I am praying about something God has put on my heart. I asked him to please let the desire become greater if it was from him and to let the desire die if not from him. Needless to say this vision is on my mind/heart all day/night every day/night.

I was driving home from work one day and heard a lady call into the radio station I was listening to. She spoke about her adopted children. She didn't adopt them as infants but rather as older children. She called them "hard to adopt" kids. Meaning it is harder for them to be adopted since a lot of families are looking for infants and toddlers to adopt. For some reason that statement broke my heart. I thought of all the children in foster care who may be older and have no "home". I wonder if they know how much God loves them and cares about them? My desire is that every child knows this and especially those who have lost their parents at a young age or those who are in foster care for whatever reason.

I do not think foster care is a bad thing. I think there are children that have been provided homes that were better for them than they may have had if they were raised with the person who gave birth to them. I praise God they did not choose the alternative -- abortion. I know God has blessed many families with children through adoption. I believe our foster care system is something that God put in place and He uses to bless both families as well as the children/young adults who are in foster care.

I pray that God makes his love very real for the children/young adults that may be in the foster care system w/o being adopted yet. I want to reach out and help in any way that I can to let them know that God loves them and that there are people who care about them.

I read some statistics online about children who turn 18 and have not been adopted. I do not believe that anyone has to be a statistic. God can turn anyone's life around. He desires for us to have hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11 -- 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.)

I do not feel like God is calling me to adopt or be a foster parent but there is something else I feel He is doing. I know there are several ministries that reach out to children in other countries. I think it is great that they do. However, I have not found anything in the US that ministers to children in the US.

Please join me in praying for all the children/young adults that are in our foster care system. Pray that they know God loves them and cares deeply about them. I am also praying that they find loving homes where they can grow and be all that God intended them to be.

If you are aware of any childrens homes that are local to the Raleigh NC area, please let me know.

I thank God that he has and is blessing children and families by bringing them together.