The Sims Family: Compassion into Action | Growing Their Family Through Foster Care
Meet the Sims.
A day spent with these four is never a dull moment; Having this family in front of my camera is always full of laughter, the goofiest faces, TONS of personality, and an overwhelming sense of love and connection between them.
Katie and Robert have so much love to give, and I always found myself secretly hoping that one day they would shoot me a message telling me they were having a baby and expanding their family.
And then one day, they did.
It wasn't exactly what I expected. but as soon as they told me, I knew that this path they chose suited them. If anyone could open their hearts and home to a foster child, it would be them. They would be the ones to show them love and care for them as if they were their own.
It's the road less travelled. It is by no means easy, and I know the majority of people aren't cut out for all it entails.
But I know they have prayed about this long and hard, and they are the type of people that when God places something on their hearts they are lead and moved to do His will and spread the love that they have found in Him.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey into becoming foster parents! I truly can't wait to meet the someone that you welcome into your family.
Don't let the fear of loving a child who might leave deter you, let the fear of a child not knowing love drive you." -Jason Johnson
"I have had the pleasure of knowing many joys in my life... and a few sorrows, but the good has far outweighed the bad. I think back to my childhood which was almost picture perfect. Two loving parents, a great brother to grow up with. There were dogs in the yard, burgers on the grill, and a tree house in the back yard. We grew up knowing the love of two stable parents and never really wanting for anything. I guess I say all of this to say that I know there are those out there that grew up not ever knowing a reality like mine. People with broken and tarnished views of what a family should be. And the opposite is also true... I can't really relate to someone who didn't really grow up as I did.
As I am sitting here thinking about the journey Katie and I are about to start, I am excited to share my reality with a child that doesn't know how a loving family can be, and at the same time I am scared that I won't know how to be the right kind of foster parent I need to be. But that is where the Lord tells us that it's not about our ability to do the tasks He has set out for us, but our availability to give ourselves over to His perfect plan.
God has obviously brought Katie and I together for the benefit of each other... we have a love and a relationship that I hope everyone could have, but I also feel that He has shaped and directed our paths before we met to become one path going forward. Not only in our marriage and family, but to fulfill a higher purpose in this calling to be foster parents to, at the moment, unknown little ones. Katie has well proven her ability to be an amazing step mom to my children, and I know God has put her in this role to prepare her especially for what lies ahead as we prepare to open our home through fostering.
Since the earliest days of our relationship we have talked about the possibility of adopting a child, but it wasn't until about a year ago that the idea of fostering came to the forefront of our thought process. God has undeniably imprinted His plan for us on our hearts, and we have chosen to delay taking action no longer. It's a step of faith out into an unknown future, but we know that He will guide us every step.
If we are able to bring about a positive change in just one child's life, that otherwise wouldn't have seen the side of family that I was blessed to know, then we have fulfilled God's calling on our lives. And ultimately, hope to bring a child to having a relationship with Christ as their Lord an Savior. So here we go... processing paperwork, going to state required classes, preparing a place in our home to welcome in ... someone. Someone who needs to borrow our hearts for maybe just a little while. Someone who needs our arms to hold them and kiss away the tears of a broken life. Some precious child that will no doubt leave an impression forever on our hearts long after they have left our home. So if for only a day, we are choosing to open our home and our hearts to you... someone." -Robert Sims
