Candace Jones believes there's never an asterisk on what God asks us to do in His Word. She is an advocate for foster care. She has 8 children, 2 biological and 6 adopted. God called her and her husband to foster and the two of them have taken some wild steps of obedience. Candace doesn't pull any punches in this interview. In this gut-honest conversation, she busts through excuses and misconceptions about fostering and shares her heart and what God did in her life to take such a huge leap of faith. After listening to this episode, you will be encouraged, challenged and informed on how to make a difference in the lives of children that desperately need you to do something. She also shares the most important thing any child needs. Don't miss this episode.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• God calls husbands and wives together
• 30% of youth that age out of foster care become homeless
• The Holy Spirit comes and sets up camp so unmistakably when you foster. God wants these kids.
• The kids are hungry for scripture
• How would you give a foster kid back? It's maybe a valid excuse but it's still an excuse. The scriptures never have an asterisk
• Ask God to give you calluses on the right parts of your heart and keep the other parts soft
• God is not asking you to do more than He knows you can do
• I would not be good at that. Moses wasn't good at public speaking… That excuse doesn't hold up with God.
• Pride says - I'm not good at that. God only asks for our obedience
• How will it affect my biological kids?
• God never asks us to trade our kid's childhood for someone else's childhood.
• Don't get ahead of God and make assumptions
• You get to fill out a thorough questionnaire of what would work for your family when fostering
• 100,000 are legally eligible for adoption
• Half of all foster children are returned to their parents and half of those kids returned end up back in foster care.
• Half of all foster parents quit the first year. It can be very isolating. Gather your friends before you begin and have them pray. Have them come and sit with you.
• Start scripture memorization with foster kids. It is powerful.
• In our American culture maxed out is very self-inflicted
• What do we have in our calendar that is keeping us from doing God's will?
• God removes so many excuses.
• Father of the fatherless and protector of widows, is God in his holy habitation. Psalm 68:5
• Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27
• How to support someone who is fostering:
  • Contact a foster care agency and ask to get on their approved babysitter list. Offer them a regularly occurring night out.
  • Go over with a coffee and sit with them and let them talk.
  • Fold laundry, clean her kitchen, help her practically.
  • Ask the kids sizes and get new pajamas, new underwear, new shoes.

• Don't look left and right. Look ahead. Find an older mom who is a couple of seasons ahead of you to mentor you.
• All extracurricular activities fade in comparison to knowing the Bible and knowing what the truth is.
• Men often have financial concerns about fostering. The state of Texas and most states now if they are adopted from foster care or currently in foster care can go to college for free. Any state college. Tuition is paid. That also includes medical school, law school, and technical school. They also have Medicaid insurance through age 18. 100% of them qualify to go to college for free but only 3% of them take advantage of it.
• Cultivating a love for the Lord through scriptures. ABC printable scripture flash cards. Do 1 a week at breakfast. A whole week to talk about what it means. Discuss who said it in the Bible, what was going on, and when it applies to our lives. God's Word has power.

LINKS WE MENTIONED:

Dallas Life Shelter

Scripture Printable Cards

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