My kids and I first visited Brook Hills on a Sunday morning in 2015. I was roughly 48 hours into officially being a single mom and our world was spinning on its axis, to say the least. I nervously checked my three children (then ages one, three, and four) in to their Preschool small groups and shuffled my way into corporate worship. That morning, this faith family lifted their voices around me in worship and oh, how they drowned out the enemy’s lies. God used the teaching of His Word to remind me that my life mattered to Him, my childrens’ lives mattered to Him, and that my circumstances were never outside of His sovereignty or care. 

Week after week, we came back. My kids spent their mornings with an army of disciples who joyfully shared the gospel with them, knew their little faces, remembered their names, and constantly reminded me that my children were loved and safe. Busy eating their weight in cheerios and learning how to swing on their own, they healed in their own ways here in Preschool Ministry. And week after week, this body of believers allowed the consuming love of the Father to press in on every side. They celebrated small victories with me and were faithful to prayerfully encourage me through some really dark days. 

It wasn’t long before Brook Hills was our church home. God directed me to not one, but two incredible small groups, and a few ministries graciously invited me to serve with them. It would be impossible to capture how redemptive and foundational those times in worship, small group, or serving with others were for me. It was all made possible by this family, this incredible, huge new family that welcomed us in and loved us as their own.

The saying “it takes a village” must have been inspired in some part by the character of the local church. I’m forever grateful that God gifted me and my little ones with this village. 

When I originally began serving in Preschool Ministry, it felt like a great fit because as someone who had three preschoolers on campus several times a week, I wanted to give back to the ministry that had so greatly impacted our lives. Boy, did I have that backwards! Readjusting our family’s schedule so that I could serve each week wasn’t easy, but it didn’t take long to recognize that God was continuing to use Preschool Ministry to bless me each morning I spent with those precious (and energetic!) two-year-olds. 

From a visiting parent of preschoolers, to now serving as Brook Hills’ Preschool Minister, I can confidently say that God consistently uses this ministry to bless me more than I have ever been able to “give back.” It is surreal to be a part of (in my opinion) the absolute best team of leaders and volunteers, ever. In this year alone, our staff and volunteer team of 270+ have ministered to nearly 850 preschoolers. Whether they are here multiple times a week or visited once for a special event, those little lives represent 850 families that need their village too. On our first visit to Brook Hills, my little crew only had three preschoolers. But the day we became a part of this faith family, we got hundreds more. 

As Preschool Minister, I am constantly humbled by the opportunity to lead a team that God uses each week to do big things. To our volunteers and staff, thank you. You do real-life discipleship in the lives of these children. You create rich fellowship on our team. You walk in deep community with young families, and in obedience you engage in tiny moments that have a God-sized impact. Also, you pretend to love Cheerios more than anyone ever really could. As a preschool parent and as your minister, I could search the world over and never find words big or grand enough to thank you. 

Being a part of this family comes with more treasures than I can count, but there are around eight hundred or so really cute ones that I’m not ashamed to admit are my favorites.

Ways to Pray for Preschool Ministry:

1. Pray for us to continually recognize the value of each child our ministry serves. Pray for these brief moments with our faith family to yield deep anchors of truth in their lives for years to come.
    
2. Pray for God to send us more families with preschoolers. Pray that we as a church would be ready with open arms and hearts full of the gospel so that every family we welcome can meet Jesus and grow in Jesus while they’re here.
    
3. Pray for God to strengthen and grow our team of leaders. Pray that as a church we would seize opportunities to love each other well and spur one another on to good works as we invest in the children and families in our church.

If you’re interested in serving with our Preschool Ministry, contact Allison at for more information.

Allison Foster has served on staff at Brook Hills since February 2018, previously as Preschool Ministry Associate, and now as Preschool Minister. She has three children, Garrett (8), Averie (7), and Mason (5), and has been a member of Brook Hills since May 2016.