When the Headlines Are Heavy, We Move Closer
A Letter from Brian Strawser
Dear Friends,
Some of the recent headlines surrounding child welfare right here in Tampa have been difficult to read.
Stories of families navigating painful circumstances, questions about how children are being served, and concerns about the systems entrusted with their care remind us just how complicated and challenging this work can be.
When the problems seem overwhelming and the solutions increasingly complicated, it's tempting to become discouraged. Frustrated. Maybe even a little numb.
Sometimes, pulling away feels easier than moving closer.
But as followers of Christ, we are not called to turn away from brokenness. We are called to enter it.
Nearly 20 years ago, Rachell and I began our journey as foster parents, eventually adopting four young children through foster care. For more than 11 years, I've had the privilege of leading Florida 1.27, working alongside churches, families, child welfare professionals, and community partners. For the past six years, I've also served, and continue to serve, as the Faith-Based Representative on the Hillsborough Community Alliance Board.
Through these experiences, I've had a front-row seat to both the challenges and victories of the child welfare system. I wish I could tell you that nearly 20 years have given me all the answers. They haven't. If anything, they've taught me how much I still have to learn.
I've witnessed extraordinary compassion and selflessness, but also discouragement, competing agendas, and strained relationships, often shaped by fear that influences our decisions without us even realizing it. I've learned that even when our hearts are in the right place, our desire to make a difference can sometimes overshadow the importance of listening, understanding, and working together. And I've had to examine that tendency in myself, too.
Serving vulnerable children and families can be both exhausting and deeply fulfilling. Problems get solved, only for new ones to emerge. Plans don't always unfold as we hoped, and sometimes our best efforts don't produce the outcomes we've prayed for.
One of the hardest lessons I've learned is that my responsibility is to be faithful and intentional with the opportunities God places before me, while trusting Him with the outcomes I cannot control.
So what keeps me going? My confidence is in Jesus Christ.
Jesus willingly entered the brokenness of this world and endured suffering far greater than anything I will ever experience. He did it for me. And for you.
Because of Him, I have the assurance of eternity in Heaven. My hope isn't dependent on every problem being solved or every effort producing the outcome I desired.
John 1:5 reminds us:
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
That promise doesn't deny the darkness. It reminds us that darkness doesn't get the final word.
As followers of Christ, we are not called to isolate ourselves from the world's challenges or insulate our lives from the suffering of others. We are called to move closer - to enter difficult places with humility, compassion, curiosity, and courage.
Moving closer means listening before judging, seeking understanding rather than assuming, and asking difficult questions without abandoning grace. It doesn't mean overlooking mistakes or ignoring the need for truth and accountability. It means choosing to walk alongside people, even when their circumstances are complicated.
It's how we reflect the light and love of Christ in a world that desperately needs both.
Behind every headline are real people who want to be known, seen, and valued. Every one of them matters deeply to God.
And because they matter, we cannot allow the weight of these challenges to lead us toward indifference or resignation.
I believe things can be better. Families can be strengthened. Children can experience greater safety, stability, and belonging. Systems can improve. And the people entrusted with serving children and families can be encouraged, supported, and held to the highest standards of care.
But meaningful progress requires people who are willing to stay engaged, ask thoughtful questions, build relationships, and work together toward solutions.
As Christians, we have every reason to remain hopeful - and every reason to remain involved.
My prayer is that difficult headlines would not cause us to retreat, but awaken a deeper compassion and renewed commitment to the people behind them.
May we have the humility to listen, the curiosity to understand, the courage to advocate for what is right, and the perseverance to keep pursuing what is better.
The light of Christ still shines in the darkness. And the darkness has not overcome it.
Together, we can become a Church that refuses to walk away - and refuses to stop believing that things can be better.
When the headlines are heavy, we move closer.
With gratitude and hope,
Brian Strawser
Co-Founder & Executive Director
Florida 1.27
