Advent Devotion No. 16: David Frost
“For I know the plans I have for you,“ declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Five years ago, my wife, Lexi, and I embarked on a life-changing journey with the Mecklenburg County Foster Care System. It only took one day after our certification to get a call that a three-year old girl needed placement. We drove to a CVS on the east side of Charlotte to pick up Sabrina, along with all her possessions-- a small purple tote of clothes and a stuffed animal.
Six months later, we got a call from our social worker asking if we would take her newborn sister, as well.
For over two years, we waited in hope that these wonderful girls would have a safe, permanent, and loving home; we hoped and prayed that they would be able to stay with us. But what if God’s will was not the same as our will? Weekly it seemed the ground shifted beneath our feet: changing of judges, changing of social workers, new attorneys, and demanding visitation schedules.
During this time, we had to prepare ourselves for the possibility that the girls could be placed back into a dangerous situation. That was gut-wrenching. Lexi and I waited in hope that God’s will would be done and clung to the promise of Jeremiah that the Lord has a good plan for these sweet girls, regardless of the court’s decision.
Prayer was a common theme during this uncertain and emotional time. We prayed for our vulnerable hearts, that we would be able to handle to the court’s decision. We prayed for their biological mother, that she would get the help she needed. We prayed these innocent girls would be healed of the trauma they had endured at such a young age. We prayed for our older girls that they would be able to handle the devastation of losing their two new sisters.
While we waited in hope, God showed up in so many ways. We were overwhelmed with support from our Covenant family when we suddenly received a newborn with only four hours’ notice. Although it was a roller coaster, we built a strong and positive relationship with their biological mother. Over time, she and her extended family have grown to love us and are so appreciative that we are taking care of the girls.
Perhaps the greatest answer to prayer is that the strong emotional attachment the girls have to us grows stronger each year. Sabrina and Nadia now have a permanent home with us, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the love and support of our church family during this journey. As I reflect on those two years, I can see how God used that time to form a new extended family for us and for the girls, a family only God could bring together.
Everyone is waiting on something during this Advent season. My prayer for you is that you wait with hope and, at the end of every church service, when we sing Jeremiah 29:11, remind yourself of the promise that God has a plan to give you hope and a future.
