When people ask me how or why we started Bridge of Hope, I always say, "It's a God thing." It all started at a women's bible study I was having at my home. The group consisted of new friends and old friends with everyone there wanting to have more Jesus in their life. Technically I suppose it all started even before the women's bible study. God had been preparing each of us and giving us a longing to help foster children even before we thought about it. Before we even knew each other.
My husband and I had been debating about whether we should become foster parents for about a year before this bible study started. We attended a foster care class along with another couple (who are also on our Board). Even after the class we were still back and forth about it. We have four children, all girls, and I often wondered if there was enough "me" to go around. Could we give a foster child who needs lots of love and attention enough love and attention? Even though I doubted my ability, God kept foster children on my heart and my husband's. And it seemed to get stronger and stronger.
Another couple had been having the same debate about whether they should adopt. While I didn't know about their inner struggle at the time, I find it interesting that God would bring this woman to the bible study (because we really didn't know each other very well before she came).
Another lady from bible study grew up in the foster care system. She has good and bad memories from her time spent in different foster homes, and she has a compassion to help these kids that none of us can understand.
The other two ladies on our board both have hearts to help children, one being a nurse and the other being a Family and Community Partnership specialist (fancy title that we kid her about but it means that she is helping kids and families in our community).
One more lady from bible study is our director of the Board of Advisers. She is a stay at home mom now but was a teacher before that. She too has a heart and compassion to help kids, and she and her husband are taking classes to become foster parents.
God knew that one day we would all come together and create a ministry devoted to helping kids in foster care. This amazes me and I love to see how God works when we let Him!
At bible study one day we had the question: What is one area in your life where you are disobeying God? Basically, what is God telling/leading you to do that you know you are not obeying. For me, it was simple. I knew the answer quick and assuredly. We are not going forward with being foster parents. It was hard to share this, mainly because the reasons (excuses) we had for not going forward were selfish ones... We don't have any extra time, we don't want to lose sleep at night (I know, sounds lame but it is what it is), we already have four kids. But, I shared this anyway because I knew the group I was surrounded by wasn't judgmental. They were all moms and I knew they would get it. I was surprised to see one of the ladies tear up. She was surprised by my answer because she and her husband where feeling the same way, except their debate was about adoption. Wow, I think we both felt relief that we weren't alone in our struggles. God was working in that group that day because this ladies' husband sent her a text right in the middle of this conversation that said, "What about foster care?" Now, he had no idea what we were discussing, and they hadn't talked about foster care at all. At this point I think several of us were fighting back tears just in awe of our awesome God. And yes, this couple is now an approved foster home and they are awesome!!
So, at the next bible study I remember being nervous about bringing up the subject. Would they think I was crazy or nuts? God had put it on my heart to share "the what seemed crazy idea" I had in my heart. As I told the ladies I dreamed about starting some kind of home/shelter/facility/ for foster children, I was not met with looks of uncertainty or doubt. Instead, I saw excitement and hope and possibility. Everyone seemed to have ideas about what we could do to help foster children. I think of that day in my den as the beginning of Bridge of Hope.
Amy
My husband and I had been debating about whether we should become foster parents for about a year before this bible study started. We attended a foster care class along with another couple (who are also on our Board). Even after the class we were still back and forth about it. We have four children, all girls, and I often wondered if there was enough "me" to go around. Could we give a foster child who needs lots of love and attention enough love and attention? Even though I doubted my ability, God kept foster children on my heart and my husband's. And it seemed to get stronger and stronger.
Another couple had been having the same debate about whether they should adopt. While I didn't know about their inner struggle at the time, I find it interesting that God would bring this woman to the bible study (because we really didn't know each other very well before she came).
Another lady from bible study grew up in the foster care system. She has good and bad memories from her time spent in different foster homes, and she has a compassion to help these kids that none of us can understand.
The other two ladies on our board both have hearts to help children, one being a nurse and the other being a Family and Community Partnership specialist (fancy title that we kid her about but it means that she is helping kids and families in our community).
One more lady from bible study is our director of the Board of Advisers. She is a stay at home mom now but was a teacher before that. She too has a heart and compassion to help kids, and she and her husband are taking classes to become foster parents.
God knew that one day we would all come together and create a ministry devoted to helping kids in foster care. This amazes me and I love to see how God works when we let Him!
At bible study one day we had the question: What is one area in your life where you are disobeying God? Basically, what is God telling/leading you to do that you know you are not obeying. For me, it was simple. I knew the answer quick and assuredly. We are not going forward with being foster parents. It was hard to share this, mainly because the reasons (excuses) we had for not going forward were selfish ones... We don't have any extra time, we don't want to lose sleep at night (I know, sounds lame but it is what it is), we already have four kids. But, I shared this anyway because I knew the group I was surrounded by wasn't judgmental. They were all moms and I knew they would get it. I was surprised to see one of the ladies tear up. She was surprised by my answer because she and her husband where feeling the same way, except their debate was about adoption. Wow, I think we both felt relief that we weren't alone in our struggles. God was working in that group that day because this ladies' husband sent her a text right in the middle of this conversation that said, "What about foster care?" Now, he had no idea what we were discussing, and they hadn't talked about foster care at all. At this point I think several of us were fighting back tears just in awe of our awesome God. And yes, this couple is now an approved foster home and they are awesome!!
So, at the next bible study I remember being nervous about bringing up the subject. Would they think I was crazy or nuts? God had put it on my heart to share "the what seemed crazy idea" I had in my heart. As I told the ladies I dreamed about starting some kind of home/shelter/facility/ for foster children, I was not met with looks of uncertainty or doubt. Instead, I saw excitement and hope and possibility. Everyone seemed to have ideas about what we could do to help foster children. I think of that day in my den as the beginning of Bridge of Hope.
Amy
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