Welcome to the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast! I’m Christine Marie, adoptive mom, former foster parent, and biblical mindset coach. Whether you’re considering foster care, navigating adoption, supporting birth families, or trying to hold it all together in the middle of the unknown, you’re in the right place.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Jeremy Walden, foster and adoptive dad, college professor, ministry leader, and co author of The Heart Work of Foster Care. Jeremy shares his family’s powerful journey through foster care and adoption, including adopting one child and later welcoming her siblings, building relationships with biological parents, and witnessing restoration, reunification, and healing unfold over years of faithful obedience.

This is one of those conversations that reminds you foster care isn’t a moment. It’s a long road of love, patience, boundaries, and trust in God.

Jeremy opens up about:

• The real challenges of foster parenting and adoption • Supporting birth families with compassion and humility • How foster care impacts marriage and biological children • Saying yes, saying no, and protecting your family while keeping your heart open • Why foster care is truly heart work, caring deeply, loving deliberately, and trusting God when outcomes aren’t guaranteed

Jeremy and his wife have adopted three children from foster care and have cared for many more over the past decade. With over 25 years of ministry experience and 15 years as a college professor, Jeremy brings both practical wisdom and deep faith to this conversation.

He also shares about their book, The Heart Work of Foster Care: A Hopeful and Honest Guide to Foster Parenting, a Christ centered resource filled with real stories, encouragement, and practical insight for anyone walking the foster care journey.

Jeremy is currently conducting an anonymous survey to better understand how fostering impacts foster parents’ marriages. If you’d like to participate, you can find it here: 👉 https://auburn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_behFvYEixlsZ2kK

You can also find Jeremy and Jara’s book here: 👉 https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Work-Foster-Care-Parenting-ebook/dp/B0F7Z44NQY

Whether you’re new to foster care, deep into adoption, or simply want to understand how faith sustains families through trauma and uncertainty, this episode will encourage you, challenge you, and remind you that God is always working, even in the waiting.

☕ Grab your coffee and settle in — this one will stretch you, strengthen you, and remind you why love is always worth it.

💕 PS Want to join a supportive space for women who are navigating foster care, adoption, or just want to love others well? Come join us here: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

Welcome to Season Two of the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast!

I’m Christine Marie — adoptive mom, former foster parent, and biblical mindset coach. Whether you're navigating foster care, adoption, or parenting a child with trauma or mental health challenges — you’re in the right place.

In this season premiere, I’m joined by Donna Kirkwood — former special education teacher, adoptive mom, author, and woman of deep faith — as she shares her family’s journey of saying “yes” to adopting a child with high needs.

From the early days of behavioral challenges and medication decisions to the later diagnosis of schizoaffective bipolar disorder, Donna walks us through how faith, structure, and community helped them navigate trauma-informed parenting and deep unknowns.

We talk about:

• Adopting a child with high needs and complex diagnoses

• Parenting through mental health challenges with grace and structure

• Medications and behavioral support through a trauma-informed lens

• Why boundaries, faith, and consistency matter

• Donna’s book, He Is the Vine, as a source of spiritual encouragement during hard seasons

Whether you're parenting a child with trauma, navigating mental health in adoption, or walking through uncertainty with God — this episode will speak to your heart.

☕ Grab your coffee and settle in — this one will stretch you, strengthen you, and remind you why love is always worth it.

💕 PS — Want to join a supportive space for women who are navigating foster care, adoption, or just want to love others well? Come join us here: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

Connect with Donna Kirkwood: 📘 He Is the Vine: From the Vineyard to the Tasting Room 📔 Companion Study Guide also available 📧 Email: www.DonnaKirkwood.com

Welcome to the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast. I’m Christine Marie — adoptive mom, former foster parent, and biblical mindset coach. Whether you’re in the early stages of foster care, navigating adoption, or standing in a season of unknowns — this space was created for you.

Today’s episode is different.

It’s not polished or perfectly planned — it’s real. It’s raw. It’s what I’m walking through right now.

Last night, my daughter chose to leave. And after years of fighting, praying, loving, and believing for healing, I came to a place I never thought I’d be: surrender.

Not because I stopped loving her — but because love doesn’t force. Love releases. Love trusts.

This episode is a reflection on what it means to surrender your child to God when nothing makes sense. It’s for the mama who’s exhausted. The one who’s grieving. The one who has done everything “right” and still feels like it’s falling apart.

If you’ve ever had to release control, grieve what could have been, or trust God with the child you love — I pray this message meets you in that sacred space.

☕ Grab your coffee and settle in — this one will stretch you, strengthen you, and remind you why love is always worth it.

XO-Christine

💕 PS — Want to join a supportive space for women who are navigating foster care, adoption, or just want to love others well? Come join us here: 👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen