Policymakers, researchers, and activists in the child welfare field frequently point to racial disparities within the system, as evidence of the systemic bias. But what are the true causes of these disparities? And how should governmental bodies tasked with protecting civil rights understand this issue? This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Rafael…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Alexandra Boylan is a film maker and screen writer of family-friendly movies with a message of faith for all ages. Listen to the stories behind she and her sister, Andrea, coming together to create books, curriculum and more to go with the movies that make an impact for eternity!…

In 1996, Rev. W.C. Martin and his wife partnered with 22 families in their 100-person congregation to adopt 77 of the most difficult-to-place children in the Texas foster care system. A recent film, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, tells the stories of these families and the inspiring results of their efforts. This week, Naomi and Ian are j…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Elana's story of a childhood brain injury that pushed her to a dangerous world of thinking that she was 'not enough', not worthy or capable, God guided her to His truth of her purpose and identity that transformed her life to where she is helping others out of experiences. Hear what is possible w…

As the school choice movement has gained momentum in recent years, parents have become a political force to be reckoned with. This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children and a visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, to discuss his recent book, The Parent Revoluti…

The country’s youth mental health crisis continues to increase demand for psychiatric beds. Yet, the availability of residential treatment facilities, reserved for youth with severe emotional disturbances, is on the decline. What impact does this have on youth—including those in foster care--with high levels of need, and how do we ensure access to …

The dramatic rise in substance use disorders over the past decade has altered—indeed, destroyed—many American lives, but how does this epidemic affect children? And who is ensuring their safety? This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Sarah Font, child welfare researcher and associate professor of sociology and public policy at Penn State, to discus…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! In a time where we can easily become fearful, retired Major Carole Newell describes how we can be confident in God's protection. She leads us through Scriptures on God's divine answers for every problem including how to hear from the Holy Spirit.By iRefresh Sheryl Kloehr,Carole Newell

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! We all experience trauma at some point in our life. What do we do with it? Ignore it and move on to 'make it' for the sake of loved ones that may be counting on you? Sarah and Isabell Bowling team up to design a creative way to begin a journey of healing through their different styles of writing …

How has the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v. Jackson affected foster care and adoption in the United States during the past two years? This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Herbie Newell, President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services, one of the largest adoption agencies in the United States. Herbie discusses how the recent li…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Alexandra Boylan shares her journey as an actress and how the challenges turned her towards writing and producing films. She finds the strength and courage to do practically every aspect of film making out of her passion and calling in life. Alexandra is full of life and inspiration to anyone int…

The steep increase in mental health challenges among young children is one of today’s most widely discussed issues. But why is so little attention paid to the role of family dynamics in creating or reducing stress for kids? This week, Ian and Naomi are joined by Dr. Nicholas Zill, research psychologist and senior fellow at the Institute for Family …

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Myesha shares her inspirational journey from being a school teacher to an equity coach, guided by her faith and a deep sense of purpose. She integrates biblical principles into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion issues through stories, biblical insights, and practical advice. She illustrates the tr…

Conventional wisdom suggests that developing a child’s intellect is the job of schools, but parents spend far more time with their kids than teachers do. There is a lot that parents can and should do on this front. This week, Naomi is joined by Eva Moskowitz, founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools in New York City, and author of the rec…

Why do some members of the “elite class”—those who are educated, wealthy, and largely raised in stable, two-parent homes—publicly advocate for harmful beliefs while not subscribing to them in their private lives? This week marks Are You Kidding Me?’s 100th episode! For this special episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Rob Henderson, psychologist an…

The “Success Sequence” refers to a series of steps—graduating high school, working full-time, and marrying before having children—that are shown to dramatically decrease one’s likelihood of living in poverty. But what happens if, for a variety of reasons, these steps are completed out of order? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Angela Ra…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! We can be overwhelmed by the distractions of life and divert our attention to the One who can sustain us, restore us and refresh us in our mind set on life. Angela Hurley-Smith an Brandy Williams give practical and helpful tips to regaining that quality time with God to help us flourish in the ga…

Why are Americans having fewer children? And why do younger Americans seem resistant to the idea of having children at all? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Tim Carney, a senior fellow at AEI focusing on family, religion, and civil society in America. Tim discusses his upcoming book, “Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids…

New York City public schools have long struggled with abysmally low literacy rates among their students. Will adopting a more evidence-based reading curriculum be enough to create improvement? This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Robert Pondiscio, Senior Fellow at AEI and scholar of K-12 education, to discuss the science of reading. A former 5th …

How can we ensure young Americans understand civics? Our K-12 schools have seen a significant loss in the both the quality and quantity of history and civics requirements. Is there any way reverse this trend? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Chris Sinacola, director of communications and media relations at Pioneer Institute and co-edito…

(Note to listener: This episode contains mention of child abuse and child fatalities.) When children who are already on the radar of their child protection agency die from abuse, it is essential to ask whether and how this death could have been avoided. In particular, could the agency have prevented the death by doing something differently? In this…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Staci McKee takes us through her journey to truly understanding God and explains how here perception of him changed as her relationship to him grew deeper.By iRefresh

Discussions about the child welfare system are plagued by two false narratives. The first is that cases where children are neglected are simply instances of poverty and can be solved just by providing more material resources to the family. The second is that racial disparities in the system mean that it is plagued by systemic bias and that authorit…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! In this testimonial, Kaitlyn sheds light on her relationship with Christ and highlights the power that prayer has had on her.By iRefresh

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Brandy Williams shares her story about the hardships she endured as a young adult and how the events ultimately led her back to having a relationship with Christ.By iRefresh Brandy Williams

Even as many parents grow increasingly dissatisfied with their local public schools, finding another option for their children is not always easy – or affordable. Publicly-funded school choice programs aim to bridge this gap, but they have faced enormous political opposition. As the education system rebuilds itself post-pandemic, is there hope that…

New research shows students in 2023 are making less progress in reading and math than their counterparts were prior to the pandemic. Rather than catching up after the return to in-person schooling, students fell even further behind. How can this be and what can we do about it? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Michael J. Petrilli, presid…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Holidays and events can be stressful in and of themselves, but when family gets together, there's years of potentially built-up tensions that could explode at any moment. Dr. Cindy Palen offers steps to take to voice lovingly one's feelings as we learn to change our tone. Dr. Palen, MA, LAC, NCC …

Single-parent households are more common in the U.S. than in any other country. Can we afford to ignore this reality when discussing issues of poverty and economic mobility? This week, Naomi and Ian are joined by Melissa Kearney, Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and author of the new book “The Two-Parent Privilege: How Americans…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! God is not finished with you! Even in the midst of your doubts and insecurity, God still wants to use you! Be encouraged by Sarah's story of receiving VISION from God out of a place of pain. We are praying for you! Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: www.irefresh.net…

Over the summer, the California State Board of Education proposed its new math framework, a nearly 1,000 page document that has generated considerable controversy. While some are criticizing the overt political content within the framework, the more important question is: Will the framework actually help students learn math? This week, Naomi and Ia…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Does the noise of the world seem to be overwhelming? Do you find an intense pressure weighing on you? Angie shares how God is still with you and He speaks a BETTER word over you! We are praying for you! Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: www.irefresh.net…

On October 2nd, England’s Department of Education announced it will back all head teachers who ban smartphone use in schools, even during break times. According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, during the 2019-20 school year, 77% of public schools in the U.S. said they did not allow phone use during school hours, yet many …

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Danny and Carrie Kittinger challenge us to keep using our gifts and talents for God even during the HARD times. They detail it out in Danny's book, "What Matters Most" discussed in this episode. Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: www.irefresh.net…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Sheryl talks on the power of dreaming. What are their purposes from God? Listen to 14 different dreams in the Bible and how each one holds significance for God's communication to His people. Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: www.irefresh.net…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Dr. Sherri Thomas gives insight on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and specific tips on how to adjust your diet in a practical way. Check website for detailed list over the categories that are essential for your well-being. Episode 112 Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: …

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Why change your life style when it comes to nutrition? Dr. Sherri Thomas discusses the process of what our body does when we eat more of the nutritionally deficient foods over fruits and vegetables. She breaks it down in a short explanation on biochemistry to help us realize the value of foods he…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Have you grown up around the church and yet struggled to have a personalized relationship with Jesus? Angie Hawkins shares her story and lessons learned when she surrendered to God and allowed Him to have access to her heart. She is passionate to share the love of Jesus she personally experienced…

75 percent of 10 year-old black children are not at grade-level proficiency in math or reading. How is this possible? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Robert Cherry, adjunct fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of the new book The State of the Black Family: Sixty Years of Tragedies and Failures—and New Initiatives Offe…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! On this episode, Sheryl talks with Sarah Wehrli about lessons Sarah has learned from the struggles she has faced in life and how God has helped her through them. They talk through the different points of Sarah's recent book and remind us to never forget that God is working in every season, good o…

In Bernalillo County, New Mexico, 68 children under the age of one overdosed on fentanyl in 2022 alone. How did this happen? And how can we fix it? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Maralyn Beck, founder and executive director of the New Mexico Child First Network. Maralyn explains how New Mexico’s “public health approach” to babies born…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! What holds the HIGHEST value in YOUR life? In this episode, Danny and Carrie challenge us to remember what the important things in life, such as family, celebration, and of course, Jesus. We pray this podcast reminds you to stay let go of the unimportant and stay committed to focusing on WHAT MAT…

Are black children over-reported and over-represented in the child welfare system? Are their cases more likely to be substantiated than those of white children? Are black children placed in foster care at a higher rate? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Brett Drake, Professor of Data Science for the Social Good in Practice at the Washing…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! Remember God's faithfulness in the past to bring victory so you can press through now when you are in a dry and weary season. Feel like giving up? Stop! Listen! Find hope in Sheryl's message. Learn more about iRefresh and Prayer Opportunities here: www.irefresh.net…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! On this episode, Sheryl and Tim talk to their dear friends from India, Rose and James. They share how believers in India are being persecuted as well as the fact Yoga's foundation comes from Hinduism. We pray this podcast encourages you to see the importance of the postures we take and the things…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! What happens when you disagree with someone but you know you're called to love? On this episode, Julie and Veronica talk about keeping the Gospel first and foremost above our own opinions and ideas. They encourage us to keep grounded in the Word so that God's Voice remains the loudest above all o…

Can government child welfare agencies demand that foster parents adhere to certain ideological viewpoints, even if they are in opposition to those parents’ religious or personal beliefs? In Oregon, this remains to be seen. In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Jonathan Scruggs, Senior Counsel and director of the Center for Conscience Initiat…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! In this episode, Julie shares her story of walking with her mother through Alzheimers. How can we let God into these difficult seasons of our life? She encourages us to trust in The Lord and let the Holy Spirit work in the situation. We pray you are pushed to lean into Christ when you face tough …

Why does it take so long for some states to find safe, permanent homes for foster children? In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Sarah Font, Associate Professor of Sociology at Penn State University. Sarah recently published a report card for AEI, ranking states based on how long children wait in the foster care system to find a permanent h…

Send your text message - we'd love to hear from you! On this Episode, we talk about the ways we have dealt with anxiety in our lives. We address ways in which we have learned to live out the truth of Philippians 4:6, "to be anxious about nothing" and instead choose to bring our requests to the Lord. We are so excited for you to hear this conversati…