THE EVANS LIFE: A Remarkable Adventure

Oscar T. Moses grew up in a religious home but never thought the ministry would become his life's mission. As a police officer working in the projects of Chicago, he saw hopelessness firsthand and got very good at prayer. He tried to bless the lives of those he served, and eventually, guided by his inner voice, was led to the pulpit, and a life of service.

Bob & Diane explore with him how to transition from just hearing your inner voice, to doing what it tells you to do.

You'll love this fascinating and insightful conversation. 

There are angels among us. And in the second part of this series on listening to our inner voice, Bob and Diane talk with one of them. 

Pamela Atkinson is considered by many to be the Mother Teresa of Utah. As an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, no one does more to advocate for the poor and homeless than Pamela does. And she is very much hands-on.

But it wasn't always so. At one point in her life she wanted nothing to do with poor people. Hear how she came to become a beacon of hope to thousands across all ethnic and religous boundaries, and continues to bless the lives everyone who knows her.

Whether your trying to decide on a career, adoption, marriage, or a life calling, listening to your inner voice is critical. But how do you recognize those promptings, and how do you know they're right?

In the first of a series, we talk with Father John Evans of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Cottonwood Heights, Utah (www.stmutah.org) about his personal experiences with discerning, and how it has helped him make critical decisions. 

A fascinating conversation that has broad application.

There is a "kick" we all get when we're on our screens. It's because of a neurotransmitter called "dopamine". It plays a big role in how we feel pleasure.

But too much dopamine can negatively affect a child's developing brain, and make it difficult for them to regulate behavior.

In this episode, Bob and Diane talk with Drs. Diane Liu and Stan Brewer, pediatricians and pediatric psychiatrist about Children, Screens, and Dopamine.

To see this podcast on Youtube, go to https://www.youtube.com/c/1of17MyStory

For more information, go to https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens

As families, we use the internet for everything. From planning meals to doing homework to setting up vacations to family movie nights. 

Since it's here to stay, how do we teach our children to navigate what can be a very scary and dangerous place? 

In this episode, we talk with two experts from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force about how to help our children use the internet without becoming victims.

For the video version of this podcast, and more information and outstanding resources go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SkUWW6PVtA

This Remarkable conversation with renowned child psychologist Dr. Doug Goldsmith looks at not just the signs of suicide ideation in our children, but at the family environment that leads to the stress and anxiety that are often precursors to young people taking their own lives.

In the fast-paced world we live in, Dr. Goldsmith explores ways to change that environment, so children obtain the skills necessary to deal with stress, conflict, disappointment, depression, and other emotions that otherwise might lead them in a downward spiral.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800 273-8255, or text HELLO to 741741.

When Heather Crockett was just 13 years old she learned she would never have biological children. Now, this social media influencer with more than 204,000 followers, in a mother of five, with a husband who is the rock of her life.

The story of how their three adopted children found them will delight and inspire you. It is Remarkable!

They were just barely out of college, no job, no money, living with parents, two little ones, and the strong, unmistakable prompting that they MUST adopt. "No way," you say? 

Justin and Lindsay Bowen look back now and realize what seemed like every logical obstacle to bringing little (now big) Denali into their family were actually just minor distractions.

And now, running their own highly successful touring company and non-profit humanitarian organization, they are changing many young lives for the better.

Meet them at https://youtu.be/S7YNV3JhDOk.

Talk about Remarkable Adventures. Greg and Holly Richardson are living theirs. And so are their 25 children! You will not believe how they got to where they are now.

And they aren't just surviving, they're thriving!

You've gotta hear how they're doing it. Find out what drives them forward, and how you can learn to face your challenges without winding up in a heap on the floor.

Meet them at https://youtu.be/6nVdwYkrVJs

Incredible! Amazing!! Remarkable!!! 34 of us in six RV's on a Remarkable Adventure to Alaska!!!!

Finally, all the planning, plotting, and preparation came to a head, and we took off for a nine-day journey "North to the Future", to the 49th state in the union. 

And after all that preparation, find out what worked, what didn't, and how you and your family can get the most out of your trip North to Alaska, or wherever you're headed.

Moving a large family with small and medium-sized children anywhere can be daunting. Imagine getting them all ready to go to Alaska! But that's what Bob, Diane, and Stacey are doing.

And it's going to be great! An ounce of organization is worth pound of  fun once you get there. 

Here are some great tips for making your summer vacation a lot more enjoyable. 

Adoption often transcends earthly understanding. Ask any adoptive parent, and they'll tell you there is a higher power at work in bringing their child to them. 

Fara Dawn Bastian is an adoption advocate who is not only the dearest of friends, but was intimately and intricately involved in each one of our adoptions. This Remarkable woman shares the very heart and soul of adoption in a way that will astound you. 

Family Law attorney Mary Jensen has had a front-row seat to the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure. As our guest in this episode, she shares her insight into the legal side of adoption, and how adoptive families don't need to stress. And she shares some touching and emotional stories of how adoptive children wind up right where they belong.

In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we talk with Linda Hackett, Clinical Director of One Love Adoption Agency, about what adoptive parents can expect when using an agency, and the stories of love and miracles she's been a part of.

As we get ready to hopefully leave Covid-19 behind, it's time to plan that summer vacation. After 41 years of planning summer vacations, Bob, Diane, and Stacey have six things you must consider. And even if you're not quite ready to burst out of Covid isolation, it's good to get the vacation juices flowing. And this will help! Enjoy!

402 days in relative isolation. That's what the pandemic has forced on the Evans Family. That is a long time.

In this episode Bob and Diane interview the younger children about what it's been like to be largely sequestered at the house, avoiding Covid-19. We learn what they have learned and come to feel as the number of cases where they live has dropped, and restrictions are starting to be lifted. 

It's a delightful visit and glimpse at what all of this has meant through the eyes of these insightful children.

Kim and Kent Farnsworth had no idea their little family would turn out like this! But as they listened to their inner voice, things began to happen in a Remarkable way. 

Now they're living in England, and share with Bob and Diane what they have learned about promptings, and the courage to not just listen, but DO what that inner voice tells you, even if those around you think you're CRAZY!!!

There is nothing more powerful than creating new life. Our son and daughter in-law got to experience that for the first time with the birth of little Renee. Michael and Stephanie reflect on this wonderous new chapter in their lives.

This beautiful baby girl has captivated everyone's hearts, with her full head of hair and long beautiful eyelashes. 

See for yourself! This podcast was recorded on Zoom, and can be found on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA8xYpJcu4U.  

How many loads of laundry do you do everyday? Can you name all your children? Do you drive a school bus? 

Those are just some of the questions we get on a regular basis when people find out we have 18 children. 

In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we explore those questions and a lot more, as Stacey seizes control of the podcast.

Just because 2020 has been a difficult year doesn't mean we can't continue with meaningful family traditions. In fact, those traditions help keep us grounded in the values that make us who we are. 

In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we share some Christmas traditions we've come to love over the years, and hear from each of the children living at home about the traditions they love the most.