Reunification in Foster Care: Why It Matters and Why It Hurt | E44

What Happened After We Said Yes To Foster Care | 8 Years Later

What Happened After We Said Yes To Foster Care Eight years ago, we said yes to foster care. At the time, we had no idea how much that simple decision would change our lives. We couldn't have imagined the children who would come through our home, the adoptions that would follow, the reunifications we would celebrate, or the lessons God would teach us along the way. For our 50th episode, we're taking a step back and sharing the story behind Dream Small. What began after the heartbreak of a miscarriage eventually led us into foster care. We talk about how we first became licensed, what it was like welcoming our very first placement, the trauma that opened our eyes to realities we had never fully understood, and the moments that shaped our family over the past eight years. Along the way, we've welcomed 14 foster placements into our home, adopted three incredible children, experienced both heartbreak and joy, and learned that God often works through ordinary acts of obedience. In this episode, we share the hardest parts of foster care, the beautiful moments that made it worthwhile, the importance of community, and why we continue to trust God with whatever comes next. Whether you've been listening since the beginning or you're brand new to Dream Small, this episode is the most complete version of our story we've ever shared. In This Episode • How a miscarriage helped launch our foster care journey • Why we chose foster care before adoption • The story of our first placement and the lessons that changed us forever • What we've learned from eight years of foster care • The hardest realities foster families face • The beauty of reunification, adoption, and healing • How community carried us through difficult seasons • Why saying yes to God changed our family forever • The Scriptures that sustained us throughout the journey • The story behind the name Dream Small Key Scriptures Galatians 6:9 Luke 16:10 2 Corinthians 4:18 Romans 12:1 Support The Podcast [https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support] Speaking Requests If your church, conference, or organization would like Jason and Whitney to speak about foster care, adoption, faith, leadership, or living a meaningful life through small acts of faithfulness, you can contact them at: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com [dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com] Join our weekly devotional newsletter here: https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b [https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b] Follow & Contact Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com [dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com] Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast Facebook: Dream Small Podcast Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow Music Credit "Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons.

No Child Should Spend Their Worst Day In A Cubicle | Jenni Tice of Lily Pad

What happens to children in the hours after they enter foster care? Most people never think about it. They picture courtrooms, foster homes, case workers, and placements. But before any of that happens, many children spend hours and sometimes even nights sitting in government offices, conference rooms, and cubicles waiting to learn where they will sleep, whether they will stay with siblings, and what comes next. In this episode, we sit down with Jenni Tice, co founder and Executive Director of Lily Pad [https://www.lilypadinc.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com], a faith based nonprofit creating trauma informed spaces for children experiencing foster care and victims of trauma. What began as one foster family's desire to do something better has grown into dozens of transformed spaces across South Carolina with expansion now reaching other states. Lily Pad creates living room style environments inside DSS offices and law enforcement agencies so children and vulnerable individuals have “a soft place to land” during some of the hardest moments of their lives. Jenni and her husband Ben have fostered more than 40 children over fourteen years. Their own foster journey included adoption, reunification, heartbreak, and eventually meeting Ashlyn, a former foster youth whose story helped inspire the creation of Lily Pad. During our conversation we discuss: * Jenni and Ben’s foster care journey and how saying “yes” changed their family * The heartbreaking moment that sparked Lily Pad’s mission * What children actually experience while waiting in DSS offices * Why trauma informed environments matter * The role churches and volunteers play in maintaining Lily Pad spaces * How Lily Pad expanded from one room to more than 40 locations * Expansion into law enforcement spaces supporting children and victims of trauma * The power of dignity, compassion, and creating safe spaces This conversation is emotional, hopeful, and deeply practical. It is also a reminder that not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can help create a softer landing place for children and families in crisis. Learn more about Lily Pad, see room transformations, donate, or volunteer here: Website: Lily Pad Official Website [https://www.lilypadinc.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Room Gallery: Lily Pad Before & After Rooms [https://www.lilypadinc.org/lilypadroomsbeforeandafter?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Instagram: @lily.pad.inc [https://www.instagram.com/lily.pad.inc/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] Support The Podcast [https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support] Speaking Requests If your church, conference, or organization would like Jason and Whitney to speak about foster care, adoption, faith, leadership, or living a meaningful life through small acts of faithfulness, you can contact them at: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com [dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com] Join our weekly devotional newsletter here: https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b [https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b] Follow & Contact Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast Facebook: Dream Small Podcast Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow Music Credit "Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons.

What Foster Parents Wish You Knew: Insights and Realities

May is Foster Care Awareness Month, and in this episode we wanted to do something different. Instead of only sharing our own thoughts, we asked foster parents what they wish everyone else understood about foster care. Their responses were honest, vulnerable, challenging, and deeply insightful. We talked about comments foster families hear all the time: * “I could never do foster care because I’d get too attached.” * “They’re lucky to have you.” * “You knew what you were signing up for.” Most people who say these things mean well. We know that. But this episode is an invitation to see foster care from the inside and understand the realities many families live every day. We discuss: * why foster parents do become deeply attached * why attachment is actually healthy and necessary * trauma and why it changes parenting * misconceptions around adoption and healing * biological parents and compassion * reunification and complicated grief * how foster care impacts biological children too * why foster parents need support more than praise * practical ways anyone can help foster families We also share stories from our own journey and highlight people in our community who have stepped in and made an incredible difference for our family. Our hope is simple: * More understanding. * More compassion. * More support. * Because you do not have to foster to make a difference. Support The Podcast https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support [https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support] Speaking Requests If your church, conference, or organization would like Jason and Whitney to speak about foster care, adoption, faith, leadership, or living a meaningful life through small acts of faithfulness, you can contact them at: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com [dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com] Join our weekly devotional newsletter here: https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b [https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b] Follow & Contact Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast Facebook: Dream Small Podcast Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow Music Credit "Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons.

We Blame Foster Care Case Workers For A Broken System They Didn’t Create

What is it really like to be a foster care case worker? In this powerful and emotional conversation, we sit down with former Indiana DCS case worker, foster/adoptive mom, and child advocate Moriah Coons to talk about the side of foster care most people never see. From overwhelming caseloads and dangerous home visits to heartbreaking court decisions and emotional burnout, Moriah gives an honest look at the impossible weight many case workers carry every single day. She shares stories from the front lines of child welfare that reveal just how complicated the foster care system really is and why so many good case workers end up exhausted, overwhelmed, and misunderstood. But this conversation is not about defending a broken system. It is about humanizing the people inside it. Moriah also shares incredible moments of hope and redemption, including adoption stories, reunifications, and the moments that reminded her why the work mattered in the first place. Whether you are a foster parent, adoptive parent, CASA worker, social worker, church leader, or someone simply trying to better understand foster care, this episode will challenge the way you think about the system and the people trying to hold it together. In this episode, we discuss: * What foster care case workers actually face behind the scenes * Why communication can feel so difficult in foster care cases * The emotional toll of carrying impossible decisions * How judges, policies, and courts impact child safety decisions * Why many foster care workers burn out * Threats, trauma, and overwhelming caseloads * The heartbreaking realities of neglect and domestic violence cases * How churches and foster families can support case workers * Stories of adoption, healing, and redemption Some moments from this episode that will stick with us: * “Every single time I walked up the stairs, I was terrified the baby would be dead.” * “They’re not thriving. They’re surviving.” * “For every one bad egg, there’s a million more trying to do the right thing.” * “They’re just normal people trying to make a difference.” Moriah Coons was born and raised in Texas and studied Bible, Theology, Children’s Ministry, and Special Needs Ministry at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. She served as a Family Case Manager with Indiana DCS before transitioning into victim advocacy and domestic violence support work. Today, she serves as the Foster And Adoption Family Support Lead at Trader’s Point Christian Church (https://tpcc.org/fam [https://tpcc.org/fam]). Moriah and her husband Austin were licensed foster parents for nearly four years and recently adopted a sibling group of three. She also serves on the Executive Board for Champions For Children, an organization focused on making Indiana children safer. If this episode encouraged or challenged you, would you take a moment to follow the show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone else? Those small actions truly help us continue growing this community and spreading awareness around foster care, adoption, and living faithfully right where God has placed us. Support The Podcast https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support [https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support] Speaking Requests If your church, conference, or organization would like Jason and Whitney to speak about foster care, adoption, faith, leadership, or living a meaningful life through small acts of faithfulness, you can contact them at: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com Join our weekly devotional newsletter here: https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b [https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b] Follow & Contact Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast Facebook: Dream Small Podcast Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow Music Credit "Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons.

How to Support Foster Families

Foster care was never meant to be done alone. In this episode, we kick off Foster Care Awareness Month with a conversation that is both deeply personal and incredibly practical. After years of fostering, one thing has become clear to us: the families who last are not the strongest or the most prepared. They are the ones who are supported. There are roughly 200,000 licensed foster homes in the United States and nearly 400,000 children in care. While that gap matters, there is another reality that often gets overlooked. Not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can do something. This episode is for anyone who has ever thought, “I want to help… I just don’t know how.” We share real stories from our own journey. The meals that showed up at just the right time. The people who stepped in to help with childcare. The unexpected financial support. The handwritten notes that reminded us we were not alone. Even the moments where someone simply stayed present with us when things were hard. These weren’t grand gestures. They were small, faithful acts of care that made it possible for us to keep going. We also walk through practical ways you can support foster families in your own community. Whether you are part of a church, a friend, a neighbor, or someone who simply cares, there are tangible steps you can take starting today. Because the truth is simple: You don’t have to foster to change a foster child’s life. And in many ways, the greatest need in foster care today is not just more families stepping in. It is more people willing to stand beside those who already have. As Whitney shared in this episode, foster care is an emotional rollercoaster, and no one is meant to ride it alone. The support system around a family often determines whether they can continue saying yes. So if you have ever wondered how to make a difference, this episode will give you clarity, direction, and encouragement to take that first step. Because sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply stay. What You’ll Learn in This Episode * Why support systems matter more than strength in foster care * The real reason many foster families burn out * Simple and practical ways to support foster families * How small acts of care create lasting impact * Why you don’t have to foster to make a difference Practical Ways to Support Foster Families * Provide meals during placements or transitions * Offer childcare or respite support * Help with transportation for appointments and visits * Write encouraging notes or check in consistently * Support financially when unexpected needs arise * Help create or prepare a child’s space in the home * Be present during hard seasons without trying to fix everything A Simple Challenge Think of one foster family in your life or in your community. This week, take one step. Send a message. Drop off a meal. Offer to help. It doesn’t have to be big to matter. Small acts of faithfulness can change everything. Support The Podcast https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support [https://dream-small-podcast.captivate.fm/support] Speaking Requests If your church, conference, or organization would like Jason and Whitney to speak about foster care, adoption, faith, leadership, or living a meaningful life through small acts of faithfulness, you can contact them at: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com [dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com] Join our weekly devotional newsletter here: https://captivate.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c75f5dfcf9d690c6c9f256d22&id=d17b98130b Follow & Contact Email: dreamsmallpodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @dreamsmallpodcast Facebook: Dream Small Podcast Twitter/X: @DreamSmallShow Music Credit "Paradise Found" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons.