Foster care is both rewarding and challenging. It’s happy at times and sad at others; it brings hard days as well as beautiful moments. If you are in the foster care community, you’ve likely seen (or experienced) this firsthand.
But what do we do when we come to the end of ourselves? How do we respond when we feel called to open our homes again to those in need—yet find ourselves unsure if our hearts are ready to face the joys and the pain that foster care can bring?
Our guest for this episode knows this tension well. Sarah Hott’s journey through fostering, adopting, and parenting has taught her profound lessons about faith, community, and the power of love.
Sarah and her husband, Chris, have been foster parents for over six years. They currently have five children in their home—three by adoption from foster care, one biological, and one foster child. Sarah believes that few things draw you to the heart of Jesus like opening your home and heart to children in need and their families.
In this episode, you’ll hear more of Sarah’s personal journey as she shifted from foster parent to adoptive mom, her thoughts on the power and necessity of a supportive community, the ways God showed up when she was at her maximum capacity, and much more.
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Take the time you need to make peace with big decisions.
Being a foster parent isn’t easy. Much of the training you receive is focused on how to fulfill legal requirements and navigate court dates, but there is so much more you may encounter. There can be protective issues, people petitioning for care, and complications with visitations—not to mention the impact that trauma and displacement can have on the child. Every placement is different—whether it’s your first or your tenth—and some may leave you questioning your capacity to continue. If you’re already caring for one or more children with complex needs, the decision to accept another placement may require time, space, and prayer. In moments like these, the wisest step is to bring it all before the Lord.
“We wrestled and we prayed, and we wrestled and prayed, and wrestled and prayed until God made it so clear that we weren’t done.”
2. Community support is crucial.
We cannot do this alone. Every human was created to be in community. Celebrations are much sweeter when they are shared, and the burden of hardships is lighter when there are others to help you carry it. Community could be found in your neighbors, family, friends, or local church. Regardless of where your community is, it is vital to lean on them during the hard seasons.
“You cannot do it without Jesus and you cannot do it without community around you.”
3. It’s important to dare to be vulnerable.
This is easier said than done. Our natural instinct when we are struggling may be to put on a mask and pretend that everything is fine, or to retreat away from relationships while we navigate this difficult time alone. It’s so important that we can be brave enough to share where we are at—not only to receive support, but also so that others will be able to honestly share when they are struggling, too.
“Just being open enough to say, ‘This is really hard right now and we are drowning.’”
Meet Our Guest
Sarah Hott and her husband, Chris, have been foster parents for over six years. They currently have five children in their home—three by adoption from foster care, one biological, and one foster child. Formerly a full-time teacher, Sarah left the classroom years ago to focus on her family and now she works part-time at her church in Virginia. She believes that few things draw you to the heart of Jesus like opening your home and heart to children in need and their families.
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