In this episode of Give An Account, I have the privilege of sitting down with Linda Dahnke, former superintendent of Bradenton Christian School, for a conversation that is especially meaningful to me—and a little bit of a time capsule.
Why? Because this was the very first episode of Give An Account ever recorded. Before there was a polished format, a clear structure, or much of a plan for what I was even doing, there was a dining room, a microphone, and a whole lot of figuring it out as we went. The sound quality may remind you that we were definitely amateurs, and the questioning and structure were… let's just say, a work in progress. 😂
But what makes this episode special is that Linda was willing to take a risk on me before there was any proof of what this podcast could become. I am deeply honored and grateful that she said yes and trusted me enough to be the very first guest.
Linda served as superintendent of BCS during a significant season of change, and she deserves tremendous credit for helping propel the school toward many of the changes that have contributed to the positive, encouraging breath of fresh air we are experiencing across our campus and among our staff today. Her leadership helped lay groundwork that continues to bear fruit.
In our conversation, Linda shares her own story of faith, including the journey of finding contentment in singleness and learning to trust the Lord with the deepest desires of her heart. She beautifully shares how God answered that desire by blessing her with Shelby through adoption—a testimony that is both deeply personal and a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness.
Throughout Linda's story, we see threads of change, surrender, stepping out in faith, and trusting that God is always up to something good—even when we can't see what He is doing yet.
Whether you're a teacher, administrator, leader, coach, mom, single, or simply someone who loves a beautiful story of adoption and God's faithfulness, this episode is for you.
And while you may hear the humble beginnings of Give An Account in every dining-room echo and slightly unstructured question, you'll also hear something much more important: a story of a faithful God working through seasons of uncertainty, change, and courageous steps of faith.
