Update on FRAME

It's been awhile since we've posted a blog. The kids are back to school now and summer has come and gone way too fast. Thankful though for the fun times and memories made this past summer. Hard to believe another school year has come. With 2 freshmen, 1 6^th grader, 1 3^rd and a kindergartener our household stays interesting to say the least. Looking forward to another great year of school and thankful for the great school system our kids are blessed to attend.

A lot of activities have been going on with our FRAME ministry.

FRAME is actively supporting Ashland county with leading a support group for foster and adoptive families. Our next one is Saturday, September 7^th at our place. Cook out at 5pm and meeting at 6pm. Looking forward to a great time.

We had the opportunity to get word out about FRAME at our schools first day celebration at their community tables outreach. Our neighboring county, Richland, is interested also in FRAME's involvement in their county. That is something we're still discussing and need to pray about.

We continue to work alongside our county, Ashland, to help encourage current foster and adoptive families and to help recruit new families. We've been invited to display our FRAME materials at Ashland county children service's booth at our county fair that is coming up in mid September. There are over 80 children in care in Ashland county and only 8 foster homes. The need is great!

Well there is a little update on what is going on with the ministry. Please continue to pray for our family as we serve the Lord through FRAME and for protection for us from the evil one. Thankfully greater is He that is in me than he that is in this world.

Just say Jesus!

Deuteronomy 31:8

The Lord is the One who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Wow! What a verse. So thankful to my sis for giving me this verse this past week as our family went through a spiritual battle with our ministry.

I share our experiences with you not to bring praise to us in anyway but to encourage you along your journey and to point you to the One who deserves all our praise.

Friday evening at our home turned out to be an evening we'll probably never forget. What seemed like a normal day changed into something that changed things in our household forever. Something happened involving the children we foster. Something that we could've not predicted or expected would happen. So here we go into battle once again. Our household was a mess and there was an endless supply of tears from most of our eyes. Everything seemed to be falling apart before our eyes and all we could do was try to breathe and cry out to God in whatever few words we could get out. During this struggle our oldest son was in his room reading his Bible. He came upstairs to show me the passage he was reading and he wanted me to read it. Wow! God using my 11 year old son to encourage my heart. As the weekend went on we had numerous people praying for our family and we were ready for Monday to come to try to figure everything out that was going on. My flesh was weak, mad, frusterated, angry, hurt, etc... but thankfully we serve a Savior who never leaves us or forsakes us. Even in our darkest hours He is the light that gets us through. My sister also sent me a song called, “Just say Jesus.” Wow, once again. Part of the song goes, “when you don't know what to say, just say Jesus. There is power in His name, the name of Jesus.” There were points this weekend when all I could get the words to say was Jesus and through that song it encouraged me that saying Jesus was enough. It was ok that I didn't have the right words to pray or that I felt like my heart was torn from my chest. Just say Jesus!

Monday morning, the day we were waiting for. The day we were hoping for to straighten up all this madness. Before my meeting I prayed the verse my sister gave me, that I wrote at the beginning of this post. I claimed it going into my meeting and wrote it on an index card and took it with me to my meeting. Once again all I can say is WOW! God did exactly that. He went before me to my meeting and worked out all the details. When I would start to feel anxious or fearful He would remind me of His Word and as I prayed for help He calmed my anxious heart. Things are better here at our home now but the sad thing is though that no matter the outcome people got hurt. We live in a fallen world and sin happens and people suffer and hurt. I hate that but am thankful God does not leave us there but comes alongside of us and delivers us and brings us to sweet fellowship with Him. He goes before us and protects us from the evil one. Please continue to pray for our family as we serve the Lord in this ministry. Please pray for our protection from the evil one and please pray we would be a shining light for Jesus Christ!

What hinders me?

What hinders me from helping the fatherless, the orphan or the least of these? Could it be the cost financially, what my family and friends think, the time it takes, my job and or my selfish pride? Do these things really hold me back or are they just excuses? Let us talk through these ideas.

Point one: The financial cost to myself and my family. I barely can make it now so how am I going to feed another kid or even several kids? Also, what if the kid gets sick? There will be more doctor bills and medicine bills. Remember I said we're just barely making it now. The answer is the kids in the system have a medical card, no cost to you. The government also pays for their room and board which is enough to cover their needs.

Point two: What will my family and friends think? They mostly tell you and others how great you are to help a kid or kids. Often unfortunately in the same breath some people will also say how crazy you are. Do you know all the problems these children come from? Do you know it will affect your kids? Yes I do know and my kids are better for helping other kids. Some will even say, ”they're not your own kids, how can you love them?” You can and will also start to understand the mystery of God's love.

Point three: The time it takes. It does take a lot of time. Maybe hours up at night, in hospitals or even with the police. But anything of value doesn't come easy. It's worth fighting for. When your old or on your death bed you will not long for more days at work or stuff but you'll long for more time with your family and friends. Wishing you gave more to help others. Even wishing you could have done more with and for others.

Point four: My job, is for what? Are you working just to make more and more money for toys, trips and stuff? My job is for paying my bills so I can take care of my family and help as many others as possible. By helping others you will be punished, harassed and lose out on job opportunities. I've lived it, why? I'm open about what and why I do to help others. Even saying, ”I'm just here for a paycheck,” or “I'm just here short term, maybe 20-30 years or until I can help children full time.” This will be perceived as not being a team player, oh well. I work for the Lord and me and my house will serve Him.

Point five: My selfish pride holding me back. Well if you haven't picked up on it yet from reading let me explain. Point 1: Cost to me. Point 2 :What people think about me. Point 3: It takes my time. Point 4: I'm harassed at work. Point 5: My selfish pride, because it affects me.

It comes down to a three legged stool. 1^st leg is food and water. 2^nd leg is shelter and clothing and the 3^rd leg is time and attention. After these 3 legs you can sit upon a top or a relationship. What holds it together? Love, trust and open communication. Also along the way if they get sick you take them to see a doctor. Where do I get these ideas? It's what I do for my dog. So why can't I do this for a kid? More importantly over 90% of the world believes in a God. Don't call them kids but a soul. Something of value that will have to be answered for someday.

My final thought is a short story I wrote called Consider Me. “Child born. Needs home. Adopt me!” These are some thoughts and my heart. A local foster and adoptive parent, local missionary of F.R.A.M.E. And child of God. Nicholas J. Stuart

Awesome Opportunities!

A lot of exciting things have been happening lately within our county. Our first support group meeting was very successful. We had a great time of sharing concerns and ideas and thinking up ways to do what we do for these children even more excellent. The supervisor provided a wonderful dessert spread and one of our dear friend's did a team building exercise with the group that had a wonderful word picture to go along with it. Nick was able to share a devotional and scripture and prayer. It was a blessing to hear the Word of God read and prayer in the county building. We're looking forward to our next support meeting on Saturday, July 13 at Bethel Baptist Church in Savannah at 6pm.

Our church is hosting a foster/adopt parent appreciation Sunday June 30. The church is dedicating the service to the families and honoring them with a lunch after wards. We want to show our appreciation and also share the love of Christ with them. We're very excited about this opportunity.

Another exciting opportunity is a luncheon Nick and I were invited to tomorrow to share about the FRAME ministry. Another church in our county is wanting to get on board with helping with reaching “the least of these.” We're very excited to hear what they have to share and to be able to share what the Lord has called our family too. Please pray for our time together. Thank you!

Last but certainly not least is a tremendous blessing that came Nick and I's way Sunday at church. A couple at our church, whom we consider as dear, sweet friends, is wanting to support our ministry in being “foster grandparents” to our family to provide Nick and I a date night once a month. They want us to pick a Saturday that will work each month and they will watch the children while we have time for just us. Let me tell you this generous offer is worth more to us than any dollar amount they could've given to us. We're blessed to call them friends and we pray the Lord blesses them abundantly for their ministry to not only our family but our marriage.

I hope you've enjoyed reading about the awesome things God is doing right here in our small county. I love how God uses ordinary people, all through out scripture and even now, to do extraordinary things for Him. To God be the glory!

First support group meeting

Thank you for praying for my meeting with our local county children service's supervisor. The meeting went above and beyond what I was even expecting.

Ephesians 3:20-21 came to mind that day.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

We've been given the awesome opportunity to partner with our local children services to provide a “faith based” support group for our counties foster families. We're very thankful for this partnership and are excited to see what the Lord has in store for our community. Please keep us in your prayers as we lead these meetings and encourage families who care for the “least of these.” We want whatever we say and do to point people towards Christ. He is the reason we're able to do this ministry in the first place. He is the reason we can love others because He first loved us. Below is the information for our first support group meeting.

FRAME support group to Ashland county foster & adoptive families

Thursday June 6^th from 6-8pm at the ACDJFS building.

Childcare will be provided.

Special guests that evening will be ACDJFS director Cassandra Holtzmann and supervisor Traci Foley. Come meet these two ladies and ask questions and share ideas.

Any questions or info on this event please email us at frame@bethelchapel.com.

Opportunities

A lot of exciting opportunities have recently come up in the ministry lately. As you readers know our family has a passion for “the least of these.”

In the past we have had the opportunity to share with employees from our local department of jobs and family services about FRAME and our desire to bring more awareness about the need for more foster and adoptive families. Recently our local county has also been realizing their need for more families. There was an article in our local newspaper recently about the need for more foster families. A lot of our children are being placed outside our county because of the lack of families within our county that are willing to open their homes up to these children. We were thankful for the article and I emailed the director of children services and thanked her for the article and shared our passion with her. During all this God has been using other people in the body of Christ as well to use their talents to glorify Him concerning, “ the least of these.” A dear friend of mine from church has been feeling led to talk with leaders in our community concerning this need and how there are so many local resources availble to help in this endeavor. As she met with these leaders the Lord opened the door for her to share about the FRAME ministry. How exciting for the body of Christ to be using their talents to glorify our Creator.

Last week I received a phone call from our local department of jobs and family services supervisor wanting to meet with me about the FRAME ministry helping in starting a support group for our foster families. The exciting part is we were already in the works of approaching them about this and they called us. I have a meeting this Thursday morning. We're excited to hear what ideas the county has and to Lord willing partner with them to support our local foster and adoptive families. We need to be able to keep the families we have but they also need to know they have the support they need and to feel appreciated for what they do to help these dear children. Please pray specifically for this meeting and the hearts of all involved to be open to the Lord's leading.

There are also some plans in the works to honor our current foster families and to bring more awareness of the need for more families at acouple events at our church this summer. As more details unfold I will keep you updated.

There are around 100 churches in our local county. If only one family per church would open their home up to the “least of these,” these precious children would not need to be placed outside of their county. Which means they could possibly stay in their same school and same culture environment. Less changes for them since they're already having to make so many changes by coming to live in a new home.

It is past time for the body of Christ to wake up and be about our Father's business concerning the “least of these.” Every believer should have some part in reaching these dear children. Some by opening their homes, some by giving of their time to help, some by giving financially, and all by praying and encouraging one another. What part are you willing to do in this ministry to reach these children? A dear friend of mine texted me these verses this morning. With doors opening in our community for the body of Christ to step up to the plate in reaching these children these verses were most encouraging to my heart.

Revelation 3:7-8

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: “ I know your deeds. Behold I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Wow! God's Word is so powerful. Please continue to pray for the FRAME ministry, our family and our local church that we would continue to be about our Father's business. Please also pray for protection from the evil one. Thankfully though Greater is He that is in me than he that is in this world. We're overcomers because of Christ! :0)

Rest, Reflect and Renew

The R in F.R.A.M.E. stands for respite. This is something we've done for other foster and adoptive families but until recently never asked for a respite for our family. Not only in foster care but in life in general many of us seem to think we can keep going and going without taking time to rest, reflect and be renewed. Even Jesus took time from His ministry and stopped and prayed to His Father in heaven. If Jesus needed to do this what makes us think we don't? Another reason I believe we struggle in today's society with taking a “respite” is because we feel guilty or others make us feel guilty. Actually people who take “respites” usually are able to cope with life better and have much to offer to their marriage, children, family, friends, work, ministries, etc... Obviously taking a respite is in no means promoting laziness but a time to rest, reflect and walk away feeling renewed. Recently I requested a respite for a young child that has been living in our home. We had been experiencing quite a few struggles with this child in her behavior and I felt like I was at a point where I was parenting out of frustration instead of being an effective parent in her life. My husband and I talked and agreed we would try a respite and see if it would help her and our family. So during her spring break she spent four nights at another foster home that we're friends with. We knew she would be safe and parented similar to how we parent. We trusted this family completely. During that week I took time to relax, read, pray and just continue to enjoy life with those the Lord has placed around me. She also had a good week at their home. Since she has returned her behaviors have been more back to normal and I feel less frusterated. We share these stories with you in these blog entries not to bring any glory to ourselves but to encourage you. We're all on life's journey together. We may be at different places in our journey but we all still feel emotions along the way. We encourage you to take time to rest. It's ok to say no to things. Our days are not made to be so full that we're so spent we don't have enough time for time for our Lord and family. Enjoy life, do fun things together but also stop and smell the flowers, let the breeze blow against your face and praise the One who created you.