The Defender Podcast

After eight incredible years, the Defender Podcast is taking a short sabbatical. In this episode, Herbie Newell and Dr. Rick Morton reflect on the journey so far, share exciting plans for the future, and discuss how the podcast will continue to equip and encourage the body of Christ in orphan care and adoption. Tune in to hear what’s ahead, when to expect new episodes, and how you can stay engaged during the break!

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, we welcome Kirti Pickard—adoptee, advocate, and podcast host—who shares her powerful adoption journey and how it fuels her passion for serving vulnerable children. Adopted from India at the age of four, Kirti has a deep, firsthand understanding of the lifelong impact of adoption. She discusses the challenges adoptees face, how faith shapes her work, and the importance of churches and communities walking alongside adoptive families. Through her podcast, When I Grow Up, and her leadership of Mission 143, she is dedicated to sharing stories of God’s faithfulness and raising support for children in need.

🎧 Tune in to hear:
✅ Kirti’s personal adoption story and how it shaped her faith
✅ The unseen challenges adoptees often experience
✅ How adoptive families can help children navigate identity and belonging
✅ Practical ways churches and communities can support adoptees
✅ How Mission 143 is making a tangible impact

Guest: Kirti Pickard
Kirti Pickard was born in India and adopted at the age of four, giving her a deep understanding of the profound impact of adoption. She is the host of When I Grow Up, a podcast sharing extraordinary stories of everyday people. Kirti also leads Mission 143, a fundraiser that donates 100% of its proceeds to Lifeline Children’s Services, helping to support vulnerable children and families.

🎙️In this episode of The Defender Podcast, we welcome Jamie Finn—author, nonprofit leader, and advocate for vulnerable children. As a foster and adoptive mom, she shares her journey, the biggest challenges foster families face, and how the Church can offer meaningful support. Jamie and her husband, Alan, have been foster parents for over 11 years, welcoming more than 30 children into their home while parenting seven children through birth, adoption, and foster care. She discusses how faith sustains her, the heart behind her work, and how she equips and encourages families through writing, speaking, and ministry.

🎧 Tune in to hear:
✅ Jamie’s personal fostering journey & challenges
✅ The biggest needs of foster families today
✅ How churches can truly support foster parents
✅ How faith sustains families through the highs and lows of fostering

Guest: Jamie Finn

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, Herbie Newell is joined by Karla Thrasher, Lifeline’s Senior Director of International Adoption, to discuss the heartbreaking impact of China’s five-year suspension of international adoptions, which left 400 children—many with special needs—waiting for families. Recent developments, including China’s September 2024 decision to end all international adoptions, have deepened the uncertainty for children and the 300 U.S. families still committed to them. Herbie and Karla explore the emotional toll on families, the long-term effects on children, and Lifeline’s ongoing advocacy at the highest levels, providing hope through prayer, support, and action.

GUEST

Karla Thrasher is a licensed social worker with a degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a certified TBRI® Practitioner through the TCU Karen Purvis Institute of Child Development. Since joining Lifeline Children’s Services in 2001, she has dedicated her career to serving vulnerable children and families as Senior Director of International Adoption. Her leadership role allows her to fiercely advocate for the children and families she serves through quality assurance and excellent service.

Thrasher brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role, which has been instrumental in developing Lifeline’s partnerships with international agencies, governments, and ministries. Through her work, she has seen God’s hand at work in placing children in loving, Christ-centered homes and providing support for families who adopt from around the globe.

Her greatest joy is sharing the gospel through the ministry of adoption. She lives in Birmingham with her husband, and they have three grown children who champion her ministry work at Lifeline.

HOST

In this episode of The Defender Podcast, Christy Mack Segars, Vice President of Domestic Services at Lifeline Children’s Services, introduces the new Design Adoption Counseling Certificate, a free online resource created in partnership with Stand For Life. This course equips counselors, church leaders, and pregnancy center staff to compassionately guide women facing unplanned pregnancies, presenting adoption as a life-affirming option without coercion. Christy discusses the importance of accurate adoption education, addressing misconceptions, and supporting informed decision-making while highlighting the growing role of adoption advocacy within the pro-life movement.

GUEST

Christie Mac Segars, LICSW serves as the Vice President of Domestic Services at Lifeline Children’s Services. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Samford University and a Master’s in Social Work from The University of Alabama. Since joining Lifeline in March 2013, Christie Mac has been dedicated to delivering the gospel to families in need and advancing the ministry of reconciliation and redemption through Lifeline’s diverse domestic programs.

Segars led the creation of the Designed Adoption Counseling Certificate Program in partnership with Stand for Life and is a frequent national speaker on adoption, family preservation, and the church’s role in pro-life advocacy.

Segars resides in Alabama with her husband, Croft, and their daughters.

HOST