Defending the Weak

Hi! We are Jonathan and Lauren Looney, and this is our story.

We both grew up in loving, Christ-following homes where we were taught the gospel and desired to follow the Lord. However, we were blind to our own sins and need for a Savior. We lived as if our salvation was earned by our rule-following behaviors instead of as an undeserved gift from the Lord. I (Lauren) thought I was living righteously on the outside, but inside, I was full of self-righteousness, judgmental thoughts, and insecurity.

Both of us came to a better understanding of the gospel in our college and early adult years. During college, I (Jonathan) once got into a spiritual conversation with a stranger while playing basketball, and he asked me (1) if you were to die today, how sure are you that you would go to heaven, and (2) why I should be let into heaven? My answer was largely centered around my works and morality. That stranger then went on to clearly explain the gospel to me – that I am saved by grace, through faith, and not by works. It was a message I had heard for many years but had never truly grasped or deeply believed. I don't remember this guy's name, but to this day, I still point to that conversation as a pivotal moment in my walk of faith.

After we got married, we began attending Watermark Community Church. Our faith continued to grow there, and we were first convicted of our sinful struggles with pride, self-righteousness, and control. We also got plugged into a community group and experienced the blessing and freedom of living authentically alongside other believers for the first time.

During the next several years, we had two biological children, Bryson and Beckett, and joined in with the Watermark–Plano campus as it launched. God began to draw Lauren's heart into becoming foster parents after the birth of our second child. We had never previously considered this topic, and to be honest, I (Jonathan) was initially opposed to the idea. I struggled with fears regarding how this would affect our biological children and how we would integrate another child into our home. However, God softened my heart over time as I heard of the need for foster families, even here in Collin County. We came across verses such as James 1:27, Psalm 82:3, and Isaiah 1:17 that challenged us on what it meant to "defend the weak and the fatherless" or "look after orphans and widows in their distress." We prayed, processed with community, and ultimately agreed that God had called us to stand in the gap for kids needing a safe home.

We've now been fostering for about four years and have had four children placed in our home. Some have stayed for as short as one month, while one, Davis, is now a permanent member of our family after fostering him for over two years.

We'll be the first to admit that fostering is hard. You quickly learn that you have no control over the outcome of a case, and it's heartbreaking to say goodbye to someone you have loved and cared for as part of your family. Foster care stretches you – it puts you in uncomfortable situations, strips you of the illusion of control, and requires flexibility and patience as you learn to parent children with trauma.

But there is also a tremendous blessing. We have the privilege of being the hands and feet of Jesus to wounded children, broken families, and overworked caseworkers. God has grown our humility to ask for help more consistently. He has increased our compassion towards hurting families and children. He has deepened our dependence on Him, as it is undeniably clear that our trust and strength can only come from God. Psalm 73:26 says,

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

We've found this Scripture to be trustworthy and true. Through fostering, our forever kids have learned to joyfully love and care for others and are seeing what it means to step out in faith, even when what God is calling us to is challenging.

Sometimes when people hear we are foster parents, they assume there is something special or unique about us. We promise that is not true. We are not amazing, but we serve a God who is. He is the father to the fatherless, defender of the weak, healer of the broken, and Savior of sinners. If He is willing to use us for His purposes, why would we say no?

If you have ever thought about foster care or adoption, we would love to connect with you or have you jump in and serve with us in CityBridge Family Advocacy.