Adopting Hope

On the season finale of our show, Hosts Joyce Dalrymple and Sasha Parker talk to Jeannine Hogg. Jeannine always wanted two things: to be a pediatrician and to have a family. The first desire came to life as she attended medical school, made her way through residency, and began to practice medicine. But as the years went by, marriage and children hadn’t become part of Hogg’s life. By her early forties, Hogg decided to pursue adoption.  Several years later, Hogg and her now six-year-old daughter have made a family together—one that’s still growing as Hogg is soon to marry a man who has a son. Tune in to the season finale of Adopting Hope for Dr. Hogg’s story of bringing her daughter into her home. Dr. Hogg shares some of the challenges, joys, and nuances of adopting as a single mother. And she offers wisdom gained from both her personal and professional life on child wellbeing, adoption, and the role of race and culture in making a family.  Thank you for listening to season one of Adopting Hope! Click here to check out any episodes you may have missed and to share your favorites with friends.  Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a Korean child of Caucasian parents in a tiny, rural town, Aaron and his adoptive siblings were some of the only non-white people in their community. Aaron came of age in the 80s and 90s, when, as he puts it, “we were all supposed to be colorblind.” So, he didn’t begin to explore his heritage until he was in his thirties. Aaron’s journey of discovery led him to become an advocate for fellow adoptees grappling with the nuances of adoption.Now, Aaron is the co-founder of Unfolding Adoptees, a community created by and for Christian adoptees where they can connect, share their stories and struggles, and offer mutual encouragement. Tune in to the latest episode of Adopting Hope for an insightful, rich conversation about the realities of adoption that carry on even in adulthood.Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian and Amy Shaw were drawn together by their shared desire to serve the Lord abroad. They also wanted to have six children. And yet, despite a two-year stint in China and the births of their first few biological children, the Shaw’s attempts at missions and a large family just wouldn’t work out. Doors to mission opportunities repeatedly closed, and the Shaws suffered traumatic pregnancy losses. Brian and Amy felt confused, frustrated, and even depressed.  But God began to shed light on what he had in store for the Shaws—a family journey, full of both joy and suffering, that they never could have imagined. Both biologically and through adoption, he would bring ten children into their home, and he would give them the grace and courage to carry on in the wake of Brian’s terminal brain cancer diagnosis. Tune in to the latest episode of Adopting Hope for a story that will both soften and strengthen your heart. This fundraiser seeks to support the Shaws and their growing financial needs. Inheritance of Hope helps families walking through terminal cancer. Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

God began planting seeds of love for the orphan in Joyce Dalrymple when she was just a little girl. Joyce’s mom had lost her mother at age three, and Joyce saw how deeply that affected her mother throughout her life. Her heart for the parentless continued to grow as Joyce became a television journalist and reported a story on families who had adopted from China, eventually developing that work into a documentary.  During that experience, Joyce grew confident that God was leading her, her husband Timothy (Christianity Today President & CEO), and their two biological daughters to adopt from China. Joyce, a Chinese-American, loved the idea of bringing a child into their home—she could speak their language and understood their culture. Tune in to hear about God’s continued faithfulness in both hard and hopeful times in the Dalrymple’s adoption journey. Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Heald family had five biological children and two opposing thoughts about adoption. Cathy and two of their teenage daughters felt deeply drawn to adoption. Daryl, the founder of Generosity Path, wasn’t quite on board with expanding their family at the time. But through his wife’s prayers, daughters’ imploring, and a moment of clarity from the Lord, Daryl became convinced they should adopt.  Now, the Heald family has welcomed four children to their home through adoption. Tune in to hear Cathy and Daryl testify to the “glimpses of heaven” they witness in their home as they give to and receive from their nine children. And take heart in their humble honesty about the goodness God can bring about when we surrender control, embrace some chaos, and choose generosity.  Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After getting married at 19, Jami Kaeb assumed she and her husband Clint would consider adoption only if they struggled with infertility. But after their first biological child was born, God began to change Jami’s perspective on caring for vulnerable children.  Jami and Clint are now the parents of seven children—five through adoption—and Jami is the founder and executive director of The Forgotten Initiative, which supports the foster care community through awareness, encouragement, and advocacy. Tune in to this week’s episode of Adopting Hope for a story of God’s faithfulness to bring about beauty when his people say “yes” to each next step he places before them. Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A personal and intimate act, adoption that demands immense intentionality and effort. But does that mean it has to be an isolated, lonely experience? Should the goal be a smooth adoption process that results in a shiny, happy family? Sasha and Mike Parker’s stories of adopting five children—growing their family from six members to 11—answer those questions with a nuanced yet emphatic no. “The story that the Lord has written for us—there’s some painful pieces to it,” says Sasha. “But I think that we’ve experienced adoption on a level that we would have never really experienced if we were just the parents who had it all together with their formulas. No. We are broken together and honestly I feel like we’re better, broken together.” Some days, brokenness seems so small in the light of beauty. And in others, beauty seems so hard to find in the dearth of darkness. But the mosaic of beauty in broken togetherness? Well, it’s like Sasha said. Only God can do that.  Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a child, Adopting Hope co-host Sasha Parker grew up with seven siblings; the two on either side of her had been adopted. So adoption was part of Sasha’s everyday life during her most formative years, which the Lord used to soften her heart to the needs of others.Sasha is now herself a mother of nine – four biological and five adopted. Listen to this episode as she and Joyce discuss how God often calls families to adopt after seasons of grief or loss, and why they think that may be. And Sasha shares the tremendous benefit of learning to go with the flow in adoption—trusting that the Lord’s plan cannot be thwarted.Make sure to come back next week, when Sasha will share part two of her family’s story! Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Adopting Hope, Sasha and Joyce welcome mother and daughter, Lisa Tchividjian and Charlee Tchividjian-Sherry. Lisa and Charlee share a passion for single mothers and for children who are at-risk for entering the foster care system.  Lisa and her husband, Stephan, began fostering when their three biological children were teenagers. Now, Charlee is the Founder and Executive Director of Ēma, a ministry that exists to transform the lives of young, single mothers and children in crisis though mentoring relationships, parental education, and career development. Tune in to hear about Lisa’s experience as a foster mother, as well Charlee’s experience as a child growing up in a home that welcomed foster children, and how those experiences guided them to support birth mothers. Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s episode of Adopting Hope, Sasha and Joyce welcome Dr. Russell Moore. Dr. Moore is the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. He and his wife, Maria, have five boys—two of whom joined their family through adoption. Dr. Moore also authored, among several other books, Adopted for Life The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches. Listen in as Dr. Moore tells their story of adopting two boys from Russia. He shares many of the peaks and valleys his family has traveled, and speaks to some of the particular temptations and struggles adoptive parents may face. And he encourages parents who are in the throes of raising teenagers—particularly adopted teenagers wrestling with questions of identity.   Adopting Hope is a production of Christianity Today. Produced by Mike Cosper, Joyce Koo Dalrymple, and Sasha Parker Edited and mixed by Alex Carter Theme song “We’ve Got This Hope” by Ellie Holcomb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices