By Pastor Jennifer E. Miller
When I was younger, I always knew I was meant to be a mom. But life didn’t take the path I expected—in 2020 I had to have an urgent hysterectomy and now I couldn’t have children. Still, that calling on my heart never went away. I believed deeply that God created me to make a difference in the world, and that somehow, motherhood would still be part of that purpose.
That’s how our foster care journey began.
After lots of prayer (and some convincing for my husband!), we opened our hearts and home to become foster parents. My own childhood was filled with trauma and loss, my father was abused, and when my parents divorced, we could have ended up homeless. But my grandparents stepped in with open arms. They gave us not just a place to live, but the love, support, and stability that helped us survive. I wanted to do the same for a child who needed it most.
And then she came into our lives.
Our foster daughter came to us through respite care—a short-term placement to give another foster family a break. At first, she stayed with us on and off for a few months. But when her placement broke down, the call came: Could we take her full time?
She was traumatized, sick, and scared. No one was sure if she’d stay with us or be moved again. We weren’t licensed for treatment-level care yet, and we had never taken a full-time placement before—just respite. But something in my spirit said: This is the one.
We stepped out in faith.
The county made an exception and approved her as a family-level placement, even though her needs were high. We signed the papers, committed to her care—and that very night, she went into full survival mode. Punching. Kicking. Screaming. Trauma had convinced her that love wasn’t safe.
She was in fight-or-flight. And we were now her seventh home.
But we knew, deep in our hearts, that we weren’t going to give up.
Because love never gives up.
She had been through so much—abuse, neglect, rejection, seperation from her siblings. But we believed, and still believe, that through faith and grace, God can redeem even the most shattered story. We held onto Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
Was it hard? Yes. Is it still hard? Absolutely.
She still carries what we sometimes call the “alphabet soup” of diagnoses—RAD, PTSD, ADHD, ODD and more. We have good days and hard days. There are still big emotions, deep wounds, and heartbreaking setbacks. But there is also laughter. Progress. Hope. Healing.
We are watching God restore what the enemy tried to destroy.
And now, she has a voice of her own. She’s sharing her journey under her pen name, Deborah Faith-Ann—a name God gave her during prayer. Like the biblical Deborah, she is fierce, wise, and brave. And like us, she wants to help other foster families and children know they are not alone.
That’s why we created The Seventh Home—a space to tell our story, support others, and raise awareness about foster care, trauma recovery, and faith-based healing.
💜 This blog is for every foster parent who’s in the trenches.
💜 For every child who’s felt forgotten.
💜 For every believer wondering if love can really make a difference.
We’re here to say: It can. It does. It will.
Join us on the journey. Healing begins here.