Faith Focus: A dream 20 years in the making
When Angela Gotte was 18, she met a girl in foster care. Angela listened to her story, and her life changed. She sensed her calling.
Twenty years later, she, her husband and two children became a foster family. Their first foster child was a 7-week-old baby boy. “That night, I couldn’t sleep,” Angela wrote in a blog post. “I looked at that tiny little boy and knew a 20-year dream had just come to pass.”
The Gottes have now been foster parents to 17 children. They’ve experienced the emotions of a child returning to his or her birth family. They’ve been overwhelmed by the joy of adopting two children with the intention of adopting more.
Through it all, Angela and her family remained committed to caring for vulnerable children. Micah 6:8 states what each Christian is called to do, and the Gottes are living it out: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
“As I tell our story, my greatest wish is for other families to experience the joy we have had, in being the hands and feet of God to a precious child,” Angela wrote. “There is a shortage of foster homes and children coming in to care every day. If you feel the slightest call, please answer to what God calls you to do yourself.”
Deeper reflection:
• Many of us search for purpose in life. How does Micah 6:8 help inform you of your purpose?
• In her blog post, Angela says the girl who initially introduced her to the idea of foster care probably doesn’t know the impact she had on Angela’s life. How can you be someone who impacts others this week?
Next steps:
• Begin praying about what God is calling you to do.
• Look for ways God may be communicating your calling through other people and events
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