Called to Love: An Adoption Podcast for Christian Parents - Christian Adoption, Trauma and Healing, Foster Care, Parenting Adopted Children

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! For this episode, I am joined by the amazing Dr. David Thomas, co-author of the book, “Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience” and I am so excited to learn with you from this wealth of knowledge! Dr. David and his co-author, Sissy Goff, are therapists at Daystar Counseling Ministries. Through their counseling, podcast, and books and speaking, they've made it their life’s work to offer practical help and hope to families through their resources and experience. In our conversation today, Dr. David unpacks the anxiety crisis in our children across the country. Dr. David shares a brutal statistic that roughly 1 in 4 kids struggle with anxiety, but also 1 in 3 adults also struggle with anxiety as well! Dr. David and Sissy keep finding children in their counseling sessions saying they aren’t capable, but what’s worse is they actually don’t want to be. These kids are incredibly risk adverse, but healthy risk is a huge part of building that confidence and capability in life. Life is hard but it is also full of “good stories” as Dr. David puts it. Dr. David shares practical information to equip us as parents for not only how to better help our kids but to help ourselves too. We are capable of this calling God has given us! Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: The capability crisis among children and teensThe impact of anxiety and trauma on resilienceThe importance of pacing in child developmentBuilding independence through chores and risk-takingThe unique needs of foster and adoptive childrenThe role of parental confidence and authorityPractical tools for teaching emotional regulationThe significance of experiential learning and hard thingsThe influence of culture and technology on capabilityResources for supporting resilient familiesLearn more about Raising Boys and Girls on their website and purchase their new book and resource, “Capable: How to Teach Your Kids the Strengths, Skills, and Strategies to Build Resilience” https://www.raisingboysandgirls.com/capablebook?srsltid=AfmBOoprP_aLWKPGFOynb8NdMiZ6wfHbAWaYy8tzk28GbW5HEEfWs6r4 To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To learn more, check out their other shows or resources, head to their website: https://www.christianparenting.org/

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! For this episode, I am joined by a father and daughter duo! Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and his daughter, Joy Eggerichs Reed, have written a book together called, “Beega Gets a Do-Over: A Gigglies Adventure About Communication.” Dr. Emerson is a bestselling author on the New York Times list and has a PhD in child and family ecology. The new book was inspired from a bedtime story Dr. Emerson told Joy as a child. Now, Joy is a mother of three, and together they brought this book to life to help kids communicate. In the context of adoption and foster care, we as parents can struggle with helping our kiddos communicate. This fun, upbeat, imaginative story paints a picture for how kids can apologize by asking for a “do over.” In our conversation, Joy and Dr. Emerson share more practical information about forgiveness, relationship repair, emotional vocabulary, nonverbal cues, and teaching our kids empathy among all those other social skills. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: The concept of 'do-over' as a tool for teaching forgiveness and repairThe importance of emotional vocabulary and reading nonverbal cuesBalancing consequences with repair in disciplineTeaching empathy to children operating in survival modeThe role of intentional questions in fostering curiosity and understanding Learn more about the Land of Nuf on their website https://www.loveandrespectacademy.com/land-of-nuf And pre-order the book, “Beega Gets a Do-Over: A Gigglies Adventure About Communication” https://www.amazon.com/Beega-Gets-Do-Over-Adventure-Communication/dp/1400257697 To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To learn more, check out their other shows or resources, head to their website: https://www.christianparenting.org/

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! For this episode, I am joined by a mom who is on fire for the Lord: Kat McBride. Kat is a podcaster, writer, speaker, and she passionate about celebrating the peace beyond the valleys, and Kat has walked through some valleys as a birthmother herself. Present day, Kat is married and has two young daughters, but when she was fifteen she found out she was pregnant while alone in a WalMart parking lot and overwhelmed with shame. God filled Kat with peace and the clarity to make the choice for life and adoption for her unborn child but even though this was the best option, it still came with sacrifice and heartache. Kat shares her story and also provides incredible insight for us as the foster and adoptive parents for what the other side of this family looks like - the emotional rollercoaster, some practical advice for navigating open adoptions and boundaries, and how you need to be praying for the birth mother. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Kat’s story as a birth mom at sixteen years old The feelings of shame, anger, bitterness that can develop when giving up your child even if it was the right decisionAfter maturing, Kat realized the adoptive parents of her child didn’t just save her daughter, but they saved 16 year old Kat as well. Two futures were changed by this choice. You, as the adoptive parent, are impacting more than just the child. A biological mother is looking for parents that love each other and have stability, not perfection. The biological mother, with this wound in her heart, could try to fill it with unhealthy things so pray that God fills it instead. Don’t stop praying for this mother. Open adoptions or relationships with biological parents can be great and look different over the years – careful discernment is needed and boundaries. Learn more about Kat’s podcast by finding “Peace Beyond” wherever you listen to podcasts and follow her on Facebook! To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To learn more, check out their other shows or resources, head to their website: https://www.christianparenting.org/

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! For this episode, I am joined by Greg and Hannah East who are both bio parents and adopted a sibling set of three boys from foster care. Greg and Hannah’s story follows a lot of the similar experiences other foster-adoptive parents have: one parent is more interested than the other, the emotional ups and downs of fostering and saying goodbye, and having to navigate new life as a family with two kids to five! Greg and Hannah offer support, encouragement, and hope their story helps other parents see they don’t have to be superhuman to do this calling. God knows we are human and being human is okay! I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: The family's background and motivation for foster care and adoptionOvercoming fears and hesitations before saying “yes”The process of fostering and adopting sibling groupsDealing with grief and loss in foster careThe importance of church and community supportBalancing love and pain in foster and adoptive parentingGod's faithfulness through challenging seasonsPractical ways to support foster familiesTo submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To learn more, check out their other shows or resources, head to their website: https://www.christianparenting.org/

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! This is a part 1 of an amazing conversation with my special guest. She is an author, foster and adoptive mom: Kim Patton. What if the door that seems permanently closed is actually leading somewhere beautiful? Kim’s decade-long infertility journey became the unexpected pathway to adopting two biological sisters and working with teenage girls in foster care. Additionally, she writes and speaks about her experiences, showcasing how pain can be used for purpose. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Journey from infertility to adoptionThe emotional process of adoption and open relationshipsThe importance of vulnerability and honesty in parentingTrust and boundaries in open adoption relationshipsGod's provision and purpose through pain and hardshipThe role of faith and dependence on God in difficult seasonsLessons learned from fostering teenage girls from hard placesBalancing relationship and boundaries with birth familiesThe significance of grace and healing in the journey of motherhoodTo learn more about Kim, check out her website! To learn more about her book, “Nothing Wasted: Struggling Well Through Difficult Seasons” click here! To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To learn more, check out their other shows or resources, head to their website: https://www.christianparenting.org/

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! My special guest is a recent author: Bethaney Wilkinson. Bethany is a coach, spiritual director, and passionate about holding spaces and creating experiences to nourish the inner lives of everyday people, leaders, and organizations. She experienced immense healing and transformation when people held sacred and thoughtful space for her evolution. She wants to do the same for others. In our conversation, Bethaney discusses ways for us as busy and overwhelmed foster and adoptive parents to slow down and enjoy life more beautifully. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Practices to unlearn habits of anxiety, fear, and urgencyListening to your body and confronting painThe role of community and support in healingLiving seasonally and embracing different life rhythmsThe significance of being rooted in God's love and identityFind Bethaney’s book, “A More Beautiful Way to Live” and order online! Learn more about Bethaney on her website by clicking here. Follow her on social media! To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Evan Marbury for a conversation about trauma. Our foster and adoptive children have all experienced some level of trauma – yes, even if we adopted our children from birth! Believe me, I am speaking from experience there. All children separated from their biological families, whether permanently or temporarily, are experiencing a trauma which we should aim to understand. We are not the healers of their trauma – God is – but by understanding trauma, we are better equipped to love and serve these kids. Dr. Evan breaks down trauma, separating it from the other “hurts” we can experience simply from being a broken world, and how trauma changes a person. Dr. Evan also explains how we need to provide safety for these traumatized children and boundaries are crucial to healing. He also shares ways the Gospel can influence us in this process. The same power which rose Jesus from the grave and saved us is the same power living inside us! God has chosen you to be the guardian of this child. Please be encouraged that He will equip you and be there with you in this. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Definition of trauma and its scopeFaces and symptoms of trauma in childrenThe importance of safety and boundaries in healingThe role of faith and gospel in resiliencePractical steps for caregivers to foster resilienceLearn more about Dr. Evan Marbury on his website by clicking here. Order his book, “Understanding Trauma and Resilience: A Guide for Counselors, Caregivers, and Ministers“ by clicking here. To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide!And this year's edition is our best one yet! Whether you're honoring a loving mom, adevoted dad, or an inspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts they'lltruly love. From Bibles and study tools to encouraging books, you're guaranteed to find something special for everyone on your gift lists this spring. Visit christianparenting.org/gifts to explore the 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide today!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! As adoptive and foster parents, we know our child faces many emotional hurdles and these can often lead them down some dark paths towards unhealthy coping mechanisms, finding worth and validation in the wrong places, and even succumbing to addiction or other destructive life choices. It isn’t just adoptive and foster kids who experience this but we know because of the trauma they endured, it happens often. Even if we did “everything right” by bringing them to church every Sunday, praying over them every night, and talking to them about God, they might still choose another path… And that’s what brings us to today’s episode about the Prodigal. Joining me for this conversation and to share their personal story of their son, Zach Williams, are Steve and Jenia. They recently published a book called, “God’s Heart For the Prodigal," which is a devotional to help parents navigate this difficult season of uncertainty with their children – it is a season Steve and Jenia know well. I am so grateful for their honesty, openness and vulnerability as we talk about loving and praying for our children. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: The journey through a prodigal seasonThe role of faith and prayer in healingGod’s promises and long-term hopeTo buy Steve and Jenia’s book, “God’s Heart For the Prodigal", find it at most major retailers like Amazon, Mardel and Christian Books. To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide!And this year's edition is our best one yet! Whether you're honoring a loving mom, adevoted dad, or an inspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts they'lltruly love. From Bibles and study tools to encouraging books, you're guaranteed to find something special for everyone on your gift lists this spring. Visit christianparenting.org/gifts to explore the 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide today!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! Welcome to part two of this amazing conversation! We are continuing where we left off, talking with the amazing couple: Michael and Kimberly Klokus. Both having lost a parent as children and a child as parents, they gained a unique insight into grief. Their shared experiences fueled a commitment to dedicating their lives to providing hope and a second chance at childhood for children whose futures would otherwise be uncertain. That is the topic of our conversation today: offering a second childhood to these kids from hard places. Over the past two decades, Mike and Kim have cared for more than 25 kids in the past two decades. Currently, they have 13 children, a mix of international adoptions, state adoptions, and biological children. Their story showcases the transformative impact of compassion and commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of vulnerable children and their mission is to equip more families to foster and adopt. They created The River’s Run County Cottage Home - a fully staffed home for children ages 0-12 waiting for placement for long term foster homes or adoption. Mike and Kim also connect churches and communities with foster children and families for support and relationships. If you wish to donate to their mission or learn more, check out their website: https://www.riversruncottage.com/ I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode! Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Their foster care and adoption journeyGod's sovereignty and plan in family lifeHealing trauma and providing stability for childrenConnect with Mike and Kim on Instagram and Facebook. To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide!And this year's edition is our best one yet! Whether you're honoring a loving mom, adevoted dad, or an inspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts they'lltruly love. From Bibles and study tools to encouraging books, you're guaranteed to find something special for everyone on your gift lists this spring. Visit christianparenting.org/gifts to explore the 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide today!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I was joined by the amazing comedian, Tim Hawkins. Tim Hawkins is a big name in my household! In case you have never heard of him, he is a Christian family-man who does clean, family-friendly comedy shows and tours across the country. We have loved and enjoyed his comedy specials and songs as a family for years, so this is a special gift to have him on the podcast. Together, we are talking about the healing power of laughter. Family is not easy but laughter can get you through the tough times, as Tim himself explains with his own experiences. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode! Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Healing power of laughterFamily life and parentingStaying true to faith and valuesConnect with Tim Hawkins on Facebook or check out his website to learn more. Watch his brand new comedy special, Fist Bump, on Amazon! To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide!And this year's edition is our best one yet! Whether you're honoring a loving mom, adevoted dad, or an inspiring grad, we've got you covered with meaningful gifts they'lltruly love. From Bibles and study tools to encouraging books, you're guaranteed to find something special for everyone on your gift lists this spring. Visit christianparenting.org/gifts to explore the 2026 Moms, Dads, and Grads Gift Guide today!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I was joined by the amazing author and parenting coach, Mary Van Geffen. Since 2011, Mary has coached over 1,700 moms of “Spicy Ones”, walking with them through the same struggles she once thought would break her. She now has a book titled, “Parenting a Spicy One: A Compassionate Guide for Raising a Deep-Feeling and Wonderfully Strong-Willed Kid” which prompts today’s conversation. As parents of foster and adoptive kids, sometimes we have a “spicy” child - a child who is very emotional, passionate, strongwilled, and maybe labeled as “challenging, difficult, stubborn” and any other descriptors. It can be extremely taxing and difficult navigating this relationship - what do you do when the kid refuses to brush their teeth or change out of their pajamas? It feels like one battle after another, and it can send our nervous systems into overdrive and survival mode, hijacking us into an overly reactive state because we are at our limit. Mary offers a ton of practical advice throughout this conversation – it’s almost like she’s an amazing coach! She has a lot of great insight for shifting our perspective on this “spicy” little one of ours and how to truly connect with them. I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode! Let’s dive in! Key topics in this episode: Defining a spicy child and their temperamentThe importance of communication and connectionPractical tools for daily parenting challengesThe power of repair and forgiveness in relationshipsShifting mindset from control to compassionConnect with Mary on her website or Instagram, and get a copy of her book! To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning MinuteSubscribe now at MorningMinute.org to receive each weekday morning a verse to strengthen your spirit, one parenting insight grounded in Christ-like wisdom, one short action item to guide your heart and your kids’ and one resource to help you go deeper.

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I was joined by Dr. Kelly Flanagan. Dr. Kelly Flanagan is an award-winning author, international speaker, personal and relationship coach, and licensed clinical psychologist with two decades of expertise in interpersonal relationships. His thought leadership has been featured in The 5 Love Languages, the TODAY Show, Reader’s Digest, HuffPost, and Success Magazine. Kelly’s two non-fiction books, Loveable and True Companions.He has recently released The Road Less Triggered which is the topic of our discussion as foster and adoptive parents. Dr. Kelly discusses what it means to be triggered in the clinical sense and how we as parents can experience it and our children - biological, adoptive or foster. He also shares his own personal journey and how he overcame his own triggers which were causing destruction in his relationships. This is a great and practical conversation to help us in any stage of this calling. Key topics in this episode: Understanding the clinical and broad definition of triggersPhysiological signs of being triggered and interoceptionBalancing regulation and recognition in emotional responsesEmpathy and boundaries in trauma-informed carePractical steps for owning moments and teaching childrenConnect more with Dr. Kelly on his website. And check out his book, The Road Less Triggered. To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning MinuteSubscribe now at MorningMinute.org to receive each weekday morning a verse to strengthen your spirit, one parenting insight grounded in Christ-like wisdom, one short action item to guide your heart and your kids’ and one resource to help you go deeper.

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast! In this episode, I was joined by the amazing author, mother, and ministry warrior Blair Linne. Blair recently wrote a children’s book called, “Yara the Brave and the Swirling Worry” and any time we have a resource for our adopted and foster kiddos, I want to talk about it! This children’s book is all about anxiety which sparks my conversation with Blair - what is anxiety, how does it manifest physically in us or our kids, what are some techniques to cope or calm down? Those are just a few of the things we cover and all from a Biblical perspective. Connect more with Blair online and Instagram! Click here to buy her book! Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning MinuteSubscribe now at MorningMinute.org to receive each weekday morning a verse to strengthen your spirit, one parenting insight grounded in Christ-like wisdom, one short action item to guide your heart and your kids’ and one resource to help you go deeper.To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here! You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!