Opening your home to teenagers in foster care can feel scary. Not knowing what they've been through or how they will impact your family can stop you from stepping forward. Today's guest, Colleen Smith, shares…
Jami KaebAugust 26, 2019
The Forgotten Podcast
Meeting you right where you are on your foster care journey.
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Whether you’re just thinking about foster care or adoption and want to know what it’s really like or you’re in it and you need support, today’s guest, Mike Berry, offers a picture of the good,…
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When Kristy Sutton and her husband, Zach, became foster parents, they realized that life would never be the same. After finishing foster care training classes, they felt ready to enter this new role, but they…
Jami KaebAugust 12, 2019
As foster or adoptive parents, we often feel at a loss of how to help our kids process the complexity of emotions surrounding their birthparents. In today’s special edition episode, you will hear a message…
Jami KaebJuly 15, 2019
Parenting is not for the faint of heart. Understanding how to best love, teach, and correct our children is something we are continually learning. Add to that, learning to parent kids who have experienced trauma,…
Jami KaebJuly 1, 2019
The one certainty of foster care is there is no certainty. When plans change quickly, people get hurt, or you feel your heart breaking, it is easy and natural to fear. In today’s episode, Singer,…
Jami KaebJune 17, 2019
Ashley found herself caught in addiction after being first exposed to narcotic pain killers at the hospital. Because of this, her son was removed from her custody and put into foster care. Ashley’s story is…
Jami KaebJune 3, 2019
Loving a child without knowing how long they will be with you or where they will go next is painful. It is easy to feel fearful and frustrated with this lack of control and it…
Jami KaebMay 20, 2019
There are moments in life that change us forever. Pastor Tony Karnes was simply trying to prepare for a sermon series, but God had greater things in store for him AND for hundreds of kids…
Jami KaebMay 6, 2019
Foster care is a journey of love and loss, not only for the kids in care but for foster families too. In today’s episode, Kim Young of The Bair Foundation, helps us prepare for and…
Jami KaebApril 22, 2019
Foster parenting little ones presents unique challenges and joys, but what is it like to parent another parent? Jason Johnson shares his experiences and lessons learned in the journey of being a foster parent to teen…
Jami KaebApril 8, 2019
A child’s foster care journey begins with loss, loss of what they know, who they love, and all that is familiar. Grief follows right behind and exhibits itself in various ways. As a foster parent,…
Jami KaebMarch 25, 2019
Are you a foster parent, serving and loving kids in your home, but are unable to quiet the nudge in your heart to do more? Today you will hear Wendy Carlton’s journey of quiet prayer…
Jami KaebMarch 11, 2019
Parenting is not for the faint of heart. Understanding how to best love, teach, and correct our children is something we are continually learning. Add to that, learning to parent kids who have experienced trauma,…
Jami KaebFebruary 25, 2019
ADHD, ODD, RAD—these letters represent mental health diagnoses that commonly label our children in foster care. But are they accurate diagnoses for your child? What role does trauma play in your child’s behaviors? Today’s episode…
Jami KaebFebruary 11, 2019
Teenagers, Brayden and Bristol, along with their mom, Selena Whitley, speak honestly to the joys and struggles of being raised in a family who does foster care. The journey of fostering has allowed Bristol and…
Jami KaebJanuary 28, 2019
Can you imagine being the oldest of 5 biological children and having over 50 therapeutic foster siblings throughout your childhood? Rophe Mason tells her story of growing up in a fostering family; listen in as…
Jami KaebJanuary 14, 2019
Nicole Argo spent her childhood in the foster care system starting at the age of seven. She shares her story of neglect and despair in a life that was saved by God’s loving pursuit of…
Mitch NelsonDecember 17, 2018
Jamie Finn started fostering because she wanted to “rescue kids who had terrible parents.” She was immediately humbled with her first placement when she realized that she wasn’t all that different than the biological parents…
Mitch NelsonNovember 19, 2018
Peter Greer and his family have opened their home to foster care for several years and have experienced the highs and lows of all foster care entails. After several hard situations, Peter admits to being…
Mitch NelsonNovember 5, 2018
Angel Ambrose shared her story of a turbulent childhood that resulted in her playing a key role as a teen in testifying against her mother for the safety of herself and her siblings. Throughout her life, art…
Mitch NelsonOctober 22, 2018
The statistics for youth who age out of foster care receiving a college degree are extremely disheartening—fewer than 5% finish a secondary education. Royce Markley beat the odds—as a child, he was in and out…
Mitch NelsonOctober 8, 2018
Saty Cornelius grew up in a fostering family—her parents have fostered more than 50 children. She is one of seven children, including three sisters through adoption. Knowing, hearing and living the stories of some of…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 24, 2018
Anna Kathryn Ellzey knew that as a foster parent she could not share pictures, names or details of the child in her care. But that didn’t stop her from sharing a photo of him and…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 10, 2018
Foster parenting can be challenging even with a spouse, but that doesn’t mean a single person can’t or shouldn’t follow a call from God to foster. This panel discussion includes four single foster moms who…
Mitch NelsonAugust 27, 2018
Catie Lumpkin and her husband Jamie began fostering about nine years ago. At the time, they had three young sons (age 4, 2 and 1) and had been considering adoption. They had the opportunity to…
Mitch NelsonAugust 13, 2018
Kelsie Barnhart first heard about TFI and the mentoring program through a friend in the summer of 2014. She had just graduated college and was working full time, but knew she wanted to carve out…
Mitch NelsonJuly 30, 2018
Holly Miller was born into foster care and was adopted at the age of seven by the family with whom she had been in a long-term placement. The adoption conversation was always open, but she…
Mitch NelsonJuly 16, 2018
Angie Grant and her husband, Stan, have been foster parents for five years. Their third placement, a little girl, stayed in their home for two and a half years and then returned home. Although it…
Mitch NelsonJuly 2, 2018
Angel Ambrose’s home life became so unsafe when she was a teen that she testified against her mother in order to protect herself and her younger siblings from neglect and abuse. Angel shares her story…
Mitch NelsonJune 18, 2018
Father’s Day is just a few weeks away, and we wanted to highlight this great opportunity available to foster and adoptive dads! This encore of Andrew Schneidler’s interview will encourage dads and help them know…
Mitch NelsonJune 4, 2018
Nicole Argo, a pastor’s wife and mother of two, went into foster care at the age of 7, giving her a unique perspective about how it feels to be a child in care. Jenn Hook,…
Mitch NelsonApril 24, 2018
David LaFrance is an elementary school principal who readily shares his story of growing up in a broken and dysfunctional family. His story helps him relate to kids from hard places on a daily basis,…
Mitch NelsonApril 9, 2018
Drawing on his experiences with taking an intentional sabbatical, Jedd Medefind shares how our inner life and our outpouring into the lives of others are intricately interwoven—especially in in the sense that we must be…
Mitch NelsonMarch 26, 2018
Ashleigh Chapman is a preacher’s kid who found her life’s calling at the age of 11. Her parents worked at a homeless mission when a woman and her three children arrived, begging for safety from…
Mitch NelsonMarch 12, 2018
Beth Guckenberger and her husband Todd have been married more than 25 years and, between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised ten children. In addition, they also work together as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back…
Mitch NelsonFebruary 26, 2018
Jason Johnson shares highlights from his new book, Reframing Foster Care: Filtering Your Foster Parenting Journey Through the Lens of the Gospel, to encourage us, whether we are in the trenches of foster parenting, considering becoming foster…
Mitch NelsonFebruary 12, 2018
Dr. Sharen Ford of Focus on the Family and her daughter, Jennifer Rice, both have experience in the “trenches” of agency work in the foster care system. They share what it’s really like, what the…
Mitch NelsonJanuary 29, 2018
Rob Parker grew up in an abusive home and was headed for a life of ongoing generational dysfunction and abuse. Through the unconditional love of his two great aunts and the Spirit of God working…
Mitch NelsonJanuary 15, 2018
People considering foster care often worry about how their biological children will be affected by having other children come in and out of their lives. Clayton Keenon’s story will help put many of those fears…
Mitch NelsonJanuary 1, 2018
Courtney Strahm and her family didn’t know much about foster care until just a few years ago. But they became aware, and awareness led to action. Listen to Courtney’s story of how God called and…
Mitch NelsonDecember 18, 2017
Meet Wendy Carlton, a foster and adoptive mom who found joy in fostering, and in developing a meaningful relationship with her child’s biological mother. Learning more about the mother’s history helped Wendy understand the need…
Mitch NelsonDecember 4, 2017
Parents of foster and adoptive children often face additional considerations in school situations regarding the well-being of their child. Mike and Kristin Berry, adoptive parents of eight and advocates for foster care and adoption, talk…
Mitch NelsonNovember 20, 2017
Keith McAfee had a less than idyllic childhood—denied by his biological father, raised by several abusive step-fathers, made poor decisions, suffered various kinds of abuse. But one family saw through his pain and never gave…
Mitch NelsonOctober 9, 2017
Greg Cox shares the story of losing his eight children into the child welfare system due to his neglect brought about by substance abuse. The situation became a catalyst in his own life to get…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 25, 2017
Josh Shipp admits to being a hard to handle teen in foster care. He had “mastered the art” of getting kicked out of foster homes, but his life changed due to a caring adult who…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 18, 2017
Josh Shipp is an author, global youth empowerment expert and acclaimed speaker. A former at-risk foster kid who “mastered the art of getting kicked out” of foster homes, he is renowned for his documentary TV…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 11, 2017
Aurie Good is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mother of five children, two biological, one adopted from foster care and two in the process of adopting from foster care. She has developed great strategies to…
Mitch NelsonAugust 28, 2017
Jamie Grace is a Grammy nominated, Dove award-winning contemporary Christian/Christian rap musician who has big dreams and plans beyond music. Raised in a household in which her parents took in more than 25 children, she…
Mitch NelsonAugust 14, 2017
Lynne Ellis-Gray knows what it feels like to wonder about biological parents. Adopted as a baby, her parents did the “right” things by sharing her story in a positive way and made her feel chosen…
Mitch NelsonJuly 31, 2017
Jim Daly, President of Focus on the Family, shares his personal journey of being a child in foster care and explains how going through that painful time created a passion in him to work on…
Mitch NelsonJuly 17, 2017
Kirsten Smith believes her past experience prepared her for her present reality, although “nothing could fully prepare me to be the mother of nine!” She grew up with an idea of what foster care was,…
Mitch NelsonJuly 3, 2017
Scott Brown, Coordinator of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO) Aging Out Initiative, gathers success stories of organizations that are helping aging out youth and are creating solutions. Approximately 24,000 youth age out of the…
Mitch NelsonJune 19, 2017
Foster and adoptive fathers have very few resources to help them deal with the feelings and struggles that often arise when caring for children from hard places. Andrew Schneidler is trying to change that.
Mitch NelsonJune 5, 2017
Many foster and adoptive parents are unsure of the best strategy regarding when and how much information to tell a child about their background, or their “story.”
Mitch NelsonMay 22, 2017
Because caring for the orphan is a deep concern on God’s heart, Jenn Ranter wanted to provide support for these families, so that they felt loved and cared for. She founded Replanted Ministry because she…
Mitch NelsonApril 24, 2017
Molly Evans knew working with kids was what made her heart beat with excitement and purpose. In college, she interned in a DCFS (Department of Children and Family Services) office and took a class in…
Mitch NelsonApril 10, 2017
Fawn Kieser admits she was one of those parents who said with firm conviction, “I could never do foster care—I could never give them back.” But as she and her husband, Brent, took baby steps…
Mitch NelsonMarch 27, 2017
Brittany Lind and her husband, Joel, didn’t overthink the idea of becoming foster parents. Adoption was part of the church culture she experienced in college—it was preached and lived out on a regular basis. When…
Mitch NelsonMarch 13, 2017
Dr. Andrea Kane is a pediatrician whose practice includes many foster families. She shares wisdom regarding some of the common physical, mental and emotional concerns that foster families may face.
Mitch NelsonFebruary 27, 2017
Several TFI Advocates join Jami in a conversation about why they became Advocates and the benefits of being an Advocate with TFI.
Mitch NelsonFebruary 13, 2017
Jedd Medefind serves as the President of CAFO (Christian Alliance for Orphans). His biggest joy is spending time with people who are making their faith tangible by living it out and loving vulnerable kids. “Nothing…
Mitch NelsonJanuary 30, 2017
Jason Weber’s experience with working with the inner-city kids and families provided not only an invitation to foster, but also an invitation to help other followers of Christ engage in caring for kids who needed…
Mitch NelsonJanuary 16, 2017
Mary Slager will challenge your thinking about getting involved in foster care. You’re never too old to get involved somehow…and it may be that you’re called to foster children even after your own children are…
Mitch NelsonDecember 19, 2016
Chris Shandrow will encourage you to get your church involved in serving the foster care community. Chris is the Lead Pastor of Compass Church in Bloomington, Illinois. Compass was planted in 2013 with the goal…
Mitch NelsonDecember 2, 2016
Emma Williams, a woman who was in and out of several foster homes, shelters, and adoptive family situations in her life, will give you amazing insight into the sometimes hard realities facing children in foster…
Mitch NelsonNovember 21, 2016
Not everyone is called to adopt or foster, but we can all do something. Today you will learn who our nation’s orphans are, and whether you are an adoptive or foster parent in need of support…
Mitch NelsonNovember 7, 2016
Angie Ringger is a foster parent in Phoenix, Arizona. She and her husband, Mike, have fostered 11 children and have a compelling story about trusting in God’s plan and direction for life and growing in…
Mitch NelsonOctober 10, 2016
Nicole Argo is a pastor’s wife and mom of two who grew up in foster care. Nicole’s story explains the emotions and struggles children often face when in foster care. She shares how critical every…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 26, 2016
Nicole Argo is a pastor’s wife and mom of two who grew up in foster care. Her firsthand account of the emotions and struggles that face children in foster care on a regular basis will…
Mitch NelsonSeptember 11, 2016
Marla Ringger talks about what it’s like being a grandma of many, including the unique dynamic of loving and bonding with children who became part of her family through adoption and foster care. You’ll love hearing the story…
Mitch NelsonAugust 29, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover a new perspective on bio-parents and how their past influences their present and future, an engaging response to the “I could never do that” statement, and an honest look at…
Mitch NelsonAugust 15, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover what the benefits of becoming a TFI Advocate are, and how to find balance in ministry, parenting and marriage. This episode also talks about why Families Serving Families is Selena’s…
Mitch NelsonAugust 1, 2016
Gary Ringger shares his journey from young business man looking to achieve “the American dream” to now serving as an advocate for the orphaned and vulnerable child as President of Lifesong for Orphans. You will…
Mitch NelsonJuly 18, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover the story behind The Mentoring Project, why it’s important to start a mentoring program small—one step at a time, and the many benefits a mentor provides to at-risk kids.
Mitch NelsonJuly 4, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover the beauty of following God’s plan instead of our own, how foster and orphan care influence the intersection of other issues, as well as learn tips on how to prioritize…
Mitch NelsonJune 20, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover the importance of grieving infertility, the down side to “color blind” philosophy, and the value of your child’s story.
Mitch NelsonJune 7, 2016
In this episode, you’ll discover that you’re a textbook for foster care and adoption—what are people learning from you? You'll also learn new strategies for keeping your marriage and family strong—we can’t do it all.…
Mitch NelsonMay 16, 2016
In this episode with Jason Johnson, you’ll discover how to find the “perfect” time to foster or adopt, how to navigate the concern of loving a child that might leave your family, and learn a…
Mitch NelsonMay 9, 2016
Welcome to the very first episode of The Forgotten Podcast! In this episode, you’ll discover what to expect from The Forgotten Podcast, hear Jami’s story and how TFI started, as well as what adoption and…
Mitch NelsonApril 25, 2016
