If you were to ask my mom if I was the most obedient daughter in the world, she would probably give you a delayed answer of, “…Yes, sometimes.” But, she was like that, always seeing the best in me and knowing me from the inside out. Obedience has been something that has always been difficult for me. I would consider myself a rule follower, but I’m also a questioner, a voyager and way-maker traveling off the beaten path. If there’s anything that the Lord has shown me it’s that when I choose to go my own way, the outcome is never as good as when I choose to listen to His voice and walk in obedience.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am that the Lord chose my husband, Jonathon, to walk alongside me in this life. He is a dreamer, but that man – an Eagle Scout – will follow a rule to a T. If you were to ask him what his middle name was, he would probably tell you, “Careful,” because that’s what he always replies when I tell him to be careful when he leaves. I, however, would tell you that it’s OBEDIENT. Somehow, the Lord saw it fit to bring us two together, and if you haven’t met us, we are a spectacle. We love each other hard; we work hard, and we play hard.
The Lord has called us into some tough stuff. Some days we cry out asking God why we can’t live a cushy life and enjoy living in a mansion on the beach, but I don’t think we would really be happy if our life wasn’t moving a mile a minute. I think our greatest calling in our lives has been foster care. A Child Protection Investigator asked me the other day how long we’ve been foster parents and if we like it. I laughed and said, “Well, I wouldn’t call it like, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Every day we can lay our calling down but choose to walk in obedience even when it’s hard because we know that Jesus is our sustenance, and He is carrying us.
Foster care puts you in the trenches, our house is a revolving door for caseworkers, child advocates, therapists, and licensing specialists. We’ve been put in the proximity of people who are hurting and children who are impacted the greatest. Our eyes have been opened to seeing the hurting, and we can’t help but try to do all that we can to share the hope that has been given to us. There are days when I call Jonathon in a panic to straighten up the house because the Latina in me is panicking that someone is going to see our lived-in mess. He holds me when I am at my breaking point when we receive a hard call. He’s strong even when he is falling apart himself, and he humors me when I bring home my latest kiddo clothing thrift haul. He is all of our kiddos’ biggest fan and source of security. He is the only one who knows what my day-to-day looks like and the only one who understands completely what our life in foster care entails.
There was a point in time when I didn’t know if our marriage could withstand taking in another child after our last had left. We were so disconnected and so lonely. Our children’s needs were overtaking the simple needs of our marriage, and we stopped making each other a priority. The numerous home visits, appointments, coordination of their schedules, therapies, advocating for their rights, and everything else was just taking a toll on us. Our faith was dwindling, our hope was lost, and we were fighting against each other. In that way that only our sweet Lord does, He swooped in, and He restored us. He covered us with His promises and replenished our hope little by little and day by day.
My favorite thing about the Lord is that He is always faithful. It’s who He is, and that will never change. His word proclaims it over and over again; sometimes it’s just hard to take it and apply it into our lives. Some scriptures we cling to:
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Phil 1:6 ESV
“The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thess. 5:24 ESV
We discovered that as a team, my husband and I are indestructible. There was a reason that God put us two together and joined us in marriage. We learned to base our foundation on the most solid rock. Some days our calling, especially foster care, tries to pull us in every direction imaginable, apart from one another. Thankfully the Lord whispers truth, and we know that if we just hang on to one another for a little longer He will bring healing.
Written by: Jessie Oermann.
