We Did Not Plan To Foster
We weren’t certified to foster.
Our home was already full — four teens and young adults, and we were trying to soak in every remaining moment with them under our roof. We were beginning to talk about what empty nesting might look like.
We had helped dear friends with their foster children and were certified for respite care. We had considered fostering ourselves, but when we couldn’t seem to find the time for the required training hours, we assumed:
Maybe this just isn’t our season.
Then The Phone Call Came
Twin little boys needed a home.
Their foster mom was critically ill and could no longer care for them. They had already experienced too many moves. Would we take them? And would we be willing to adopt them?
I remembered a prayer I had whispered years before — during every pregnancy — asking God for twins. After our youngest was born, I prayed:
“Lord, if there are twins who need a home, I will take care of them — but You have to make it obvious.”
There they were.
On our proverbial doorstep.
So we said yes — with all the unknowns, and with the full blessing of our older children.
Our shared office became a bedroom.
And two little boys became family.
Why We Said Yes
We said yes because it was the answer burning in our hearts.
As followers of Jesus, we want to love the way He loves.
My husband says it took a little time for his heart to catch up to his head. While this journey has not been easy, it has been so, so good.
We stepped in to be a resource for two vulnerable little boys.
However, the goodness we have received in return has been beyond measure.
My Eyes Were Opened
We have been in ministry for over 20 years.
And yet, I had no idea how deep the foster care crisis runs. I did not understand the level of vulnerability these children face — or how easily they can fall through the cracks without stable, loving families.
The need is staggering.
But the opportunity is even greater.
How could we not know how bad it really was? When our boys were sick, I wondered who would have rocked them and taken care of them if we had not made room? How many other children have no one to feed them or to let them know how eternally loved they are?
How Making Room Changed Us
Our family is now uniquely bonded because of this journey. Something happened to each of us when we were entrusted with such vulnerability. We often hear the horror stories of foster care--and it is a broken messy system for sure. However, there is so much beauty that comes from opening your home to children who need you. The things we thought were so important are almost laughable now--- the love bar has been raised and we are experiencing great character blessings.
Love Makes Room
I wrote the children’s book Love Makes Room with hope:
That the people of God would see foster care not as someone else’s calling — but as a beautiful opportunity to love.
In Wisconsin alone there are approximately:
5,574 Christian churches
7,000 children in foster care
What if just one or two families in every church said YES to making space available to love?
What if each church wrapped around those families with practical and emotional support?
What if children who have walked through unimaginable hardship stepped into homes — and entire church communities — committed to slowing down long enough to love them?
What if an abundance of capable, compassionate families flooded the system with care?
We could eradicate this crisis. We could change the destiny of children.
What if Everyone Did Something
Not everyone is called to foster.
But everyone can do something.
Support a foster family.
Provide meals.
Offer respite care.
Mentor.
Pray.
Advocate.
Give.
What if we all made room?
Because love always makes room.
Best Practices for Making Room
A gentle list of tips for foster and adoptive families
Lead With Connection.
Connection matters more than perfection. Before rules and routines can really take root, children need to know that you are for them. Trust grows over time, and a generous dose of grace—on all sides—helps everyone settle into new rhythms together. It’s our job to show them how to connect by taking ample time to make room for who they are and they challenges the have faced.
Create a Culture of Life-Giving Words.
Words have power. They can wound or heal, shut down or invite in. Aim to make your home a place where encouragement, safety, and belonging are spoken aloud.
Simple phrases that build connection:
“I love you.”
“You can do this.”
“How can I help?”
“I love the way you…”
“I’m so thankful God made you like this.”
“You make me laugh.”
“When can we spend some time together?”
When mistakes happen, gentle resets matter:
“Let’s try again.”
“I need a little space.”
“What kind of brother/sister do you want to be?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I forgive you.”
“Would you like to pray about it?”
At bedtime, words of blessing can bring comfort and peace:
“The Lord bless you and keep you.”
“You were loved by God before you were even born. Isn’t that amazing?”
Keep nourishment simple and supportive.
Food can either add stress or offer stability. Busy families benefit from simple, realistic nutrition solutions that support growing bodies and brains. Look for options that feel doable and sustainable for your season. Click here for a healthy daily hack that is backed by science. Children can get the cost of their powdered produce paid for through the Healthy Starts for Families Program.
Make space for calm and creativity.
Less screen time and more books, puzzles, art, and music can turn your home into a place of discovery and peace. Unhurried time to create, build, and work with your hands is both healing and brain-building.
Prioritize outdoor time.
Time in nature is good for everyone. Outdoor play helps regulate energy, emotions, and attention. Sometimes a run around the yard, a few jumping jacks, or a playful physical challenge can prevent bigger struggles later.
Build supportive community.
Spend time with families who are life-giving—people who welcome you, understand your journey, and honor both your children and your calling.
Cover your children in prayer.
Some families find comfort in quietly praying over their children as they sleep—asking God to heal wounds, bring peace, and surround them with love. Even small, consistent prayer routines are powerful.
Plan things to look forward to.
Shared anticipation builds hope. Whether it’s a vacation, a day trip, or a simple family tradition, having something ahead to enjoy together strengthens connection.
Establish rhythms of rest.
A family sabbath or regular day of rest—without pressure or full agendas—can create space to reconnect with God and one another.
Move from survival to resilience.
Foster and adoptive parenting often begins in survival mode. With support and intention, families can grow into lives marked by resilience, restoration, and abundance—just as they were created to live. The Ultimate Sources is a life-changing course that will empower you to live the way you were created and lead your family well. Click on this link for a discounted rate:
Links for Easy Support
Reading
Buy Love Makes Room
Refueling
Get Free Nutrition
Restoration
Get Discounted Resources
Did You Know?
Foster youth face increased risk of exploitation.
Stable, safe relationships dramatically reduce vulnerability — one consistent adult can change a child’s trajectory.
Not all licensing agencies are the same.
Training style, expectations, and ongoing support vary — finding the right fit matters. Ask how they are paid and what kind of support they offer. You do not need to stay with an agency that you do not trust.
You don’t have to be perfect to foster.
Consistency, patience, and a willingness to learn matter more than having everything figured out.
The goal of foster care is often reunification.
Foster parents play a powerful role in supporting both children and biological families. Even if things go differently than we choose, foster families have the opportunity to provide love and stability for whatever length of time and every child deserves to sleep peacefully and feel safe.
Foster parents rarely do this alone.
Strong agencies, churches, and local support networks exist to walk alongside you. Ideally, each family establishes their own support network and has respite options in place.
There are more waiting children than available homes in many communities.
Ordinary families stepping forward create extraordinary impact. and ensure a better fit when there are more options for placement.
Interrupting the birth order of biological children or "artificial twinning" is not recommended. Prayerfully consider what age, gender and situation is your unique fit.
Ready for LOVE TO MAKE ROOM in your life?
Our mission is to see over 10,000
Jesus-loving homes make room.
Join us to make an impact.
Flood the Broken System
The foster care system is stretched beyond capacity, leaving too many children waiting for safe, stable homes. Flood the Broken System is a bold invitation for families to step in with faith, compassion, and willingness — not to fix everything overnight, but to bring hope where it’s needed most.
This movement calls for real action: more licensed foster homes, more families willing to open their doors, and more communities ready to support those who say yes. When loving households become places of refuge, the system begins to shift — from overwhelmed to strengthened, from broken to supported.
Flooding the system means creating a wave of Jesus-loving homes that provide stability, belonging, and care for children navigating difficult seasons. Every family who steps forward helps change the story — one child, one home, one faithful "yes" at a time.
10,000 Jesus-Loving Homes
This vision is a bold call to action — to see 10,000 faith-filled families open their homes to children in foster care, offering safety, stability, and Christ-centered love when it’s needed most. Each “yes” represents more than advocacy — it’s a real home, a real family, and a real opportunity to change a child’s story.
The mission is simple: raise up willing foster homes that step into the gap and become part of a growing community committed to caring for vulnerable children with compassion and purpose.
If your heart is stirred to be part of this movement, complete the contact form below to pledge your interest and learn how you can join the mission.
Speaking & Storytelling
Looking for a speaker who brings warmth, authenticity, and meaningful connection to every gathering? Anneke Hudson offers more than a traditional author visit — combining storytelling, faith-centered encouragement, and real-life insight drawn from her experiences speaking at women’s events, churches, schools, and wellness communities.
Each engagement is thoughtfully tailored and may include an interactive book reading, inspirational teaching, or a customized message designed to meet the heart of your audience. Whether you’re planning a women’s gathering, community event, classroom visit, or leadership training, her goal is to create a space where people feel encouraged, inspired, and ready to take their next step forward.
Interested in bringing her message to your event?
Reach out for availability, speaking topics, and booking details — and let’s create something meaningful together.
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