There are seasons in life when we feel a stirring. A restlessness. A question that won’t go away: Am I being called to something more?

Maybe your children are growing up. Maybe the career you once loved doesn’t fill your cup anymore. Or maybe you’ve always had a heart for children and families, but haven’t known how to fully act on it.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. At houseparent.com, we hear from houseparent couples who reach a point where they feel ready—and called—to live with more intention. To put their faith into action in a way that truly matters. After research and prayer, that calling leads them to houseparenting. 

Houseparents are couples who live and work together caring for children who can’t live with their families. These children often come from backgrounds of hardship, instability, or trauma. They need structure, love, patience, and safety. 

You don’t need an advanced degree to be a houseparent. You don’t need to be perfect. And for many employers, you don’t even need to belong to a specific religion or church, although many houseparents site their faith as a starting point for this line of work. What you do need is a heart for children, a strong marriage, and a willingness to serve.

If your heart is tugging in a new direction, consider this your sign to pray and explore. God doesn’t always call us to comfort. But He does call us to purpose.

And sometimes, that purpose is waiting just beyond your comfort zone—on the other side of yes.