Radical Biblical Hospitality

Radical Biblical Hospitality

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Safe Families For Children – So Flexible – Everyone Can Do Something!

Have you ever desired to help out families in crisis in your community but didn’t really know how to do that?

Or you liked the idea of serving, but thought you might not have the time?

Well, Safe Families might be just the opportunity that you have been looking for!

Listen in as Northeast Indiana Regional Director, Bonnie Doolittle, shares all about this much-needed ministry and how you can help!

The basic premise of Safe Families for Children was born out of the need to keep children safe, keep families intact, and reduce the need for foster care.

You heard us talk about it in the podcast – a super easy way to start supporting this

much-needed ministry… 

AT NO COST TO YOU!

Donate At No Cost To You Just By Shopping! Find Step-by-Step Directions Here:

Click Here

You can also make a donation for

GIVING TUESDAY! (Or anytime!)

December 1, 2020

Click HERE to make a donation!

Everything you need to know starts here:

 

For additional specific information, please check out my previous post on Safe Families Click HERE:

My son, Kyle, was always encouraging people to just “show up” and do something – anything – to make a difference in the lives of  those around you who are in need.

Safe Families is an opportunity where you can all do just that! 

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

A Journey of Adoption

A Journey of Adoption

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A Journey of a Couple’s Heart to Adopt

In this episode of Forti-fy, you will hear the heart of Ashley Kellogg who chronicles her family’s 10-year journey to their first adoption – and how their ever expanding family now includes the addition of 5 special needs children, in addition to their biological 6, making a very lively and bustling home!

 

Be sure to check out the plethora of helpful resources listed below that Ashley has provided!

Resources Discussed in the Episode:

Adoption Resources

 

Gateway Woods is a local agency in Leo that works with foster care and international adoptions providing homestudies and other adoption services

https://www.adoptiongateway.org/

 

Hand in Hand is a local agency in Albion that provides domestic and international homestudies and other adoption resources

https://www.hihiadopt.org/

 

Children’s Bureau is an Indianapolis based adoption agency that works with foster and adoptive families for homestudies and other adoption services

https://www.childrensbureau.org/

 

Special Angels Adoption is an agency that provides services for special needs adoptions.

http://www.specialangelsadoption.org/

 

The National Down Syndrome Adoption Network provides support for birth and adoptive families of children with Down syndrome

www.ndsan.org

 

Reece’s Rainbow advocates for orphans with Down syndrome and other special needs by raising funds for adoption grants  

https://reecesrainbow.org/

 

Empowered to Connect website has a podcasts, a blog and training resources for foster and adoptive parents

www.EmpoweredtoConnect.org

 

Facebook Pages: 

Indiana Foster and Adoptive Parents

Parenting with Connection

China Adoption Questions

 

Conferences:

ReplantedConference.org is a virtual conference providing hours of training for working with children from hard places

TapestryConference.net is a virtual conference for foster and adoptive parents

EmpoweredtoConnect.org runs yearly conferences for foster and adoptive parents

 

Books: (This is a great list for ALL parents!)

The Connected Child by Purvis, Cross and Sunshine

The Connected Parent by Qualls and Purvis

The Whole Brain Child by Daniel Siegel

No Drama Discipline by Daniel Siegel

Love Me Feed Me by Katja Rowell

Attaching in Adoption by Deborah Gray

You Can Adoption Without Debt by Julie Gumm

Feel free to reach out to Ashley at: [email protected] 

She would be happy to answer your questions!

What Small Steps Can You Take to Live in Harmony with Your Habitat?

What Small Steps Can You Take to Live in Harmony with Your Habitat?

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Wait! Before you throw that in your trash can….

Honestly, although we throw our trash in the can and haul it to the curb, there is no magical place where trash goes “away”.

Where should you be throwing your toxic chemicals, light bulbs, batteries, paints, appliances and electronics? Even food?

Is it possible for you to reduce your waste?  Yes! With just a few small changes we can make a big difference in the world we live.

Neil Miller, Communications and Outreach Coordinator for Allen County Department of Environmental Management,  provided SO much great information in this podcast episode.

Listen in to hear so many great “trash tips” from Neil; then, check out the rest of this blog post for a truckload of resources!!!

Resources Discussed by Neil

There is so much information on the ACDEM!

Just click! 

 

Information on Composting

To learn more about where to recycle plastic bags, visit:

Interested in connecting with some local “Zero Wasters”?

Check out this facebook Page:

 

Neil’s recommendations for “Zero Waste” products:

“A great resource for many zero-waste products including silicone “Ziploc” bags is EarthHero.com – we refer to it as the zero waste amazon! They also carry a fair amount of zero-waste items at Target. A well-recommended brand of silicone bags is Stasher – they can be pricy, but when you consider the reuse and the money you save on purchasing disposable ones, it can be worth it!

Click HERE

Click HERE:

Here are the bamboo utensils and reusable bags that were discussed:

Composting Services

Click on picture for website

Neil provides these sites for further Solid Waste districts in NE Indiana:

Allen County residents can contact us via our website – acwastewatcher.org

Wells County: https://wellscounty.org/solid-waste-districtrecycling-center/

Adams County: http://www.adamscountyswmd.com/

Huntington County: https://www.huntington.in.us/county/department/index.php?structureid=38

Whitley County: https://www.whitleygov.com/department/index.php?structureid=24

Lagrange, Dekalb, Noble, Steuben – http://www.niswmd.org/

Thanks, Neil!

 

 

Are You Stuck? How To Start Moving Forward

Are You Stuck? How To Start Moving Forward

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Moments in Life

The above picture was taken less than 48 hours after I received the phone call from the Nairobi embassy letting me know of Kyle’s passing, and after viewing the many headlines:

I had flown to Colorado as soon as I was able. The morning after I arrived, Kyle and Hope’s home was filled with kids running to and fro. Hope had invited some former foster kids and their mother over, in addition to some close friends and their children.

Here, I am looking around at all the activity and the Legos all over the floor, my eyes swollen from crying, and my heart in pieces. I was thinking how Kyle would love all the activity – knowing life was still being lived, and how he would appreciate the outpouring of love and support – from flowers to food – by so many faithful friends.

In the early days after a death, you are forced to keep moving due to everything that needs to get done.  But there comes a time when all that activity is over. Life pauses.

This podcast does not specifically focus on life after losing a loved one – that is just where I happened to be when I reached out to Donna.

But at different moments in life – you can find yourself stuck – in any number of areas – for any number of reasons.  Obviously being stuck in weight loss, exercise, or finances does not compare to losing a loved one, however there are still some common steps to moving forward.

In this podcast, Donna and I discuss some of those steps.

Remember:  Give yourself the freedom to give yourself the time, to take the small steps, that ultimately help you to start moving again.

LISTEN HERE:

To listen to the part one of this conversation, click HERE.

Resources Discussed In the Podcast

Donna’s Podcast Episode on the Self Coaching Model 

Although Donna’s Podcast is called Think-Feel-Eat, the “Eat” could also be replaced with the much broader context of “Act”.

In this episode, Donna covers this model:

 

 

 

In this Episode Donna Covers:

A. What is the Think-Feel-Act cycle?

B. What are thoughts?

C. How does Think-Feel-Act differ from the Power of Positive Thinking?

D. We can Think ourselves to Action

Donna has taken the principles discussed by these “experts” and incorporates them into her life coaching – which is why she can help you to move forward!

How To Make Lifestyle Changes That Will Last with Dr Rangan Chatterjee and Dr Ayan Panja

This is the podcast episode that Donna had posted earlier in the year, which I listened to, that focused on

“Feel better in 5”:

 

 

Donna’s Recommended books:

Donna’s Life Coaching

If you think you might be interested in having Donna help you “move forward”, you can sign up for a free consultation call here:

#getforti-fy’d

Down 220 Pounds: Small Steps, Huge Strides!

Down 220 Pounds: Small Steps, Huge Strides!

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Donna’s Story

So much great info here!

In this episode of the Forti-fy Podcast, Donna shares her, and her husband’s, 220-pound weight-loss journey. There is so much here we can all relate to. Tune in to hear some great life-style tips!

To listen to Part Two of this conversation, click HERE.

Here are links to all the information Donna discussed in the podcast.

There are so many great resources here!

You can check out a previous blog post on Donna’s weight loss journey HERE