On the surface, Victoria (Tori) Petersen’s story doesn’t sound full of hope. Her growing up years were filled with abuse, a mom who struggled with drugs, and more than 10 foster homes with no hope of adoption.

But God’s heart for Tori wasn’t death; it was life. Through a series of relationships and her own study, Tori learned about God. She experienced sacrificial love and community in the church and through her foster parents. It changed her whole future.

“The encouragement, the support, and the ability to see that through their words, through God’s speaking through these people and acting through these people in love showed me that I did have a future, that God did have a plan for me and that if I trusted in him, that plan would blossom into something.”

After emancipating from the foster care system, Tori’s life has had more ups and downs. But, she is confident in her identity in Christ and learning more every day. Now as a mom and wife, God is redeeming her story and using it to encourage others who are a part of the foster system.

“I think foster parents remembering that they are image-bearers and in those hard times to be able to humble themselves and say,’ I am weak and I’m going to call on God’s strength to love this child.’ Also communicating to the child that they’re made in God’s image. They are loved despite any kind of behavior or any saddening event that they have been through. Identity in Christ is crucial to the relationship between foster youth and foster parents.”

What we chat about:

  • Tori’s experience in and out of foster care and how she found hope
  • Her faith journey and the people who were examples of Jesus in her life
  • The hope she found in Jesus and learning about God as her heavenly father
  • Why she chose to emancipate from the foster system at 18
  • How she handled unexpectedly becoming a mother
  • Getting to the root of sin in her and her new husband’s life and why the needed the church
  • The paradox of the church and why we need each other even though we often wound one another
  • Encouragement for parents who are considering fostering
  • Why understanding our identity in Christ (outside of our performance and abilities) is the most important thing

Connect with Tori: 

Links Mentioned:  

  • 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey**
  • “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.'” Romans 4:18

**Amazon Affiliate Link

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