There is a saying “Tell God your plans and He laughs”.

Proverbs 16:3 says “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”

Sometimes we want to be willing, but our fears can strangle that willingness to be used, until it is all but dead.

For my family, the day after Father’s Day is a reminder of this.  Seven years ago, a five year old little girl walked through our door and never left. That might have never happened, had our original thoughts come to fruition.

We had taken all the classes to become foster parents.  One of the foster agency’s goals was to hope for the best, but prepare us for the worst. They tried to make sure we knew what we might find on the foster care journey. 

We had our set of worries. Our hearts being broken was one of them.  Would a new child fit in with our other kids and our busy lifestyle?   Even though I had done all the training, I was not sure I could go through with it.  I often prayed “God don’t let us screw it up!”.

So, how do you eat an elephant?

Like most things that seem impossible or insurmountable, when we break it down into smaller steps, it seems easier to digest.

The call came earlier in the day.  It was the beginning of a laid back week of Summer, where we would spend our time swimming and lounging.  I knew the social worker on the other end, and she asked if I would consider taking a little girl for a week.

A week seemed doable.  We had wanted to foster/adopt a boy, but this was short term. It was a good opportunity to “get our feet wet” and calm some of the fear I had.

It was dinnertime, when a shy and quiet little girl walked through the front door, with a Mcdonald’s happy meal.  She was a year younger than our son, and she fit in instantly. 

This opportunity could have passed us by, if we had been set on what we wanted. Had the social worker called asking for a permanent placement, I am not sure if I would have said yes.  I think God knew my reservations, and He met me where I was to orchestrate His perfect plan. We like to say He used the back door!

The road of foster care and adoption has many twists and turns, but one thing we learned with Leah was that God can use a willing heart to accomplish His plans.  It is best not to come with a laundry list of what you think it should look like.  If we are trying to trust, don’t be surprised at how God will work.