What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting

The Heart Work of Foster Care: Adoption, Birth Family Relationships, and Trusting God Through your Fostering Journey

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

Adopting a Child with High Needs: Mental Health, Medications, and Trusting God Through the Unknown with Donna Kirkwood

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: Donna@DonnaKirkwood.com🌐 Website: www.DonnaKirkwood.com

When Your Adoptive Child Walks Away: Trusting God When You’ve Done All You Can

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

The Truth About Open Adoption: A Birth Mom’s Story of Loss, Love, and Reform with Sydney Curtin

This week’s episode is one I hope every adoptive and foster parent listens to - and listens with an open heart.
I’m honored to sit down with Sydney Curtin - birth mom, author of Courageous Considerations, speaker, life coach, and founder of Curtin Call - as she shares the raw and painful truth about her adoption story, and why she’s now advocating for ethical reform across the entire industry.
In 2019, Sydney made what she believed was the most loving and selfless decision a mother could make - placing her daughter for adoption. What followed was a heartbreaking unraveling of promises made to her and her child. From being coerced into signing away her rights to experiencing the gut-wrenching reality of an unenforceable open adoption, Sydney’s story exposes what many don’t realize about the current adoption system.
Together, we talk about:• The myth of open adoption• Why adoption must be treated as a lifelong relationship, not a transaction• How faith, courage, and grief shape the journey for birth moms• What it looks like to center the child while honoring both families involved
Sydney’s book, Courageous Considerations, is a powerful tool designed to help both adoptive and natural families ask the hard questions before, during, and after placement. Because adoption, when done right, is not the severing of one family - it’s the joining of two.
Whether you’ve adopted, are considering adoption, or want to better understand the full picture of what ethical, relational adoption can look like - this conversation will challenge you, stretch you, and invite you into something deeper.
☕ Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in.XO, Christine Marie
💕 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 Sydney Curtin:🌐 Website: www.coachcurtin.com📘 Courageous Considerations – now available on her website📲 TikTok & Instagram: @Coach_SydneyCurtin📘 Facebook: Sydney N. Curtin

How to Navigate College Admissions & Scholarships for Foster and Adoptive Children

If the college admissions process feels overwhelming… you’re not alone.
And if you’re a foster or adoptive parent? There are even more layers to navigate.
This week on What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Cynthia Nash, a college admissions and financial aid coach with over 20 years of experience at top-tier universities like Northwestern and Vanderbilt- and friend, this conversation is packed with gold.
Cynthia has helped students earn millions in scholarships and grants, including:• Five students admitted to Vanderbilt- four on full rides• Three students at Johns Hopkins- two attending completely free• A Posse Scholar at Middlebury- with all four years fully coveredAnd that’s just the beginning.
Whether you’re parenting a child from foster care, adoption, or not—you’ll walk away from this episode equipped with tools and insight to help your teen step into a future they didn’t think was possible.
In this episode, we talk about:• How to navigate the college admissions process with clarity• How foster and adoptive kids need different support• Where to find scholarships and financial aid that most families miss• The power of vision, mentorship, and strategy in shaping a child's future• And why education can be one of the most powerful generational tools of healing
Whether your child is in 9th grade or nearing graduation- this episode will give you real steps, renewed hope, and a fresh vision for what’s possible.
Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!
XO,Christine Marie
💕 Join Our Community!After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it.
Join us here:👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen
https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting
 
Get Cynthia’s Free College Admissions Guide:Download now: www.amazingjourneycollegecounseling.com
Contact Cynthia NashEmail: amazingjourneycc@gmail.com
Learn About Her Coaching Programs:• Group Coaching for rising seniors (starts 6/1/25)• Elite Coaching for pre-med & engineering students (Junior–Senior year)Email Cynthia for details and availability: amazingjourneycc@gmail.com

Helping Adoptive Families Heal: A Conversation with April Ficklin, TBRI® Practitioner

This week on What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with April Ficklin, a TBRI® Practitioner, adoptive mom, and the Director of Family Support Services for Flourishing Families of South Carolina.
April brings both professional wisdom and personal experience to this conversation. Her work is centered on helping adoptive families find real connection, healing, and hope through Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and her heart for trauma-informed care is nothing short of powerful.
In this episode, we talk about:• The realities adoptive families face behind closed doors• How trauma impacts connection and what we can do about it• Why adoptive moms often feel unseen, and how to change that• How April is equipping families and organizations across South Carolina• And how faith plays a vital role in every part of this healing journey
Whether you’re new to adoption or knee-deep in the hard parts, this conversation will remind you that healing is possible and you don’t have to do this alone.
☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!
XO,Christine Marie
💕 Join Our Community!After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it. Join us here:👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen
https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting
Connect with April Ficklin:Instagram: www.instagram.com/april_ficklinFacebook: www.facebook.com/april.ficklinLearn more: www.flourishingfamiliessc.orgEmail: april@flourishingfamiliessc.org

Adoptee to Adoptive Mom: Rebecca Del Pozo’s Powerful Adoption Story

In this episode of What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting, I’m sitting down with my friend Rebecca Del Pozo- an adoptee, an adoptive mom, and a fierce advocate for families who’ve walked this road from every angle.
This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and deeply encouraging.
Rebecca doesn’t just talk about adoption- she’s lived it in every form. From the unexpected twists and tender moments to the hard decisions and holy perspective shifts, she shares how the Lord has used adoption to shape her family, her faith, and her purpose.
If you’ve ever wrestled with the "why" behind your story, or wondered if you’re the right person for the calling in front of you, Rebecca’s story will meet you right where you are- and lift your eyes higher.
☕ Now, grab your cup of coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!
XO,Christine Marie
💕 Join Our Community!After you listen, I’d love for you to come be part of our inner circle of foster and adoptive mamas! Our Facebook group is your gateway to valuable resources, support, and connection with other women who truly get it. Join us here:facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen
🎙️ More from Rebecca:Ready to stop winging it and start leading your life on purpose? Grab her book here: https://amzn.to/3XyAqWvMoms in Real Estate—join her community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/millionairerealestatemomsWant Rebecca to train your team? Email: RebeccaD@kw.comConnect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rebecca.Volden.DelPozoWebsite: www.RebeccaDelPozo.com

Inside Foster Care: Mental Health, Trauma-Informed Parenting & Real Solutions with Dr. John DeGarmo

Welcome back to the What to Expect While Fostering and Adopting podcast! I’m Christine Marie — adoptive mom, former foster parent, and biblical mindset coach — and today’s guest is someone whose voice and impact in the foster care space cannot be overstated.
I’m honored to sit down with Dr. John DeGarmo, founder and director of The Foster Care Institute, international speaker, best-selling author of 10 books, and foster/adoptive dad to over 60 children. Dr. DeGarmo has worked alongside child welfare agencies across the globe and is a leading voice for system change and trauma-informed parenting.
In this conversation, we dive into the realities of foster care that few are willing to talk about — from the mental health crisis and over-medication of foster youth to the growing burnout among caregivers. We also talk about practical tools and mindsets that can help foster and adoptive parents stay grounded, effective, and full of hope even in the hardest seasons.
Whether you’re currently fostering, considering it, or simply want to better support foster families in your community, this episode is packed with insight, encouragement, and truth.
☕ So grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in.
XO, Christine Marie
🎧 In this episode, we cover:
The over-medication crisis in foster care
How trauma shows up in children and how to respond with connection
The importance of mental health support for foster families
What foster parents need most (and why many are walking away)
Dr. DeGarmo’s personal journey and why he still believes in the system, despite its flaws
About Dr. John DeGarmo:
International keynote speaker and trainerBest-selling author of 10 books on foster care and parentingTED Talk presenter and media contributorExpert witness for foster care and child welfare legal casesRecipient of the Good Morning America Ultimate Hero Award and the Heroes of the Homeless Award
Connect with Dr. DeGarmo:Website: www.drjohndegarmofostercare.comMore Resources: The Foster Care Institute
💕 Join Our Free Community of Christian Foster & Adoptive Moms:👉 facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen🎥 YouTube Channel

You Left the 99 to Save the 1: Devin Schubert’s Story of Fatherhood, Foster Care, Adoption, Trauma & Redemption

This one is for the foster and adoptive parents carrying the weight no one sees—who keep showing up, even when it feels like everything is falling apart.
Today, I’m sitting down with Devin Schubert—an adoptive dad of three—for a conversation about the cost of obedience, the depth of trauma, and the God who restores what we thought was lost forever.
After adopting his son, Devin walked through five years of chaos:-Explosive trauma-Daily police calls-System after system that failed-And the heartbreak of watching his marriage fall apart
When his wife left, Devin stepped into solo fatherhood, determined to fight for his son—alone.Until the fight nearly killed him. Diagnosed with trauma shock Given 3 months to live
Flat on his back, ready to give up, Jesus walked in and said:“You left the 99 to save the 1. Now I’m giving you the 99 to tell your story to the nations.”
And now—four years later—his son is being reunited with him and moving back home in just 4 months.
This episode is a story of resilience, radical love, and full-circle redemption for every parent who’s ever wondered, “Is it worth it?”
Tune in now and be reminded:God sees your sacrifice.He restores what was lost.And the story isn’t over yet.
☕ Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in.XO, Christine Marie
📌 Connect with Devin:www.facebook.com/schubertdevinwww.storiestostages.com
🎥 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting💕 Join our community: facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen

Behind the Scenes of Foster Care: DJ Noble on Faith, Family & Embracing the Journey

Today, I’m joined by the incredible DJ Noble, a former radio host, teacher, and long-time foster parent with a powerful 15-year journey that spans across Virginia and Kansas. In this episode, we’re talking about the REAL side of foster care—the emotions, the relationships, the red tape, and the redemption.
Together, we unpack:✨ What it’s like navigating two different state systems✨ How to honor and embrace biological families✨ The impact fostering can have on your own bio kids✨ Practical advice for navigating relationships, grief, and growth
DJ brings so much wisdom—not just from his professional background in sociology, urban affairs, and theology—but from living this life every single day. With his wife, Sanna, they’ve raised two biological sons and fostered dozens more. Right now? They’ve got three boys in their home and are still showing up with heart, humor, and purpose.
This conversation is full of real talk, practical insight, and encouragement for anyone currently fostering or considering the call.
Listen now to hear how DJ balances faith, family, and fostering—and why the way we view biological families could change everything.
Check out DJ’s podcast “Off The Grid” at www.IndiesCollective.com for more of his powerful voice and mission.
☕ Grab your coffee, get comfy, and let’s dig in!
XO, Christine Marie
📌 Follow for more faith-based foster care conversations: @cortisol_coach💕 Join the community: facebook.com/groups/fostercareandadoptionforchristianwomen📺 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fosteringandadopting