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Our family went into this foster care journey with the intent to adopt. We heard the statistics of waiting kids in care and our desire obey Christ's mandate to care for the orphans seemed to match up with the needs of these kids, not to mention...it was "FREE" as opposed to international or even domestic private adoption. We took the plunge.

Along the way, we chose to be open to fostering children while we waited to be matched with a child(ren) that needed our us as a forever family. Boy have we experienced a crazy amount of emotions, highs and lows we'd never foresaw, as well as growth, to be quite frank, we never thought we wanted for ourselves or our biological children.

One of the many things this journey has taught me so far is that, like one of my favorite movies, we are not the hero in every story.

:PAUSE:

If you have yet to see the movie Megamind, stop reading this. Find. This. Movie. Watch it. Watch it with your spouse. Watch it with your kids. Watch it again. Laugh. Tear up or at least awe at the heart warming moments. Laugh some more. Clear space in your brain for a plethora of quotable lines that will inevitably be applicable in a ridiculously high volume of moments In Real Life. You can thank me later.

Now that you've watched this fun kids film, you'll better understand my application and I won't spoil it for you.

Wikipedia:
The film tells the story of a super-intelligent alien supervillain, Megamind, who after a long-lasting battle one day actually destroys his foe, the much-loved superhero Metro Man. Having Metro City for himself, Megamind finds out that his villainy has no purpose and thus creates a new superhero to serve as his nemesis. His plan backfires, as he ends up creating instead a new super-villain. With Metro City spiraling out of control, Megamind attempts to set things right and discovers his newfound purpose—as a superhero.

For my illustration, I am taking the vague overview of the story were we, as foster parents are Roxanne Ritchie in this film, biological parents are Megamind, and our foster children are Metro City, the city in need of protection. Just like in the film, Roxanne and Megamind end up working together to help Megamind find his true potential and ultimately he gets to be the superhero of the story. The story doesn't play out unexpectedly, people make mistakes, expected heroes fail us, there are super-villain batters, but it is a great ending.

Although, my family is not where I thought we would be three years and twenty six foster friends later, I think we have been allowed to be the Roxanne to many an unrecognized Megamind. Their stories may not look like the fairy tail I had hoped for at the point when children returned but everyone needs to be given the benefit of the doubt. To be fought for or with rather than against. They need support to help start a new path in life. They need to be seen as the unsuspecting hero in their children's lives. I would want that roll if I'd made some poor decisions that cost me time with my children.

Alongside their assigned DCFS workers, the biological parents need US. Yep, they, as well as their children need the foster parents to fight for them. They need us to see the good in them and to bring it out. We need to comfort them, encourage, and let them know we aren't working against them or trying to steal their children.

While I soooooooooo want to be done with this system and the messiness of people in general, that doesn't seem to be God's plan yet. We haven't been matched with a child who needs us in that way. Right now, we have been matched with over 26  children who need us in their gap. They need us as their family's advocates.

I will NEVER be able to adopt a child, call them my own, raise them for the entirety of their lives without knowing I did EVERYthing in my power to help their parents be a safe, loving, healthy option for them first. I could not look a child in the eyes daily knowing there was something I could have done to allow them to stay together as the original unit God placed together. Don't get me wrong, my flesh has wanted to snatch up some of my babies, even if just for a few months longer to assure their home life looked closer to what I thought they needed but in the long run, I have to trust the sovereignty of God in their lives and mine.

Are you considering becoming a foster parent? Adopting through your local DCFS? Go into with the right mindset. Fight for God's original plan. I think it's alright to be willing to be part of His redemptive plan after sin jacks it all up but we need more families to proceed with the heart of Roxanne. Foster parents have been given a bad rap because of some of us not fighting for the biological unit. By offering false testimony. By seeing Only the negative. By never aiding the parents in hopes their shortfallings will cost them their kids and the foster family will reap the gains.  Don't be that person.

There are so many reasons we need to believe in someone today. Step back and let someone else be the hero in their child's story. Find their downfall and try to assist in helping them over come it. Share your downfalls. Show them pictures of their child. Bring them gifts, pictures, crafts, whatever for holidays. Become their sidekick to save their family and change the narrative of their lives. God is big enough! God is big enough to redeem the worst start to any story. Let him weave Himself into their story through you.

Please don't hesitate to ask me how to become a part of aiding children and families in care OR to share your own stories.

Our church body has had an outpouring of support from friends, family, and complete strangers from all over the state as well as many other states. Most recently, we've had a couple Vacation Bible Schools focus their missions offering collection on us. They want to educate kids on local missionaries as well as support them financially. I thought I'd just share the simple overview we've given them so their kids know a little about us.

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Matt and Julie Rothacher {Roth-ache-r} were youth ministers in Arkansas until God called them to plant a church in a new community.

There was a lot of planning, moving, and remolding that happened before They Valley Church launched on Easter 2013. Lots of other churches helped by donating money, time, and supplies.

This is a picture of the launch Team Easter evening in front of the space they were leasing that used to be Vilonia's old Dollar General. Since that time, God has done some crazy fun stuff through this group of people.

There has been unspeakable life change, people come to Jesus for the first time, 8 baptisms, and lots of unique ministries done in the community to show the love of Jesus.

The Valley has services on Sunday mornings as well as Valley Groups {small groups} on Wednesday nights. Children birth through 6th grade met at the building for Little Valley Kids groups where we are walking through the Bible book-by-book using The Gospel Project {by Lifeway} curriculum. During Sunday services, we believe "big kids" {K+} are smart enough to learn from the lead pastor so we don't have a kids church, although we do a few things during the service to make it more kid friendly- provide color sheets, clipboards, and soapboxes full of crayons, as well as do crazy and unexpected things during the teaching portion of the services like have odd props- goats, flannel graphs, giant mountains, painting during the message, and lots of humor to keep their attention along with their parents.

Kids are learning about Jesus as well as how He wants to be apart of their lives every day. They are learning that every story in the Bible points to Jesus as does everything in our life. Kids are excited to love their friends, family, and neighbors like Jesus would and know God has a plan for their life that specific just for them.

Shortly after celebrating our 1 year anniversary, the town of Vilonia was hit by an F4 tornado. It started on the southwest side of town and cut all the way across to the northeast side. One family with a mom, dad, and 2 young boys that go to the valley lost their home as well as a two of their best friends who lived down the street.

The building that the valley was meeting in was in the center of town, right where the storm went through. The tornado knocked down 3 of the 4 walls of the building and destroyed, blew away, or dropped walls on top of all the stuff in the building including all 3 nursery rooms and playground where the kid tables, chairs, books, curriculum, and toys where.

The morning after the storm all the people who attend the valley showed up where the family who lost their home was and started to dig through what was left of their house and possessions. They collected any clothes, toys, movies, dishes, and pictures they could find.

The same people showed up later that afternoon at "the slab" where the building used to be and helped dig through rubble to find anything that was still useable.

After those two places were quickly cleaned up, the valley church was excited to find unique ways to minister to the town of Vilonia during such a hard time. The people of Vilonia lost businesses, restaurants, animals, homes, and people they loved. They needed physical help as well as emotional and spiritual support for healing.

One of the first things the valley church was able to do was start "The Playplace". This was a place kids could come have breakfast and lunch, play, rest, watch a movie, do crafts, and be with friends far away from the sad sights and dangerous areas that were all over town. The local primary {elementary} allowed them to use their giant multipurpose room as well the playgrounds outside and several restaurants supplied food. The Playplace was Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

As soon as people heard about what was going on, strangers from in town, all over the state, and some from other states, brought supplies and donations for affected families, along with toys to send home with the children.

Another fun thing the valley was able to do for the town was take all the mommies to a fun night out with their friends since most of them were very sad and stressed. The mom's went to a "Mom's Night Out" that included dinner, shopping, getting their hair, nails, and make-up done, all before going to the new movie, "Mom's Night Out".

The storm that knocked down the valley's building happened on a Sunday night, and the very next Sunday, the valley church had service on the empty slab where it once stood. People from all over the state brought lawn chairs, folding chairs, and even pews for people to sit on and there were over 300 people out in the hot sun who came to sing praises to Jesus and learn more about Him.

After that, the same school that allowed us to host the playplace let us host services for the valley church. Right now they are meeting at the local fire station in the big bays {with no AC} and the Little Valley Kids and Valley Groups just kicked back off last week. Valley Groups for teenagers and adults meet in homes and the younger kids get to meet at the local Senior Citizens' building on Wednesdays.

at the school:

at the SCC:

I know lots of you may think this is weird but not the valley. God has taught us that He is good no matter what. That means, even when bad things happen, we can trust that God has plans for our life. Plans to prosper us, not to harm us. He also taught us that The Church is the people who are following Him and not a place or building.

We are thrilled to be a part of what God is doing in Vilonia and are continuing to find new and unusual ways to love these people. We are also looking into doing something we never imagined doing {especially only being a year old}; buying land and putting up a simple building for the valley church to use for the glory of God.