Jamie Grace: If every church in America fostered 1 child 'there’d be no more waiting children’
Christian singer Jamie Grace stars in the new PureFlix TV series “The Beverlys,” and while the inspirational show aims to impact young people, the singer hopes it will also encourage families to open their homes to foster children in need.
“The Beverlys” is a musical comedy for all ages, starring Grace, comedian Tommy Blaze, and newcomers Mia Damico, Brie Duplechain and Raya Sunshine Mullan.
“Follow the adventures of three orphaned girls who dream of starting a girls' music group with the help of their mentor (Grace). While living in a Hollywood mansion owned (complete with a butler) by a failed record exec, the young girls learn about kindness, faith and friendship while pursuing their dreams,” the show’s synopsis says.
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The PureFlix series touches on topics children and teenagers struggle with, such as fear, insecurities and self-worth. The comedic series is also filled with many heartwarming moments meant to spark conversations between young people and their family members. One of those topics is foster care.
There are hundreds of thousands of children in the foster care system in the U.S. and the popular YouTube vlogger and Christian musician hopes churches will be moved with compassion after seeing the impact that can be made in the lives of others through the TV show.
Below is an edited transcript of The Christian Post's interview with Grace where she discusses her responsibility as a role model to young girls and her own experiences with foster care and being a mother.
Christian Post: Tell us what it's been like for you to act in "The Beverlys"?
Grace: It was awesome jumping back into the saddle of a family-friendly comedy! My first official “job” in the entertainment industry was a kids' show called “iShine KNECT.” It was based on young tweens and teens navigating life as followers of Jesus. One major difference with "The Beverlys" is that I’m not one of the tweens this time around, but my role is that of a mentor and manager of their music career. I loved getting to play the role of someone that was investing in their lives, but also learning and growing in her own way.
CP: You have always been an inspiration and mentor to young girls. Talk about the importance of being a positive role model in a celebrity-obsessed age?
Grace: Thank you so much! I really consider it an honor to be able to be a role model. I hear the word “influencer” a lot in regard to what I do but also when it comes to the goal of a lot of young girls. It can seem like a fantasy to grow up and be “influential” like the stars of viral videos or the personalities on trending pages. But I like to remind them that whether you have a million social media followers or you even if you don’t have a smartphone, you are still an influencer.
Every person that crosses our paths throughout each day is there for a reason, and we get to choose what kind of impact we will make on them. Whether it’s with the words we say, the way we say them, or even how we treat people in passing when words are few, our impact can always make a difference.
When we start to look at our world around us as a place where we can influence others just as much as celebrities can influence us, I truly think the fascination with fame will begin to diminish. Yes, it’s obvious that some platforms are bigger than others. But when it comes to being called to love and serve others, we’re all the same.
CP: As a mother with a baby girl, can you speak about how you plan to instill the values of kindness, faith and friendship as she grows up and pursues her dreams, which is an example reflected in “The Beverlys”?
Grace: My husband and I are so in love with our sweet Isabella and strive daily to make decisions that will impact her positively. When we named her we were very intentional about her name, including her middle name: Brave. We continually pray that she will be filled with courage to face anything, whether pursuing her dreams or even facing adversity. And when it comes to faith, friendship and choosing to be kind to others, we pray for those things too.
Back when we were courting and now as a married couple, Aaron and I have frequent long, hypothetical conversations about when our children are in middle school and ask us challenging questions about faith or in high school and are navigating through a challenging friendship. And now, even though Isabella is only a 5 months old, we’re cautious about the music she listens to or even the shows we might have on in the background when she’s not paying attention. We are so grateful that God chose us to be her parents and guard her heart, and we are firm believers that the best thing we can do is be intentional every step of the way.
CP: What did you learn about foster care?
Grace: Twenty-five is the minimum age for unmarried adults to become foster parents in the state of Georgia. The year before I turned 25, I was living in Georgia and so eager to become a foster mom that I got the paperwork around 360 days early. I attended an “information meeting” (which was the only thing I could attend at the time because of my age), and moved into a six bedroom house in hopes of making it a home for amazing kids.
Surprisingly, halfway through my year of holding on to that paperwork and counting down the days, my parents became temporary guardians to three young children as they transitioned into their permanent foster homes. At the time, however, there were moments where we thought they may even be with my parents forever. My parents have fostered children for as long as I can remember, but this season was the first time that they were guardians of young children while I was an adult. And it was amazing!
In a way, it reminds me of “The Beverlys.” It was an unexpected event that brought them into our lives. And before the first sunset, they were already family. I lived about 15 minutes from my parents and if I wasn’t driving to their house in the mornings, they were bringing the kids to my house. Much like “The Beverlys,” there were questions like “how long?” And “what does this mean for our dynamic?” But at the end of the day, we did it for love. And that made every moment worth it!
CP: Would you encourage others to foster children?
Grace: One of the most startling concepts I’ve ever heard and processed is this: If every church in America would commit to one child in the foster care system, there would be no more waiting children.
The keyword is one.
If every church made that commitment, then one family would be a foster family. But it takes a village! Another family in the congregation could be available to babysit or carpool to school. And other families could get together to come up with a schedule, rotating who takes a casserole on Tuesdays or takes the trash out on Fridays.
Realistically, everyone can’t foster or adopt a child. But everyone can find a way to be involved with serving a local family who is growing or changing through foster care or adoption. For the big moments that feel world-changing and even for the day to day or seemingly insignificant duties, we can all play a role and every single part matters!
If someone is considering foster care or wants to know how they can learn more, I always suggest reaching out to a local agency and attending a meeting. Agencies host them yearly as a way to offer details about the process in a noncommittal way to families who want to learn more!
“The Beverlys” is now available to watch on Pure Flix.
