By Christy Goodwin, Special for the Message as told by Brandon & Hannah
MONROE, La. (LBM) — Brannon and Hannah’s foster care journey began several years ago when Brannon felt a sudden, undeniable call to open his heart and home to children in need of care.
OBEDIENCE
After that it seemed that he could not view social media or television without being confronted with the reality of children without stable homes, and the calling he felt only intensified. Then, after watching a video depicting a young boy’s story of neglect, Brannon knew he could not ignore this call any longer.
He told his wife, Hannah, that he believed they needed to become certified foster parents, and to his delight, without hesitation, she agreed.
However, even with willing hearts, they still had questions about the possible impact on their three young children, and they also worried about whether they had what it takes to help foster children work through trauma. After going back and forth about the pros and cons, they eventually decided to invite an experienced foster family into their home and peppered them with questions.
Waiting patiently for an opportunity to interject, the foster mom, holding a two-week-old foster placement in her lap, finally was able to share some wisdom that changed everything.
“It comes down to this,” she told them. “When I finally get to Heaven, I want to get there exhausted from pouring out everything I have in this life for the Lord. I can rest in the arms of Jesus when I get there.”
That moment shifted Brannon’s and Hannah’s focus from fear to faith, and they chose obedience and moved forward with the process.
GOSPEL IMPACT
When a teenage boy named Gavin entered their home, he had little exposure to church or the Gospel, but Hannah and Brannon’s church community quickly became a central part of his life. His Sunday School class and the youth group offered him relationships with believers who showed him the love of Christ lived out daily. Plus, Hannah’s and Brannon’s friends and families also poured into Gavin, discipling and teaching him.
In time, Gavin committed his life to Christ and was baptized.
That moment made every hardship worth it for them, they said. Every court date, every frustration, and every challenge with the system faded in light of the eternal impact of the Gospel in Gavin’s heart.
Brannon and Hannah are up front about their frustration with a “broken” foster care system. However, they refuse to let that be an excuse to step back. Instead, they see foster care as a mission field, bringing people into their home that they would not have encountered otherwise (case workers, supervisors, attorneys, court officials, and even members of foster children’s biological families).
“The beauty is that most of them are coming to our home,” Brannon said. “We get to share the love of Jesus with every one of them.”
Hannah and Brannon acknowledge that foster parenting is not for everyone. But their conviction is that all believers are called to engage with it somehow.
“James 1:27 and Isaiah 1:17 are commands, not suggestions. As Christ-followers, caring for orphans is part of our worship,” Brannon told me. “When we sit back and assume someone else will handle it, we are being disobedient.
“We don’t need to overcomplicate it,” he added. “Sometimes obedience is simply cooking a meal, helping with transportation, or just showing up for foster families.”
But doing nothing is not an option.
“If foster care is not for Christians, then who is it for?” he asked in making his point. “There are kids right now being raised in homes where they will never hear the name of Jesus. As believers, are we okay with that?”
They believe the solution is much closer than people realize, noting that if only half of the members of their local church opened their homes to serve as foster families, there would be an immediate end to the foster care crisis in Louisiana.
Ultimately, they pray that there would be a waiting list of Christ-centered families ready to receive children instead of children waiting for homes.
Hannah and Brannon continue to serve as foster parents in northern Louisiana, opening their home daily to children and families in need. Alongside their three biological children, they currently have one foster placement (hopefully, soon to be permanent), and guardianship of Gavin from foster care.
While their journey has not unfolded in the exact ways they expected, they point out they have been blessed by being obedient to God’s call to serve as foster parents, and they urge other believers to seek obedience over comfort, trusting God with every detail.
Their advice to anyone considering foster care is simple: “Say yes to God. Then hold on, because it’s one amazing ride.”
Christy Goodwin is the Connect1Child director with the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries. She is a licensed clinical social worker, and a board approved clinical supervisor. Email christy@lbch.org, or call 318-343-2244, to learn more.
