Sometimes our stories become stepping stones for other people’s victories.

Sometimes our stories become stepping stones for other people’s victories…and that’s a beautiful thing.

Years ago, when I was struggling to get pregnant, a coworker asked me an unexpected question:
“Have you ever considered foster parenting?”

The thought had never occurred to me.

But something about the idea stayed with me.

A few months later, we received an emergency placement—a 12-month-old little girl who had already experienced more instability than any child should.

From the moment I saw her, my world changed.

For seven months, she became part of our family.  I had never been happier.

Then one day, we received a call:
She was being moved to live with distant relatives she had never met.

They picked her up two hours later.

And just like that, she was gone.

In the days that followed, I was overwhelmed with grief. It felt like a death.

Months later, I spoke with a friend in California whose IVF cycle had failed. He and his wife were devastated and couldn’t afford to continue.

I asked them the same question my coworker once asked me:
“Have you considered foster parenting?”

A few months later, they were certified.

Soon after, they welcomed two sisters into their home…followed by a newborn baby.

They eventually adopted all three children.

That’s when I realized something profound:
The love we give is never wasted.

Sometimes our heartbreak plants seeds of hope in someone else’s life.

May is #NationalFosterCareMonth.

Authority Magazine just published an article sharing my journey.

If you feel a calling to help a child in need, fostering is a beautiful choice.

You never know how far the ripple effects will go.

*Note:  the face of the foster child has been changed to protect her identity.