Say Yes!
Pastoral | September 17, 2026 | By: Phoebe Johnson
Recently, my 84-year-old dad suffered a heart attack. As I have helped care for him, I have found myself thinking about how he first came into my life and about the life-changing power of saying yes.
I was two and a half years old when I was removed from my biological mother’s home because of neglect and abuse. My foster mom and dad were asked to welcome me into their family, but their decision was not an easy or fearless one.
My dad was scared.
They already had grown children and were looking forward to becoming grandparents. Their income was not always consistent, and they did not feel prepared for everything foster care might require of them.
Could they really do this? What would it mean for their family? What if they were not enough?
Yet, through all their uncertainty, the Lord encouraged them to say yes.
That yes changed my life forever.
Because they stepped into something unfamiliar and difficult, I was given safety, love, faith, and a place to belong. I would not be who I am today without their willingness to trust God before they could see His entire plan.
Now, more than 32 years later, I have the privilege of saying yes to my dad.
I get to care for him during one of the hardest seasons of his life, a season filled with medical challenges and deeply personal questions. What will life look like now? Will people still need him? What purpose does God have for him in this season?
The man who once stepped into my fear and uncertainty now needs me to step into his. There is something sacred about that.
My dad could not have known that the frightened little girl he welcomed into his home would one day help care for him. I could not have imagined that someone who gave me security when I was most vulnerable would someday allow me to return that same love.
It has not been easy or smooth. Saying yes to God does not mean the road will be simple. It means trusting that He will be present even when the path feels impossible.
Where Feet May Fail
As I have reflected on this, I keep thinking about the worship song “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” written by Matt Crocker, Joel Houston, and Salomon Ligthelm.
One line has stayed with me:
“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders.”
That is a beautiful prayer, but it is also a scary one.
We want God to lead us somewhere safe, clear, and manageable. We want to know the plan and feel confident that we have everything necessary to succeed. But sometimes God calls us beyond what feels comfortable or possible.
He calls us out upon the water to places where our own feet may fail and where we do not have all the experience, resources, or answers we think we need.
My parents could not see 32 years into the future. They simply knew God was asking them to trust Him with the next step.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith does not require us to see the entire path. It asks us to trust the One who does.
For Such a Time as This
I also think about Esther.
Esther was young, had lost both of her parents, and found herself in circumstances she did not choose. When her people were threatened, she was asked to approach the king on their behalf, even though going before him without being summoned could cost her life.
Scripture does not tell us everything Esther felt, but it is not difficult to imagine her fear. Why me? What if I fail? What if the king refuses to listen?
This was not a simple assignment. It was dangerous.
Esther did not pretend she was unafraid or rush forward in her own strength. She asked her community for help, to fast for her for three days. Then she stepped forward, saying, “If I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).
Her courage was rooted in dependence on God. She prepared, invited others to stand with her, and moved forward without knowing the outcome.
Her yes helped save an entire people.
What might have happened if Esther had allowed fear to keep her silent? And what might God do through our yes?
A Purpose Bigger Than Our Fear
Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works that He prepared for us in advance.
God designed each of us with a purpose. Sometimes that purpose feels exciting; other times it feels daunting, or far beyond our abilities.
Foster care and adoption can feel that way.
It can feel foreign, overwhelming, and complicated. The needs are great, and it is easy to wonder whether one person or one family could truly make a difference.
What if I do not know what to do? What if I become too attached? What if I am not enough?
Those questions are real. Saying yes does not mean ignoring them. It means bringing our fears to God and trusting that He can work through our willingness, even when we do not feel fully equipped.
My parents’ “yes” did not repair every broken part of my story or erase every hardship. But it gave God room to begin writing something new.
Our yes may mean opening our home to a child, mentoring a young person, supporting a foster family, giving generously, praying faithfully, or simply learning more. Not every yes will look the same, but each of us can ask, “God, where are You inviting me to trust You?”
My dad could not see where his yes would lead more than three decades later. Neither could I.
But God could.
Perhaps faith is not waiting until we feel completely prepared or unafraid. Perhaps it is taking the next step while our knees are still shaking, trusting that the One who called us will walk beside us.
Sometimes one scared, uncertain, faithful yes can change a life.
I know because one changed mine.
And now, all these years later, I am grateful for the opportunity to say yes in return.
Phoebe Johnson
Executive Director for Firm Foundation Youth Homes
If you are wondering what your own yes could look like, join us for Finding Your Place in Foster Care and Adoption to learn practical ways you can support children, families, and the foster care community.
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