The challenges, the prayers, the community support, and the moment we realized it was never about us.
Zach and Andie Bishop, Josiah White’s Foster Parents, recently shared their testimony at their church, Castleton Community Church. It is the experts in the field, foster parents themselves, who are best equipped to speak about the ministry of foster care. Andie and Zach agreed to share their testimony to inspire those beyond their church walls, offering a glimpse of what it’s like to be a foster parent.
Andie: How our Foster Care Journey Began
It was during our college years that the Lord first laid the idea of fostering on my heart. I had been praying a very dangerous prayer–for the Lord to break my heart for the things that break His. As He began softening my heart, He reminded me of the story of Hagar found in Genesis 16. In this passage, the Lord is given the name El Roi, which means “the God who sees me”. It is a sweet reminder that the God I serve is one who sees His people; when they are at their lowest, wandering in the wilderness, broken and alone–He sees them there. Throughout college, and still today, my deepest desire is to have eyes like the Lord’s, to see those in desperate need of His love and salvation.
Last year, the Lord provided the means for Zach and I to buy our first house. We knew that we wanted our home to be a place where the door is always open and the table is always full. As we began to settle in we felt the Lord’s nudging to make this place our mission field. We said yes to foster care, not because we think it will be easy or even rewarding, but because we want the name of God to be made great, and that starts right here at home.
Zach: What We’ve Learned in our Journey
Last November, we received a placement call for two girls. Two hours before they were set to be dropped off at our house, we got another call, asking if we would also take placement of their sister. So in total, that is three…three girls. Oh, and did I mention that they were teenagers? Three teenage girls!
Thus ensued the descent from rose-colored glasses to the undeniable realities of foster care. In the beginning I even thought, “this will be easy”, but I soon found out I had a lot to learn. I cannot begin to express all of the complexities, the highs and lows, the parenting fails, the frustrating moments, the realities of the broken system, or the total exhaustion we experienced over the four months these girls were in our home.
But, God gave us new mercies each morning. We woke up each day with just enough gumption to last us until our heads hit the pillow that night. There were so many moments that we knew we were being sustained by the prayers of others. Andie and I want to say a huge thank you to each one of you who prayed for us during this time!
God also provided reprieve for Andie and I through our friends and church family stepping-in in practical ways, providing “babysitting”, meals, hugs, and so on.
As we have reflected on so much of the hard we experienced during this placement, we have come to realize that this was never about us. It was not about us learning lessons, becoming these incredible parents, or earning “extra jewels” in our crowns in Heaven. This was about three teenage girls maintaining connection with each other and their biological family.
Through the midst of transporting them to visits, advocating on their behalf with therapists and providers, calls with DCS, and countless medical appointments; we got to witness the Lord work to restore and reunite a broken family. We laughed, we cried, we prayed for strength and wisdom. We came to the end of ourselves. But by the mercy of God, we saw firsthand the goodness that He can bring, as He showed Himself to be El Roi, the God who sees.
Practical Ways to Support Foster Care
This is our story–our calling. We know not all of you will be called to the same thing, but we hope that you consider what it looks like for you to walk in obedience. If foster care is something the Lord is laying on your heart, some practical ways you can step in would be praying for foster families, foster children, and for healing for their biological families.
You can also step in in practical ways through giving of your talents and your time. One of the biggest needs Andie and I faced was relational. Not only did we need time with each other, we also saw how few healthy relationships these girls had. By giving of your time, you not only support foster parents, you have an opportunity to be a light in these children’s lives.
Lastly, you can become a foster parent. Andie and I would love to see more families in our church “in the trenches”, so to speak, with us.
We leave you with Lamentations 3:22-24, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him”.
There is a cost to ministry. It will be hard and uncomfortable, but the Lord will show up in ways you never expected. He will prove Himself good and worthy of praise.
