the vines, theproduce of the olive fail and
the fields yield no food, theflock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in thestalls.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will take joy in the God ofmy salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength.
He makes my feet like thedeer's, he makes me tread on my
(11:48):
high places.
So I know what it looks like,you guys, to look out my window,
or I mean even just my livingroom, and feel like everything
around me is in chaos and I'mcrying out to the Lord and
saying why don't you fix thisright, like why don't you just
fix it?
But, friend, trust me when Isay he is moving, he is making
(12:12):
things new.
We just aren't always privy towhat's going on behind the
scenes, but he has given us Hisword that he is faithful.
He has given us His Word thatsays he works everything
together for your good and Hisglory right, so we can trust in
(12:33):
what he says.
I'm currently reading throughall of the Gospels through the
Lent season.
I'm not really going in order,so I read Luke and now I'm
reading through Matthew andsomething really stood out in my
reading today.
Matthew 7, 13 through 14 saysenter by the narrow gate, for
(12:56):
the gate is wide and the way iseasy.
That leads to destruction.
And those who enter by it aremany, for the gate is narrow and
the way is hard.
That leads to life.
And those who find it are many,for the gate is narrow and the
way is hard.
That leads to life, and thosewho find it are few.
And I just thought you know weare not privy to all of the
(13:17):
stuff that is going on in thebackground.
But just because things lookhard doesn't mean that things
aren't good.
Just because things are harddoesn't mean God's not moving.
It's easy to look around us andquestion why are we doing these
hard things?
And the truth is, hard stuff isexactly what Jesus asks us to
(13:40):
do.
He tells us it's going to behard.
He calls us to these hardspaces.
But you guys, who else is goingto do it?
We have the heart and mind ofChrist.
We have his strength and hiscomfort of Christ.
(14:01):
We have His strength and Hiscomfort.
We are the most equipped forthis job, not because of us, but
because of Him, because we haveHim living inside of us.
We have Him to carry us throughwhatever hard things he asks us
to do, and think about thosepeople that aren't, that don't
have Christ right and are tryingto do these hard things.
(14:21):
Imagine how hard it is for them.
Psalm 34 says I will bless theLord at all times.
His praise shall continually bein my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in theLord.
Let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with meand let us exalt his name
(14:45):
altogether.
I sought the Lord and heanswered me and delivered me
from all my fears.
Those who look to him areradiant and their faces shall
never be ashamed.
This poor man cried and theLord heard him and saved him out
of all of his troubles.
(15:05):
The angel of the Lord encampsaround those who fear him and
delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lordis good.
Blessed is the man who takesrefuge in him.
Oh, fear the Lord, you, hissaints.
For those who fear him have nolack.
The young lions suffer, wantand hunger, but those who seek
(15:29):
the Lord lack no good thing.
What a gift and a blessing toserve a God that does not hold
back any good thing from us.
We have been saved and you guys,if you are in this ministry of
serving vulnerable children.
You are part of this movementof his to glorify him and share
(15:52):
his love with others.
Jesus, at the Last Supper,tells his disciples you aren't
just servants, you are friends,because a servant doesn't know
what the master's doing, but afriend knows his plans.
You, friend, have been invitedto know the plans of the Lord
and to help bring it to life.
Don't miss that.
(16:13):
Your service every day is somuch bigger than you think or
see.
If you guys are still with me,thank you for hanging in there
with me today.
I just had some things on myheart that I felt like I needed
to get out there.
You guys I know this life isn'teasy.
(16:35):
You're saying yes to hardthings every single day.
You're parenting kids who comewith big feelings, big histories
and sometimes big gaps wheresafety and trust should have
lived.
And you're showing up On thedays it makes sense and on the
days that it absolutely doesn'tmake sense at all.
But here's what I want you tohold on to as we close out today
(16:58):
you are not invisible.
God sees you.
He sees the midnight cries andthe prayers whispered in the
pantry and the moments you wantto tap out.
But you don't.
You are not alone, and thiscalling it's not something you
have to muscle through in yourown strength.
The one who has called you tothis is the one who equips you,
(17:22):
and he has promised that hisgrace will carry you.
If you're in a season ofweariness and wondering if
you're doing any of this right,I want you to hear me say you
are not failing, you arefaithful.
And that faithfulness, yes,even in the messy, imperfect
kind, it is beautiful, it is apowerful offering to the Lord.
(17:44):
You are parenting in the middleof a battlefield and heaven,
you guys, is cheering you on.
Keep going, keep pressing intoHim, keep saying yes, even when
your voice is shaking.
This is holy ground.
You're walking on and God isnot done, not with you, not with
(18:06):
your child, not with this story.
Let me pray for us as I wrap uptoday.
Father, we come before youtoday weary but willing.
We thank you for every singleparent listening, every mom,
every dad, every guardian whohas said yes to loving a child
(18:26):
from hard places.
You see every unseen act ofsacrifice, you hear every single
cry, you catch every singletear and you promise that your
grace is enough.
Lord, I ask you that you pourout fresh strength over these
parents today.
Remind them that they are notalone when their hearts are
(18:49):
heavy.
Lift their eyes to you when thedays feel endless.
Remind them that you arewriting an eternal story through
their obedience.
Give them wisdom that goesbeyond their years, patience
that stretches past their limitsand joy that defies their
circumstances.
(19:10):
Be near to them, jesus.
Breathe peace into their homeand hope into their hearts.
Breathe peace into their homeand hope into their hearts.
Above all, help them rest inyour love that they are fully
known, fully seen and fullysupported by you.
You are the God who equips themas the called and you are so,
(19:33):
so good.
We love you, jesus.
We trust you In Jesus' nameamen.
Welcome to the Foster Parent Well podcast, where we
have real candid, faith-filledconversations about all things
foster care, adoption and trauma.
I'm your host, nicole T Barlow.
I'm a certified parent trainer,a certified health coach and an
adoptive parent myself.
This is a space where you canfind support so that you can
care for your kids with asteadfast faith, endurance and
(00:57):
joy.
I want you, glad you're here,whether you're listening from
the school pickup line, hidingin your closet with a cold cup
of coffee, from the schoolpickup line hiding in your
closet with a cold cup of coffeeor walking laps around your
neighborhood trying to squeezein five minutes of peace and
self-care, you guys, I am withyou.
I see you.
I just am really glad that youhit play today.
(01:17):
Now, before we dive into thedeep stuff, can we just have a
little real life moment?
It has been a week, and not thekind of week that I usually
have, not the kind of week whereyou lose your keys in the
fridge and you have to microwaveyour coffee three times
Although, yes, I have had to dothat too.
(01:39):
I'm talking about a big week,you guys, a holy ground kind of
week, a week where I have seenGod just show off.
In the foster and adoptivespaces that I get to be a part
of Y'all, we are watchingfamilies say yes, like actual
(02:00):
kids, walking into actual homes,new parents saying we don't
know what we're doing, but weknow that we are called.
And they're stepping into thedeep end of this ministry with
courage.
And it's not the kind ofcourage that comes from having
it all together, but the kindthat says Jesus, if you don't
show up, we are sunk.
(02:21):
It's that kind of big week, youguys.
We've seen reunificationcelebrated.
We've seen some broken storiesthat have started to mend.
We've had a front row seat tothe Spirit of God doing what
only he can do restoring,redeeming and renewing.
(02:42):
And I don't know about you, butin the middle of the chaos and
of the caseworker emails andtarget runs for last-minute
pull-ups, I need to be remindedthat we're not just doing good
work, we are doing God's work.
This is holy, this is ministry,and it matters more than we
sometimes realize in the moment,in the day-to-day.
(03:05):
So today's episode is a littledifferent.
I want to take some time tospeak life over you.
I want to bring us back to theWord, not because we need one
more thing to do, but because weneed to be anchored, we need to
be reminded who God is, who weare, what he has promised to do,
(03:26):
and especially when we're tired, you guys, when we're unsure,
when it feels like the system iswinning, we have to come back
to that space.
So, whether your house is quiettoday or full of chaos right now
, my prayer is that this episodewill breathe fresh courage into
your soul.
Not the cheap motivationalquote kind of courage, but the
(03:50):
kind that's deeply rooted inscripture, the kind that is
backed by the faithfulness ofGod and infused with the power
of the Holy Spirit.
So let's get right in Spirit.
So let's get right in you, guys.
2 Corinthians 12, 9 says but hesaid to me my grace is
(04:10):
sufficient for you, for my poweris made perfect in weakness.
Therefore, I will boast all themore gladly about my weakness
so that Christ's power may reston me.
Listen, I know the weight ofsome of the things that you guys
are carrying right now thesleepless nights, the trauma
(04:30):
meltdowns, the feeling that youare way over your head in this
one.
But can I just remind you, hisgrace is enough.
It's enough regardless of whereyou are in the process.
So if you're just stepping intothis space.
First of all, I'm sorry becausewe talk about a lot of hard on
(04:52):
this podcast, but if you arejust stepping into this space,
he is enough to carry your fearsand doubts.
You can hand that over to Him.
If you've been doing this for avery long time, he's enough to
be your strength and endurance.
Today, if you're in the spacewhere you're facing grief
(05:14):
whether it's grief ofreunification and having to see
a child leave, or even griefover your present situation you
know grieving what you thoughtthis would be like, or grieving
you know, grieving what yourhome used to look like.
He is going to give you thegrace to get through it, not
(05:34):
alone, but by his side.
This is not by your strength.
This is not your perfectlycolor-coded behavior charts
that's going to make adifference.
It's not your ability to keepit all together, you guys.
It's nothing you do.
It's his grace, and the beautyof that is where you feel the
(05:54):
weakest.
That's exactly where his powershows up the strongest.
So take a breath.
You're not doing this alone.
You are completely covered byHis grace, and I promise you,
you guys, even in the momentswhere it doesn't look like it,
even in the moments where you'reworried about how all of this
(06:18):
is going to affect your kids inthe long run.
I promise His grace is coveringit all.
Lamentations 3, 22 through 24says because of the Lord's great
love, we are not consumed, forhis compassions never fail.
They are new every morning.
Great is your faithfulness.
(06:39):
I say to myself the Lord is myportion.
Therefore I will wait for him.
Portion, therefore, I will waitfor him.
So maybe you don't feel likeyou have enough grace for
tomorrow.
We can trust that he will giveus what we need for tomorrow.
He'll give it to us tomorrow.
His mercies are new everysingle morning.
(07:00):
So guess what?
You guys?
He hasn't given you the graceto get through tomorrow yet
because tomorrow hasn't come.
He hasn't called you to thatyet.
I think I've told this story onthe podcast before.
But when we first started goingthrough this process, or when
we really got into foster carewith our first placement, our
(07:21):
first placement was kind of aroller coaster when it comes to
the case side of things, thecourt side of things, and so it
looked like they were going tostay with us.
Then it looked like they weregoing to go home, and when you
are in that up and down rollercoaster all the time.
It is hard to guard your heart,it's hard to protect yourself
(07:43):
which I will say side note, Idon't think that we're supposed
to fully protect ourselves fromthis hurt but it's hard to not
worry about what tomorrow isgoing to bring, because it's so
all over the place, and so I wasreally worried what
reunification would look like.
Those our first placement, thetwo boys were with us for two
(08:05):
and a half years before theyended up going back to their
biological family and somewherein this process I just remember
the Lord saying to me if youworry about tomorrow, if you
worry about what's going tohappen tomorrow, you're going
through all the emotions of thathappening, but it hasn't
(08:28):
happened yet, so I haven't givenyou the grace to get through it
yet.
You're going through all of thatemotion without my grace, and
just this feeling that I neededto trust that if he called me to
that in that moment, that hisgrace would be enough, and it
(08:48):
was.
And I think, time after time, Ihave learned to trust that you
know he is going to give me thegrace I need for that day, and
it doesn't matter what it is.
You know.
Maybe you're worried orconcerned how you're going to
feel when kids go home, butmaybe it's not that.
Maybe it's you're worried orconcerned how you're going to
feel when kids go home, butmaybe it's not that.
Maybe it's you're worried aboutwhat it's going to look like
(09:12):
when your kids become teenagers,or if they're throwing tantrums
now, what that is going to looklike when they get older.
I have a child that we alwayssay that, if you know,
especially when he was little,like if he left your house you
needed to check his pocketsbecause he had a bit of sticky
(09:32):
finger syndrome and y'all thefear of what that was going to
grow into when he got olderreally consumed me sometimes.
You know.
But just remembering that theLord covers all of those things
that he's going to give us whatwe need to parent our kids well,
and he's also going to give ourkids what they need in order to
(09:54):
find Him and follow Him In thebook of Habakkuk.
I love this book so much,especially all of the important
truths that we can take from itin foster care.
But what happens in the book ofHabakkuk is Habakkuk looks out
his window and basically seesall of this violence and all of
(10:17):
this stuff going on all the time.
And he's crying out to the LordLord, do something, this isn't
right, you need to step in right.
And he's crying out to the Lordover and over and over again.
And finally he says to the Lord, like, why aren't you doing
something?
And the Lord gives him a littlesnippet as to what he's doing.
And the Lord, you know, kind oflifts the veil a little bit and
(10:40):
allows Habakkuk to see what'sgoing on behind the scenes.
And then, when Habakkuk does seewhat's going on behind the
scenes, and then, when Habakkukdoes see what's going on behind
the scenes, the Lord says, hey,I'm raising up this evil people
to conquer right, to conquer you, and it's going to change
everything.
And Habakkuk's like, no, no, no, I don't want it to happen that
way, right, because we alwaysthink we have a better idea of
(11:02):
how things should go.
But I love that, at the end ofHabakkuk, right, that the Lord
gives Habakkuk a glimpse of allthe things that are going on
behind the scene.
And at the end of Habakkuk,habakkuk says he's in this place
, where he says, though the figtree should not blossom, nor the
(11:24):
fruit be on the vines, theproduce of the olive fail and
the fields yield no food, theflock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in thestalls.
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord.
I will take joy in the God ofmy salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength.
He makes my feet like thedeer's, he makes me tread on my
(11:48):
high places.
So I know what it looks like,you guys, to look out my window,
or I mean even just my livingroom, and feel like everything
around me is in chaos and I'mcrying out to the Lord and
saying why don't you fix thisright, like why don't you just
fix it?
But, friend, trust me when Isay he is moving, he is making
(12:12):
things new.
We just aren't always privy towhat's going on behind the
scenes, but he has given us Hisword that he is faithful.
He has given us His Word thatsays he works everything
together for your good and Hisglory right, so we can trust in
(12:33):
what he says.
I'm currently reading throughall of the Gospels through the
Lent season.
I'm not really going in order,so I read Luke and now I'm
reading through Matthew andsomething really stood out in my
reading today.
Matthew 7, 13 through 14 saysenter by the narrow gate, for
(12:56):
the gate is wide and the way iseasy.
That leads to destruction.
And those who enter by it aremany, for the gate is narrow and
the way is hard.
That leads to life.
And those who find it are many,for the gate is narrow and the
way is hard.
That leads to life, and thosewho find it are few.
And I just thought you know weare not privy to all of the
(13:17):
stuff that is going on in thebackground.
But just because things lookhard doesn't mean that things
aren't good.
Just because things are harddoesn't mean God's not moving.
It's easy to look around us andquestion why are we doing these
hard things?
And the truth is, hard stuff isexactly what Jesus asks us to
(13:40):
do.
He tells us it's going to behard.
He calls us to these hardspaces.
But you guys, who else is goingto do it?
We have the heart and mind ofChrist.
We have his strength and hiscomfort of Christ.
(14:01):
We have His strength and Hiscomfort.
We are the most equipped forthis job, not because of us, but
because of Him, because we haveHim living inside of us.
We have Him to carry us throughwhatever hard things he asks us
to do, and think about thosepeople that aren't, that don't
have Christ right and are tryingto do these hard things.
(14:21):
Imagine how hard it is for them.
Psalm 34 says I will bless theLord at all times.
His praise shall continually bein my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in theLord.
Let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with meand let us exalt his name
(14:45):
altogether.
I sought the Lord and heanswered me and delivered me
from all my fears.
Those who look to him areradiant and their faces shall
never be ashamed.
This poor man cried and theLord heard him and saved him out
of all of his troubles.
(15:05):
The angel of the Lord encampsaround those who fear him and
delivers them.
Oh, taste and see that the Lordis good.
Blessed is the man who takesrefuge in him.
Oh, fear the Lord, you, hissaints.
For those who fear him have nolack.
The young lions suffer, wantand hunger, but those who seek
(15:29):
the Lord lack no good thing.
What a gift and a blessing toserve a God that does not hold
back any good thing from us.
We have been saved and you guys,if you are in this ministry of
serving vulnerable children.
You are part of this movementof his to glorify him and share
(15:52):
his love with others.
Jesus, at the Last Supper,tells his disciples you aren't
just servants, you are friends,because a servant doesn't know
what the master's doing, but afriend knows his plans.
You, friend, have been invitedto know the plans of the Lord
and to help bring it to life.
Don't miss that.
(16:13):
Your service every day is somuch bigger than you think or
see.
If you guys are still with me,thank you for hanging in there
with me today.
I just had some things on myheart that I felt like I needed
to get out there.
You guys I know this life isn'teasy.
(16:35):
You're saying yes to hardthings every single day.
You're parenting kids who comewith big feelings, big histories
and sometimes big gaps wheresafety and trust should have
lived.
And you're showing up On thedays it makes sense and on the
days that it absolutely doesn'tmake sense at all.
But here's what I want you tohold on to as we close out today
(16:58):
you are not invisible.
God sees you.
He sees the midnight cries andthe prayers whispered in the
pantry and the moments you wantto tap out.
But you don't.
You are not alone, and thiscalling it's not something you
have to muscle through in yourown strength.
The one who has called you tothis is the one who equips you,
(17:22):
and he has promised that hisgrace will carry you.
If you're in a season ofweariness and wondering if
you're doing any of this right,I want you to hear me say you
are not failing, you arefaithful.
And that faithfulness, yes,even in the messy, imperfect
kind, it is beautiful, it is apowerful offering to the Lord.
(17:44):
You are parenting in the middleof a battlefield and heaven,
you guys, is cheering you on.
Keep going, keep pressing intoHim, keep saying yes, even when
your voice is shaking.
This is holy ground.
You're walking on and God isnot done, not with you, not with
(18:06):
your child, not with this story.
Let me pray for us as I wrap uptoday.
Father, we come before youtoday weary but willing.
We thank you for every singleparent listening, every mom,
every dad, every guardian whohas said yes to loving a child
(18:26):
from hard places.
You see every unseen act ofsacrifice, you hear every single
cry, you catch every singletear and you promise that your
grace is enough.
Lord, I ask you that you pourout fresh strength over these
parents today.
Remind them that they are notalone when their hearts are
(18:49):
heavy.
Lift their eyes to you when thedays feel endless.
Remind them that you arewriting an eternal story through
their obedience.
Give them wisdom that goesbeyond their years, patience
that stretches past their limitsand joy that defies their
circumstances.
(19:10):
Be near to them, jesus.
Breathe peace into their homeand hope into their hearts.
Breathe peace into their homeand hope into their hearts.
Above all, help them rest inyour love that they are fully
known, fully seen and fullysupported by you.
You are the God who equips themas the called and you are so,
(19:33):
so good.
We love you, jesus.
We trust you In Jesus' nameamen.
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