Dave Delaney

Amanda and I didn’t start out thinking we’d ever be the kind of people who did  respite. Honestly, we assumed that was for other families,  you know, people with more margin, more energy, fewer kids, and way better schedules than ours. We were already tired just keeping our own house running. The idea of adding someone else’s needs into that mix felt… unrealistic. But something interesting happened along the way. Some of the most meaningful ministry we’ve ever been part of happened around our...

Foster Care, Adoption, and the Gospel. Before our little girls ever walked through our front door, before they ever smiled up at Amanda, called her “mom,” or reached for her hand, my wife had already chosen to love them. She didn’t need the paperwork finalized or the plans certain. She wasn’t looking for guarantees, timelines, or assurances that everything would turn out well. She simply said, “They need love. And I have love to give.” At that moment, our girls had no idea she existed. They...

How Christians and churches can create belonging for children and foster care. One of my favorite sounds in our house is the laughter that fills the dinner table. I’m not sure how dinner works in your home, but in ours, everyone has “their seat.” Not because we ever assigned them but because, for one reason or another, that’s where they decided they belonged. “I sit next to Dad.” “I always sit by Mom.” It’s funny how those little habits form, but that’s part of what makes home feel like home....