In this episode, Jenn is joined by Birjan Crispin, the Deputy Director of the Good Citizen Project with the Indiana Family Institute, where they talk about his story of adoption and the best ways for Christians to be good citizens, promoting what is best for human flourishing.Learn more at https://www.goodcitizen.us/ and follow Birjan at https://www.instagram.com/birjancrispin98/-------------------------Bio: Born in Ruse, Bulgaria and adopted at the age of two, Birjan brings a powerful and personal narrative to the world of public policy, leadership, and faith. Raised in Wheaton, Illinois, and a graduate of Hope College with degrees in Business (Finance) and Political Science, Birjan’s story-rooted in resilience and redemption-connects deeply with audiences across the country. With formative experience in the Indiana House of Representatives as a legislative aide and Indiana Family Institute as a policy analyst, along with his experience as a graduate of The Heritage Foundation’s Leadership Academy, The Leadership Institute’s Young Leaders Program, Indiana Family Institute’s Hoosier Leadership Series Class of 2024 and his current service as Deputy Director of The Good Citizen Project, Birjan brings a passionate perspective on issues of culture, theology & policy today. Birjan and his wife, Brooke, live in Anderson, Indiana, where they are active members of Grace Baptist Church. Beyond policy and politics, Birjan is a classical violinist and avid golfer, bringing a creative and thoughtful presence to every stage.

In this episode, we sit down with Phil and Melody to talk about Family Preservation Ministries and their upcoming UNSHAKABLE 2026 Conference. Their mission is clear: to protect, preserve, and strengthen families through the local church—helping people before they reach crisis or end up in the foster care and adoption system.

Grounded in the Gospel, this ministry is church-driven, professionally supported, financially healthy, and deeply collaborative. Through coaching, advocacy, and networking, they empower ministries to proclaim the Gospel, equip churches, steward resources wisely, and model generosity—all while making collaboration simple and effective.

Learn more about this organization and their upcoming event at https://upstreamcollab.org/

Bios:

Melody Marshall is the Co-Executive Director of My Village Ministries, a local initiative focused on family preservation, and the Co-Executive Director of Upstream Collaborative, a nationwide network of family preservation ministries. After receiving a B.S. in Human Development and Family Science, Melody has pursued work that aligns with God’s calling to serve vulnerable families.

Melody’s professional journey has spanned various roles, from house parent for at-risk teens to paraprofessional for children with special needs. Her experiences have shaped her unwavering dedication to the marginalized, the orphan, and the widow. Guided by a deep faith, Melody has seen God’s hand at work in her life, leading her to a clear calling to mobilize the Church to preserve socially isolated families in crisis, helping them build sustainable support systems and pathways to healing.

Phil Krause is happily married to his wife, Erin, of 16 years and a father of 4 lively kids, living in Columbus, Ohio. He has almost 20 years of experience serving vulnerable families/children, including being a foster, adoptive, and host parent. He is currently the Co-Executive Director of My Village Ministries out of central Ohio, where they seek to accomplish family preservation through biblical hospitality. He also serves as the Co-Executive Director of Upstream Collaborative, which is a national collaborative that seeks to further equip family preservation ministries to protect, preserve, and strengthen families through the local church. Additionally, Phil has served as an elder for 4 years at Awaken Church in Columbus, Ohio.

You'll enjoy this conversation with Maddie! Check out her bio below and go follow her on Tiktok!

"My name is Maddie, and I am a 22-year-old recent college graduate. I consider myself to be a Pro-Life activist. I was raised in a Christian-Conservative home, so my worldview has been wholly shaped bythe authority of Scripture. God has placed the desire in my heart to advocate against abortion and for all humans, preborn and born alike, tohave equal protection under the law. I refuse to be silent on the injustice being committed against the Imago Dei.

In His sovereign plan, God has given me a unique perspective on the sanctity of life as it relates to IVF. My brother and I were both conceived through the process of IVF. When I became informed on the ethical horrors of IVF, I wrestled with what that meant about my own existence and how I could reconcile that with my Pro-Life convictions."

Check out more:

-- https://grtl.org/i-am-an-ivf-survivor-why-being-pro-ivf-is-not-pro-life/

-- https://www.tiktok.com/@that.conservative.girl

Colson Center’s John Stonestreet joins the Them Before Us podcast to discuss the new documentary Truth Rising. The film explores the rise of Western Civilization, the profound impact it has had on human history, why it’s now at risk, and what we can do to preserve it. TBU’s Katy Faust is also featured in the film. Truth Rising premieres September 5—don’t miss it!------------------

John Stonestreet serves as president of the Colson Center. He’s a sought-after speaker and author on areas of faith and culture, theology, worldview, education and apologetics. John is the daily voice of Breakpoint, the nationally syndicated commentary on the culture founded by the late Chuck Colson. He has co-authored five books including A Practical Guide to Culture and Restoring All Things. Before coming to the Colson Center in 2010, John served in various leadership capacities with Summit Ministries and was on the biblical studies faculty at Bryan College (TN). John is an ordained deacon in the Anglican Diocese of All Nations (Anglican Church of North America). He and his wife, Sarah, have four children and live in Colorado Springs, CO.

Stephanie Gray Connors is a leading voice in the pro-life movement, known for her remarkable ability to explain the ethics of life from womb to tomb in a way that is clear, practical, and easy to apply. She shares how her professional work has shaped her personal conversations, why both IVF and abortion violate the pro-life ethic, and her own story of marrying and starting a family later in life. Explore her links to learn more about her work."Connors is a seasoned and international speaker, originally from Canada, who began presenting at the age of 18. She has given over 1,000 pro-life presentations over two decades across North America as well as in Scotland, England, Ireland, Austria, Latvia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Costa Rica.  She has spoken at many post-secondary institutions such as Yale University, George Washington University, and the University of California, Berkeley...

Stephanie is author of the books On IVF (previously published as Conceived by Science: Thinking Carefully and Compassionately about Infertility and IVF), My Body for You: A Pro-Life Message for a Post-Roe World, On Assisted Suicide (previously published as Start with What: 10 Principles for Thinking about Assisted Suicide), and Love Unleashes Life: Abortion & the Art of Communicating Truth.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UBC in Vancouver, and a Certification, with Distinction, in Health Care Ethics, from the NCBC in Philadelphia."Her website: https://loveunleasheslife.com

Her google talk: https://youtu.be/DzzfSq2DEc4?feature=shared

Today, Jenn is joined by Chelsey Painter Davis, "whose viral videos have broken the ice on disability and shattered stereotypes through her shockingly relatable humor, breath-catching stories, and vivacious charm.Growing up a survivor of in-vitro fertilization, Chelsey has never been afraid to question modern preconceptions surrounding reproductive healthcare. She lost her vision due to birth control pills she was pressured to take when she was only 19 years old and started sharing her story publicly in 2019. Then when her son was targeted for abortion after a prenatal diagnosis in 2021, she took on the mantle of ProLife speaker to share his survival story. Now, Chelsey travels across the country enrapturing audiences through her versatile storytelling, raw vulnerability, and exceptional courage as she shares her gripping journey from pain to purpose."We hope you're encouraged by this story. Check out her website to learn more! https://www.chelseypainterdavis.com/

In this episode, Jenn has a conversation with Mirjam from the Netherlands. Share this story if you know someone who has struggled with loss and infertility. Check out her full bio and website below:My name is Mirjam and I'm married to Ido. We live in the southwest of the Netherlands. I was 38 when we got married. I always wanted to become a mother. In my thirties I decided to trust God for a man and children. After a miscarriage, I became pregnant again with our daughter, Rachel. She was born with a chromosome abnormality trisomy 13. After her death I wrote a book about her life; Her name is Rachel. Because of everything we went through with Rachel, I knew: I want to do something for the unborn life. I founded a pro-life organization; Powerful Woman. I occasionally give presentations at HBO Midwifery programs and organize pro-life meetings for Christians to inspire them about the biblical view of the unborn.

In his second time on the Them Before Us podcast, Professor Robert P. George shared about his new book: "Seeking Truth & Speaking Truth: Law and Morality in our Cultural Moment." In his decades as a professor, George has taught between 8,000-10,000 students in the Ivy Leagues and hopes this resource will shift our culture back to reason and truth seeking instead of emotionalism.

Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Things-Through-Morality-Culture/dp/1641774215

Check out Episode #019, where Professor George lays out "natural law" and why it matters for children: https://open.spotify.com/episode/06Gx9TRXzF2De8sLlXLOUM?si=6kON-jD-SJ2EcW2d4sRcdQ&nd=1&dlsi=7ce62b7944e746f1

Bio: Robert P. George is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. He has served as chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and before that on the President’s Council on Bioethics and as a presidential appointee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He has also served as the U.S. member of UNESCO’s World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST). He is a former Judicial Fellow at the Supreme Court of the United States, where he received the Justice Tom C. Clark Award. A graduate of Swarthmore College, he holds J.D. and M.T.S. degrees from Harvard University and the degrees of D.Phil., B.C.L., D.C.L., and D.Litt. from Oxford University. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard Law School and is a member of the American Academy of Sciences and Letters and the Council on Foreign Relations.

In this episode, Jenn interviews Let Them Live co-founder Emily Berning about how the organization is giving practical support to women who feel they don't have any other choice but abortion. Emily also shares the journey she and her husband have been on with embryo adoption.

Subcribe to our substack to get more resources to equip you for these sorts of conversations with your family and friends: www. thembeforeus.substack.com

Bio: "Emily Berning is the President and Co-Founder of Let

Them Live, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to saving lives

from abortion by providing financial and emotional

support to women facing unplanned or difficult

pregnancies. She has been active in the pro-life

movement for many years, driven by a deep passion for

empowering women to choose life through compassion

and practical help.

Let Them Live began when Emily and her husband,

Nathan, stepped in to support a woman who was

considering abortion due to financial hardship. That single

act of generosity changed the course of a life—and

sparked a nationwide movement. Since then, Let Them

Live has helped nearly 1,000 women choose life for their

babies by addressing the real-life pressures that often

lead to abortion."

Check out https://letthemlive.org for more information!

Jenn interviews Maridel Sandberg, the President and Founder of Together for Good, a national nonprofit launched in 2017 to partner with the local church in supporting vulnerable families before a crisis leads to separation.

If we can get to moms who need support before their children get involved in the government system, think how many lives could be positively changed! This was a great conversation and a great place to get involved.

More info below:

https://www.tfgood.org/

Full Bio: With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Maridel has devoted her career to family preservation, adoption advocacy, and strengthening community-based responses to family crisis. She is a founding member of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), a national coalition committed to inspiring and equipping the Church to care for orphans and vulnerable children. Maridel has been instrumental in advancing faith-based solutions to child welfare challenges on both local and national levels. Maridel attended Northwestern University and has continued her education through decades of hands-on leadership, organizational development, and training in trauma-informed care and community mobilization. Her personal journey as a mother of eight—three biological and five adopted through the loving decisions of birth mothers—fuels her passion for standing alongside parents who choose to raise their children but lack the support systems they need to succeed.

Under Maridel’s leadership, Together for Good has become a trusted partner in the effort to reduce child welfare involvement and promote long-term family stability. She continues to lead with humility, vision, and a deep sense of gratitude for the opportunity to work together—for the good of children, the good of families, and the good of our communities.