Even when there seem to be overwhelming reasons to give up , enduring hope sustains a lifetime of faithful service .
my guilt . It wasn ’ t my lack of resolve or resilience that kept the sun from peeking through the clouds ; it was the system . . . the families . . . the brokenness .
Cynicism pulled at us strongly , yet deep down we knew opting out was not the answer . Kids in need of a home didn ’ t have the luxury of opting out ; why should we ?
How could we sustain service for the long term ?
Enduring hope : our complete trust and active expectation in God ’ s redemptive work .
With our most painful experiences still very raw , I met with Ann Saylor . We were involved with the same foster-care agency and connected at a church luncheon .
When I asked how many foster children she has welcomed into her home , she replied , “ Somewhere around ninety .” According to the agency , the actual number is 116 .
“ Ann , how do you keep going , especially when this journey of loving others really , really hurts ?” That simple question allowed Ann to share her story and perspective on a path she has been walking for four decades .
Ann ’ s youthful demeanor and delight seem incongruous with the reality of her story . They don ’ t match the abuse she experienced as a child . They don ’ t match the challenges she faced through a lifetime of loving kids in foster care . And they don ’ t seem to match her age . At sixtyfour , she is still opening her home with energy and enthusiasm .
Ann shared that when she and her husband , Dennis , began as foster parents , they believed that love and nurturing a sense of belonging would heal all the hurts . They began as wideeyed idealists .
“ We were naïve ,” she laughs .
In reality , God had given her more than she could handle . . . on her own . But instead of turning inward , she turned upward . She looked to God as the One who fiercely loved these kids and empowered her to do the same . “ If we all gave up when it was hard , there would be no one left ,” she summarizes .
So she kept on loving . She kept on opening her home . While there were seasons of respite , she reengaged . She remained hopeful , even when there were valid reasons to lose hope .
Ann has been pushed to the limits but never turned to cynicism . Somehow she weathered the storms with an informed hopefulness . A hopefulness that understands the hardships of the journey and likewise understands that God ’ s grace is sufficient in our weakness .
Pastor and theologian Timothy Keller describes biblical hope as “ being certain about the future in a way that affects how you live now .” 3
There is duty . There is love . There is a steadfast commitment to caring for kids . And there is a
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