God’s Moving and it looks like 1,2…7
About 6 months ago, God started moving in Ignite Hope again. Usually when He starts moving, I start stressing. There – the bald-faced truth. It isn’t pretty and it doesn’t make me look great – but it is totally honest. God started moving in my heart and in our organization for ways we can stand in the gap for Georgia’s Foster Care kids. This was probably the first time in my professional life when God whispered the word Change – and my heart said – I’m ready!
My heart has long been drawn to this space. Possibly it’s because I was in foster care as a little. Maybe it’s because our son was fostered in another state before we got him home. Or maybe it’s just as simply as a Mama Bear heart just can’t be broken at the thought of children in need of a safe place to be, to heal, to grow.
One of our incredible team members – Christie McCullough and her husband David are amazing advocates for foster care and adoption. They adopted through Arizona’s foster system, and were supported by Arizona 1.27. So deep goes their connection to this movement that even today Christie continues working with AZ 1.27 as she works alongside Ignite Hope.
Because she is amazing and God heard my prayers – Christie connected us to Katie O’Dell, State Director of AZ 1.27 who then connected us to Janet Rowland Executive Director of Project 1.27 based out of Colorado and the parent organization of this national movement.
We first connected with Janet by phone, and immediately felt a kinship level connection. She is a deeply driven, committed and passionate orphan advocate, and also has the ability to mentor and encourage like a much beloved big sister. She also has the ability to always look gorgeous and put-together! Well Done!
Project 1.27 and AZ 1.27 have been completely transparent as they shared their calling with us; on-boarding families into foster care/adoption journeys easier and giving them a safe place to ask the hard questions. They are teaching us how to create an orientation that is safe, informative and allows the church to be the church in a REAL way.
You may wonder why the numbers 1.27? Well friends, this is taken from James 1:27 in the New Testament, or as I like to call it – our marching orders. Because here are some truths. Right now there are over 120,000 kids in care nationally, and over 14,000 kids in Georgia. Just now – today…On our watch.
Y’all – foster care needs families.
The church has families.
So we’ve joined the 1.27 movement – because we cannot be OK with these stats.
We need to move.
God is moving.
Join the movement. Ignite Hope…Georgia 127.