The latest video release from the Pure Religion Project features Jamie Finn, author, speaker and Founder of Foster the Family with branches in various parts of the country. Jamie shares how not only opening their home to children – but also their hearts to the families of those children – has profoundly impacted their family.  “I saw foster care and adoption as a call to go and do for another – that it was just about the mission itself and the people itself. And what I understand now is that God had something really beautiful to do in my heart through it; tha ..read more

As the summer sun beckons us to relax and unwind, there’s no better companion than a good book or podcast.  So we decided to survey the CAFO team to see which titles and series are captivating their attention this season.  From spiritual formation to time management to books on prayer, discipleship and overcoming adversity – we think you’ll enjoy hearing from the team and hope you will discover something new for your summer reading and listening list, too!  ——— Jason Weber, National Director of More Than EnoughCurrently reading: Lead With Prayer by Ryan Skoog, Peter Greer, and C ..read more

If you’ve spent time in and around child welfare, you’ve likely heard someone say, “Love is not enough,” when referring to caring for children from hard places. You may have even said it yourself. When someone uses this phrase, they’re onto something if we are talking about the culturally acceptable definition of love as portrayed in the media and popular literature. A teammate suggested I ask Chat GPT to create a one-sentence description of love in the style of a Hallmark greeting card. Here are a few of the results: “Love is the warm embrace of the soul, where hearts find their forever home ..read more

In celebration of two decades of equipping, community and inspiration at the annual CAFO Summit, we are opening the archives to release more than 20 keynote addresses from the past 20 years – many of which have never been seen before! These keynotes feature some of the most influential voices in child welfare, spiritual formation, and Gospel-centered justice and mercy. From David Platt’s powerful message on how adoption mirrors the gospel, to Dr. Karyn Purvis’s insights on the impact of trauma on children, these talks have shaped our movement and inspired thousands over the years. The collecti ..read more

In storytelling, the turning point is the part of the plot line where there’s a revelation or decision that changes the protagonist’s trajectory. After that moment, everything gets better. It’s when Simba decides to return home and confront his evil uncle, Scar, in The Lion King. It’s when George McFly works up the courage to clench his fist and knock out Biff in Back to the Future. It’s when you realize that Andy has been digging a tunnel behind the poster in his cell the entire time in Shawshank Redemption. For decades, we have collectively assumed that the turning point in foster care is th ..read more

[Editor’s Note: This is the third article in a three-part series on Created to Heal: How Neuroplasticity Offers Hope for Children and Their Families. You can find the first and second articles here.] The brain’s regenerative abilities are remarkable, but translating the principles of neuroplasticity into real practice takes intention and commitment from the caring adults in a child’s life. Neuroplasticity is not a quick fix.  Our neuropathways are established through thoughts, words and experiences across time. (Yes, thoughts create actual physical matter!) Repetition and time are require ..read more

[Editor’s Note: This is the second article in a three-part series on Created to Heal: How Neuroplasticity Offers Hope for Children and Their Families. You can find the first article here.] God created human beings to heal through the transformation of our minds.   In the first article of this blog series, we explored what neuroplasticity is and how early adversity can negatively impact brain development in children. While these negative impacts can be concerning, the remarkable reality of neuroplasticity is that the brain also has an amazing capacity for recovery and rewiring towards ..read more

The latest video release from the Pure Religion Project features Kondo Simfukwe, Pastor of Mission Point Community Church in Warsaw, IN. Kondo shares how, while many in their church, including his own family, engaged more deeply in some very hard and difficult places, they saw Jesus in some new and profoundly beautiful ways.  “…that’s been the story we’ve heard with so many in our church – that we stepped into these spaces and realized we were out of our depth and we were struggling and we were lonely, and we cried out to Jesus and He showed up and he brought other people around us; and w ..read more

[Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a three-part series on Created to Heal: How Neuroplasticity Offers Hope for Children and Their Families. The introduction is an excerpt from the book.]  This tree is located in Slope Point, New Zealand. Throughout Slope Point, the wind is so strong that the tree’s growth is dictated by it. Although the branches are misshapen, they are not necessarily damaged. Rather, they grew different than expected.  The tree is alive, but not functioning as it was designed. Due to the harsh environment, the tree cannot nourish itself to the full potenti ..read more

From movies and books to pop psychology, it’s often implied that children who enter a family through adoption are fated to bad outcomes.  Genetic variations, early trauma, loss of biological connections, and other factors are perceived to inevitably lead to a range of significant problems in adulthood.  But recent research tracking adoptee outcomes suggests otherwise.  Some of the findings in The Adopted Child A webinar hosted by the National Center on Adoption and Permanency (NCAP) on April 26 discussed the research findings in the publication, The Adopted Child.  Two expe ..read more