Daily Devotional

One Christmas season we prayed as a family for an opportunity to minister to someone who really needed us.  As an emergency foster care family, we were fully aware of how many kids needed foster homes, especially during the holidays. Our prayer scarcely left our lips, when a call came in, “Would your family be willing to take a newborn baby? This is a drug baby--the mother was on meth when the baby was born.”  No hesitation—yes!

A beautiful newborn baby boy was put in our arms to care for!  He was suffering the effects of the drug in his system and really, really needed constant care.  Our three teenage daughters were a huge help! This sweet baby, could not sleep, and was constantly agitated. His little body shook from the effects of the drug. He cried often.  Eating was so very difficult for him.  We would take turns walking with him, singing to him, and speaking words of love to him. It was so sad to see this little one suffering.  We took lots of pictures, dressed him in adorable clothes and simply showered him with love.  We prayed for him and his mother, that one day they would know the love of Christ. Slowly, his condition improved and we could see his sweet personality develop.

Five months later, we were told that our Christmas baby was going home to his mother. She had been released from prison and was ready to be a mom.  With much tears and heartache, we all said our goodbyes to this sweet baby boy and handed him back to the social worker.  We gave the social worker something to give to the mother. It was one of those very large decorated popcorn tins packed with the baby’s special clothes, pictures and even the onesie our daughter decorated with the words, “Jesus loves me” on the front. We wanted the mother to have some of her baby’s special things for the time she had missed with her baby. We also wanted the mother to know her baby was in a Christian home, well cared for and loved by us – and especially by Jesus!

Many months later a friend attended a baby shower and met a woman who was talking about her son.  She explained that her son had been in a foster home the first five months of his life.  She went on to explain that the unknown foster family had given her a large popcorn tin filled with his stuff.  Touched deeply by how God had taken care of her baby boy, she decided to turn her life over to God.

God had answered our prayers! We knew this was the mother of our Christmas baby boy. Her newfound relationship to God was our Christmas gift! We pray that the baby boy grows to be a mighty man of God! Pray with us!

PARENTS:
1. Explain to your kids what an orphan is.  Read and explain the verse James 1:27
2. Talk about all the many ways we can help orphans and widows. Foster care, contributing to an organization like “Door of Faith” orphanage, be accepting of kids who are foster kids. Invite them over to play, etc.
3. Talk about all the many ways your family can help widows. Pray for them-sometimes they are lonely, invite them over for lunch or dinner, draw them a picture.
4. Explain to your kids how difficult it is for some kids who have parents that make big mistakes.  It is not the fault of the kids.
5. Praise the Lord with your kids that they have a Dad, Mom, Grandparent, Aunt, Uncle, Guardian.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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