<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Enjoy the 3rd most listened to episode of 2025 with Joy Kats: What if the door you begged to open was actually protecting you for the work only you could do? That’s the tension we walk through with author and speaker Joy Kott as she traces the path from a failed kidney match to three sacred months caring for her father in his final season, and then to a later donation that finally connected. It’s a story of timing, trust, and the quiet courage to serve when plans fall apart. We start with the shock of a sudden diagnosis—congestive heart failure uncovered after a back injury—and the unplanned shift that made Joy her dad’s primary caregiver. She brings us inside the home, the garden he loved, and the daily tasks that demanded both grit and gentleness. One tender moment—washing his feet after a hospital stay—reshapes old distance into real connection. The practical becomes spiritual: preserving dignity, noticing small joys, and learning to say I get to where I have to once lived. Then the plot threads tie together. The earlier “no” to donation meant Joy had the strength and time to walk her father all the way home. Months later, another need surfaced, and this time she was the match. Along the way, we talk about living without regrets, finding purpose in detours, and holding onto Jesus when fatigue and grief threaten to empty the cup. For caregivers, faith leaders, and anyone navigating elder care or chronic illness, this conversation offers honest encouragement, real-world perspective, and hope that nothing is wasted. If this story moved you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs courage today, and leave a review to help more caregivers find practical hope.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Enjoy the 3rd most listened to episode of 2025 with Joy Kats: What if the door you begged to open was actually protecting you for the work only you could do? That’s the tension we walk through with author and speaker Joy Kott as she traces the path from a failed kidney match to three sacred months caring for her father in his final season, and then to a later donation that finally connected. It’s a story of timing, trust, and the quiet courage to serve when plans fall apart.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We start with the shock of a sudden diagnosis—congestive heart failure uncovered after a back injury—and the unplanned shift that made Joy her dad’s primary caregiver. She brings us inside the home, the garden he loved, and the daily tasks that demanded both grit and gentleness. One tender moment—washing his feet after a hospital stay—reshapes old distance into real connection. The practical becomes spiritual: preserving dignity, noticing small joys, and learning to say I get to where I have to once lived.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Then the plot threads tie together. The earlier “no” to donation meant Joy had the strength and time to walk her father all the way home. Months later, another need surfaced, and this time she was the match. Along the way, we talk about living without regrets, finding purpose in detours, and holding onto Jesus when fatigue and grief threaten to empty the cup. For caregivers, faith leaders, and anyone navigating elder care or chronic illness, this conversation offers honest encouragement, real-world perspective, and hope that nothing is wasted.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If this story moved you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs courage today, and leave a review to help more caregivers find practical hope.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Enjoy the 3rd most listened to episode of 2025 with Joy Kats: What if the door you begged to open was actually protecting you for the work only you could do? That’s the tension we walk through with author and speaker Joy Kott as she traces the path from a failed kidney match to three sacred months caring for her father in his final season, and then to a later donation that finally connected. It’s a story of timing, trust, and the quiet courage to serve when plans fall apart.  W...

Encore Episode #3:  Stories of Hope with Joy Kats

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Caregiving rarely color‑codes itself on our calendars. One day you’re navigating an adoption that looks nothing like the tidy plans you imagined; the next day, you’re juggling a teen’s complex needs alongside aging parents in the hospital. Mandy Horne, a registered nurse and board‑certified health and wellness nurse coach, joins me to share how a late autism diagnosis reframed years of confusion, opened doors to therapies, and restored hope for her family. We talk about the difference a diagnosis can make—not as a label to hide behind, but as a key to access care, educate a village, and reset expectations. Mandy shares the hard parts without flinching: sleepless nights, aggressive moments where her husband shouldered the physical load, and the invisible cost of running on empty. Then we trace the surprising arc of her son’s senior year, where supervised medication changes and a clear call toward ministry sparked a transformation. His YouTube and TikTok outreach is growing fast, and together they’ve launched “Jesus and Autism,” a candid space for families hungry for encouragement and truth. Threaded through every chapter is a simple practice: surrender beats striving. We trade perfection for flexible habits—micro‑devotions, worship on the go, and five‑minute breath prayers that fit real life. We explore how to build a supportive church community, why “savor the ordinary day” is a lifeline, and how grace for yourself can be the pivot that keeps a home steady. If you’ve felt sandwiched between generations, if you’re waiting on clarity, or if you need language to explain what your family carries, this story offers both practical steps and a steadying peace. Listen now, share this with a caregiver who needs it, and leave a review to help others find hope in their own season of caring. Subscribe for more stories, tools, and faith‑filled support.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Caregiving rarely color‑codes itself on our calendars. One day you’re navigating an adoption that looks nothing like the tidy plans you imagined; the next day, you’re juggling a teen’s complex needs alongside aging parents in the hospital. Mandy Horne, a registered nurse and board‑certified health and wellness nurse coach, joins me to share how a late autism diagnosis reframed years of confusion, opened doors to therapies, and restored hope for her family.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We talk about the difference a diagnosis can make—not as a label to hide behind, but as a key to access care, educate a village, and reset expectations. Mandy shares the hard parts without flinching: sleepless nights, aggressive moments where her husband shouldered the physical load, and the invisible cost of running on empty. Then we trace the surprising arc of her son’s senior year, where supervised medication changes and a clear call toward ministry sparked a transformation. His YouTube and TikTok outreach is growing fast, and together they’ve launched “Jesus and Autism,” a candid space for families hungry for encouragement and truth.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Threaded through every chapter is a simple practice: surrender beats striving. We trade perfection for flexible habits—micro‑devotions, worship on the go, and five‑minute breath prayers that fit real life. We explore how to build a supportive church community, why “savor the ordinary day” is a lifeline, and how grace for yourself can be the pivot that keeps a home steady. If you’ve felt sandwiched between generations, if you’re waiting on clarity, or if you need language to explain what your family carries, this story offers both practical steps and a steadying peace.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Listen now, share this with a caregiver who needs it, and leave a review to help others find hope in their own season of caring. Subscribe for more stories, tools, and faith‑filled support.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Caregiving rarely color‑codes itself on our calendars. One day you’re navigating an adoption that looks nothing like the tidy plans you imagined; the next day, you’re juggling a teen’s complex needs alongside aging parents in the hospital. Mandy Horne, a registered nurse and board‑certified health and wellness nurse coach, joins me to share how a late autism diagnosis reframed years of confusion, opened doors to therapies, and restored hope for her family.  We talk about the di...

Jesus & Autism:  Stories of Hope with Mandy Horne

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms">Send us a text</a>A small change in behavior can rewrite a life. When Pat began noticing Don’s unusual decisions, lost words, and shifting patterns, the search for answers led to a Frontotemporal Dementia diagnosis—and a decade-long lesson in love, agency, and faith. We unpack the realities of FTD’s behavioral variant, why it’s often misread in midlife, and how a caregiver’s voice can and should shape care. Pat explains how she learned to opt out of stressful, unhelpful appointments, advocate through atypical medication reactions, and build routines that gave Don dignity. Sometimes the right choice is the one that brings peace, even if it looks different from the standard path. We also go straight at the grief most caregivers carry but rarely name. Loss begins long before the goodbye. Pat shares how stacked losses overwhelmed her plans and how therapy—and for a season, an antidepressant—helped her function, feel, and keep going. Faith remained a steady thread, from a midnight caregiver post that prepared her for Don’s sudden seizures to the quiet conviction that help would meet her at the moment of need. Along the way, we talk about practical strategies: protecting the caregiver’s health, choosing physicians who see the whole family, and honoring routines that soothe, like Don’s daily mowing that brought calm even on hospice. The heart of this conversation is freedom from guilt. You can’t alter the disease’s destination, but you can shape the journey. Pat closes with hard-won wisdom on accepting help, inviting community into the home, and measuring success by presence and kindness rather than outcomes. And she offers a hopeful coda: life continues, love expands, and gratitude can return. Listen for validation, guidance, and a gentle nudge toward living without regrets. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a caregiver who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find these stories.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A small change in behavior can rewrite a life. When Pat began noticing Don’s unusual decisions, lost words, and shifting patterns, the search for answers led to a Frontotemporal Dementia diagnosis—and a decade-long lesson in love, agency, and faith. We unpack the realities of FTD’s behavioral variant, why it’s often misread in midlife, and how a caregiver’s voice can and should shape care. Pat explains how she learned to opt out of stressful, unhelpful appointments, advocate through atypical medication reactions, and build routines that gave Don dignity. Sometimes the right choice is the one that brings peace, even if it looks different from the standard path.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We also go straight at the grief most caregivers carry but rarely name. Loss begins long before the goodbye. Pat shares how stacked losses overwhelmed her plans and how therapy—and for a season, an antidepressant—helped her function, feel, and keep going. Faith remained a steady thread, from a midnight caregiver post that prepared her for Don’s sudden seizures to the quiet conviction that help would meet her at the moment of need. Along the way, we talk about practical strategies: protecting the caregiver’s health, choosing physicians who see the whole family, and honoring routines that soothe, like Don’s daily mowing that brought calm even on hospice.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The heart of this conversation is freedom from guilt. You can’t alter the disease’s destination, but you can shape the journey. Pat closes with hard-won wisdom on accepting help, inviting community into the home, and measuring success by presence and kindness rather than outcomes. And she offers a hopeful coda: life continues, love expands, and gratitude can return. Listen for validation, guidance, and a gentle nudge toward living without regrets.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a caregiver who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find these stories.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text A small change in behavior can rewrite a life. When Pat began noticing Don’s unusual decisions, lost words, and shifting patterns, the search for answers led to a Frontotemporal Dementia diagnosis—and a decade-long lesson in love, agency, and faith. We unpack the realities of FTD’s behavioral variant, why it’s often misread in midlife, and how a caregiver’s voice can and should shape care. Pat explains how she learned to opt out of stressful, unhelpful appointments, advocate th...

Life Continues; Love Expands; Hope Holds: Stories of Hope with Pat Burkett

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms">Send us a text</a>Caregiving rarely unfolds the way we imagine. Catherine joins us to trace a decades-long journey that started in childhood waiting rooms and led to the moment her father was diagnosed with Huntington’s at 80, long after her mother’s dementia and medical challenges had reshaped daily life. What follows is a candid, hope-filled guide to planning one step ahead, inviting family into specific roles, and choosing dignity over control when everything changes faster than your systems can keep up. We dig into the hard transitions—selling homes, moving parents in, and turning a new house into a familiar haven with small details that calm the nervous system. Catherine shares how “hire for fit, not ability” became a lifeline: the right caregiver isn’t just technically skilled, they connect, ask better questions, bring humor, and meet emotional needs that checklists miss. From entering the world of dementia instead of correcting it, to medication strategies like adding one drug at a time and tracking side effects, you’ll hear practical tactics you can apply today. We also talk about finances with compassion: transition access early, preserve reassuring rituals, and keep dignity at the core. Family dynamics get real here. Catherine explains how she “threw away the scale” of who did most, invited relatives into clear roles they could sustain, and let go of bitterness when help didn’t show. Woven through is a steady rhythm of faith—listening, being known, and following the next right step—that turns midnight crises into moments of presence and care. If you’re navigating aging parents, juggling distance, or staring down another unexpected change, this conversation offers grounded wisdom, gentle humor, and tools you can trust. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help other caregivers find these stories and strategies.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Caregiving rarely unfolds the way we imagine. Catherine joins us to trace a decades-long journey that started in childhood waiting rooms and led to the moment her father was diagnosed with Huntington’s at 80, long after her mother’s dementia and medical challenges had reshaped daily life. What follows is a candid, hope-filled guide to planning one step ahead, inviting family into specific roles, and choosing dignity over control when everything changes faster than your systems can keep up.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We dig into the hard transitions—selling homes, moving parents in, and turning a new house into a familiar haven with small details that calm the nervous system. Catherine shares how “hire for fit, not ability” became a lifeline: the right caregiver isn’t just technically skilled, they connect, ask better questions, bring humor, and meet emotional needs that checklists miss. From entering the world of dementia instead of correcting it, to medication strategies like adding one drug at a time and tracking side effects, you’ll hear practical tactics you can apply today. We also talk about finances with compassion: transition access early, preserve reassuring rituals, and keep dignity at the core.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Family dynamics get real here. Catherine explains how she “threw away the scale” of who did most, invited relatives into clear roles they could sustain, and let go of bitterness when help didn’t show. Woven through is a steady rhythm of faith—listening, being known, and following the next right step—that turns midnight crises into moments of presence and care. If you’re navigating aging parents, juggling distance, or staring down another unexpected change, this conversation offers grounded wisdom, gentle humor, and tools you can trust.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave a review to help other caregivers find these stories and strategies.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text Caregiving rarely unfolds the way we imagine. Catherine joins us to trace a decades-long journey that started in childhood waiting rooms and led to the moment her father was diagnosed with Huntington’s at 80, long after her mother’s dementia and medical challenges had reshaped daily life. What follows is a candid, hope-filled guide to planning one step ahead, inviting family into specific roles, and choosing dignity over control when everything changes faster than your systems ...

Finding Dignity and Grace in Caregiving Decisions:  Stories of Hope with Catherine Fitzhugh

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms">Send us a text</a>What happens when the child you love suddenly can’t face the day—and the usual fixes don’t work? We open up about a mother’s unseen caregiving: guiding her son through anxiety and depression after a cross-country move collided with the uncertainty of COVID. The story moves beyond clichés, touching the raw places—shame when friends don’t understand, judgment from well-meaning people, and the weary loop of doing “all the right things” without a breakthrough—until a quiet yes to counseling, community, and a carefully chosen low-dose medication turned the tide. We talk candidly about how faith and mental health care can work together, not against each other. You’ll hear what it looks like to advocate at school, track real progress, and hold steady when improvement comes in fits and starts. The spiritual arc is honest and personal: praying on the closet floor, realizing God loves the caregiver as much as the child, and releasing control with the words, “I’m writing his testimony—stop trying to steal the pen.” Along the way, small markers of hope begin to shine: a safe church home, notes from attentive teachers, an eighth-grade tribute to kindness, and a seventh-grade “Waymaker” testimony that reframed the pain with purpose. If you’re navigating child anxiety, caregiver burnout, or the gray space between prayer and practical help, this conversation offers tools and comfort: how to discern when chemistry is part of the problem, why persistence in seeking support matters, and how a simple nightly gratitude practice can re-anchor a family. We also share Shelli’s upcoming Bible study, “Rise: How to Get Back Up After Life Knocks You Down,” built on Ezra 10:4 and designed to help you take the next faithful step from the valley to solid ground. If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review so others can find these stories of quiet, steady resilience.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/743078/open_sms"&gt;Send us a text&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What happens when the child you love suddenly can’t face the day—and the usual fixes don’t work? We open up about a mother’s unseen caregiving: guiding her son through anxiety and depression after a cross-country move collided with the uncertainty of COVID. The story moves beyond clichés, touching the raw places—shame when friends don’t understand, judgment from well-meaning people, and the weary loop of doing “all the right things” without a breakthrough—until a quiet yes to counseling, community, and a carefully chosen low-dose medication turned the tide.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We talk candidly about how faith and mental health care can work together, not against each other. You’ll hear what it looks like to advocate at school, track real progress, and hold steady when improvement comes in fits and starts. The spiritual arc is honest and personal: praying on the closet floor, realizing God loves the caregiver as much as the child, and releasing control with the words, “I’m writing his testimony—stop trying to steal the pen.” Along the way, small markers of hope begin to shine: a safe church home, notes from attentive teachers, an eighth-grade tribute to kindness, and a seventh-grade “Waymaker” testimony that reframed the pain with purpose.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If you’re navigating child anxiety, caregiver burnout, or the gray space between prayer and practical help, this conversation offers tools and comfort: how to discern when chemistry is part of the problem, why persistence in seeking support matters, and how a simple nightly gratitude practice can re-anchor a family. We also share Shelli’s upcoming Bible study, “Rise: How to Get Back Up After Life Knocks You Down,” built on Ezra 10:4 and designed to help you take the next faithful step from the valley to solid ground.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review so others can find these stories of quiet, steady resilience.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Send us a text What happens when the child you love suddenly can’t face the day—and the usual fixes don’t work? We open up about a mother’s unseen caregiving: guiding her son through anxiety and depression after a cross-country move collided with the uncertainty of COVID. The story moves beyond clichés, touching the raw places—shame when friends don’t understand, judgment from well-meaning people, and the weary loop of doing “all the right things” without a breakthrough—until a quiet yes to c...

From Closet Floor Prayers to a Waymaker Testimony:  Stories of Hope with Shelli Strickland

A Season of Caring Podcast is a place to find hope for your Season of Caring.&nbsp; Pointing listeners to the hope they can find in God even in the busyness and loneliness of caregiving. I want you to know that I see you and God sees you. What you are doing is not only difficult, and often overwhelming, but it's also one of the most important and rewarding things you can do.&nbsp; The guests featured are both everyday family members who are caregiver survivors and those who are still in the middle of their caring season.&nbsp; At times, you will meet professionals who bring their experience and compassion for you to our conversations. I want you to feel encouraged and hopeful after our time together, so you can spend this season with no regrets, living content, and loving well.

A Season of Caring Podcast

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