Episode 301: Finding Sacred Rest (w/ Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith)

In this episode of The Forgotten Podcast, host Jami Kaeb welcomes Chris and Alicia Johnson to discuss caring for and prioritizing marriage during seasons of crisis and hard foster care placements. Chris, Vice President of Church Engagement at Lifeline Children’s Services, and Alicia, a former pastor’s wife and teacher, share their journey of raising ten children (seven adopted from foster care) and fostering over forty kids. They open up about the immense strain that taking in high-needs teenagers and sibling groups placed on their household, their co-parenting dynamic, and their marriage.

The Johnsons discuss the emotional weight, trauma, and spiritual warfare involved in foster care and adoption, explaining how intense seasons bring existing marital gaps to the surface. Through personal anecdotes, they detail how they learned to navigate seasons of chaos by shifting from accusatory language to vulnerable “I feel” statements, establishing simple grounding habits, and protecting daily time for connection. They emphasize that maintaining a strong, unified marriage serves as a vital safety net that removes anxiety for children who have already experienced profound disruption and loss.

Chris and Alicia also address overcoming the guilt parents feel when taking time away from their children, pointing out that modeling a healthy, loving, and forgiving marriage is one of the greatest gifts caregivers can give. They encourage listeners to lean into intentional Christian community, accept support from others without shame, and maintain an eternal perspective through life’s hardest trials, offering a powerful reminder that fighting for a marriage is always worth the effort.

About the Guest

Chris and Alicia Johnson have been married for 31 years and are parents to 10 children (seven adopted through foster care) and grandparents to two children adopted through foster care. Chris serves as the Vice President of Church Engagement at Lifeline Children’s Services, bringing over two decades of pastoral experience and previous service as Executive Director of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith and Community-Based Initiatives. Alicia has served as a pastor’s wife, teacher, mentor, and special advisor to the First Lady of Kentucky. Together, they have fostered over 40 children and are passionate advocates for supporting families and vulnerable children.

In This Episode

• The unique challenges and emotional weight of bringing high-needs teenagers and sibling groups into the home.
• Recognizing spiritual warfare and how hardship brings underlying marital gaps to the surface.
• Practical communication strategies for spouses, including using “I feel” statements to prevent defensiveness.
• The vital role of community support and avoiding the trap of trying to manage crisis seasons alone.

Resources + Links

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Foster Parents, check with your agency to see if listening to this podcast will count toward your foster care training hours!