Heroic Warriors

"Soldiers are trained. Warriors are Tempered."




I am in the middle of reading Girls with Swords by Lisa Bevere. I have read this book twice already over the past 2 or 3 years, but it is one of the books that you don't just read once.


The next part of the book hones in on being tempered as a Warrior.


I was talking with a dear friend last night and I was reflecting on my Foster Care journey. She was saying how she got together with a friend, and the friend's friend, and all 3 of them were saying how crazy it is that I am a foster mom, and that I was younger then all 3 of them. They didn't mean crazy as in insane, but moreso from a "wow" perspective, as I understood it.


During our conversation, I was reflecting on the past 11 months and one of the best ways I have been able to describe this Foster Care journey is that is has been character defining. My character has been being refined and defined over the course of a year.


This journey has not always been handled with the grace and poise that I so wish it were. This journey has been real and has been raw. In the moment I feel foolish to admit the hardships of it, but months later I can see just how needed those moments were!


"Control freak" are certainly not words I would use to describe myself. I like to know the order of events, and when there is sudden change it does take me some time to adjust, but adaptability is one of my strengths on the StrengthFinder 1.0. I can adapt to my changing environment. When things change I usually embrace them. There have been some moments recently in my life that went opposite of what I had planned for (been told), and I reacted not the greatest, until I realized that change can be joyful and adventurous and fun!


Being a Foster mom, I have to be a warrior. I have to stand up for me and the babies and their families.


Entering the Child Welfare system, I realized that it is a broken system. I can't go into great detail, not necessarily because I am not allowed, but moreso because I don't want to entertain negativity. I can get angered and depressed at how unfair the system is for children and foster parents. But I want to focus on the reality that God called me to this and that He alone will sustain me through this journey (as He already has and will continue to do).


To be strong and noble and a warrior. To teach the babies in my home that they, too, are warrior princesses, and warrior princes. To teach them that they are heroic. That they are world changers.


Foster care has a lot of stigmas, mostly negative, attached to it. I know that I am only one person, but I want to change the status quo for the kiddos that are under my care.


Foster care doesn't have to be negative. It doesn't have to be something to be ashamed about. Even for the kiddos bio parents .. I want to extend love.


Why did I embark on this journey? So far it has been all about the character defining moments. In the future? It'll still be about the character defining moments. But it will also be about providing a stable and loving environment to the youngsters that enter my home.