By Upwardly Dependent
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The podcast currently has 35 episodes available.
This episode may be the most spiritually rich conversation to date on the Upwardly Dependent podcast. Dr. Krish Kandiah, and Officer of the British Empire and long-time advocate for refugees and orphans, shares incredible stories and deep reflections from his love for God’s word.
As the last guest in this series on Orphans and Vulnerable Children, you will be sure to find a renewed passion for not only neighboring well, but also for resting in the love of a Creator who pursues you, as well. There aren’t appropriate words to describe the impact this conversation could have on you, so just go ahead and give it a listen.
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Lauren was first introduced to Nick and Whitney Runyon a decade ago, and was drawn to their videography and storytelling across the globe. Both the Pinkstons and the Runyons entered into their own adoption journeys soon after, and as Lauren’s mind has expanded on the issue of orphan care, so has the work and advocacy of the Runyon’s organization, The Archibald Project.
In this conversation, Lauren and Nick meet for the first time. Nick warmly normalizes the growth process attached to complex issues, and graciously invites others to be courageous in their own evolution, as well. After listening to this conversation, you’ll be sure to want to explore the resources linked below.
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As Lauren says again and again, if you want to see less human trafficking in the USA, start by surrounding vulnerable families while children are young. The majority of domestic trafficking cases involve children who have aged out of or who have interacted with the U.S. foster system.
Lauren was eager to interview Sarah because of her extensive experience in family advocacy. This conversation turned vulnerable and introspective quickly, as Sarah and Lauren both shared their journeys of waking up to their own misunderstandings about what children need to thrive, as well as their grief over the lack of evolution and learning within the American church.
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Episode Highlights
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Kayla and Lauren have been online friends for 10 years, writing and mothering in similar spaces. This conversation takes a deep dive into the relationships parents have with others who mothered our children both before and after they joined our families. Kayla writes heartfelt prayers for parents who are in need of a ministry of words in seasons of deep grief or spiritual dryness. Her top-rated Substack newsletter offers weekly breath prayers, playlists, and encouragement for raising safe and whole families.
Kayla is also the author of “Every Season Sacred” and “To Light Their Way.” With a background in journalism, she hopes to bring curiosity and compassion to how she shows up not only as a writer and podcaster but also as a neighbor, friend, and parent. She considers herself a contemplative extrovert and is the creator of the popular Liturgies for Parents Instagram and Podcast. Her wonder-shaped writing has been featured in a vast array of books, devotionals, and Bible studies. She lives in a former convent with her pastor husband, four kids, and two dogs in her Iowa hometown.
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Episode Highlights
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Links
Think Orphan - Learn more and listen to the podcast
Emmaus House - Learn more about their work with orphaned youth in Haiti
Kayla’s Personal InstagramLiturgies for Parents Instagram
Liturgies for Parents Podcast - Tune into Kayla’s podcast for a moment of peace in the chaos of life.
“Every Season Sacred” - Reflections, Prayers, And Invitations To Nourish Your Soul
And Nurture Your Family Throughout The Year
“To Light Their Way” - A Collection of Prayers & Liturgies for Parents
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Once you see how institutionalizing children can be harmful to their development, how do you continue to be involved with the care of orphans and vulnerable children? Brent Phillips, CEO and Programs Manager at Cherish Uganda, shares how this organization has evolved over the years to best center families within their care strategy. Brent speaks candidly and truthfully about the unique challenges of this transition, and how the posture of programming organizations is critical to the success of marginalized communities.
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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It is critical to center the voices of lived experience experts in any human rights conversation. This episode is sure to give you pause at different moments, as David Sanon shares his experience growing up in a boarding school in Haiti, where American donors sponsored his education. After meeting Steph DeLuca Robinson and other trusted partners, he found an opportunity to lead and develop his fellow Haitians into independent, sustainable solutions that promoted their freedom from foreign money.
If you are currently sponsoring an ‘orphan’ or an ‘orphanage’ somewhere in the world, don’t listen to this episode unless you are open to having your perspective rattled by the childhood experience of institutionalized care.
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Konbit Haiti's Website
Eric Gott began working with kids who hold difficult narratives as a play therapist in Nashville, Tennessee. He then became a foster dad, and after 3.5 years of courtroom appointments, he and his wife, Leah, became the legal parents of four young children. Eric now serves as a Children’s Minister in Birmingham, Alabama, where he has brought trauma-infused thought to the way the church creates inclusive spaces for kids who may need help regulating emotions and behaviors. And, you’ll hear him admit that their new sensory room is a huge hit for adults who may need a change of scenery, too.
In this episode, you’ll hear how one therapist’s philosophies of best practice were challenged when his home also needed to become a therapeutic environment, and how the ways his commitment to his children has been infused into the ways he perceives holistic care for vulnerable kids. Whether you are a therapist, a parent, a church member, or simply a curious listener, you are SURE to take tangible wisdom from this conversation.
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Episode Highlights
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Jamie Finn is no stranger to the attachment journey for children and families. Having shared her life as a foster mother for a decade, Jamie knows the beauty and the sorrow of loving kids with difficult beginnings. In this episode, you’ll hear Jamie share the ways her heart posture has changed over the years. If you’re considering becoming a foster parent, if you’re currently walking through the attachment journey yourself, or if you’d like to learn how to better support families wrapped up in the foster system, this episode is for you!
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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In a law-oriented society like the United States, it is critical to engage legal professionals who frame our understanding of adoption and foster care policies in the field of child advocacy. Elizabeth Kirk, who holds a doctorate in law from Notre Dame, is passionate about adoption policy because of the way her own life started and the way she and her husband have grown their family. As a leading voice in both the legal community and the Catholic pro-life movement, Dr. Kirk sheds light on the interpretation of abortion legislation and the way forward after the Dobbs decision.
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Episode Highlights
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Dr. Nicholas Darby obtained his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alabama School of Medicine and is a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He is a managing partner of Florence Medical Associates, where he practices primary care in Florence, Alabama. He served as chief resident during his time at Cahaba-UAB Family Medicine Residency and has also enjoyed roles as a clinical professor for nurse practitioner and medical students.
Dr. Darby and his wife are passionate advocates for embryo adoption and the responsible use of assisted reproductive technology after being blessed with their daughter through embryo adoption. This episode will provide technical language around embryo adoption, advanced reproductive technologies, and Christian frameworks for these conversations.
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Episode Highlights
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For more information, details, and episode transcriptions, visit upwardlydependent.com/shownotes.
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Links
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Connect with Lauren
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The podcast currently has 35 episodes available.
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