Faithfully Foster Parenting: The Kellums
Our foster parents come from all walks of life—whether retired, parents of little children of their own, or somewhere in between. No matter what stage of life they are in, all of them seem to commit to serving children with the same heart focus: to love and sacrificially serve children in need with the love they themselves have experienced in Christ. Scooter and Chelsea Kellum, foster parents since June of 2018, model this beautifully, and we’re excited to share with you their story of faithfulness through foster parenting.
A LOCAL MISSION FIELD
After having their own biological children, Chelsea missed the mission work she once did internationally, but saw an opportunity right there in their community to reach out to those in need by opening up their home. “There are kids right here in Alabama who need help . . . we had room in our home, and it was a great mission field we could be in right then,” she says.
Scooter admits that, during this time of Chelsea’s thoughts shifting toward serving children in need around the community, his heart was tuned only toward domestic adoption because of the hesitations he had toward foster care. “After saying no for long enough, the Lord really gave me a heart for it and told me, ‘yeah—you’re gonna do this.’”
PERSONAL GROWTH
Scooter continues to share, “In Proverbs, it says to ‘lean not on your own understanding, but to trust in the Lord and He’ll make your paths straight.’” Knowing the goal of foster care is ultimately reunification, and saying good-bye to children you’ve loved and cared for can be hard on your heart, this is something many foster parents prepare for as they serve children and families. Scooter says, after saying good-bye to children they took care of for many months, he found, “The more we trust Him, not only does it help us find comfort and peace . . . When we’re committed to the Lord and we trust in Him, we’re gonna keep going because we know that He’s called us to it (foster care) . . . "
Chelsea agrees with Scooter wholeheartedly, and adds that trusting in God in even the smallest details through foster care has been a source of growth in her own life. She adds, “Here lately, I’ll also say I’ve had to work through a lot of selfishness I didn’t even know I had . . . with our own children, they normally obey pretty regularly, but [in foster care], you’re having to adjust your world to fit what the kids need . . . Sometimes I find myself so frustrated and think, ‘If I weren’t so preoccupied with doing what I want when I want, I could better meet the needs of these kids.’”
SHOWING CHRIST’S LOVE
In foster parenting, the Kellum family’s main goal is to model Christ—to the children who come to their home, to social workers, biological families, lawyers, and everyone else involved. “It is way harder than I thought it would be,” Chelsea admits, “In principle, I want to model Christ to the people I encounter, but people can be difficult. How you model Christ when things aren’t going the way you want and when you think so differently from others is a difficult challenge, but that is a goal!”
Scooter adds, “It’s God’s calling on our life to love these kids the best we know how for however long we have them . . . so when they move on, they never wonder, ‘Does somebody love me?’”
YOUR PLACE TO SERVE
We realize that not everyone is called to serve children as a foster parent. But we also know that sometimes God calls us to do hard things, and we’re reluctant because of fear. If fostering is something the Lord has been placing on your heart, Scooter is familiar with this struggle, and offers a special word of encouragement should you find yourself there today:
“To anybody out there who wonders how they could do it, thinks it’s too hard—whatever the fears may be—I would encourage them to take a look at ABCH and foster care, because maybe God wants to do something in your life beyond what you can imagine. That was me. I gave every reason in the world I thought that I couldn’t do it, and now . . . it has blessed me richly and God has changed my heart and done a work in my life to where I am not the same spiritually because I was obedient.”
If you know foster parenting is not where you are called to serve in this season, there is another place for you to jump in and serve! Chelsea encourages those who are looking for a spot to serve, to consider coming alongside those who are foster parenting where they can. “This is a ministry where we as a church are all called to be a part. It’s not just us as a family doing it, it’s us as a church doing it."
Chelsea admits that one of the hardest parts of being a foster parent relates heavily to that of being a mother in general: having enough time to love and parent their kids well. Their church family at Eastern Hills Baptist Church has been a tremendous help. They’ve brought meals, helped with carpool, and so much more. What area can you come alongside foster parents to help serve children in need?
We are so grateful for families like the Kellums who took their next step in serving children in need. To help determine your next step to getting involved, please visit here.
This story is one of four quarterly features shared through our Hero Partners e-news. To learn more about supporting our children and families through a recurring monthly gift and receive these stories directly to your inbox, visit our Hero Partners page today!