During the month of September, we are re-releasing your favorite episodes of all time. Listen along and find answers to your common questions. Whether or not you have heard these episodes before, we are excited for you to be encouraged, equipped, and find hope. You don’t have to journey alone!
There can be a lot of pressure on foster parents to always step up and say “yes” to each placement. One of the reasons many became foster parents was to be able to make a significant difference, so doesn’t that mean accepting as many placements as you are able?
But what happens if you say “no” to a placement? What if you say “no” when a child in foster care is able to be adopted?
My guests, AJ and Katrina Nowaczyk, know what it feels like to have to say “no.” They have fostered nine children. While they didn’t set out to only foster, they learned a lot whenever the opportunity to adopt a child came up. In multiple cases, the circumstances pointed to needing to say “no.”
In this episode, you’ll learn what goes into saying yes and no, that there is no one-size-fits-all formula, and the importance of approaching each situation with prayer.
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TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Deciding to pursue adoption is a deeply personal decision for each family.
Saying “yes” to an opportunity to adopt, or even to foster a child, isn’t always the right decision. There are so many things to consider, including the child’s situation and if you are what is best for them. There are times when saying “no” may be best for them, best for you, and best for your family.
“This is when it gets hard. This is when decisions have to get made and there are lots of things to consider and each family needs to process through those things. It’s a very personal decision for each family.”
2. There are many avenues to live out the Gospel.
AJ and Katrina share how at certain points in their journey, God brought to mind other people who would be in a better position to more permanently support the kids they were caring for. Sometimes God uses us as a stepping stone or in other unique ways, and it’s important to be willing to follow His leading and wisdom as we’re making hard decisions. We are not all called to the same role and we cannot be all things for all people. You may be being called to live out the Gospel by offering respite care or encouraging families or even adopting a child.
“God brought to mind a family that we had met years before to possibly adopt this child.”
3. God loves these kids far more than we ever could.
Our mindset should be that God is the one who looks after the children in our care, regardless of our answer if the opportunity to adopt comes up. He’s the one that brings them into our care and He is the one that cares for them after they leave our home. We may need to give a “no” to make way for someone else’s “yes.”
“When kids leave our homes, we are often wondering about them. Where are they? What are they doing? And are they safe? Are they loved? And, at the end of the day, we need to sit and rest in God…and trust that God is good and God loves them way more than we ever could when they were in our home.”
Meet Our Guest
AJ and Katrina Nowaczyk are high school sweethearts who have been married for over 15 years. During that time, they had three biological children and have gotten to love on nine foster kiddos in the three and a half years. AJ is a 4th grade teacher and Katrina provides childcare out of their home. They love helping their children discover their interests, but above all, they love Jesus and want him to be their ultimate source of joy, hope, and peace.
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