Episode 35 – His Faith Became the Catalyst to Overcome Dark Times in Foster Care with Michael Weitzman

• Michael’s journey through foster care began at a very young age.
• He experienced significant trauma and neglect in his early years.
• Adoption brought new challenges, including emotional detachment.
• Mentorship played a crucial role in his development and success.
• Michael’s faith has been a guiding force in his life.
• He aims to serve vulnerable children and advocate for their needs.
• The importance of recognizing individual stories in child welfare.
• Michael’s experiences shaped his understanding of unconditional love.
• He emphasizes the need for emotional support in adoptive families.
• Michael’s story highlights the potential for redemption and purpose. The pain of abandonment can overshadow early childhood trauma.
• Healing from foster care experiences is a lifelong journey.
• Relationships are essential for emotional healing and growth.
• Community support plays a vital role in the lives of foster children.
• Foster children often lack guidance and treatment plans after leaving care.
• Mentorship can significantly impact the lives of youth in foster care.
• Faith and community can provide a sense of belonging and hope.
• The scars from trauma can reveal beauty and strength in individuals.
• It is important to engage with and support those in need, especially foster children.
• Building relationships requires commitment and selflessness.

 

TRANSCRIPT:

Brian (00:04.782)
All right. Hello, listening audience. I know you might be listening to this podcast in the middle of the summer, but today in our recording, all of America is frozen. I’m currently at minus 15 here in Colorado. Travis, how are things out where you are?

Travis (00:21.791)
Yeah, I’m in South Carolina it’s about 15 so that tells you about everything

Brian (00:29.65)
Yeah, that’s that’s bad for South Carolina and then our guest today, Michael Weitzman. Michael, tell us where you’re from and give us a little temperature update.

Travis (00:32.293)
then our guest today, Michael Weitzman. Michael, tell us where you’re from and give us a little temperature update. Yeah, I’m in Tulsa. Yesterday was down to

Michael Weitzman (00:38.386)
Yeah, I’m in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Yesterday was it was down to 12 degrees. I don’t know what it’s at right now. It says 13 degrees. So we’re at about 13. That’s summer for you though.

Brian (00:45.314)
ball me, ball me. Yes, great. I love it. Yes, that’s right. That’s t-shirts and shorts weather right there. Yeah. Well, I’m excited, Michael, to be connecting with you and for our audience listening out there, our guest, Michael Weitzman grew up in foster care and we love hearing from foster care alumni.

Travis (00:45.359)
You yikes.

Michael Weitzman (00:54.746)
There we go.

Brian (01:11.786)
and he’s gonna share his journey and insights and experiences with us today. Michael, you and I, we first met a year ago out in Washington, DC. Yeah, at the National Prayer Breakfast. Yeah. So, curious, why were you there?

Travis (01:11.949)
and he’s going to share his journey and insights and experiences with us today. Michael, you and I, first met a year ago out in Washington, D.C. Yeah, at the National Prayer Breakfast. So curious, why were we there? You know, it’s actually a random, because my allegiance is to Oklahoma. I got invited by a random group out of Illinois.

Michael Weitzman (01:21.658)
bless you.

Michael Weitzman (01:25.606)
The National Prayer Breakfast, yeah.

Michael Weitzman (01:31.248)
You know, it’s actually a random, you know, story because my allegiance is to Oklahoma. I got invited by a random group out of Illinois. A friend of mine who serves at a ministry called Lifesong for Orphans has gone a few times and some of his connections asked if he had anybody that wanted to go. And so he called me and said, Hey, do you want to come join us? And so anyways, it was right, right before I ended up moving to Arkansas. So I felt like I was torn between Okies and

Travis (01:40.38)
a friend of mine who serves at the ministry called Lifesong for Orphans.

Has gone a few times and some of his connections asked if he had anybody that wanted to go and so he called me and said hey, do you want to come join us? so anyway, there was right right before I ended up moving to Arkansas. So I felt like I was torn between the Hokies and the Kansans when I was there. But every time people would ask like who I was with, had to say like it’s Randy.

Brian (01:45.688)
Mm-hmm.

Michael Weitzman (02:01.348)
Arkansans when I was there, but every time people would ask like who I was with, I had to say like this random group from Illinois.

Brian (02:08.15)
man, so yeah, you’re representing three, you’re the fighting Illini, the Razorbacks and the Sooners. Wow. So I usually read a formal biointroduction and so I’m going to do that to get us started and then Michael, we’re going to get to all learn a little bit more about you and your insights through some questions we got for you.

Michael Weitzman (02:14.33)
Yeah, there we go.

Travis (02:15.145)
The Razorbacks and the Sooks. Wow. So I am usually, we eat a formal.

Michael Weitzman (02:18.233)
Yeah.

Travis (02:24.603)
biointroduction. so I’m going to do that to get us started. then, Michael, we’re going to get to all learn a little bit more about you and your insights through some questions we’ve got for you. So here’s your official bio as I have it. Michael Weitzman grew up in foster care system in Southern California. Tragically, he experienced a failed adoption. I hate that. And was put back into foster care, eventually leaving foster home.

Brian (02:37.41)
Here’s your official bio as I have it. Michael Weitzman grew up in foster care system in Southern California. Tragically, he experienced a failed adoption. I hate that. And was put back into foster care, eventually leaving foster home number 12 at 17 years old to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma and begin a new life for himself. Michael was the first recipient awarded the Fostering the Future Scholarship from First Lady

Travis (02:54.623)
and number 12 at 17 years old to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma and begin a new life for himself. Michael was the first recipient awarded the Fostering the Future Scholarship from First Lady Melania Trump.

Brian (03:07.308)
Melania Trump. He also had the opportunity to speak to the White House with the Biden administration and executives from the Department of Health and Human Services. Michael is a self-taught software engineer who has run a successful technical consulting company for the last seven years. Michael deeply desires to influence the spaces of child welfare, human services, and public services. He has also mentored countless teenagers.

Travis (03:09.511)
He also had the opportunity to speak to the White House and with the Biden administration and executives from the Department of Health and Human Services. Michael is a self-taught software engineer who has run a successful technical consulting company for the last seven years. Michael deeply desires to influence the spaces of child welfare, human services and public services. He has also mentored countless teenagers. Michael, is an

Brian (03:37.422)
Well, Michael, is an impressive bio because of the obstacles you have overcome. Not just where you have arrived, but what you had to go through to get there. That’s amazing. Congratulations.

Michael Weitzman (03:53.082)
Thanks, Brian. Thanks.

Brian (03:56.863)
So Travis?

Travis (03:56.881)
That is amazing. Yes, that’s amazing. thank you, Ryan, for opening on that. You know what? I’m going pause this really quick, There’s a lot of rustling going on. Do we know if

Michael Weitzman (04:07.516)
I don’t

Travis (04:09.115)
What end of my pay?

Brian (04:12.844)
I don’t know. maybe it was the paper I had. Okay, okay, Lea, I’ll set that to the side. That might have been my fault.

Travis (04:12.935)
The random my my It might have been All right, no, that’s all good it’s only come out someone’s assistant okay back into it because when this isn’t live Okay, so Welcome the podcast Michael. Tell us anything else about yourself. And what are you most excited about in this new year?

Michael Weitzman (04:18.861)
I was about to say, had you turned to paper or something? Yeah.

Brian (04:28.278)
Okay. Okay.

Michael Weitzman (04:41.04)
Yeah, well 2025, I mean, it’s kind of a big number, right? Like, you know, the intervals of five, the year that ended five and zero, I feel like we build up to be monumental to begin with. You know, I don’t know that I have anything ultra exciting that I’m looking to or any goal and a lot of people will set a word of the year for themselves or New Year’s resolutions. This is one of those first years I haven’t really done anything like that. I think

Brian (04:47.416)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Travis (04:57.2)
I’m looking to or any god or water.

Travis (05:08.379)
I think the only thing I want to do is to look more like Jesus when the year ends and when the year started. So just trying to figure out how to build intentional rhythms to accommodate that.

Michael Weitzman (05:09.094)
The only thing I want to do is to look more like Jesus when the year ends than when the year started. And so just trying to figure out how to build intentional rhythms to accommodate that.

Brian (05:16.622)
You

Brian (05:20.152)
grow out your beard a little bit more. think that will help.

Michael Weitzman (05:21.85)
Yeah, that will do it. Most people don’t know about me. Most people can tell that like, he doesn’t look like 100 % white, but they typically don’t guess that I’m actually a half Middle Eastern. So I’m half Armenian. so Jesus and I probably, and I’m actually 23 % Jewish too. So I might have some of the heritage there to pull it out.

Travis (05:33.351)
They don’t guess that I’m actually a half Middle Eastern. So I’m half Armenian. Ah, OK. So I might have some of the heritage there. All right. We are already far along. Yeah, didn’t really occur to me, you are like, you look at you.

Brian (05:45.934)
All right, man, you’re already far along. Yeah, it didn’t really occur to me, but you are like, you look at you and you’re like, huh, I don’t know where you’re from. So yeah, so becoming more like Jesus this year. It’s all right.

Michael Weitzman (05:50.554)
There we go.

Michael Weitzman (05:57.468)
Yeah, I get I get hispanics so often because this is America, but you know, yeah

Travis (05:58.119)
I can’t place it. Yeah. Yeah. Well, Southern California, that fits too. So yeah. becoming more like pieces. Well, I’ll tell you what. Well, after hearing your bio of 2025, is you just resting? I think you’re still ahead of me. So, yeah.

Michael Weitzman (06:07.416)
Exactly, yeah.

Exactly. There we go. There we go. I’m going to bounce between Hey, Seuss and Yeshua.

Brian (06:24.032)
Yeah, yeah.

Michael Weitzman (06:25.148)
Thanks, Travis.

Travis (06:26.759)
So yeah, love to hear as we now journey more into your story. just, if you could just take us into more about your foster care journey, you kind of what it was like to be removed from your home and then just a snapshot of what it was like being in care.

Michael Weitzman (06:39.292)
Yeah. Well, what led me to care was I was born to a single mom who was 18 and she was living in foster home number 18 or 20, 22, somewhere in that range. So she had experienced way more than I had. And I’m now the oldest of 10 kids that she’s had. But and I know a little bit later we’ll talk about siblings, but I’m her oldest. After she had me, she had her next.

Travis (06:46.503)
She was living in foster home number 18 or 20, 22, somewhere in that range. So she had experienced way more than I had. And I’m now the oldest of 10 kids that she’s had.

Brian (06:55.83)
Ahem.

Travis (07:00.039)
later we’ll talk about siblings but I’m her oldest after she had me she had the next and so when I was 15 months old and the one below me was three months old he passed away suddenly something called SIDS which is sudden infant death syndrome where you essentially just pass away in your sleep and

Brian (07:01.986)
Wow.

Michael Weitzman (07:06.99)
And so when I was 15 months old and the one below me was three months old, he passed away suddenly of something called SIDS, which is sudden infant death syndrome, where you essentially just pass away in your sleep. And when the police had come to check in on my wellbeing, they found me sitting on the kitchen floor, home alone for a number of days with a knife in my hands. And again, this is at 15 months old. And so that was the day that I was taken into custody and became a foster kid.

Brian (07:14.286)
Mmm.

Brian (07:18.008)
Mm-hmm.

Travis (07:21.703)
When the police had come to check in on my well-being, they found me sitting on the kitchen floor, home alone for a number of days with a knife in my hands. And again, this was at 15 months old. And so that was the day that I was taken into custody and became a foster kid. And over the next 15 months, by two and a half years old, I’d been in six different placements and arrived at two and a half years old at home number six with my biological grandfather. And so it’s my mom’s dad.

Brian (07:31.746)
Hmm.

Brian (07:36.206)
Hmm.

Michael Weitzman (07:36.368)
And over the next 15 months, by two and a half years old, I’d been in six different placements and arrive at two and a half years old at home number six with my biological grandfather. And so it’s my mom’s dad. He’s six, eight, over 300 pounds, just a monstrosity of a human being. And daily there was lots of physical and sexual abuse, lots of neglect.

Brian (07:42.126)
Cheers.

Travis (07:51.609)
6, 8, over 300 pounds, just a monstrosity of a human being. daily, there was lots of physical and sexual abuse, lots of neglect. Some of my earliest memories are begging for food at gas stations and fast food restaurants just to survive, would run away often. So I knew cops on a first name basis in the area. And I lived in that environment for a total of and a half years, so until I was five. And one thing

Brian (07:55.704)
Mmm.

Michael Weitzman (08:02.332)
Some of my earliest memories are begging for food at gas stations and fast food restaurants just to survive, would run away often. So I knew cops on a first name basis in the area. And I lived in that environment for a total of two and a half years, so until I was five. And one thing sticks out to me, even now, that I was at daycare one day and I saw somebody, one of the other kids who was there, he was a little bit older though.

He was reading a book and I asked him what it was and he told me it was the Bible. And I asked him what it was about and he told me just, you know, like whatever you would tell a little kid to help him figure out what the Bible is. And he taught me how to read John 3 16. And I remember, you know, like, you know, at the end of Psalms chapter 23, David writes and he says, surely your goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life.

Brian (08:47.212)
Hm.

Travis (08:51.385)
Psalm chapter 23 David writes and he says surely your goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life and as I envisioned this season of Little Michael being three years old literally wandering the streets looking for ways to feed themselves I Just think man and here’s a perfect example of God’s goodness and mercy following me From the first to the last day of my life as I’m sure it’s going to continue so grateful for that

Michael Weitzman (08:58.856)
And as I envision this season of little Michael being three years old, literally wandering the streets looking for ways to feed themselves, I just think, man, and here’s a perfect example of God’s goodness and mercy following me from the first to the last day of my life as I’m sure it’s going to continue. And so grateful for that. And so that birthed in me at a very young age, an image of Jesus, awareness of Jesus.

Travis (09:21.289)
that birthed in me at a very young age an image of Jesus, of Jesus. so anyways, at five years old, I was mysteriously taken away suddenly from that foster home where I was with my grandfather and ended up going to number seven, number seven, was there for two weeks. And then went to home number eight. And home number eight was really miraculous. know, a few months in, it was a foster adopt situation. So they fostered

Michael Weitzman (09:28.41)
And so anyways, at five years old, was mysteriously taken away suddenly from that foster home where I was with my grandfather and ended up going to number seven, home number seven. And I was there for two weeks. And then went to home number eight and home number eight was really miraculous. You know, a few months in, it was a foster adopt situation. So they fostered to adopt me and a couple of months and they had adopted me already. It went really quick.

Travis (09:51.211)
to adopt me and a couple months in they had adopted me already and it went really quick. It was my biological great aunt and uncle. So the family tree is a little unique but the biological grandfather I was living with or some of the abuse and neglective place is brothers with the guy who’s now adopting me with the dad who’s adopting me and so it’s a unique you family tree but they had they were a strong Christian family they had two of their own bio kids and they had three others they adopted

Michael Weitzman (09:56.348)
It was my biological great aunt and uncle. So the family tree is a little unique, but the biological grandfather I was living with, where some of the abuse and neglect took place, is brothers with the guy who’s now adopting me, with the dad who’s adopting me. And so it’s a unique, you family tree. But they had, they were a strong Christian family. They had two of their own bio kids and they had three others that they had adopted, two from Korea and one from Russia. And then they got me from the foster system.

Brian (09:57.098)
Hmm.

Brian (10:10.286)
Mm.

Travis (10:21.065)
Korea and one from Russia. And then they got me from the foster system. And I was the youngest of six and lived there. And I was introduced to Jesus at a really young age. I participated in this ministry or program called Awana, which is like a club for younger kids to memorize scripture at a high club and ended up realizing that I had this innate gift to memorize scripture and just absorb the word of God.

Michael Weitzman (10:25.174)
and I was the youngest of six and lived there and I was introduced to Jesus at a really young age. I participated in this ministry or program called Awana, which is like a club for younger kids to memorize scripture at a high clip and ended up realizing that I had this innate gift to memorize scripture and just absorb the Word of God. And obviously that doesn’t come from me at all, but it was something that

Brian (10:35.246)
you

Travis (10:50.937)
And so the word of God was planted in my heart at a really young age. And what I genuinely believe is that where the word of God is planted, the Lord would have to deny his own character to not let it spring into life at some point. So without our own effort,

Michael Weitzman (10:54.85)
Lord planted inside. And so, ended up becoming like the poster child of the West Coast as far as Iwana goes and did that. And so, the Word of God was planted in my heart at a really young age. And what I genuinely believe is that where the Word of God is planted, the Lord would have to deny His own character to not let it spring into life at some point. And so, without our own effort, without our own

Brian (10:56.686)
So, I ended up coming up with the first child that I knew. And, uh, with that, I’m gonna go.

Michael Weitzman (11:21.892)
intervention and involvement, I think the Lord is faithful and just to where his word is planted, let that spring into life at some point. But while this adoptive home fulfilled many needs spiritually, physically, I wasn’t being abused per se. It missed what would be characterized as a good home, which is the emotional attachment that any kid needs with his family. And part of that is because of

how I had grown up and the number of attachments I’d already lost by five years old. But another part is I don’t think they were necessarily aware of what it meant to take in a child with severe trauma. It’s one thing to adopt an infant at two or three months old, not that that’s no drama, but it’s severely less, you know? But so I think they were wholly unprepared. And then frankly,

Travis (11:50.803)
lost by five years old. But another part is I don’t think they were necessarily aware of what it meant to take in a child with severe trauma. It’s one thing to adopt an infant at two or three months old, not that that’s no trauma, it’s severely less, you know. But I think they were wholly unprepared. And then frankly, we are all sinners. We’re all imperfect. We all have our own stories and our pasts. So the older I get, the more I can kind of see how

Brian (11:51.592)
Mm-hmm

Brian (12:11.374)
Hmm.

Michael Weitzman (12:12.858)
We are all sinners. We’re all imperfect. We all have our own stories and our pasts. And so the older I get, the more I can kind of see how some of their pasts had influenced some of the lack of health in that home. And that bled into the way that they raised me. And I would say the two things that I would characterize it as most was number one, there was this kind of view that children raising children was formulaic and that you would raise every kid the same.

which I believe scripturally is not necessarily accurate. think each kid is designed uniquely. Every one of us has a unique design made by God. And so they would kind of pride themselves on having figured out the formula to raising kids. And so you just raise them the same way, no matter what their story is or what their past is. And then I think the second thing was the word of God was really weaponized in that home against us as the kids. And again, I don’t think it was an intentional thing. It’s hard when

Travis (12:50.615)
And so they would kind of pride themselves on having figured out the formula to raising kids as you just raise in the same way, no matter what their story is or what their past is. And then I think the second thing was the word of God was really weaponized against us as the kids. And again, I don’t think it was an intentional thing. It’s hard when these really hurtful things happen. There’s a temptation and just like call the attention evil, the motivation evil. But I actually believe

Brian (12:59.726)
I think that’s only thing that’s for what it’s going to look like without the whole thing.

Michael Weitzman (13:12.396)
really hurtful things happen. There’s a temptation to just like call the intention evil and the motivation evil. But I actually believe that there was really good intent. It was just misplaced and misguided, I believed, and misinformed. But my punishment frequently was writing books of the Bible at a time. And so one winter break, I had to write the book of Proverbs five times. So I remember on Christmas day, not celebrating with the family, but instead being trapped in my room and writing books of the Bible.

Travis (13:20.489)
There was really good intent. It was misplaced and misguided, I believed, and misinformed. But my punishment frequently was writing books of the Bible at a time. And so one winter break, I had to write the book of Proverbs five times. So I remember on Christmas day, not celebrating with the family, but instead being trapped in my room and writing books of the Bible. One summer break, wrote the book of Psalms 10 times. Dude, Psalms is so, I would not.

Michael Weitzman (13:40.866)
One summer break, wrote the book of Psalms 10 times. Dude, Psalms is so long. I would not, that like FBI needs to bring that in as a form of torture. Just write Psalms 119 10 times. So, so anyways, that was, that was difficult. And I think lastly, I lived in a home where I was rarely affirmed. And it felt like the only time I was affirmed or deemed as lovable.

Brian (13:52.55)
Yeah, I was gonna say…

Travis (13:58.299)
difficult. And I think lastly, I lived in a home where I was really affirmed.

Brian (13:58.318)
You

Travis (14:05.519)
felt like the only time I was affirmed or deemed as lovable was when I made my adoptive parents look good. So when the church would have me stand on the stage and recite chapters of the Bible, that gets them a lot of merit and it gets them a lot of respect and recognition. And so they loved me on those days and it felt like they loved me more on those days. So I definitely even now wrestle with this view of God as a father and what really is unconditional love.

Michael Weitzman (14:09.956)
was when I made my adoptive parents look good. So when the church would have me stand on the stage and recite chapters of the Bible, that gets them a lot of merit and it gets them a lot of respect and recognition. And so they loved me on those days and it felt like they loved me more on those days. So I definitely even now wrestle with this view of God as a father and what really is unconditional love, a love that isn’t based on what I do and how I perform and

Brian (14:26.798)
Hmm

Travis (14:35.405)
of a love that isn’t based on what I do and how I perform and how well I store what I’ve been given, but a love that’s simply based on me existing because he says that’s true. And it’s one thing to have the knowledge and awareness of these truths. That’s another thing to be able to identify and experience that day in and day out. And I would say I still wrestle with that. And I would say, frankly, I’m pretty far from experiencing Jesus as a father. But that’s part of my journey. And it’s part of what Hohwock has

Brian (14:35.694)
Thank

Michael Weitzman (14:39.12)
how well I stored what I’ve been given, but a love that’s simply based on me existing because he says that’s true. And it’s one thing to have the knowledge and awareness of these truths. That’s another thing to be able to identify and experience that day in and day out. And I would say, I still wrestle with that. And I would say, frankly, I’m pretty far from experiencing Jesus as a father. But that’s part of my journey and it’s part of what he’ll walk with me through moving forward.

Brian (14:44.908)
Hmm.

Michael Weitzman (15:07.368)
but at 15 years old, my adoptive parents sat me down and, we had a conversation where they kind of shared with me that because of my past, being abused and being hurt and experiencing trauma statistics show that people who experienced that are more likely, not guaranteed, but just more likely to do those things to others. And they were very concerned for the safety of their grandkids, people at church everywhere around really. And so was told that.

Brian (15:13.582)
you

Travis (15:35.161)
And so I was told that they felt like they had to protect the world from me. And I remember like…

Michael Weitzman (15:37.02)
They felt like they had to protect the world from me. I remember like the last decade, I’ve been taught that Jesus can redeem anyone’s story. He can redeem any part of your or my story. And it felt like this was the one thing that apparently he couldn’t redeem. This was the one thing that Jesus couldn’t, you know, take over and make something beautiful out of. And the hard part of that was I felt ultimately powerless. I was powerless at two and a half to five years old and

Travis (15:41.799)
The last decade, I’ve been taught that Jesus can redeem anyone’s story. He redeem any part of my story. And it felt like this was the one thing that apparently he couldn’t redeem. This was the one thing that Jesus couldn’t take over and make something beautiful out of. And the hard part of that was I felt ultimately powerless. I was powerless at two and a half to five years old. And I was powerless as a child navigating and sort of inventing a posture system and going from home to home. But now I’m powerless as to how people view me.

Michael Weitzman (16:04.176)
I was powerless as a child, navigating and circumventing the foster system and going from home to home. But now I’m powerless as to how people view me because of it. And it doesn’t matter what you do and how you act or how much you try to love people, like you’re still perceived in a certain way. And so that was really difficult. It felt like I had no agency to impact the way people viewed me. And so just, I mean, a week or two later, I mean, it was a short period of time.

Brian (16:05.942)
Mm-hmm

Michael Weitzman (16:31.364)
I ended up being taken away. They had me leave the home and I went into a series of other homes after that. And so from 15 to 17 navigated four more homes to a residential facilities and then two were group homes. And at 15 and a half 16, no 16 at 16 at that first group home. now home number 11.

Brian (16:36.034)
Mm-hmm

Travis (16:41.625)
two were residential facilities and then two were group homes. at 15 and a half, 16, no 16, not 16, at…

that first group home. now home number 11. I was introduced to like a mentor through that organization. And y’all probably know the organization, Olive Crest. So Olive Crest was where those last two homes were. I lived in Southern California area, Bellflower and Orange County areas. And so all of Chris had a mentorship program. And so I was introduced to a mentor. His name was Chris and he, his dad owned a company in Tulsa, but he was living here in California.

Michael Weitzman (16:57.402)
I was introduced to like a mentor through that organization and y’all probably know the organization, Olive Crest. And so Olive Crest was where those last two homes were. I lived in Southern California area, Bellflower and Orange County areas. And so, Olive Crest had a mentorship program. And so I was introduced to a mentor, his name was Chris and his dad owned a company in Tulsa, but he was living here in California working remote for his dad.

And Chris would just begin to take me to church with his family every other weekend. And it was just the one time of the week, like being with him, being out of the home that I would feel normal, that I would not feel like I was some outcast from society, but that I was like a normal person. so anyways, that was really helpful. And I remember I had done really everything I could do to help cater to a good outcome for my life when I turned 18. You know, the stats are no secret to y’all that

Brian (17:42.381)
And then, anyway, that was a good one. And I remember I loved it. I loved it so much. It helped me make it through the whole thing. I a lifetime of being able to stop by and just install. And, you know, it was one of the best things that I’ve done. was a great

Travis (17:54.393)
to y’all that 81 % of kids that age out of foster care within a year are dead, homeless, addicted, or incarcerated. And that by the time you’re 23, over half of males that age out of foster care have spent time in prison. And that 75 % of girls by the time they’re 21 have become single mothers or are victims of trafficking. These are very sobering statistics. And I was hell bent on not being one of them. And at the time, it felt like I actually

Michael Weitzman (17:56.092)
You know, 81 % of kids that age out of foster care within a year are dead, homeless, addicted, or incarcerated. And that by the time you’re 23, over half of males that age out of foster care have spent time in prison. Like, and that 75 % of girls by the time they’re 21 have become single mothers or are victims of trafficking. Like these are very sobering statistics and I was hell bent on not being one of them. And

Brian (18:21.359)
Hmm

Michael Weitzman (18:22.382)
At the time, it felt like I actually could control much of my destiny and impact that. And so I graduated high school at 16 years old and I was, I was working often and really trying to work as much as I could to just figure out the next step. And it was just very apparent to me that no matter what I did, it would not be enough. And I wish at 17 that I would have clued into that message a little bit more or had the, the wisdom to clue into that message a little bit more.

Travis (18:24.297)
could control much of my destiny and impact that. And so I graduated high school at 16 years old and I was working often and really trying to work as much as I could to just figure out the next step. And it was just very apparent to me that no matter what I did, it would not be enough. I wish at 17 that I would have clued into that message a little bit more or had the wisdom to clue into that message a little bit more. Because isn’t that true of you and I today that like, no matter

Michael Weitzman (18:50.352)
Because isn’t that true of you and I today that like, no matter what we do, like it really is just a small influence on our life in the grand scheme of things that God ultimately can choose how much our little efforts can impact our life. And so ultimately at 17, me working and me having graduated early and me doing my best to be impressive was just not enough. And I had heard a preacher at one time say that you don’t have a problem unless you need God to solve it.

Travis (18:54.169)
or what we do. Like it really is just a small influence on our life and the grand scheme of things that God ultimately can choose how much our little efforts can impact our life. And so ultimately at 17, me working and me having graduated early and me doing my best to be impressive was just not enough. And I had heard a preacher at one time say that you don’t have a problem unless you need God to solve it. And this felt like my first problem. Like it was always easy to get the job that I wanted.

Michael Weitzman (19:19.034)
And this felt like my first problem. Like it was always easy to get the job that I wanted. I was really good at interacting with people and yet I couldn’t solve this. I couldn’t do it on my own. And I remember having breakfast with Chris, my mentor. And I just said, Hey Chris, I’m terrified of what happens when I turn 18. And I said, I know that God can do whatever he wants with my story that I’m happy for him too. But right now it doesn’t seem like he’s doing much.

Brian (19:21.186)
Hmm.

Michael Weitzman (19:46.908)
And I was about six months from my 18th birthday. And he said, well, if you want, my dad owns this company in Tulsa. I’m sure we can set you up with a job, help you figure out a place to live. Then you can start a new life for yourself. And so of course I said, yes, as my only option. And six days later, his dad had said yes. And I bought my one way ticket to Tulsa. And so at 17 years old, I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to start a new life. And

Travis (19:53.995)
I’m sure we can set you up with a job, help you figure out a place to live, then you can start a new life for yourself. So of course I said yes, was my only option. And six days later, his dad had said yes, and I bought my one-way ticket to Tulsa. So at 17 years old, I moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to start a new life. And God really intervened in a number of ways. You know, just it was so amazing to see God’s faithfulness.

Michael Weitzman (20:15.11)
God really intervened in a number of ways. You know, and just, was so amazing to see God’s faithfulness on full display and to still be seeing his faithfulness on full display. But I arrived in Oklahoma, started working for this guy and did that for about a year. And then I had an opportunity to go live overseas as a missionary. So I spent six months in Ecuador with this ministry serving kids that were living on the streets and enslaved by the mafia and then serving in a variety of other capacities.

And that birthed in me this realization that God could actually use the pain that I went through and God could actually use the awareness, the unique awareness that I have that many other people will not. People that want to serve children but have not walked the road that I have. God can use that to actually connect and relate to an immense amount of people. And it was the first time that I had this thought.

Travis (20:54.281)
And God could actually use the awareness, the unique awareness that I have that many other people will not. People that want to serve children but have not walked the road that I have, God can use that to actually connect and relate to an immense amount of people. And it was the first time that I had this thought that God was going to do that, that he had actually designed me for that purpose. And so at 19 I purposed that for the rest of my life I wanted to do all

Brian (20:58.062)
It’s a willingness that I have that many other people have or not. And people have wanted me in short, because they have not watched me, they’re to have fun. But I actually definitely needed get in close to a lot of people. And it was the first time that I had this thought that why don’t we do it? You know, just in life. know, that’s what it is. And then life is, you just a thing for the rest of our lives. want to it. I want be the short-term. You know, it’s part of the other thing.

Michael Weitzman (21:15.364)
that God was going to do that, that he had actually designed me for that purpose. And so at 19, I purposed that for the rest of my life, I wanted to do all I could to serve vulnerable children in whatever capacity that looked like. And so it’s, you know, now a decade later, it’s led to me going on a number of mission trips, living overseas, mentoring and discipling hundreds of teenagers here in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when I was involved in youth ministry.

Brian (21:27.598)
So, know, now that we’re nature, it’s great to be doing all the work that we’re And I’m you can find some of the things that need to about what I’m talking about. You know, one of the original ideas from the world platform that you probably know a lot about. And then there’s so many other opportunities. You know, Jeremiah’s stories, the old ones, you things that you about during the period. can have some of those.

Michael Weitzman (21:40.902)
being one of the original engineers for the care portal platform that you guys probably know a lot about and so many other opportunities to really share my story and ultimately share about the goodness of God in my story and then just advocate for other kids. And so that kind of a little bit lengthy, but it kind of sums up a little bit of the last 28 years.

Travis (21:53.497)
and just advocate for other kids. that kind of, a little bit lengthy, but it kind of sums up a little bit of the last 28 years. You’ve worked, yeah, few lifetimes. So it seems like more than 28. Thanks for sharing and being really good.

Brian (22:03.685)
You’ve lived, yeah, few lifetimes. It seems like way more than 28. Thanks for sharing and being really vulnerable about some hard things. A couple questions come to mind. two, I’ll just have you take.

However, you want to take it in so one was I like for you to unpack a little bit more of How that felt to be sat down at 15 and say You’re no longer Belong to this family, you know what what kind of impact that made and then you mentioned having a ton of siblings, you know and then

Travis (22:45.467)
belong to this family, what kind of impact that made. And then you mentioned having a ton of siblings, as well as some adoptive siblings and kind of like siblings to cousins and all that kind of thing. And it’s something that sometimes our listeners don’t consider is knowing the losses that you’ve had, but then you get that further loss.

Brian (22:53.87)
as well as some adoptive siblings and kind of like siblings to cousins and all that kind of thing. And it’s something that sometimes our listeners don’t consider is not only the losses that you’ve had, but then you get that further loss with siblings. So those two questions and yeah, take it however you’d like.

Michael Weitzman (23:18.94)
Yeah. Yeah. So just to clarify that the conversation with my parents at 15 wasn’t informing me that I was leaving. actually at that point thought I was staying. I just thought that like it was going to be even more miserable for the next three years until I was 18 and could leave. I was like crap now I’m trapped in this prison that was shrouded on the outside in, you know, righteousness and

Travis (23:22.823)
Yeah, so just to clarify that the conversation with my parents at 15 wasn’t informing me that I was leaving. actually at that point thought I was staying. I just thought that like it was going to be even more miserable for the next three years until I was 18 and could leave. was like crap, now I’m trapped in this prison that was shrouded on the outside in righteousness and holiness. On the inside was just a prison that confined me.

Brian (23:43.841)
Ahem.

Brian (23:47.98)
Hmm.

Michael Weitzman (23:48.316)
and holiness on the inside was just a prison that confined me. so it was really to my surprise, I was literally woken up in the middle of the night while I was sleeping two weeks after that conversation to find out that I was leaving and I was taken away at that moment. I think that the way I describe it most frequently is I went from forever to forgotten in a matter of a second. You know, when kids are adopted, we call it their forever home.

Travis (23:52.729)
And so it was really to my surprise, was literally waking up and woken up in the middle of the night while I was sleeping two weeks after that conversation to find out that I was leaving. And I was taken away at that moment.

I think that the way I describe it most frequently is I went from forever to forgotten in a matter of a second. know, when kids are adopted, we call it their forever home. And it’s very much what I thought mine would be. And as much as I didn’t like it most of the times, as much as I didn’t feel connected or that I even belonged, I thought it was forever. And…

Brian (24:16.062)
Mm. Mm-hmm.

Michael Weitzman (24:19.116)
And it’s very much what I thought mine would be. And as much as I didn’t like it most of the times, and as much as I didn’t feel connected or that I even belonged, I thought it was forever. within a second, I was forgotten about. And there was many promises of visitation, there was many promises of family therapy and working towards reunification, and that just did not actualize. And so

Brian (24:22.518)
you

Travis (24:33.509)
within a second, I was forgotten about. And there’s many promises of visitation, there’s many promises of family therapy and working towards reunification and that just did not actualize. And so I felt like utterly abandoned. I’ll be clear, explicitly clear that if you add up all of the trauma from the first five years of my life, which was many and extreme, it would not hold a candle to the pain of that one decision to give

Michael Weitzman (24:46.724)
I felt like utterly abandoned and I’ll be clear, explicitly clear that if you would add up all of the trauma from the first five years of my life, which was many and extreme, it would not hold a candle to the pain of that one decision to get rid of me a decade later. And today I still wrestle with that, not on a daily basis. I don’t often find myself in tears crying about this.

Brian (24:52.814)
Thanks.

Travis (25:03.453)
rid of me a decade later. Today I wrestle with that, not on a daily basis. don’t often find myself in tears crying about this, but really the way it’s hurt me the most is my ability to relate and connect with the Father, with Jesus. I think what I say often is if I were to get cancer and go to the hospital and follow a treatment program and eventually leave, I get released because I’ve healed.

Brian (25:05.242)
Wow.

Michael Weitzman (25:14.864)
But really like the way it’s hurt me the most is in my ability to relate and connect with the father with Jesus. And so I think what I say often is if I were to get cancer and go to the hospital and follow a treatment program and eventually leave, I get released because I’ve healed and they fixed it. They’re going to give me all these pamphlets and all this information on what to expect. Like what are the warning signs that it’s coming back? What, when to know that you should come in? There’s a treatment plan.

Brian (25:41.198)
.

Michael Weitzman (25:44.452)
Kids that leave foster care are not giving any of that. It’s like thrown out and you just have to figure it out, you know, and, I had no idea at 17 and 18 years old that at 28 years old, stuff would still be coming up. I would still be learning. my, like that’s how that actually affects today. And it’s not like I’m just utterly like, in able unable to like live life now because I’m so confined by this. Although there are many people that are.

Travis (25:52.525)
I would still be learning.

Travis (26:03.209)
It’s not like I’m just utterly unable to live life now because I’m so confined by this. Although there are many people that are, it’s really only by the grace of God that I’m not in that position. But it still affects me. It still influences the most important aspect of my life, which is my ability to relate to the Father. So that’s first part. But as far as the siblings conversation, I don’t know who my biological parents

Michael Weitzman (26:12.514)
It’s really only by the grace of God that I’m not in that position, but it still affects me. It still influences the most important aspect of my life, which is my ability to relate to the Father. So that’s the answer to the first part. And as far as the siblings conversation, I don’t know who my biological father is. So there could be more siblings out there that I don’t know that exist. But in my bio family, I’m the oldest of 10.

Brian (26:31.406)
Hmm

Travis (26:33.101)
So

Michael Weitzman (26:41.66)
Many of us have different dads. The one below me passed away as I shared. And the one below him, we had connected when I was like 19 and he was 17. And we actually met each other in person once. And then he passed away suddenly at 17 years old. He actually had a brain aneurysm at basketball practice. And it was funny enough, or ironically enough, it was the night before he was going to hop on a plane to visit me in Tulsa for our second time to see each other.

Brian (27:00.928)
And

Michael Weitzman (27:09.284)
And so I get a call from his grandmother late that night that he had passed away suddenly. So there’s eight of us total that are still alive. And I’ve met a few of the younger ones. And then I think due to relations with or like just weirdness from my bio mom, because she’s got her own set of challenges that those families that have adopted my other siblings have cut off ties with me as well. So I don’t really have any way of knowing anything.

Brian (27:18.062)
and I’ve been in a relationship with my friends, I’ve been in a relationship with my wife and children from my biological and social sciences. That goes to the ladies and the doctors and the medicine ladies, and I’ve been set off by them as well. So I don’t know how to say it, but I’ve really,

Travis (27:29.605)
those families that have adopted my other siblings have cut off ties with me as well. I don’t really have any way of knowing anything about any of my biological siblings. So in some way, it’s difficult because I want to know and ultimately, like, I want to be able to love them and serve them and hopefully, represent Jesus in their story. And on the other token, like, I don’t know them. So it’s not like I’m missing something that, was taken for me. I don’t have

Michael Weitzman (27:37.262)
about any of my biological siblings. And so, in some way, it’s difficult because you’re like, man, I want to know. And ultimately, like, I want to be able to love them and serve them and hopefully, like, represent Jesus in their story. And on the other token, like, I don’t know them. So it’s not like I’m missing something that like was taken from me. I don’t have memories living with them or anything like that. Like, none of us really lived with each other. So it’s not this like paralyzing thing. And then

Travis (27:59.481)
And then the siblings in my adoptive family, when my adoptive family had me leave the home, it wasn’t just my family that it felt like had abandoned me, it was everyone. And like over the past decade, yeah, like there’s been a few conversations there, but I would say there’s no relationship between myself and any of my adoptive siblings.

Brian (28:00.43)
Thank

Michael Weitzman (28:07.034)
The siblings in my adoptive family, when my adoptive family had me leave the home, it wasn’t just my family that it felt like had abandoned me. It was everyone. and like over the past decade, yeah, like there’s been a few conversations here and there, but I would, I would say there’s no relationship between myself and any of my adoptive siblings either. And each one of them at this point, it was kind of crazy. It seemed like my.

Travis (28:29.385)
And each one of them at this point, it was kind of crazy. seemed like my removal from the home was kind of the catalyst for a lot of my siblings and even extended family to kind of clue in on some of the things that they had maybe accepted that were maybe not the most healthy. Because now it seems I’ve heard that a number of the siblings are now wrestling in their own way with their relationship with our parents. So everyone’s kind of been hurt.

Michael Weitzman (28:35.876)
Removal from the home was kind of the catalyst for a lot of my siblings and even extended family to kind of clue in on some of the things that they had maybe accepted that were maybe not the most healthy because it now it seems I’ve heard that a number of the siblings are now wrestling in their own way with their relationship with our parents and so everyone’s kind of been hurt and damaged and affected and And so we’re all just trying to figure it out

Travis (28:59.257)
and affected. And so we’re all just trying to figure it out. But I, I vacillate in seasons between ultra hopeful that God is actually going to redeem that and will use me to be a part of that. And sometimes utterly hopeless that there’s there’s no way this becomes salvaged. But whether it does or whether it doesn’t, it’s not

Brian (29:01.036)
Mm-hmm.

Michael Weitzman (29:06.076)
But I, I, I, I vacillate in seasons between ultra hopeful that God is actually going to redeem that and he’ll use me to be a part of that. And sometimes utterly hopeless, um, that there’s, there’s no way that this, um, become salvaged. but whether it does or whether it doesn’t, it’s not really on me. And so I trust God to do what God wants to do. And, um,

Travis (29:30.102)
So just to clarify to you, you’re saying that of your eight biological siblings, you have no connection or any relationship of knowledge really? Wow.

Michael Weitzman (29:35.024)
I’m happy to contribute to that in any way that I can.

Michael Weitzman (29:47.067)
none.

Yeah, I have no clue where they live, what age they are, like, nothing.

Travis (29:55.961)
Was there ever part of an attempt at reaching out or wherever any foster parents helpful in that or?

Michael Weitzman (30:01.434)
Yeah, when I had when my brother passed away, the one that I had met when I was like 19. One of the adoptive moms found me on Facebook, one of the adoptive moms of one of the younger kids, the like the second to youngest. And so they lived in Seattle, and she knew the adoptive mom of the two youngest boys. So the three youngest I actually got to meet a couple times. And so, but since

Brian (30:27.874)
So, like this, I’ve walked over to you again. I’ve walked through this a lot. So, hope you like it. hope you I’ve walked over to again.

Michael Weitzman (30:30.36)
have lost relationship with them. And I don’t really understand why it’s truly a mystery to me. So I have really no clue as to like, it truly like one day just they suddenly vanished and like had blocked me on Facebook and had blocked my phone number. And so I have truly not the slightest clue as to why. But that’s that’s been a little bit of a bummer.

Travis (30:33.063)
And I don’t really understand why. just truly was true to me. So I have really no clue as to like, truly like one day just suddenly vanished. Like had blocked me on Facebook and had blocked my phone number. so I have truly not the slightest clue as to why. But that’s been a little bit of a bummer. Yeah, I can’t even imagine that part of it. So there’s so many things we could just respond to as you’ve just kind of unpacked a story and your journey.

Brian (30:56.108)
Hmm.

Travis (31:03.017)
and things that a couple things that stood out to me I just wanted to ask your question was you know it seems like the research now talks about how we live in an era this is where it’s kind of the norm for a lot of kids actually there I want to say like 24 25 that still have a significant presence in their home I mean that’s in a stable you know non foster a biological family so when we talk about now like all of the trauma and all of the

Michael Weitzman (31:23.548)
you

Travis (31:33.383)
you know, you know, the, I guess the harm and maybe the emotionally stunting types of things, the educational problems that foster care, you know, that experience can cause to then be 17, 18, you know, even in a state where 21, you’re kind of staying through the system. It’s like, you’re in no, mean, kids just are in no way, or form ready to go. And that was kind of what you said largely. Um, and so anyway, I was going to ask you to what

How has the sort of ongoing relational loss and fragmentation of some earthly identity with fatherhood and things like that, how has it impacted now current relationships and attaching and people in your life now as an adult?

Michael Weitzman (32:20.688)
Yeah, I mean, it’s something that continues to evolve that I continue to try to grow in. I want to pause because I think I’d be remiss to continue this interview, this connecting here without acknowledging the countless people that in one capacity or another have intervened in my life and have decided to stick around and just be consistently faithful to me. so ultimately, it’s Jesus’ faithfulness through the faithfulness of the people.

Travis (32:26.887)
because I think I’d be remiss to continue this interview, this connecting here, without acknowledging the countless people that in one capacity or another have intervened in my life and have decided to stick around and just be consistently faithful to me. so ultimately, it’s Jesus’ faithfulness through the faithfulness of the people that I think has had a tremendous and the highest impact on my life.

Michael Weitzman (32:50.8)
that I think has had a tremendous and the highest impact on my life. One of my favorite verses in scripture is Hosea chapter 11-4 and God speaking to the Israelites, he says, I led you with cords of human kindness and through ties of love. And I’m just reminded that like that is how Jesus like intervenes in our lives. He does it through cords of human kindness and interaction. And so I have

Travis (32:55.943)
One of my favorite verses in scripture is Hosea chapter 11-4 and God speaking to the Israelites, says, led you with cords of human kindness and through ties of love. And I’m just reminded that like that is how Jesus like intervenes in our lives. He does it through cords of human kindness and interaction. And so I have…

Michael Weitzman (33:20.226)
more people than I could probably name in the time we have left, but that have been a part of my life. And some of them have been a part of my life consistently and faithfully for the last 10 years now. And so, you know, one thing that I wrestle with still and on my healthiest of days, I do okay. And on my non healthiest of days, I don’t. But one thing that I still wrestle with is I think it’s twofold. I think our scars reveal some of the greatest beauty in life.

Travis (33:20.473)
more people than I could probably name in the time we have left, but that have been a part of my life. And some of them have been a part of my life consistently and faithfully for the last 10 years now. And so, you know, one thing that I wrestle with still and on my healthiest of days, I do okay. And on my non healthiest of days, I don’t. But one thing that I still wrestle with is I think it’s twofold. I think our scars reveal some of the greatest beauty in life.

Brian (33:30.733)
So, you know, one thing that I reckon would still help me to do is I do expect a lot of help from the community, but the one thing I’m pretty confident with is I think the people, I think my stars will continue to

Michael Weitzman (33:49.968)
because without it, would the beauty actually be beautiful? And I think that I have a unique ability to appreciate relationships and the commitment of people to engage in my life because I know what it’s like to not have that. so for me to understand that and have that visibility and that recognition, I think is ultra powerful. And then I have to be just very aware and intentional. I can wake up.

Travis (33:50.329)
because without it, would the beauty actually be beautiful? And I think that I have a unique ability to appreciate relationships and the commitment of people to engage in my life because I know what it’s like to not have that. And so for me to understand that and have that visibility and that recognition, I think is ultra powerful. And then, I…

Brian (33:59.182)
I that’s the thing I’ve been able to do in my life. Because I know what it’s like to not have that. So for me to have this thing that have that disability and I’m not supposed to have that, that would be more powerful. And then, I have to do this, you know, the healing, the healing potential, I can make that, it’s something that you see all the way through. And then all that, and that’s all I have.

Travis (34:13.671)
to just very aware and intentional, I can wake up and choose to see all the ways I’ve been wronged and all that I’ve missed out on and all that I don’t have. Or I can choose to say, and yet, Jesus loved me enough. His mercy and goodness still follows me. But I have people I can celebrate Christmas with. But I have people that call me to see how school’s going. But I have people that want to engage with me on a weekly, daily, monthly basis.

Michael Weitzman (34:18.628)
choose to see all the ways I’ve been wronged and all that I’ve missed out on and all that I don’t have Or I can choose to say and yet like Jesus loved me enough like his mercy and goodness still follows me That I have people I can celebrate Christmas with that I have people that call me to see how school is going that I have people that want to engage with me on a weekly daily monthly basis, you know, like I don’t deserve that and

And it’s not because like I’m not like valuable like like just I’m a sinner like like God doesn’t have to do anything else for me for the rest of my life and he’s already done more than I can ask by by giving me the gift of his son and salvation so all of the other stuff is just extra and over the last couple years I feel like I’ve slowly begun to develop this framework of thought of just viewing all of that good stuff as a measure of God’s kindness like it’s just kindness like I don’t I don’t deserve it and so

Travis (34:48.319)
It’s not because I’m not valuable, I’m a sinner. God doesn’t have to do anything else for me for the rest of my life. It is already done more than I can ask by giving me a son and salvation. So all of the other stuff is just extra. And over the last couple of years, I feel like I’ve still begun to develop this framework of thought. I’m viewing all of that good stuff as a measure of God’s kindness. It’s just kindness. I don’t deserve it.

Michael Weitzman (35:17.332)
And I think I want to also debunk this notion. This is probably a longer answer than you initially expected. I want to debunk this notion that like I’ve done a lot to get to where I’m at. Like, sure, like maybe I’ve made some intentional decisions, but like it would be very simple minded and foolish of me to believe that where I am today and the relationships I have and the opportunities I’ve had and my own like mental health.

Travis (35:17.673)
I

Michael Weitzman (35:46.724)
Like the fact that I’m as whole as I am today is a result of my own efforts. My own efforts actually played the most minimal part of that equation. And it really is because there have been people that have put up with me in my unhealth. There have been people that have just faithfully walked with me and mentored me and counseled me and pointed me to Jesus instead of their own opinions.

Travis (35:47.545)
that I’m as whole as I am today is a result of my own efforts. My own efforts actually played the most minimal part of that equation. And it really is because there have been people that have put up with me and my unhealth. There have been people that have just faithfully walked with me and mentored me and counseled me and pointed me to Jesus instead of their own opinions. And so there is a multitude of people that I have

Brian (35:53.198)
I appreciate the most beautiful parts of the program. It really is such an honor to put out this video. And I hope that it will be more of a base for you guys. And I look forward to seeing you guys in the morning. And I’m put on a good show. It’s very important.

Michael Weitzman (36:14.972)
And so there’s a multitude of people that I have to thank for who I am today, which is far from perfect, but someone that’s still trying to become, you know, holy and more like Christ. so I hope that gives a clear sense of, like relationships are hard and anytime like it feels like a relationship could be lost. That’s hard. We’re saying goodbye when I moved to a different state. That’s really difficult.

Brian (36:20.398)
which is far from perfect, but some of them still find some sense of identity and that’s what I like. So I hope that gives you a sense of identity rather than relationship to heart. And anytime you come out of this place, it’s a dual relationship to the past.

Travis (36:35.527)
Like it feels like a relationship could be lost. That’s hard. We’re saying goodbye when I moved to a different state. That’s really difficult because it really just feels like you’re moving again. And so there are things that I grapple with and will likely grapple with till the day I die. And I think that that’s one thing that I’ve slowly become OK with is just knowing that not all of this will disappear. And Jeremy Camp, actually, he’s an older Christian artist.

Brian (36:39.872)
Okay.

Michael Weitzman (36:43.996)
because it really just feels like you’re moving again. And so there are things that I grapple with and will likely grapple with till the day I die. You know, and I think that that’s one thing that I’ve slowly become OK with is just knowing that not all of this will disappear. And Jeremy Camp, actually, he’s an older Christian artist to die, I guess, as modern anymore. But Jeremy Camp had a song like

Travis (37:05.481)
I guess has modern anymore. But Jeremy Camp had a song like maybe 15, 20 years ago at this point that at the moment I loved it because it sounded good, but I didn’t really even count the weight of the words he was saying. But it says there will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, no more suffering. And we’ll see Jesus face to face. And like, I believe that it’s likely that my story and the things I’ve experienced.

Michael Weitzman (37:12.186)
maybe 15, 20 years ago at this point, that at the moment I loved it because it sounded good, but I didn’t really even count the weight of the words he was saying. But it says there will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, no more suffering, and where we’ll see Jesus face to face. And like, I believe that it’s likely that my story and the things I’ve experienced will impact and will leave some residue for the rest of my life.

Travis (37:35.433)
will impact and will leave some residue for the rest of my life. Does it mean I just like lay on my back and let it happen? No. Like you do all you can to mitigate it while still recognizing like hey scars are real and emotional scars I think are worse off than physical ones more often. And so but I think there’s a lot of hope as well and so that’s what I try to to lean on on my health these days.

Michael Weitzman (37:40.636)
Does it mean I just like lay on my back and let it happen? No, like you do all you can to mitigate it while still recognizing like, scars are real and emotional scars I think are worse off than physical ones often. And so, but I think there’s a lot of hope as well. And so that’s what I try to lean on on my health these days. So.

Brian (38:03.532)
Well Michael, just listening to

everything you’ve said so far, like three things that are really coming out to me that I want to highlight. One, just kind of ended there. What you just said is that people that haven’t experienced those kinds of deep traumas before, that sometimes they’re surprised that people don’t get over them. And they do last.

Travis (38:23.963)
people that haven’t experienced those kinds of deep traumas before that sometimes are surprised that people don’t get over them. And they do last a lifetime. And it’s not something you get past, it’s something you learn to carry. And with God’s grace, can do that. And so I want our listeners to just more deeply appreciate that.

Michael Weitzman (38:30.77)
Right.

Brian (38:33.198)
a lifetime, and it’s not something you get past, it’s something you learn to carry. And with God’s grace, you can do that. And so I want our listeners to just more deeply appreciate that those wounds are something that you can forgive, but maybe you never forget it. And then the next thing that really comes out is

Travis (38:50.887)
those wounds or something that you can forgive, but maybe you never forget it.

And then the next thing that really comes out is, to me, it almost seems like the theme of this conversation and maybe is one of the themes of your life. What you were saying reminds me of when Jesus tells his followers that people who have given up their home or brothers and sisters or father and mother will be given 100 times as much. And even though you didn’t give them up.

Brian (39:01.998)
To me, this almost seems like the theme of this conversation and maybe at least one of the themes of your life. What you were saying reminds me of when Jesus tells his followers that people who have given up their home or brothers and sisters or father and mother will be given a hundred times as much. And even though you didn’t give them up, they were taken from you.

Michael Weitzman (39:21.724)
I didn’t choose to give it up,

Travis (39:27.017)
they were taken from you and Jesus said I’ll make sure you have a family and he’s done that through the church that he’s had lots of people come around you and help you and like you said it feels like you maybe

Brian (39:31.864)
Jesus said, I’ll make sure you have a family. And he’s done that through the church, that he’s had lots of people come around you and help you. And like you said, it feels like to you maybe the biggest things that you did were making choices. And then as soon as you made that choice, it was like stepping on a moving sidewalk at a

Travis (39:52.315)
biggest things that you did were making choices and then as soon as you made that choice it was like stepping on a moving sidewalk at a table. You you took one step and then the rest of it kind of carried you along. And I think that’s the third thing is to really more to our listeners is there’s kids out there right now like Michael who…

Brian (40:01.428)
at an airport, you you took one step and then the rest of it, they kind of helped carry you along. And I think that’s the third thing is to really more to our listeners is there’s kids out there right now like Michael, who you may not be related to them. They might not be living with you, but they need a friend. They need a safe, wise, trustworthy adult in their life. And so

Have your eyes open for that. If you see a kid who is looking for adult guidance, be willing to say, I can be there. So Michael, would you circle around that a little bit more about encouraging people to kind of take more of a mentoring role, even if it’s not formally framed as mentoring, it’s, you know, to be framed as a friend, friendship.

Travis (40:45.895)
circle around that a little bit more about encouraging people to kind of take more of a mentoring goal, even if it’s not formally framed as mentoring, it’s, you know, to be framed as a friendship.

Michael Weitzman (41:00.868)
Yeah, you know, one thing that I feel like I’ve observed, both in my time in care, and then just being connected to the space, as we like to call it, of foster care and serving kids, is I believe that much of our, our, at least governmental approach to serving foster kids is designed to manage children and not to care for them.

And I get it, it makes sense. But I think that there are just large numbers of kids and kids even aging out of care that have not been cared for. And that’s like fundamental to human life, to human maturation. that is like, that’s like the rudimentary level of living. And without that, you’re kind of destitute and bankrupt. And so I do believe that

Travis (41:24.135)
And I get it, it makes sense. But I think that there are just large numbers of kids and kids even aging out of care that have not been cared for. that’s like fundamental to human life, to human maturation. that is like, that’s like the rudimentary level of living. And without that, you’re kind of destitute and bankrupt. And so I

Brian (41:34.83)
Hmm.

Brian (41:44.664)
Mm-hmm.

Travis (41:51.515)
I do believe that the greatest thing the church can do is not build another program.

Michael Weitzman (41:53.28)
the greatest thing the church can do is not build another program, is not throw more money at this, but just choose to like engage with people. And this goes outside the sphere of foster care. Like actually most of the teenagers that I shared that I have mentored and discipled through being involved in youth ministry, and I still have eight guys that would say I consistently walk with and I’ve done it for last eight years and I’ve told them that I’m committed for life.

Travis (42:00.231)
Is not throw more money at this but just choose to like engage with people

Brian (42:05.859)
Mm-hmm.

Michael Weitzman (42:22.594)
None of them grew up in foster care. I just believe that the call of the church is to engage with the people on our left and right and to engage in the people that are just in our lives and they’re in our spheres and to invite them into ours. And I think a lot of people, I hear them talk about, well, like I need to keep my family safe and I need to protect like the family that I have. while I get it to an extent,

Brian (42:26.46)
Mm-hmm

Travis (42:30.185)
and to engage in the people that are just in our lives, in our spheres, and to invite them into ours. And I think a lot of people, I hear them talk about, well, like I need to keep my family safe, and I need to protect the family that I have. And while I get it to an extent, I believe the church has fallen short at being the church in so many ways. And I believe that Jesus is clear.

Michael Weitzman (42:51.452)
I believe the church has fallen short at being the church in so many ways. And I believe that Jesus is clear about who our brother and our mother and our father really is. And it’s far outside of blood and anything genetic. It’s those that are in the church. And so I think there’s just a call of believers to do this. But I believe specifically for foster kids.

Travis (43:00.121)
who our brother and our mother and our father really is. It’s far outside of blood and anything genetic. It’s those that are in the church. So I think there’s just a call of believers to do this. But I believe specifically for foster kids that the greatest way to serve them is to just say yes to being in relationship, to invite them into your space. Let them like…

Michael Weitzman (43:19.59)
that the greatest way to serve them is to just say yes to being in relationship, to invite them into your space, let them like be a part of as much as they can. And the part that they have to do is say yes. And as you were talking, Brian, about the second part about, yeah, like I think that the only part that I’ve really played is making some small decisions. It reminds me of this book that I read every year.

Brian (43:28.459)
Mm-hmm

Travis (43:30.045)
be a part of as much as they can. And the part that they have to do is say yes. And as you were talking, Brian, about the second part about, yeah, like I think that the only part that I’ve really played is making some small decisions. It reminds me of this book that I read every year. It’s one of my favorite books ever. It’s called Celebration of Discipline. It’s written by Richard Foster. And the first chapter that like before he starts introducing the spiritual disciplines he’s talking about,

Michael Weitzman (43:46.628)
It’s one of my favorite books ever. It’s called Celebration of Discipline. It’s written by Richard Foster. the first chapter that like before he starts introducing the spiritual disciplines he’s talking about. look at that. There we go. I knew I liked you. So in the first chapter before he introduces any of the 12 spiritual disciplines, I think the chapter is called the Door to Liberation. But

Travis (43:59.897)
on cue on cue

Brian (44:00.962)
Hehehehehe

Michael Weitzman (44:15.344)
He talks about how the spiritual disciplines of meditation and prayer and fasting and all the other ones are not in and of themselves what produce righteousness in us. They are the means of God’s grace to put us in position to be the recipient of His grace and allow Him to do the inner work of transforming us to be righteous. And so similarly, I would say like my decisions.

Travis (44:26.373)
They are the means of God’s grace to put us in position to be the recipient of his grace and allow him to do the inner work of transforming us to be righteous. Similarly, I would say like my decisions to say yes to relationships and any other foster kid who would make the decision to say yes to people who say, hey, we want to be a part of your life. The decision is not all that grandiose. All it does is it is the means. It’s the vehicle that ushers them into

Michael Weitzman (44:40.78)
to say yes to relationships and any other foster kid who would make the decision to say yes to people who say, hey, we want to be a part of your life. The decision is not all that grandiose. All that does is it is the means. It’s the vehicle that ushers them into the position that allows them to be the recipient of ultimately what’s healing and what’s fully transformative for them. So.

Travis (44:56.249)
the physician that allows them to believe in the recipient that ultimately was healing and was fully transformative for them. that’s good. Yeah. Go ahead. Oh, no. If you had a good thought, jump in on it.

Brian (45:02.912)
Mm-hmm. That’s good. That’s good. Okay. Yeah, go on. Sorry, Travis. Go ahead.

Brian (45:14.331)
Travis (45:16.377)
Well, it was a thought. We’ll find out, so now just say it and we can ju- and then we’ll judge it and…

Brian (45:25.742)
Now I lost the thought. But Michael, yeah, that was really well stated. He does say that and that’s what a lot of people, they confuse feeling like they have to earn God’s love, earn God’s grace. And again, it’s not about earning it. It’s not about doing nothing because effort isn’t opposed to earning.

Travis (45:27.109)
no!

Michael Weitzman (45:27.472)
Yeah, now the listeners are in anxious anticipation.

Travis (45:31.079)
What is this?

Brian (45:55.77)
So you do put effort in. The way I like to describe it is life with God is not a rowboat where you’re doing all the work and it’s also not a cruise ship where you’re just lying back, but it’s a sailboat where the wind blows but you must hoist your sail. yeah.

Travis (45:58.727)
describe it as life with God is not a rowboat where you’re doing all the work. It’s also not a cruise ship where you’re just lying back.

Michael Weitzman (46:07.922)
That’s really good,

Travis (46:15.593)
Yeah, and yeah like another stop off point of great things you said especially you know kind of as you Help rouse the faith community to step into this issue and that’s part of the what this podcast is about is to To show that this is a backyard issue There’s we talked about before foster care is a very unique space where like you as part of the solution means if you’re foster parent bringing This cause into your very home

Michael Weitzman (46:31.708)
Okay.

Travis (46:38.063)
And if you’re a mentor, it’s right with you as well. It’s all around us. These kids need our help. There’s a great line by the writer, Terry Pratchett, when he said, some shadows are so long they arrive before the light. And I think that is a devastating look at foster care, like this looming big shadow. But I love that your story is one that talks about your faith, how God intervened in your life. The light starts to receive the shadows. And I think that it’s just an inspiring thing for us all. So as you kind of land the plane here,

How would you finish the sentence, Michael? What kids in foster care really need is.

Michael Weitzman (47:15.088)
Yeah, for me, it’s unequivocally relationships. I think relationships are the vessel that God, again, not just in the lives of foster care, but most, mean, especially because of that, that’s our topic today. Relationships are the vessels that God uses to catalyze and promote inner transformation, healing, restoration of the things that have been broken and lost. You know, in the book of Joel,

Brian (47:18.188)
Mm-hmm

Michael Weitzman (47:41.98)
Um, God tells it is your lights. will restore to you everything the locusts have consumed. And I think he does it through relationships. think God restores us. He rebuilds us, um, like chiefly relationships. And that’s not to say that he doesn’t intervene at all and do, do his thing and that we don’t have any ability to connect with him directly. But what my experience has been is that there’s a, it’s been a multitude, a never an endless multitude of relationships. Um,

Brian (47:46.508)
Mm-hmm.

Travis (47:48.551)
I think he does it through relationships. think God restores us, he rebuilds us.

and

Michael Weitzman (48:10.704)
that have promoted the healing that has taken place thus far. And I would say every kid needs it. You know, like many people have told me that like I’m lucky to be in the position that I am as far as having gone through what I’ve went through and being as emotionally or mentally healthy, if you want to call it that. And if that’s the case, and if I needed the immense number of relationships that have brought me to where I am today.

Travis (48:32.391)
And if that’s the case, and if I needed the immense number of relationships that have brought me to where I am today, then how much more so, how many more relationships to somebody who might not be as mentally or emotionally healthy, how much do they need? so I do think that there’s the old adage that it takes a village. Like, I think everyone needs their village. so I would say only because

Michael Weitzman (48:40.708)
And how much more so, how many more relationships to somebody who might not be as mentally or emotionally healthy, how much do they need? And, and so I do think that there’s the old adage that it takes a village. Like I think everyone needs their village. and, and, and so I, I would say only because I know that I haven’t been easy to be in relationship with for other people, that have graciously loved me that it.

Brian (48:46.296)
you

Travis (49:02.385)
I know that I haven’t been easy to be in relationship with for other people that have graciously loved me, that it just takes some commitment and it takes some selflessness or a lot of selflessness. And what I believe, what I have believed as long as I’ve been in youth ministry, which I think really applies here, is that sometimes this seems like a very fruitless ministry, that engaging with kids who need to look more like Jesus

Brian (49:06.894)
you

Michael Weitzman (49:10.426)
just take some commitment and it takes some selflessness or a lot of selflessness. And what I have believed as long as I’ve been in youth ministry, which I think really applies here, is that sometimes this seems like a very fruitless ministry. That engaging with kids who need to look more like Jesus, engaging with kids who have hard backgrounds, it is rare sometimes that you will see fruit.

Travis (49:32.337)
us engage with kids who have hard backgrounds it is rare sometimes that you will see fruit and there will be seasons where you wonder if anything is working I don’t know that that’s a reason in and of itself to not do it to begin with so Galatians says don’t grow weary and doing good and so we know that this is good so I think we should do it

Michael Weitzman (49:38.15)
and there will be seasons where you wonder if anything is working. I don’t know that that’s a reason in and of itself to not do it to begin with. so Galatians says, don’t grow weary in doing good. And so we know that this is good. And so I think we should do it.

Brian (49:56.226)
That’s good. Well, Michael, you’ve been an amazing interviewer and a an incredible ambassador in this space. I’m wondering, is there a easy way for our listeners that they’re wanting to learn more about you, follow you? Do you have any speaking events, social media website? What would be an easy, good ways for people to connect?

Travis (49:56.679)
Well Michael, you’ve been an amazing interviewer and an incredible ambassador in this space. I’m wondering, is there an easy way for our listeners to learn more about you, follow you, give you speaking events, social media website, what would be an easy way for you to connect?

Michael Weitzman (50:22.972)
Yeah, I actually so last April I hopped off all social media and I’ve not made any decision as to when that will resume I have no thought that I’ll be back on anytime in the near future I know Connect with me on that Not you Brian not you No, so I got off all social media

Travis (50:23.527)
Yeah, I actually, so last April, I hopped off all social media and I’ve not made any decision as to when that will resume. I have no thought that I’ll be back on any time in the near future. you if you harmony or anything? Yeah. I’ll connect on that.

Brian (50:37.016)
You’re not on eHarmony or anything. Like, I just… Right?

Michael Weitzman (50:52.316)
And I am available to speak and I am interested. do feel some responsibility to when asked to share my story because I don’t ultimately believe it’s mine. I would say the best way to get a hold of me is just probably through my email, which is M for Michael, A for Anthony Weitzman, W E I T Z M A N at iCloud.com. That’s really the.

Brian (51:03.277)
Mm-hmm.

Brian (51:08.75)
Okay.

Michael Weitzman (51:20.144)
the only way that somebody could find me right now. And for now, like, I feel really good about that. And just kind of sitting in that space for a bit.

Brian (51:25.88)
Good.

Travis (51:25.991)
That’s Right detox on social media. Yeah good stuff

Brian (51:28.556)
Yeah, that’s great. Yeah, as far as another good mental health decision you’ve made.

Well, Michael, so grateful for you and for you sharing your story and for really showing people that there is a lot of hope that people can have even when they’ve faced kind of challenges that you’ve had and trauma that there is still light in life. Thank you. Yeah, of course. All right. God bless you, Michael.

Michael Weitzman (51:58.14)
Yeah, yeah, thank you guys. I appreciate y’all inviting me to be a part of this

Travis (52:01.531)
Thanks for being with us.