Lifeprints Spring 2020

SPRING 2020

LP

abide i n p r ay e r

Special PRAYER GUIDE EDITION

team working as a

BY ROD MARSHALL, PRESIDENT/CEO

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o you like to be part of a team?

When I was a pre-teen, my brother bought a sailboat.

Having grown up on the Gulf Coast, there were miles of bays, bayous, and shoreline to explore and enjoy. I loved sailing with my brother in the intracoastal waterway and getting to see the water views of the homes built on the sound. Many homes had docks.

Once, we heard an odd sound in the distance. I was not sure what we were hearing. As we sailed closer to the sound, we observed one of my junior high classmates sitting on the dock in his back yard practicing his tuba. It was quite a sight. A 13-year-old boy in shorts, no shirt, and bare feet sitting on an old lawn chair playing scales on the tuba! Quite frankly, it was not a pleasant sound. However, when I heard this same friend play with the marching band just a few months later, they sounded great!

I recall as a senior in high school, three local school choirs came together and sang the Christmas section of Handel’s Messiah. It was a choir of 200 voices. It was great fun to be part of something so much bigger than any one of us or even any one of our choirs could ever make happen. To this day, I love to sing in a choir and especially a large choir!

Here at your Baptist Children’s Homes, we are blessed to have a great team.

Our foster parents are the best in the world! Our house parents are exceptional. Our social workers are amazing. Our counselors are like no others.

Our administrative teams and support staff do all we can to empower our direct care workers to be able to focus on the needs of the children. It is a great team with a synergistic quality that allows us to work together to accomplish more than we ever could working alone.

The success of our ministry, however, is greatly increased by our teammates who we may never meet. There are prayer warriors who pray for our children, our staff, and the families we serve daily. There is no way to even begin to measure the impact this has on our ministry. Thank you for your prayers. We do not consider you to be auxiliary to our team, we consider you to be the MVPs of our team. God bless you for your concern for children and your interest in our ministry.

Not too long ago, I was talking to one of our volunteers who has gone to high school football games to support one of our kids who plays in the marching band. I thanked him for spending his time at high school football games to see one of our kids march and play. He responded, “I know how I would feel if I was marching and no one was there to clap for me. I don’t want him to ever feel that way.” When you pray for the children we serve, you become very present when they face challenges or celebrate victories. Your gifts mean a lot to us and allow us to accomplish great things in the lives of children and families. But your prayers are priceless.

In this special issue of Lifeprints, we've included a week-long guide to help you pray specifically for the children and families in our care, starting on page six. The purpose of this prayer guide is to share insights into how God is touching the lives of our children and families and provide ways you can focus your prayers to strengthen our ministry and better serve the children in our care. We are honored and delighted to have you on our team!

Abide in Prayer

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abide in the vinE

BY DANIELLE CASTILLE, COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT

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*Valencia with her daugher, Whitley

his year through our Church Offering resources, we are sharing the message of “Abide” and what the fruit of ministry looks like as we abide in Christ. We premiered our annual video this past fall at the Alabama Baptist State Convention, and in it, highlighted various individuals and families who have been impacted for Christ through your support of the Baptist Children’s Homes. In this video, you get to meet some of the people the Lord has entrusted us to care for, to provide care as foster parents, and who now serve in ministry. One of those individuals is Valencia.

Valencia came to live on our Mobile campus when she was 11 years old and stayed until she graduated high school.

Years later, she shares how “things got really hard.” After caring for a greataunt who passed away, she found herself, a single mom, with no place to go and with no resources to provide for her and her daughter. She says, “So I called the only family I knew. I called the Children’s Homes.”

Because of donors like you, she was given a place to live and help to finish her education. Now she serves as

a house manager in our Family Care program, helping moms today in the same ways the Children’s Homes helped her.

Every day, our house and foster parents, social workers, and counselors lovingly serve on the front lines of ministry, providing support to children and families from hard places; children and families that come to us often feeling broken, lost, lonely, or afraid. Some days spent serving are harder than others, and when those days come, we take hope in and lean on our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we find our strength in Him, as we abide in Him, we are able to offer His hope and healing to a child, a mom, a family.

The Word promises that as each of us abide in Christ, we bear much fruit, glorifying our heavenly Father as we serve in His name. Please continue to join us this year in our mission to protect, nurture, and restore children and families through Christ-centered services. Pray today for the good fruit God is growing in those He has entrusted to us.

YOU CAN SHARE THESE STORIES Our complimentary Church Offering materials will be available online in April.

Print pieces, DVDs, and offering envelopes will be made available later this year. These resources help to raise awareness within your church body about the needs of children and families around the state who are being helped through your support. Share these stories, and help us reach our 2020 Church Offering goal of $3 million!

Visit ALABAMACHILD.ORG/ABIDE to download or request materials.

Abide in Prayer

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abide IN PRAYER

2020 Prayer Guide What does it mean to abide? Jesus

have seen YOU, our generous donors,

teaches us in John 15:4 to, “Abide in Me,

volunteers, families, and prayer part-

and I in you. As the branch cannot bear

ners, produce fruit through the lives

fruit of itself, unless it abides in the

of those in our care. Our hope is that

vine, neither can you, unless you abide

this Prayer Guide will encourage you

in me.” Translated in English from its

to continue this good work. Each day

root word in the Greek, “menō,” abide

you’ll hear from someone who serves

means to wait for, to not depart from.

When we are choosing to follow Jesus and not depart from His ways, then we can do the work we were created for— to bear fruit in His name.

At your Baptist Children’s Homes, we 66

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our children and families. They will share from their personal experience of how they’ve seen God working in our ministry and encourage you to ponder how you could share more of Jesus with others, right where you are.

day one SCRIPTURE: JOHN 13:34–35 As a house manager in our Family Care program, I have the incredible privilege to see firsthand the fruits of this life-changing ministry. I have seen moms come to our home after fleeing extremely difficult relationships, resulting in a lack confidence in themselves and trust in others. I have seen moms come to us lacking hope and with enormous emotional walls that appear impossible to break down, all products of experiencing unsafe environments. Yet, I have seen the Lord take these hard circumstances and turn them into good. I have seen moms go from having a fear of even leaving their room to embracing life with pure joy. I have seen moms go from lacking confidence as a person, woman, and mom to feeling empowered to stand on her own two feet and leave our home with excitement about the future. May the Lord continue to move and work in the lives of children and families served by ABCH, and may we see the fruits of His work for years to come.

—Cami Jones, House Manager for Family Care

PRAYER POINT

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Today, please pray for the children in our care to heal from past hurts, to grow in every aspect during their time with us, and to cultivate hope for their future. Pray for our moms in Family Care to heal, to welcome all our program has to offer, and to gain courage to embrace their future.

Throughout the Bible, we see pictures of God’s heart for those in need (Psalm 12:5, Galatians 6:2).

Our heart here at ABCH is to care for children and families in need throughout Alabama with the love God has for them. Would you pray today about how you may share in our mission to give those in need help and hope?

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day two SCRIPTURE: PSALM 94:22 Andrew* was one of the first kids to be welcomed to The Friendship House, our Shelter Care home in Oxford, after Josh and Heather Hill started as house parents. He stayed at the Shelter Care home for a few months, during which time he went from being shy and closed off to trusting and open. “I could tell he just needed to trust someone, and we gave him all the time he needed to do that,” Josh says. The Hills could really tell he was beginning to settle in and thrive. When it was time for Andrew to move on, he made sure to give Josh a hug before he left. “That moment was when I knew we were where we are supposed to be: loving kids and seeing them change, even if over a short period of time,” Josh says.

—Josh & Heather Hill, House Parents

*Name has been changed for privacy purposes.

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PRAYER POINT

PERSONAL REFLECTION

One of the most challenging aspects about the work we do at ABCH is loving and caring in the midst of the unknown. As each child’s case is different, we never know how long a child will be with us. Will you pray for our house and foster parents, that they would trust God in these unknowns, keep their eyes on Jesus through hard situations, and be examples of faithful followers of God for the children under their care?

What situation in your life feels unsteady today? God knows even the things that are unknown to us.

Take some time to reflect on how you can find steadiness and comfort in the solid foundation we have in Christ.

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day three SCRIPTURE: PROVERBS 3:13 For children in foster care, there are many unknowns and upheavals in their lives. That’s why the roles of our social workers and counselors are pivotal, as they journey alongside our children and foster families.

Samantha* came into the Reidinger home with uncontrollable behaviors that stemmed from going through difficult circumstances. She had a hard time processing everything that was going on in her life, and it was hard for her foster parents, being new to fostering, to understand her behavior.

The Reidingers decided to seek help from our sister ministry, Pathways Professional Counseling. Foster mom, Whitney, found that counseling not only helped Samantha, but herself as well, “Emily, our therapist, really helped us continue in the foster care journey . . . she helped me truly learn to connect and have compassion for a child going through hard times.”

—Whitney Reidinger, Foster Parent *Name has been changed for privacy purposes.

PRAYER POINT Our support staff, whether they are working alongside single moms or children in need, are truly on the front lines, fighting for healing and hope for those in our care.

Today, would you pray for wisdom, a healthy balance of being present with our families and with their own families, courage to be bold in advocating for the needs of children, and preparedness to fight the

spiritual warfare going on for our children and families?

PERSONAL REFLECTION Is there someone in your life who is struggling? Maybe you know their situation fully, or maybe you’re just seeing the effects of a hardship they’re facing in their life. Reflect today on how you can show grace to them, how you might pray for them, how you could encourage them.

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day four SCRIPTURE: PHILIPPIANS 2:3–4 When things in life get hard or challenging, having a strong support system around makes an amazing difference in how we navigate those trials. Over the past five years of serving at ABCH, there have been times I’ve needed to walk through health concerns with various family members. In those times, being able to turn to those on our leadership team for advice, support, and prayer has meant so much. The great thing about realizing this though, is that I know it isn’t just my family and me who benefit from this group of men and women. The local teams they lead, as well as children and families served through our offices in Auburn-Opelika, Birmingham, Decatur, Dothan, Mobile, Montgomery, and Oxford, are impacted daily by advice sought, decisions made, and prayers lifted up from these leaders.

I am thankful for this team who regularly models what it looks like to, “ . . . in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

—Michelle Glassford, Director of Communications

PRAYER POINT

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Each day, there are many decisions to be made on behalf of those being served in our ministry. We would be honored for you to lift up our leadership team in prayer, asking specifically for Godly wisdom and discernment for today and all their days.

Think of leaders in your life. Of those who have most helped you grow, what traits do they have in common? What are ways you can pray for and encourage leaders in your life, whether at work, church, volunteer organizations, or in your home?

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day five SCRIPTURE: PROVERBS 27:17 Our board members are a special part of our leadership team, serving as advisors, protectors, and prayerful mentors for the ministry. Kelly McMurry, current Children’s Homes board member, says, “I have yet to attend a board meeting where I have not been moved to tears over what the Lord is doing through this ministry. Because ABCH is meeting needs in the name and true spirit of Jesus, they are providing hope, not just for today, but for eternity. Generational chains are being broken and healing is taking place that will affect lives beyond those to whom they physically minister.”

—Kelly McMurry, ABCH Board Member

PRAYER POINT

PERSONAL REFLECTION

We have three boards which provide our ministry with "big picture" guidance, accountability, and oversight—Children’s Homes, ABCH Foundation, and Pathways Professional Counseling. Will you pray over each of our boards, for wisdom as they guide us through decision-making, a clear vision for what God has for us to do, and for blessing over their families and their lives as they serve?

Do you have a mentor in your life?

If not, is there someone around you who you would trust to speak into your life—your decisions, your struggles, your dreams? Today, pray over the possibility of asking them to walk alongside you!

Abide in Prayer 11

day six SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 18:12 “Now I get to live forever in heaven with you, right?” . . . Five-year-old Sasha* had come to live with the Graves family. Her foster mom, Kaytie, shared that Sasha initially lacked emotional attachment and struggled with having good self-esteem. After living with the Graves, where her twin brothers were already placed, Sasha grew confident and full of joy. One night after their prayer time before bed, after months of learning Bible stories and asking questions about God, Sasha wanted to ask Jesus into her heart. Her foster parents made sure she understood the importance of this decision and that night, Sasha agreed and prayed to ask Jesus to live in her heart. Kaytie says, “As a foster mom, I’m thankful to everyone who takes time to give, pray for, and serve these children, because they are so worth it.”

—Kaytie Graves, Foster Parent *Name has been changed for privacy purposes.

PRAYER POINT We see our children go through a lot as a result of their past situations. Sometimes it’s pain or sadness, frustration or shame, or a combination. But other times, we get to see them “come alive.” We get to see the Kingdom of God grow by two tiny feet. This is our ultimate hope, that their spiritual lives will be healthy and whole. Will you pray today for those in our care, for sal-

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vation if they don’t know Jesus as Savior, and for spiritual growth for those who do?

PERSONAL REFLECTION Think of someone you know who doesn’t profess to know Jesus as Savior. Pray for them today, and seek God’s guidance on how you could show the love of Christ to them this week.

day seven SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 5:16 In the ten years the Wilson family has fostered with us, the biggest reward of their ministry so far is in the lives of three brothers, placed twice in their care. As the Wilsons’ relationship with the boys grew deeper, so did their relationship with the boys’ biological parents. Elise, their social worker, witnessed firsthand the restoration of this family. “The parents of these precious boys became believers while the boys were in foster care,” she says, “They saw how much their children loved church . . . they became convicted of how their own spiritual lives looked. The father said to me at court, ‘I realized the second time my children had come into foster care because of me, how broken of a man I really was . . . I needed God.’” —Elise Vincent, Director of Social Services, Birmingham

PRAYER POINT

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Today, we ask that you pray for

Because God is the perfect parent,

the biological families of those in

none of us have to be. We all fall

our care, for them to know Christ

short! Take some time to receive or

personally if they don’t, spiritual

give grace for yourself or the paren-

growth for those who do, peace

tal figures in your life, in light of this

that the Lord’s hand is in their

today. Pray that God would reveal

situation and has divinely appoint-

to you how you can move forward

ed ABCH to care for their children

in truth and grace, with the goal

during this season, and for God to

of being shaped more in the image

place people in their lives to help

of Christ. In our weakness and the

carry the burdens for them, point-

weaknesses of others, His power is

ing them to Christ as they do.

made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9­)!

Abide in Prayer 13

hero partner spotlight:

Jim & Helen Fisk

BY TAYLOR FUNDERBURG, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING COORDINATOR ecause of our generous donors, we’re able to continue serving children and families in need every day across the state. Their partnership with us is essential to the work we get to do—providing for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of those who need help and hope. Jim and Helen Fisk are two of our supporters, as well as faithful volunteers. Helen also serves as a member of our Children’s Homes Board of Trustees and has seen up close 14 Lifeprints

how God is blessing children and families through the work He has entrusted to us.

GETTING INVOLVED

“I have been familiar with the Alabama Baptist Children's Homes (ABCH) all my life,” Helen says, “My grandmother was a loyal supporter for years . . .

After learning about all the ways ABCH impacts the lives of children from hard places, Jim and I began to look for ways

to support their mission.” The Fisks decided to give monthly by becoming members of our Hero Partners.

Through this generous commitment, they are making a continuous impact on children and families who need a home.

In addition to their monthly giving, Jim and Helen cheerfully give in honor or in memory of friends and family members on special occasions.

EVERY HOME NEEDS A HERO Like the Fisks, you can help children and families in our care by joining our Hero Partners, our monthly giving program where: • You choose which location and program to support • You receive an exclusive Hero t-shirt and decal • 100% of donations are designated to meet the most essential needs of our programs:

QUALITY OF CARE

Like you, we believe every child deserves to grow up in an environment to thrive.

It is vital to us that our quality of care is excellent, providing resources and care for not only a child’s physical needs, but for their emotional and spiritual needs as well.

FOSTER CARE

FAMILY CARE

HOMES FOR CHILDREN

Jim and Helen have visited several of our campuses statewide. Jim says, “My heart was filled to overflowing by the precious house parents who love God, love each other, and love those in their care. No amount of money can buy the nurture and compassion that flows from these folks.”

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Learn more at alabamachild.org/ As a board member, Helen has a unique heropartners, or get started today: perspective on how God is working throughout our ministry. Helen says, “We see the love of the Lord in every face when visiting ABCH. From groundTEXT: JOIN ONLINE: breaking to building dedication, from “@ABCH hero” alabamachild.org/ tours of campuses to testimonies of hero to 52014 grown (former) residents, it is clear that ------------------------------------------each person is the hands and feet and YES, I’m interested in learning about voice of Jesus. Among the buildings and Hero Partners. Please contact me programs and fundraising activities, with more information no one loses sight that this is all about YES, I’d like to become a Hero rescue and restoration of children and Partner. Please contact me about their families. ABCH is changing lives joining the program. for the better and sharing the Gospel in practical and scriptural ways.”

NAME: ________________________

ADDRESS: _____________________ ____________________________ CITY: _________________________ STATE: ______ZIP: ______________ PHONE: _______________________ EMAIL:_______________________

PAID

PERMIT #2036 BIRMINGHAM

PRAYER FREE PARTNER VBS NAME TAGS!

NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE

Become an ABCH

Join us each month and pray for specific needs for those in, around, and impacted through our ministry!

“Prayer Partner” monthly emails are sent only to subscribers who opt-in to receive these special emails. Each month offers a unique focus for how and who to pray for during that season.

Occasionally, a timely prayer request may be sent outside of the scheduled, monthly email. As you pray for our children and families in care, as well as our foster and house parents, staff, leadership, and others, you are helping us to further impact the Kingdom for His good and glorious purposes!

We have FREE name tags available, with TWO options to choose from! These name tags not only fill a practical need for your VBS, but they also help to share with your kids about our ministry to children and families, through a short story printed on the back.

Sign up to receive your free VBS name tags at alabamachild.org/VBS or call (888) 720–8805.

Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries 2681 Rocky Ridge Lane Birmingham, AL 35216

Visit alabamachild.org/prayer, or text @ABCH Pray to 52014 to sign up!