[aj_sahm]

I am a mom of two wonderful boys. I am now starting to research foster adoption. But i want to make sure that it is Gods will and that I am emotioanlly ready.

So My question is what advice do you have for me with the type of background I have?

So i was born to a drug addicted mom who has schizofrenia (sp?). I believe it is drug induced. Anyway living this way was hard and there were some horrible things I had to go thru. I was saved when i was in High School thru Young life. I feel like I have worked thru my past and have learned to forgive. My husband and I have been talking about being foster parents oneday for about 7 years. We are on the same page. So that is wonderful. I know I will always have scars from my past but that is what makes me who i am today. (praise God!) So what is it like for thoes of you with a rough past to be foster parents now? How did you prepare and what do you wish you did differently? Or do I need to Just trust God that if this is his will for our family that he will prepare me?

I know this is alot for one little post. Thank you for reading.

[MomofFaith]

My husband and I just completed our homestudy recently and started our child search. My husband had a rough past and all they wanted him to do for the homestudy was to meet with a therapist and make sure that he dealt with his past and is alright. So if you feel like God has placed this burden in your heart than follow it and He will make a way. Regardless of what is in your past, nothing is to big for God to handle.
Good luck and God bless.

[mrsred]

If you are being called to foster or foster adopt move forward in prayer, through faith. There is nothing that can stand in the way of God's will. It takes awhile to get through the whole licensing/home study process (ours took six months, I have heard of shorter and longer times) and then it takes awhile for placement. Use this time wisely by studying, so that you are ready to take on the challenge. I would recommend you read Parenting The Hurt Child for starters. Visit the forums here, especially the Foster/Foster Adoption and the Special Needs boards. You will learn a lot there.
Oh yeah, and study your Bible, daily, You need to arm yourself with the Word before beginning this battle. Because it is a battle! You will be fighting for the very souls of the children God will bring into your life.

[aj_sahm]

Originally Posted by mrsred

If you are being called to foster or foster adopt move forward in prayer, through faith. There is nothing that can stand in the way of God's will. It takes awhile to get through the whole licensing/home study process (ours took six months, I have heard of shorter and longer times) and then it takes awhile for placement. Use this time wisely by studying, so that you are ready to take on the challenge. I would recommend you read Parenting The Hurt Child for starters. Visit the forums here, especially the Foster/Foster Adoption and the Special Needs boards. You will learn a lot there.
Oh yeah, and study your Bible, daily, You need to arm yourself with the Word before beginning this battle. Because it is a battle! You will be fighting for the very souls of the children God will bring into your life.

Thank you! It really sounds like you know what you are talking about. Thank you. I will keep talking to you all whiole on this forum I really hope to find a good support group. I am in Utah and well...there are not many Christian mom's out here fostering. I have a friend that is a social worker and she said the having chrisian familys is a huge need. She want to see me start the process sooner than later. We just are not sure how old our children should be before we start. I guess lots of prayer that God makes the timing very clear for us.

[mrsred]

I am excited for you! This is by no means an easy road, but as long as you are following God's plan it will all work out in the end.
We have adopted two children from the foster system. Our first placement was a five year old boy that moved in with us 11/04 and we adopted a year later. Our next placement was a 7 yr old girl in Jun 05. She was not a good match for our family, but was able to go from our home to the faamily that eventually adopted her.
Our next placement was in Feb 06, with a 9yr old girl, and her adoption was finalized last December.
We are hoping to adopt one more girl, in the 5-8 year range. But now that we already have the two adopted children, each coming with their own set of special needs, it is getting harder to find the right child that will fit in. but we still believe that God has a girl chosen for us, and we are willing to be patient and wait on His timing.

[atouchofheaven]

hi,
i have a difficult past as well and am currently licensed as a pre-adoptive home waiting for a placement. one thing my social worker told me, is to be careful of what a child with "issues" might bring up. you may feel like you've resolved your past but it may pop up again as a parent of a child who also has a troubled past. for instance, if a child describes to you something they saw, heard, experienced, etc. you never know what might trigger your feelings. it may inable you to be objective. but, what parent can be completely objective anyway? i guess a word of advice would be, know yourself and check in now and then. therapy while parenting isn't a bad thing either. well, just know, God may challenge you but he will never give you something you just can't handle.

[mj77]

You'd be surprised at how many families are selected because of their past. The key seems to be working through it and overcoming. You may be better able to empathize with a child of a similar situation than someone who has only heard about such destructive lifestyles.

Even when I asked God to take the calling to mommy by adoption away, He didn't--and I'm so glad. I too believe it's a calling. Best to you and your family on your journey.