The WinShape Homes Podcast

Legacies of Faith and the Journey Beyond Foster Care | Callie Priest & Austin Ludwig

aludwig@winshape.org (Austin Ludwig, Callie Priest) — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

In the final episode of our first season, hosts Austin Ludwig and Callie Priest reflect on the legacy of the Cathy family and the origins of WinShape Homes, while sharing their personal journeys that shape their passion for mobilizing the Church to care for children in foster care.

Austin, a former foster youth, shares his testimony and the pivotal role local churches played in his journey toward healing and restoration. Callie reflects on her years of experience in global missions, exploring how those experiences formed her conviction that the Church has a central and irreplaceable role in foster care.

This episode offers listeners a more personal look at our hosts, while also unpacking the heart and vision behind WinShape Homes—why we believe the foster care crisis is not only a social challenge, but a discipleship opportunity. It’s a conversation about calling, community, and how the Church can be activated to care well for children, families, and one another.

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Inside Foster Care: The Role of Licensing Agencies and Social Workers | LaQuisha White

aludwig@winshape.org (LaQuisha White, Callie Priest, Austin Ludwig) — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

What do social workers really experience on the front lines of child welfare? What misconceptions follow them—and how can we support the men and women who walk alongside vulnerable children every day? And what exactly does a licensing agency do in the foster care journey?

In this episode, we sit down with LaQuisha White, Director of Foster Care at WinShape Homes, whose years of experience in social services, mental health, and child welfare offer a grounded and compassionate perspective.

LaQuisha helps us unpack what it truly means to be a social worker—the challenges they carry, the unseen burdens they bear, and the essential role they play in helping children and foster families flourish. We also explore the purpose of child placing agencies, how they equip families to be prepared for fostering, and the ongoing support they provide long after a child is placed.

Whether you’re already fostering, considering taking the first step, or simply want to better understand the people working tirelessly in this space, this conversation will encourage, inform, and remind you of the power of supporting those who care for kids.

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When Callings Collide: Navigating Foster Care in Marriage | Sunny & Caleb Lampert

Fri, 2 Jan 2026 05:00:00 +0000

Is foster care a personal calling, an act of Christian obedience—or both? How do you know if you’re ready? And what happens when one spouse feels called to foster, but the other doesn’t?

In this episode, we sit down with Caleb and Sunny Lampert, foster and adoptive parents of four, for an honest conversation about the realities of fostering. They share how their individual callings didn’t always align in marriage, and what it looked like to move from hesitation to wholehearted commitment.

The Lamperts open up about the surprising truths people don’t often talk about, the challenges and joys of fostering, and the wisdom they’ve gained through lived experience. If you’ve ever wondered what fostering really requires—or how faith shapes the journey—this episode is for you.

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What the Church Believes Shapes How Kids Are Loved | Léonce Crump

aludwig@winshape.org (Léonce Crump, Austin Ludwig, Callie Priest) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

How does our eschatology shape the way we live right now? What determines how we define revival—and what might happen within the foster care system if a genuine revival broke out today? Why are some pastors hesitant to launch a foster care ministry, and how can those barriers be thoughtfully and pastorally overcome?

In this conversation, we explore foster care through the eyes of a pastor. Léonce Crump, lead pastor of United Church in Atlanta, brings a rich blend of experience to the table—as an author, international speaker, former professional athlete, and someone who has worked within the child welfare space. His unique vantage point makes for a challenging, insightful, and deeply needed dialogue.

To learn more about Léonce Crump's ministry, visit: https://www.leoncecrump.com/

Follow Léonce on socials: https://www.instagram.com/leoncecrump/

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Defining Trauma and Exploring Attachment | Dr. Phil Bradfield

aludwig@winshape.org (Dr. Phil Bradfield, Austin Ludwig, Callie Priest) — Fri, 5 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

How do we define trauma through a Christian lens? In what ways is modern science catching up to truths Scripture has articulated for centuries? And why is a healthy understanding of attachment essential in foster care, mental health, and relationships of every kind?

Dr. Phil Bradfield serves as the Director of Clinical Care at WinShape Homes. With more than a decade of experience in mental health, Dr. Bradfield offers a clinical perspective on attachment and trauma that is both deeply informed by the gospel and grounded in practical, real-world insight.

To learn more about Clinical Care at WinShape Homes, please visit: https://homes.winshape.org/clinical-care-foster-care/

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The Role of the Church in Foster Care | Jason Johnson | Part 2

aludwig@winshape.org (Callie Priest, Austin Ludwig, Jason Johnson) — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

How can we as leaders help our churches become safe places to do hard things? What if foster care ministry wasn’t about programs and products, but a pathway of discipleship? And what simple yet meaningful ways can we strengthen our church’s role in caring for the vulnerable?

In this second half of the conversation, Jason Johnson invites us to see foster care ministry through a new lens. Drawing from his years as both pastor and foster parent, Jason encourages leaders to recenter their “why” and rediscover the heart behind sustainable ministry.

Jason is a writer and speaker who encourages families, equips organizations and empowers churches on their foster care and adoption journeys.

He currently serves as the Director of Church Mobilization and Engagement with The Christian Alliance for Orphans. In his work he speaks and trains on church-based ministry structures and organizational leadership strategy. He also gets to encourage families that are in the trenches and those that are considering getting involved.

Jason and his wife, Emily live in Texas with their daughters. He has authored 4 books: Reframing Foster Care, Everyone Can do Something, ALL IN Orphan Care and Effectively Engaging Churches and can be found at www.jasonjohnsonblog.com

Follow Jason Johnson on Socials.

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Abandoning Comfort, Following Jesus | Jason Johnson | Part 1

aludwig@winshape.org (Jason Johnson, Callie Priest, Austin Ludwig) — Fri, 7 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

How does the gospel confront our cultural obsession with comfort? How can we be equipped to joyfully do hard things? And what does true discipleship to Jesus look like in the context of foster care?

In this first half of a two-part conversation, Jason Johnson unpacks these questions and more, challenging us to live a faith that embraces difficulty for the sake of love.

Jason is a writer and speaker who encourages families, equips organizations and empowers churches on their foster care and adoption journeys.

Follow Jason Johnson on Socials.

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Parenting Outside the Box | Peter Mutabazi | Part 2

aludwig@winshape.org (Austin Ludwig, Peter Mutabazi, Callie Priest) — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Does foster care require countercultural parenting? What does it mean to parent “outside the box”? When children who have experienced trauma act out, are we dealing with behavior—or belief systems? And how vital is community support for those who foster?

In the second half of this conversation, Peter Mutabazi pulls back the curtain with honesty and heart. Through personal stories from his own home, Peter explores the complex ways trauma shows up in children and how it shapes their responses. He shares parenting practices that challenge conventional approaches to discipline and emphasizes why no foster parent should do this work alone. After fostering 47 children, Peter reflects on how community made all the difference—and why it’s essential for every family walking this journey.

Peter Mutabazi Socials

petermutabazi.com

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Father’s in Foster Care & Dignifying Biological Parents | Peter Mutabazi | Part 1

aludwig@winshape.org (Peter Mutabazi, Callie Priest, Austin Ludwig) — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 04:00:00 +0000

How do children uniquely respond to trauma—sometimes in ways that seem opposite, yet all at once? How do we face our own wounds when foster care brings them to the surface? Why is partnering with and dignifying biological parents such a vital part of engaging in foster care? And what is it really like to foster as a single parent?

After fostering 47 children as a single dad, Peter Mutabazi offers wisdom and perspective from his remarkable journey. He also reflects on his personal story—how he was rescued as a street kid in Uganda—and how those experiences shaped his calling today. Peter Mutabazi is an author, speaker, influencer, and devoted foster dad.

Peter Mutabazi Socials

petermutabazi.com

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Why Does Theology Matter in Foster Care? | Jamie Finn

aludwig@winshape.org (WinShape Foundation) — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

What does it really mean to have “good theology,” and how should it shape the way we engage in foster care? Why are more churches stepping into this space, and how can they discern both their own readiness and the readiness of their people?

Cohosts Austin Ludwig and Callie Priest sit down with Jamie Finn—author, speaker, foster parent, and founder of Foster the Family—to explore these questions and more. Together, they unpack how theology not only informs foster care ministry but sustains it, offering wisdom and clarity for churches and individuals alike.

Links:

Foster the Family

Jamie Finn Socials

Jamie Finn Books

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