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Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  In this episode, my special guest and friend is Cynthia Yanof, who has been featured on this podcast before. Cynthia is the biological mother to two kids who have flown the nest, one graduated from college and one just starting, and her family also adopted a son who is in third grade. Cynthia stays busy not just as a mom but as a podcaster, speaker, and author. Her latest book, “How’d I Miss That?” sparks a lot of today’s conversation.  It is so easy to get distracted as a foster or adoptive parent by all the busyness and urgent tasks of life, and I wanted to take a minute with Cynthia to focus on what really matters in this calling. A lot happens in life, a lot of distractions or even too much information, so let’s get back to the basics. Somewhere along our journeys, God opened our eyes to loving children who are not our own. How do we do this well? Cynthia offers advice gained from her own experience, along with humor and gut-punches (the good kind!). Here are a few key takeaways:  Understanding what really matters as parents is crucial.Little differences in our actions can lead to significant impacts.The urgent tasks in life often don’t have an eternal impact.Finding humor in parenting challenges can ease stress.If you’re going to laugh about it later, laugh about it nowCommunity and support are essential for foster and adoptive parents.Being a 'namer' helps children understand their identity in Christ.A reluctant 'yes' to God's calling can still lead to great things.The Lord is faithful and will reveal Himself in our journeys.Life is short; we must not miss the opportunities God gives us. You can learn more about Cynthia Yanof on her website You can follow her on Instagram You can check out MESSmerized with Cynthia Yanof click here You can find her book on Amazon or wherever you shop for books! It is called, “How’d I Miss That?: Gas Pump Confessions, Drive-Thru Obsessions, and Figuring Out What Really Matters” Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning Minute Subscribe 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!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  In this episode, my special guest and friend is Christie Erwin! Christie is an author, adoptive and biological mother, and Founder and current Executive Director of Project Zero. Christie’s deep love for children led her and husband, Jeff, to become foster parents in 1993, for a private, non-profit adoption agency. It was there that the foundation for Christie’s passion and driving concern for children in foster care was laid. After fostering for eleven years with the private agency, the Erwin’s became foster parents for the Arkansas Department of Children and Family Services in 2004. They fostered over fifty children during their twenty years of fostering. She wrote the book, “The Middle Mom –How to Grow Your Heart by Giving it Away.”  In our conversation today, Christie shares part of her story in adoption and foster care. There is so much to tell, we couldn’t go over everything, but we covered a lot. Christie also offers advice for you if you’re saying “Yes!” to this calling.  Here are a few key takeaways:  Christie's journey into foster care began with a powerful calling from God.Maintaining a healthy marriage is crucial when navigating the challenges of foster care.The concept of being a 'middle mom' emphasizes the importance of loving children unconditionally.Grief is a part of the sacrifice when fostering and adopting children.Understanding a child's past is essential for effective parenting in adoption.Preparation for adoption includes understanding trauma and its effects on children.It's important to make God's voice the loudest in your calling.Community support and resources are vital for foster and adoptive families. You can learn more about Project Zero and Christie Erwin!  Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning Minute Subscribe 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!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  In this episode, my guest is Pastor Andrew Hopper. Andrew serves as the lead pastor of Mercy Hill Church, launched in 2012. He is the father of three biological children and one adopted daughter with downs syndrome. He is also a recently published author of the book, “Chosen: Building Your Family the Way God Builds His.”  In our conversation, we talked about the theological foundation of adoption. We, as Christians, are intimately connected to adoption because God has adopted us. This should highly motivate us, if not compel us, to support adoption or even pursue adoption ourselves. Andrew talked about how churches can support members who are pursuing adoption and how the calling may have its challenges but is also rewarding. He also shares his personal story going through the adoption of his special needs daughter.  Here are a few key takeaways:  There is no love without sacrifice.Cute pictures and sad stories are good reasons to adopt, but the great reason is that we were chosen.No one should adopt alone.Chosen people choose people.The enemy hates Christian adoption.The deepest things come from the most sacrifice.Adoption is the single greatest metaphor for what God has done in our life on the planet.We have to prepare people for the spiritual war that comes with adoption. You can learn more about Pastor Andrew Hopper and his new book on his website.  Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning Minute Subscribe 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!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  In this episode, my special guest is the amazing Nicole C. Mullen, a Grammy-nominated, Dove Award-winning American Christian singer, songwriter, actress, and author of the new book, “It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing: Courageous Stories to Inspire Godly Decisions”. She also has an incredible story of overcoming domestic abuse, adopting her two sons, choosing life for her daughter, and a story of choosing life from her grandparents.  Our conversation spans stories of the Bible to Nicole’s own personal journey to how it is relevant for us as adoptive and foster parents today. We may not see the total impact of saying “yes” to this calling, but it can ripple through generations.  Here are a few key takeaways:  God is with you in the dark seasons of life, as Nicole puts it the “night seasons” and often He works a lot in the dark. The impact of choosing life may never been seen earth-side but it is full of rewards from God The impact of saying “yes” to life can continue for generations, like Nicole’s personal story and the story of MosesNicole worked through a dark season of domestic abuse. She encourages parents to children from abusive homes to model Jesus the Good Shepherd in being patient and gentle. Even if we are Christians, we are not immune to the hard things of this world. Nicole points out how God is with us even when we sin, suffer the consequences of our actions, or the consequences of other people’s sin and actions, and how He is good in that.  You can learn more about Nicole on her website Here is her new book, It’s Never Wrong to Do the Right Thing: Courageous Stories to Inspire Godly Decisions Connect on instagram!  Christian Parenting resource for you: Morning Minute Subscribe 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!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  Thank you for joining me on the very first episode of Season 4! It is a privilege and gift from God to be able to share the practical, clinical, and Biblical information with you every week about adoption and foster care, which is a calling so near to our Father’s heart. In this episode, I am sharing with you the power and significance of praying for your child, whether they’re with you for a brief season or a long one, and a list of prayers you can use.  Here are a few key takeaways:  The most important practice of the Christian faith is prayer.Prayer carries over the course of a lifetime.We need the power of prayer as adoptive and foster parents.More is caught than taught; let children see you pray.Prayer is about communing with God, not just asking for things.We should pray for our children's specific needs and concerns.Prayer is our greatest weapon against the enemy.Let's gather together in prayer as a community. In this episode, I also share some big and exciting news! I am working on a book! I have been working on a book based on my adoption journey for a few years now, so to finally partner with a publishing company to make this a reality is amazing. The book is coming in the Fall 2027, which seems far away but it will come before we know it.  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!  This is the end of season three. The team here at Called to Love are so grateful for you joining us every week to learn practical and Biblical tools and knowledge for adoption and foster care, a calling which is so reflective of God’s adoptive love for us. As we look forward to another year and a new season, we wanted to share with you the five top moments from 2025. #1 is from “Trusting God With What We Cannot Control: Waiting for Adoption” released on February 25th. The clip chosen is about how to wait with God for adoption. #2 is from “Tools for Self-Regulation, Anger Management and Coping Mechanisms” released on April 8th. The clip chosen is about helping regulate your child. Somer is joined by Kimberly Dubose. Kimberly is a Family Centered Therapy Clinical Caseworker with Connected Families. #3 is from “You're Not Too Late: Trusting God's Timing for Your Adoption Story” released on June 3rd. The clip chosen is about the challenge of trusting God’s timing. In this episode, Somer was joined by a special guest: Rebecca George, a dear friend, author, speaker, and host of the Radical Radiance podcast.  #4 is from “Understanding Blocked Care with Lisa C. Qualls” released on March 25th. The clip chosen is about the result of high need care-giving. In this episode, Somer is joined with Lisa C. Qualls. Lisa is the proud mother of both biological and adopted children, twelve in fact, and is an accomplished author, speaker, and Enneagram coach with TBRI training.    #5 is from “Adopted By God: The Spiritual Healing in Adoption & Foster Care” released on May 20th. The clip chosen is about parenting while being broken yourself. In this episode, Somer is joined by author and adoptive father, Matt Lambert. Matt and his wife live in the UK with their two adopted children.  Please join us in a prayer over Called to Love, that it will continue to serve and reach families in need of support, encouragement and resources.  You can email Somer your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. Somer would love to connect with you on Instagram or send you her monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!

Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  This is the second part to my special episode where my husband, Corey, and I reflect on ten years as adoptive parents. We share stories from when God first placed this calling on our hearts, the messy beginnings to bringing our baby daughter home, the changes in our marriage, and how God always had a plan.  Corey shares valuable insight from his perspective as the head of our household and a calming technique he uses in his practice as an occupational therapist. Corey says you will never be ready to say “yes” because there are simply too many question marks, so you have to take a leap of faith. He also encourages parents to equip themselves with two things while proceeding in this calling: wisdom and bravery.  Here are a few key take aways:  Adoption brings out both the best and worst in parents.Communication is key in navigating parenting and marriage.Faith is essential in parenting and decision-making.Every child has unique needs that must be understood and met.Parenting is a form of discipleship, not just a task.It's important to seek God's guidance in parenting.The journey of adoption is filled with challenges but is rewarding.Parents should not wait for the perfect moment to adopt.Learning to communicate effectively can strengthen a marriage.It's okay to not have all the answers as a parent. Seek the Lord and pray.  Want to keep Christian Parenting going? The network is listener-supported! Consider giving an end-of-year gift that provides resources to Christian parents. Check out cpgive.org  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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!  This is a very special episode, split into two parts, where my husband Corey and I reflect on ten years as adoptive parents. We share stories from when God first placed this calling on our hearts, the messy beginnings to bringing our baby daughter home, the changes in our marriage, and how God always had a plan.  Corey shares valuable insight from his perspective as the head of our household and a calming technique he uses in his practice as an occupational therapist. Corey says you will never be ready to say “yes” because there are simply too many question marks, so you have to take a leap of faith. He also encourages parents to equip themselves with two things while proceeding in this calling: wisdom and bravery.  Here are a few key take aways:  Adoption brings out both the best and worst in parents.Communication is key in navigating parenting and marriage.Faith is essential in parenting and decision-making.Every child has unique needs that must be understood and met.Parenting is a form of discipleship, not just a task.It's important to seek God's guidance in parenting.The journey of adoption is filled with challenges but is rewarding.Parents should not wait for the perfect moment to adopt.Learning to communicate effectively can strengthen a marriage.It's okay to not have all the answers as a parent. Seek the Lord and pray.  Want to keep Christian Parenting going? The network is listener-supported! Consider giving an end-of-year gift that provides resources to Christian parents. Check out cpgive.org  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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, my special guest is the founder of The Mission Driven Mom and creator of the MDM Academy: Audrey Rindlisbacher. Audrey’s world was turned upside down when she, at the time a mother to four kids herself, decided to foster her cousin’s four children, ages ranging from twelve years old to newborn. In this conversation, we unpack her story, this incredible experience, and how God led her to utter faithfulness.  Specifically, I ask Audrey how to cope with the weariness that comes from this calling. When Audrey was at her lowest point, she turned to God like she never had before and was completely changed. Audrey encourages moms to seek resources, fill their needs, and especially fulfill their spiritual needs like prayer.  Here are a few key take aways:  Foster and adoptive parenting can be incredibly challenging and rewarding.Prayer is a powerful tool for finding clarity and strength.Self-care is essential for caregivers to effectively support children.The feelings of love often stem from actions of love.God's plan may not always align with our expectations, but it is always good.Community support can make a significant difference in the foster care journey.Being a foster parent requires vulnerability and courage.Every child in foster care has a unique story and needs.Sometimes when God says “No” it can be scary, and we have to trust His plan. Want to keep Christian Parenting going? The network is listener-supported! Consider giving an end-of-year gift that provides resources to Christian parents. Check out cpgive.org  Check out Audrey’s amazing resources at https://www.themissiondrivenmom.com/ Listen to her podcast: click here Check out the Mission Driven Mom Academy: click here  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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, Jill Marier joins me on the podcast to discuss the need for fostering medically fragile children. Jill has a rather unique family, and in her words she says “we get stares.” They have a large household full of children that are adopted, biological, and fostering, many of them are medically fragile. Jill’s heart was moved to medically fragile kids after her biological son JoJo was born with cerebral palsy. He is non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. Going through this experience, Jill’s heart broke for all the kids with these medical hardships without any parents or guardians to walk through it with them. They’re alone and often abandoned because of their medical needs.  Not only did Jill and her husband begin to foster and adopt many of these children, and the need is so great, but they started a non-profit farm which has wheelchair accessibility. The farm is a safe space for parents to bring their medically fragile children to have fun with some animals. Together in our conversation, we unpack the fears surrounding foster care and adoption with medically fragile children:  “I’m not qualified” or “I’ll be too attached” or “What if they die?” and more. These fears are lies from the enemy to keep you from following God’s calling. Jill and Somer do not shy away from the hard things but God is with you always.  Here are a few key take aways:  Every child deserves a loving family, regardless of their medical needs.Foster care can be a rewarding but challenging journey.It's important to overcome fears and say “yes” to fostering if God calls you.Daily life with medically fragile children involves careful planning and routine.Community support is crucial for families in foster care.Loss and grief are part of the foster care experience.Building connections with nonverbal children is possible and rewarding.Creating inclusive spaces for children with special needs is essential.Setting boundaries is necessary to maintain family dynamics in foster care. You can check out Christian Parenting’s gift guide by clicking here.  You can learn more about the Mad Hatter Farm on their website: https://www.madhatterfarm.org/ And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madhatterfarmandrescue  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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 helping you better understand embryo adoption. IVF treatments have risen in popularity as desperate families seek to get pregnant, but the process comes at a great cost— and not just financially, but also emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually as families navigate what to do with excess embryos. Because the success rate is so small, facilities will create more embryos than a couple may necessarily want to carry and raise. There are a few options for these embryos: adoption (which I highlight) or termination or scientific experimentation. This is an extremely heavy decision for the parents to make.  Embryo adoption is where an adoptive mother has the embryo placed inside her to carry to term, if successful. There are some factors to this adoption which are different from a traditional one: in utero bonding and potentially breastfeeding. (A newborn adoption could also involve breastfeeding, but it is a different process to achieve this.)  Through this episode, I seek to make you aware of all the different factors of embryo adoption, what it is, and what is happening with so many families in the IVF process.  There is plenty of controversy even in Christian circles on this topic and I seek to approach it with information and empathy. There are countless little lives frozen right now, waiting for homes.  Here are a few key take aways:  Embryo adoption is a process of placing fertilized embryos with adoptive parents.The IVF process can lead to difficult decisions regarding surplus embryos.Success rates for embryo adoption can be as high as 59%.Embryo adoption allows for biological siblings to be raised together.The financial cost of embryo adoption is generally lower than traditional adoption.There are emotional challenges and grief associated with embryo adoption.The process requires legal documentation and a home study.Adoptive parents can bond with the child during pregnancy.Controversies exist regarding the ethics of IVF and embryo adoption.Seeking God's guidance is essential in the decision-making process. You can check out Christian Parenting’s gift guide by clicking here.  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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 a joyful and light-filled author, speaker, and mom: Alice Matagora. Alice shares her story about a painful waiting process, depending on God’s promises. Inspired by this waiting journey, as a new mom Alice wrote the book, “You Are My Miracle”. All children are a miracle from God and this book helps us affirm this truth over our children. Through our conversation, we discuss the miracle it is to be a parent, to raise our kids, and the challenges of the waiting process till that child enters our life.  Here are a few key take aways:  Waiting can be emotionally taxing and filled with uncertainty.There can be a lot of grief in infertility. It's important to seek God during times of waiting and uncertainty.Community support is crucial for those going through infertility or adoption processes.Every child is a miracle, regardless of how they come into a family.The journey of waiting can lead to personal growth and deeper faith.Parents should communicate to their children how loved and wanted they are.It's essential to remember the struggles of waiting even after fulfillment.Hope is a continuous journey, not just a destination. Connect more with Alice on Instagram and Facebook.  Check out her website to learn more!  Here is her book referenced in this episode, “You Are My Miracle” You can check out Christian Parenting’s gift guide by clicking here.  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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 the amazing and inspiring Jamie Finn. Jamie is an author and busy mom to both biological and adopted children, and their family has been fostering for years. She is also the founder and president of Foster the Family, a national nonprofit that serves vulnerable children and the families welcoming them, as well as the founder of the Filled Gathering, the largest gathering of foster and adoptive moms in the world.  Together, we discuss adopting children from foster care. There is a huge stigma against foster kids, being labeled as “problematic” and an underlying fear that you can’t handle their pain and trauma. There is also the fear of becoming attached to a foster child only for them to be reunified, even though reunification is the first priority of foster care. There are many more fears and apprehensions, so how do we face them as Christians, standing on God’s Word and His calling for us to care for “the least of these”?  One big point is we are all called to love these kids, but that doesn’t mean everyone is called to adoption or fostering. You can start by supporting those who already are! This may be a small thing but it is huge to the families who desperately need this support and community. And if God does call you into this, you may find yourself with support and community because you served others. Another key point Jamie and I discuss is surrendering to God in this calling. You have no control over what happens and that may be scary but it strengthens your faith. There is also so much beauty in adoption because God has adopted us.  Here are a few key takeaways:  Foster care is a mission that requires commitment.Fear is a natural response to the unknown in foster care.Preparation is key, but you can never be fully ready.Reunification is the priority, but permanency is also important.Grief is a complex emotion in foster care.God's love is constant, even in brokenness.Community support is essential for foster families.Surrendering control is a part of the journey.Children need to see a model of unconditional love.  Connect more with Jamie on Instagram or her website.  Check out Jamie’s book: Foster the Family: Encouragement, Hope, and Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent Check out Jamie’s new book for foster kids: God Loves Kids: A Gospel-Centered Book About Foster Care You can check out Christian Parenting’s gift guide by clicking here.  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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 Leah Brandon Akannam and Brian Murphy from the Gift of Adoption Fund. One of the biggest things stopping people from pursuing adoption is the cost. Resources like the Gift of Adoption Fund are here to bridge the gap and take down this barrier to a child finding their home.  We discuss the different ways the fund helps various circumstances from traditional adoption to kinship, foster-to-adopt, and even adult adoptees. Leah and Brian also share stories from the families impacted by this resource. Brian highlights that while their organization does a lot, there are plenty of funds out there as well, and the biggest thing is spreading awareness about these resources so children can find a home. Brian emphasizes that if this is something God has laid on your heart, He will ultimately provide the financial support you need to bring the child home–all you have to do is answer the call.   Here are a few key takeaways:  Over 2 million families in the US are waiting to adopt.81% of potential adopters cite high costs as a barrier.Gift of Adoption has awarded over $22 million in grants.Adoption costs can range from $25,000 to $50,000 for domestic adoptions.Foster care adoptions typically have no costs for families.Gift of Adoption provides grants from $1,000 to $15,000.Families should apply for assistance as soon as their home study is complete.There are no strict income limits for eligibility; each case is assessed individually.The organization has programs for young adults aging out of foster care.Crowdfunding grants are available to help families raise funds for adoption. The Gift of Adoption Fund website: https://giftofadoption.org/  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd 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 the founder of Finally Home: Kristin Orphan. Finally Home exists to walk alongside foster, adoptive, and kinship families with faith-rooted resources that bring hope, healing, and strength. They are a national non-profit that provide tools, courses, resources and community to families so they can find connection and confidence every day.  Kristin was inspired to start Finally Home after her own adoption journey and being devastated by the calling. God called her and her family to this but that didn’t make it easy. There was a lot of sacrifice, heartache, and learning through her journey–in fact, the journey isn’t over even though her children are adults! In this conversation, we discuss how God brings encouragement when you’re discouraged or depressed.  Here are a few key takeaways:  The importance of unity in marriage when considering adoption.Adoption is a lifelong commitment that requires ongoing support and learning.Resilience is key in parenting adopted children, especially through challenges.Community support is crucial for families navigating adoption.Trauma-informed care focuses on relational connection with children.Distraction techniques can help manage challenging behaviors in children.Parents should seek to understand their child's unique needs and responses.It's important to give children a voice in family decisions without placing the burden of choice on them.The journey of adoption can lead to personal transformation for parents.God is WITH you in this calling!  Learn more about Finally Home and access all their parenting courses and more at https://finallyhome.net/  Email and mention Called to Love so the team can connect with you: [email protected]  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at [email protected]. I'd love to connect with you on Instagram or send you my monthly newsletter with free resources and first access to episodes and more!