Champions for Family

What would your life look like if you grew up a victim of abuse and were surrounded by people who didn’t believe in you? What could change if you were suddenly surrounded by a family willing to selflessly invest in you? That’s the story of Tori Hope Petersen, whose journey has inspired millions to take action in changing the world through family. In today’s episode, Tori shares her story and dives into how each of us can do something to advocate for children and families God brings to our lives. Get ready to be inspired!  About our guest  Tori Hope Petersen is the bestselling author of “Fostered: One Woman’s Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family through Foster Care.” She is a sought out national speaker, inspiring audiences to overcome, hold onto hope, and change the world with what they have, right where they are, by loving the people in front of them. She’s passionate about foster care reform, adoption advocacy, vulnerable populations, and seeing the love of God change people’s lives. Tori speaks across the nation sharing her powerful story, but her favorite form of art and communication is writing. Tori and her husband, Jacob, have three kids: a biological son and daughter, Leyonder and Ezzeri, and an adopted adult son, Sar. Follow her on Instagram @torihopepetersen. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Juan sits down with Shamber Flores to hear her story of overcoming challenges and trauma, turning them into opportunities to bless and build up others. As a church ministry leader, Shamber has experienced firsthand how talking about trauma can be taboo within the church. Juan and Shamber exchange thoughts on how to destigmatize trauma to make it part of our conversation within the body of Christ. Shamber’s story is powerful and encouraging, beautifully reflecting the importance of family in our journey through adolescence and into adulthood.  About our guest  Shamber Flores describes herself as a woman who has endured trauma, walked through foster care and adoption, fled an abusive relationship, yet still stands strong. She has come out the other side braver than ever and courageously shares her story to empower others to overcome their pasts. Her story and motto, “practice presence,” fuels her to do just this through ministry to hurting youth and young adults. She also writes songs and sings about her experience, photographs other's stories, and enjoys the great outdoors throughout West Michigan.  ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

In this candid conversation with author and podcaster Jamie Finn, you’ll hear stereotypes about biological parents of children in foster care debunked. Has the worship of the nuclear family become an idol in today’s culture? Jamie and Juan’s conversation is firmly founded on faith as the driving motivator behind preserving and strengthening families beyond our own. You won’t want to miss this episode’s Sacred Shenanigans where Juan shares a list of reasons (excuses?) his kids most frequently give for not wanting to go to bed. Plus, Jamie’s practical tips for championing families are a can’t miss! About our guest Jamie C. Finn is the executive director of Foster the Family, host of the Real Mom podcast, founder and owner of Goods and Better, and a sought-after speaker for retreats, conferences, and events for foster and adoptive parents. Her popular social media accounts offer a glimpse into the real life of a foster parent and provide encouragement to thousands of foster parents. At any given moment, Jamie is a mother to four to six children, including her two biological children and two children adopted through foster care. She lives in Sicklerville, New Jersey, with her husband, Alan. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Juan checks in with adoptive and foster mom Lindy Cofer—who also happens to be an internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter. Lindy and Juan share examples of how to inspire young children to selflessly serve others so it becomes a natural part of their lives. Plus, Lindy talks about opportunities to engage through The Send conference, mobilizing the Church for drastic change in local communities. About our guest Lindy Cofer is an extraordinary worship leader and artist whose music touches hearts and souls with its captivating melodies and powerful message. With a background deeply rooted in worship, Lindy’s passion for connecting with others has led her to lead countless congregations into transformative encounters with God. But what sets her apart is her profound connection to adoption and foster care, stemming from her own journey. With her unique blend of anthemic energy and tender vulnerability, Lindy’s music uplifts, inspires, and unites people from all walks of life, leaving an indelible mark on their hearts.---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Juan sits down with parenting expert Mandy Taylor to touch on a wide array of ways anyone can step up to champion families. As an adoptive and foster parent who works every day in training and equipping parents to better parent and connect with their children, Mandy shares her unique perspective on the role extended relatives and a strong support network can play in strengthening families. Juan and Mandy also discuss the most important and ultimate goal of foster care, which is always reunification with the family of origin.  About our guest  Mandy Taylor has worked in foster care at Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for over 8 years and is currently the parenting support supervisor. She earned her Master of Social Work from Spring Arbor University and is a trained facilitator of Resource Parent Curriculum, Together Facing the Challenge, The Child Welfare Trauma Toolkit, Pressley Ridge, and the Sanctuary Model. Mandy has also created and facilitates the Parenting After Trauma class for birth parents who have children in foster care. Mandy is a former foster parent and adoptive parent and was an Angel in Adoption honoree in 2018 from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Mandy is passionate about working with families who have children in the foster care system to prepare them for reunification. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

In this episode, Juan is joined by author, speaker, and foster dad Peter Mutabazi—an influential voice advocating for children all over the world. Peter shares his incredible story: from running away from his home in Uganda at age 10 and becoming a street kid, to fostering more than 30 kids and adopting his son, Anthony. If you’re looking for inspiration to take action in championing families, look no further. If Peter could do it, so can you! About our guest Peter Mutabazi is the founder of Now I Am Known, an organization that supplies resources to support vulnerable children. Originally from Uganda, Peter ran away from an abusive home at age 10 and lived as a street kid for nearly five years. Today Peter is a single dad to countless foster children and his adopted son, Anthony. For the past 20 years Peter has worked as a child advocate in the U.S. and globally to promote wellness and child development. He believes every child deserves to be seen, heard, and known. Peter has appeared on international media outlets and is a passionate speaker who resides in North Carolina. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Juan Fernandez sits down with author and podcast host Kayla Craig for a fun and thought-provoking conversation about creating spaces of welcome, living in diverse communities, and parenting large families. Sit back, relax, and enjoy Kayla’s nuanced yet accessible reflections on family, community, and faith. Throughout the conversation, you’ll hear Juan and Kayla dive into practical ways families and individuals can create what Kayla calls “spaces of welcome” for those around them. Our host and guest will also explore how churches can be more welcoming as they seek to build community and champion families in their hometowns. About our guest Kayla Craig is a former journalist who brings deep curiosity and care to her writing. She’s the author of “Every Season Sacred” and “To Light Their Way.” With a poetic, prophetic voice, she created the popular Liturgies for Parents Instagram account, which Christianity Today named an “essential parenting resource.” She also hosts the “Liturgies for Parents” podcast. Kayla’s reflections, essays, and prayers are featured in various books, devotionals, and Bible studies. Kayla lives in a 115-year-old former convent in her Iowa hometown, where she hopes to create spaces of welcome alongside her four children, two dogs, and pastor-husband, Jonny. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Summary  In our first episode, Juan welcomes Dr. Kimberly Offutt, author, speaker, and coach with more than 20 years’ experience championing children and families. Juan and Kim discuss growing up in a small town with a large family and how this experience can often change our definition of who we consider family. Kim tells her unique journey with foster care and adoption, including some of the most common myths about fostering and adopting teens. In the first (and maybe last) edition of a segment called “Yep, that just happened,” Juan and Kim exchange funny stories about their families and reflect on how family life can be challenging but always worth the investment. Kim offers practical advice for building community and championing families, specifically highlighting the needs of the 400,000 children in foster care today. About this episode's guest Dr. Kimberly Offutt is Bethany’s national director of family support and engagement. She earned her BA in child and family development at Georgia Southern University, an MSW in clinical social work at Michigan State University, and a doctorate in Christian education at Midwest Theological University. At Bethany, she’s served almost 20 years with roles in foster care, adoption, recruitment, and church engagement. Kim is an inspirational speaker, author, foster and adoptive mother, mentor to youth who’ve aged out of foster care, and coach to other foster and adoptive parents. She passionately brings her faith into broken places and hard conversations, leading to life-giving transformation in individuals, families, programs, and systems. ---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.

In a world filled with things we disagree on, the importance of family is something we can all get behind. For some, family brings painful memories. For others, family is a place of love, nurturing, and healing. And for most of us, it’s something in between. No matter how we’ve experienced family, we know family changes everything. Champions for family are those who have stepped up to the challenge to support and empower families. They’re willing to have hard conversations and take action that may be uncomfortable.When you subscribe to our podcast, you’re saying “yes” to championing families. You’ll hear from people changing the national conversation on how we should support families individually and collectively. This podcast will challenge you to look beyond a traditional definition of family to a biblical definition of family: Family is much more than blood relatives—it’s also those we chose to live in community with.Whether you’re single, married, young, old, a church attender or not, however you choose to live out your life and your faith, this podcast is here to inspire you around one simple question: How do we help families thrive?Copyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.---The Champions for Family podcast is hosted by Juan Fernandez and produced by Bethany Christian Services. Guests include authors, speakers, experts, advocates, and volunteers who share their stories of uplifting and empowering families. Learn more about becoming a champion for family at Bethany.org/Champion.The Champions for Family podcast is presented by Just Love Coffee Café. Check them out at JustLoveCoffee.comCopyright © 2011 Aunt Gertrude Music Publishing Llc. (BMI) Bridge Building Music (BMI) (adm. at CapitolCMGPublishing.com) All rights reserved. Used by permission.