Keep the Doors Open: Lessons Learned from a Year of Foster Parenting

by Kristin Berry

Overview

Will You Open Your Heart and Home to Children in Need?

As a teenager, Kristin Berry had heard all the horror stories surrounding foster care and adoption—abuse, neglect, rejection, anger, and misunderstandings. But instead of closing her heart, God opened it wide.

This is Kristin’s honest, unvarnished story of some of her experiences as a foster parent of twenty-three children over the course of nine years.   

What she learned is that living in a foster home is like living with a revolving door. You never know who will arrive or who you will have to say goodbye to. Leaving the door open means there will be heartache and pain, but also adventure and unexpected joy. Kristin and her husband, Mike, have been through it all in their unique parenting journey.

If you have ever wondered what it’s really like to be a foster parent, this book will help you gain a true understanding of the everyday trials and triumphs these moms and dads face. It will also inspire you to consider opening your door…and to leave it wide open.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736976701
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	01/07/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Kristin Berry and her husband, Mike, are former foster parents of twenty-three children and adoptive parents of eight children. Kristin and Mike are the authors of Honestly Adoption and the hosts of the popular podcast of the same name. Most days you can find Kristin reading a book, playing outside with her kids, or caring for her family’s pet donkey, Meg.
 
Kristin Berry resides just outside of Indianapolis, close to her two grown children, sons-in-law and three adorable grandchildren. She is the former foster mom of 23 children, mom of 8 children, all of whom were adopted, and the wife of Mike. She writes and speaks with her husband at confessionsofanadoptiveparent.com, a ministry they started to share hope and encouragement with foster and adoptive families. Most days you can find her reading a book, playing outside with her kids or caring for her family’s pet donkey, Meg.
 

Table of Contents

Part 1 The Season Before

1 The Invitation to Enter 11

2 Opening the Doors 21

Part 2 The Fullness of Summer

3 A Rocky Start 33

4 Ill Prepared 41

5 Gaining Clarity 49

6 Righteous Anger 53

7 Opening the Door a Little Wider 63

8 Welcoming Friends 71

Part 3 The Change of Autumn

9 Widening the Circle 83

10 Not Empty for Long 95

11 Surprising Connections 105

12 No Goodbye 115

13 Embracing the Harvest 125

14 Are We Ready for Teenagers? 135

15 Crazy House, Full Heart 147

Part 4 The Sorrow of Winter

16 Stretched Thin 161

17 Broken Bones, Broken Hearts 173

18 Joy Becomes Sorrow 185

Part 5 The Hope of Spring

19 Reluctantly Open 201

20 The Invitation to Come Inside 211

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“How could a book be inspiring, practical, educational, and motivational all at the same time? Kristin Berry makes that challenge a reality in Keep the Doors Open. I began reading one Sunday morning and finished by dinnertime. I couldn’t put it down, and frankly, that rarely happens for me. Thank you, Kristin, for this beautiful contribution. It is a must-have for those considering becoming foster and adoptive parents.”
—Sherrie Eldridge, author of Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew

“Kristin Berry has written an honest, hope-filled book about the joys and heartbreak of foster care. Keep the Doors Open offers a transparent look into her life as a foster mom—she doesn’t hold back about the challenges or the wonder of caring for children in desperate need. You’ll love her for the way she nurtures the children who come through her door and for her sorrow when they leave. Keep the Doors Open may light a fire in your soul to say yes to fostering a child for the first time or to keep your own doors and heart open to the next child needing a safe place to land.”
—Lisa Qualls, author, speaker, and creator of the One Thankful Mom blog

“Kristin Berry is a master storyteller. Keep the Doors Open poignantly weaves the tale of a family’s journey through foster care and adoption. More than that, it serves as a window into the heart of a mother. Kristin shares her family’s story with grace and compassion, wit and wisdom. I could not put this book down and found strength, inspiration, and direction in its pages.”
—Jamie C Finn, creator of the Foster the Family blog and Real Mom podcast

Editorial Reviews

How could a book be inspiring, practical, educational, and motivational all at the same time? Kristin Berry makes that challenge a reality in Keep the Doors Open. I began reading one Sunday morning and finished by dinnertime. I couldn’t put it down, and frankly, that rarely happens for me. Thank you, Kristin, for this beautiful contribution. It is a must-have for those considering becoming foster and adoptive parents.”
—Sherrie Eldridge, author of Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew

“Kristin Berry has written an honest, hope-filled book about the joys and heartbreak of foster care. Keep the Doors Open offers a transparent look into her life as a foster mom—she doesn’t hold back about the challenges or the wonder of caring for children in desperate need. You’ll love her for the way she nurtures the children who come through her door and for her sorrow when they leave. Keep the Doors Open may light a fire in your soul to say yes to fostering a child for the first time or to keep your own doors and heart open to the next child needing a safe place to land.”
—Lisa Qualls, author, speaker, and creator of the One Thankful Mom blog

“Kristin Berry is a master storyteller. Keep the Doors Open poignantly weaves the tale of a family’s journey through foster care and adoption. More than that, it serves as a window into the heart of a mother. Kristin shares her family’s story with grace and compassion, wit and wisdom. I could not put this book down and found strength, inspiration, and direction in its pages.”
—Jamie C Finn, creator of the Foster the Family blog and Real Mom podcast

From the Publisher