Love Fort Wayne May Podcast: Seen, Heard, Chosen, Loved - Creating Spaces of Hope for Foster Families featuring Brooke & Jennifer of The Cooper House

We’re excited to share this conversation with Brooke Howe, co-founder and executive director of Cooper House Indiana, and Jennifer Johnson, house manager for the Allen County home. Together, they unpack a different vision for foster care visitation, one rooted in dignity, hospitality, and hope. Through welcoming spaces where families can reconnect around kitchen tables, in living rooms, and through everyday moments, Cooper House seeks to model the love of Jesus and reflect His heart for children and families in crisis. Instead of cold offices and sterile rooms, parents are given space to practice real parenting during supervised visits in an environment that feels like home.

In this episode, Brooke shares how saying yes to foster care changed her perspective on birth families and revealed the deep need for support, compassion, and relationship-centered care. Jennifer offers a look at the day-to-day impact happening in Fort Wayne and Allen County as Cooper House partners with visit providers and caseworkers to create meaningful moments for families in crisis.

You’ll also hear the heart behind the four words that guide everything they do: seen, heard, chosen, loved. Whether reunification or adoption is the outcome, Cooper House is committed to walking with families through some of their hardest seasons with the love of Jesus and steady presence.

If you care about foster care, family restoration, and practical ways to bring hope in Indiana communities, this conversation will encourage and challenge you.

Learn more about The Cooper House – Allen County

Transcript

When Visits End In Adoption

SPEAKER_04 0:00

I I want to hit on maybe something a little bit different. Again, the goal of reunification is, or the goal of foster care is reunification, but we know that cannot always happen. We had a mama at the Hamilton County House do visits at Cooper House for about two years. And she could have a hot little temper and get mad at us. We had to set up some expectations and things, but um they showed up faithfully for over two years. Um she would say that uh sometimes when she was mad, we would shove Jesus down her throat and went-that's not true. That's not true. Um that did not end in reunification, that ended in adoption. Um, however, we were the first people that she reached out to when she heard of that news, and she said, I just want to let you all know that the last two years of my son and I being able to do visits at the Cooper House, there I've never felt more welcomed or accepted in my life. So kind of going back to that scene, her chosen and loved, um, it didn't end in reunification. Um, but while she was there, we we know that hopefully she felt that hope and had good memories with her son during that time and that she felt welcomed.

Meet Cooper House Leaders

SPEAKER_01 1:16

Welcome everybody to the May edition of the Love Fort Wayne podcast. I am your co-host, Jeff King, uh co-hosting as usual with my good friend Mitch Cruz. Mitch, how are you? Outstanding, but I'm improving. Good, good, man. I want to live life like that. I want to live it like that. It's so good, man. We're excited, as always, for our conversation. I'm really excited about this conversation because I had the opportunity, Mitch, to to learn more about the Cooper House, I believe at the beg at the end of last year, um, and got a chance to see Cooper House here in Fort Wayne. So I'm excited for our listeners to to hear about the ministry, to hear about the work that they're doing. And we've got some amazing guests with us that are gonna share more about the Cooper House, among other things. We've got Brooke and Jennifer here. Welcome.

SPEAKER_04 2:03

Thank you, thank you.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

So glad that you guys are here, that you're a part of the Fort Wayne community, but a greater community down in India, greater Indianapolis area. So we're gonna we're gonna hear all of that here in a little bit. So let's start it off just kind of with some introductions. Can you tell us about yourselves and about your families, all things Cooper House, uh, and uh we would love to hear that.

SPEAKER_04 2:25

Yes. Uh well, thanks for having us. We appreciate it. I'm Bro Howe, and my husband and I co-founded the Cooper House back in 2019 um through a vision that the Lord gave. So I serve as the executive director now over the ministry. Uh, our family, we have eight children, so we've been a foster family. Smitch's eyes.

SPEAKER_00 2:45

Yeah. Um I'm knocking on the door of eight grandchildren. I really couldn't.

SPEAKER_04 2:52

We became a foster family in 2017. Um, we're kind of all this was birds, but through that, we have eight children.

SPEAKER_01 2:58

Yeah, so cool. Yeah. Yeah. Welcome again. Thank you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:02

Yeah. Um, my name's Jennifer Johnson, and um I am the house manager at the Allen County location for the Cooper House. And my husband and I were born and raised in Fort Wayne. We love Fort Wayne. I was in public education in Fort Wayne for the last 16 years with Fortnite Community Schools. Um, and we have an older daughter, she's 24, and uh a 14-year-old and an 11-year-old son, and they keep us busy enough. And uh, I can't imagine adding five more to that. But uh yeah, and then we also have the privilege of um being legal guardians of our nephews for uh about a year, and so they're kind of our extended family, and I they're kind of like my bonus kids sometimes, but uh they are back with their mom, but that is part of our family too. So yeah, part of our story, I guess, in in stepping into this ministry.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

So I love it. Yeah, I love it. Brooke, I want to hear about that

A Call Into Foster Care

SPEAKER_00 3:56

vision. Um how did God lay it on you? And how did you know it was from him?

SPEAKER_04 4:01

Um it was in 2016, it was New Year's Eve, and midnight strikes, and everyone sets goals, and I just felt the Holy Spirit kind of telling me to surrender uh to the Lord and his calling for our family. And so that was a prayer that was set at midnight that night. And um, going into January of the next year and February, we felt the Lord leading us into foster care through sermons and just through scripture and just through other people in our life. Um, saw the need for foster families to step in and step into the gap. We had three children already at the time. My husband and I, they were six, four, and two. And so kind of already busy, right? And we're like, Lord, we already have three kids. We don't know about this, you know. Um, so we prayed a lot about it and just kept kept feeling convicted that, you know, I think this is what you need to step into. Uh, we finally decided in June of 2017, about six months after that prayer, to just start the process to be licensed foster family. Um, and so we did. And we took it one training at a time. There's several different trainings, there's lots of paperwork, um, all of that to be had. And sometimes it can take anywhere from a couple months to six months to become licensed. Um, after each training, we uh felt at peace and felt the Lord saying, keep going, you know. July 11th, 2009, 17. July 11th, 2017. It was our eighth wedding anniversary. My husband is a firefighter in Westfield. He was on duty, but we got called. First, they they emailed us, said, Congratulations, you are officially a foster family. And Marisa said, Oh, great, you know, exciting. Uh, and then about two hours later, we got a call for our first placement. They had a um one and two-year-old in the office um that they had detained and asked um if we would take them. And we said yes. And so those two boys walked through our doors a couple hours later. Um, and through our experience as a foster family, that is where that journey in the next couple years the got God really gave this vision of Cooper House. Um, we did not get into foster care to become an adoptive family. We wanted to step in the gap and and love kids right where they were and love parents right where they were and help reunify them. Um the first goal of foster care is reunification. And so we wanted to honor that. Um, my husband was a little bit reserved in getting to know our boys' birth parents, right? I think a lot of times there's these biases towards parents. So you did XYZ to get your kids removed, right? Um, but the Lord quickly broke down that um wall in his heart, and we got to know our boys' birth parents through that process. Wow. Yeah. We um would I would meet with mom on a regular basis and get to know her without the kids. It was just her and I. And when you sit down across from somebody um and look them in the eye, it it's hard to be judgmental, right? And and you hear their story and you hear their history and the pattern that they grew up in. And um we're all a hot mess, right? We all fall short. It's just I might not have an addiction issue, but maybe I struggle with this, right? And so just sitting down across from somebody, looking them in the eye and um hearing their story, like you just can't turn away from that. And there are a lot of resources out there for foster families, which are so needed. Um, but there's not a whole lot for those birth families who are working toward reunification.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

How did your three young children at the time handle the transition?

SPEAKER_04 8:04

Um they did, they did great. They did great. They were ages six, four, and two. Um, and we welcomed in a one and two year old. So the my two-year-old, I think there was maybe a little envy, jealousy there. Um, but they all did so great. I mean, we went from three to five kids. It's it's chaos, it's pure chaos, but um they did, they did wonderful. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:24

So good. So you you you all welcome in these these babies, and you see the perspective of of caring for children and caring for families in a in a different and a unique way, and that helped lay the seed for the Cooper House. But then there was a step basically from there that led to starting the Cooper House. So sure. So talk a little bit about that, and then even I would love to hear the bridge of how everything got going down there, and then eventually the second location here in Allen County, and then here comes Jennifer and she's doing her row. So what was the next step in the progress?

SPEAKER_04 8:59

Yeah, so I think getting to know our boys' birth mama um was a huge part of that. Um, I had asked her one day at lunch, hey, if there was a space, a place where you could come and find encouragement and prayer and support on this journey, would you would you come, right? Um, and she goes, Yes, absolutely I would. I I just don't know why people care. Um and I'm like, well, there are so many people that care, right? And ultimately our God cares about you. And and and ultimately we want we want them to know the love and hope of Jesus, right? Um so just through my relationship with her and that in continuing that um, like I said, the Lord bird that vision and we fostered the kiddos. Um, it was a couple years. Um we did end up adopting them in 2019. Um, you know, mom and dad still love them to death, uh, just some struggles, right? And and and we navigate an open adoption with them right now. Um but God we you look back in my journal and and you'll find like, Lord, I s I hear and I see this vision that you're giving us, but we have now five children. Like, how in the world does how do we do this, you know? And there was a lot of developing and growing in our faith in Him too during that time. Um, after the adoption, we took a little bit of a break, get a pause, a breather. But then again, that fall, October-ish, felt the Holy Spirit just nudging. Okay, it's time now to take action, right? I've I've given you this vision, you know, 2017-ish, and we've had time to like process and get to know our boys' birth parents and and more of the need. Um, it's time to bring that to fruition and and take a leap of faith, right? Like our dependence on the Lord and and follow him and be obedient to him.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

So good. So

Seeing Birth Parents As People

SPEAKER_01 10:48

fast forward, you have this is a place, uh, it's a it's a residence, it's a home. It's a home where families can come and simply, in my words, be with their children. Um, not I I you guys know and the audience might not know, but Jennifer and Brooke know, like I served in social work for as a young person, as a young man fresh out of college, like saucer eye, like, whoa, this reality of you have a child who's loved, but they're in a tough circumstance. And I would often, Mitch, I would I was telling the ladies when we connected before, like, I would often um do visitations in a McDonald's or a Burger King or park um because that was the space that you could do it in.

SPEAKER_04 11:28

And that's where our boys were doing them at. Mom did not have her own home at that point yet in time, and they would be doing Burger King in the parks. And if it rained, these families couldn't get together because they had to cancel it.

SPEAKER_01 11:39

Yeah, so you have cancel visitation, and so creating a space, a home where now they can they can be and have be dignified and be loved and have a have a kitchen table or a bathroom or a couch where not only they, but then the caseworker, the the service worker, could just be and say, now my family's have a safe, safe place where they can feel like a family and do these visitations and these times of connection in a place that's dignified, a true home is really what the heart of the Cooper House is is really all about, right? And so um, so you've been hosting it down in the greater Indiana, uh Indianapolis area, Noblesville, correct? Noblesville for how many years now?

SPEAKER_04 12:17

Um about six. We we tried to serve as best we could without a brick and mortar in 2020, and then 2021 we rented our first space and started welcoming in families into that space.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

During COVID.

SPEAKER_04 12:30

Well, yeah, during COVID, you know, wild. Yeah, but you know what? The Lord was good. We did an online fundraiser that year to help get into a home, and the Lord blew us out of the water, so he was he was good.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Yeah. So bridge this to Jennifer, bridge this to her. So you're in Noblesville, you're doing work down there in the greater Indy area, um, and all of a sudden, God lays on a vision, Allen County. Jennifer, now you're you're managing the home in Allen County. How did that how did that happen? Or what you kind of just take over as Britt kind of gives you the baton, what does the day-to-day look like for you now in Allen County? And what was the Lord saying to you, your heart? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:07

Yeah. So we we spent a couple years serving um out of our Hamilton County home. And we as a board of directors and staff always thought maybe there could be an expansion or a different location. We thought maybe it would be Marion County, which is in the heart of Indianapolis, um, andor Madison County, which is just a little bit north of us, not two hours north of us. Um, but the Lord hadn't really opened those doors yet. And um, Jen and I have, she's she has been a huge encourager and supporter of the Cooper House since we started. And she we would talk and chat and and she would say, We're gonna bring a Cooper House to Fort Wayne one day, you know. But as she said, she's a teacher and she's been in, she was in that world for 15 years, like, yeah, yeah, yeah, one day. So cool. That'll be so much fun. Um, and then kind of got serious about it and felt the Lord leading us to that. And um we made an official, unofficial date in Noblesville in December of 2024, and saying, Hey, we're doing this, you know, this is what the Lord's leading us to doing, and asking her serious questions of well, what does that look like for you to step out of your role of teaching and stepping into full-time ministry? Um, right. Just a lot of for her to pray about and think about. We decided, let's do it, right? Let's do it. The cool thing is I grew up in Fort Wayne. And so, like my family's here and Fort Wayne, we've had like a good support from Fort Wayne from the beginning too, um, because they're cheering us on. Um, so kind of a cool full circle moment, even to come back, you know, childhood where we grew up.

SPEAKER_02 14:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:41

So her dad was there this morning um helping with some stuff that my mom stopped by. So it's really great to have all this like family support too. But um yeah, so my I guess my dated, I mean, when they approached us, it was kind of my husband and I were just kind of like, let's go. I mean, how do you say no to that? You know the need is there. And after our experience with our family members that we helped out and just seeing um the restoration there and the hope there. And when we had we were caring for them, it was um it was Brooke and Kyle that we were talking to, and they were, you know, just praying with us and reminding us to be praying and having hope for reunification and restoration. And so um, yeah, we wanted to be a part of that. I thought maybe when I retired, so that was sort of I was like, let's go, you know, and so just completely really just surrendered it to the Lord. And so um, day to day, um, it's fun, it's looks different every day, but just at the end of the day, it's like building relationships, whether that's with volunteers, caseworkers, moms, kids, it's just um, it's just amazing. I I just never thought it's such a blessing. I just get to pray all day and just be with people and be in his word. And it's just, it's so amazing to just be with these families. Um, I think something that's unique about the Cooper House, um, you know, they're there with their um visit providers, and we just get to be this neutral ground, right? And so we just get to say, how are you doing? How's your week going? How's your case going? What can we we be praying for? Can we pray with you right now? Um, you know, and walk alongside them. They also get to have this space where they get to cook meals together now and and bathe their child and practice real parenting, you know, that's hard to do in a small office space, you know, and some of these visitations are happening, but they have this opportunity they get to do laundry while they're there. It's like all of these things happening. So I would say, you know, every day looks a little different, but just like it's just like being with your neighbors, you know, it's just like being with a friend in this space and just being with them and wherever they are, and just um, it's amazing. It's such a gift to be there.

SPEAKER_04 16:47

And that that's a good being with your neighbors, like one of the scriptures that that Cooper House was birthed out of is love your God, or right? We love our God first, and then we get to love our neighbors. And that is it. These are our neighbors. Yeah, you know, we we can all kind of carry this burden and and help. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:02

I think my favorite is when families come in and I get to say, We're here for you. And I get to look them in the eyes and just say, We're here for you. Yeah because just in what they're going through. Um, I don't know how many people are asking them, like, can I pray with you right now? You know, and most families are like, Yeah, please will you pray with me? It's such it's just amazing to, you know, those families, regardless if it ends in reunification or not, they're gonna remember those visits for the rest of their lives, those children and those parents. And we have this really unique opportunity to bring Jesus Christ into that and just love them well and provide dignity. And it's just amazing. It really is. It's such a gift to be able to be a part of their story. Um, but yeah, it's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

You both seem so sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Where's that come from? Other than the Sunday school answer. Yeah. Like how how how did God have you so ready to say yes to this is really what I'm curious about.

SPEAKER_04 18:00

I think it's all in his timing, right? And I think there's seasons where we're really good at abiding in him, right? And and being in the word, and and in those seasons where you can draw close, he draws us close and we draw close, and and that's where we're more attuned to hear him nudge and call and convict us to be obedient.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

Is that God stuff when you were just talking about that? How about you?

SPEAKER_03 18:27

I mean, I would echo what Brooke said. I think looking back, I can see the Lord was preparing my husband and I to um for this work, uh, even with having our when we help care for our family members, but um putting us in a good uh faith community that is very um biblically sound and being in his word every day and being able to um yeah, just prioritize him, prioritize his word. Um and yeah, like you said, just being near him, right? Because for me, I looking back, I'm like, wow, I just I wouldn't I wouldn't have stepped away from teaching five years ago if I was presented with the same opportunity uh because I still wanted to control things, right? And I wanted like my financial security, my I mean, it was hard, it was so scary to step away from something that I I don't know, I was in in the middle of my master's to be and go into administration, and I just was surrendered it to the Lord. And um, you know, I remember my husband just saying, like, you say you trust the Lord, but your actions are not matching that. Like you want your security, you want all of the things that are familiar to you, what you're good at, but you're standing in the Lord's way, you know. Um, and sometimes our way isn't the Lord's way, you know. So for sure. Yeah. Um J.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Surrender. Yeah, Mitch and I think that's a big word. Mitch and I we've had some conversations this year on a couple of episodes where that is a theme. So it's like I'm having like a moment here myself where we've just been able to talk to leaders and community engagement impactors like that have really talked about for the work that I do and the thing that I'm called to, or that my organization, my church, my outreach is called to is rooted in surrender and obedience. And like behind that door is something that I've I've talked about, but I won't walk through it. And you've just kind of hit that theme again where it's just like all of this, even you, Brick, like this is rooted in something that I don't want to do in my humanness, but there's a need there. I'm being prompted to it, and I have to say yes. And so for our listeners and our watchers, uh, you know, we have folks that listen all the time. Like, hopefully they've caught this theme, even with you all saying it again today.

SPEAKER_04 20:45

Yeah. If I look back, like I would never have have said that this is what my life would look like, right? Like, this is not our idea, it's not my husband's and I idea. This is this is a total radical surrender to the Lord, and then him taking that and us getting the easy part just to say yes. And it's not easy. I mean, it's not easy, but just being able to say yes to him and and continue to follow him.

SPEAKER_00 21:08

So good. Chuck Surak was talking to me one time about the growth of his business of sweet water, and he said, That's not me, that's God.

SPEAKER_03 21:16

Yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_00 21:17

I just hear that same heart.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

It's when people come in and they say, This is amazing. I'm so proud of you. I'm like, stop. Like, I've done none of this. This is God. Like, please give him uh the credit

Why A Real Home Matters

SPEAKER_03 21:27

and the glory he deserves because there's no way I could even just everything, it's it's amazing. It just blows my mind. It's so cool to see him work every day. I feel like I get front row seat and like it's just amazing. It's such a gift.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

That's powerful. Um, four words are really important to you in everything that you do, and that's uh seeing, heard, chosen, loved, right? Can you talk about how that's integral to your mission?

SPEAKER_04 21:55

Yeah. Uh seeing, heard, chosen, loved. Everyone deserves to feel those things. Things and be those things. And we want not only our staff and our team when people walk into our home to feel that by us, but we want them to feel that by their community, which it takes a village to have a ministry. And so there's people pouring in that way. You are seen and heard and chosen loved, not only by us, by your community, but ultimately your Heavenly Father. Despite your past, despite your present, despite your future that you're going through and the mess-ups, you are loved and you are seen and you are heard. And we want our prayer is every time both ho homes walk through that door, no matter if it's a caseworker, a parent, a child, they feel something different in the home. And they might not be able to pinpoint what what that is, but we know that's the Holy Spirit in the presence of Jesus.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

So good.

SPEAKER_04 22:48

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

Yeah. Almost connected to that, like there's got to be countless testimonies. But connected to those four words and even beyond, so you think about children, parents and caregivers and and even caseworkers. What are some testimonies that you can you can share that you would like to share about what's happened in either either one of the homes? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

Yeah, sure. I think we kind of like a bonus thing we get to do is also support DCS during emergency removal. So if um a child's removed and there's not a placement, immediate placement in foster care, instead of waiting at DCS office, they can come to the home and be cared for. So that's just like a bonus thing we get to do in addition with this space, uh, which is such a blessing. But we had a teen come through and uh he was kind of asking me, you know, obviously we have some things, you know, about Jesus and stuff around the house. And he started asking questions and um a volunteer and I sat with him for five hours answering. It was like he had all these questions. He said, like, I believe in God, like I can feel it, but I don't know. Like, how do I know about him? And we got to, I mean, he had amazing questions, right? And so he was 15 years old. I don't know where he's at. I don't know what happened to him, but we got to read scripture with him, we got to pray with him, we got to, so that was really amazing, just like on that side. Um, as far as visitation, um, obviously we've already just in the short amount of time we've been operating here in Allen County, we've already had some families move to um, you know, bring their children back home uh for trial home-based visits. And then um, and um I think one of my favorites is we have a mom that comes every week for visitation, and she got to bathe her child for the first time. He's two and a half years old. And so every week she hugs me and we get to pray together, and she says, just thank you for giving me a space where I can bathe my child. And um, you know, it's just whether that case ends in reunification or not, it's like these are special memories they get to hold on to, and they usually come eat lunch, bake some cookies. Like it's just so cool to see families um, yeah, be families together and do life together. So it's amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:52

Um, there are so many, there's so many good stories. And and like like Jen said, but I I want to hit on maybe something a little bit different. Again, the goal of reunification is or the goal of foster care is reunification, but we know that cannot always happen. Um, we had a mama at the Hamilton County house do visits at Cooper House for about two years, and she could have a hot little temper and get mad at us. We had to set up some expectations and things, but um, they showed up faithfully for over two years. Um, she would say that uh sometimes when she was mad, we would shove Jesus down her throat. And we that's not true. That's not true. Um, that did not end in reunification, that ended in adoption. Um, however, we were the first people that she reached out to when she heard of that news and she said, I just want to let you all know that the last two years of my son and I being able to do visits at the Cooper house, there I've never felt more welcomed or accepted in my life. So kind of going back to that scene, her chosen and loved, um, it didn't end in reunification. Uh, but but while she was there, we we know that hopefully she felt that hope and had good memories with her son during that time and that she felt welcomed.

SPEAKER_01 26:02

Man, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

Sony it is. For anyone joining us, how would you say they could get involved? Whether it's a church,

Bringing Cooper House To Fort Wayne

SPEAKER_00 26:12

a business, a family, an individual, what what could they do to help?

SPEAKER_03 26:16

Yeah. Well, I feel like there's this is definitely a community, like she said, it takes a village to make this happen. It really like we had Anthas came in and did our plumbing and lighting, and we've had Neighborlink come in and do painting. I mean, it really takes a village with people there mowing, and so really um churches, you know, are completely um privately funded. So um churches, we always need more volunteers. So um volunteers and just um mobilizing volunteers and getting them. We need help with uh caring for families and walking alongside families and keeping the house up and running. And so there's a lot of opportunities there. Um, obviously, financial partnerships and and businesses coming in right now. We're I've been trying to find some like businesses that might want to help with some landscaping. So there's always projects, you know. It's just like keeping it's a home. And so just keeping the house up and running, and just um, there's really a space for, you know, um, just I don't know if you want to add to that.

SPEAKER_04 27:11

Um, and I think it's important with our second location here in Allen County. We want the local community in Allen County to be engaged in this, right? This these are your neighbors, these are in your backyard, so the local churches, the local businesses, partnerships, whether it's finances or the volunteers, like she mentioned.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

Yeah, go ahead and drop the website for them so they know. Is that the best way to get connected, right? Sure, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:31

We have volunteer forms there, sign up to be a monthly donor there, just sign up for more information. Um, the Cooperhouseindiana.com. Yes. So and you'll see location up there and all the links to donate or to volunteer or um anything. Yeah, get we have an Amazon wish list. We always need lots of like snacks and drinks, and we it's just a home, right? And so anybody that comes, even volunteers were like, grab a snack, grab a drink. And you know, the parents are like, really? Like, you know, and it's just a simple thing, a bottle of water, you know, and so we always need things replenished at the home, bath bombs. I don't know. We just try to keep our um list up to date and yeah, just extending like radical hospitality. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:08

And yeah. Because we've been open here in Allen County for how long?

SPEAKER_03 28:12

Since January. Since January. So just not long, it's been busy.

SPEAKER_01 28:15

So I just wanted folks to know, like, yeah, this is a not a new ministry, but a new ministry and outreach to our area. And you know, I always encourage folks. Here comes Joe Jeff's soap soapbox. Um, like, we can talk it all day, man. Like we can we can talk, um, and and we can assume that, oh, Mitch has got it. Like his family is going and serving, but uh, we always want to, as we talk about folks that are making a community difference here, we always want to encourage folks that are listening. Like, if you've got time, even a little bit of time, don't assume that somebody else had the time that they're going to go and do it. Um, and so if you know the conversation is touching your heart in the moment and you would want to learn more or serve in a particular way, don't assume that the next listener or watcher is doing it. Like this, if it's grabbing your heart, it's probably for you. And so jump on the website, think about ways that you can serve, pray, share, give. Yes. Um, because again, like a space for families to be connected, um, where there's been a history of, as we talked about earlier, you couldn't do it in a home setting. It doesn't, it always would feel rigid. Um, this is this is a unique opportunity for you to serve and volunteer in the ways that Jen and Even Brooke uh spoke about. And so uh do that, do that, do that. Don't just assume that somebody else is being hands and feet when you've been called to be the hands and

Neutral Ground For Real Parenting

SPEAKER_01 29:37

feet. That's the end of the soapbox. So um, you know, we we always ask this question as we get kind of to the end of our episode and we we prepped a little bit for it. Like we we always love to ask folks as you've been as you've been serving, as you've been giving, um, as you've been leading in your unique way, um, as you could go back and ask your younger self or tell your younger self something. Um, what would you tell your younger self now that you're sitting in the seat that you're in? So Brooke, we'll start, we'll start with you if that's okay. What would you tell younger Brooke?

SPEAKER_04 30:09

Oh gosh. So many things. I I think the biggest one would be open your hands, right? Like release the control because what you think is gonna happen probably isn't. The Lord has so much more purpose for you and for others and the community, and he works it all for good. And so just the my will versus his will. Let it go, maybe even sooner.

SPEAKER_01 30:35

But we trust in the Lord's sovereignty and his timing and all things, so yeah, it's good, it's good, it's good, it's hard, but it's yeah, mine's similar.

SPEAKER_03 30:42

I mean, it would just be surrender. Like, I think what if I would have surrendered like a long time ago? I think who am I that I think that I have control over all of these things, this false sense of control? And it's like he's sovereign over all of it and he uses all of it for good. Yeah, and just to surrender, it's been so brought so much like freedom to just surrender it all. And it's it's his ministry, and that I mean that goes beyond the Cooper house, just in my life in general, just just surrender, you know. So it's taking me a while to get there.

SPEAKER_00 31:14

I was out of town and I went on a walk, and I get back from my walk and I see this young appear to be a couple, uh, each with real Bibles wide open, reading. And so I said, What are you reading? And they told me, and that sparked this tremendous conversation, a lot of going back and forth. And uh this young girl, college age girl, said something that you just made me think of. And she said, I feel like when I surrender more, I hear more.

SPEAKER_04 31:42

Man, that's so good.

SPEAKER_00 31:43

I said, Oh, can I please use that? I'm gonna write a book on communication.

SPEAKER_04 31:47

Yeah, that is probably will too.

SPEAKER_01 31:50

That's that's really good. Well, thank you both for joining us, man. Thank you for having us.

SPEAKER_03 31:55

It's so fun to share the ministry, and it's definitely needed in Fort Wayne. So, like we've been so busy, and so it's so cool. Yeah, we appreciate the opportunity to share.

SPEAKER_01 32:04

Yeah, I'm celebrating the fact that you all have been able to make some connections here in Allen County and Fort Wayne. I know about some of them where in a community like this, where ministries and nonprofits, we have so many of them, but we're living in uh a time in our community where there's more oneness that's happening, more people want to serve together because we know we weren't meant to do it by ourselves. And ultimately it's not ours in the first place. So I'm so glad that you're here in this season, in this timing with this unique ministry. And so thank you again for joining us. We're happy to share the story and share more. Uh, folks that are listening and tuning in, look in the show notes. We'll have the website there. We'll have more about the ministry and the outreach there where you can get plugged in and connected. And so, thank you for tuning in. Thank you for watching. Uh, we look forward to joining you the next time on the Love Fort Way podcast.