Fostering our Faith

Carrie O’Toole, M.A. is an Attachment-Based Intervention Specialist, Board Certified Christian Life Coach, Certified Crisis Responder, and founder of Carrie O’Toole Ministries. Carrie uses her coaching, writing, speaking, podcasting, and documentary film to help others overcome issues related to attachment, trauma, and grief. The O’Toole family adopted a child from a Vietnamese orphanage at the age of 3 ½.  Even with state-mandated training on attachment, and a previous adoption, Carrie admits they were totally unprepared to raise a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). After 8 years of therapy, special education, prayer, surgeries, and hospitalization, they made the heart-wrenching decision to place their son with a family from their church. Carrie is the author of Relinquished: When Love Means Letting Go, and producer of the documentary film Forfeiting Sanity. carrieotoole.com

Caitlyn is a foster and adoptive mom who has a heart for seeing communities mobilized and equipped to serve vulnerable people. She is passionate about advocating for and supporting children and families in the foster care system. Caitlyn has been married to her best friend for five years and enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time outdoors. Her love for adventure and exploration is matched only by her desire to make a difference through her work as a foster and adoptive parent. becomingbaten.my.canva.site

Allison Ezelle of Dwell Sleep Pediatrics is a certified sleep specialist. She is a biological, foster and adoptive mother who humbly admits that the reason that she started this journey was because she recognized an issue with her child's sleep and couldn't find the answers within her medical community. This sent her on a a quest that has given her an incredible amount of wisdom for her journey (and now ours)! Listen in as she shares some GREAT information on the number one talked about topic.....SLEEP! Website: https://www.dwellpediatricsleep.com/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dwellpediatricsleep/

Mischelle Saunders-Gottsch is the CEO/Founder of Altered Stories Ministry and Podcast Host of the Altered Stories Show. She is a wife to Mark, mother to her adult daughter, Tawny, Gigi to Bentley Rose, aunt, friend, speaker, ministry and business leader and is passionate about helping women to share their God stories to help women overcome their struggles. Alteredstories.org

With this beautifully illustrated set of series, author Holly Marlow leads you and your child into a world of deeper understanding of their story. With easy to digest words and scenarios, we see how deeply loved the child is, the support system around them, and why safety issues can bring a child into care. You will see not only the support around the child, but the birth family as well, and the wisdom needed from social workers and even the court to keep the child safe. Holly does all of this important work, while struggling with daily pain from fibromyalgia. Join us from the UK in this wonderful conversation! Learn more about Holly and https://hollymarlow.com/

Josie Anderson, is first a believer, and also a wife, foster mother, nurse practitioner, and marketing manager. She was first introduced to foster care as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and family nurse practitioner before becoming a foster parent with her husband, Brooks. She is the face behind Foster The Valley, an online community designed to educate on topics such as child development, foster care, and the importance of faith. https://www.instagram.com/fosterthevalley/

As a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Tara has many years of experience working with mothers and collaboratingwith community partners to improve neonatal outcomes and provide better support for mothers in recovery from opioid use disorders. As a nurse of over 27 years, she has cared for many babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and has become an expert in treating them and their families. She has also been able to be a preceptor to staff and students over the years and has been a source of education for many individuals in communities.Listen as she tells her INCREDIBLE story of how Hush A Bye Nursery came to be.

Leading international foster care expert, consultant, and TED Talk speaker, John Degarmo He the author of several foster care books, including the new book, “The Little Book of Foster Care Wisdom: 365 Days of Inspiration and Encouragement for Foster Care Families”, The best selling book,  “Faith and Foster Care”, as well as the foster care children's book,  “A Different Home: A New Foster Child's Story”.  He is the director of The Foster Care Institute, and acts as a consultant to foster care agencies as well as an expert witness to legal agencies across the USA and globe. Dr. DeGarmo and his wife are the recipients of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award,  and the Up With People Every Day Hero Award.  The two also were honored with their city's Citizens of the Year Award. Dr. DeGarmo has also been honored with a Hero of the Homeless award, the Olivet College Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as an Exceptional People Recipient. Website: https://www.drjohndegarmofostercare.com/home.html. Books: https://www.drjohndegarmofostercare.com/store/c2/Books_.html

Jessi graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S. in Child Development & Pre-Health with Minors in Psychology and Religious Studies. Jessi has formerly worked for Ventura County CFS and for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Jessi was also the first Resident Director, or host parent, in the James Storehouse Transitional Home to four teen girls aging out of foster care (ages 18-22), mentoring and assisting them as they transition into independent adulthood. As Associate Director, Jessi provides foresight and leadership for the organization's continued growth to best meet the growing needs in serving the community in new, creative ways. Jessi’s work includes planning and executing large events, public speaking, communication with donors and volunteers, website and social media management, integration of a trauma-informed approach, and daily interface with clients. Jessi’s life passion is for foster care, specifically with advocacy at the policy level to help end the multi-generational cycle of foster care. https://www.jamesstorehouse.org/

Adoption, foster care, and advocacy were not part of Jami's dreams for her life, but God changed her heart when He made her aware and she is passionate about helping others become aware too! She, and her husband Clint, are parents to their seven children (five through adoption). Jami is also the Founder and Executive Director of The Forgotten Initiative, host of The Forgotten Podcast, and Author of the "Who Loves" book series. Website: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/ SocialMedia: https://www.facebook.com/forgotteninitiative, https://www.instagram.com/theforgotteninitiative/, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCV2PhzNzxlSCWgLr5ImcTRA Books: https://www.wholovesseries.org/

Paul Hastings is an award-winning podcaster, filmmaker, speaker, and entrepreneur. He is the host of "Compelled", a podcast sharing unique stories about God transforming Christians around the world. His work has been featured by Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, World Magazine, American Family Association, and more. Paul, his wife, and their three children live near Austin, Texas and attend Redemption Hill Church.

Jillana Goble is a speaker, author, and advocate. Together with her husband, Luke, she parents five children ranging in age from preteen to young adult. Jillana is the founder of an unprecedented initiative that has turned into a statewide movement called Every Child Oregon. In 2019, she published No Sugar-Coating , a book with practical suggestions and insight for prospective foster parents. She’s passionate about getting the faith community—as well as the community at large—to link arms with the state’s overburdened child welfare system to uplift vulnerable children in foster care and those who serve them.

Natalie is a 2 time adoptive mother, whose son's diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder led her on a journey she didn't see coming.  Listen in as she tells us all about how she became an author, advocate, leader of an online community of people affected by FASD, and the host of an award winning podcast.  . FASD Hope - anywhere you find your podcastsFASD United -https://fasdunited.org/FASCETSFetal Alcohol Spectrum Consultation, Education and Training Serviceshttps://fascets.org/Justice for Orphans -https://www.justicefororphansny.org/FASD Training through Justice for orphanshttps://www.justicefororphansny.org/fasdHope for the FASD Journey Community -https://www.justicefororphansny.org/hope-communityBooks -"Trying Differently Rather Than Harder: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders" by Diane Malbinhttps://a.co/d/blHwBiq"Blazing New Homeschool Trails: Educating and Launching Teens with Developmental Disabilities" by Natalie Vecchione and Cindy LaJoyhttps://a.co/d/8njryzB"Guided Growth: Educational and Behavioral Interventions for Children and Teens with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Early Trauma" by Ira J. Chasnoff, MD and Ronald J. Powell, PhDhttps://www.ntiupstream.com/guided-growth-about-the-bookhttps://www.ntiupstream.com/books/guided-growth

 Ever consider foster care?  How about adoption?  Maybe you are a kinship parent who had mere hours to decide if you wanted to parent a child or sibling group.  James 1:27 tells the local church to be involved in all of the scenarios. Our guests will encourage you on your journey and build your faith with their lived experience.  Season 1.....coming soon!!!