Adding Focus to My Blog

September 7, 2010 By Mike Leave a Comment

I’ve been blogging about pretty random topics. Very random. After further review I’ve decided that this blog needs to focus in on a few specific topics.

I stepped back and looked at my life and thought “what am I an expert in?” Not trying to be cocky, but just wondering what do I know a lot about. I narrowed it down to three things.

PUBLISHING

Seeing as I’ve spent the last 7 years in publishing I figured I know quite a bit about it, specifically Christian publishing. I’ve worked at Zondervan and now David C Cook in multiple roles at each. I’ve spent time in Finance, Sales, and now I’m the Director of Internet Marketing at David C Cook, which brings me to my next area of expertise.

INTERNET MARKETING

I can’t claim to be an expert in this field, but I do know a lot and I’m always learning more about it. I figured this is one area I can focus in on and give back.

FOSTER PARENTING

My wife and I have been foster parents for a little over a year now, which does NOT make us experts, but we did learn a TON. I’m always getting asked about ‘why’ and ‘how’ of fostering so why not make that another level of focus on the blog.

So there you have it, my three areas of expertise. I will however post about random things that happen in my life that may or may not have anything to do with either of those topics. This blog is a good spot for me to vent, so I may will use it to vent. I apologize in advance for those.

Filed Under: Foster Parenting, General, Marketing, Parenting

Be Careful What You Ask For

July 20, 2010 By Mike Leave a Comment

baby feet Be Careful What You Ask ForI’ve asked God to break my heart for the lost. He gave it to me, in the form of twin four month old babies.

This was not what I expected. Eh, not what I wanted. But, it is.

As I sit here writing this blog one of the babies is sleeping next to me. He’s smiling in his sleep. And farting…in his sleep. How do you NOT love a kid that does that?

I can’t keep thinking about the rough life these two babies are headed for.  I don’t know if they’ll get to even hear of their Creator. Their real Father. And my heart is broken.

I look at their innocent faces and weep. I weep for their eternal future and I pray for them. The odds are stacked against them…big time. But I serve a powerful God and I’m not counting these two out for an eternal glory.

What these babies have done for me is renewed my motivation for evangelism. I need to speak with people more about who God is and why I serve Him. And I need to do this with people that are not in my comfort zone. People who have had their children taken away. People who aren’t what most would describe as good parents, good people. People who NEED Jesus.

Filed Under: Faith, Foster Parenting

And Just Like That She Was Gone

June 8, 2010 By Mike Leave a Comment

We said goodbye to our 14 year old foster child this past weekend. We’ve had her for nearly a year. It was rough.

When I tell people I do foster care many of them say “I’d love to do that, but I couldn’t deal with letting a child go.” I’ll tell ya, me either. It was hard to say goodbye to such a great kid. She had been with us for nearly a year and was part of the family. But, she has her own family, and she’s where she belongs.

One of the coolest moments about saying goodbye was when her Mom gave my wife a hug and said “thank you”. That doesn’t happen a lot in foster care and it was pretty cool to see and was , well, gratifying.

During our foster care support group one of the new foster parents said “how do you let a child go that’s been with you for a long time.” A veteran foster parent (I believe she’s had 65+ kids come and go in her home) said “you grieve…and then you pray that God prepares your heart for the next child.”

So, we’re grieving…and preparing. God has a plan and he knows what’s coming next, and that’s what we’re trusting.

Filed Under: Faith, Foster Parenting, Parenting