For Chasity, foster care didn’t begin with a plan. It was more like a nudge.

Years before she ever became a foster parent, she felt something stirring — an invitation she didn’t fully understand. At the time, she and her husband, Scott, were raising young children and briefly explored fostering. But when their home didn’t meet requirements, the process came to a halt, and life moved on.

But the calling didn’t.

“I remember saying, ‘God, if you want us to do this, you’re going to have to send the kids to us,’” she said.

Ten days later, everything changed.

A child they knew needed a place to stay. Soon after, his younger sister joined them. What was meant to be temporary became something much more — a doorway into a life they never planned, but were clearly meant to live.

Sometimes, hope begins with just one ‘yes.’

A Home That Works Like a Family

Today, Chasity and Scott’s home in Sullivan, Missouri, is full — ten children: forming a blend of biological, foster and adopted. It’s busy, loud and at times chaotic. But at its core, it runs on something simple and powerful: family.

“We work together as a team,” Chasity said. “We love each other, and we take care of each other.”

In their home, there’s no hierarchy based on age or background. Each child is part of the whole. Responsibilities are shared. Support is constant. And belonging is not something you earn — it’s something you’re given.

For children who have experienced instability, that kind of environment is more than comforting.

It’s transformative.

When Challenges Surface

One young man came into their home after years of instability — moving from foster homes to residential facilities, never staying anywhere longer than a few months.

At first, he seemed to fit right in. He was easygoing, well-liked and quickly connected with the family. But after several weeks, deeper challenges began to emerge, and his past seemed to be catching up to him.

“He had experienced a lot of trauma,” Chasity said. “And you have to think through how you respond — how you talk to them. It’s different.”

There were moments of frustration, confusion and even crisis. There were moments that tested patience and stretched the limits of what one family could handle.

But instead of reacting, Chasity learned to pause — to step back, reflect and approach each situation with intention.

Not every moment was easy. But every moment mattered.

The Power of Not Doing It Alone

What made the difference wasn’t just what happened inside the home — it was the support that came alongside it. Through Good Shepherd’s Treatment Foster Care program, Chasity was paired with a specialist who became a steady guide through difficult moments.

“She was my biggest supporter,” Chasity said. “She would listen, help me understand what was really going on, and walk me through what to do next.”

That support changed everything.

When behaviors escalated, she had someone to call. When decisions felt overwhelming, she had someone to help her think clearly. Even in moments of crisis, she wasn’t navigating it alone.

Together, they learned to look beneath the surface — to see behaviors not as problems to fix, but as signals pointing to deeper needs.

That shift didn’t eliminate the challenges. But it gave them a way to move through them.

Redefining What Success Looks Like

Not every foster care story ends the way you expect.

There came a point when the young man could no longer remain in their home. Safety concerns and the needs of the entire family made that decision necessary.

At the time, it felt like failure. But time has a way of reframing things.

“He had never stayed anywhere longer than four months,” Chasity said. “He stayed with us almost two years.”

In those two years, something important happened.

He built relationships. He stayed in school. He held a job for more than a year. He experienced stability in a way he never had before.

Today, he’s living on his own in an apartment — taking steps toward independence that once seemed out of reach.

“You don’t always see it right away,” Chasity said. “But you’re planting seeds.”

A Life Shaped by Purpose

Foster care has changed the trajectory of Chasity’s life.

She stepped away from outside work to be fully present for her children. She returned to school to better understand trauma and mental health. Her days are filled with school schedules, therapy appointments and constant movement — but also constant meaning.

“I was already spending so much time learning how to help these kids,” she said. “I just decided to go back and earn my degree.”

Through it all, one thing remains clear to her.

“This whole journey has been a God story,” she said. “We didn’t plan it. We just tried to be faithful.”

Faithfulness, for her, isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about showing up, day after day.

It Can Begin With One Yes

There are children in our community who need what Chasity’s family has offered: stability, patience and a place to belong. They don’t need perfect families. They need willing ones.

Because often, the difference doesn’t come from having everything figured out. It comes from a simple decision — to open the door, to stay present and to say yes when it matters most.