Join me for inspiration and encouragement as I talk with women who are using their gifts to impact the world for Christ. Discover how you too can use your gifts to impact the world and further the Kingdom of God.
We are a community of women who are taking action where our passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.
Life can be crazy messy, but God loves you like crazy and He wants to use YOU for His glory. Woman of God, you have a Fierce Calling!
Subscribe to this podcast and visit dorisswift.com.
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Join me for inspiration and encouragement as I talk with women who are using their gifts to impact the world for Christ. Discover how you too can use your gifts to impact the world and further the Kingdom of God.
We are a community of women who are taking action where our passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.
Life can be crazy messy, but God loves you like crazy and He wants to use YOU for His glory. Woman of God, you have a Fierce Calling!
Subscribe to this podcast and visit dorisswift.com.
Hope & Encouragement for Caregivers, Blended Families, and those Unexpected Seasons of Life
Fierce Calling
35 minutes 28 seconds
4 months ago
Hope & Encouragement for Caregivers, Blended Families, and those Unexpected Seasons of Life
Welcome back to Fierce Calling! In today’s episode, host Doris Swift sits down with Jessica Ronne—author, speaker, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Lucas Project—for an inspiring conversation about faith, resilience, and answering God’s call in the midst of life’s biggest challenges. Jessica opens up about her lifelong journey as a caregiver, from growing up as the eldest of twelve siblings to raising a blended family of eight children, including her son Lucas who has profound disabilities.
Jessica shares how her experiences of navigating personal loss, blending families, and caring for a child with special needs have shaped her calling to support caregivers and create real solutions through initiatives like the Lucas Project and her work as an author and documentary producer. Together, they discuss the importance of giving yourself permission to feel all the complex emotions that come with caregiving, the holy and transformative nature of serving others, and practical ways to support families facing these unique challenges.
Whether you’re a caregiver yourself, know someone who is, or simply want to understand what it means to walk in faith and fierce compassion, this episode is packed with encouragement, wisdom, and actionable insights. Get ready to rediscover joy, find community, and learn how God meets us—and uses us—in every season of life.
Episode Takeaways ...
Permission to Feel: Jessica opens up about the reality of caregiving—how it’s okay to admit feelings of grief, resentment, or overwhelm, and how naming those feelings is the first step toward healing.
Finding Holy Purpose: She beautifully reframes caregiving as "holy work," reminding us that as we care for those who can’t care for themselves, we reflect the heart of Christ.
Blended Family Wisdom: Jessica and her husband blended families after losing their spouses. She shares practical, honest advice for navigating new relationships, grief, and all the “stuff” that comes with starting over.
Practical Help for Caregivers: Learn about the power of presence, the need for respite, and practical ways to support families—like bringing a meal (pro tip: offer easy choices like tacos or lasagna!).
Resources You Can Use Today:
The Lucas Project provides respite and resources for parent caregivers
The Coffee with Caregivers podcast for ongoing encouragement
Caregivers Cove Facebook support group (2,200+ members!)
Two documentaries: Unseen and the upcoming Uncertain
Jessica’s books: Caregiving with Grit and Grace, Sunlight Burning at Midnight, Blended with Grit and Grace, and more
Episode Highlights
06:38 Lifelong Caregiver Journey
08:38 "Author's Journey and Family Life"
10:39 "Blending Families: Grace and Grit"
16:30 Permission to Feel in Caregiving
20:18 "Founding the Lucas Project"
22:31 Divine Design and Support Systems
26:49 Caregiving: Finding Purpose and Support
28:30 Seek Professional Help, Not Spouse
33:05 Simplifying Help for Caregivers
Connect with Jessica!
You can connect with Jessica at thelucasproject.org and jessronne.com
Facebook: @jessronneofficial
Instagram: @jessplusthemess
Jessica Ronne is a multi-published author, speaker,
Fierce Calling
Join me for inspiration and encouragement as I talk with women who are using their gifts to impact the world for Christ. Discover how you too can use your gifts to impact the world and further the Kingdom of God.
We are a community of women who are taking action where our passion, compassion, and conviction intersect.
Life can be crazy messy, but God loves you like crazy and He wants to use YOU for His glory. Woman of God, you have a Fierce Calling!
Subscribe to this podcast and visit dorisswift.com.
