Why, What, and How? ree ings to Know about this Resource

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Three things to know about this resource:

1. WHY

It’s essential that everything about foster care—all the unique experiences, emotions, and situations you’ll nd yourself walking through during this journey—be ltered through the lens of God’s truths found in the gospel—not only as the end to which all of this points but also as the means by which you can be sustained, encouraged, and motivated to continue on in a healthy way. ReFraming Foster Care is designed to do just that.

2. WHAT

ReFraming Foster Care is a collection of writings chronicling our own personal fostering journey, sharing some of the good and the bad, the beautiful and the broken, and many of the most impactful experiences we have encountered along the way. Each section contains a short reading followed by a series of “Personal Re ection” and “Group Discussion” questions, as well as a “Plan of Action” section to help you take the necessary next steps forward in your journey. You will also nd inspirational stories from real life foster families sharing pieces of their own fostering journey. is book can be used as a personal devotional and/or small group discussion guide. It’s designed to be short, quick, and easy to work through, with no outside work needing to

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be done. e goal of ReFraming Foster Care is to help you lter the unique experiences and emotions you’ll encournter in foster care through the lens of the gospel so that you can nd the comfort, perspective, and refreshment you need.

3. HOW

e format of this book is intended to be simple and light, not burdensome with too much demanding material or a disciplined agenda to work through. It can be used in a variety of ways:

CLASSIC BOOK STYLE Find your favorite chair at home or in the corner of your local co ee shop and get comfortable. You can read ReFraming Foster Care just as you would any other book, from one chapter to the next. While the material doesn’t necessarily have to be read in sequential order— each chapter tends to stand on its own—you can certainly read it through from cover to cover.

PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL Maybe you need more than just a leisurely read—something that engages you a little more deeply and pushes you a little further. ReFraming Foster Care can be used as a personal devotional as well. Simply carve out ve, ten, or een minutes to read through a short chapter and respond to the prompts and questions given. Glean from

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each section what you need and then go about your day, remembering and re ecting upon how the Scripture or principles helped frame your journey for the day.

SMALL GROUP SETTING Whether it’s in your weekly small group from church, a foster parent support group, or just a group of friends getting together regularly to encourage one another, you can use ReFraming Foster Care as a group discussion guide as well. Simply approach each chapter as a discussion stimulus and utilize the suggested discussion questions to help move the conversation forward. You may choose as many sections to cover in a group setting as you’d like, or simply focus on the one most needed for the group at the given time. e questions are intended to promote discussion but not to be exhaustive—feel free to use some of them, all of them, or none of them—and always be thinking of others that would be helpful to ask and discuss.

A few considerations if you are using ReFraming Foster Care in a group setting:

1. NO LEADER NECESSARY

My hope is that this book is as accessible and user-friendly as possible so that any group can pick it up and use it, whether or not there is a designated “leader.” e material is written

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so that members of the group can share responsibilities for reading and helping others navigate through di erent sections.

2. STRUCTURE OF SESSIONS

e structure of this resource is uid—designed for new participants to join in or leave the group at any point. e chapters, as I’ve indicated, don’t build on one another and aren’t necessarily intended to be read sequentially. Groups can begin with any chapter and choose to move on to another at any point, given the particular needs and dynamics of those in the group.

3. A DISCUSSION STARTER

e goal of each section is to promote discussion. is resource isn’t written as an in-depth study but is designed to promote in-depth thought and conversation. Each chapter covers a unique perspective on a particular aspect of fostering that may challenge you to think about the topic di erently from the way you have before. e goal isn’t for you to agree with everything presented in this book. Rather, it’s for everything presented in this book to act as a catalyst for healthy and encouraging group discussion.

4. GUIDELINES

Your group, whatever its format, needs to be a safe place to learn, share, and be vulnerable with one another. Many of the topics discussed will draw out deep emotional responses and

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raw feelings—all of which require a healthy environment in order to be processed. In that light, here are a few suggested ground rules designed to help make your group experience positive and encouraging for everyone:

• Commit to con dentiality. What’s shared in this group stays in this group. • Refrain from o ering unsolicited advice. Assume the role of encourager; coach only when requested. • Use “I” statements rather than “you” or “we” statements. e objective is for all participants to be personally vulnerable and encouraged, not to make generalizations. • Leave room for everyone to speak. Allow all to participate . . . but no one to dominate. • Avoid trying to give the “right” answers; focus more on giving “honest” answers. Transparency will make your time richer and more e ective.

INTRODUCTION