FOSTER CARE 44 APRIL 2026 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition Last month we talked about the Father’s house, and we reflected on the promise Jesus gave in John 14, that in His Father’s house there are many rooms and that He is preparing a place for us. That promise carries a deep sense of permanence. It reminds us that home is not temporary in the Kingdom of God, it is prepared, intentional and secure. But as I’ve continued sitting with that promise, another question has been forming in my mind. If the Father’s house is home, how do we find our way back to it when life pulls us off course? Because if we’re honest, there are seasons when we drift. Not always because we’ve done something wrong. Sometimes it’s simply because life becomes full, new responsibilities emerge and hard experiences demand our attention. The pace of life picks up, and before we realize it, our compass feels slightly misaligned. And maybe that is what has been stirring in my mind and in my heart lately. The realization that the journey of faith is not only about reaching home someday but learning to recognize the way home in the middle of ordinary days. When the compass needs recalibrating There are moments in life when a course correction becomes necessary, not a dramatic overhaul and not a moment of panic — just the quiet recognition that something needs to shift so we can move back in the right direction. In leadership, that might mean reevaluating priorities. In family life, it might mean realizing how easy it is to become busy while unintentionally growing distant. In our faith, it might look like recognizing that our rhythms with God have slowly been replaced with other habits. None of those things mean we’ve failed; they simply remind us that navigation requires attention. If you’ve ever watched how a compass works, you know it must stay calibrated to point true north. When it’s bumped into or influenced by something around it, the reading shifts, and our lives are not much different. Sometimes we simply need to pause long enough to recalibrate and remember where home truly is. The way that leads us home Jesus speaks directly to this in John 14:6 when He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” It’s a verse many of us have heard before, but when I read it recently, it landed a little differently. Jesus isn’t simply describing a destination; He is describing the path. In other words, the way home is not just a place we arrive someday, the way home is a person we walk with every day. And that realization has been reshaping how I think about faith. It means the presence of Jesus is not reserved for major spiritual moments or distant milestones. He meets us in the everyday decisions, the ordinary conversations, the meetings we walk into, the parenting moments when we’re unsure what to say, and the relationships where we long for clarity and alignment. The practical Jesus, the One who walks with us, is constantly guiding the way home. A very practical way Sometimes we make following Jesus more complicated than it needs to be. Scripture offers a remarkably simple instruction in Philippians 4:6, “Pray about everything. Worry about nothing.” That’s a practical starting point, because prayer does not always require a quiet room and a long list of carefully chosen words. Sometimes it looks like a brief moment before a conversation where you simply say, “Lord, help me here.” Sometimes it’s asking God for wisdom before stepping into a decision. Sometimes it’s bringing confusion, frustration, or uncertainty honestly before Him. In those moments, something subtle begins to happen. Even if we don’t immediately receive the answer we hoped for, our hearts begin to recalibrate. Our compass begins to realign. And over time, we become more attuned to the direction He is leading. That is part of what it means to walk the way home. The pull of systems I’ve also noticed something in my own life that may resonate with some of you. We live in a world full of systems: dashboards, metrics, reports and data points that promise to help us make better decisions. There is wisdom in good information, of course, but if I’m honest, I’ve caught myself at times leaning more heavily on systems than on Jesus. And that realization has been convicting in the best kind of way. Because while systems may offer insight, they cannot replace the voice of the One who knows the full picture. Jesus is not simply an idea we believe in; He is the way we follow. Staying oriented toward home As we move through this season leading up to Easter, I find myself reflecting on what the resurrection ultimately represents. Jesus didn’t just open the door to eternal life; He restored the path that leads us home. Through His life, His sacrifice and His victory over death, the way back to the Father was made clear again. The compass was reset and the path was marked. And because of that, every day holds an invitation. An invitation to recalibrate, to reconnect, to keep walking the path that leads home. Home for every child At 4KIDS, our mission flows directly from that same understanding. We believe every child deserves the experience of home, not simply housing, but the deeper reality of safety, belonging, identity and healing. When children enter foster care, their path has often been disrupted. The stability that should guide them has been shaken, and the direction that once felt certain can suddenly feel unclear. That’s why the work of preparing homes, supporting families and surrounding children with care matters so deeply. In many ways, we are helping restore the path that leads a child back to stability, back to belonging and back to the place where healing can begin. An invitation for April So as we continue this journey together, here is the encouragement I want to leave with you this month: pay attention to your compass. If life has grown busy or the path feels slightly unclear, take a moment to reconnect with the One who always knows the way. Pray about everything, worry about nothing and walk closely with Jesus in the ordinary moments of your life. Because when we stay connected to Him, we will always find our way home. Since September 2024, Andrew Holmes has been serving as the President of 4KIDS--a ministry that provides Hope, Homes, and Healing to kids and families in crisis. Learn more and catch the vision of a home for every child at 4KIDS.us. The Way Home - Andrew Holmes - 4KIDS President
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjE2MjU=