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Fostering Voices Podcast


Mar 3, 2018

Today's guest is my precious friend Jamie Pieper. She has a true servant's heart, and I am so thankful that she is here to share her story with us. Jamie is the mom of 2, and former foster mom of 2. We get to hear about how she got to, and then survived Disruption. Disruption in the foster care world is much akin to divorce, and comes with a lot of the same stigma. But Jamie talks about how it was absolutely the right call for her family, how she overcame the shame and embarrassment that came with it, and what she is doing now to still be involved in foster care. She talked about something very interesting, which we didn't expound on at the time, but she mentions that maybe if she had had more community support, she might not have been so exhausted and run down. And this is what we are here for - to raise awareness, and provide support! If you are a foster family and are feeling like you are on the brink of disruption - let people know! Ask for help! And if you are have disrupted in the past, please do not feel embarrassed or ashamed. You tried something, and it was really hard, and the time you spent with that foster kid(s) was important and valuable and will still impact those kids in the long run. Finally, as a community, can we agree to not shame, or gossip about families who have disrupted? None of us actually knows what happens in someone else's home. We need to support, and love, and serve one another.

Other things to be aware of in this episode:

  • I almost start bad-mouthing Women's Bible Studies. And then I feel convicted mid-sentence and stop. It's awkward and I'm sorry you have to hear it. That particular study was not my favorite, but that's not to say that all women's bible studies are bad! If you are interested in joining one at my church (Sun Valley Community Church) we do them on Thursday mornings, and they are as great as you make them!
  • My stinkin dog barks in it twice. I didn't know if it would be better or worse to lock him out of the room, but I didn't want him to be scratching at the door, so I let him sit in the room. But then a squirrel must have been in the vicinity (which is amazing since we don't have squirrels in these here parts), and so he leaps off his seat with a mighty bark, twice, and basically ruins this episode.
  • Jamie mentions this Jeremy Camp song that helped her to feel empowered in her trials, Same Power  
  • She also talked about KLOVE, which is a Christian radio station, that apparently knows the song you need to hear and plays it. Just kidding. That's all the Holy Spirit. You can listen to Klove here, if you don't live in the US.

The Good Word of the Day:

 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Thanks to Jamie and Andrew, for how well they love my little family, and serve others around them. Their family is one that is truly focused on living their best life - for Christ's glory. And thanks to their sweet girls who did their best to serve their foster siblings when they lived together. I truly believe that the bio kids in families play a big role to make it possible for parents to even think about fostering. So, great job Brooklyn and Reagan! Thanks so much for tuning in to today's episode! Feel free to leave a comment, or leave a review on iTunes. Until next time - get out there and serve others, and love them well.