Shoes & Soul

In Part 2 of our conversation with Elissa Poe, we dive deeper into what it really looks like to trust God when His plan doesn’t match what we hoped for.This episode is full of encouragement for parents raising Deaf and Hard of Hearing children, especially in seasons where community feels lacking, resources are limited, or the path forward feels unclear. Together, we talk about the role of obedience, the power of God’s Word, and the reminder that nothing in our story is wasted.This episode is part of the Shoes & Soul Podcast by Deaf Kids Connect, a ministry dedicated to equipping Deaf and Hard of Hearing children—and their families—to know and share the love of Jesus. Learn more at deafkidsconnect.com/podcast

In this episode of Shoes & Soul, Brittany sits down with Elissa Poe to talk about authentic faith, surrender, and what it looks like to walk closely with God in everyday life.Elissa shares her journey of growing up in both Deaf and hearing environments, her search for truth that ultimately led her to Christ, and how that experience now shapes the way she disciples her own children—encouraging them to know God for themselves rather than simply inherit faith from their parents.Together, Brittany and Elissa discuss parenting with eternal perspective, teaching children to wrestle with hard questions, helping deaf children understand abstract spiritual truths, and what it means to trust God step by step when His plans don’t make sense.This conversation is full of wisdom, encouragement, and practical perspective for parents seeking to raise children who know and love the Lord.Shoes & Soul is a podcast created by Deaf Kids Connect to encourage and equip families raising Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in Christ. For more information, visit deafkidsconnect.com/podcast.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of depression and suicidal thoughts.In this episode of Shoes & Soul, Brittany sits down with Austin Cary to talk about identity, faith, and the long journey of learning to embrace how God created you.Austin shares what it was like growing up deaf in a mostly hearing world. As a child and teenager, he wrestled deeply with what being deaf meant for his identity and his future. Wanting to fit in, he tried to distance himself from deafness and even struggled with anger toward God, questioning why life felt so hard. During this season he experienced deep loneliness, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. But at sixteen, something changed. At a Christian conference, Austin found himself confronted with the bitterness he had been holding onto for years. In a powerful moment of surrender, he chose to release that anger and accept both God and the identity he had been resisting. What followed was not instant perfection, but a new direction — one where being deaf was no longer something to hide, but something God could use.Since then, Austin has traveled on mission trips around the world, connecting with deaf communities in different countries and languages. Through those experiences, he has seen firsthand how God uniquely equips deaf believers to communicate across cultures and reach people who might otherwise never hear the Gospel.Austin also shares thoughtful advice for hearing parents raising deaf children — encouraging them to let their kids face challenges, help them feel deeply valued, and most importantly, to cover their children in prayer.Austin is the creator of @deaffatherproject, where he shares encouragement and perspective from his life as a deaf man, husband, and father.This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and full of hope for families walking through questions of identity, hardship, and God’s calling.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Brittany sits down with Austin Cary, professor of ASL at Arizona State University and Deaf ministry leader, to hear his story of growing up as the only Deaf child in a hearing family.Austin shares candidly about what it was like navigating siblings, school, sports, and social situations where communication barriers were constant — and how one powerful decision by his father transformed the culture of inclusion in their home. From learning a mix of ASL, PSE, and home signs, to facing frustration on the basketball court, Austin reflects on the resilience that was built not by avoiding hardship, but by having strong support at home.This episode is an honest and encouraging conversation for hearing parents raising Deaf or Hard of Hearing children who want to balance advocacy with preparing their child for real-world challenges. Part 1 lays the foundation for understanding how inclusion, intentional parenting, and faith shape a Deaf child’s confidence and long-term resilience.

In Part 2 of Planting Seeds for Eternal Impact, Brittany continues her conversation with Chad Entinger, reflecting on what faithfulness looks like when parenting Deaf children feels uncertain, uncomfortable, or incomplete.Chad shares honestly about growing up Deaf in hearing spaces, the importance of exposure to Deaf peers and Deaf adults, and how small, consistent choices by his parents and church shaped his faith and future calling. Together, they encourage parents to lean into moments that feel awkward, trust God with the long work of planting seeds, and believe that ordinary faithfulness can lead to eternal impact.For more information, go to deafkidsconnect.com/podcast

What does faithfulness look like when no one has a clear roadmap?In this episode, Brittany talks with Chad Entinger, who served for over 20 years at Deaf Missions, including many years as CEO, about growing up Deaf in the church and the small, faithful acts that shaped his faith, a piece of candy, a smile, his father interpreting the sermon. Chad reflects on parenting as farming, where consistent care, presence, and trust in God over time can bear eternal fruit.Drawing from both personal experience and decades of ministry, the conversation encourages parents raising Deaf children to lean into faithfulness, knowing that God works through ordinary moments to form lasting faith.