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

Christian Parenting
Christian Parenting
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  • Parenting
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Whether you seek to add to your family through foster care, private domestic adoption or you are called to travel internationally, every adoption story is uniquely beautiful. Yet, each shares a common language of calling, loss, and hardship. As Christian parents we have a deep desire to love and shepherd our children well, but it can be challenging to navigate loss, trauma and how to best love and guide our adopted children. One thing is for sure, adoption is more than a process, it is an invitation to go on a holy journey with the Lord and with your family. Like any journey, there will be valleys along with mountain tops and battles along with the beauty. The good news is, what the Lord calls you to, He will equip you for. Wherever you are in your journey, Called to Love is here to bring you a weekly dose of encouragement from the practical, clinical, and Biblical perspective along with personal stories from adoptive parents, adult adoptees and advice from various experts to help your family thrive in your journey and continue to say “yes” to your own call to love. Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

  1. 22h ago

    A Birth Mother's Story and Why We Need to Pray for the Mom of Our Kids

    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 somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  2. Jul 28

    Your Child is From Two Worlds: How to Bridge Resilience

    Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  For this episode, I am joined by Dr. Mary Ann McMillan. Mary Ann is a former foster youth and adoptee whose life has been shaped by family separation, identity, and the search for belonging. Guided by her Christian faith, she is a writer, professor, and global advocate working at the intersection of trauma, justice, and healing. She holds a doctorate and teaches international relations, human rights, and criminal justice. Her perspective bridges lived experience, scholarship, and global practice, with a focus on vulnerable children in the United States and globally.  In this conversation, Mary Ann shares some of her story and experiences as a former foster youth and adoptee who did have an open-adoption with her family, but still struggled immensely with her identity, a sense of belonging, and why she was even adopted. Mary Ann describes how things changed after coming to Christ and her identity was shaped by who God says she is, but she still needed to unpack more of who God created her to be. She encourages parents to invite a child’s heritage and culture into their life and reminds us that our child is from two worlds - their biological one and the adopted one - and they can’t choose either of them, they are a part of them both, so it is our job to bridge those gaps to help our child develop a healthy and positive self-identity.  I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in!  Key topics in this episode:  Questions around identity and belongingMaking your child’s heritage and culture part of their life Have the hard conversations sooner rather than laterBe open and always willing to learn Take care of yourself, as the adoptive parentTo learn more about Mary Ann McMillan check her out on Instagram or buy her new book, “Bridging Resilience: A Guide to Healing for Adoptees and Former Foster Youth, Families, and the Leaders Who Walk with Them” To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here!  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  3. Jul 21

    Going From 2 Kids to 5: Adopting Sibling Sets

    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 families To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here!  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  4. Jul 14

    From Pain to Purpose with Kim Patton Part 2

    Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  This episode is a part 2 to an incredible conversation with the 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 motherhood To 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 somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  5. Jul 7

    From Pain to Purpose with Kim Patton Part 1

    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 motherhood To 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 somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  6. Jun 30

    Helping Our Kids Heal From Life's Deepest Hurts

    Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  For this episode, I am joined with an incredible guest who offers us a lot of hope as adoptive and foster parents, trying to help our kids heal from trauma… but this story does come with a trigger warning for those who’ve experienced domestic violence or assault, and this is not an episode for little ears. However, it is an episode of hope! These events did not define my incredible guest: Kimberly Haar. Kimberly said what the enemy meant for evil, God used for good!  Kimberly is a writer, speaker, co-host on a radio show, licensed therapist and podcaster herself. Her private practice is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma and its called “There’s Hope! Counseling.” Her new book is titled, “Healing from Life's Deepest Hurts: Reclaiming Your Life After Grief, Loss, or Trauma” and it centers on why our good God lets bad things happen. It inspires today’s conversation, shifting focus to specifically how we can help our kids process their trauma.  I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in!  Key topics in this episode:  Kimberly Haar's personal story of domestic violence and recoveryThe impact of trauma on the brain and bodyPractical steps for caregivers to support trauma healingThe importance of emotional safety and consistency for childrenThe role of faith and God's presence in healingUnderstanding triggers and the long-term healing processThe significance of patience and layered healingHow to foster a safe environment for emotional expression To learn more about Kimberly, check out her website!  Learn more about her book, “Healing from Life's Deepest Hurts: Reclaiming Your Life After Grief, Loss, or Trauma” Follow her on Facebook or Instagram  To submit your prayer requests, use this form by clicking here!  You can email me your questions about adoption and foster care at somercolbert@gmail.com.  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/

  7. Jun 23

    How to Unlearn Habits of Anxiety, Fear and Urgency

    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 identity Find 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 somercolbert@gmail.com.  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!

  8. Jun 16

    How Should Adoptive and Foster Parents Deal with Depression?

    Welcome to the Called to Love Podcast!  In this episode, I am joined by Pastor Steve Larson. Steve is the author of a new book about mental health, a book where he shares his story as a pastor who struggled with depression and felt utterly alone. As an adoptive mom, this felt incredibly relevant to me. After I brought home my adopted daughter, I struggled with post-adoption depression and immense shame from this. How could I feel like this when I was doing God’s calling? A lot of us in the foster and adoption calling can struggle with mental health and also our kids, too. That’s why I invited Steve for this honest and vulnerable conversation.   I am so glad you’ve joined me for this episode. Let’s dive in!  Key topics in this episode:  Biblical examples of mental health strugglesThe four keys to mental health: physical, mental, spiritual, relationalThe importance of vulnerability and seeking helpPractical self-care and supporting loved ones Check out Steve’s book, “The Four Keys to Mental Health: How to Feel Better, Think Clearly, and Enjoy Life Again”  Learn more about Pastor Steve on his website 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 somercolbert@gmail.com.  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!

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Whether you seek to add to your family through foster care, private domestic adoption or you are called to travel internationally, every adoption story is uniquely beautiful. Yet, each shares a common language of calling, loss, and hardship. As Christian parents we have a deep desire to love and shepherd our children well, but it can be challenging to navigate loss, trauma and how to best love and guide our adopted children. One thing is for sure, adoption is more than a process, it is an invitation to go on a holy journey with the Lord and with your family. Like any journey, there will be valleys along with mountain tops and battles along with the beauty. The good news is, what the Lord calls you to, He will equip you for. Wherever you are in your journey, Called to Love is here to bring you a weekly dose of encouragement from the practical, clinical, and Biblical perspective along with personal stories from adoptive parents, adult adoptees and advice from various experts to help your family thrive in your journey and continue to say “yes” to your own call to love. Called to Love is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

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