Whether it’s across the world or in all four corners of her home, my guest today has over two decades of experience in the foster care and adoptive community. Beth Guckenberger lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, Todd. Together, they serve as the Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries, a nonprofit dedicated to providing comprehensive care to vulnerable children and families worldwide.
After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico, where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children. Today, Beth travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings, and church services about “reckless faith.”
In this episode, you’ll hear the power of trusting God’s plan even when things feel overwhelming, strategies for maintaining a strong marriage in the midst of demanding family responsibilities, some of the hardships and joys that come with stepping into hard places, and much more!
- Connect with Beth on her website, Instagram, or Facebook
- Back2Back Ministries
- Give to The Forgotten Initiative
- Foster Care & the Church
TAKEAWAYS FROM TODAY’S CONVERSATION:
1. Focus on the child in your care.
It is easy to get overwhelmed by how big the issues are that cause children to enter foster care. When we are feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, and like there is nothing we can do to make a difference, it’s important to focus on helping the child that is in our care. We may not be able to repair the brokenness of our world today, but we can help one child know that they are seen, safe, and loved.
“In case you get overwhelmed with the size of the problem you are facing, just do whatever you can for the one at your knee.”
2. We may not always witness the outcome.
This is especially true if you are a foster parent. We don’t always know how long our story will intersect with a child’s. We may be in their life for only a brief period of time, but for as long as they are in our care, we can have an impact. We can be making those investments into their lives that will one day blossom into a wonderful part of their story.
“Sometimes we have to follow the prompting of the Lord without seeing the return on all our investment.”
3. Learn to listen to the Lord.
There are seasons when God calls us to step into hard places, and there are seasons when He calls us to step back. In the midst of fostering, adopting, or even raising biological children, it’s not always easy to discern where He’s leading us. Over time, though, we begin to recognize His voice in unique ways. For you, it might look like you and your spouse’s hearts becoming completely aligned. For others, it may feel more like a steady, gentle pull toward something—rather than a rushed sense of urgency. Each of us learns to listen differently, and discovering how you hear from the Lord is a deeply personal part of your journey.
“It all makes a lot of sense in the peaks, but in those valleys you’ve got to keep holding on.”
Meet Our Guest
Beth Guckenberger is an author, speaker, foster and adoptive parent, and the Co-Executive Director of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from college, Beth and her husband, Todd, moved to Monterrey, Mexico, where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised eleven children. Beth is the author of sixteen books, including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings, and church services about reckless faith.
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