A Commissioning for Local Foster Care, Adapted from Sarah Bessey‘s Commissioning Prayer
Stand now, head up, you are loved, remember? You are loved, and you are free. No shame here.
I commission you– foster parents, advocates, social workers, family and friends, church, neighbors, community. I commission you to live in your city, right where you are, as an ambassador of the better world we hope to live in, where children are safe and families are together. I commission you in the work of healing, and serving, and loving, and reconciliation. You are an emissary of justice, and your work from now on is to put things right, to call those things that are not as they will be.
I call you to joy, friends. To be set apart in your regular, walking-around life for the daily work of liberation and love, proclaiming the good news of hope for hurting babies and toddlers and tweens and teens– the good news is that they are loved. They are worthy. May you share this good news of great hope with your hands and your feet and your voice to every soul in your care and influence. Those that are there for one day, one week, one year, or maybe forever.
May you find joy in much needed rest and also in rambunctious children. May you find joy in a child’s story that seems to never end. May you find joy in making up another bed or putting together a new crib in your already too-small house. May you share your meals because when we have more than we need, we build a bigger table, not a higher fence. May you sit alone in silence outside under the sky and be satisfied (even if just for a moment before you have to break up yet another toddler fight.) And may you sit with neighbors, strangers and wise friends who fill you up and revive your spirit. And may you never forget how to sing and be silly because our kids need to play. May you make room in your life to be inconvenienced and put-out. May you be fearless.
I hope that no matter your tool or method: parenting, babysitting, volunteering, advocating for better policies, writing, reading, donating, cooking, writing, organizing, teaching, building, all of your whole life encompassing it all, that you will walk in knowledge of the sacredness and purpose of your calling.
My hope is for perseverance and for discipline, for speech seasoned with salt and goodness. My truest wish is that when you are tired, and when you are really tired, and you are discouraged, when you feel futile and small and ridiculous, that you will never, never, never give up.
This is your world. This is your work. These are your people. We are your team. We are your cheerleaders. When you feel weary, turn around, and face your life. Look it in the eye. This is it. You are loved. You are worthy.
I send you out.
I send you out to the spot where you are, right now. You are right where you belong, you have everything you need to begin, and we will walk it out together.
Looking for a community of support? Need some encouragement? Join the almost 700 current and prospective SC foster parents in the private SHAREfostering Facebook community.
Ready to get started on this fostering journey but want someone to walk alongside you? Contact [email protected] and we will walk you step by step through the process- no pressure, no guilt. Just want to ask some questions? Great! There are no dumb questions.
