By Ariel Kraft
“We asked God to use us for His glory, no matter the cost.”
I never imagined how far that prayer would take me—or how costly it would be. But I meant it. My life today is full of beautiful chaos: a household of adopted, biological, and fostered children, all of whom bear the fingerprints of a faithful God.
For me, foster care wasn’t a plan B. It was the natural result of a heart broken for what breaks God’s—vulnerable children, the orphaned and forgotten, the ones the world overlooks but heaven fights for.
From memorizing the book of James in middle school to walking through infertility, loss, and international adoption, my story is a testimony to what happens when Christians take James 1:27 seriously: “Pure religion is this… to look after orphans and widows in their distress.”
The Calling That Never Left
Long before I married Michael, we both felt called to adoption. On one of our first phone calls, he brought it up with conviction: if I wasn’t on board, the relationship might not work. Thankfully, I was already there. In fact, I’d been preparing for this mission most of my life.
We built our family through prayer, medical miracles, and eventually international adoption from Uganda. Then came fostering—something we’d always planned for. Our first placement, O opened our eyes to the beauty and heartbreak of reunification. Through it all, God began shaping our hearts not just for children, but for the birth families who often carry deep wounds and limited resources.
When Love Gets Messy
We’re not chasing a “normal” life. Jesus wasn’t normal.
When Shannon, our daughter, arrived from Uganda at age three, she didn’t speak English and came from a background of trauma. It was my first experience parenting while also learning how to bond. I made mistakes. I learned lessons. And the Spirit kept leading me deeper into trust.
Later, Michael and I said yes to a sibling set of brothers—Sean and Thaddeus. Thad, a medically fragile preemie, would change the trajectory of our family entirely. Between hospital stays, CPS investigations, and the fear that followed, I walked through fire. And somehow, I walked out—stronger, more surrendered, and more resolved than ever.
But even warriors wear out. Shortly after finalizing the boys’ adoption, my body gave out. A series of autoimmune flare-ups and paralysis led to a completely debilitating health crisis—one that forced me to face a painful question: Would I ever be able to foster again?
The Pause That Led to Purpose
During that season, it felt like my dream had died. But God was still at work. Even while I wasn’t fostering, our home became a place of refuge—hosting multiple families and individuals over several years. And when I was able to literally walk out my dark health season He allowed my passion for older youth and those aging out of care to be used for a new mission.
That calling led me to Connections Home‘s Don’t Go Alone program, a ministry that matches mentor families with youth exiting the foster care system. With the Alliance’s support, I helped launch the DGA Program (Don’t Go Alone) in San Antonio. My dream of seeing redemptive relationships formed for youth who’d never been adopted was becoming reality.
There was a long season of waiting… but God’s timing is always perfect.
What You Don’t See on the Highlight Reel
My story isn’t filtered. It’s raw, real, and full of truth. Foster care is holy and hard. It forces you to confront your fears, lose control, and lay down your plans daily.
I know the cost. And I still say it’s worth it.
Because behind every placement, there’s a child. Behind every heartbreak, a holy opportunity. And behind every “yes” is a family willing to become a safe place for someone who’s never had one.
