Meet My Brother, Jesse | The Gift of Down Syndrome

Today on the podcast I’m welcoming Maria Hansen-Quine. She is a global speaker, author, clinical social worker and school counselor, and serves as the Global Ethnic and Racial Healing Manager at Hillsong Church. She’s a strong advocate for adoption, inclusion, and trauma-based parenting. Alongside her husband, Sam, who is an adult adoptee from South Korea, they are parents to what she terms as “nine precious jewels”, two biological children and seven adopted children (from the United States, China, and Ghana).

In this episode, you’ll hear Maria’s beautiful story of God’s blessings as she shares how her life has intricately unwoven into a lovely testimony of God’s goodness. Come to see how saying “yes” to adoption and allowing Him to direct her path, has lead her to a life of joy and overwhelming blessings!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Hear how Maria and her husband have chosen to say “Yes” to God and His plan for their lives in serving Him and His people.

• Hear adoption stories of Maria’s 7 adopted children (from the United States, China, and Ghana), and the ways in which God lead them to each.

• Come to understand how instrumental trauma-based parenting has been in raising their 9 children and how you can begin to learn about it too!

• Learn about the mission of Hillsong Church’s Global Ethnic and Racial Healing Initiative Maria is leading to bring Unity to the global church.

As you’ll come to see in this episode, Maria and her husband continually step out in faith to live out the life God has planned for them. Their story and that of their 9 children is so inspiring, and I just can’t wait for you to listen-in!

Follow Maria: www.mariahansenquine.com or @mariahansenquine on Instagram and Facebook

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Today on the podcast I’m welcoming Zemmie Fleck. She is the Executive Director of GA Right to Life in Atlanta, advocating for all life from conception to natural death. She herself has a unique adoption story that she shares so beautifully with us! 

You’ll hear Zemmie’s personal story of adoption along with her 4 siblings at just 5 months old. In this episode, you’ll also have the chance to expand your perspective, as we discuss both sides of the abortion issue. Ultimately, you’ll hear why Zemmie believes that any human being can thrive, and that they just need to be given a chance.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Hear Zemmie’s personal story of being adopted, along with her 4 other siblings, by her parents who took them in essentially overnight. Come to understand her parent’s love, faith and trust in the Lord through welcoming strangers into their home with open arms!
• Hear how Zemmie became the Executive Director of Georgia Right to Life, and what they stand for.
• Engage with us as we discuss common questions and stances around abortion and pro-life.

Whatever your views may be, I hope you’ll listen-in to hear Zemmie’s story as we challenge our perspectives on this issue. In fact, that’s part of what this podcast is all about - challenging our perspectives through story! 

Georgia Right to Life

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Meet my brother, Jesse! He was born with Down syndrome when I was just 2 years old, and he has been the absolute best gift our family could have ever received.

In this episode, I’m interviewing Jesse and you’ll simply get to know him, understand the love and innocence his perspective brings to those around him, and peer into our special relationship. We really do have the sweetest relationship and we truly are best friends…We do everything together, of which he’ll tell you all about in this episode! Come meet my brother, Jesse, and listen-in as we explore his favorite things! 

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Meet David Hughens, screenplay writer behind Made With Love, a new crowdfunded movie that highlights the love, joy, and productivity of those with Down syndrome! In this conversation, you’ll hear David’s experience of befriending Jay, and why he decided to create a movie to foster inclusivity and understanding of people like Jay.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Learn how David’s mother’s writing inspired him to first get into film making at the age of 23.
• After many years on a different career path, hear how God brought him back into film making (and the huge success he’s had in writing screenplays since)!
• Hear how David first met Jay, his friend with Down syndrome, and what inspired David to begin writing Made With Love!
• Get to know Jay and the joy and light he brings to life!
• Understand what David has learned about Down syndrome and why he  decided to make this screenplay into a major motion picture!
• Learn how you can support the campaign to get this movie made!

This is such a lighthearted episode, and you’ll walk away with more joy in your day!

SUPPORT THE MOVIE: MADE WITH LOVE! Madewithlovethemovie.com

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Meet Lori Ann McQuillen! Today’s conversation is one of those real, raw, and vulnerable stories. In this episode, you’ll hear Lori Ann’s intimate story of lifelong substance abuse. Through her story, you’ll come to better understand the bondage of addiction and how severely it can take hold of one’s life, to the point of almost losing it. You’ll have the chance to rejoice with us as you learn how Lori Ann was able to finally break free and restore her life!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• The childhood trauma Lori Ann experienced through rejection from her own dad and how that established unhealthy core beliefs at a young age.

• Her struggle with addiction, teen pregnancy, losing her 4 children to the state, finding herself in and out of jail, and almost losing her life to overdose.

• Lori Ann’s redemptive recovery story - How God has restored her through His word and the support system he placed around her. Her story is one of true transformation in every way: mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and relationally!

Opening your heart for the good of others – to share what you’ve experienced so that others can learn from your story is vulnerable, yet filled with such purpose! She has worked so hard to transform her life into purpose and joy, and she’s now experiencing the healing power of telling her story today too! Lori Ann is a wonderful example of someone who’s turned great pain into purpose - and she’s just getting started! 

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Today on the podcast I’m sitting down with Steve Stirling. In this episode, you’ll learn how Steve, who was stricken by polio and orphaned at a young age, has been able to live a thriving life in America and ultimately serve those with needs that are similar to the needs of his own as a young boy in Korea so many years ago. 

Today, Steve is President and CEO of MAP International, a kingdom assignment God has so evidently and uniquely prepared him for through his own life experiences.

Episode topics:

• Hear Steve’s very inspiring story of how God lead him on a blessed journey beginning as an orphan stricken with Polio in Korea to becoming President and CEO of MAP International.

• Hear his personal adoption story and how he ended up living in the United States.

• Learn how God equipped Steve for His kingdom work through his corporate and nonprofit experiences.

• Understand MAP International’s unique model of distributing medical supplies and life saving medicines worldwide.

I met Steve multiple years ago already, and have had the chance to interact with him and others from MAP on multiple occasions, including vision summits, galas, donor meetings, and more. You’ll learn why MAP is one of my absolute favorite organizations as you listen in!

MAP.org
Grab Steve’s book, The Crutch of Success!

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Today on the podcast I’m welcoming Kurt Kandler. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of The 410 Bridge. Founded in 2006, and deriving its name from 1st Peter 4:10, The 410 Bridge is a Christ-centered, community-initiated development organization.

From time to time, I like to bring guests on in a thought-leader capacity to help us think about issues of humanity in a new way. This is one of those episodes where Kurt helps us understand that if we really want to help the poor, a perspective-shift and change is necessary. In this episode, he will challenge your worldview and help you come to understand a new way of looking at poverty and community development!

Episode topics:

• Hear Kurt’s personal story of how his well-meaning intentions to help the poor became a catalyst to finding a better way that actually helps, and how that lead to the founding The 410 Bridge.

• Dig into the model of The 410 Bridge and understand how they truly empower communities to lead their own community development.

• Learn why they dive deep into each community, focusing on long-term, holistic community development.

• Understand how building faith as a strong foundation and focusing on shifting their worldview of themselves, empowers the community to sustain their own development long after The 410 Bridge leaves.

• Hear why Kurt believes our worldview in the west needs to shift just as much as the worldview of those we’re trying to help.

• Hear inspiring personal stories of empowerment and how The 410 Bridge has been able to walk alongside community members in bettering their own lives!

In this episode, you’ll come to understand how The 410 Bridge’s unique community development model allows for a shift in worldview - aka how the materially poor sees themselves, serving as a catalyst for true development and poverty alleviation!

Grab Kurt’s book, If You Really Want to Help: Redefining the war on poverty, and learn more at 410bridge.org. Also, follow The 410 Bridge on Instagram and Facebook!

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Meet Patricia Jones! In this episode we’re sitting down to understand Patricia’s experience living as a black woman in America. You’ll also gain a new perspective as you hear her story of walking through multiple divorces (due to some pretty surprising circumstances), raising black children, enduring racial tension, and serving as a therapist in her day job.

Patricia is one of my favorite people both for her lightheartedness and ability to speak the truth from deep wisdom stemming from her own life experiences. As she shares her story in the first half of this episode, you’ll come to understand the immense difficulties she’s endured, which in large part lead her to first going to therapy herself! 

In the second half of this episode and without getting too political, we get into a deep discussion around the insurrection at the capital and her experiences living as a black woman in America. You’ll find her perspective here very interesting, as she vulnerably shares her lived experiences while balancing them with a therapist mindset. 

Don’t get lost in this story, listen until the end and you’ll be glad you stuck around for such an eye-opening episode. Patricia is SO wise, and I just can’t wait for you to meet her!

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In this episode, you’ll have the chance to meet Tracy Alin. She founded Amistad Worldwide in 2010, and she has served as a social worker and chaplain in long-term care facilities for 25 years. Tracy’s also currently an online professor teaching in Bible colleges in both India and Nepal. Before this episode is over, she may just encourage you to begin following your heart too!

Today you’ll hear Tracy’s testimony story and how God is at work in India saving orphaned children, supporting widows, loving lepers, and more. Through this episode, you’ll come to better understand the caste system and how it effects various people groups, making them some of the most vulnerable in the world.

Topics discussed in this episode: 

• Tracy’s testimony story and what lead her to India and to the founding of Amistad Worldwide

• Understand how Amistad began and the purpose behind this it!

• Better understand the caste system and corruption in India and how that effects various people groups: trafficked children, orphans, widows, unreached people groups, and more.

• Sweet stories of the children raised in the orphanages of India - come to understand their hearts and how they’ve been able to flourish!

• How and why Amistad is unique from other charities or nonprofits

As you listen, it won’t take you long to see how pure and intentional Tracy’s heart is for helping the most vulnerable around the world. I’m really excited for you to listen-in and come to understand not only her heart, but that of RK and the children he is raising in the orphanages. It paints a beautiful picture of what can happen when people across cultures, around the world, all say “yes” to the same calling God has placed inside them. Are you ready to begin following your heart too?

Get in-touch with Tracy or learn more about Amistad Worldwide at Amistadworldwide.org.

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Well hello there, Lovely! Welcome back to the LS Podcast, where we create space for real personal stories to be seen, heard, and understood. 

After a very unexpected 2-month hiatus from this show, I’m so happy to be back!  (Before we dive into today’s topic, I’ll fill-you-in on what’s been happening here the last 2 months and why we took such a sudden break on this show.) 

Today’s episode is a solo episode discussing a very difficult topic…I’m finally opening up and sharing about the miscarriage and loss my husband, Sam, and I experienced earlier this year. In this episode, you’ll hear our personal experience of walking through an unexpected miscarriage to gain an understanding of those with a similar story, and feel seen in yours. I hope to honor each and every story of miscarriage and infant loss with this episode, whether it’s similar or drastically different. If you do find yourself walking a similar path, my heart is with you. 💗

Topics covered in this episode:
- The story of how it all happened
- The hardest parts of our lived experience
- Helpful ideas of things that helped us heal

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