When God Calls You Without Clarity | Foster Care, Faith & Obedience

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Sometimes you will interrupt your plans with a calling you never seen coming.
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Not when you feel ready, not when you have clarity, not when you understand how everything is going to work out.
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Sometimes obedience begins with uncertainty.
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And what starts as one unexpected moment can completely, completely change the direction of your life.
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Today's conversation is for the person who feels like God is asking them to trust Him without seeing the full picture yet.
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For the person who's trying to understand the purpose while walking through fear, sacrifice, waiting, and responsibility.
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Because sometimes the greatest act of faith happens before clarity arrives.
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This is between the prayer and the promise, a faith-centered podcast for anyone who's ever found themselves waiting on God.
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You've prayed, you've believed, you've stood on his word, and yet you're still waiting, still trusting, still holding on to what he's promised, even when you can't see it yet.
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We gather here once a month to share real stories from real people, navigating that sacred and sometimes lonely space between what we've asked God for and what we're still believing him to do.
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This is a place for honest faith.
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The kind that admits doubt, that wrestles with that delay.
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But in spite of all that, we still choose to trust.
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Because here's the truth.
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The waiting is not wasted.
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God is faithful in every season, especially the ones that test us the most.
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So if you're listening and you're in that in-between season and you're holding on by a thread of faith, know this.
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You are not forgotten, and you are not alone.
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Welcome.
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Let's trust him together right here between the prayer and the promise.
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Again, this is a podcast where we're going to have an honest conversation about faith, healing, obedience, and purpose and the process of trusting God in the seasons in between, right?
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I am your host, Lanise, and today's conversation is one that I truly believe that's going to encourage you.
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I think it's going to encourage many people.
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I am joined today by Matt Duran.
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And he's going to correct me if I said his name wrong because, like I said, we're going to put some respect on his name and all the stuff that he does.
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Okay.
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Y'all are going to learn today what he's all about.
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He is a foster care advocate, a nonprofit founder, a podcast host, a community leader from Texas Panhandle.
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Matt went on to found the Panhandle Orphan Care Network.
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Isn't that amazing, y'all?
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What one thing can do and how it can shift your life.
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We're going to find out today how it shifts his life.
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This is an organization helping foster families and children across 26 counties through practical support, resources, and community care.
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But beyond the nonprofit work, today's conversation is all about obedience, faith, soft secure, and waiting on God and what it looks like to say yes, even when the path ahead is unclear.
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You all help me welcome Matt.
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Hey Lenise, thank you.
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Thank you so much for having me on.
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I'm super excited to talk to you.
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I love the just the tenor and the heart behind behind your podcast.
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I think it's just amazing.
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Thank you.
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I'm excited to have you on too.
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So I like to dive right in, but before we go into the work and the amazing work that you do, because I'm telling you, there are so many children that are in need.
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Right.
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I want to learn and I want the people to learn a little bit about you.
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Let us know who who is Matt.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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So I I was I was a foster kid.
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I was, I was, I grew up in foster care.
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I was adopted out of foster care, my brothers and I.
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And and so we had we we we grew up in that.
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We so when I met my wife, the the conversation had always been someday, you know, we're gonna we'd like to get foster licensed.
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Like that was important to us, but uh I was on a path to work in ministry.
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I mean, I'd gotten a couple of Bible degrees, and that was kind of the the direction that we were going.
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And and I was I was finishing up a degree, and I was actually I was working two jobs.
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I was substituting for the school district here, and then I was waiting tables at a restaurant at night, just trying to make ends meet.
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And, you know, so then then I'm I'm leading worship on Sunday morning.
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We had this little church plant that was at an apartment complex.
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The uh we met in the little clubhouse there at the apartment complex.
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And so I led worship and we did a we did a kids thing and Sunday afternoon, you know, bring in all the kids from the apartment complex and feed them and love on them and all that kind of stuff.
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And so we had developed a relationship with someone, and so CPS ended up getting involved, and we had two teenage girls at the time, and so CPS is involved, and so they're she's asking us if we would take the kids as opposed to them going with somebody that they didn't know.
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And so, you know, it was it was kind of one of those scenarios where it was like there was no there was no on-ramp, like it was a conversation we'd had someday down the road, we'll probably get licensed.
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But at this point, like we're we're just trying to we're just trying to eat and have a house and you know that kind of stuff.
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And so all of a sudden, you know, we're being asked to take these these these two boys.
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And so, you know, we said yes, just like okay, yes.
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And so, you know, they come and it is just like we are we are just walking through this the first few days.
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It is like, oh my goodness, this is crazy.
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Like we got we got this 1200 square foot house, we got these two teenage daughters, and now we got these two little boys, and so it was crazy, and so I'm I'm I'm actually getting ready to go.
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We got them on a Thursday night, and I'm ready to go to work my double at this restaurant, but beforehand, I'm like praying and I'm like, Lord, I I need you, I need you to make this abundantly clear because in my eyes, I don't know how I'm gonna feed these kids.
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I don't know how I'm gonna get clothes for these kids.
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We we weren't foster licensed, and so we weren't we the support we were getting from the state was daycare and Medicaid, and that was it.
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The rest of it was up to us, and so we've had them for a couple days at this point, and I am praying.
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I'm like, God, if this is if if this is what you're calling us to do, I need you to make it abundantly clear.
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And so I opened my Bible to the reading plan that I was doing.
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I didn't go specifically looking for anything, confirmation.
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I was just like, God, if you're calling us to do this, you need to make it abundantly clear.
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So James was the next book on my list.
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And so I start reading, and you know, I get down to verse 26 and 27 of chapter one, and it's like to care for widows and orphans, this is true religion.
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Right.
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I'm like, okay, I can't, I can't, and he answered right away.
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Right there, right there.
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I was like, I'm like, oh, okay, well, you're gonna have to make this work because I don't know how I'm gonna feed these kids, let alone do anything else, you know.
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And so, so we did.
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We had them for a year, and it was it was crazy, it was busy, it was like you've got counselors and you've got caseworkers and CASA, and you got all these people coming through your house and doing all this stuff, and we're just like trying to make it, right?
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Just trying to make it, and so so we did.
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We had them for a year, they ended up going back with the bio family, and so two years later, CPS got involved again, and at that point they called, they called me.
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They weren't they didn't even know who I was.
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They were trying, there'd been a report, and so they were trying to locate this person, and so I get this phone call, and it's like, hey, uh no, no introduction, nothing.
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It's just like, hey, where's this person?
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And I'm like, I don't know, I haven't seen them in two years.
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Who who is this?
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And they're like, well, this is so-and-so with CPS.
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And I was like, Oh, well, do you know who you're calling?
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And they're like, No.
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And I'm like, well, where are the where are the foster parents from last time?
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And immediately she's like, Well, if we need to re if we need to remove, would you guys take them?
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And I didn't even talk to my wife at this point.
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I was like, Yes.
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And she's like, Well, what about the little sister?
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And I was like, Yes.
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And so I I call my wife and I'm like, babe, you're not gonna believe this, but you know, this is what's happened.
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And so the next day, they we were picking them up at the CPS office, and and it was the same kind of deal.
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We didn't, we didn't, we didn't, we weren't prepared, we didn't go through a an on-ramp of of getting training and doing all this stuff and and you know, saying ages and genders and things that we would take, it was just you know, boom, here you go.
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And but at this point, we we we had people showing up.
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I mean, we didn't have anything, clothes and and diapers, and and and I mean, they came with no shoes on, you know, it was and so we didn't have any of this stuff.
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My two daughters, one had gotten married, one had gotten was getting married in three months.
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We were like this close to being empty nesters, and and so all of a sudden we've got these three kiddos, and they're two, four, and six, and our community just showed up.
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I mean, it was humbling to see just all these people bringing us things that we needed, and so that's when the light kind of came on, and it was like, hey, like this is what we should be doing.
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Yeah, I wanna um I wanna go back a little bit.
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I want to definitely move forward with this is what you should be doing, yeah.
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But you had said that you had experience in the foster care system, right?
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Yeah, so what was now as an adult, right?
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You have a perspective of the foster care system, but what was your experience in the foster care system yourself?
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Yeah.
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And so now that you are like getting kids, not even wasn't even like that, wasn't your path you were trying to go down.
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Right.
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What was your perspective and thought of that from your perspective of knowing being in the system?
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I don't know what your experience was.
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If you want to share a little bit about that, like how that happened, yeah, and how that formed you, and then you know, up to now you're taking some kids.
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Yeah, yeah.
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So, so I was my my biological mom had five kids, and we had been in and out of care.
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This is you know, early, late 70s, early 80s, and the system's very different today than it was, you know, back then.
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But I had had half a dozen placements in and out.
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We were we were in care and then we were out, and then we were in and out and stuff.
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And I ended up landing at a lady who who kind of was kind of in the foster care world in the early 80s, in a in the panhandle, she was kind of famous.
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I mean, she she and her husband just, I mean, they just they had taken in tons and tons of kids and just got done just a great job.
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But but by the time I was adopted, my parents adopted four of us.
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The the middle child, that their biological father, the last time that we were coming into care, we had been left in a hotel for about four days by ourselves.
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And so their biological father found out that CPS was headed there to pick us up.
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And so he came and grabbed them and took them out of the state.
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And so the four of us came back into care again.
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And by the time we landed at my adoptive parents' home, like I said, I had had about six placements.
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My brother, who was four by the time we went there, had had a couple more than I had.
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And then my seven-year-old brother, he would, he had had 17 placements by the time he was adopted by my parents.
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So all of you ended up staying together.
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Yeah, we did.
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We did.
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So there was there was four of us, two, I was, I was two, four, seven, and eleven.
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And and so it was not it was not a great environment.
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My parents were broken and did not, you know, back back then they didn't know near about trauma and healing and things that brain science that we do today.
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And so it was just, it was not a great, it was not a great situation growing up.
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My adopted mom was not super healthy, and so it was pretty abusive and things like that.
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And so I had I had kind of resolved as an adult, like I'm not, like I know what not to do.
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I needed to learn what to do, but but like say my wife and I had all had talked, like that that was on the road some somewhere, you know, but when that was gonna happen, we didn't know.
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And so, but it was one of those scenarios where it was like I wanted it to be, I wanted kids that were coming into my home to have a different experience than than what we had, you know.
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And so, yeah, so that was that was kind of the the thought process was there's a ton of kids out there that need safe homes and and and they need to to be valued and loved and and cherished and and all the things.
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And so, you know, that was that was kind of the that was kind of the mindset as my wife and I were kind of talking through like what what it would look like down the road before all this kind of dropped on our laps.
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So down the road, it's it's funny how we have our plans, right?
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Yeah, right.
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Like down the road, and and and and and you said down the road because and and and this is just me projecting, right?
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Yeah, because you had your experience, yeah.
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So you knew that somewhere along the line you wanted to be the answer for oh absolutely, yeah.
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Well, and I'll and I'll go further in that story, right?
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So I Saturday morning, I James 127.
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I'm like, okay, you're calling us to do this, but Lord, it's not my plan, right?
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Because I'm a I'm a I'm a planner.
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I I got I got all these things that I'm gonna be doing.
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And so I kept reading, right?
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And then you get into the chapter four, and it says, Do not say that I will go here and do this and make this money.
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Say if the Lord wills, this is I will do better.
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Yeah, I'm telling you.
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So it was like, okay, I I this is not my plan.
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You're gonna you're gonna have to make it work.
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Cause I don't, I mean, this is not my plan.
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This I had not, this was this was this was down the road, maybe, right?
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And so yeah, I mean, it was it was it was a it was one of those come to Jesus meetings where it was like, Oh my god, I have a plan, and and this is on the plan, but it ain't here yet.
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And so, yeah, I mean, that was it was it was a wake up, right?
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I mean, it was like God is in control, and really and truly at that point, that was a shift in my in my walk with the Lord.
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Was he doesn't what he doesn't say is don't make plans.
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He says, if the Lord say instead, if the Lord wills, I will do this or that, right?
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He doesn't say just go along wife life willy-nilly, gonna do whatever and not have a plan.
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That's not what he says.
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But he but you have to be flexible in saying, Lord, this this is the direction I would like to go.
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And I'm gonna work towards and plan towards that.
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But if you if you change, then then that's the direction we're gonna go, right?
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Which plan weighs, which one is more important with the plans you set, right?
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Yeah, absolutely.
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Absolutely.
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Oh my god.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And so now now you're at the moment where it's like they're back.
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Yeah.
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And we're getting all this support, right?
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And and and the Lord is telling me, like, I I want you to do something with this.
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And you kind of have to understand, like, when when CPS is involved and and all that, there are so many moving parts.
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There's literally at least one night a week where somebody is coming in your home to check something, to do something or whatever.
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And on top of that, there's counselors' appointments and this and that, doctor's appointments.
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There's there are so many moving parts and pieces that it's it's really chaotic.
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And so I was like, okay, Lord, I I hear you, I hear you, but let me let me get past this, right?
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And so what happened was we ended up getting to the end and we got permanent custody, and you know, the the the the every mi every other day somebody's needing something, a report or this or that or whatever.
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And I can take a breath and it's like, okay, what are you calling me to do?
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Right.
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And so I felt like, you know, we had people had brought us all these things and and blessed us with all this stuff.
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And so I was like, okay, I want, you know, I want to be able to do that for other families as they're bringing children into their home and they're not prepared.
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They have no idea.
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It's I mean, it's not a mail order catalog, right?
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I mean, you you don't know who's coming, you don't know when they're coming, you don't know what they're gonna need or or anything.
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And so there's there's a lot of of having to to to be willing to make it work, to figure it out as you go, right?
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And so so I came up with this idea to to bring stuff to families as they're taking kids into their homes.
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Wow, and yeah, so I want to just do this, but I I didn't know the first thing about starting a nonprofit, running a nonprofit.
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So I went to a lot of different nonprofits in our area and I was like, hey, I want to do this thing.
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But in order to be able to do this thing, people I I need I need people to give me money, and in order to do that, I need a nonprofit.
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And so can I can I be can I be under you, right?
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I just want to work.
00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:42.799
Yeah, well, that was yeah, so I'm like trying to figure out like how do I have this nonprofit thing?
00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:53.839
And and I didn't know how constrained you are under the nonprofit umbrella as far as how you receive and spend money.
00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:56.720
Like it is it's it is very specific.
00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:03.759
You you have to receive money and spend money directly related to your mission.
00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:04.880
But I didn't know that.
00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:12.559
And so I'm getting kind of frustrated because I'm like, all I'm trying to do is help these families, and nobody wants to, nobody wants to let me work underneath them.
00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:25.839
And so I was like, we're just gonna, we're just gonna start a nonprofit, you know, and and so we started, we started collecting money because I I didn't know the first thing about following all the paperwork and the bylaws and all, and I didn't know any of that.
00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:30.160
So I was like, I got in touch with a law firm who did that a lot.
00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:37.039
And so we, you know, we hired this attorney firm to to get the organization established.
00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:40.799
And so we got established in in 2017.
00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:46.559
We kind of started doing some placement packages in 2016 just out of our pockets.
00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:52.960
So the placement packages are the things that you get together for the people when they're right.
00:21:53.039 --> 00:21:53.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:59.440
So so our placement package, we we serve it's called the Texas Pain Handle.
00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:03.359
It's kind of the Square part of the of Texas, the top part, right?
00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:06.640
So it's 26 counties, square square miles.
00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:08.720
You know, they say everything's bigger in Texas, right?
00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:18.400
So to put in perspective, the 26 counties that we serve is actually larger than the state of West Virginia.
00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.519
My goodness.
00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:21.200
It's a big area, right?
00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:22.640
Yeah.
00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:26.000
And so I wanted to take this stuff to them.
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:30.160
Like I didn't want them to have to come to me to get this stuff.
00:22:30.319 --> 00:22:32.240
I wanted to bring it to them.
00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:37.680
And so we started, we started come, you know, just getting stuff together and taking it to them.
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.839
We got this nonprofit stood up.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:52.319
And and I continue to work full time while while work while trying to run this nonprofit, raise money, be a dad, you know, and do and take these placement packages and stuff like that.
00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:59.839
And so I did that both until June of 2024 when I was able to to leave my job.
00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:09.440
But but up until then, it was, you know, we we we ended up finding a place where we could store stuff because I mean I didn't have anywhere to put it in my house.
00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:13.200
And we wanted to be able to, everything we were given our families is new.
00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:24.240
And so we needed we needed a place to put things as we as we got, you know, we would go to a church and speak, you know, and be like, hey, we need diapers, you know, bring us diapers.
00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:25.920
And so they would bring us diapers.
00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.359
Well, I have to have a place to put that.
00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:33.359
So we found a place where we could store all this stuff and run placement packages out of the air.
00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:43.599
And so, so we just kind of did that for many, many years, just delivering as we could, getting referrals however we could, whatever.
00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:54.079
And but in the spring of 2024, it was the nonprofit was growing, and there was more and more things that it needed, and and there just wasn't space, right?
00:23:54.160 --> 00:24:02.160
I'm I'm over here working full-time, I'm trying to be a dad, trying to be a grandpa, because I got grandkids at this point, and and run this nonprofit.
00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:06.240
And so it this was another crossroads situation, right?
00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:12.079
I am I am at a Matthew West concert and I am worn out.
00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:23.440
I am so tired because we have, I'm just, I mean, I'm working 60, 70 hours a week trying to work a full-time job and and and run this nonprofit.
00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:33.119
And so I'm at this Matthew West concert, and this guy gives a sermon, and and it's a sermon you've heard a thousand times if you've been in church, right?
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:39.759
It's Jesus, he's walking on water, and Peter's like, if it's really you, I'm gonna get out of the boat.
00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:45.759
And he gets out of the boat, and he's walking, you know, on water towards Jesus.
00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:47.200
And what is then what does he do?
00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:49.359
He takes his eyes off Christ and he starts to sink.
00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.079
Right.
00:24:51.759 --> 00:24:56.240
And and and and again, I I mean, I've been in church since I'm 17, I'm 45, right?
00:24:56.319 --> 00:25:09.680
I've I've been in church a long time, and I mean, so I have, I've heard this sermon so many times, but the Lord was he just spoke to my heart and he was like, It's time, get out of the boat and trust me.
00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:11.519
Just get out of the boat.
00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:13.119
That's so good.
00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:16.000
Somebody needs to hear that right now.
00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:19.440
Somebody needs that faith because it's time for them, yeah.
00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:23.440
God, and and and just real quick, I'm gonna let you finish.
00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:42.720
But it's so important because we can hear something over and over again, but there is a time and a season for everything, and when we hear it, God will break our heart and say, daughter, son, I'm talking to you, right now, in this moment, and in that moment, he was talking to you.
00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:44.160
He was on the page.
00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.359
Right.
00:25:45.680 --> 00:25:46.559
I'm telling you, girl.
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:49.359
I'm telling you, I'm encouraged today.
00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:51.279
It was it was so good.
00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:56.319
I go home and I'm like, babe, okay, it's it's time.
00:25:56.480 --> 00:25:57.839
And she's like, I don't think it is.
00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:01.119
And I'm like, I think it is, and so we prayed about it.
00:26:01.200 --> 00:26:08.960
We prayed about it for a few months, and I went to my employer and I was like, hey, I I think it's time for me to take the plunge.
00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.799
And they were so gracious.
00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:22.400
They were like, listen, take the month of May as a leave of absence, rest, recover, and and and just just keep us posted on what you on what you want to do.
00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:24.000
And so, so I did.
00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:35.519
I mean, I I rested and I prayed and I fasted and I, you know, and I knit my wife and I prayed, and and so we we June 1st, 2024, I I let them know.
00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:38.640
I was like, guys, and the this was the thing.
00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:45.920
I loved that job, and I was making more money than I had ever made before.
00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:48.240
Our family was doing well.
00:26:48.720 --> 00:26:58.240
I mean, it was good, and and so, you know, and and sometimes we have to let go of good for great.
00:26:58.480 --> 00:26:58.720
Yeah.
00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.240
Oh, absolutely.
00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:07.119
Sometimes because something is good, and I I know I get stuck in that, and I believe sometimes our listeners can too, but it's good.
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:11.839
Yeah, because something is good doesn't mean that we're supposed to do it or we're supposed to stay.
00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:14.240
Yeah, that's that's a good word, Matt.
00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:15.440
That's a good word.
00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:20.160
You you you gotta you gotta pay attention to the Holy Spirit and what they're speaking to you, right?
00:27:20.400 --> 00:27:21.440
And so I did.
00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:24.960
I mean, I stepped away, it was huge, huge pay cut.
00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:33.279
But in 2023, we had delivered 43 placement packages, and then in 24, we did 80.
00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:35.440
Last year, 161.
00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:39.279
And so we've just been growing and growing and growing.
00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:42.400
And and so it's it's been a wild ride.
00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:46.319
It's just been just over two years that I've just been doing this full time.
00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:57.119
We launched the podcast back in the spring of 2025, and and I'm just telling you, girl, God has been just, I mean, blowing my socks off.
00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:04.480
You know, I'm I was working with the business coach because I mean, the nonprofit had kind of it had kind of worked, you know, it kind of done the thing.
00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:13.039
We had functioned, but there was a lot of things that I didn't know as as a nonprofit you needed to be doing, and that that we weren't we weren't doing because I didn't know.
00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:18.720
And so here we are, it's like, you know, well, you got to be doing this and this and so on and so forth.
00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:20.240
And I'm learning all this stuff.
00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:24.720
And I'm so I'm working with this business coach, and he's like, hey, okay, set a goal.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:27.200
We're gonna we're gonna break this down this year next year.
00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:34.079
We're gonna set it set a goal for the for fundraising for the next year and break that into quarters.
00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:39.279
So for the next three months, you're gonna raise this much and raise that each quarter, right?
00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:47.920
We we had more than we had almost doubled what we had hoped to raise in the year in the first quarter.
00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:51.279
And you had time, yeah.
00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:55.920
Oh, absolutely on that.
00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:58.559
I mean, there's only so many hours in a day.
00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:00.240
There's only so much met.
00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:04.480
Yeah, it's yeah, oh my goodness, yeah.
00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:07.599
And so, yeah, so it's been it's been awesome.
00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:10.240
I mean, God, it's been, it has just been so good.
00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:12.880
It's not that the there hadn't been challenges, right?
00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:44.559
You're you're run you're working with kids, with kids with from hard backgrounds with trauma, you know, and so there are struggles and there are challenges, but I've seen God just do amazing, amazing things in the last two years that we we would have completely missed out on had we been just kind of doing what we were what we'd been doing, you know, without taking the taking the leap and and listening to the Holy Spirit speak to me and say, hey, it's time, you know, it's time.
00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:46.559
So yeah.
00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:54.240
I can't believe we already almost had time these interviews when they're so good, they go so fast.
00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:55.200
Oh, I know it, girl.
00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:04.319
But I do want to ask you, especially for those that are like trusting God and they're they're leaning into doing what God has said.
00:30:05.599 --> 00:30:09.200
What for you what helped you?
00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:20.079
And I'm I'm going to go just a little bit back, especially when you first took like the foster care kids in, and they said, I can imagine that there may have been some challenges or some things that you didn't see come in.
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:25.119
And even though God said yes, I don't know if you ever questioned, like, God, did you mean yes?
00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.480
I was gonna use this.
00:30:26.880 --> 00:30:31.200
So in those seasons, especially if you didn't get an answer right away or things like that.
00:30:31.599 --> 00:30:34.799
I always say, if you don't get an answer, keep doing whatever God last year.
00:30:35.359 --> 00:30:35.519
Yeah.
00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:45.200
But how what what were the practical things that you did to help you in those seasons, especially, you know, taking children in?
00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:46.880
The children come with me.
00:30:47.200 --> 00:30:51.599
Like they've been in different foster care systems, you don't know what their home life was.
00:30:51.839 --> 00:31:03.359
Like what helped you and your wife and your your family practically get through some of those hard seasons, whether it's through that or even through your business as you're going through your growing pains.
00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:09.680
That might be so a person as they're like, I'm I'm doing this, but I'm still in that in-between time.
00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:11.039
I'm I'm struggling right now.
00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:16.640
So, I mean, I would say I would say keep, you know, keep keep keep searching, right?
00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:18.000
Keep seeking, right?
00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:27.200
I I don't, yes, in the last 12 years that we've had the kids that we've had, there have been some very, very hard, hard times.
00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:50.240
And and you do question, and then you you go to for me, I go back and I say, you know, I know that we prayed and we fasted and we we we asked for prayer and you know, and we searched and we searched and you know, we did all the things that we could do to make sure that we were doing what what we were called to do.
00:31:50.480 --> 00:32:02.799
And and so, you know, yeah, you keep you keep going back, you keep saying, okay, you know, Lord, was was was I what was I was I really listening?
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:06.400
Was is it what is this really what you were calling us to do?
00:32:06.640 --> 00:32:11.599
And just just continuing to pray and and and you know read my word.
00:32:11.839 --> 00:32:16.160
I I have a journal that's put out by a guy here locally.
00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:18.240
It's called Anchor Points Journal.
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:24.319
And so I've been doing it almost every morning for the last two years working with this business coach.
00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:28.000
And it's like you start your day with gratitude, right?
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.200
Gratitude statements.
00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:30.319
What am I thankful for?
00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:30.799
Right.
00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:50.559
And then it's some I am statements, and it's like I am a love, saved child of God, you know, I am strong and courageous, you know, these these things that we need to we need reminders of daily that says, hey, I'm gonna continue to push in, push on, and and and keep trying to do what we're trying to do.
00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:57.359
And then there's this the the next thing is not prayer requests, it's answered prayers.
00:32:57.519 --> 00:32:59.680
What have I seen God do?
00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:27.119
What let me look back and see where I prayed and this happened, you know, and so it's answered prayers, and then there's some specific spot spots for like praying for family, praying for others, praying over, you know, short-term prayers, long-term prayers, you know, some some meditation things on some scripture stuff, and and then planning out the day and stuff.
00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:31.519
And so when you start your day, and it's like takes like five to seven minutes, right?
00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:37.119
It's not like you're, you know, sitting there for an hour trying to answer all these questions and stuff like that.
00:33:37.200 --> 00:33:41.920
It's just when you start your day with gratitude for what the Lord has done, right?
00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:49.359
I I I think that helps you keep in perspective of when when times are tough, right?
00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:56.480
If you if you start with, I I have seen you, I've seen you do these things in my life.
00:33:56.720 --> 00:34:03.519
And and and and so so, and this is who I am as a believer, right?
00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:08.000
And this is these are prayers that I've seen you answer.
00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:25.760
When you I think when you start from there, you get in the right mindset to to be in a spot where you can you can pr pray some things that need to that you that need to be need to be covered in some prayer, right?
00:34:26.000 --> 00:34:43.920
If you're if you're coming, if you're coming all the time saying, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, right, I think you're gonna be you're gonna be a lot better off if you start from the I'm thankful that these are the things that you've provided already and and things that I've seen you do already.
00:34:44.159 --> 00:34:55.840
And then, you know, yes, it says, ask and you shall receive, but it's not, it's not just I, you know, God, I want a million dollars tomorrow, right?
00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:59.679
That's you know, that's not really what he's talking about, right?
00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:07.199
He's saying it in my will, if you pray in my will, you know, then then you know the Lord is faithful.
00:35:07.360 --> 00:35:16.480
And so in in my worlds, you know, yes, in the last 12 years, there have been times when you're like, oh my gosh, this is this is so hard.
00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:25.679
Or even in the last two years that we've been running this nonprofit and you run into this challenge that you're like, I don't, I don't know how I'm gonna get over this, get past this.
00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:37.519
You know, you just keep you keep going to the Father, you keep asking for clarity and for wisdom and and you know, spending the time in his word and and all these things, right?
00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:47.360
And and as you were just speaking, I think, you know, too, as we as we pray and we seek God's face, our prayers change anyway.
00:35:47.519 --> 00:35:52.719
So give me, I'm not gonna even ask for a million dollars because God is gonna change the position of my heart.
00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:53.039
Right.
00:35:53.440 --> 00:36:03.440
What I'm gonna ask for is it's gonna slowly and more and more as I pray and seek him, it's gonna line up to his will and his way, his characters and things like that.
00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:06.559
So that is that is that's wonderful.
00:36:06.719 --> 00:36:32.639
As we are wrapping up, I just I was just wondering when you think about your life and everything that you've been through, do you feel now that all of that was set up for your calling or your mission, or what do you do you have any kind of feelings or thoughts towards that?
00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:33.760
Yeah.
00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:34.880
Oh, absolutely.
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:39.440
I mean, you know, we it's it's it's kind of like this, right?
00:36:39.760 --> 00:36:44.159
I I don't know anybody that has had leukemia.
00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:53.760
I've yeah, I've seen people on Facebook and stuff, but but I my none of my family, you know, nobody personally that I've been interacting with has leukemia, right?
00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:57.360
And so I can't really walk with them through that.
00:36:57.599 --> 00:37:03.760
I can be there for them and I can pray for them and I can love on them, but I don't have that lived experience.
00:37:04.400 --> 00:37:12.880
And once you've had the lived experience, I think it changes how you how you walk through things.
00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:21.920
And you can real you can relate to somebody in a deeper and more meaningful way if you've if you've lived it, right?
00:37:22.400 --> 00:37:33.280
And so, you know, if you haven't fostered, you're not gonna have the the depth of understanding of what a foster parent goes through, you know.
00:37:33.760 --> 00:38:03.760
And so I think that I, you know, there's been some things happen in my kids' lives in the past couple of years, and and it has absolutely the things that I experienced growing up, absolutely I saw God's uh hand in being able to help them navigate some of these experiences because those were my experiences.
00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:05.119
Right.
00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:33.039
And so I I I I absolutely think you know, God works all things for the lo the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose, and I abide in that promise that some of the things that I experienced growing up have helped me to be able to help my kiddos in the some of the areas and some of the struggles that they've been walking through.
00:38:33.360 --> 00:38:47.119
And so to me, that's the Lord using, you know, my experiences to help other kiddos walk through similar type, you know, experiences.
00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:51.519
And that's the Lord using those things for good.
00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.719
Yeah, you know what I mean?
00:38:53.039 --> 00:38:53.760
That's a beautiful thing.
00:38:53.920 --> 00:39:00.719
God can even take the very thing that you felt like, am I ever gonna get out of this?
00:39:01.199 --> 00:39:02.639
Will this pain ever go away?
00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:06.719
Whatever that experience, especially if it was not one that that was pleasant.
00:39:06.880 --> 00:39:15.519
Let's just be honest, there's some things that we go through that are not pleasant, that are not fun, that we wish we could forget, that we wish we didn't experience.
00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:39.199
But if we allow the Lord to heal us, allow the Lord to deal with us, we can come out on the other side and we can help those because there is someone else that could use your story, there is someone else that could use your hand, there is someone else that can have a physical person there to feel God's grace, God's mercy through you.
00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:43.519
And so I think that is so beautiful that you're sharing that.
00:39:43.679 --> 00:39:46.320
Um, absolutely.
00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:56.320
And so, is there anything else that you would like to share just just with the audience before we find out how we can connect to you or how we can support you?
00:39:56.559 --> 00:39:59.840
Anything else at all that you want to share with the audience today?
00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:00.719
Yeah, I do.
00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:05.840
So in our placement packages, every kiddle gets six things.
00:40:06.079 --> 00:40:10.639
They get a suitcase, a bobble, and a teddy bear, and we get those from Focus on the Family.
00:40:10.800 --> 00:40:18.719
They have a program called Wait No More, where they get those three things, two organizations to get two kids coming into foster care.
00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:19.920
And so those three things.
00:40:20.000 --> 00:40:23.199
And then we put with that a blanket, a toy, and a book, right?
00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.960
Those six things.
00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:30.159
Every kiddow gets those six things, but then beyond that, it's it's whatever they need.
00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:34.960
So I mean, you think diapers and clothes and bottles and formula, car seats.
00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:41.760
I mean, literally, we call the family and we say, What do you what do you need?
00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:46.639
And then we we're gonna bring it to you, you know, and again, everything's bigger in Texas, right?
00:40:46.800 --> 00:40:56.159
So that means it's not outside, it's fairly common for us to drive two hours one direction to deliver that placement package.
00:40:56.320 --> 00:41:02.719
So it's you know, it's a half a day trip to to deliver this placement package to this kiddo, right?
00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:06.800
Because it's four two hours there and then you're gonna be there for a little while and then two hours back.
00:41:07.039 --> 00:41:11.519
And so, you know, that's that is what is in the placement package.
00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:22.559
I kind of felt like it's kind of important to understand what all's in there, you know, to really kind of understand what we're what we're doing for for the for the kiddos.
00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:27.760
Yeah, for the kiddos, for the families, for the that you you're doing something amazing.
00:41:27.840 --> 00:41:40.320
And especially it's like I I learned this, it was a organization that I had, and one of the ladies was in foster care, and she said when she left, everything was in like a garbage bag.
00:41:40.480 --> 00:41:40.800
Yeah.
00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:42.960
I mean, I lit I literally didn't know that.
00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:54.159
I was like, it's just things like that that you, if you are not in that experience, if you don't, you don't know what you don't know because you don't live that experience.
00:41:54.239 --> 00:41:59.119
So sometimes you don't even think about things that we sometimes think take for granted.
00:41:59.199 --> 00:42:02.639
You know, you have a suitcase, you have a drawer, you have this.
00:42:03.519 --> 00:42:04.800
Some of these people don't have that.
00:42:04.960 --> 00:42:09.039
And then these young people getting those care packages is so important.
00:42:09.199 --> 00:42:10.239
They get kids.
00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:22.480
I have a one of my close friends works in in foster care, and she says sometimes when they don't have a placement, they have to go all types of night and stay with the kid until they find a placement because they have nowhere to go.
00:42:22.559 --> 00:42:26.320
And she's like, they have to feed them, and sometimes they don't have money for that.
00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:33.360
So it's like they're spending their own money, and there's just so much that they put into this, and then they drop them off somewhere, right?
00:42:33.519 --> 00:42:33.920
Yeah, yeah.
00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:35.599
We didn't place it.
00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:38.880
So they need these care packages, is what I'm saying.
00:42:39.119 --> 00:42:44.880
Like I'm learning all this, they don't have the stuff, and they're going from place to place to place.
00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:49.360
Sometimes, depending on if they're in good care or not, they might not get their stuff back.
00:42:49.440 --> 00:42:49.760
That's right.
00:42:50.079 --> 00:42:55.280
So we have to be mindful what we're doing and what we're giving.
00:42:55.440 --> 00:42:57.519
And yeah, we got a call last week.
00:42:59.280 --> 00:43:00.159
Oh, absolutely, yeah.
00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:40.400
We got a call last week that there was a a couple that was that was licensed to foster, and they they had they had gotten licensed for for one kiddo, but there was a sibling group of two, and they didn't have some of the things that they needed to be able to accept both of them, but they wanted to take both, they wanted to take both because they wanted to keep this these two kiddos, you know, together with their sibling, but they needed a they needed a crib and a twin mattress and some things because those kids had been sleeping on the floor of an office for a couple days.
00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:59.039
And so this family who was, you know, they had planned on taking one, now all of a sudden they're taking two, but they needed some extra things to to help them kind of get to be able to take that that second kiddo and and be able to have them stay together.
00:43:59.119 --> 00:44:10.159
So it's it's a Very common thing for them to have to spend some time sleeping in a CPS office somewhere until they can find a place, you know, for them to go.
00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:18.400
I think these conversations are important because I, without the knowledge, assume I would never have known that happened.
00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:28.880
If I know someone that worked in the system, know someone like if someone didn't tell me this, my assumption is that they're in a nice facility, they're taken care of when they go somewhere.
00:44:28.960 --> 00:44:34.000
If the foster care needs it, the state pays for them to have the basic needs that they need.
00:44:34.159 --> 00:44:34.320
Yeah.
00:44:34.480 --> 00:44:37.519
And this is just not it doesn't happen.
00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:41.280
So these are things that they need.
00:44:41.599 --> 00:44:43.840
And so I thank you for your work.
00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:45.199
I thank you for your heart.
00:44:45.760 --> 00:44:50.880
And so now let's find out how people can connect to you if they want to donate, if they want to give.
00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:53.039
Um how can they do that?
00:44:53.360 --> 00:44:58.400
So our our social media, we we have you know Instagram and and Facebook.
00:44:58.719 --> 00:45:01.440
They can search for Panhandle Orphan.
00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:03.360
It's you know, Instagram right there.
00:45:03.519 --> 00:45:08.159
You got Facebook page, it's the same, facebook.com slash panhandle orphan, I think.
00:45:08.400 --> 00:45:16.639
And then we have a we have a podcast we started last year where we kind of we kind of it's kind of got three purposes to it.
00:45:16.800 --> 00:45:21.440
One is to help foster families feel connected, right?
00:45:21.519 --> 00:45:25.840
There's so much going on, they're so busy that there's that there's just not much time.
00:45:25.920 --> 00:45:30.880
And so we have foster and adoptive families come on and share their stories, right?
00:45:31.039 --> 00:45:41.039
But then we also have folks that have some toy, some sort of sort of resource for the the foster family come on and talk about that.
00:45:41.199 --> 00:45:48.800
And so, and then and so the third, the third purpose is it's a place to point the community to say, hey, this is foster care.
00:45:48.960 --> 00:45:49.760
This is what it's like.
00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:54.079
These are the good things, and these are some of the things that aren't so great, you know.
00:45:54.239 --> 00:45:56.719
And so if folks want to listen, it's all things foster.
00:45:57.039 --> 00:46:10.400
It's on it's on the YouTube page, it's it's it's in your you know, your your app, and it your whatever, whatever you listen to, Apple or Spotify or Amazon or all those different places and and stuff like that.
00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:15.679
If they want to donate, you know, I the monthly donors help us like the most, right?
00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:25.679
Because day to day, we don't know what we we can kind of guess on a lot of the things that we need to keep in stock, but we don't know.
00:46:25.760 --> 00:46:39.199
And so it's a lot of times where we're having to grab a bunch of stuff that's at the closet, but then we have to go buy some things that that w like a couple weeks ago, we were asked for a wedge for a reflux for this for this little baby.
00:46:39.360 --> 00:46:43.519
I've never provided a a wedge for a baby before for reflux.
00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:47.519
And so it was like, we gotta go, we gotta go buy one so that we can take it to them.
00:46:47.679 --> 00:46:58.159
And so, you know, they can go to my website, pandinorphan.org slash donation, and you know, set up uh, you know,$100 buys us all the clothes we need for one placement package.
00:46:58.320 --> 00:47:03.440
And$50 buys us a case of diapers and ten dollars buys us an outfit.
00:47:03.519 --> 00:47:05.119
It's kind of the breakout, right?
00:47:05.199 --> 00:47:09.199
And so, you know, monthly donors are tremendously helpful.
00:47:09.280 --> 00:47:18.800
That helps us be able to provide there's there's 600 kids a year that come into care in the 26 counties that we serve, right?
00:47:19.519 --> 00:47:23.039
Well, we did 161 last year.
00:47:23.360 --> 00:47:31.760
Our goal this year is 250, with the end goal of every kiddo gets a placement package that comes into care in the 26 counties.
00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:34.480
Uh so that's that's our that's our big goal.
00:47:34.559 --> 00:47:38.159
But in order to get there, we we've got to have funds.
00:47:38.239 --> 00:47:40.079
I mean, a nonprofit, guess what?
00:47:40.159 --> 00:47:41.760
They they have to have funds, you know.
00:47:41.840 --> 00:47:47.679
They they have to pay rent, they have to pay insurance, they have to pay for internet, they gotta pay for all these different things.
00:47:47.920 --> 00:47:55.920
And so, you know, funding is is just a really big part of the need for for any nonprofit, and and for ours as well.
00:47:56.000 --> 00:47:59.360
I mean, it's it's a definite, it's a definite need.
00:48:00.320 --> 00:48:02.480
I always tell people, think of your own household.
00:48:02.639 --> 00:48:06.159
You get all these bills, nonprofit has all those bills too.
00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:08.960
All the people we're trying to take care of.
00:48:09.280 --> 00:48:11.599
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
00:48:11.840 --> 00:48:14.800
So you have your household you're trying to take care of, and then the bills.
00:48:14.960 --> 00:48:21.119
Yeah, nonprofit has the bills, and then they're trying to take care of 126 or 150 families.
00:48:21.280 --> 00:48:23.280
So think about it that way.
00:48:23.440 --> 00:48:27.280
So we need finances in order to do that, yeah.
00:48:27.440 --> 00:48:29.840
And it's going to a good cause.
00:48:30.079 --> 00:48:37.920
So just imagine it's a ministry, it's it's it's it's touching, it's touching others, it's changing lives.
00:48:38.159 --> 00:48:42.960
Yeah, so definitely someone's listening and they've been looking for something to do.
00:48:43.039 --> 00:48:46.239
They've been looking, they've been asking God, what can I put my hands on?
00:48:46.400 --> 00:48:47.679
How can I make a difference?
00:48:47.920 --> 00:48:48.719
You don't have to look.
00:48:48.800 --> 00:48:49.599
This is your answer.
00:48:49.679 --> 00:48:51.840
You're listening today, and here's your answer.
00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:54.639
It came right, it came into your feed for a reason.
00:48:55.039 --> 00:48:57.679
You feel touched, you feel moved.
00:48:57.840 --> 00:49:02.079
Sometimes we ask for big signs, and the sign is right in front of us.
00:49:02.239 --> 00:49:03.280
And so 100%.
00:49:04.400 --> 00:49:08.000
This is, I always say some some decisions are easy.
00:49:08.400 --> 00:49:10.079
Some decisions are just easy.
00:49:10.239 --> 00:49:13.039
Like, yes, I can do this, I can do this.
00:49:13.280 --> 00:49:16.559
Um, especially when you have the different options of how to do it.
00:49:16.719 --> 00:49:20.239
You know, you can go monthly if you if you can't do monthly, do do a one time.
00:49:20.559 --> 00:49:21.599
Yeah, just do one time donations.
00:49:22.079 --> 00:49:27.039
Whatever you can do, whatever soul you can see, it will be watered, right?
00:49:27.119 --> 00:49:30.639
Because someone is being blessed by that because they are in need.
00:49:30.880 --> 00:49:31.360
Absolutely.
00:49:31.679 --> 00:49:33.679
So this has been fruitful.
00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:36.880
Thank you so much, Matt, for joining us today.
00:49:37.119 --> 00:49:39.199
Thank you for sharing your story.
00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:45.920
Thank you for sharing what you're doing and how you're doing it, and most importantly, thank you for your obedience.
00:49:46.239 --> 00:49:52.880
Thank you for your yes, because your yes is impacting other people's ability to say yes.
00:49:53.039 --> 00:50:04.000
Your yes is helping those youth in the future to be able to say yes because now they're getting the things they need, they're getting into the homes, they're getting those connections, all of that.
00:50:04.239 --> 00:50:06.880
Your yes impacted multiple yeses.
00:50:07.039 --> 00:50:07.280
Sure.
00:50:07.519 --> 00:50:08.880
So thank you so much.
00:50:09.119 --> 00:50:10.559
Well, thanks so much for having me on.
00:50:10.639 --> 00:50:12.800
It's been a it's been a great time chatting with you.
00:50:12.960 --> 00:50:23.920
I just, I just I love I love the the kind of the focus on you know on the the intentionality of of your of your podcast.
00:50:24.079 --> 00:50:26.639
I think it's uh I think it's really, really powerful.
00:50:27.119 --> 00:50:27.760
Thank you.
00:50:28.079 --> 00:50:29.119
God bless you, Matt.
00:50:29.280 --> 00:50:30.960
Everybody say bye to Matt.
00:50:31.840 --> 00:50:32.480
Bye, y'all.
00:50:32.559 --> 00:50:33.039
Thank you.
00:50:33.440 --> 00:50:34.320
Thank you.
00:50:35.440 --> 00:50:38.000
Thank you guys for joining us again.
00:50:38.239 --> 00:50:39.840
This has been great, Matt.
00:50:40.000 --> 00:50:45.039
Again, we thank you so much for your honesty, your heart, and the work that you're doing.
00:50:45.280 --> 00:50:49.920
We believe here that this conversation is going to change life.
00:50:50.079 --> 00:50:51.679
And you know all you are.
00:50:51.760 --> 00:50:54.079
We like to close out in prayer.
00:50:54.320 --> 00:51:04.159
Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for this conversation, for Matt's story, for the way you continue to work through ordinary people who are willing to say yes to you.
00:51:04.480 --> 00:51:20.079
God, we pray for every child in foster care, for every parent, for every family navigating uncertainty, for every person listening who feels called to something bigger than themselves, but may not fully understand what path is ahead of them.
00:51:20.320 --> 00:51:24.320
Give them the strength to trust you without having all the answers.
00:51:24.559 --> 00:51:33.920
Give them peace, Lord, in the waiting, the courage and the unknowing and the obedience, even when the journey feels uncomfortable, God.
00:51:34.320 --> 00:51:41.199
Father, help us to become people who do not ignore the needs of people that you place in front of us.
00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:47.119
Teach us to love well, to serve well, and to respond with compassion.
00:51:47.679 --> 00:51:58.880
And for the person listening who feels uncertain about the next step, remind them that you are faithful even in the unclear seasons.
00:51:59.119 --> 00:52:01.039
In Jesus' name we pray.
00:52:01.280 --> 00:52:01.920
Amen.
00:52:03.440 --> 00:52:08.159
Thank you so much for listening to Between the Prayer and the Promise.
00:52:08.320 --> 00:52:15.599
If this episode encouraged you, we love for you to like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.
00:52:15.840 --> 00:52:21.119
Your support helps us reach more people who are walking through their own season of waiting.
00:52:21.360 --> 00:52:23.360
But here's what matters most.
00:52:23.679 --> 00:52:37.519
Remember to trust God, not just when the answers come, not just when the blessings show up, but right here in the waiting, right here in the silence, right here in the in-between.
00:52:37.840 --> 00:52:39.280
He is faithful.
00:52:39.519 --> 00:52:43.840
He sees you and he's working, even when you can't see it yet.
00:52:44.079 --> 00:52:48.559
Until next time, keep believing, keep trusting, and keep holding on.
00:52:48.639 --> 00:52:53.679
I'm Lenny Sleeds, and I promise you, God is faithful.