A Foster Child’s Prayer

A foster child is in the care of a particular family or parents for some time. Foster parents of a child are not the adoptive or the birth parents of a child. In other words, they become parents of a child for some time and care for them like their own child—without being the child’s parent legally, the way biological and adoptive parents are. Foster care is different than adoption, mainly in that a legal adoption is permanent while foster care is temporary. Foster care can be either short-term or long-term. Some children stay under the care of a family for only a few months, while some remain for years so that the child grows from toddler to adulthood. The idea with long-term foster care is that the child should have one family raising him/her rather than several different families over some time. Each state in the United States has its foster care system. If you are a foster child, it is essential to know that this is nothing to be ashamed of. Your value is no less than those who are not foster children, nor are you less loved. Even though your foster family is not your biological or adoptive family, they can still provide you with the love and care of a real family. If you are in adolescence or adulthood, the prayers listed below are still applicable to you.

How do adopted children pray?

Before we talk about praying, it is vital that if you are not yet in Christ, you first know Who Jesus is and understand the Gospel. As you know, all of us have sinned, including you. Because of our sin, we are recipients of God’s wrath, separated from God, and doomed to hell, which is eternal death. However, Jesus came to pay for the penalty of your sin. He lived the sinless life you should have lived, and He died the death you should have died. However, on the third day, He rose from the dead, proving that He is indeed the Son of God and that He had conquered death. Because of what Christ did, we can now find eternal life and forgiveness of our sins. In the eyes of God, you can be righteous only if you are in Christ. It is not a righteousness of your own, but that of Christ. If you repent and believe the Gospel of Christ, then you have eternal life and forgiveness of your sins. You also get to be adopted as God’s child. So even if you have to be given into foster care for some reason, know that God is your heavenly Father if you are in Christ. That is the most important thing you should understand before praying the prayers below because only those in Christ receive the grace and privilege to pray the prayers below. Only those in Christ have access to the throne of God and can pray to Him as their heavenly Father, Whom they love and respect.

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

As a foster child, one of the best things to pray to God is a prayer of thanksgiving. There are several different reasons why you ended up in foster care. Unfortunately, the probability is high that you ended up in foster care because of something tragic regarding your family. The fact that you are now in better care, with a family who will care for you as one of their own, is something that you can thank God for. It shows that God is looking after you and is gracious to you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Psalm 23:6

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 107:1

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Here is how you can thank God for your foster family:

Father in heaven, I thank You for blessing me with my foster family, which loves me and cares for me as well as sees me as one of their own. Thank You for leading me to them and placing me under their care. Thank You for looking after me, Father, and for being gracious and merciful to me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Another thing that you can pray for is your foster family. You can pray for their well-being as well as their concerns. You can pray this prayer on your own or with them. Since your foster parents are considered to be your parents because they are the ones who are raising you, you should honor them just as the Bible commands us to honor our parents. You honor them by being respectful and obedient. You can also honor them by praying for them.

Leviticus 19:3

Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the Lord your God.

Ephesians 6:1-3

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise;

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

1 Timothy 2:1

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

Proverbs 15:20

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Here is an example of a prayer you can pray for your foster parents:

Father in heaven, I thank You for the lives of my foster parents. Thank You for blessing me with loving, caring, and selfless parents who love me as their child. You know how much I appreciate and love them. Help me always to honor them as my parents and respect them. I pray that You will always protect them from any harm and danger. I also pray for good health upon them. Bless the work/business of my foster dad and bless the work of the hands of my foster mom. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Of course, if you have some foster siblings, you can pray for them as well. Here is an example of how you can pray for your foster siblings:

Heavenly Father, I thank You for my foster siblings, who also love me and care for me as they do their other siblings. I pray that you would give them the grace that they need as they study or work and help them be excellent in their study or work. Keep them safe from any harm. May our relationship as siblings grow even more. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Most of all, the best prayer you can pray for your foster family is for their salvation if they still haven’t repented and believed the Gospel of Christ. Of course, that also means you have to preach the Gospel to them. You can pray this prayer as you pray for their salvation:

Father in heaven, I pray for my foster family, that You would work in their hearts and open their spiritual eyes so that they may see Christ, repent, and believe Who Christ is and what He has done. Turn their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh so that they may receive Christ, knowing that salvation is found in Christ alone. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

It is God’s grace when you have been put in the care of a Christian family and because of that you were able to know Jesus and repent from your sins. If you are the only Christian in your foster family, then you can be a blessing to them and be the salt and light to them by preaching Christ, Who is the ultimate blessing anyone can receive.