April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and in this episode of Restoried, we sit down with author, speaker, and advocate Stephanie Ellison to talk about the realities of child abuse, especially the parts we don’t always see.

Stephanie shares pieces of her own story growing up in instability, navigating trauma, and learning how those experiences shaped her as both a child and an adult. She helps us understand how kids cope in different ways, some becoming quiet and unseen, others acting out, both responses rooted in survival.

We also talk about how complex abuse really is, how generational cycles play a role, and why compassion matters, not just for kids, but for struggling families too. This conversation is a reminder that we don’t have to do something big to make a difference. Sometimes, being a safe, consistent presence is enough to change a child’s life.

If you’ve ever wondered how to recognize signs of abuse or how you can help, this episode will both challenge and encourage you.

Episode Highlights:

• Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Abuse isn’t always visible
• Kids cope in different ways
• Trauma shapes behavior deeply
• Small actions make big impact
• Safe people change lives

Find more on Guest:

• Listen to Stephanie’s Previous Restoried Episode Here
• Stephanie’s Book- Always Forever
• Stephanie’s Non-Profit’s Website
• Fostering Hope Podcast
• Stephanie’s Blog
• Stephanie’s Instagram
• Stephanie’s Facebook

Find More on Hope Bridge:

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

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

In this episode of Restoried, we’re talking about Sabbath, what it actually looks like in real, everyday life. It’s not just about taking a day off, but about creating a rhythm of stopping, resting, delighting, and spending time with God.

We get into how Sabbath can sometimes feel rigid or unrealistic, but how it can actually become something really freeing and life-giving. Even small, intentional shifts, like unplugging from your phone or slowing down enough to connect with the people around you, can bring a sense of peace back into your home and your week.

At the end of the day, Sabbath is a gift, not a rule, and it doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.

Episode Highlights:

• Sabbath is intentional, not legalistic
• Start Sabbath with realistic rhythms
• Rest is an act of trust
• Remove distractions, deepen connection
• Small rhythms transform your home

Find More on Hope Bridge/Links from this episode:

• Sabbath for Families PDF
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

In this episode, we are having a conversation on a powerful concept many child welfare workers feel but don’t always have language for: moral injury.

We unpack the difference between simple burnout and the deeper, soul-level injury that happens when we know what compassionate, ethical care should look like, yet are forced to operate inside systems that often make that impossible.

We reflect on how this plays out across social work, foster care, and kinship care, where both workers and families can feel powerless, conflicted, and even complicit while trying to do the right thing.

This is a heavy but important conversation for those serving in helping professions, and we end by encouraging those carrying these burdens, naming that moral injury is real, and reminding you that ultimate justice and restoration belong to God.

Episode Highlights:

• Social Work Appreciation Month
• Moral Injury
• The Weight of Child Welfare
• Soul Care

Find More on Hope Bridge/Links from this Episode:

• Follow The Christian Social Worker on Instagram
• Follow Socialworkaholic on Instagram
• The Legacy Scholarship from The Christ Foundation
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

In honor of Social Work Appreciation Month, we’re resharing one of our earlier conversations with Blake Boyer.

Blake is a Christian social worker whose passion is encouraging and equipping believers who are fostering, adopting, and supporting children and families involved in the child welfare system. She also mentors social workers as they navigate the challenges of this important work.

In this episode, Blake shares honestly about the realities of the child welfare system and the unique pressures social workers often face. She offers practical encouragement for those serving on the front lines and reminds us that even when the work is hard and the outcomes aren’t always visible, God is still at work.

Whether you are a social worker, foster or adoptive parent, or someone who cares about children and families in crisis, this conversation is a powerful reminder that faith, perseverance, and community matter in this work.

Episode Highlights:

• Blake’s Background
• Challenges for Social Workers
• Setting Boundaries as a Social Worker
• Blake’s Passion for Change
• Encouragement for Foster Families and Social Workers

Find more on Guest:

• Blake’s Instagram
• Blake’s Blog

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

In this episode, we sit down with Kirsten Smith, Summit County Coordinator for Hope Bridge, to hear her incredible journey as a mother of nine adopted children from foster care. Kirsten shares openly about her family’s story, beginning with her and her husband Josh navigating infertility and feeling God’s call toward adoption. She reflects on bringing home sibling groups, the challenges of raising children from trauma, and the unexpected ways God has provided for their family, including a miraculous gift of a bigger home and navigating her own health struggles with thyroid cancer.

Kirsten also opens up about the ongoing challenges of parenting a child with serious mental health needs, including multiple inpatient psychiatric stays, and how her faith has sustained her through seasons of uncertainty, grief, and fear. She emphasizes the importance of trusting God’s plan, embracing His timing, and stepping into foster care and adoption even when the path feels overwhelming.

This episode is full of hope, honesty, and encouragement for anyone involved in foster care, adoption, or walking a season of unexpected trials.

Episode Highlights:

• From infertility to adoption
• Raising kids from trauma
• God’s unexpected provision
• Faith through health struggles
• Navigating mental health challenges
• Trusting God’s plan
• Encouragement for foster parents

Find more on Guest:

• Support Kirsten’s Son in Funding His Residential Treatment
• In the Room by Maverick City Music
• Lifesong for Orphans

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Chat with a Hope Bridge Staff Member
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

On this episode of Restoried, Mel sits down to talk with Jen Zwick and Cat Tortola about hope, faith, and transformation. Cat isn’t just a graduate of the Hope Bridge Single Moms Program; she’s now the Single Mom Program’s coordinator, helping other single moms navigate life, growth, and family. She shares her journey from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to finding support, community, and confidence through Hope Bridge.

Cat shares about her experience moving into transitional housing, stepping into church for the first time, getting baptized, and even partnering with Habitat for Humanity to rehab her own home. Along the way, Cat learned practical life skills, discovered her potential, and gained the confidence to take bold steps forward. She also shares her hopes for the future: mentoring other single moms and creating a space where they feel truly seen, heard, and supported.

If you’re looking for inspiration or want to see how community and God’s faithfulness can change lives, this episode is for you. Whether you’re a single mom looking for support or just want to see hope in action, tune in to hear how you can get involved, get connected with Hope Bridge, or cheer for these amazing women on their journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Meet Cat!
• Overcoming fear and doubt
• Embracing community support
• Growth through guidance
• Faith-fueled transformation
• Empowerment for single mom

Find More on Hope Bridge/Links from this Episode:

• Single Mom Connection Form
• Empower U March
• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook

Join us for our Annual Benefit Dinner!

In this episode of Restoried, Brian and Anne revisit the spiritual formation practice of Pilgrim Feast, a rhythm inspired by the biblical feasts where God’s people gathered to remember His faithfulness and celebrate together. Pilgrim Feast invites families to reframe vacations and special time away as gifts from God; moments to worship, reconnect, and intentionally celebrate His goodness.

Anne shares how her family prayerfully planned a focused trip with their four older children after a long fostering season, choosing unplugged time in the mountains to reconnect and reflect on God’s faithfulness. Brian shares about his family’s trip to Missouri and how shifting their mindset, seeing vacation as God’s generosity rather than something earned, changed the experience.

They acknowledge the realities of parenting, tight budgets, and blended family dynamics, encouraging listeners to lower expectations of perfection and focus on connection. Pilgrim Feast does not have to be expensive or elaborate. It can be a staycation, a weekend getaway, or even a single intentional day marked by rest, favorite foods, tech boundaries, and meaningful conversation.

The challenge is simple: dream about it, pray about it, put it on the calendar, and trust God to restore your family through celebration.

Episode Highlights:

• Celebrate God’s faithfulness.
• Receive rest as a gift.
• Choose connection over perfection.
• Intentional > expensive.
• Pray, plan, calendar it.

Links from this Episode:

• Pilgrim’s Feast with Young Kids
• Register for Mobilize Ohio 2026
• Register for the Pastor + Ministry Leaders Brunch

Find More on Hope Bridge:

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

Register for Mobilize Ohio 2026

In this episode of Restoried, we sit down with Jamie Fuller to hear her family’s unexpected journey into kinship care. It’s a story shaped by loss, faith, and God’s redemptive work. What Jamie thought would be a season of empty nesting turned into something she and her husband, JP, never imagined. They welcomed their two nephews after the tragic loss of their parents.

Jamie shares honestly about what it’s like to suddenly step into trauma-informed parenting while also grieving the life she thought she would have. She talks about the emotional weight, the impact on her whole family, and the loneliness that can come with caring for kids from hard places.

One of the most powerful parts of Jamie’s story is how finding people who truly understood changed everything. From her first Hope Bridge moms’ night to attending Mobilize Ohio, Jamie describes what it meant to finally be in rooms where she didn’t have to explain her story. It was a place where she and JP felt seen, supported, and less alone.

This episode is a reminder that healing takes time, that joy and grief can exist at the same time, and that community really matters. If you’re walking a foster or kinship journey or supporting families who are, this conversation is for you. Mobilize Ohio and Hope Bridge are places where your story can make sense, too.

Episode Highlights:

• Jamie’s Story
• Kinship Care
• Trauma Informed Parenting
• Mobilize Ohio
• Finding Community

Find More on Hope Bridge:

• Visit Our Website
• Follow us on Instagram
• Follow us on Facebook
• Register for Mobilize Ohio 2026

Register for Mobilize Ohio 2026