The Adoption Law Firm Podcast

Publish Date: April 21, 2021

Show Notes: Today Sam and Mary Beth McLure are pleased to welcome special guests, Ross and Joanna Hodges, to the podcast for season two.  Today we hear their amazing adoption stories.  The Hodges faced infertility as a couple, but kept saying yes to adoption.  They looked at all their adoption options and kept open hands and hearts.  Despite some very challenging circumstances, their family grew quickly through adoption and they now have four beautiful children.  

Highlights and Links:

1:20 – Ross shares his background, going to seminary and story about meeting Joanna.

3:35 – Joanna shares her background and passion for serving in the church and serving her family.  

5:00 – Ross and Joanna share the beginnings of their adoption stories.

10:07 – Hard waiting.  And then suddenly, the baby is coming.

19:15 – Things are not what they seem to be.  Hard news.

26:10 – Sam comments on where is our heart in adoption.

28:52 – Ross comments about keeping the right perspective about children and adoption

34:50 – Four stockings on the mantle – the Hodges’ family grows, and then faces more difficulties.

40:22 – Are the Hodges interested in adoption a biological sibling of one their adopted kids?

46:34 –The risk of loving an adopted child.

48:17 - Sound advice on making decisions in adoption

49:55 – Will adoption make you happy?  Sam gives some comments.

The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Did You Know You Can Place Your Embryos For Adoption? By Sam McLure

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/08/19/did-you-know-that-you-can-place-your-embryos-for-adoption/

The Adoption Law Firm Podcast

See the Video Version of this Podcast on our YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/adoptionlawfirm

Episode Title: Navigating the Foster Care System and Adoption

Publish Date: March 11, 2021

Show Notes: Today Sam and Michele talk about the background of foster care and what it’s like for parents who adopt through foster care.  Sam also dispels several myths surrounding the foster care system.  

Highlights and Links:

0:45 – Sam’s story of adoption through foster care

1:55 – What is the history of foster care – how did we get here?

6:00 – The challenges of interfacing with the foster care system.

7:00 – Getting started in foster care and training

11:27 – How does the system decide when and where a child goes in foster care?

13:28 – What are the myths that surround foster care and what is the truth?

18:30 – Foster Care bill of rights and navigating the system

19:00 – Stories and benefits of foster care adoption

Read More on our blog:

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/04/15/alabamas-new-foster-care-legislation-hb-157/

The Speece Family Adoption Story (Video)

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/12/11/the-speece-family-adoption-story/ 

The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Tags:

Foster care, fostering, affordable adoption, step-parent adoption, streamlined process, inheritance, grandparent

See the Video Version of this Podcast on our YouTube Channel:

https://www.youtube.com/user/adoptionlawfirm

Episode Title: Step-Parent/Grandparent Adoption – The Basics

Publish Date: March 4, 2021

Show Notes: Step-Parent adoption, or second-parent adoption is trending upward.  Today Sam and Michele talk about this encouraging trend.  Step-parent adoption has many similarities to other types of adoption, but there are some unique nuances.  Sam discusses what makes states like Alabama unique and how the step-parent adoption option can be a win-win for parents and children.  

Highlights and Links:

0:55 – Typical scenarios that lead to step-parent adoption.

2:40 – Motivations behind step-parent adoption, rights and benefits and honoring relationships.

5:30 – Step parent adoption is a streamlined process.

6:27 – Two types of consent for step-parent adoption. Alabama adoption laws. 

8:00 – Why is it important to have legal representation for adoption in general?

10:32 – Why you want an adoption lawyer to represent you in adoption.  

Read More on our blog:

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/domesticadoption/stepparent-grandparent-adoption/

The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Tags:

affordable adoption, step-parent adoption, streamlined process, inheritance, grandparent

Episode Title: Special Guest: Bethany Garth on Treating Birth Parents with Love and Respect

Publish Date: Feb 25, 2021

Show Notes: Today we are going to be talking to Bethany Garth, Executive Director of the First Choice Women's Medical Center in Montgomery, Alabama. First Choice’s mission is to reach abortion-vulnerable members of the community in the name of Christ to make life their first choice.  Today Michele and Bethany talk about the wide range of services First Choice offers and about loving and treating birth parents with respect.  

Highlights and Links:

0:55 – Bethany talks about the wide range of services offered by First Choice Women’s Medical Center.

4:50 – First Choice provides nurse consultations and medical services such as ultrasound.  

7:53 – Pregnancy Resource Centers are non-profits.  How can people support them?

8:57 – Treating Birth parents with dignity and respect is a high value.   What does First Choice do to build up birth parents and listen to their story and support their decisions?

10:47 – Being pro-life is not just about the baby.  First Choice is about pro ABUNDENT life and seeks to support parents in making life decisions to either be parents or follow an adoption plan. 

First Choice Women’s Medical Center

https://supportfirstchoice.org/ 

The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Episode Title: How to Care Well For Birth Parents
Publish Date: February 18, 2021

Show Notes -

Here at the Adoption Law Firm, we treasure and deeply care for birth parents, their situations, and their rights.  We make it a point to never forget all that they have done to carry their child and follow an adoption plan for their child.  Today, Sam and Michele talk about why honoring birth parents is so important. 

Highlights and Links: 

1:00 – The real pain about not caring for birth parents well.

4:48 – Birth moms are not “producers” and Helping vs. Enabling.

7:09 – Making informed/educated decisions

8:25 – In some cases, are we jumping to adoption too soon?

14:48 – What can pregnancy resource centers do love birth mothers and educate about adoption plans?

Blog: “An Open Letter to A Chinese Birth Mom”
https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2021/01/22/an-open-letter-to-a-chinese-birth-mom/

Book: The End of Orphan Care 
by Samuel J. McLure
Amazon Kindle or Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Show Notes:

Episode Title: History of Adoption and the Biblical Basis for Orphan Care

Publish Date: Feb 10-11, 2021

Do you know much about the long history of adoption and orphan care?  If you have a copy of Oliver Twist or any of those other literary classics you are off to a good start.  While there may not be libraries on this topic from church history, it has always been a significant issue.  What do scriptures have to say about how to treat orphans?  Join Sam and Michele as they look at excerpts from Sam’s book on the topic and talk candidly about their own adoption journeys.  

Show Notes - Highlights and Links: 

2:21 – Adoption exists because we live in a broken world. 

3:56 – The Earliest Historical Mention of Orphan in the book of Job

6:09 – Adoption isn’t mentioned in the Bible, but God’s people have always cared for at-risk, abused and neglected children.  (James 1:27)

8:54 – A Pakistan Family Adoption Story – working with international adoption law.

10:50 – The Doctrine of Adoption – The Spiritual Example

12:17  – Introduction - Excerpts from The End of Orphan Care

14:14  – How the Early Church Was thinking about orphan care

17:46 - The Practice of Abortion during the early Church years.

** Trigger Warning ** 17:46 – 22:17 Contains difficult subject matter including descriptions of abortion practices in history and in modern times for stem cells.

22:17 - Early church response to the abortion industry.

23:43 – Modern-day response to adoption of special needs children.

24:35 – George Mueller’s response to orphans

26:34 – Why Aren’t More Christians Aware of Adoption and Orphan Care?

33:18 – Adoption Soap Boxes and closing thoughts

The End of Orphan Care by Samuel J. McLure

Amazon Kindle or Paperback

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692552790/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_JK5NGK1NYJ267HTDB2YE

Blog Post: Evangelism in Orphan Care and The Work of The Holy Spirit

February 25, 2020  

by Sam McLure

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/02/25/evangelism-in-orphan-care-and-the-work-of-the-holy-spirit/

Show Notes:

Transracial Adoption

Today, Sam and Michele talk about the many challenges and blessings of Transracial Adoption.

http://www.theadoptionfirm.com/internationaladoption/overview/

Sign Up for Our Free Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/theadoptionfirm.com/website-main-signup-form

0:40 – Two Main Challenges of Transracial Adoption

3:43 – Michele’s Transracial Adoption Story

5:15 – How about how the child feels about their adopted family / new culture?

6:50 – Processing your child’s questions about their background – Sam’s story.

8:20 – A influential book by Russel D. Moore, “Adopted For Life”  https://www.russellmoore.com/books/adopted-for-life/

Foster-Care Adoption

Children are placed into foster care as a result of such circumstances as physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and abandonment.  The state’s primary objective is to reunite the children with their biological parents.  However, when these efforts fail, the state will initiate a process called Termination of Parental Rights (TPR).  60 to 75% of the children in foster care have gone or will go through the TPR process, thereby becoming eligible for adoption.

550 children were adopted from foster care in 2010 and approximately 570 children are currently available for adoption from the Alabama state foster care system.

Today, Sam and Michele talk about the many facets of Foster Care.  

https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/domesticadoption/foster-care-adoption/ 

www.TheAdoptionFirm.com

4:00 George Mueller, Orphan Care

6:30 Good Support Systems in Place

8:20 The “Wrap-a-round” team model of Foster Care

9:10 TIPS Trauma Informed Pre-Service (Trauma Informed Care) 

9:45 Home study process

10:00 Lifeline Children’s Services (National)
https://lifelinechild.org/ 

Heart Gallery Alabama
https://heartgalleryalabama.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/adoptuskids

14:12 What about special needs?

16:30 The Speece Family Adoption Story:
https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2020/12/11/the-speece-family-adoption-story/ 

Additional Resource:
https://www.theadoptionfirm.com/2019/11/01/foster-parent-bill-of-rights/

What rights do birth parents have?  Do they come to the court hearings?  What about the financial needs of the birth parents?  Can the adoptive parents help birth parents?  When does a birth parent sign consent?  All of these are important considerations, and today, Sam answers those questions and more. 

Do you need to be wealthy to adopt a child?   Do you need to go into debt to adopt?  What are the true costs of adoption and what are the ways to cover those costs?  In this episode of the Adoption Law Firm Podcast  we talk about all the exciting ways prospective parents can fund adoption and cover the costs associated with fulfilling their dreams of caring for a child who needs a forever home.   Whether it's domestic or international, there are so many ways to supplement adoption.  

Show Notes:

www.TheAdoptionFirm.com

Resources Mentioned: 

Title:  You Can Adopt Without Debt: Creative Ways to Cover the Cost of Adoption
Author:  Julie  Gumm
Website: http://www.juliegumm.com/