The Vest Family: How a tragic event brought understanding and perspective
Today on the podcast, we are joining you with a special story from our annual fundraising event in Birmingham, Alabama. The Vest family shared not only of their international adoption journey and how Lifeline was able to aid them after a traumatic family event, but how these events provided a unique insight which led them to becoming involved the Families Count ministry.
GUESTS
Rich and Johanna Vest are parents of four children through birth and adoption. They Vests serve as volunteer directors of Families Count at their church in Birmingham, Alabama.
GUESTS
Rich and Johanna Vest are parents of four children through birth and adoption. They Vests serve as volunteer directors of Families Count at their church in Birmingham, Alabama.
HOST
Herbie Newell is the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services and its ministry arms.
CO-HOST
Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services.
Rick Morton is the Vice President of Engagement at Lifeline Children's Services.
RESOURCES
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 explains that God’s comfort and sustaining hand in our times of trouble enable us to show that same grace to others who are struggling. Today, in our podcast, we will talk to the Vest family, who extended grace to others through their own struggles. Because of their own near-tragic experiences, they became involved in Families Count through their church.
Families Count is a family restoration and preservation ministry that partners with the local church to provide parenting courses for vulnerable families in the foster care system or who are at risk of entering it. When you partner with Lifeline financially, you walk alongside families who need to know the comfort of God. Give today and change one life through Families Count at lifelinechild.org/change-one-life.
LIFELINE CHILDREN'S SERVICES
The mission of Lifeline Children’s Services is to equip the Body of Christ to manifest the gospel to vulnerable children. Our vision is for vulnerable children and their communities to be transformed by the gospel and to make disciples.
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Creators and Guests
Host
Herbie Newell
Herbie Newell serves as the President & Executive Director of Lifeline Children’s Services, holds an MBA in Accounting from Samford University and brings years of experience from his work as an independent auditor at WAKM Companies, LLC. Serving as Lifeline's Executive Director since 2003, Herbie has significantly expanded international outreach, obtained licensure in 17 states, and led the establishment of the foster care arm. A passionate advocate, he co-founded (un)adopted in 2009, focusing on equipping orphaned children with life skills for community transformation. Herbie, also the author of "Image Bearers: Shifting from Pro-birth to Pro-Life," emphasizes that being pro-life extends beyond opposing abortion, urging a broader ethic that includes fighting for racial equality and embracing every individual with the love of Christ. Herbie and his wife, Ashley, reside in Birmingham, Alabama, and are the parents to three children.
Host
Rick Morton
As Senior Vice President of Engagement, Rick Morton shepherds the ministry’s outreach to individual, church, and organizational ministry partners as well as the ministry’s commitment to publishing resources that aid families and churches in discipling orphans and vulnerable children. Prior to Lifeline, Rick served for 15 years as a college and seminary professor, and he also served local churches in Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. He is an accomplished writer and sought after speaker. Most notably, Rick is the co-author of the popular Orphanology: Awakening to Gospel-centered Adoption and Orphan Care and the author of KnowOrphans: Mobilizing the Church for Global Orphanology. Rick and his lovely wife Denise have been married for over 32 years, and they have 3 children, all of whom joined their family through international adoption. God has continued to grow their family, and he now enjoys the role of “Doc” to his precious granddaughter!