I want you to share your food with the hungry and bring right into your own homes those who are helpless, poor and destitute (Isaiah 58:7 TLB).

In clear ways, God had revealed that He was calling us to be foster parents―a book I’d found under Angi’s bed telling of the difference made in the author’s life by a foster family who’d loved her and treated her like their own; an old journal where I had copied Isaiah 58:7 (see above); and other signposts. We decided we would begin the process when Angi and Robb graduated.

However, during church one January Sunday morning during their senior year, I sensed the Holy Spirit saying He wanted us to begin now. Mentally, I began to rearrange the house to make room for a child and to determine what things we would need. I concluded that all we needed was a bed. At the dinner table after church, Angi said, “Dad, my bunk bed dominates my room. Could you cut off the top bunk?” Donn responded, “Well, I could, but what would we do with it?” Bingo! God’s provision!

“Okay, guys, we need to talk.” I knew God was confirming what the Holy Spirit had told me. When I finished my story, Angi said, “I never thought about my bunk bed dominating my room until this morning in church.”

The process moved swiftly from there and by March, 1991, we had our five-year-old foster son who worked his way into all of our hearts. I was amazed at the lengths God had gone to so that we would be ready when Phil* needed us.

Keep us in tune with your Spirit, Father, moving as quickly or as slowly as you desire. Amen.

*Name changed.

Featured photo is Angi in her room. Apparently we never took pictures of Robb and Angi’s bunk beds that Donn made them. This is a random photo from the internet of a bunk bed similar to theirs.

(Devotional from Homespun Faith, Reflections from the Seasons of Life, copyright 2014 Daisy Beiler Townsend. Available as paperback or Ebook: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xulon Press. There are Links on this website on the Where to Buy Homespun Faith and Sarah’s Legacy page. Locally at Fresh Grounds, M & M Grocery, Leana’s Books, at Penn Alps in Grantsville, Maryland, or from me 724-373-8445 or donaisy@neo.rr.com.)