His Kids: The Candle the Lord Led Me To

By: Madison McCall

You Are Worth It, Founder

At our 12-hour prayer gathering, one of the stations was a Fireplace. The room glowed softly with candles, each one carrying the name of a child currently in foster care and the number of days they had spent there. Rows of names. So many children. So many stories. So many days spent waiting for stability, healing, reunification, or a forever home.

As I stood there praying, looking over all the candles, one name immediately caught my attention: Madison. My own name. Her candle said she had been in foster care for 168 days. In that moment, it felt like the Lord gently stopped me in my tracks. Because while I don’t know exactly how many days I spent in foster care as a baby, I know what it means to have your story begin there. I know what it means for God to write redemption into places that once felt uncertain. Out of all the names in that room, the Lord led me to her.

I began praying over her life, over every night she has cried, every transition she has had to endure, every question she may carry in her little heart, and every person connected to her story. I prayed that she would never feel abandoned, forgotten, or unloved. I prayed that the presence of God would surround her in every unfamiliar place and that even now, the Lord would be writing a story of protection, healing, and restoration over her life.

At the station, we were encouraged to take a candle home and continue praying for that child beyond the event. And without hesitation, I knew hers was the one I was supposed to carry with me. Because foster care may feel lonely at times, but no child walks that road alone. God sees every child by name. He knows every detail, every placement, every court date, every tear, and every silent prayer whispered over them. Even when the future feels uncertain to us, it has never been uncertain to Him. 

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” That verse felt so real as I looked at those candles burning in the dim room. Every flame was a reminder that God is still lighting the path for these children, even in seasons when they cannot yet see what lies ahead. And maybe that’s why this moment impacted me so deeply: years ago, someone prayed for me, too. Someone believed God had a purpose for my life before I could even understand it for myself.

Now, I get to stand in the gap for another child. Her name is Madison. And she is deeply seen, deeply loved, and never alone. 

Would you like a candle?

Contact laura@psiloveyouministries.org to commit to praying for a child in foster care.