Episode 25

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Published on:

14th Feb 2024

What if It's About More Than the Baby: Living Out God's Heart for Adoption (Part 3)

As Christians we are called to love sacrificially and without limit. Listen to part 3 of a radical testimony in which Jen and her husband Eric love without a guarantee of a return, obediently following God's prompting. The Sovereignty of God is undeniable in the conclusion of this powerful story.

Jen also shares practical ways to discuss adoption with our children, increase sensitivity in those around us, as well as how to surrender the emotions and difficulties we face when we bring children into our home.

Book Recommendation:

Help Her Be Brave: Discover Your Place in the Pro-Life Movement by Amy Ford

Scriptures Referenced:

James 1:27

Hebrews 13:2

Transcript
Steph:

They're the joyful agains our children shout on the swings, the

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exhausting agains of cooking and laundry,

and the difficult agains of discipline.

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So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

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So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

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to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

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We believe God's word is

the key to untangle from the

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confusion and overwhelm we feel.

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Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

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Hi there.

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Patient listeners.

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We're grateful.

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You came back for part three

of an incredible testimony.

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This is the again podcast brought

to you from interested ministries

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and I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

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This episode I'm once again,

joined by Jen Frackman, as she

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shares a truly remarkable story.

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In which God grew her heart.

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Not just to have another

child in her home.

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But grew her heart to serve

mothers in difficult situations.

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If you haven't had a chance to

listen to part one and part two.

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Go listen to those.

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And then come back to this episode.

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And if you've been along for the ride,

I know you're on the edge of your seat,

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waiting for what's going to happen.

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Not only will Jen share in this

episode how the story continued.

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She also shares the truly practical,

insightful wisdom about how to

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speak about adoption in her home.

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That the Lord has given

her through the years.

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And also how to continue to serve

children and mothers in need.

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She gives very practical advice.

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So that we can all honor scripture

and be the hands and feet of Christ.

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Let's pick up in this incredible story.

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Jen and Eric are in the hospital

waiting to hear if this will be the

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tile that they bring into their home.

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Jen: So, Eric and I laid on the hospital

bed together and I remember taking a

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selfie and being like, well, is she ours?

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I don't know.

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And we smiled and took a picture.

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And soon enough, the agency worker

came and said, she signed, she's yours.

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And I fell to the ground.

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I just was like, Oh my gosh, she did.

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Where's the baby?

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So, we went over and She said

she signed and she's saying some

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goodbyes, she just wants a minute

or two and I was like, absolutely.

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She may have as long as she wants, but the

second she's done, I want to go see her.

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And so she didn't take too long

and we went in and, at that point.

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I had such relief and such joy and

she had relief and peace, but not joy.

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And so how do you contain yourself?

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So I remember just walking in being

like, God, you've got to fill me.

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Give me the appropriate words,

give me the appropriate everything.

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I just need you to do this.

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And we walked in and I gave her a

hug and I just said, I love you.

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And she said, I love you too.

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And I said I just want you to know

that I wrote you a letter, I think

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it was four days prior before I

knew what she was going to do.

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And I had committed to

being her friend for life.

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I was like, no matter what happens.

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I want to be your friend for life.

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I just adore you and I respect you

because watching you go through this

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alone, is just absolutely amazing to me.

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And so I gave her this card or this note

that I had, and I had a necklace made

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for her that said, loved, which is that

theme song, the title of this theme song.

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And so I said, here's, here's a little

gift for you that I have that for

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this moment, I didn't know what it was

going to look like, but I just wanted

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you to know that you are so loved.

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And so here's this.

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And she opened that.

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And then I just remember

her saying, please tell her.

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That I didn't want to do this, but

I felt it was the best for her.

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And I needed to do this.

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And I was like, I'm not going to tell her.

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I want you to tell her that

because you can know her, you, I'm

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not going to keep her from you.

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And I said, you tell her that.

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And she just started

crying and said, thank you.

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And, but I said, I promise you

that I will speak so highly of you

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anytime we talk about you and that

I will honor your role in her life.

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I said, you loved her first.

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And you loved her well enough to

bring her into this world and to see

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her through finding a family that

was going to absolutely love her.

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And I was

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Steph: It's an incredible sacrifice.

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Jen: It is an absolute sacrifice.

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Absolute.

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So we hugged, she gave lots of

kisses to babe and asked me what

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we were going to name the baby.

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And I had said, well, I wanted

to honor your middle name.

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Being Kay and my middle name

being Leigh and so we named her

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Kayleigh and she's I love that and

I said, but wait, there's more.

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It's so cool because her middle name was

gonna be Joy because Olivia's was Joy.

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And I, that's just a thing

in my family growing up.

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A lot of the girls have the middle name

joy, even though I don't, but a lot of

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Steph: you, but you

have the joy, for sure.

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Jen: And so, her middle

name was going to be joy.

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And I looked up what Kaylee

means and it means pure joy.

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And I was like, she is pure joy to us.

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Absolute pure joy.

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And I am just so thankful

that the Lord has done this.

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And he orchestrated this

in such a Joyful way.

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She loved it.

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Loved the name, loved all of it.

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And, and then the oddest thing in

Indiana, when you are the the person

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who, the, when you're the adoptive

mom, you are the one that rides in the

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wheelchair with the baby on your lap.

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And so here they put me in the wheelchair

with the baby in the car seat on my

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lap and wheeled me out and have the

birth mom who just gave birth walking.

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And I was like, No.

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And so we, she and I laughed about it

cause I was like, this is so weird.

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Are you sure?

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And she's no, it's fine.

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I'm fine.

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I'll walk.

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And I'm like, oh my goodness.

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So we hugged and said our goodbyes,

but I said, this is not goodbye.

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This is see you again soon.

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We are in this and like it or

not, we're in this for life.

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We're together.

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Steph: Given her circumstances and being

so alone I'm sure there was so much doubt.

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Even though you had loved her so purely,

her experience probably would have

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told her once you get what you want.

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You'll be gone.

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And so regardless of how beautifully

you lived out different reality,

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I'm sure that that was really hard

for her to believe at the moment.

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Jen: And on the flip side, I think

that's what my friends had felt for us.

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She's getting what she wants now by

having a friendship from you, and

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then she'll choose either someone

else, or she'll choose to keep

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the baby, and then we'll be gone.

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And, and so both sides,

ironically, had a sense of doubt.

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And we had to trust each other.

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And it was weird.

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It was hard, but yet there was a peace

there that only the Lord could bring.

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And.

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I think that even the hospital

staff didn't know how to handle us.

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There were some nurses that were

amazing and there were other nurses

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that were like, not so amazing.

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And so I remember thinking, we need to,

we need to give some training here to

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some of the hospitals as to how to handle

birth mom and adoptive moms, because like

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they had never experienced that before.

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And, and I understand like there's a

learning curve with all of it, but we

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left and we text and for the first.

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I would say for the first two years,

we were very consistent in texting

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and she started to come to church.

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I was like, anytime you want to see

babe, you may come and join us at church.

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We'll go out to lunch afterward.

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And so she started to come to church

with us every week and started to

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come to a thing called hope groups

at our church for women who have gone

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through hard times and getting counsel.

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And she asked if I wanted to go with and.

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We did.

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And we sat at the table and I

remember the people being like, so

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how do you guys know each other?

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And I just look at her.

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I was like, you want to tell her, do you

want, and she goes, she adopted my baby.

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And people are like, Oh, they

didn't know what to do with that.

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But it was just so, so beautiful.

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We have such a special thing.

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It's so God, it's so beautiful.

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It was just so amazing.

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Now, fast forward, I think it

might've been yesterday I was

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texting her Hey, I need an update.

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As we've gotten older and life

is getting busier with older

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kids and things are going on.

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I'm not texting as often, but she knows

that any moment she could text me and

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ask me any question and I am texting

her as often I'm sending her pictures.

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Most often a couple of weeks

will go by and I'll be like, Hi.

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I don't think I've sent her any

pictures lately, so I'll just quick

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send her some and be like, how are you?

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So, just a sweet, sweet relationship

and I'm just so grateful.

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Steph: It Is definitely Beauty from Ashes.

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It's an incredible story

both for her and for you.

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Could you please share how the

Lord has led you in talking

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to Kaylee about all of this?

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So much happened before she

was even here and, how do you

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speak about her birth mother?

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How do you make her feel so chosen by

this and battle some of the lies that

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a child might feel in this situation?

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Jen: Yeah, that's great.

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So we talked often, we do talk

often in our home about adaption.

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We talk about how the Lord adapted

us and that God's heart is adaption.

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And we use the word adaption as often

as we can in such positive Oh, I

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would love to adopt this new habit.

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I would love to take this whatever it is,

we use adoption in positive terms often.

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And we talk about how the Lord

is good and he chose us even.

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Even before we were born,

he knew who were his.

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And so, we know that God does all things

well, and he does all things good.

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And so God has a perfect

plan for everyone.

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There is no B plan.

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And we talk about how

God wrote her story and.

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He wrote it beautifully and

perfectly and that nothing was

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left out and nothing was wrong.

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And we celebrate her.

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story often.

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I remember when she was an infant, I took

her to our pediatrician and she whispered

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to me, which I found peculiar because she

was a newborn, but she whispered and said,

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are you going to tell her she's adopted?

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And I was like, yeah, I did.

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Never occurred to me that

I might not tell her.

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And I said, there is

nothing to be ashamed of.

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This is a beautiful thing.

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This is a God story like none other.

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Of course, I'm going to

celebrate this story for her.

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And so we decided that God had

written the best story for her.

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So we just took what God did

and we put it into a book.

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And we made a little book and we

call it God's Gift of Pure Joy.

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And we told the story in children's

terms as to how the, a mommy and

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a daddy sent out postcards and we

found a tummy mommy that wanted

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to place their baby in adoption.

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And we tell the whole story.

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And we had it printed and illustrated

and we read it to her at night.

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We read it to her at different

times on her birthday or whenever

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there's questions about things.

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And even as a six month old or a nine

month old, we would read that to her and.

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As a little one, we

would say, where's mommy?

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And she would point at it.

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Where's dada?

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And she'd point at who it is.

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And where's, where's baby Kaylee?

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And she would point at all the

people and where's tummy mommy?

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And she would point at her

and it is just so sweet.

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And she will call her either miss and then

her name, or she'll say my tummy mommy.

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We talk to her often about that.

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And it's really sweet because anytime

in church, when someone will say

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something about the verses that talk

about adoption, or there's a story

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of adoption, she will smile and be

like, I'm like, yeah, you're right.

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So sweet.

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So there's a funny story because

we, in our community, I don't

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know if you've heard this story,

but I just love it so much.

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We were taking one of our dear

friends home and the son was in the

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car and There's this song called I'm

Adapted that we love to play and,

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and to listen to and Kaylee loves it.

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And it's a really happy I'm

adapted, like really cheerful song.

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And so we were playing this song and she

said something like, yeah, I'm adapted.

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And the kid was like,

Oh yeah, that's funny.

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Okay.

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And she looked at me, she goes, no.

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I really am.

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I'm adopted.

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And he was like, no, you're not.

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He's you look just like your mom.

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You're not adopted.

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yes, I am.

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Well, at this time, the

whole car is laughing.

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So of course he thinks we're all joking

because we're all laughing so hard.

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And then he turns to Josiah

and he's are you adopted?

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He's no, you're not adopted.

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He's wait, who else is it?

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You're lying.

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And I was like, no, really,

I'm telling you, she's adopted.

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It was so cute.

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And she was like, I am.

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So it was really sweet.

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And it's funny when we're in the grocery

store and someone will say things like

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Oh my goodness, she has your smile.

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And I just laugh and I'm

like, yeah, she does.

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And she'll look at me

and she'd be like, yep.

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And when we just talk about how

God places you perfectly and

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he knows where to place you.

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And so he knew you were going

to look somewhat like us.

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And, and there, those are

sweet things that I love.

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I love that.

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Steph: She just fits so

beautifully with your family.

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Jen: does.

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She does.

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It's so sweet.

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Steph: I've not thought to even use,

adopting a new habit and how that

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word could have have such a positive

connotation in so many situations.

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That is really wise.

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I love that.

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Jen: There is one thing that

we try really hard to do.

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And sometimes when you're talking

with people, maybe at the grocery

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store or different things, or

even just friends will say Oh,

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have you spoken to her mom lately?

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And I will say, I'm her mom.

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But I have spoken with her birth mom.

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Yes.

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And she's doing this.

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And so I, especially around

her, will always recorrect the

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person and say, I'm her mom.

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And sometimes other kids will say

things like, well, are you her real mom?

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Or, well, no, I mean her real mom.

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No, I am her real mom.

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I am her mom.

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And her birth mom is her birth mom.

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And so we with family or with

friends, anybody, anytime someone

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says something about that.

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We correct them and say, Nope,

we're her mom, we're her family.

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And you may, and, and, and that's not to

take away anything from her birth mom.

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Absolutely not.

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But.

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We are legally her parents,

so this is for life.

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We are her parents, so We just try to

give education to other people around

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as well and tell them, you know I know

you don't mean harm in saying this

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but terms matter and titles matter

And so just like you don't call, you

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know Your husband, your fiancé, once

you're married, he's your husband.

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You don't say fiancé anymore.

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So, we give title where titles are

due and we respect those names I

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always say to my kids, they'll joke

around and say my name, like Jen.

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And I'll be like, no, no, no, no.

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You call me mom.

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There are four people on this

planet that get to call me mom.

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So you will never call

me by my first name.

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Like you, I am mother to you

and that is, I had to work

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hard to get some of those, that

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Steph: Yeah.

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Right?

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Jen: it's very sweet.

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Steph: That's so sweet

for her to hear, too.

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That I'm possessive of you.

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I'm, protective of you.

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And I will claim you.

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Yeah.

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Jen: Yes.

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Yes.

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And we do, we say that often.

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And I'll say it to even my biological

kids that if ever I could line up all

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the kids in the world, I would search the

whole world until I found this specific

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face because this is the face I love.

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This is the one I love.

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And, and we say that to

everybody and her included.

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And often I will say to her, I'm

so glad that God gave us you.

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We are so blessed that we get

to be your parents and that our

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family gets to be blessed by you.

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And then she'll smile and be like,

yeah, yeah, you are pretty lucky.

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She's a spicy one.

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So.

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Steph: She's just so precious

and then you realize, oh, there's

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some fun spunk under there.

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Jen: Oh yes, there's a lot of spunk.

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Though she be but little,

she is very fierce.

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Yes,

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Steph: a wolf game with her or something.

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I know she loves to be an animal.

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And he went to claw her or something

and I said, Oh, don't do that to her.

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And she looked at me

and she said, I like it.

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I was like, well, I don't know if

your parents are going to like it

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if you come home with scratches

all over you, so Please stop!

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Jen: She's just a silly

girl and I just love it.

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I love it so much.

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There is a book that I wanted to

recommend as we talk about adoption.

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I.

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Especially it's, it's hard because

when we, when we talk with a group of

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believers, I feel very passionate and

heavy hearted, I would say, because.

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Believers are the ones that are

supposed to be the adoptive ones.

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Like we, we know God's heart is

after adoption and we are called to

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look after the widow and the orphan.

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And so this should be like every believer

should be having a heart for adoption.

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And that doesn't mean that every believer

has to adopt, but I would say more

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believers should be adopting than what

are, but if you don't feel like you're at

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the place where you could adapt, there is

definitely things that you can be doing.

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And I would highly recommend this book

called Help Her Be Brave by Amy Ford.

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And it says, discover your

place in the pro life movement.

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And I just really feel convicted

that yes, I am all for.

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Voting rights and getting as

many things as we can changed

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for the pro life movement.

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Absolutely.

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If anything else, drop the

picket sign and go pick up a kid.

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Go love a mom, go, go live out the body

of Christ and the way that he wants you

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to love and care for that birth mom.

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That's choosing life and that birth

mom that chose life and help her with

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that kid that she did have because she

didn't want to choose an abortion and

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now she is struggling and she needs help.

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And so if we as believers are going to

demand and, and require and Exhort these

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women to choose life and absolutely we

should, we should, the, the unborn matter.

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Absolutely.

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The sanctity of human life, but

it's not just the life of the

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little baby that matters, but

that birth mom matters as well.

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And so we all as believers

have to, have to, have to have

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some type of input and in.

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involvement in someone who is having a

hard pregnancy and how can we help them?

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And this book gives A million

different ways that you can be

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involved in a woman who is in need

or a child's life and help them walk

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through so that they may not have to

choose an abortion for their child.

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So it's, it's a great book.

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Amen.

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Preach.

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Those are some powerful, powerful words.

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It's definitely not a far

off command to obey and it's

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not just a legislative issue.

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It's a love issue.

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I'm excited to look into that

book and find some creative ways.

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To get involved.

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I think sometimes.

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It seems like if you can't do the

huge thing of bringing a child

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into your home, what can you do?

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But you're right.

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There are definitely opportunities.

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What a great resource to recommend.

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Thank you.

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Jen: It is.

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It is.

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God's heart is so for adoption and

for the widows and the orphans.

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Other than the Lord adapting us

and us into his royal kingdom?

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The world is not going to do that.

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If you ever research it,

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And very few have ever adopted.

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And it's just so sad because

the example from the world

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is it's not going to happen.

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It has to happen from believers

who see God's call and God's

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:

heart behind this, that, James 1.

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:

20 says that God in his holy habitat is

to seek after widows and orphans and, and.

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I include in that, and I believe the

heart of the Lord includes in that, the

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:

orphan is someone who is fatherless.

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As well as mother and fatherless,

that we have a lot of kids out there

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who just don't have parents that

know how to parent well and we're not

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:

parented, they've gone through the

system, they've had trauma, all of that.

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Anytime that we can step out and help a

woman in need to raise those children.

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Is God in His Holy Habitat and

it's amazing any time that we've

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:

taken in foster kids and or

hosted a little baby in His name.

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:

Though it's hard, and it's hard to

say goodbye, and it's demanding, and

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:

it's always inconvenient, there is a

sweetness about it as though, I liken

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:

it to that verse that says that we

may be entertaining angels unaware.

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And there is just something about

the Holy Spirit that fills this home.

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:

When we have a foster baby in

it, there is a sweetness to that

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:

time that is unlike any other.

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:

And it's just a special Amazing thing

to experience God in his holy habitat.

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:

So I would just encourage any woman

that or family that is out there

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:

that feels like they can't do this.

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They can't, they don't really know how

to enter in, get this book, read it.

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:

There are a million different

ways that you can enter in

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:

and some really cool ones too.

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She's a really creative lady and has

started a really cool organization and

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:

gives lots of cool, creative ideas.

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:

That's fantastic.

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:

I've heard a couple of my

friends doing foster care.

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:

That have told me, this is one of the few

ways that your whole family can serve.

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:

It's a missional opportunity

for your children to be involved

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:

in a way that they can't yet.

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:

Through so many other

serving opportunities.

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:

one specifically they were doing

safe families as well, and they've

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:

been really blessed financially.

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:

And they told me it was so

eye-opening for their children to see.

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:

And it really enlightened their children.

433

:

And help them become more grateful for

their blessings through watching some

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:

of these really difficult situations.

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:

But I think it's such an incredible

way to teach our children to

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:

serve and to love others and an

opportunity for the whole family.

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:

Jen: It is.

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:

There's no other ministry where they

have to share their home, their toy,

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:

their parents, their siblings, everything

that's precious to a child, they have

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:

to share and they have to give up.

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:

And it shows them a little bit

the hardness of this world, but in

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:

a human form and a loving gentle

way where they can see this.

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:

This is hard and this is hard for this

young baby or this, this little toddler.

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:

We can love this one.

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:

And guess what?

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:

We can pray.

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:

Even after this one leaves our home, we

can pray for him the rest of our lives.

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:

And we get to love him for

this little time in life.

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:

And so we're just going to pray

over him as much as we can and

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:

bless him and bless his mom.

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:

And we're going to see

what God does with this.

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:

And we're going to see someday

when we get to heaven, we might.

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:

Be able to see that this prayer

was answered because of our

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:

prayers or whatever it is.

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:

And we get to have a little

bit of our time on earth.

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:

We get to see how God is going

to use that in someone's life.

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:

And it is just, it's so

sweet and so precious to be

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:

able to be involved in that.

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:

Steph: How do you handle the emotions

for yourself and for your children, for

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:

a child that you've fostered that is now

maybe returning to a situation that's

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:

not ideal, how have you handled that?

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:

Jen: Yeah.

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:

That's hard.

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:

It's hard.

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:

It's gut wrenching.

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:

We've had that a number of times.

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:

I felt like I would, I would say, I feel

like I'm sending this sweet little lamb.

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:

Into a den of wolves, like it just.

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:

It is so hard to trust that.

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:

So we pray a lot and we cast our

burdens unto the Lord and we trust

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:

the Lord and it's amazing how much

foster care has shown me how little

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:

control we actually have in life.

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:

We think we have so much control.

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:

We think we have, if we have all

our ducks in order and we have

475

:

enough money and we have enough of

whatever that we can control so much.

476

:

And in some ways, maybe, but really

we're not in control and the Lord

477

:

can, is sovereign in all of that.

478

:

He is taking just as much care of

those little foster kids that leave

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:

this home that I feel like, Oh, apart

from us, he's never going to make it.

480

:

And he says, but you're not trusting me.

481

:

And so it's hard and we cry and we.

482

:

We, we grieve, every single baby who has

left this home, every single child who

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:

has left this home, our kids cry over and

it's hard and, but we say we're going to

484

:

take our pain to the Lord and he's going

to heal us and he's going to help us.

485

:

And we quote the verse that says we have

everything we need for life and godliness.

486

:

So, God's given us

everything we need for this.

487

:

We can handle this.

488

:

We, he will heal our hearts and he will

help this child and he is sovereign

489

:

and his protection goes well beyond us.

490

:

He does not need us to protect

this child or to grow up this child

491

:

in the way that they should go.

492

:

And so we just got to be a little

bit of this person's story and we

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:

get so blessed to be able to do that.

494

:

And we're going to trust that the

Lord will continue to do that.

495

:

Complete the work that he started in this

kid's life and that we just get the joy of

496

:

praying for them the rest of their lives.

497

:

And it's a really special thing to,

when you know someone and they've

498

:

been in your home and you've cared

for them, you pray way differently

499

:

than somebody you just walk by on the

road and or on the street and see.

500

:

So when you've invested in someone,

your prayers are different.

501

:

Oh, that's an excellent heart check.

502

:

I think great for every

parenting situation.

503

:

You know, sometimes I think we can

fall into the trap that when our

504

:

children leave our presence, they're

not as safe right now because.

505

:

I'm not with them.

506

:

But we need to trust in the

Lord sovereignty and that it's

507

:

him who watches over them.

508

:

And it's very easy to fall

into that fallacy that.

509

:

That it's us that protects them.

510

:

So that is a great reminder that I.

511

:

I can see how you would need

to keep that absolutely.

512

:

At the forefront.

513

:

As you continue to be

prayerful and faithful.

514

:

over those children.

515

:

Jen: Yeah.

516

:

We had one who was with us.

517

:

When he was three years old,

he turned three in our home.

518

:

He was with us for three months and to

this day, he is 18 and he can still tell

519

:

me a little like jingle that I would

say, I would say, your life is, you're

520

:

going to go to school, go to college,

get a job, get married, have kids.

521

:

I was like, in that order.

522

:

You mess up the order, it doesn't work.

523

:

You got to do it that order.

524

:

And I'd say, say it back to me.

525

:

And he'd say, go to school, go to college.

526

:

And he is 18 and he still remembers that.

527

:

And he will call me Mama Jen.

528

:

And he, well, the last time that we saw

him and he was in our home, he was so, he

529

:

used to always want to sit on my lap and

say, tell me about when I was with you.

530

:

Tell me about when I was with you.

531

:

And I'd read him the book

that I had made for him.

532

:

And, but then the last time

that he was in our home, he is

533

:

so huge that I sat on his lap.

534

:

like, you are a grown man now.

535

:

And it's just so sweet though, to

be able to know, like he was three

536

:

and he was here for three months.

537

:

And the Lord was so faithful to

help him remember these things.

538

:

And, and I would just.

539

:

Even if you're holding a baby and

you're rocking a baby, yes, that

540

:

baby's not going to remember that,

but the heart knows it's being loved.

541

:

And there's.

542

:

This is a really cool thing.

543

:

In the hospital, when I would hold

Kaylee, her heart rate would go

544

:

from a certain heart rate down to

a lower one when I would hold her.

545

:

And it did not do that for anybody

else when they would hold her.

546

:

The different nurses, whatever.

547

:

But when I held her, Her

heart rate went down.

548

:

And I, I was like, I love that.

549

:

Thank you, Lord.

550

:

Thank you for letting me see that.

551

:

And so I just think, those

little babies, they know that.

552

:

And those prayers, those

prayers are outside of time.

553

:

The Lord, He uses all of that.

554

:

And so, just holding and

rocking and loving a newborn.

555

:

That's, that's mighty spiritual

holy ground right there.

556

:

I just love that.

557

:

Steph: Yes.

558

:

And I think we've probably all heard

stories where it went beautifully,

559

:

adoption, and stories where it Was a

really painful experience and I have

560

:

several of those in my own family but I

think the unconditional love is still so

561

:

beautifully displayed when it doesn't go

exactly how we plan, but we still love

562

:

and sacrifice for another human being.

563

:

I think that speaks volumes to our.

564

:

Everyone else in our family, volumes

to the watching world, and it

565

:

transforms our heart in the process.

566

:

This isn't about necessarily picking the

cutest face and bringing it into your home

567

:

and then it being such an easy process.

568

:

Many times it is a difficult process

of caring for the trauma that they

569

:

experienced before they came to you

or even Brain damage or disabilities.

570

:

There's so much that goes with it.

571

:

But God's heart is still for it.

572

:

It's, His heart is for every

human life and honoring that.

573

:

Jen: Absolutely.

574

:

And, and yes, you're right, because you're

bringing in a whole host of generational

575

:

sin that's different than your own.

576

:

And we like to, we're

comfortable with our own.

577

:

We're used to our own.

578

:

We know what it looks like.

579

:

We know how to manipulate it and to

be okay with it sometimes, sadly.

580

:

But other people's sins,

that's new, that's different.

581

:

And so it, it's It is, there is,

you're, you're dealing with sinful

582

:

beings and I just always remind Myself

and anyone who says Oh, I just don't

583

:

know if I could adopt because you just

don't know what you're going to get.

584

:

Girlfriend, you don't know what you're

getting when you give birth to that baby.

585

:

Steph: Absolutely,

586

:

Jen: know.

587

:

We are not guaranteed anything in life.

588

:

And so, we just trust the Lord and,

and we bring all things back to him

589

:

and know that he uses all things.

590

:

For His glory and for His good.

591

:

And so when those moments of doubt

or question or worry come in, you do

592

:

what you do, you take it to the Lord.

593

:

You lay it at his feet and you pray

about it and you do the next right

594

:

thing and you just do whatever you

feel called to do in the next moment.

595

:

I had one friend who is so sweet,

but Saw me sharing ice cream with

596

:

one of the foster babies that we had.

597

:

And, and I didn't even think twice of it.

598

:

I took a lick of the ice cream cone

and I handed it to the kid and they

599

:

took a lick and she's Oh my gosh,

I don't know how you're doing that.

600

:

And that's somebody else's spit.

601

:

And I was like, eh.

602

:

When they're in your home,

they feel like your family.

603

:

I had this baby for months.

604

:

I'm, I'm, I'm sharing

everything with this kid.

605

:

Like they become his spit's my spit,

it's like they, they become your own.

606

:

You love them well.

607

:

And, and I just feel like it.

608

:

You just don't, there's no separation.

609

:

In my mind, there's no separation.

610

:

If you're in this home and we, and we

are in charge of you and we are your

611

:

foster parents or we are your adoptive

parents, whatever, we're going to treat

612

:

you like you're our own and line up.

613

:

You're getting, you're getting

the same as everybody else.

614

:

Ah, I love that loving

without barrier or boundary.

615

:

That's so sweet.

616

:

it was so, so good to hear

this story in such detail.

617

:

I know I've heard it before, but

never this thoroughly, and it

618

:

was such a blessing to me, Jen.

619

:

So thank you for taking

the time to share it.

620

:

It's inspiring to see

how relentless you were.

621

:

And serving without guarantee.

622

:

I think it's an incredible display

of the gospel Even when you

623

:

didn't specifically say scripture.

624

:

Your life was showing it, and it

was such an impactful testimony.

625

:

Thanks again for listening.

626

:

If you've been blessed by our podcast,

please head over and leave a review.

627

:

Or share it with your friends or do both.

628

:

We really appreciate you

helping us spread the word.

629

:

We're here to serve you.

630

:

Steph: We know you're busy, Mama,

so we are truly grateful you joined

631

:

us for this episode of Again.

632

:

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

633

:

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

634

:

EntrustedMinistries.

635

:

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

636

:

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

637

:

world, and we want it for you, too.

638

:

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

639

:

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

640

:

We're rooting for you.

641

:

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

642

:

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

643

:

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

644

:

Him, according to the grace of our God.

645

:

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

646

:

Amen.

647

:

Until we meet again.

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About the Podcast

Again
Biblical Motherhood Untangled
So much of what we do as mothers is on repeat. Join us to redeem this repetition and untangle from the confusion and overwhelm of parenting. We'll follow the Agains in the Bible to focus on the things that matter most. Let's look up together to embrace a motherhood full of freedom and joy! This podcast is sponsored by Entrusted Ministries.

About your host

Profile picture for Stephanie Hickox

Stephanie Hickox

Stephanie has always delighted in God’s Word and in sharing it with others. Whether it is equipping mothers and leaders through Entrusted with a Child’s Heart, inspiring students when teaching at homeschool co-ops or children’s ministry, or homeschooling her own children, Stephanie’s life mission is to encourage others to follow faithfully and joyfully after Jesus—especially if they hold her favorite job title: mom.

Betsy Corning wrote Entrusted with a Child’s Heart in 1999 in response to the needs she saw in families as she and David counseled young parents just a few years behind them. Entrusted has been taught in hundreds of churches nationwide, been translated into several foreign languages, and has made its way around the world. More recently, Betsy received her Masters in Biblical Studies from The Master’s University and is developing a new Bible Study program called Get the Word Out. Her passion for God’s Word, discipleship, and teaching biblical principles as they apply to family life has remained strong to this day. One of the greatest blessings in Betsy’s life are her three grown children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren that keep her constantly in touch with every age and stage.

Jen Freckman Is an incredible wealth of wisdom. She will tell you a natural remedy for just about anything! She is also a voracious reader and she is just overflowing with quotes and guidance that she's encountered through reading and being faithful. She delights in her children and is a devoted mother. She is also an amazingly creative problem solver! Her solutions to manage her home and guide her children are inspiring.

Emily Deyo is such a treasure. She is an incredible encourager and servant-hearted woman. When she has the mic in front of her, so much value comes out! She is a wordsmith and her heart consistently beats for how she can encourage and serve others. She is a truly loving and attentive mother.

Join Betsy, Emily, Jen, and Stephanie as they share the wisdom only Scripture and on-the-job training can provide to help untangle the joyful calling of motherhood.