Faith & Foster Care: How We Impact God's Kingdom

by John DeGarmo

Filled with personal stories and Scripture, Faith & Foster Care shows how to practically and specifically live out your faith in foster care ministry. An encouraging resource for novice or experienced advocates and parents, specific issues addressed include advice on marriage and foster care, how to love the foster child and birth family, how to pray for your foster child and birth family, and how to let go when they leave. See how your actions have a far-reaching impact when you live out your faith.

Genres: Fostering

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2016

About the author

Born in 1969, Dr. John DeGarmo has worn many hats throughout his life. Singing and dancing while touring around the world in the international super group, Up With People, serving as a D.J. at four different radio stations on two different continents, working in the professional wrestling industry, teaching English and Drama at the high school level, and working as a media specialist at two different schools, Dr. DeGarmo has had a variety of experiences.

Dr. John has appeared on several TV programs, including CNN HLN, Good Morning America, ABC Freeform, and NBC, FOX, CBS, PBS stations. He writes regularly for many magazines, and is a regular contributor to several publications, both in the United States and over seas.

Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are the recipients of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award, and the Up With People Every Day Hero Award. The two also were honored with their city's Citizens of the Year Award.

He is the director of The Foster Care Institute, and acts as a consultant to foster care agencies and legal agencies across the USA. Dr. John is a dynamic speaker and informative trainer on the foster care system, and travels extensively across the globe, meeting with foster parents, child welfare workers, churches, schools, and organizations.


Dr. DeGarmo is married to Dr. Kelly DeGarmo, who hails from Australia, and the two of them have six children, both biological and adoptive. Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are also currently foster parents to three siblings, bringing their household to nine children. Dr. DeGarmo has been a foster parent for dozens of children for over a decade now. He has a passion for foster children, and is driven to bring education and insight into general society about all things foster care.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing too groundbreaking, but as we are in the early stages of considering foster care, this book was encouraging. It covers several different aspects of the foster care experience from a faith-based perspective and includes stories from foster parents throughout (as well as testimonies from former foster children at the end).

Thought it's pretty brief and basic, reading this book has made me more eager to get started on the path to foster children in our home.

[Elizabeth Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to read when our second placement (1st long-term placement) left. I needed hope that we had made a difference, even if only for a short time. I needed advice about the grieving process and to know my feelings were normal. This book provided that. It isn’t full of parenting advice or the author’s personal stories (some, but that isn’t the main part of the book); it’s more a book with scripture and thoughts about the emotional aspects of being a foster parent. It’s a book I am definitely saving to read when I feel discouraged in the future.

[Karl Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best parts were people’s stories of their experiences, though it would have been better if there were also some less glum ones (we personally know people who have had good experiences with foster care and adoption).

The author loves his other books and articles as they are nearly the only other works cited and takes literal pages from them. He also has sketchy theology on anger (apparently as Christians we must always be positive no matter what) and who God’s children are (the author confuses the imago dei with adoption into God’s family by grace alone through Christ alone - this was very frustrating and slightly ironic). The author champions sacrificing your marriage on the altar of taking on more children and having zero boundaries; at one point bragging that him and his wife hadn’t been on a date in two years (yikes!).

I would recommend this as a “skim.”

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially felt the chapter on when your foster child leaves was especially helpful. It went through the stages of grief and related it to foster care. It also encourages you to rely on God in the times. It gave suggestions of ways to handle this loss in a productive way such as join or starting a support group.

[Daisy White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy this book and it helped with some of the areas I work with. I was a little disappointed that he had all married couples share their stories. There is a lot of foster care houses that are run by Single people. I do wish he would have incorporated more stories of their perspective. It's nice to have people who are doing the work of God.

[Lindsay]

I hold exceptionally high standards in the areas of faith and foster care, and, historically, Dr. DeGarmo has not met those standards. This book is not much different. It's a fine starting point, but much continued work is needed to truly reflect God's heart for these children and families.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

woof. I admire the author's faith and commitment to God and the children who need it. It's inspiring. I do wish there was a bit more practical advice, but primarily what's offered in this book is to rely on God and have faith in His plan.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books to read on foster care if you are thinking about fostering and even if you are already a foster parent.

[Danielle Deckard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very impactful.

[Julie Martens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Lots of great information! Will definitely be reading more of his books!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a foster parent, considering becoming a foster parent or wanting to learn more about this calling, this book is super!!! From specific prayers to real life stories to many specific scriptures, this book was an amazing tool to read. We are about to have our first foster baby leave our home and his chapter on grieving that loss was perfect for me!! I can't wait to read other books by him!!!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book was that it so closely intertwined two of my passions: fostering and faith. Dr. DeGarmo's message was clear - we are called to foster or support those who do. And his use of Scripture and anecdotes from actual foster families solidified his points. However, it wasn't always as compelling as I hoped. Perhaps more practical strategies or more Biblical commentary would have helped.

[Robin Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books on foster care books so far. We just finished using it as a book study with a small group of foster families from church.