Nothing Wasted: Infertility, Open Adoption, and Faith with Kim Patton (Ep. 272)

In this episode, I sit down with author, podcast host, and foster/adoptive mom Kim Patton for a candid conversation about infertility, open adoption, and the realities of foster care.Kim shares how years of waiting and hard conversations in marriage reshaped her faith and family, the beauty and challenges of open adoption, and what it’s like to foster teen girls working through profound trauma. We talk about struggling well, setting boundaries with compassion, and trusting God’s timing when life doesn’t go according to plan.Kim also gives a peek into her memoir, “Nothing Wasted,” why she chose a reflective, memoir approach over self-help, and how her Book Therapy podcast encourages foster and adoptive families one book at a time. If you’ve faced a detour in building a family—or you’re considering foster care or adoption—this episode offers honest insight, hope, and a reminder that God can redeem even our hardest seasons. Guest: Kim Pattonhttps://kimpatton.com/ Follow and Watchhttps://Rumble.com/JoeRoozhttps://YouTube.com/@JoeRooz  Watch Live 7PM CT Watch on Rumble: https://rumble.com/JoeRooz▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@JoeRooz Website: https://joerooz.com Special thanks to:Executive Producer Wayne RankinExecutive Producer Rosanna RankinExecutive Producer Carolina JimenezExecutive Producer Angela WetuskiExecutive Producer John SeeleyWant to be a guest on The Joe Rooz Show?Send Joe a message on #PodMatch: https://www.podmatch.com/member/joeCheck out our partners:Podhome.fmCreative EdgeGet MasterPeace https://masterpeacebyhcs.com/767e544f93fd74ce(00:03:42) Live from Texas: Joe kicks off Friday night(00:05:05) Recapping recent guests and a content warning(00:06:03) Introducing tonight’s topic and guest background(00:07:11) Framing the discussion: infertility, foster care, open adoption, and faith(00:10:23) Show housekeeping and Bible study series teaser(00:11:41) Guest intro: Author and foster/adoptive mom Kim Patton(00:13:37) Icebreakers: time-paused hour, extrovert vs. introvert, and coffee talk(00:20:29) Setting the stage: late start, moving into Kim’s story(00:20:51) Kim’s upbringing: Michigan, six brothers, church, and early faith choices(00:24:10) College ministry, burnout, and meeting her husband(00:26:36) Seminary years in Dallas: tight budgets and newlywed lessons(00:29:37) Transition to Florida and the onset of infertility(00:30:03) Hospital moment and the weight of repeated negative tests(00:33:59) Finding family through adoption: perspective and hope(00:34:03) Marriage, denial, and hard conversations about growing a family(00:38:47) Paths to parenthood: treatment, costs, ethics, and adoption timing(00:41:32) Open adoption stories and building a relationship with birth mom(00:42:49) Foster care vs. infant adoption: systems, expectations, and realities(00:49:03) Fostering teens: trauma, trust, and modeling healthy relationships(00:55:02) Faith in practice: worship, childlike belief, and messy growth(01:00:41) Why teens push away: fear, vulnerability, and survival patterns(01:03:07) Parenting balance: compassion, boundaries, and marriage dynamics(01:05:05) Pivot to the book: Nothing Wasted(01:06:28) Struggling well: surrender, character, and long prayers answered(01:08:07) Why memoir, not self-help: humility over formulas(01:11:32) Book Therapy podcast and author conversations(01:13:20) Closing reflections: depending on the Lord in hard seasons(01:16:07) Mentors who inspire and leading with grace(01:17:24) Where to find Kim: books, audiobook, and foster mama journal(01:18:47) Host wrap-up: value for value, takeaways, and Sunday preview - Joe "Rooz" Russiello - Marisa Lee - Wayne Rankin - Rosanna Rankin - Angela Wetuski - Carolina Jimenezhttps://www.joerooz.com/supporthttps://www.joerooz.com