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Foster Care Newsletter

August 2010

We are in the process of recruiting new foster families for our classes that are starting September 13th in Pima County and September 14th in Maricopa County.  During this time, I often reflect on how blessed we are that God brought each of you to partner with Arms of Love.   I also wonder what brings families to partner with us and what families God will provide for the upcoming classes. Most often we hear that it is connections with foster parents or churches that share with their congregations the need for homes.  What is your story? How did God bring you to embark on the ministry of foster care and adoption?  I’d love to hear your story (e-mail me at stuart@abcs.org)!

As an Arms of Love foster family, being aware of how you represent foster care and adoption to those around you is important.  We emphasize that you represent not only yourself, but also the ministry and more importantly Christ in your interactions with children, case workers and birth parents.  In addition, how you relate to your foster/adoptive children at the doctor, at church, or in the community demonstrates the role of a foster parent to others.  What others witness could determine whether more families will partner with us to foster or, the opposite, may turn them away from the idea.

When people find out that I work in foster care they either tell me one of two stories: 1)  an awful foster parent that did awful things, or 2) an amazing foster parent they met and how much they loved the children and what a great job they were doing (obviously, the story I prefer).  We hear those stories from PSMAPP participants; that they did not know what foster parenting would actually look like or why it mattered, until they met an ABCS family.  The way that you choose to interact makes a difference and helps people to see foster care as important and valuable.

Thank you for all you do!  You are truly the best recruiter we have for children finding safe, loving, Christian homes!

Blessings,

Andrea Stuart
Statewide Director of Foster Care & Adoption Services

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Upcoming Events

September 9th:
Foster Care Support Groups

*RSVP’s for childcare are needed at least one week in advance.

Maricopa County
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Christ the Reedemer Lutheran
8801 N. 43rd Ave.
Phoenix, AZ  85051

Topic to be determined.

*Please RSVP to your licensing worker.

Pima County
6:00-8:00 p.m.
ABCS’ Foster Care Conference Room
1779 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ  85712

(for childcare next door)
Emmanuel Baptist
1825 N. Alvernon
Tucson, AZ  85710

Topic will be looking at
the bigger picture in the
foster care ministry.

*Please RSVP to Julee Aros-Thornton at (520) 795-7541.

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Help us Recruit!

We need your help!

We have created a list of ways that churches and individuals can be involved and we would be excited to have your help getting the word out.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact me directly at stuart@abcs.org or
call me at (520) 279-7541 or (602) 346-2300.

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For Prospective Foster Parents 2010

PS MAPP Training

Maricopa County
Classes held every Tuesday night
September 14th – November 16th
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Arizona Baptist Children’s Services
1717 W. Northern Ave.
Phoenix, AZ  85021

Pima County
Classes held every Monday night
September 13th – November 15th
6:00-9:00 p.m.
Arizona Baptist Children’s Services
1779 N. Alvernon Way
Tucson, AZ  85712

Please contact Jennifer in the
Foster & Adoption Department
(602) 346-2300 or
visit us online at www.abcs.org/foster-care

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More than Conquerors

There comes a time in our lives where we have to face a challenge or a problem we feel is just too overwhelming for us to handle. For Christians, I am certain that this challenge does not only happen once but many times.  Romans 7:21 says, “So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.”

Two months ago, we had our devotion during our weekly staff meeting. The main message was that Satan wants to hurt and destroy; he will use division and deception. He will ruin lives through broken homes, addictions, bitterness, despair, conflicts, etc. The last section of Ephesians is about how believers are always at war with evil. If you are a child of God, Satan is after you. If you are a believer, you are involved in the struggle. Because Satan cannot do anything to God, he chooses to attack those who belong to God.
Read the book of Job as an example. Satan took everything from Job; his children, his wealth, his livestock, he even “afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head” (Job 2:7). After everything that happened, Job neither blamed God nor felt any anger toward God. He continued to be blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. Because of this, God blessed Job’s latter life.  Job 42:10 says, “… the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.”
Satan will try to disrupt, distract, destroy and prevent us from doing what God wants. Most of us get easily discouraged and lose hope during or after a very difficult situation. Unfortunately, some of us blame God and turn away from Him. This is what Satan wants and every time this happens, he triumphs. Let us all be like Job; blameless and upright, no matter what Satan inflicts on us. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” (Romans 7:28). In the end, it is God who will judge us, not Satan. So why displease God now and spend eternity in torment with Satan when we can please God now and spend eternity in heaven with God?

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 7:37

Devotion by Jennifer Sia - Administrative Assistant for Arms of Love Foster Care / Pima and Maricopa Counties

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Back to School Tea Party



Celebrate back to school with a tea party!
These tea cups are cute, easy, and most important, edible!

Materials for one teacup:
• Wafer ice cream cone
•  Round sugar cookie
•  Decorator’s icing
•  Two gummy ring candies
•  Snacks or candy to fill cups


Instructions:

1. Adults: Carefully cut the top cup portion of the ice cream cone.  Set the cup aside.
2. Place a gummy ring candy on the center of the cookie.  Use the icing to secure it.  Make sure to stretch the gummy to the desired width to match the bottom of the cup.
3. Place the ice cream cone cup on top of the gummy ring, using the icing again to hold in place.
4. For the handle, slice a gummy ring in half. Gently press the cut ends of one of the candy halves against the cone to stick the handle in place.
5. Fill as desired with snacks or candy.

Craft Recipe provided by Samantha Graham – Foster Care Specialist / Maricopa County
(from Disney website http://family.go.com/)
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Meet Andrea Stuart

Hi, my name is Andrea.  I believe that I know most of you, but in case we haven’t met yet, I look forward to the day that we do.  I am grateful to God for each of you and blessed to be a part of the Arms of Love Ministry.  I enjoy telling people about the work that I have seen God do through all of you through Arms of Love Foster Care.

For this e-newsletter, I thought I would just give you some fun facts about me rather than write an article:
  • The color I believe makes the world a happier place – Pink, of course!
  • A song that brightens my day – “Hold Us Together” by Matt Maher

(They call it my song at the office.)

This is the first day of the rest of your life,
This is the first day of the rest of your life,
‘Cause even in the dark, you can still see the light
it’s gonna be alright, it’s gonna be alright

Love will hold us together
Make us a shelter
to weather the storm
And I’ll be my brother’s keeper
So the whole world will know
That we´re not alone

  • Reoccurring Pastime – Laughing! I don’t even need a reason.  I am often known to crack myself up!
  • An important challenge I recently received – Count your blessings, don’t stop until you have at least 100.  “When we begin to account for all the good things we did not cause to happen it is humbling.” –Jim Collins
  • Two things that help my morning get off to a great start – My Bible and a strong cup of coffee!
  • Some of my favorite things to have celebrated in the last two years – my brother and sister-in-law’s wedding, cousins graduating from high school, a brand new car, the births of many adorable babies to wonderful friends, and God’s provision for the staff and families that make up Arms of Love today.
  • A verse that reminds me how and why we do what we do – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine according to his power at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen” –Ephesians 3:20-21