Help! I'm a Foster Parent: Experiences from Real People. Hope from a Real God.
Help! I'm a Foster Parent: Experiences from Real People. Hope from a Real God.

Author: Nikki Hertzler

Publisher: Ambassador International

Published: 2023-05-02

Total Pages: 122

ISBN-13: 1649604599

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Foster families are unsung heroes, willing to stand on the front lines for children who can’t stand up for themselves. But fostering can also be a lonely journey as friends and family members pull away from the fear of the unknown. We all have a job to do, and it starts by stepping forward and wrapping around those who are sacrificing so much. In Help! I’m a Foster Parent: Experiences From Real People. Hope From a Real God., Nikki Hertzler has compiled the stories of foster families and others who are in the trenches—loving, advocating, and fighting for children who have found themselves displaced from their biological families. Their poignant, transparent stories will help you get a glimpse into the true realities of fostering, discuss ways to support these families, and encourage others on their own foster journey through a daily prayer, Scripture, and reflection. Endorsements These stories from foster and adoptive moms will be an encouragement to other foster and adoptive moms. This is hard, hard work. These stories remind us of our humanity, God’s greatness, that we are not alone, and how desperately we all need Him. Trisha Porter Backyard Orphans Anyone who steps into the fostering system sooner or later realizes how broken and dark it is. For fostering families, the road is often frustrating and lonely. For the children in foster care, the emotions are so much more than that. That is why we need a book like this. Discouragement is always close by, and the emotions and feelings run deep. But families are not alone. We all need to be encouraged to persevere in the messiness, to love the children who didn’t ask for this, to encourage biological parents about whom few care—to be a light in the darkness. Pastor Derek Parker, Lead Pastor Starkey Road Baptist Church, Seminole, Florida As someone who has never fostered, I found the stories in Help! I’m a Foster Parent powerful. The genuine emotion of each devotion is heartfelt. Honestly, the experiences provoked in me a deeper empathy and support for the brave parents who choose to open their homes. But the book provides so much more. It honestly relates to the foster parents’ many challenges and offers understanding, camaraderie, encouragement, and hope. This book is a must-read for those desiring a deeper understanding of God’s command to care for the needy and the orphans. Lauren Crews Author of Strength of a Woman: Why You Are Proverbs 31

Foster the Family
Foster the Family

Author: Jamie C. Finn

Publisher: Baker Books

Published: 2022-02-15

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 149343442X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

There are great rewards that come along with being a foster parent, yet there are also great challenges that can leave you feeling depleted, alone, and discouraged. The many burdens of a foster parent's day--hurting children, struggling biological parents, and a broken system--are only compounded by the many burdens of a foster parent's heart--confusion, anxiety, heartache, anger, and fear. With the compassion and insight of a fellow foster parent, Jamie C. Finn helps you see your struggles through the lens of the gospel, bringing biblical truths to bear on your unique everyday realities. In these short, easy-to-read chapters, you'll find honest, personal stories and practical lessons that provide encouragement and direction from God's Word as you walk the journey of foster parenting.

Keep the Doors Open
Keep the Doors Open

Author: Kristin Berry

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Published: 2020-01-07

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0736976698

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Will You Open Your Heart and Home to Children in Need? As a teenager, Kristin Berry had heard all the horror stories surrounding foster care and adoption—abuse, neglect, rejection, anger, and misunderstandings. But instead of closing her heart, God opened it wide. This is Kristin’s honest, unvarnished story of some of her experiences as a foster parent of twenty-three children over the course of nine years. What she learned is that living in a foster home is like living with a revolving door. You never know who will arrive or who you will have to say goodbye to. Leaving the door open means there will be heartache and pain, but also adventure and unexpected joy. Kristin and her husband, Mike, have been through it all in their unique parenting journey. If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to be a foster parent, this book will help you gain a true understanding of the everyday trials and triumphs these moms and dads face. It will also inspire you to consider opening your door…and to leave it wide open.

Don't Mom Alone
Don't Mom Alone

Author: Heather MacFadyen

Publisher: Revell

Published: 2021-10-12

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1493431978

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Being a good mom isn't about doing everything right to create a set of perfect trophy children--though every mom has felt the pressure to do just that and to do it all on her own. To ask for help feels like defeat. Yet when we try to do it all by our own strength, we end up depleted, lonely, and ineffective. Heather MacFadyen wants you to know that you are not meant to go it alone. Sharing her most vulnerable, hard mom moments, she shows how moms can be empowered by God, supported by others, and connected with their children. With encouragement and insight, she helps you foster the key relationships you need to be the mom you want to be. Whether you work or stay home, whether you have teenagers or babes in arms, you'll find here a compassionate friend who wants the best--not just for your kids but for you.

Reframing Foster Care: Filtering Your Foster Parenting Journey Through the Lens of the Gospel
Reframing Foster Care: Filtering Your Foster Parenting Journey Through the Lens of the Gospel

Author: Jason Johnson

Publisher: Credo House Publishers

Published: 2018-01-15

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 9781625860958

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Foster parents face a unique set of circumstances and experience a wide array of emotions that few can relate to. Their journey is one of equal parts beauty and brokenness, joy and heartache, excitement and exhaustion. There is no textbook on how to be a foster parent, no formula, no simple three-step guide. But there is hope-in God's capacity to bring great beauty out of tragic brokenness. This is the gospel-the lens through which you can filter your foster parenting journey and ultimately find the strength, motivation, and courage you need to be sustained along the way. ReFraming Foster Care is a collection of reflections on the foster parenting journey designed to help you do just that-find hope-and to remind you that your work is worth it and you are not alone. This multi-faceted book can be read alone or used as a group support resource. Every chapter includes: Personal reflection questions Group discussion guides Plan of action exercises Real-life stories Inspirational quotes Whether your foster parenting journey has just begun or you've been on the road for quite some time, we pray this book can encourage, challenge, and inspire you along the way. For bulk orders of 10 or more books, visit www.reframingfostercare.com. Discounts apply.

Raising Other People's Children
Raising Other People's Children

Author: Debbie Ausburn

Publisher: Hatherleigh Press

Published: 2021-05-25

Total Pages: 134

ISBN-13: 1578269008

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Raising Other People's Children helps you navigate the complicated world of foster and step-parenting with better awareness and greater empathy, providing real-life solutions for forging strong relationships in extraordinary circumstances. Drawing on Debbie Ausburn’s decades of experience with every facet of the foster care system, Raising Other People's Children provides expert guidance viewed through the lens of real human interactions. The responsibility and complexity involved in raising someone else’s child can seem overwhelming. Regardless of whether you’re a stepparent, foster parent or adoptive parent, it is on you to take on the challenge of caring for them, helping them to move forward while also meeting their unique emotional needs.

I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die
I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die

Author: Sarah J. Robinson

Publisher: WaterBrook

Published: 2021-05-11

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 0593193539

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A compassionate, shame-free guide for your darkest days “A one-of-a-kind book . . . to read for yourself or give to a struggling friend or loved one without the fear that depression and suicidal thoughts will be minimized, medicalized or over-spiritualized.”—Kay Warren, cofounder of Saddleback Church What happens when loving Jesus doesn’t cure you of depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts? You might be crushed by shame over your mental illness, only to be told by well-meaning Christians to “choose joy” and “pray more.” So you beg God to take away the pain, but nothing eases the ache inside. As darkness lingers and color drains from your world, you’re left wondering if God has abandoned you. You just want a way out. But there’s hope. In I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die, Sarah J. Robinson offers a healthy, practical, and shame-free guide for Christians struggling with mental illness. With unflinching honesty, Sarah shares her story of battling depression and fighting to stay alive despite toxic theology that made her afraid to seek help outside the church. Pairing her own story with scriptural insights, mental health research, and simple practices, Sarah helps you reconnect with the God who is present in our deepest anguish and discover that you are worth everything it takes to get better. Beautifully written and full of hard-won wisdom, I Love Jesus, But I Want to Die offers a path toward a rich, hope-filled life in Christ, even when healing doesn’t look like what you expect.

The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family
The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family

Author: Karyn B. Purvis

Publisher: McGraw Hill Professional

Published: 2007-03-16

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 0071509267

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"An extremely useful parenting handbook... truly outstanding ... strongly recommended." --Library Journal (starred review) "A tremendous resource for parents and professionals alike." --Thomas Atwood, president and CEO, National Council for Adoption The adoption of a child is always a joyous moment in the life of a family. Some adoptions, though, present unique challenges. Welcoming these children into your family--and addressing their special needs--requires care, consideration, and compassion. Written by two research psychologists specializing in adoption and attachment, The Connected Child will help you: Build bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child Effectively deal with any learning or behavioral disorders Discipline your child with love without making him or her feel threatened "A must-read not only for adoptive parents, but for all families striving to correct and connect with their children." --Carol S. Kranowitz, author of The Out-of-Sync Child "Drs. Purvis and Cross have thrown a life preserver not only to those just entering uncharted waters, but also to those struggling to stay afloat." --Kathleen E. Morris, editor of S. I. Focus magazine "Truly an exceptional, innovative work . . . compassionate, accessible, and founded on a breadth of scientific knowledge and clinical expertise." --Susan Livingston Smith, program director,Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute "The Connected Child is the literary equivalent of an airline oxygen mask and instructions: place the mask over your own face first, then over the nose of your child. This book first assists the parent, saying, in effect, 'Calm down, you're not the first mom or dad in the world to face this hurdle, breathe deeply, then follow these simple steps.' The sense of not facing these issues alone--the relief that your child's behavior is not off the charts--is hugely comforting. Other children have behaved this way; other parents have responded thusly; welcome to the community of therapeutic and joyful adoptive families." --Melissa Fay Greene, author of There is No Me Without You: One Woman's Odyssey to Rescue Africa's Children

Fostered
Fostered

Author: Tori Hope Petersen

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Published: 2022-10-18

Total Pages: 135

ISBN-13: 1087750989

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

If you’re wondering if God can truly move in the life of someone with all the odds stacked against her, look no further than Tori Hope Petersen. Tori grew up in the foster care system, a bi-racial child in a confusing and volatile world. Growing up with a mentally ill mother and living in twelve different foster homes, nothing was in her favor. And yet, even with a minuscule chance of graduating college and a great risk of being homeless, jobless, and on drugs, Tori overcame every negative stereotype and assumption that attacked her identity. However, Tori will tell you she did not overcome. Christ did. In the face of the storm, Jesus made a way for Tori to find profound hope, deep faith, renewed purpose, and a loving family, too. After so many years of being on one side of foster care as a child, Tori is now on the other side as a foster mom, adoptive mom, and biological mom. On top of that, she became a Track and Field All-American in college and now works with nonprofits, ministries, and beyond advocating for foster care reform, adoption advocacy, and help for vulnerable populations. If you want to hear the true tale of an unlikely overcomer, this book is for you. If you want to learn more about the foster care system from a former foster youth’s perspective, this book is for you. If you want to better dwell in the reality of your own spiritual adoption by our Heavenly Father and better understand the orphan and the widow that He loves dearly, this book is for you. Ultimately, if you want to remember who God is, and what He can do through the most unlikely of people, Fostered is for you.

Murder, Motherhood, and Miraculous Grace
Murder, Motherhood, and Miraculous Grace

Author: Debra Moerke

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 1496433319

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

When Debra Moerke and her husband decided to become foster parents, they never imagined how their lives would change. Debra became especially close to one little girl: four-year-old Hannah. She loved her and did everything she could to help Hannah learn to trust and teach her to feel safe. But when Hannah went back to her birth mother, Karen, it wasn't long before one of Debra's worst fears came true. Overwhelmed with horror and grief, Debra didn't think she could take anymore, but then she received a phone call from prison. Karen, facing a life sentence, was pregnant, and she had a shocking question to ask ...