Today we’re diving into something that sits right at the heart of what we’re all about — relationships. As believers, we know this isn’t just a nice idea. We’re uniquely called and equipped to offer the kind of relationships that go the distance — the kind that reflect the love and faithfulness of Jesus, even when things get messy.

We’ll hear today from Amber Knowles with The Riverside Project in Houston and then Stephanie Ellison, the Foster Adoption Ministry Associate Director at Beltway Park Church in Texas. (Note: Her story is powerful, but it contains some sensitive themes that may not be ideal for younger listeners.)

Discover insights from a new US foster care and adoption survey conducted by Pinkston and the Christian Alliance for Orphans that can help us better understand what the public really thinks about foster care and what truly motivates people to get involved. Download the full report in the show notes. https://cafo.org/podcasts/more-than-enough-podcast/mtep-episode18/

In this episode, Jason talks with Ryan Skoog and Peter Greer, two of the authors of the book Lead with Prayer. We then hear from five foster care leaders, Heidi White, Shelly Radic, Rhonda Littleton, Janelle Shelton, and Andrew Holmes about how they prioritize prayer in their lives, work, and leadership, as they serve children and families all across the country.

In this episode, we imagine together what it looks like when the Church supports families even before child welfare needs to remove children from homes, as Jason talks with Clint Brauer, Jeff Chaisson, and Ariel Moore.

In our work we often have opportunities to share our personal stories — maybe from stage, maybe over coffee, or even in a grocery store aisle. However, we can’t talk for hours, and we don’t want to present a sanitized or unauthentic picture of our lives. We wonder, how can we balance the tensions between limited time and authenticity, vulnerability, and privacy? Today we are talking about telling our stories. We talk with Beth Guckenberger, an author, leader, and public speaker, about sharing stories that build connection and credibility, and still honor children’s privacy. We also talk with Tim Grissom, one of Jason’s former editors, and Mari Ramsey, a worship leader and former foster youth, about why he has chosen to travel the country, write a book, and tell his story.

Life is full of decisions. From what monopoly piece to choose to what you will be when you ‘grow up’. And when you choose a career, do you choose a future full of challenges, frustrations, and a low salary? If you choose a job in child welfare, yes.

Social workers are people who have selected a career that isn't chosen by most. By even becoming a social worker they are choosing to walk into hard situations every day, knowing they will be perceived harshly and underappreciated.

What should our response be to the social workers who have made this difficult choice? Today we talk with Rhonda Littleton, Nicole Taylor, and Joe Rogers to explore not only why we should support and encourage social workers, but what are great first steps to take when incorporating support for these vital helpers into our organizations and ministries.

Sometimes making changes in our organizations and in our families can feel a lot like wrangling goats. We worry before the changes even go into effect that they will bring anxiety and chaos - but it doesn't have to be that way. Leading people through changes doesn't have to feel like a guaranteed, chaotic, goat-rodeo.

Join us today for a conversation with Katie Casselberry, the Director of Communications for More Than Enough, about making changes - big and small - and helping the people around us embrace them.

Then, to help us all gain a little perspective on what it looks like for a state department to make changes, we talk with Gina Meier-Hummel. Gina formerly served as the Director of Children and Family Services in Kansas, and has been working on behalf of children and families for over 32 years. She has a lot to share about her experiences and shares ideas to encourage us as we come alongside child welfare workers in our own communities.

Whether you’re a foster parent attempting to build trust with the children in your home, a social worker building trust with a family, or a leader building trust among your staff, the importance of building trust in your relationships cannot be overstated.

I think we can all agree that foster care is full of hard things and hard days. We may feel like our work is full of enemies: biological families who are hurt and angry, a system that feels slow and broken, and kids we love who are struggling with hurt and trauma that feels overwhelming. How do we adjust our mindset about who we see as the enemy? And how do we love those that sometimes treat us like we're the enemy? Today we sit down with Jamie Finn, from Foster the Family, to talk about foster care, her book, and a lot of the hard moments we're all familiar with. Today we are having a conversation about how, when we face these hard things and hard relationships in foster care, scripture is always there to meet us right where we're at.

This episode is a must listen for not just foster parents but foster care leaders and advocates too.

Listening well is the vital first step in developing good relationships with donors, churches, and partners. Today we talk with Michael Mitchell, CAFO’s Director of Development and Discipleship, about listening to the beautiful birds in our own backyards and the people doing incredible work in our communities. We talk about practical ways we can all practice and grow these skills and use them to help build strong connections to those around us.