November 26, 2025 • 31 mins
The hardest day of foster care shouldn’t start on a linoleum floor. When a child is removed from home, the first hours shape everything—what they feel, what they fear, and whether they sense anyone is on their side. We sit down with Isaiah 117 House founder Ronda Paulson to unpack a simple but radical shift: replace office waiting rooms with an actual home where kids can bathe, eat, rest, and choose new clothes while caseworkers and foster families get real support.
Ronda shares how a personal call to obedience led her from teaching to building a movement. She walks us through the reality of removal day, the strain on caseworkers, and why “day one dignity” matters for long-term outcomes. We trace the first debt-free home in Carter County to statewide momentum—boosted by cross-agency trust and a governor’s backing—and onward to 62 locations in 13 states, with tens of thousands of children served. Along the way, we talk about the fears that stop families from fostering, the power of proximity to change hearts, and the small acts that mean everything, like cooking a peach cobbler with a nervous 17-year-old who just needs to be seen.
If you’ve ever wondered how to help, this conversation offers clear steps: get informed about local foster numbers, consider taking foster classes, tour or volunteer at a nearby Isaiah 117 House, or donate to keep pantries stocked and beds ready. Foster care is hard, but communities are not powerless. With practical compassion and a home that feels like one, we can give kids safety and dignity on the day they need it most.
Enjoyed the conversation? Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who cares about kids and community. Your share might be the nudge someone needs to say yes.
To help you to navigate the home buying and mortgage process, Jonathan & Steve are currently licensed in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia, contact us today at 423-491-5405 or visit www.jonathanandsteve.com.
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_00 (00:01):
This is Benchmark Company.
Brought to you by Jonathan andSteve from Benchmark Homeland,
Northeast Tennessee, JohnsonCity, Kingsport, Bristol, the
Trump City, one of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:22):
And on this show, you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way, we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans.
And now your host, ChristineReed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:45):
Well, welcome back, everybody, to another episode of
Benchmark Happenings.
And today, the star of our showis Rhonda Paulson.
So, Rhonda, thank you for beinghere today.
Oh, I'm so excited to be here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:58):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (00:59):
Well, I'm excited.
I know we've kind of played somea little bit of tag uh getting
in you are one busy lady.
And uh so we're very thankful tohave you today.
And and for those of you who donot know Rhonda, you need to get
to know Rhonda.
Um, she is actually founder ofIsaiah House uh 117.
(01:21):
So Rhonda, just we're glad tohave you here and to talk about,
I call it a ministry.
Um I call it a this is a call ofGod upon your heart of what
you've done.
So uh tell us about for those,and you know, it's it's hard to
believe, but probably somepeople don't know what Isaiah
(01:42):
House is.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Well, yes, and I gotta say one thing about your
intro.
Um I've lived in NortheastTennessee my whole life.
Didn't do a lot of traveling,honestly, besides maybe summer
vacations before I started doingthis job.
I now travel the country.
Everywhere I go, I think I livein the prettiest place in the
(02:03):
whole of United States.
Like no matter where I go, Icannot wait to get back to my
home.
So your intro is not, you're notlying.
It is one of the prettiestplaces to live in the whole
world.
SPEAKER_02 (02:13):
I agree.
And thank you for saying that.
I mean, I totally agree.
My husband and I both were bornand raised here.
We were born and raised inKingsport.
Uh, we moved to Johnson Cityprobably about seven and a half
years ago.
And my husband, Steve, has beenin the mortgage industry for I
hate to say this, but 40 years.
SPEAKER_01 (02:34):
But he looks really good.
He does not look that, yes.
He doesn't look like he's beenin mortgage since I was 10.
He does not look like that.
SPEAKER_02 (02:44):
We're giving you a good kudos there, Steve.
He'll listen to this later.
So um, but yes, and so now youare traveling the country.
I mean, so tell us um, you know,wherever you want to start,
Rhonda, about you know, how Godlaid this on your heart, the
need that you saw, and reallywhat Isaiah House is and how
(03:04):
people can get involved.
SPEAKER_01 (03:05):
Absolutely.
So, yeah, I I didn't see myselftraveling the country.
I was a cheer and dance coachand an anatomy professor, an
adjunct anatomy professor atMilligan University.
Um, two children, pretty, prettyeasy, simple life.
Didn't know anything aboutfoster care.
Didn't know anybody who had doneit.
(03:26):
Um, but my word of the year wasobedience.
Oh.
And my word of the year the yearbefore was surrender.
And what year was this?
This was 2014.
Wow.
And so somewhere between metrying to surrender everything
to God and walk in obedience, Ifound myself being called to the
world of foster care.
(03:46):
And um, so my husband and Ifound ourselves in classes to
become foster parents, and thatis when we learned um what it
really looks like for a childentering foster care.
Um, you know, when you're not onthe inside, you think about a
child being removed, and I'vebeen there, you think, yay, they
(04:09):
need to be removed.
And we're not wrong, they do.
Right.
They're not safe.
That's the only reason they'rebeing removed.
But you think, yay, they'regonna be removed, they'll be
safe, they'll they'll be fed,they'll be at school every day.
Removal day, that's a good day,right?
You know, that's what you'rethinking.
And then when you start to learnabout foster care and you start
to see removal day through theeyes of a child, and God starts
(04:33):
to open your eyes to whatremoval day really looks like,
you realize there's nothing tocelebrate.
They've just lost their mama andthey will always love mama.
They see nothing wrong withmama.
That's true.
They just lost their home.
They see nothing wrong withtheir home.
Um, they just lost their pets.
(04:54):
You know, we have children enterour Isaiah house and say, Do you
think somebody's taking care ofmy dog?
You know, um, there's no promisethey'll be kept with their
brothers and sisters becauselarge sibling groups are hard to
place.
There's no promise they'll bekept in their same school.
That means they'd lose theirteacher, their friends.
And so removal day is one of thehardest days a child will ever
(05:17):
walk.
That was the first thing that welearned.
Like this is not a good day fora child.
It doesn't matter what they'velived.
This is actually one of the mosttraumatic days they'll ever
live.
And it happens usually at amoment's notice.
It happens at the end of aschool day.
Instead of getting on the bus,you're told you're not allowed
to go home.
(05:37):
Or it happens in the middle ofthe night with a police officer
and you're put in the back of apolice cruiser.
I mean, this is a traumaticevent in a child's life.
And then we found out that theplan across this country is that
child in that fragile, tragic,traumatic state, goes to a state
(05:58):
office and they sit and theywait.
Wow.
Four hours, eight hours, twelvehours, oh my goodness.
Two days they sit in a stateoffice, sometimes with only the
clothes on their back, sometimeswith a black trash bag with
(06:18):
whatever was grabbed quickly ina moment of chaos.
They're eating some McDonald'sfrom a drive-thru that a
caseworker used their own moneyto buy.
They're taking baths in drugtesting sinks or toweling off in
a public restroom.
Um, they're sleeping on cots orin a floor.
All of a sudden, this picturestarted to emerge that I didn't
(06:40):
know existed.
unknown (06:42):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (06:42):
And my heart broke because what child should ever
have to walk that journey?
SPEAKER_02 (06:48):
After they've already been through so much
trauma.
After they've already beenthrough so much trauma.
And then it's exacerbatedexacerbated immensely.
SPEAKER_01 (06:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so that was that was thefirst realization we had as we
entered this world.
And then we said yes to ourfirst foster placement in 2015.
Actually, a year ago yesterday,November 5th of 2015, 10 years
ago, it's not year 10 years agoyesterday, we said yes to our
first foster placement.
Um, November 5th, uh, 2015.
(07:19):
And when we went to pick thatchild up, they had on a borrowed
outfit, they'd been bathed in adrug testing sink, and they had
a roach-infested diaper bag.
That was it.
And that's when we knew it wastrue.
Like we'd heard the stories, butnow we were living it.
Um, and our friends started todeliver it because all of a
sudden you're in this world.
(07:39):
And they're like, we picked ababy up at the hospital, they
had nothing.
We picked up a teenager, theyhad the clothes on their back.
You know, and it's all of asudden it's true.
And now you're seeing as afoster parent, oh my word, how
do foster parents say yes tothis?
Like you're picking a child upthat has nothing and you have
nothing, you know, and then youstart to see the plot of the
caseworkers.
And it was all just swirling andswirling until January of 2017,
(08:04):
when I felt like God had beenjust calling and calling Rhonda,
do something for my kids, dosomething for my kids, do
something for my kids.
And I got on my knees in mybedroom in January of 2017, and
I said, I do not know what youwant me to do, but I will do it.
unknown (08:22):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (08:22):
And that was the birth of Isaiah 117 house, but I
didn't know it yet.
Um and so the dream became, whatif there was a home?
Instead of going to a stateoffice, what if a child going
through their heart of stakecould go to a home?
Because if you need a bath, wedon't have a drug testing sink,
we have a bathtub, because we'rea home.
And if you're hungry, we don'thave a vending machine.
(08:44):
We have a fully stocked kitchenbecause we're a home.
And if you want to play outside,we don't have a parking lot, we
have a basketball goal and aplayset because we're a home.
And if you need new possessions,we have an entire second floor
that's new shoes and new pantsand new clothes, because we see
you and we're here for you andyou're loved.
And what if we had an office forthat caseworker and we could
(09:05):
love on them?
And what about when that fosterparent came, we could provide
everything for them?
And so the dream became what ifthere was an Isaiah 117 house
based on the verse, Isaiah 117,which says, Do good, seek
justice, take care of the widow,take care of the orphan, a home
that could reduce trauma forchildren, lighten the load for
(09:26):
caseworkers, and make that yes,easier for future placements.
That was the dream in early2017.
That is beautiful.
And I love the scripture too.
And I love, I always tell peopleI love what comes before it
because God is speaking to hispeople.
And I feel like this is verytimely because that's what the
(09:46):
Bible is.
It's living, it's breathing,it's absolutely always for the
moment.
And he's looking at his peopleand he says, You think I want
what you're currently doing?
Like you think I want whatyou're currently doing?
No, I want you to do good, seekjustice, take care of the widow,
take care of the orphan.
And so that was our familyverse.
(10:07):
And that had been our familyverse as we started foster care.
And um, now it just seemedfitting for the name of this
home.
And so we opened our first homein 2018 in Elizabethan,
Tennessee.
Um, as I travel this countrynow, I tell people Carter
County, Tennessee lost theirminds in the best way possible.
They heard that their childrenwere sitting in a state office
(10:30):
and they said, Not our kids, notanymore.
And they rallied.
And in less than a year, we hada debt-free home.
It'd been beautifully remodeledby Mitchcox Companies completely
for free.
Um, we had 40 trainedvolunteers, we had every cabinet
full, every closet full, and wewere ready to serve the children
of Carter County.
Um, and then I tell people thereally crazy thing happened.
(10:53):
It worked.
Like the house did what it wascreated to do.
And then I realized that I hadwatched God bring all his people
together.
Like I watched him bringlandscapers and and you know,
subcontractors and contractorsand firemen to do demo.
I mean, I watched and all thefirst, always say all the first
(11:13):
Baptist, first present, firstmethod, all the first came.
Like I watched him bring all hispeople and they all just gave up
what they had.
And suddenly we had this littlewhite house with a red door
ready to serve the least ofthese.
It was just beautiful to watch.
But then I realized God builtthis house for children that
he'd never forgotten.
He's not gonna just do that inCarter County.
(11:36):
And so then Sullivan Countycalled and Washington and Green
and Severe and Knox, and it juststarted to explode.
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
Wow.
So why, how did you uh when whenGod had laid that on your heart,
how who did you reach out to?
I mean, where where do you it'sso overwhelming, Rhonda?
I mean, even with the one housein Carter County and
Elizabethan, how did it start?
SPEAKER_01 (12:03):
Well, I went to our DCS office that we had been
working with, and I sat downwith a sweet lady named Pam
Harr.
She had been with the departmentfor almost 30 years at that
point.
And I tell people all the time,she should have been bitter, she
should have been jaded, sheshould have been over it all,
she should have seen things comeand go.
And I sat down in her office andI told her my idea of this home.
(12:27):
And we sat there and criedtogether.
And she said, You work on thecommunity, I'll work on
Nashville.
And that's what she did.
And she got permission to trythis pilot program in Carter
County, Tennessee.
And I say, you know, withoutwithout the Lord and Pam Harr, I
don't know if we'd have gottenthis off the ground because they
(12:48):
trusted Pam because she'd beenwith the department that long.
They trusted Pam to try thispilot program.
They didn't know who RhondaPaulson was, but they trusted
Pam.
And so we got to try this pilotprogram.
And about the same time, therewas this guy running for
governor.
I don't do politics.
And they said he wanted to comesee the house.
(13:10):
And I said no.
And they're like, my board.
And they're like, what do youmean no?
I was like, I don't do politics.
I'm not gonna get my picturemade in front of a bus.
And they're like, you're gonnameet this guy.
He wants to come.
He's running on this platform ofif faith-based organizations are
doing good work, we should allowthem to do good work.
So this guy named Bill Lee stopsby the Carter County house.
(13:33):
And I'm not even paying himattention.
They're hammering, I don't makethem stop, they're sawing.
We get to the top of the stairs.
He says, What do you want me totell Nashville?
And I literally lit into him.
Like I'm crying, I'm screaming.
It's like you tell Nashvillethat they have forgotten their
children.
And the reason I know that is Ihad to build this house because
you put them in offices and youleave them.
I mean, I'm crying, I'mscreaming.
(13:54):
Oh my.
And him and his wife Maria arestanding there.
There's no cameras, there's nophoto op.
He says, Can I pray for you?
And we stood there and we criedand we prayed.
And it was just a really puremoment.
It didn't feel political.
It didn't feel we got done.
And I said, Can I get my picturemade in front of your bus?
And my husband always makesfunny.
(14:15):
But anyway, he ended up winningthe nomination, becoming
governor.
And that was the catalyst weneeded because he believed in us
probably before he should have.
But he ended up traveling thewhole state telling people about
this new program called Isaiah117.
What a beautiful model of thestate and a faith-based
(14:37):
organization coming together.
And so he showed up in GreenCounty for our groundbreaking in
Green County with$100,000 andstood up and said he wanted this
to be the new standard forchildren entering foster care
across the state of Tennessee.
And so that just gave us a wideopen go, go.
So it really was this perfectstorm that God had arranged.
(14:58):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:59):
And so how many do we have in Tennessee just in
Tennessee alone?
SPEAKER_01 (15:03):
We have 23 locations.
19 of those are open.
The others are underconstruction.
We'll have 20 open as ofNovember 23rd.
We're going to cut the ribbon inShelby County, Memphis.
Okay.
November 23rd.
SPEAKER_02 (15:15):
November 23rd.
I saw that on your eventcalendar.
And then how many states so farhave Isaiah houses in them?
SPEAKER_01 (15:23):
We have 62 locations in 13 states.
Out of those 62, as of November23rd, 38 will be open.
We have another 11 that aresupposed to wrap up construction
by the end of the year.
So we hope to have 11 ribboncuttings early 2026 will take us
to 49 of 62 will be open byearly 2026.
(15:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:46):
And how many children have been served?
SPEAKER_01 (15:49):
Over 14,500 since 2018.
SPEAKER_02 (15:53):
Since 2018.
That is an enormous amount ofchildren, Rhonda.
SPEAKER_01 (15:58):
It really is.
And I that number, like, it doessomething to me like physically
when I say it.
I mean, it's it's like sobeautiful and so hard to think
about.
Like I am so glad we're there.
But 14,500 is the tip of theiceberg.
(16:21):
Really?
There are 11,000 children incustody in the Houston area.
I mean the the foster carecrisis is unbelievable.
I just don't think people canwrap their heads around the
amount of children with nowhereto go.
(16:41):
Um, and so we are doing theabsolute best we can, but the
need is great.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
The need is so great.
And the need is you we need moreuh families willing to be foster
parents, right?
SPEAKER_01 (16:58):
We do, we do.
And I tell people all the time,you know, it is a hard ask.
It is not an easy ask.
We try to make it easier becausewe're gonna provide everything
that family needs and we'regonna give them support, but at
the end of the day, it is not aneasy ask.
Um, and people, you know,they'll always say, I don't
know, I don't know how you didit, I could never do it, you
(17:18):
know, I could never do it.
And I always say, I wish myhusband was here because he did
not want to do it.
He he did not want to do fostercare.
Um But what finally got him tosay yes was the only reason he
could come up with not to werecompletely selfish reasons.
(17:40):
He's like, I like my house theway it is, I like my extra time,
I like my extra money, I likegoing on vacation with just two
kids that are getting older andolder, you know, like he's like,
and when you realize there's achild at the end of that story
with nowhere to go, all of thosestart to seem a little less
(18:02):
important, you know.
Um, and so it's not an easy ask.
But if more and more peoplecould realize we're talking
about a child that has nowhereto go.
That's what we're really talkingabout.
A beautiful soul made in theimage of God.
Yeah.
That needs to know someone isfighting for them and loves
(18:23):
them.
unknown (18:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (18:25):
You know, I think so many people, and I think us
included, is, you know, thefear.
Oh, yeah.
You're you're afraid of whatyou're gonna step into and you
hear these, you know, storiesand things like that.
And it's like, you know, youknow, how am I equipped to deal
with someone that's been abusedand traumatized and exposed to
(18:49):
so many horrific things?
SPEAKER_01 (18:53):
Well, and I remember, you know, when we
started down this path, somebodylooked at me and said, Well, you
don't know what you're gonnaget.
And I looked at him and said,Did you know what you were gonna
get when you got pregnant?
Oh, that's a good one.
I like that.
I was like, I didn't know what Iwas gonna get when I went into
labor and delivery either time.
(19:13):
I don't know about y'all.
Um, but I do know what theymean.
And you're not wrong.
You're not wrong.
Foster care is the hardest thingI ever did.
It's not, I'm not, you're notwrong.
Um, I was actually um working ona talk that I'm doing at a
conference this weekend, and Iwas actually reading a scripture
from Philippians 3 10, and thatscripture basically says, make
(19:37):
me more like Jesus.
Like I want to be like Jesus,but what we forget is Jesus went
to the cross.
He did.
And there's nothing easy aboutcarrying your cross up a hill
and dying on it.
And so we want to be like Jesus,but we don't want to go to the
cross to get there.
(19:59):
Um and so I think sometimes weforget that uh this wasn't uh we
weren't called to easy.
We were called to a cross, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (20:11):
I think we forget that, Rhonda, because we've
we're in our and we're blessedwhere we live, we're blessed to
be in the United States.
But, you know, even being thewealthiest country in the world,
we are we have the most drugaddiction, the most alcoholics,
um, you know, the amount ofprescription drug usage, um,
(20:35):
just all the myriad of healthproblems, depression, suicide,
and you know, and I almostthink, is it because life is
easy?
SPEAKER_01 (20:48):
You know, I've I've traveled to other countries and
I've actually thought that I'vethought, I think sometimes being
an American has gotten in theway of me relying on God.
Because when I'm in these othercountries and they sit for four
hours and they praise andworship in these hot rooms where
I'm like so uncomfortable andthink, you know, are we going to
(21:09):
lunch yet?
Are we done?
And they don't want to leave.
They don't want to leave thatroom.
They don't want to stop praisingGod.
They don't, they are relying onhim for their next meal.
They are relying on him fortheir next place they're gonna
live.
They're like they are literallyrelying on God for everything.
Most of us, most of the peoplethat are listening right now, we
(21:30):
don't rely on God for our nextmeal.
No, we don't rely on God for theroof over our head.
And so sometimes I think, is myprivilege actually getting in
the way of me truly relying onGod?
Well, I will tell you, fostercare had me on my knees in my
(21:53):
bathroom day after day, beggingfor God's help because I
couldn't do it.
Wow.
I can pay my bills, I can putfood on the table, but I could
not do foster care.
I could not do foster carewithout God.
And this is with your first howmany foster children do you we
fostered two little boys,adopted them both, and then
(22:17):
started Isaiah 117 house.
SPEAKER_02 (22:20):
Oh were those little boys brothers or they are full
sibling brothers.
Okay.
How old are they now?
Ten and eight.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_01 (22:30):
So you So I have a 22-year-old, a 19-year-old, a
10-year-old, and aneight-year-old.
Oh my goodness.
I'd say it's gonna keep me youngor kill me.
Haven't decided yet.
SPEAKER_02 (22:39):
I think it's gonna keep you young.
It's gonna keep you young.
That's what we're gonna say.
SPEAKER_01 (22:43):
That's what we're gonna say.
SPEAKER_02 (22:44):
Yes.
I mean, you look young now.
Um so you talked about yourhusband, Corey, and uh he was
not for this, and and I'm sureyou weren't the type of wife to
to browbeat or you know, to tobring it up all the time.
How did you I mean you said hewas he finally changed his mind,
(23:08):
he was against it, but what wereyour responses throughout that
process?
You were for it, you wanted todo it, you you God laid it on
your heart, but it's like, youknow, in a marriage, unless the
husband and wife are 100% readyto go, you really can't do it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
Well, you maybe sound real good, and then people
are gonna hear the story belike, oh my gosh, but you gotta
know your man.
We've been married 28 years inDecember, been together 30.
I feel like I know him.
Um, so I ask him to go on a dateand we went to foster care
classes.
Oh, okay, that was the date.
(23:46):
And he was so mad at me.
I just remember he was so mad.
And we did not speak all the wayhome from that date.
Yeah.
And then the next morning we gotup and act acted like everything
was normal because that's kindof how we roll.
But he didn't say he wouldn't goback to week two.
It was an eight-week study.
SPEAKER_03 (24:01):
Oh.
SPEAKER_01 (24:01):
So then we went back to week two, didn't say a word,
didn't speak all the way home.
He didn't say he wouldn't goback.
Went back week three.
But what he was learning, Ididn't have to say anything.
What he was learning in thoseclasses.
And so we were coming home weekthree, and he said, I do not
want to do this.
And I was like, Fair enough.
I mean, I tricked you into it.
(24:24):
You thought you were going on adate.
Um, you've been a good sport.
Fair enough.
And he was like, Don't fairenough me, Rhonda.
And I was like, What?
And he said, You and the Lordhave wrecked me.
He's like, I'm a wrecked man.
And he said, you know, now Iknow the numbers.
Now I know the statistics.
Now I know there are literallychildren in our county with
(24:47):
nowhere to go.
How am I supposed to ignorethat?
We have the means, we have ahouse.
Like, how am I supposed toignore that there are children
with nowhere to go?
We have to do this.
And so that was just him gettinginformation and him and God
processing that.
That was not me saying, we'regonna, we're gonna, you know,
(25:07):
right.
I just thought if I can get intothe classes.
Um, and if he'd have said no,then that would have been, but I
thought, if I can get into theclasses, and I have told several
wives that because they come tome and they say, I want to do
this so bad, but my husbanddoesn't.
Try to get into the classes.
Just let him learn for himself.
And if he's still not open toit, he's not open to it.
Right.
(25:28):
But, or get him in an Isaiah 117house.
Let him volunteer.
Let him see that it really is achild at the end of that story.
You know, we have a lot ofpeople, we have a lot of people
initially afraid to volunteer inour homes with like a teenager.
They're like, Call me whenthere's a little one, but don't
call me when there's a teenager.
I remember there was this onelady in particular.
(25:48):
She's like, I just don't think Icould do teenage boys.
If there's a little one, callme, but not teenage boys.
And she was signed up this oneday and there was gonna be a
teenage boy.
So we called her, we told her,we believe in you.
We really think God doesn't doanything by mistake.
You're signed up this day, He'scoming, just give it a try.
(26:09):
If you want to leave, if youdon't feel comfortable, it's
okay, you know, because she'snot in charge, the volunteer's
not in charge of the time.
Right, right.
So she comes and they starttalking.
Come to find out he loves tocook.
They end up watching the cookingchannel together, food network.
They hit it off.
(26:29):
Ends up, he's gonna spend thenight.
She's not on call the next day,but she wants to come back.
She asks him what he'd like tocook.
He wants to make chickencasserole and a peach cobbler.
She writes out all theingredients, goes and buys it,
comes back the next day.
They make a chicken casseroleand a peach cobbler together.
This scary 17-year-old and hermake a chicken casserole and a
peach cobbler.
(26:50):
And when she gets ready to leavethat day, he says, Do you mind
if I give you a hug?
And I mean, uh they're childrenat the end of these stories.
And yeah, their folders soundreally scary.
But for the majority of the onesI have met personally, you'll
read you know, struggles withanger, you know, or what if you
(27:14):
read their story, you'd be angrytoo.
Yeah.
If you read what they have livedthrough, you'd act out too.
But when you start talking tothem as a person and treat them
with respect and dignity andlove and compassion and
security, that's what everychild is longing for.
(27:38):
That's what I'm saying.
It is be longing.
SPEAKER_02 (27:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:46):
It's it's it's it's it's heavy stuff.
It is heavy.
Because it's kids going throughthings that kids should never go
through.
unknown (27:54):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:54):
That's right.
SPEAKER_02 (27:56):
So, Rhonda, what do you want the audience to know,
to take away of how they can getinvolved, help?
What would be some of thosethings?
SPEAKER_01 (28:06):
I think the bigger picture is maybe just get
informed.
Find out.
Where whoever's listening,wherever, find out about how
many foster kids are in yourcommunity.
What happens when they getremoved?
Where are they going?
Just get informed.
Start there.
Um, if you have ever thoughtabout being a foster parent, you
know, statistics say that peoplethink about it sometimes for
(28:27):
five years.
If you have ever thought aboutbeing a foster parent and you
are listening, now is the time.
Just go take the classes.
You're not signing up foranything, just go take the
classes.
You are needed.
Um post 2020, you are needed.
Um so that's probably my biggestthing is we need good foster
(28:48):
families and we need people tobe aware of what's happening to
the children in our community.
Um, a lot of times people saythese kids, and it feels
separate to me.
What they don't understand isthese kids are the ones sitting
beside your child in thirdperiod on your kids' soccer
team.
It's not an us and them anymore.
It's that widespread, you know.
(29:09):
Um, and so we need fosterfamilies, we need people to be
aware.
Um, you know, we hear thisstatistic all the time, but I
think it's so powerful.
I was in Knoxville not too longago, excuse me, Nashville not
too long ago, and the ministersaid there's 880 kids in custody
in Nashville.
And there are 900 churches.
(29:31):
But we are not so broken that wecannot be fixed.
unknown (29:36):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (29:37):
And that is still true.
We are not so broken that wecannot be fixed, but we have to
have people step up and say, I'mgonna step into the life of that
child.
And it is a big ask, and it isscary, and it is hard.
Um, but it is a child.
Um, and then if all of thatseems whoa, whoa, whoa, just go
(29:59):
to Isaiah.
Isaiah117house.com.
Mess around, look around thewebsite, see if there's a
location near you.
Maybe click on that location,reach out to that location
leader, see if you can startbeing a volunteer.
Maybe start there.
And if that seems too much,maybe just hit that donate
button and you know, let uscontinue to do the work that
we're doing.
(30:25):
Oh, it's my pleasure.
My pleasure.
SPEAKER_00 (30:30):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton and SteveReed from Benchmark Home Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee.
And they're not only licensed inTennessee, but Florida, Georgia,
South Carolina, and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(30:51):
If you did, make sure to like,rate, and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee.
So if you have questions aboutmortgages, call us 423-491-5405.
And the website iswww.jonathansteve.com.
Thanks for being with us, andwe'll see you next time on
(31:13):
Benchmark Happenings.
This is Benchmark Company.
Brought to you by Jonathan andSteve from Benchmark Homeland,
Northeast Tennessee, JohnsonCity, Kingsport, Bristol, the
Trump City, one of the mostbeautiful places in the country
to live.
Tons of great things to do andawesome local businesses.
(00:22):
And on this show, you'll findout why people are dying to move
to Northeast Tennessee.
And on the way, we'll havediscussions about mortgages and
we'll interview people in thereal estate industry.
It's what we do.
This is Benchmark Happenings,brought to you by Benchmark Home
Loans.
And now your host, ChristineReed.
SPEAKER_02 (00:45):
Well, welcome back, everybody, to another episode of
Benchmark Happenings.
And today, the star of our showis Rhonda Paulson.
So, Rhonda, thank you for beinghere today.
Oh, I'm so excited to be here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:58):
Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02 (00:59):
Well, I'm excited.
I know we've kind of played somea little bit of tag uh getting
in you are one busy lady.
And uh so we're very thankful tohave you today.
And and for those of you who donot know Rhonda, you need to get
to know Rhonda.
Um, she is actually founder ofIsaiah House uh 117.
(01:21):
So Rhonda, just we're glad tohave you here and to talk about,
I call it a ministry.
Um I call it a this is a call ofGod upon your heart of what
you've done.
So uh tell us about for those,and you know, it's it's hard to
believe, but probably somepeople don't know what Isaiah
(01:42):
House is.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
Well, yes, and I gotta say one thing about your
intro.
Um I've lived in NortheastTennessee my whole life.
Didn't do a lot of traveling,honestly, besides maybe summer
vacations before I started doingthis job.
I now travel the country.
Everywhere I go, I think I livein the prettiest place in the
(02:03):
whole of United States.
Like no matter where I go, Icannot wait to get back to my
home.
So your intro is not, you're notlying.
It is one of the prettiestplaces to live in the whole
world.
SPEAKER_02 (02:13):
I agree.
And thank you for saying that.
I mean, I totally agree.
My husband and I both were bornand raised here.
We were born and raised inKingsport.
Uh, we moved to Johnson Cityprobably about seven and a half
years ago.
And my husband, Steve, has beenin the mortgage industry for I
hate to say this, but 40 years.
SPEAKER_01 (02:34):
But he looks really good.
He does not look that, yes.
He doesn't look like he's beenin mortgage since I was 10.
He does not look like that.
SPEAKER_02 (02:44):
We're giving you a good kudos there, Steve.
He'll listen to this later.
So um, but yes, and so now youare traveling the country.
I mean, so tell us um, you know,wherever you want to start,
Rhonda, about you know, how Godlaid this on your heart, the
need that you saw, and reallywhat Isaiah House is and how
(03:04):
people can get involved.
SPEAKER_01 (03:05):
Absolutely.
So, yeah, I I didn't see myselftraveling the country.
I was a cheer and dance coachand an anatomy professor, an
adjunct anatomy professor atMilligan University.
Um, two children, pretty, prettyeasy, simple life.
Didn't know anything aboutfoster care.
Didn't know anybody who had doneit.
(03:26):
Um, but my word of the year wasobedience.
Oh.
And my word of the year the yearbefore was surrender.
And what year was this?
This was 2014.
Wow.
And so somewhere between metrying to surrender everything
to God and walk in obedience, Ifound myself being called to the
world of foster care.
(03:46):
And um, so my husband and Ifound ourselves in classes to
become foster parents, and thatis when we learned um what it
really looks like for a childentering foster care.
Um, you know, when you're not onthe inside, you think about a
child being removed, and I'vebeen there, you think, yay, they
(04:09):
need to be removed.
And we're not wrong, they do.
Right.
They're not safe.
That's the only reason they'rebeing removed.
But you think, yay, they'regonna be removed, they'll be
safe, they'll they'll be fed,they'll be at school every day.
Removal day, that's a good day,right?
You know, that's what you'rethinking.
And then when you start to learnabout foster care and you start
to see removal day through theeyes of a child, and God starts
(04:33):
to open your eyes to whatremoval day really looks like,
you realize there's nothing tocelebrate.
They've just lost their mama andthey will always love mama.
They see nothing wrong withmama.
That's true.
They just lost their home.
They see nothing wrong withtheir home.
Um, they just lost their pets.
(04:54):
You know, we have children enterour Isaiah house and say, Do you
think somebody's taking care ofmy dog?
You know, um, there's no promisethey'll be kept with their
brothers and sisters becauselarge sibling groups are hard to
place.
There's no promise they'll bekept in their same school.
That means they'd lose theirteacher, their friends.
And so removal day is one of thehardest days a child will ever
(05:17):
walk.
That was the first thing that welearned.
Like this is not a good day fora child.
It doesn't matter what they'velived.
This is actually one of the mosttraumatic days they'll ever
live.
And it happens usually at amoment's notice.
It happens at the end of aschool day.
Instead of getting on the bus,you're told you're not allowed
to go home.
(05:37):
Or it happens in the middle ofthe night with a police officer
and you're put in the back of apolice cruiser.
I mean, this is a traumaticevent in a child's life.
And then we found out that theplan across this country is that
child in that fragile, tragic,traumatic state, goes to a state
(05:58):
office and they sit and theywait.
Wow.
Four hours, eight hours, twelvehours, oh my goodness.
Two days they sit in a stateoffice, sometimes with only the
clothes on their back, sometimeswith a black trash bag with
(06:18):
whatever was grabbed quickly ina moment of chaos.
They're eating some McDonald'sfrom a drive-thru that a
caseworker used their own moneyto buy.
They're taking baths in drugtesting sinks or toweling off in
a public restroom.
Um, they're sleeping on cots orin a floor.
All of a sudden, this picturestarted to emerge that I didn't
(06:40):
know existed.
unknown (06:42):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (06:42):
And my heart broke because what child should ever
have to walk that journey?
SPEAKER_02 (06:48):
After they've already been through so much
trauma.
After they've already beenthrough so much trauma.
And then it's exacerbatedexacerbated immensely.
SPEAKER_01 (06:56):
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so that was that was thefirst realization we had as we
entered this world.
And then we said yes to ourfirst foster placement in 2015.
Actually, a year ago yesterday,November 5th of 2015, 10 years
ago, it's not year 10 years agoyesterday, we said yes to our
first foster placement.
Um, November 5th, uh, 2015.
(07:19):
And when we went to pick thatchild up, they had on a borrowed
outfit, they'd been bathed in adrug testing sink, and they had
a roach-infested diaper bag.
That was it.
And that's when we knew it wastrue.
Like we'd heard the stories, butnow we were living it.
Um, and our friends started todeliver it because all of a
sudden you're in this world.
(07:39):
And they're like, we picked ababy up at the hospital, they
had nothing.
We picked up a teenager, theyhad the clothes on their back.
You know, and it's all of asudden it's true.
And now you're seeing as afoster parent, oh my word, how
do foster parents say yes tothis?
Like you're picking a child upthat has nothing and you have
nothing, you know, and then youstart to see the plot of the
caseworkers.
And it was all just swirling andswirling until January of 2017,
(08:04):
when I felt like God had beenjust calling and calling Rhonda,
do something for my kids, dosomething for my kids, do
something for my kids.
And I got on my knees in mybedroom in January of 2017, and
I said, I do not know what youwant me to do, but I will do it.
unknown (08:22):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (08:22):
And that was the birth of Isaiah 117 house, but I
didn't know it yet.
Um and so the dream became, whatif there was a home?
Instead of going to a stateoffice, what if a child going
through their heart of stakecould go to a home?
Because if you need a bath, wedon't have a drug testing sink,
we have a bathtub, because we'rea home.
And if you're hungry, we don'thave a vending machine.
(08:44):
We have a fully stocked kitchenbecause we're a home.
And if you want to play outside,we don't have a parking lot, we
have a basketball goal and aplayset because we're a home.
And if you need new possessions,we have an entire second floor
that's new shoes and new pantsand new clothes, because we see
you and we're here for you andyou're loved.
And what if we had an office forthat caseworker and we could
(09:05):
love on them?
And what about when that fosterparent came, we could provide
everything for them?
And so the dream became what ifthere was an Isaiah 117 house
based on the verse, Isaiah 117,which says, Do good, seek
justice, take care of the widow,take care of the orphan, a home
that could reduce trauma forchildren, lighten the load for
(09:26):
caseworkers, and make that yes,easier for future placements.
That was the dream in early2017.
That is beautiful.
And I love the scripture too.
And I love, I always tell peopleI love what comes before it
because God is speaking to hispeople.
And I feel like this is verytimely because that's what the
(09:46):
Bible is.
It's living, it's breathing,it's absolutely always for the
moment.
And he's looking at his peopleand he says, You think I want
what you're currently doing?
Like you think I want whatyou're currently doing?
No, I want you to do good, seekjustice, take care of the widow,
take care of the orphan.
And so that was our familyverse.
(10:07):
And that had been our familyverse as we started foster care.
And um, now it just seemedfitting for the name of this
home.
And so we opened our first homein 2018 in Elizabethan,
Tennessee.
Um, as I travel this countrynow, I tell people Carter
County, Tennessee lost theirminds in the best way possible.
They heard that their childrenwere sitting in a state office
(10:30):
and they said, Not our kids, notanymore.
And they rallied.
And in less than a year, we hada debt-free home.
It'd been beautifully remodeledby Mitchcox Companies completely
for free.
Um, we had 40 trainedvolunteers, we had every cabinet
full, every closet full, and wewere ready to serve the children
of Carter County.
Um, and then I tell people thereally crazy thing happened.
(10:53):
It worked.
Like the house did what it wascreated to do.
And then I realized that I hadwatched God bring all his people
together.
Like I watched him bringlandscapers and and you know,
subcontractors and contractorsand firemen to do demo.
I mean, I watched and all thefirst, always say all the first
(11:13):
Baptist, first present, firstmethod, all the first came.
Like I watched him bring all hispeople and they all just gave up
what they had.
And suddenly we had this littlewhite house with a red door
ready to serve the least ofthese.
It was just beautiful to watch.
But then I realized God builtthis house for children that
he'd never forgotten.
He's not gonna just do that inCarter County.
(11:36):
And so then Sullivan Countycalled and Washington and Green
and Severe and Knox, and it juststarted to explode.
SPEAKER_02 (11:46):
Wow.
So why, how did you uh when whenGod had laid that on your heart,
how who did you reach out to?
I mean, where where do you it'sso overwhelming, Rhonda?
I mean, even with the one housein Carter County and
Elizabethan, how did it start?
SPEAKER_01 (12:03):
Well, I went to our DCS office that we had been
working with, and I sat downwith a sweet lady named Pam
Harr.
She had been with the departmentfor almost 30 years at that
point.
And I tell people all the time,she should have been bitter, she
should have been jaded, sheshould have been over it all,
she should have seen things comeand go.
And I sat down in her office andI told her my idea of this home.
(12:27):
And we sat there and criedtogether.
And she said, You work on thecommunity, I'll work on
Nashville.
And that's what she did.
And she got permission to trythis pilot program in Carter
County, Tennessee.
And I say, you know, withoutwithout the Lord and Pam Harr, I
don't know if we'd have gottenthis off the ground because they
(12:48):
trusted Pam because she'd beenwith the department that long.
They trusted Pam to try thispilot program.
They didn't know who RhondaPaulson was, but they trusted
Pam.
And so we got to try this pilotprogram.
And about the same time, therewas this guy running for
governor.
I don't do politics.
And they said he wanted to comesee the house.
(13:10):
And I said no.
And they're like, my board.
And they're like, what do youmean no?
I was like, I don't do politics.
I'm not gonna get my picturemade in front of a bus.
And they're like, you're gonnameet this guy.
He wants to come.
He's running on this platform ofif faith-based organizations are
doing good work, we should allowthem to do good work.
So this guy named Bill Lee stopsby the Carter County house.
(13:33):
And I'm not even paying himattention.
They're hammering, I don't makethem stop, they're sawing.
We get to the top of the stairs.
He says, What do you want me totell Nashville?
And I literally lit into him.
Like I'm crying, I'm screaming.
It's like you tell Nashvillethat they have forgotten their
children.
And the reason I know that is Ihad to build this house because
you put them in offices and youleave them.
I mean, I'm crying, I'mscreaming.
(13:54):
Oh my.
And him and his wife Maria arestanding there.
There's no cameras, there's nophoto op.
He says, Can I pray for you?
And we stood there and we criedand we prayed.
And it was just a really puremoment.
It didn't feel political.
It didn't feel we got done.
And I said, Can I get my picturemade in front of your bus?
And my husband always makesfunny.
(14:15):
But anyway, he ended up winningthe nomination, becoming
governor.
And that was the catalyst weneeded because he believed in us
probably before he should have.
But he ended up traveling thewhole state telling people about
this new program called Isaiah117.
What a beautiful model of thestate and a faith-based
(14:37):
organization coming together.
And so he showed up in GreenCounty for our groundbreaking in
Green County with$100,000 andstood up and said he wanted this
to be the new standard forchildren entering foster care
across the state of Tennessee.
And so that just gave us a wideopen go, go.
So it really was this perfectstorm that God had arranged.
(14:58):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (14:59):
And so how many do we have in Tennessee just in
Tennessee alone?
SPEAKER_01 (15:03):
We have 23 locations.
19 of those are open.
The others are underconstruction.
We'll have 20 open as ofNovember 23rd.
We're going to cut the ribbon inShelby County, Memphis.
Okay.
November 23rd.
SPEAKER_02 (15:15):
November 23rd.
I saw that on your eventcalendar.
And then how many states so farhave Isaiah houses in them?
SPEAKER_01 (15:23):
We have 62 locations in 13 states.
Out of those 62, as of November23rd, 38 will be open.
We have another 11 that aresupposed to wrap up construction
by the end of the year.
So we hope to have 11 ribboncuttings early 2026 will take us
to 49 of 62 will be open byearly 2026.
(15:45):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (15:46):
And how many children have been served?
SPEAKER_01 (15:49):
Over 14,500 since 2018.
SPEAKER_02 (15:53):
Since 2018.
That is an enormous amount ofchildren, Rhonda.
SPEAKER_01 (15:58):
It really is.
And I that number, like, it doessomething to me like physically
when I say it.
I mean, it's it's like sobeautiful and so hard to think
about.
Like I am so glad we're there.
But 14,500 is the tip of theiceberg.
(16:21):
Really?
There are 11,000 children incustody in the Houston area.
I mean the the foster carecrisis is unbelievable.
I just don't think people canwrap their heads around the
amount of children with nowhereto go.
(16:41):
Um, and so we are doing theabsolute best we can, but the
need is great.
SPEAKER_02 (16:48):
The need is so great.
And the need is you we need moreuh families willing to be foster
parents, right?
SPEAKER_01 (16:58):
We do, we do.
And I tell people all the time,you know, it is a hard ask.
It is not an easy ask.
We try to make it easier becausewe're gonna provide everything
that family needs and we'regonna give them support, but at
the end of the day, it is not aneasy ask.
Um, and people, you know,they'll always say, I don't
know, I don't know how you didit, I could never do it, you
(17:18):
know, I could never do it.
And I always say, I wish myhusband was here because he did
not want to do it.
He he did not want to do fostercare.
Um But what finally got him tosay yes was the only reason he
could come up with not to werecompletely selfish reasons.
(17:40):
He's like, I like my house theway it is, I like my extra time,
I like my extra money, I likegoing on vacation with just two
kids that are getting older andolder, you know, like he's like,
and when you realize there's achild at the end of that story
with nowhere to go, all of thosestart to seem a little less
(18:02):
important, you know.
Um, and so it's not an easy ask.
But if more and more peoplecould realize we're talking
about a child that has nowhereto go.
That's what we're really talkingabout.
A beautiful soul made in theimage of God.
Yeah.
That needs to know someone isfighting for them and loves
(18:23):
them.
unknown (18:23):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (18:25):
You know, I think so many people, and I think us
included, is, you know, thefear.
Oh, yeah.
You're you're afraid of whatyou're gonna step into and you
hear these, you know, storiesand things like that.
And it's like, you know, youknow, how am I equipped to deal
with someone that's been abusedand traumatized and exposed to
(18:49):
so many horrific things?
SPEAKER_01 (18:53):
Well, and I remember, you know, when we
started down this path, somebodylooked at me and said, Well, you
don't know what you're gonnaget.
And I looked at him and said,Did you know what you were gonna
get when you got pregnant?
Oh, that's a good one.
I like that.
I was like, I didn't know what Iwas gonna get when I went into
labor and delivery either time.
(19:13):
I don't know about y'all.
Um, but I do know what theymean.
And you're not wrong.
You're not wrong.
Foster care is the hardest thingI ever did.
It's not, I'm not, you're notwrong.
Um, I was actually um working ona talk that I'm doing at a
conference this weekend, and Iwas actually reading a scripture
from Philippians 3 10, and thatscripture basically says, make
(19:37):
me more like Jesus.
Like I want to be like Jesus,but what we forget is Jesus went
to the cross.
He did.
And there's nothing easy aboutcarrying your cross up a hill
and dying on it.
And so we want to be like Jesus,but we don't want to go to the
cross to get there.
(19:59):
Um and so I think sometimes weforget that uh this wasn't uh we
weren't called to easy.
We were called to a cross, youknow.
SPEAKER_02 (20:11):
I think we forget that, Rhonda, because we've
we're in our and we're blessedwhere we live, we're blessed to
be in the United States.
But, you know, even being thewealthiest country in the world,
we are we have the most drugaddiction, the most alcoholics,
um, you know, the amount ofprescription drug usage, um,
(20:35):
just all the myriad of healthproblems, depression, suicide,
and you know, and I almostthink, is it because life is
easy?
SPEAKER_01 (20:48):
You know, I've I've traveled to other countries and
I've actually thought that I'vethought, I think sometimes being
an American has gotten in theway of me relying on God.
Because when I'm in these othercountries and they sit for four
hours and they praise andworship in these hot rooms where
I'm like so uncomfortable andthink, you know, are we going to
(21:09):
lunch yet?
Are we done?
And they don't want to leave.
They don't want to leave thatroom.
They don't want to stop praisingGod.
They don't, they are relying onhim for their next meal.
They are relying on him fortheir next place they're gonna
live.
They're like they are literallyrelying on God for everything.
Most of us, most of the peoplethat are listening right now, we
(21:30):
don't rely on God for our nextmeal.
No, we don't rely on God for theroof over our head.
And so sometimes I think, is myprivilege actually getting in
the way of me truly relying onGod?
Well, I will tell you, fostercare had me on my knees in my
(21:53):
bathroom day after day, beggingfor God's help because I
couldn't do it.
Wow.
I can pay my bills, I can putfood on the table, but I could
not do foster care.
I could not do foster carewithout God.
And this is with your first howmany foster children do you we
fostered two little boys,adopted them both, and then
(22:17):
started Isaiah 117 house.
SPEAKER_02 (22:20):
Oh were those little boys brothers or they are full
sibling brothers.
Okay.
How old are they now?
Ten and eight.
Oh my goodness.
SPEAKER_01 (22:30):
So you So I have a 22-year-old, a 19-year-old, a
10-year-old, and aneight-year-old.
Oh my goodness.
I'd say it's gonna keep me youngor kill me.
Haven't decided yet.
SPEAKER_02 (22:39):
I think it's gonna keep you young.
It's gonna keep you young.
That's what we're gonna say.
SPEAKER_01 (22:43):
That's what we're gonna say.
SPEAKER_02 (22:44):
Yes.
I mean, you look young now.
Um so you talked about yourhusband, Corey, and uh he was
not for this, and and I'm sureyou weren't the type of wife to
to browbeat or you know, to tobring it up all the time.
How did you I mean you said hewas he finally changed his mind,
(23:08):
he was against it, but what wereyour responses throughout that
process?
You were for it, you wanted todo it, you you God laid it on
your heart, but it's like, youknow, in a marriage, unless the
husband and wife are 100% readyto go, you really can't do it.
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
Well, you maybe sound real good, and then people
are gonna hear the story belike, oh my gosh, but you gotta
know your man.
We've been married 28 years inDecember, been together 30.
I feel like I know him.
Um, so I ask him to go on a dateand we went to foster care
classes.
Oh, okay, that was the date.
(23:46):
And he was so mad at me.
I just remember he was so mad.
And we did not speak all the wayhome from that date.
Yeah.
And then the next morning we gotup and act acted like everything
was normal because that's kindof how we roll.
But he didn't say he wouldn't goback to week two.
It was an eight-week study.
SPEAKER_03 (24:01):
Oh.
SPEAKER_01 (24:01):
So then we went back to week two, didn't say a word,
didn't speak all the way home.
He didn't say he wouldn't goback.
Went back week three.
But what he was learning, Ididn't have to say anything.
What he was learning in thoseclasses.
And so we were coming home weekthree, and he said, I do not
want to do this.
And I was like, Fair enough.
I mean, I tricked you into it.
(24:24):
You thought you were going on adate.
Um, you've been a good sport.
Fair enough.
And he was like, Don't fairenough me, Rhonda.
And I was like, What?
And he said, You and the Lordhave wrecked me.
He's like, I'm a wrecked man.
And he said, you know, now Iknow the numbers.
Now I know the statistics.
Now I know there are literallychildren in our county with
(24:47):
nowhere to go.
How am I supposed to ignorethat?
We have the means, we have ahouse.
Like, how am I supposed toignore that there are children
with nowhere to go?
We have to do this.
And so that was just him gettinginformation and him and God
processing that.
That was not me saying, we'regonna, we're gonna, you know,
(25:07):
right.
I just thought if I can get intothe classes.
Um, and if he'd have said no,then that would have been, but I
thought, if I can get into theclasses, and I have told several
wives that because they come tome and they say, I want to do
this so bad, but my husbanddoesn't.
Try to get into the classes.
Just let him learn for himself.
And if he's still not open toit, he's not open to it.
Right.
(25:28):
But, or get him in an Isaiah 117house.
Let him volunteer.
Let him see that it really is achild at the end of that story.
You know, we have a lot ofpeople, we have a lot of people
initially afraid to volunteer inour homes with like a teenager.
They're like, Call me whenthere's a little one, but don't
call me when there's a teenager.
I remember there was this onelady in particular.
(25:48):
She's like, I just don't think Icould do teenage boys.
If there's a little one, callme, but not teenage boys.
And she was signed up this oneday and there was gonna be a
teenage boy.
So we called her, we told her,we believe in you.
We really think God doesn't doanything by mistake.
You're signed up this day, He'scoming, just give it a try.
(26:09):
If you want to leave, if youdon't feel comfortable, it's
okay, you know, because she'snot in charge, the volunteer's
not in charge of the time.
Right, right.
So she comes and they starttalking.
Come to find out he loves tocook.
They end up watching the cookingchannel together, food network.
They hit it off.
(26:29):
Ends up, he's gonna spend thenight.
She's not on call the next day,but she wants to come back.
She asks him what he'd like tocook.
He wants to make chickencasserole and a peach cobbler.
She writes out all theingredients, goes and buys it,
comes back the next day.
They make a chicken casseroleand a peach cobbler together.
This scary 17-year-old and hermake a chicken casserole and a
peach cobbler.
(26:50):
And when she gets ready to leavethat day, he says, Do you mind
if I give you a hug?
And I mean, uh they're childrenat the end of these stories.
And yeah, their folders soundreally scary.
But for the majority of the onesI have met personally, you'll
read you know, struggles withanger, you know, or what if you
(27:14):
read their story, you'd be angrytoo.
Yeah.
If you read what they have livedthrough, you'd act out too.
But when you start talking tothem as a person and treat them
with respect and dignity andlove and compassion and
security, that's what everychild is longing for.
(27:38):
That's what I'm saying.
It is be longing.
SPEAKER_02 (27:41):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:46):
It's it's it's it's it's heavy stuff.
It is heavy.
Because it's kids going throughthings that kids should never go
through.
unknown (27:54):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (27:54):
That's right.
SPEAKER_02 (27:56):
So, Rhonda, what do you want the audience to know,
to take away of how they can getinvolved, help?
What would be some of thosethings?
SPEAKER_01 (28:06):
I think the bigger picture is maybe just get
informed.
Find out.
Where whoever's listening,wherever, find out about how
many foster kids are in yourcommunity.
What happens when they getremoved?
Where are they going?
Just get informed.
Start there.
Um, if you have ever thoughtabout being a foster parent, you
know, statistics say that peoplethink about it sometimes for
(28:27):
five years.
If you have ever thought aboutbeing a foster parent and you
are listening, now is the time.
Just go take the classes.
You're not signing up foranything, just go take the
classes.
You are needed.
Um post 2020, you are needed.
Um so that's probably my biggestthing is we need good foster
(28:48):
families and we need people tobe aware of what's happening to
the children in our community.
Um, a lot of times people saythese kids, and it feels
separate to me.
What they don't understand isthese kids are the ones sitting
beside your child in thirdperiod on your kids' soccer
team.
It's not an us and them anymore.
It's that widespread, you know.
(29:09):
Um, and so we need fosterfamilies, we need people to be
aware.
Um, you know, we hear thisstatistic all the time, but I
think it's so powerful.
I was in Knoxville not too longago, excuse me, Nashville not
too long ago, and the ministersaid there's 880 kids in custody
in Nashville.
And there are 900 churches.
(29:31):
But we are not so broken that wecannot be fixed.
unknown (29:36):
Wow.
SPEAKER_01 (29:37):
And that is still true.
We are not so broken that wecannot be fixed, but we have to
have people step up and say, I'mgonna step into the life of that
child.
And it is a big ask, and it isscary, and it is hard.
Um, but it is a child.
Um, and then if all of thatseems whoa, whoa, whoa, just go
(29:59):
to Isaiah.
Isaiah117house.com.
Mess around, look around thewebsite, see if there's a
location near you.
Maybe click on that location,reach out to that location
leader, see if you can startbeing a volunteer.
Maybe start there.
And if that seems too much,maybe just hit that donate
button and you know, let uscontinue to do the work that
we're doing.
(30:25):
Oh, it's my pleasure.
My pleasure.
SPEAKER_00 (30:30):
This has been Benchmark Happenings, brought to
you by Jonathan Tipton and SteveReed from Benchmark Home Loans.
Jonathan and Steve areresidential mortgage lenders.
They do home loans in NortheastTennessee.
And they're not only licensed inTennessee, but Florida, Georgia,
South Carolina, and Virginia.
We hope you've enjoyed the show.
(30:51):
If you did, make sure to like,rate, and review.
Our passion is NortheastTennessee.
So if you have questions aboutmortgages, call us 423-491-5405.
And the website iswww.jonathansteve.com.
Thanks for being with us, andwe'll see you next time on
(31:13):
Benchmark Happenings.
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