May is Foster Care Month, and we're kicking it off with an incredible conversation with Billie Jo Muckley. Billie Jo has been a foster mom for over 21 years.

In this episode, she shares the heart behind her long journey in foster care and how her faith in God gives her the strength to keep going, even when things get hard. Billie Jo also opens up about how she and her husband stay strong as a couple while navigating the challenges of foster parenting.

She reminds us that foster care is something we can all be a part of—whether we're fostering, supporting a foster family, or just showing up with love. When we step out in faith to care for those who are hurting, we're doing it in Jesus’ name—and that’s always worth it.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Billie Jo!
• Billie Jo’s Heart Behind Fostering
• Marriage and Foster Care
• How to Support Foster Families
• Gospel Mentality

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Schedule Coffee with a Hope Bridge Staff Member!
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

What do you think of when you hear the word fasting?

In today’s episode, we continue our spiritual formation series with a look at the powerful practice of fasting. Often misunderstood or overlooked, fasting is more than just giving something up—it's an invitation to deny ourselves in order to become more aware of God’s presence.

We explore how fasting helps us grow in self-awareness, cultivate spiritual hunger, and quiet the noise of daily life so we can truly hear from God.

Whether you're new to the idea or looking to deepen your practice, this episode offers gentle encouragement and insight for your journey.

Episode Highlights:

• What fasting really is (and what it’s not)
• How fasting can deepen your spiritual life
• Practical ways to begin or revisit this practice
• The role of stillness and quiet in hearing from God

Find More on Hope Bridge/Links from this Ep:

• Buy the 40 Days of Decrease Book
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

In this episode, we’re excited to introduce Jen Zwick, the Family Support Specialist in the Single Moms Program at Hope Bridge. Jen shares her heart for walking alongside single mothers and highlights some of the challenges these families often face.

Did you know that 1 in 4 children under the age of 18 are raised by a single mother? That’s about 13 million children growing up without a father. In Ohio, nearly two-thirds of all children living in poverty are in single-mother or grandmother-led households. Poverty is often misunderstood as neglect due to issues like poor housing conditions or food insecurity, which can lead to increased involvement from child welfare systems. At Hope Bridge, we believe in stepping in before that happens—offering stable housing, supportive services, and practical help to moms facing crisis in our communities.

Through our residential program, single moms (ages 18 and older) live in a safe, supportive home with their children for 9–12 months while working toward personal goals. We provide mentorship, help with education, budgeting, life skills, and healthy meal planning. Moms are also encouraged to connect with local churches and build community support. It’s all about creating stability and equipping moms to thrive.

We’ve also launched Empower U, a new skill-focused support group for single moms that meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Compassion Center. This is a space where moms can continue learning and growing with the support of others. We are currently looking for volunteers to get involved by teaching skills, providing meals, or helping with childcare. If you’re interested, check out the links below to learn more and sign up.

Together, we can be the village that makes a difference in the lives of single moms and their children.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Jen Zwick, our Family Support Specialist in our Single Moms Program
• Single Mom’s Program at Hope Bridge
• What is Empower U?
• Volunteer to help out at Empower U

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• RSVP to attend Empower U!
• Volunteer for Childcare at Empower U
• Schedule a time to chat with Mel
• Learn more about our Single Moms Program!
• Provide a Meal for Single Moms in Akron
• Provide a Meal for Single Moms in Louisville
• Fill out our Volunteer Form!
• Single Mom Connection Form
• Partner with us Financially
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

In this episode of ReStoried, we are in conversation with Dr. Nicole Wilke—a researcher, missionary, author, and therapist—about her new book Overcoming: What Scripture and Science Say About Resilience. Nicole has such a hopeful and practical perspective, especially for foster and adoptive parents or anyone caring for kids who’ve been through hard things.

We discuss why it’s so important to look at trauma and resilience through both a biblical and scientific lens, how early adversity impacts kids differently, and what we can actually do to help build resilience in the children we love. Nicole also shares how faith plays a key role in healing and growth—not just for kids, but for us as caregivers too.

Nicole leads global research efforts to improve care for vulnerable children and families. She’s been involved in everything from therapy to cross-cultural ministry to large-scale care reform. But what really stands out is her heart—and how much of this work is rooted in her own story of growing up in a family that fostered and adopted.

This conversation is full of encouragement, wisdom, and real-life tools you can start using right away.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Dr. Nicole Wilke
• Dr. Nicole Wilke’s books:
  • Overcoming: What Scripture & Science Say About Resilience
  • Caleb Koala's Comeback Ride: A Journey to Overcoming
• Trauma
• Spiritual Warfare
• Resilience
• Building Relationships

Find more on Guest:

• Purchase the book Overcoming: What Scripture & Science Say About Resilience
• Purchase the book Caleb Koala's Comeback Ride: A Journey to Overcoming
• Follow Dr. Nicole Wilke on Instagram
• Find Dr. Nicole Wilke on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Dr. Nicole Wilke on the CAFO Website
• Check out the CAFO Summit 2025!

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• More Details on our Care & Connect Support Group HERE!
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite tips and lessons we’ve learned along the way in our foster care journeys. After years of experience, we’ve picked up a few things that have helped us navigate both the challenges and joys of fostering.

In this episode, we’re chatting about the importance of staying flexible, building a solid support system, and rolling with the ups and downs. Whether you’re just starting out, thinking about becoming a foster parent, or have been in it for a while, we hope this conversation encourages you. We’re reflecting on what we wish we had known in the beginning, the little things that make a big difference, and those meaningful moments that remind us why this journey is so worth it.

Episode Highlights:

• Foster Care
• Tips and Tricks
• Advice for New Foster Parents

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Questions about Foster Care? Set up a coffee date with a Hope Bridge Team Member
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

Today, we sit down with Bishop W.C. Martin, whose story inspired the movie Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot. Alongside his wife, Donna, and 22 families in their small East Texas church, they adopted 77 children from the foster care system, sparking a movement of faith and action.

Bishop Martin shares why adoption is God’s work and why every community needs its own Possum Trot. While not everyone is called to foster or adopt, he emphasizes that everyone can support in some way.

“If people in Possum Trot can do it with nothing, then there’s no excuse for others to say they can’t.”

This episode is a powerful reminder that faith and community can transform lives. Join us as we discuss how we can all play a role in giving children the love and stability they deserve.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Bishop W.C. Martin
• Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
• Foster Care & Adoption
• Adoption is of God
• Foster Care is Mission Work

Find more on Guest:

• Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot
• Find Bishop W.C. Martin on Facebook

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

Today on ReStoried, we’re joined by Kim Botto, a passionate advocate for kids and families. With over 30 years of experience working with children and teens in churches, schools, nonprofits, and foster care initiatives, Kim has a heart for creating safe spaces where kids can heal and thrive. She’s a Trauma Free World Affiliate Trainer, a TBRI Practitioner, and holds a Master’s in Family Ministry—but more than that, she truly cares about making a difference.

In this episode, we discuss how we can support vulnerable kids who have experienced trauma. Kim explains what it means to be trauma-informed, why it matters, and how communities—especially churches—can be a place of healing and hope. She also shares some super practical ways we can step up and be there for kids and families who need support.

Kim’s passion for equipping others shines through in everything she does, and this conversation is packed with wisdom, encouragement, and real-life takeaways.

Episode Highlights:

• Learn more about Kim Botto
• Connection and Relationships
• Trauma-Informed Training
• Kim’s Book: Boundless Hope for Every Child

Find more on Guest/Links from this Episode:

• Listen to the Every Child Belongs Podcast
• Buy Kim’s Book: Boundless Hope
• Find Kim on Facebook
• Find Kim on Instagram
• Bruce Perry’s Book- What Happened to You?
• Trauma Free World
• The Connected Child by Karyn B. Purvis

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

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Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!

How do you make sure that your heart is set on Jesus and not always focused solely on the work at hand?

In this episode, we talk about the importance of spiritual formation and how we can intentionally keep our focus on Jesus in the midst of life's busyness. It’s easy to get caught up in doing good work, but how do we ensure that our hearts remain centered on Him?

We’ll explore two spiritual rhythms that have helped us stay grounded:

• Pilgrim’s Feast – A yearly time set aside for reflection and renewal
• Sabbath – A weekly rhythm of rest and worship

We often find reasons to put off rest, but God commands us to pause, reset, and be with Him. We’ll also share practical tips on how to create intentional rhythms of rest and worship in your own life, even when it feels impossible.

Listen in and be encouraged to keep Jesus at the center!

Episode Highlights:

• Pilgrim’s Feast
• Sabbath
• Spiritual Formation
• Practical Tips for Resting in God

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Schedule a time to chat with Brian
• Schedule a time to chat with Bethany
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Foster Our Community Instagram

This show has been produced by Adkins Media Co.

Get your tickets for the 2025 Benefit Dinner here!