Walk this way

Photo by Felipe Correia on Unsplash

I remember as a child walking behind someone and imitating every move they made.  If they jumped three times, so did I.  If they took four leaps, I took four leaps as well.  It was so much fun trying to duplicate their every move.

Life is not so far off from this little game of "do as I do".  Whether we realize it or not, people follow us.  They look to your life and mine, and imitate the steps, jumps, and nuances of our movements.  In the position I'm in, I am asking people to follow me.  I literally am saying, "hey friends, walk this way!".

Granted, my leadership is not perfect.  I'm sure because of my humanness, I lead folks into some potholes, maybe walk directly into a brick wall every now and then, or slide down a grassy hill.  My intentions are to lead people in a positive way, even if I'm distracted or take detours!

It is not an easy thing to ask people to follow in the area of foster care.  No one knows the pitfalls, struggles, and muddiness of foster care better than someone, like me, who has been in the trenches of this ministry.  And yet, many of us in this role persist.  We continue to take children into our home and continue to insist that others do the same.  Talk to many of us and it's almost like a sickness we can't cure...this desire to rescue one more child. It eats at you to the point of madness!

For me, it's always been fairly simple.  Children deserve a safe, nurturing environment.  Period.  No further discussion needed.  If I am capable of providing that, then, in my mind, there is no choice in the matter.  The child gets a safe, happy home.  Badda bing, badda boom. Done.

Granted, that is slightly over simplified.  Or is it?  When you boil it down to those last statements, it really is that simple.  We move over, we make room and we adjust our lives in order to rescue a child.  While how that is done might be complicated and involve complex decisions, heartache, and struggles,  the decision TO do it remains fairly simple.

So friends, I'm inviting you to play "follow the leader".  I get it that, as a leader, I'm putting myself in a position to lead you into a wall, one in which might bruise you as you bang your head against it.  I understand that where I'm leading you will most definitely challenge your very being.  I am so painfully aware that to follow me, you will have to walk away from many things that make your life very comfortable, enjoyable, and, well, ...easy.  Follow me anyway.

Photo by Jewel Mitchell on Unsplash

Follow me to the joy of watching a child blossom into who they were meant to be.  Step in my steps and get a view of a child beginning to see a future for themselves where before there was only
sadness and hopelessness.  Get front row seats to a child's heartache beginning to heal, and watch trust begin to develop in a little heart that was once so filled with fear.   Oh the privilege!  It is almost too glorious to bear!

Every wound healed.  Every child, a home.