The Adopting and Fostering Home

For this Foster Care Awareness Month episode, Michelle Chitwood joins Lynette Ezell in hosting Fostering Champions Founder Bobby Canipe. After Canipe lost his mother to a heart attack and his father to alcoholism, he and his sister were placed in Virginia's foster care system. Canipe used this childhood experience to inform his work at Fostering Champions, where staff provide housing, resources and a much-needed steppingstone to children who are aging out of the system and entering the real world. Learn more about Fostering Champions here. Find more resources for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Kelley and Randall Nichols from We Are the ECHO join Lynette this week to unpack the familiar statement, “I could never do what you do.” The Nichols emphasize the vital role of community support and candidly share the enemy’s resistance to caring for vulnerable people. Find resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) is a life-affirming, Christian non-profit dedicated to treating surplus frozen IVF embryos with dignity and finding forever homes for their young lives. NEDC's Marketing and Development Director Mark Mellinger joins the podcast this week, along with adoptive parents, Josh and Jenn Schouten, to discuss the journey of embryo adoption. For further information on the ethics of embryo adoption: https://erlc.com/resource-library/articles/what-you-should-know-about-frozen-embryo-adoption/ https://www.russellmoore.com/2012/09/20/should-christians-adopt-embryos/ Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Although abuse and childhood adversity filled the early chapters of Kristen Thomas' life, her trust in Christ and the investment of a caring community has enabled her to write a new story. Be encouraged as Kristen shares with Lynette how God is directing her path and redefining her journey. Find resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Josh Benton, Vice President at Send Relief, joins Lynette on the podcast this week to share their family's adoption story and the invaluable role of the local church. Through Family Advocacy Ministry, Josh provides a clear, concise blueprint for ministering to vulnerable children and families. Here are easy steps to get started: · Praying diligently and consistently · Raising awareness about the needs of vulnerable children · Recruiting families to consider adopting or fostering · Providing support to serve foster and adoptive families, and biological families in crisis · Helping to meet physical and financial needs · Supporting and encouraging local child welfare workers · Ministering to families and meeting emotional and spiritual needs Get more info at https://www.sendrelief.org/projects/family-advocacy-ministry/

Lindsey Martin joins the podcast again to continue the conversation of prenatal trauma and creating a home that promotes healing. Join Lynette and Lindsey as they discuss small attainable goals to build relationship and felt safety.

Back from our summer sabbatical, host Lynette Ezell and social worker Lindsey Martin discuss prenatal trauma and its potential effects.

Occupational therapist Savannah Alderman joins the podcast this week to discuss proven tools and activities that we can incorporate into everyday living that help children build relationships and trust with their new family unit. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Adoption is a lifelong journey of faith, a call that Robbie & Savannah Alderman answered as newlyweds. Despite a world-wide pandemic, the Aldermans trusted the Lord’s timing to bring home their three daughters. Find resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

While serving in their children's ministry, Terri Raynes and Tia Harwood realized they share a passion to help children in the Arizona foster care system. Soon, the two friends put their crafty skills to work and began Creation Awaits. Their mission is that the names of children in foster care would be prayed over and known. Find more resources to help raise awareness for Foster Care at Sendrelief.org

Military wife and mom of 6, Cayela Moody, joins the podcast this week to share her family's “yes” to foster care and adoption. Learn how her organization, Hope Multiplies, is equipping the Church to embrace and support vulnerable children and families. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Brittany Salmon joins Lynette on the podcast this week to discuss her new book, It Takes More Than Love: A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption. Brittany shares her personal story of transracial adoption and the work required to ensure that every child is seen, known and deeply loved. Learn more about Brittany's book here. Find more resources for foster care and adoption at Sendrelief.org.

Adoptive mom, Terri Marcroft, shares her family's open adoption journey and the healing it can provide. At a time when open adoption provoked fear and uncertainty, the Marcrofts chose to build a strong relationship with the birth mom of their child and use their experience to encourage others. Find more resources for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Laura Peal joins the podcast again this week to share her family's journey of adoption and ministry. No matter how hopeless the situation appeared, the Peals realize that Christ is King and His love for us is immeasurable. Find resources for your adoption or foster care journey at sendrelief.org.

On this week's episode, Lynette welcomes Laura Peal, an adoptive mom she met while visiting Send Relief's Ministry Center in Puerto Rico. When the Peal family was asked to pray for a young life that was vulnerable to abortion, they had no idea how the Lord was moving in lives to build their family. Peal shares how every challenge and disappointment can equip us for future opportunities in the kingdom of God. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission's Director of Public Policy, Chelsea Patterson, joins the podcast this week to share her passion of advocating for vulnerable children and the importance of trauma-informed counseling. Adopted from Romania as a baby, Patterson shares her personal journey of infertility and building her family through international adoption. Learn more about her book, A Longing for Motherhood. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Sherwood Baptist Church's former pastor, Michael Catt, and his wife, Terri, join Lynette to discuss how the Holy Spirit softened their hearts to the ministry of adoption and foster care. From the midlife discovery of his own adoption to supporting their grown daughter in single parent fostering, the Catts emphasize the need for all to serve and support vulnerable children in every season of life. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Reuben Watson joins Lynette to share part two of his personal foster care story. After a childhood of neglect, 13 foster placements and failed suicide attempts, Reuben is introduced to Jesus and discipled at Sunrise Children's Homes in Kentucky. As Reuben is growing in his walk with the Lord, He learns that his new life in Christ is the foundation for healthy, thriving relationships. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Between navigating 13 different foster placements, suffering physical and verbal abuse and coping with his mother's illness, Reuben Watson endured a childhood filled with trauma. After battling feelings of worthlessness throughout his adolescence, Reuben found hope in the gospel. He now works in family services for adoptive and fostering families in Kentucky. Listen to his inspiring testimony on this week's episode of the Adopting and Fostering Home! Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

This week, Larry and Beth Robertson join Lynette and continue their story of foster care, adoption and ministry. The Robertsons discuss their temporary foster placement moving to adoption and navigating the court system during COVID-19.  The couple candidly shares the importance of respecting a vulnerable child's boundaries and the daily work of connection. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Pastor Larry and Beth Robertson join us this week to discuss the lifestyle pivot of going from empty nesters to a full home again. Join in to hear how the Robertsons navigated a sudden foster placement and how to encourage new family members to form emotional healthy attachments.

NorthRoad Community Church's lead Pastor, Matt Bartig, joins Lynette on the podcast this week to share his family's unexpected Foster Care journey and the resulting creation of Divine Nest Ministries. Pastor Matt brings along directors Tim Height and Dani James for further wisdom in navigating the Foster Care System within the Body of Christ. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

Not everyone is called to adopt, but everyone is called to support adoptive and foster families. Callie Rich joins us for a second episode to discuss creative ways churches can support the fostering and adoptive communities! Listen to this week's episode to discover new ways you can empower and uplift the adoptive families in your life. Follow Callie on Instagram here. Find more tools for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

This week's guest, Callie Rich, discusses the unexpected twists and turns of the adoption journey and how God's call to the everyday tasks of parenting is truly a call to invaluable kingdom work. For more resources on your fostering and adopting journey, visit SendRelief.org.

On this week's episode of Adopting and Fostering Home with Lynette Ezell, Clint and Jennifer Clinton return to the podcast to share the second part of their challenging journey with a failed adoption, as well as an almost decade-long successful international adoption process.

Clint and Jennifer Clifton, 16-year-veteran church planting missionaries, are proud parents of five children and are in the process of adopting their sixth from Puerto Rico. Join Lynette Ezell on this week's episode to hear their discussion about the hardships of navigating years-long adoption processes and tools for navigating the in-between. Find more resources for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Just as Jesus taught, parables are a healing tool for rebuilding healthy relationships and fractured personal beliefs. Melissa Nichols, lead counselor of Minnesota's Family Attachment and Counseling Center, explains the power of Story Narratives for children and teens who have experienced complex trauma. Find more resources for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Foster and Adoptive mom, Mandie Summers, shares misconceptions that many parents may face on the unpredictable journey of adoption and foster care. Having walked through family reunifications and adoption placements, Mandie shares how the Holy Spirit has provided the wisdom and strength for the next faithful step. Find more resources for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Georgia's 2019 Foster Caregiver of the Year, Jennifer Nolder, has fostered nearly 40 children and recently officially adopted her first child. She joins host Lynette Ezell this week to discuss how to come alongside a family of origin while fostering their child. She also shares how her own experiences led to forming an organization called Hope Revisited that helps disconnected families build towards reunification. Find more tools for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

In a special National Foster Care Month edition of the podcast, foster mom Ronda Paulson joins host Lynette Ezell to discuss their shared prayer that every child will one day know the love of a family. Paulson's passion for foster care eventually took shape in the form of a nonprofit—Isaiah 117 House—that helps children cope with the traumatic day they are removed from their homes. If you want to hear the unpredictably remarkable origin story of Isaiah 117 Homes, listen to “What if…” on the Stories of Hope podcast. You can find that podcast at SendRelief.org/podcasts/ Find more tools for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Dr. Bob Montes, from Trinity Psychological Services, joins us this week to discuss a new, non-medical trauma treatment method called “neurofeedback.” Dr. Bob explains the amazing benefits of neurofeedback and how it can be a helpful alternative to medication for children, teens and adults who are dealing with past traumas. For additional tools and free online webinars visit DrBobMontes.com. Find more tools for your foster care and adoption journey at SendRelief.org.

Melissa Stevenson is a Send Network church planting missionary and mother of five. She shares how the faithfulness of God guided their adoption process through a difficult country and government. Be encouraged as Melissa resonates the promise of eternity despite developmental challenges and deep loss. For more tools in your foster care and adoption journey, visit SendRelief.org.

Dr. Christy Montes returns to the show with practical tools to help parents nourish their own souls, so they are better equipped to nurture children from hard places. Learn three easy steps you can take today to combat nutritional deficits for better learning and emotional health in children and teens. For further help with nutritional supplements and healthy living visit Dr Christy Montes', Trinity Psychological Services at DrBobMontes.com.

Dr. Christy Montes joins host Lynette Ezell in discussing naturopathic remedies and the role they play in the complicated healing process for children with backgrounds of trauma and neglect. Learn more about Trinity Psychological Services here. Find more resources for your adoption and foster care journey at SendRelief.org.

NY parents Steve & Julie Rosati share their story of marrying later in life then embracing foster care and adoption. And when COVID began shutting down services, the Rosati family found innovative ways to meet needs and further the gospel in their community. Find more resources for your fostering and adopting journey at SendRelief.org.

Social worker Carol Lozier and host Lynette Ezell discuss the intricacies of coaching adoptive and foster families to parent children who have experienced severe trauma. Discover therapeutic activity ideas for children through Lozier's recently published activity book! Download Carol's STOP Skill and Self Soothe handouts here: STOP Skill Self Soothe

Co-founder of Embrace Grace Inc., Amy Ford shares her moving testimony of how God redeemed her teenage pregnancy and near-abortion experience to prompt her ministry to women navigating unexpected pregnancies. Delve into this week's episode for an understanding of how caring well for women experiencing crisis pregnancies can preemptively prevent at-risk children from being put into the precarious foster care system. Read Amy's devotional Help Her Be Brave. Order Help Her Be Brave by Amy Ford. Find more resources for your fostering and adopting journey at SendRelief.org.

Host Lynette Ezell is joined by Michelle Chitwood to interview Krista Grigg about how the Chitwoods inspired her family's transformation from a unit of three to one of nine! Listen to this week's episode to learn more about the value of attending adopting and fostering trainings, the role of senior adults in your support system and the various ways your church can support families along this journey. Find more resources for your fostering and adopting journey at SendRelief.org.

Delving into their 20 year friendship, host Lynette Ezell and guest, Kristin Scroggins, discuss the challenge of navigating closed doors and the importance of entering foster care as a united family team. With the help of their local church, Kristin shares how her large tribe worked together to graft 3 more children into their busy lives and how the Lord used them as a middle family. Subscribe to The Mom Village podcast with Kristin for encouragement in all seasons of life. Find more resources for your fostering and adopting journey at SendRelief.org.

We miss so many opportunities to serve vulnerable women when we fail to empathize with and educate ourselves about crisis pregnancy situations. This week, experts from Lifeline Children's Services join host Lynette Ezell in discussing their new curriculum “Worthy” which they hope will revolutionize the way churches engage with women struggling with unexpected pregnancies. Get the Worthy Curriculum here.

When Shane, National Director of Next Gen Evangelism for the North American Mission Board, and Kasi Pruitt's family answered God's call to international adoption, they weren't aware of all the challenges their new infant son would be facing in life. Upon their arrival in Uganda, they quickly realized he would need extensive, lifelong medical treatments. Kasi shares the beauty of unexpected blessings and the strength the Lord has provided her family through their supportive community. Follow Kasi Pruitt on Instagram: @pruittkasi For helpful resources for foster and adoptive families through Lakepointe Church, where Kasi serves, visit lakepointe.church/adoption.

As the Lord uses us to take the gospel to the nations and across the street, we see things we can never unsee and we are eternally changed. In this Part 2 recording, Michelle Chitwood from the International Mission Board and Host, Lynette Ezell, discuss the ripple effect of our “yes” and how it changes our preplanned lives. From sharing our families through adoption to opening our homes to the vulnerable during Christmas, a life of love and obedience proves to bring the greatest joys. Find more adoption and foster care resources at SendRelief.org

This week on The Adopting and Fostering Home podcast, Michelle Chitwood with the International Mission Board, shares about her unconventional family of four. With ages ranging from 24 to 8, the Chitwoods have two biological children, one adopted daughter who was adopted internationally and one daughter adopted from the Kentucky foster care system. Listen to their unusual path to adoption later in life. Get more fostering and adopting resources at SendRelief.org.

This week's episode features an informative discussion with Christie Mac Segars and Karla Thrasher of Lifeline Children's Services. With Host Lynette Ezell, they dive into the topic of Open Adoption and what it looks like for Domestic and International adoptions. Listen to find out how the calling to adoption or  foster care are an invitation to step into family reconciliation. For more information to begin an adoption go to Lifelinechild.org. Join us at SendRelief.org for further Adoption and Foster Care resources.

For National Adoption Awareness Month, host Lynette Ezell interviews high school sweethearts Montana and Amanda Jones about their experience as a mixed family, with one biological daughter and one adopted son, and the beginnings of their pursuit of open adoption. Find more resources for foster and adoptive families at SendRelief.org.

On this week's episode of The Adopting and Fostering Home podcast, host Lynette Ezell interviews pastor Shaq Hardy about his childhood and what it was like being in the foster care system until the age of ten.

Open adoptions may be confusing or daunting when you're growing your family. On this week’s episode, AFH host Lynette Ezell interviews mother and adopted daughter, Karen LaBarr and Christy Harmon, about their relationship with Christy’s birth mother and how it has shaped their family.

Corey Taylor is a 23-year-old foster parent who has been on the adoption and fostering journey for 10 months now. Each week brings him closer to officially being able to adopt the 6-year-old boy he has grown to love. This week on the Adopting and Fostering Home podcast, Taylor shares with host Lynette Ezell how God prompted him to become a single foster parent when he was 21 and the practical steps he took to prepare his heart and home on this journey of obedience. For a free, downloadable guide on how to care well for foster families amid the pandemic, go to sendrelief.org/foster-care-adoption.

Host Lynette Ezell interviews author Adrian C. Collins about being both a “brave and blemished” parent as she re-adopted her daughter, whom she surrendered custody of as a newborn. Collins discusses overcoming shame and the hurdles of mother-daughter relationships in this in-depth interview. To stay updated on Adrian’s honest and inspiring journey, subscribe to her blog at adrianccollins.com. For a free downloadable guide on how to care well for foster families amid the pandemic, go to sendrelief.org/covid.

Helping a child or teen see the need for Jesus is one of the chief goals of a Christian adoptive or fostering home. In this episode, host, Lynette Ezell invites Arthur Woods to to share his vast experience as an adoptive and fostering parent. That experience includes walking teens through the process of overcoming trauma to accept Jesus. Arthur shares some valuable tips on how parents can help their children and teens from trauma-filled backgrounds navigate those challenges to be more receptive to the gospel. Learn more about Arthur Woods at arthurcwoods.com. Find out how to give to the Adoption Fund for Ministers by visiting namb.net/give/adoption-fund/.

Host Lynette Ezell welcomes Cheri Williams, senior vice president of domestic programs at Bethany Christian Services, and Kimberly Offutt, national director of foster care adoption at Bethany Christian Services, to discuss ways the coronavirus pandemic has affected the fostering and adoption processes. The trio provides insight on how to best handle the changes COVID-19 has brought. Find out how to give to the Adoption Fund for Ministers by visiting namb.net/give/adoption-fund/. Resources: Bethany Christian Services They Need You Now: ­A Mother's Plea for the Church to Embrace Adoption, by ­­Kimberly M. Offutt