Host Sandra Flach is a mom of 8 children, 5 through adoption—one kinship and 4 international. Her youngest 2 are teens diagnosed with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). With over 30 years of parenting experience and 20 plus years as an adoptive and kinship parent, she’s made mountains of mistakes and learned loads of lessons. She understands the difficult road of parenting children with trauma histories—and she is still in the trenches! The Adoption & Foster Care Journey is a podcast to encourage, educate, and equip you to care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care, and kinship care. We aim to support adoptive and foster families by sharing encouraging real-life stories and equipping them with modern-day research and parenting techniques.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." -John 14:26-27
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with adoptive mom, Crystal Dethlefs. Crystal is a woman of faith, a mother of 7 young adults, and has been married to her high school sweetheart, Mike, for 37 years. She homeschooled her older children thru graduation and has over 22 years of lived experience parenting children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
Crystal’s personal journey began when 4 of her adopted children—initially diagnosed without guidance by a doctor at an ADHD clinic—were later confirmed to have FASD. This launched her into years of dedicated research, advocacy, and training. She has received training in FASCETS, TBRI®, Families Moving Forward, and participates in Jeff Noble’s Caregiver Club coaching program. Crystal currently serves as the Parent Advocate at The Florida Center FASD Clinic and sits on her local Behavioral Healthcare Advisory Committee. With ministry training from the District School of Ministry, Crystal continues to serve families with both compassion and practical support.
Listen in as Crystal shares her family’s adoption journey and about the importance of finding your tribe and the right tools when parenting kids with FASD.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday Jul 07, 2025
Monday Jul 07, 2025
"The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need." -Psalm 23:1
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with adoptive mom, Sue Roseberger. Sue is an adoptive mom of 3 kids—all adopted through foster care—one diagnosed with FASD. She’s a member of the Hope for the FASD Journey support community and manages ReFurnishings—a furniture thrift store in upstate NY—which is an extension of JFO.
Listen in as Sue candidly shares her adoption journey, becoming a widow, learning about FASD, seeking a diagnosis for her son, and learning she was also prenatally exposed herself. Through it all, Sue has trusted the Lord to guide her.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday Jun 30, 2025
Monday Jun 30, 2025
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." -James 1:27
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with adoptive mom, Angela Miller. Angie is founder and chairman of Laura’s Village, a nonprofit inspired by her daughter, Laura. As a school teacher she has worked with a nonprofit to care for critically ill orphans overseas and also provided respite for at-risk children here in the U.S. Angie wrote Nosey Rosey to highlight her driving passions: faith, family, adoption, & special needs.
Angie is a biological and adoptive mom to 5 grown children. In addition, she is active in the special needs community, as her oldest daughter, Laura, has severe Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Angie says, “I believe that God has created every person for a purpose. No matter what level of ability exists, everyone is able to make a positive impact on the community.”
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday Jun 23, 2025
Monday Jun 23, 2025
"Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.
O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge."
-Psalm 62:5 & 8
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach talks with adoptive mom, Virginia Wells. Virginia is the author of the new book, Praying For a Wounded Child—Encouragement and Prayers for You and the Child You Love. Tune in to hear how adoptive and foster parents can specifically prayer for our kids.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Praying For a Wounded Child - book
Monday Jun 16, 2025
Monday Jun 16, 2025
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." -Matthew 11:28-30
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
Feeling burdened or burned out? On this episode, host Sandra Flach discusses how to navigate seasons of change, overwhelm, and grief. She also shares a devotion from her upcoming book, Soul Care Saturday—52 Devotions for Foster and Adoptive Moms.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday Jun 09, 2025
Monday Jun 09, 2025
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." -Isaiah 43:19
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach shares how to survive summer break by implementing a summer schedule. Tune in to learn why the lazy hazy days of summer might be stressful for our children and how a routine can provide the predictability they need.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday Jun 02, 2025
Monday Jun 02, 2025
"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service…" -Timothy 1:12
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach features her conversation with Chris Johnson. Chris serves as Sr. Dir. of Church Partnerships & External Advocacy at Lifeline Children’s Services. With over 2 decades of pastoral experience and a background as the Exec. Dir. of the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Faith & Community Based Initiatives, he’s a seasoned leader and advocate for vulnerable children and families. Chris and his wife Alicia reside in Birmingham, AL. Together, they have 10 children, 7 of whom were adopted from foster care, and they are proud grandparents—including 2 grandchildren also adopted through foster care. Their commitment to serving children extends to fostering over 40 children throughout the years, embodying their dedication to family and community
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday May 26, 2025
Monday May 26, 2025
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you have me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” -Matthew 25:35
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach completes our National Foster Care Awareness Month episodes with leading international foster care expert, consultant, and TED Talk speaker, Dr John DeGarmo. He is the director of The Foster Care Institute. John is author of several foster care books, including his newest book The Little Book of Foster Care Wisdom: 365 Days of Inspiration & Encouragement for Foster Care Families and he’s appeared on all the major national TV networks.
John and his wife, Dr. Kelly DeGarmo, have 6 children both biological and adoptive. They’ve fostered more than 60 children over the years and are currently fostering 3— bringing their household to 9 children.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday May 19, 2025
Monday May 19, 2025
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, Because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim freedom for the captives and Release from darkness for the prisoners,…" -Isaiah 61:1
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach continues her National Foster Care Awareness Month episodes with Bethany Hall. Bethany is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in Complex Developmental Trauma. She has lived experience as a missionary and foster and adoptive mom as well as extensive experience training nonprofit organizations, foster and adoptive families, educators, social workers, and others.
Bethany is currently the Director of Training and Content at Chosen—an organization that exists to help children, youth & families prevent and heal trauma through healthy relational connection. She is passionate about providing trauma-responsive content and training that equips caregivers to be critical agents of change in their child’s healing. Bethany and her husband Kevin have 3 children, biological and adopted.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com
Monday May 12, 2025
Monday May 12, 2025
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11
Welcome to The Adoption & Foster Care Journey—a podcast to encourage, educate and equip you as you care for children in crisis through adoption, foster care and kinship care.
On this episode, host Sandra Flach continues her National Foster Care Awareness Month episodes with Peter Mutabazi. Peter is an entrepreneur, an adoptive dad of 3, a foster dad to more than 40 kids, and the founder of Now I Am Known. A former street kid who has worked for World Vision, Compassion International, & the Red Cross, Peter is a passionate & popular speaker, as well as the author of Now I Am Known. He just released his 2nd book, Love Does NOT Conquer All—And Other Surprising Lessons I Learned as a Foster Dad.
Find Sandra’s conversation with Peter Mutabazi wherever you get your podcasts.
Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share it on your social media.
Links mentioned in this episode:
justicefororphansny.org/hope-community
Email: sandraflach@justicefororphansny.org
Orphans No More—A Journey Back to the Father book on amazon.com