Editor’s Note: For privacy reasons, names and certain details have been changed. These stories are shared by former houseparents and residents who have been at various children’s homes to offer insight, encouragement, and prayer for those considering this role. To respect the privacy of the children in these stories, we use artistic depictions rather than real photos.

A Life Rescued: Finding Family Beyond Blood

written by a former resident

When I look back at my life, I honestly don’t understand it. That may not make sense now, but it will. This is my story—the confusing life of a teenage girl, a life shaped by loss, love, and God’s plan.

I was born into a family with three older siblings, ages six, seven, and eight. My parents were married, but for reasons unknown to me, they divorced when I was very young. As a biracial child, I struggled with my identity in a world that didn’t always accept me.

My mother, left to raise four children alone, battled depression. Overwhelmed and desperate, she learned about Potter Children’s Home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. When I was just six months old, she made the difficult decision to place me there. I never knew my father. He faded from my memory completely.

Growing up at Potter, my life became something different than what it could have been. At three, I started preschool and soon discovered my love for reading. At four, I played soccer for the first time. In elementary school, I developed a passion for writing. My early years were filled with people who cared for me, who invested in me, and who showed me what love looked like.

Middle school came easily. I excelled in school, church, and friendships. But even in the best moments, there were nights I lay awake, wondering what my life would have been like if my mother hadn’t made that choice. I wondered why my father had left, if it was my fault, if there was something wrong with me. I know now that those thoughts weren’t true, but a part of me still clung to the childish hope that one day, he would return.

But here’s what I do know: God had a plan for me all along.

I don’t want to imagine what my life might have been without Potter, without the people who stepped in when I needed them most. I don’t know what would have happened if my father had stayed, but I do know this—I don’t need him now. I found the only Father I will ever need in God. He has carried me through every moment of my life.

I am who I am today because of the people who made room for me—not just in their homes, but in their hearts. They loved me like their own. They showed me that family isn’t just about blood; it’s about acceptance, love, and belonging.

My life still has its struggles. But now, I am equipped for the fight. I am a survivor. I am a child of God. And if there is another girl out there, just like me, wondering if she is alone—I want her to know that God is the only Father she will ever need.

To those who gave me a place to belong, I am forever grateful. You built the foundation for my future, and I will continue building it into the Christian woman I know I can be.

Because of you, my life from here is filled with love.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the people who step in and create family where there was none. We pray for children who feel lost and alone, that they may find the love and security they need. Lord, we ask that You send new houseparents to fill the empty homes in children’s ministries across the country. May these homes be filled with hearts willing to nurture, guide, and love as You do. Give strength to those who are called to this work and peace to the children who need them. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.