May 13, 2025 • 8 mins
Dr. Sharen Ford with Focus on the Family shares about the beauty of the body of Christ when the church comes together to bless those in Foster Care. Learn about different ways churches and families can be involved. From providing a day-out for foster families or providing respite care for a day or two; to praying about opening your home to foster children, Dr. Ford provides information and stories that will open your eyes and touch your heart. Resources and more information is available at WaitNoMore.Org
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Episode Transcript
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S1 (00:03):
It's National Foster Care Month, and whenever foster care is
around and we're talking about it, it's always good to
have an expert talk about this. Who has the heart
of Jesus? And her name is Doctor Sharon Ford with
focus on the family. Good morning Sharon.
S2 (00:17):
Good morning. How are you doing, Tom?
S1 (00:20):
Oh, just doing fantastic and just can't wait to talk
to you about this wonderful opportunity that sits before us
as the body of Christ.
S2 (00:27):
Oh, thank you so much for an opportunity to speak
to your audience, because there are children all over your
wonderful state that are trusting that families will step forward
and make a difference in their life. And I can
tell you that the foster families in Tennessee are heroes
and sheroes to kids who have been hurt and harmed
(00:47):
but need protection and love and nurturing. And that's what
we're here for today to talk about that.
S3 (00:53):
Yes. And we can even expand it to Georgia, Alabama
and North Carolina. We've got some of them listening as well.
And Sharon just wanted to share really quickly about what
our church did this past Sunday. They actually put out
a questionnaire to the people in the church, just had
little little cards on our seats and with QR codes
(01:14):
and asked if anybody was fostering or had adopted or
were interested in foster care or adoption. And also let
us know they were looking for volunteers for a foster
parent day out that they want to do next month.
And I was over the moon, excited that they were
doing this and inviting the whole church to get behind it,
(01:35):
and I thought, wow. It was creative what they did,
but it was simple. Other churches can do the same, right?
S2 (01:42):
Exactly how easy it is to engage the body of Christ,
to be the hands and feet of God, to serve
those foster families. They all need a day out and, and,
and so that they can just have quiet time or
go play or play pickleball or something. Go have tea.
What a wonderful way for the church to support the
(02:03):
foster families.
S1 (02:04):
Okay, so there are lots of different ways that people
can be involved in supporting the foster care. I'll just
call it the foster care system. Within that one is
respite care. And really loving on those families who have
already decided, yes, I'm in and I would love to foster.
Maybe I would foster to adopt, but maybe there are
some people that are thinking, I don't know even where
(02:26):
to start, but I think I'm interested in doing foster care.
How could somebody get started here in the Tennessee Valley?
Learning about the process.
S2 (02:35):
Well, there's a wonderful question, Tom. There are some organizations,
ministries in your local community that would love to speak
with families who are interested in being a foster family.
One of those organizations is the Baptist Children's Home. They
are always looking for families who would open their hearts
and open their homes, go to the training, become equipped,
(02:59):
and then welcome a child or their sibling group. Oh
my God. To bring in a sibling group intact into
their home so that they can get the healing and
support and nurturing that they need. That's an awesome way
for families in the local community to be involved in
the life of a child.
S3 (03:17):
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that resource with us.
Tom and I got a chance to go out to
the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home a couple of years ago.
We did a tour. We went into one of the
homes and met with some of the staff and what
an amazing organization. And so we have that one. We
have a few more even just calling up the Department
of Children's Services. You know, probably every city has something
(03:41):
like that. Every county has a Department of Child Protective Services. And,
and they work with, with the families in crisis. So
if you don't know who to call at all near you,
make sure you call them. But we want to make
sure we're actively engaged with this on some level. There's
so many levels to this and everybody doesn't have to
do the same thing.
S2 (04:01):
Oh no, there's so many things to do. Just being
a foster parent, as you mentioned, being a respite care
provider so that foster parent can have a little break
for 2 or 3 days. And the children go to
that foster family. boy. When the foster family belongs to
the church and the respite family belongs to the church,
that child sees the people in their community that are
(04:25):
wrapping supportive services around them, and they know them because
they see them at the church on Wednesday or Thursday
or on Sunday. There's also boy Volun just volunteering. Do
you know those kids that are behind in their reading?
Wouldn't be an awesome way to be a blessing to
a child, to sit and to read with them. Have
(04:47):
them read out loud. You read out loud. So a
child who's struggling with math because they got behind in
their schoolwork, all kinds of volunteers are needed to tutor
and to be a mentor to a child. Letting the
child know that there are people in their backyard, in
their community that really do care for them, that they're
not the forgotten. And so if you're caring for that
(05:07):
child who's in that foster home, you're supporting that foster family.
It builds community. It builds family. And boy, that's being
the hands and feet of God.
S3 (05:18):
This month is Foster Care Awareness Month, and that's why
we're talking with doctor Sharon Ford. She is the goat
of all things foster care. And so we appreciate some
of the resources and ideas she's giving us. And you know,
there's something about doing this, though that does take some intentionality. And, Sharon,
(05:39):
you have a story about a couple that had that
kind of intentionality. Can you share that?
S2 (05:44):
Yes. There's a young woman who, um, was herself in
foster care for, um, since the age of ten until
she aged out of foster care at age 18. And
she made a commitment in her heart that she was
going to foster. So, um, after graduating from college, she
met the man who was going to be her husband.
(06:05):
And she said while they were dating that she talked
about how important it was to be a foster parent
and that she, you know, if he was the guy,
then that was something that he was signing up for, too.
And she said he had no problem committing to that.
And so they became certified foster parents and have welcomed
children into their home. She said she wanted to be
the foster parent that she wanted when she was coming
(06:28):
through the foster care system, and she said it saved
her life. You know, she said, but I needed other
things that they didn't provide, and I wanted to make
a difference in the in the life of a child.
And so I, I celebrate and salute her, um, for
knowing and being willing and submitting to the need to
make a difference in the life of a child. You know,
(06:49):
another story I'd like to share with you is about
a young, I say young. This is a very mature
woman who has fostered her and her family have fostered
20 children. And, um, it was so delightful to talk
with her. She said every year at Christmas time that
week leading up to Christmas, she said, all 20 of
those kids in some way reach out and touch her
(07:11):
family again. Um, she said she gets phone calls, she
gets cards. And she said, other kids just come and
drop by. And just to let her know that she
and her family made such an impact in their lives.
She said this has been going on for several years. Um,
because she, um, fostered teens, she only fostered teens. And, um,
(07:34):
can you imagine 20 kids coming in and out of
your home the week before Christmas, and you're feeding them
and just loving on them and hugging them, and and
it just brings delight. She said she knew she made
the right commitment.
S1 (07:48):
Oh that is yeah. Sharon, that is just beautiful. What
a great story. Now, it definitely is a difficult journey,
but it seems like the rewards are so worth it.
If somebody's listening to you right now and they're looking
for some resources, where can they go to find some
information about foster care?
S2 (08:05):
We would love for them to visit our wait No more, um,
wait No More website that's focused on the families website
around foster care and adoption. Wait no more. It has
articles and videos. It has foster parents speaking out about
the journey of being a foster parent. We have a
(08:26):
host of resources, and everything on there is from a
biblical worldview and it is free.
It's National Foster Care Month, and whenever foster care is
around and we're talking about it, it's always good to
have an expert talk about this. Who has the heart
of Jesus? And her name is Doctor Sharon Ford with
focus on the family. Good morning Sharon.
S2 (00:17):
Good morning. How are you doing, Tom?
S1 (00:20):
Oh, just doing fantastic and just can't wait to talk
to you about this wonderful opportunity that sits before us
as the body of Christ.
S2 (00:27):
Oh, thank you so much for an opportunity to speak
to your audience, because there are children all over your
wonderful state that are trusting that families will step forward
and make a difference in their life. And I can
tell you that the foster families in Tennessee are heroes
and sheroes to kids who have been hurt and harmed
(00:47):
but need protection and love and nurturing. And that's what
we're here for today to talk about that.
S3 (00:53):
Yes. And we can even expand it to Georgia, Alabama
and North Carolina. We've got some of them listening as well.
And Sharon just wanted to share really quickly about what
our church did this past Sunday. They actually put out
a questionnaire to the people in the church, just had
little little cards on our seats and with QR codes
(01:14):
and asked if anybody was fostering or had adopted or
were interested in foster care or adoption. And also let
us know they were looking for volunteers for a foster
parent day out that they want to do next month.
And I was over the moon, excited that they were
doing this and inviting the whole church to get behind it,
(01:35):
and I thought, wow. It was creative what they did,
but it was simple. Other churches can do the same, right?
S2 (01:42):
Exactly how easy it is to engage the body of Christ,
to be the hands and feet of God, to serve
those foster families. They all need a day out and, and,
and so that they can just have quiet time or
go play or play pickleball or something. Go have tea.
What a wonderful way for the church to support the
(02:03):
foster families.
S1 (02:04):
Okay, so there are lots of different ways that people
can be involved in supporting the foster care. I'll just
call it the foster care system. Within that one is
respite care. And really loving on those families who have
already decided, yes, I'm in and I would love to foster.
Maybe I would foster to adopt, but maybe there are
some people that are thinking, I don't know even where
(02:26):
to start, but I think I'm interested in doing foster care.
How could somebody get started here in the Tennessee Valley?
Learning about the process.
S2 (02:35):
Well, there's a wonderful question, Tom. There are some organizations,
ministries in your local community that would love to speak
with families who are interested in being a foster family.
One of those organizations is the Baptist Children's Home. They
are always looking for families who would open their hearts
and open their homes, go to the training, become equipped,
(02:59):
and then welcome a child or their sibling group. Oh
my God. To bring in a sibling group intact into
their home so that they can get the healing and
support and nurturing that they need. That's an awesome way
for families in the local community to be involved in
the life of a child.
S3 (03:17):
Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that resource with us.
Tom and I got a chance to go out to
the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home a couple of years ago.
We did a tour. We went into one of the
homes and met with some of the staff and what
an amazing organization. And so we have that one. We
have a few more even just calling up the Department
of Children's Services. You know, probably every city has something
(03:41):
like that. Every county has a Department of Child Protective Services. And,
and they work with, with the families in crisis. So
if you don't know who to call at all near you,
make sure you call them. But we want to make
sure we're actively engaged with this on some level. There's
so many levels to this and everybody doesn't have to
do the same thing.
S2 (04:01):
Oh no, there's so many things to do. Just being
a foster parent, as you mentioned, being a respite care
provider so that foster parent can have a little break
for 2 or 3 days. And the children go to
that foster family. boy. When the foster family belongs to
the church and the respite family belongs to the church,
that child sees the people in their community that are
(04:25):
wrapping supportive services around them, and they know them because
they see them at the church on Wednesday or Thursday
or on Sunday. There's also boy Volun just volunteering. Do
you know those kids that are behind in their reading?
Wouldn't be an awesome way to be a blessing to
a child, to sit and to read with them. Have
(04:47):
them read out loud. You read out loud. So a
child who's struggling with math because they got behind in
their schoolwork, all kinds of volunteers are needed to tutor
and to be a mentor to a child. Letting the
child know that there are people in their backyard, in
their community that really do care for them, that they're
not the forgotten. And so if you're caring for that
(05:07):
child who's in that foster home, you're supporting that foster family.
It builds community. It builds family. And boy, that's being
the hands and feet of God.
S3 (05:18):
This month is Foster Care Awareness Month, and that's why
we're talking with doctor Sharon Ford. She is the goat
of all things foster care. And so we appreciate some
of the resources and ideas she's giving us. And you know,
there's something about doing this, though that does take some intentionality. And, Sharon,
(05:39):
you have a story about a couple that had that
kind of intentionality. Can you share that?
S2 (05:44):
Yes. There's a young woman who, um, was herself in
foster care for, um, since the age of ten until
she aged out of foster care at age 18. And
she made a commitment in her heart that she was
going to foster. So, um, after graduating from college, she
met the man who was going to be her husband.
(06:05):
And she said while they were dating that she talked
about how important it was to be a foster parent
and that she, you know, if he was the guy,
then that was something that he was signing up for, too.
And she said he had no problem committing to that.
And so they became certified foster parents and have welcomed
children into their home. She said she wanted to be
the foster parent that she wanted when she was coming
(06:28):
through the foster care system, and she said it saved
her life. You know, she said, but I needed other
things that they didn't provide, and I wanted to make
a difference in the in the life of a child.
And so I, I celebrate and salute her, um, for
knowing and being willing and submitting to the need to
make a difference in the life of a child. You know,
(06:49):
another story I'd like to share with you is about
a young, I say young. This is a very mature
woman who has fostered her and her family have fostered
20 children. And, um, it was so delightful to talk
with her. She said every year at Christmas time that
week leading up to Christmas, she said, all 20 of
those kids in some way reach out and touch her
(07:11):
family again. Um, she said she gets phone calls, she
gets cards. And she said, other kids just come and
drop by. And just to let her know that she
and her family made such an impact in their lives.
She said this has been going on for several years. Um,
because she, um, fostered teens, she only fostered teens. And, um,
(07:34):
can you imagine 20 kids coming in and out of
your home the week before Christmas, and you're feeding them
and just loving on them and hugging them, and and
it just brings delight. She said she knew she made
the right commitment.
S1 (07:48):
Oh that is yeah. Sharon, that is just beautiful. What
a great story. Now, it definitely is a difficult journey,
but it seems like the rewards are so worth it.
If somebody's listening to you right now and they're looking
for some resources, where can they go to find some
information about foster care?
S2 (08:05):
We would love for them to visit our wait No more, um,
wait No More website that's focused on the families website
around foster care and adoption. Wait no more. It has
articles and videos. It has foster parents speaking out about
the journey of being a foster parent. We have a
(08:26):
host of resources, and everything on there is from a
biblical worldview and it is free.
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