This week, I’m joined by the incredible Tori Hope Petersen. She is an author, speaker, Bible teacher and fierce advocate for foster care, adoption, and vulnerable children. Raised in and out of the foster care system herself, she has dedicated her life to sharing her testimony and offering hope to others. Tori is also a wife, mom, and lover of people, with a deep appreciation for cooking, family, community, and hospitality.
Tori has so many incredible insights to share about healing from the past, breaking destructive patterns, and finding lasting hope. Plus, we talk about her upcoming book, Breaking the Patterns That Break You, which is set to release on February 4th, 2025.
I was so moved and inspired by this conversation and I’m so excited to share it with you!
5:36 – Tori 101
· Growing up in and out of the foster care system
· Working in foster care advocacy
· Releasing her first book, Fostered
· Second book release in February
8:57 – Resilience and Hope
· The healing Tori experienced through her track career
· The power of having supportive figures in your life
· The lasting impact of words and emotional abuse
15:05 – Finding Lasting Healing
· Having deep self-compassion
· Recognizing and addressing harmful patterns
· Having trusting people around you to provide feedback
26:24 – Inviting Jesus Into The Healing Process
· The misconception that Jesus is a band-aid solution
· Jesus is a true healer who repairs and rebuilds
· Putting in the foundational work and continuing ongoing maintenance
40:39 – Encouragement For The Healers And Hurting
· Avoiding quick fixes
· Being a good listener and question asker
· Your life has purpose
· Continuing to fight to find people who truly love you
FEATURED QUOTES
" That's healing- to accept sometimes the sad version of ourselves and not to try and change her.”
“We think that Jesus is coming in and just slapping a band aid on it, but really that that's sometimes what his people do. That's not who Jesus is…I think we just need to change our perspective and understand that like God is coming in and he wants to truly repair the home.”
“More than people need advice. People need someone to sit with them, walk with them. Listen to them.”
"Your life has purpose… There's a beautiful plan for your life. God loves you and for you to stay here very well may be the thing that someone else needs.”
Learn more about Tori:
https://www.torihopepetersen.com/
Pre-order your copy of Breaking The Patterns
https://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Patterns-That-Break-You/dp/1400250048
Get your copy of Tori’s book, Fostered
https://www.amazon.com/Fostered-Womans-Powerful-Finding-through/dp/1087750970
I Love You Already Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/67tPTqQ6uMS1WRuy4tvQyP?si=1poWQ1nMS_KbP9-GqgwrjQ&nd=1&dlsi=72a9e71cf68b4ce7
Tori on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/torihopepetersen/?hl=en
Tori on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@iloveyoualready
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About Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?
Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder? Podcast is a weekly podcast where we have honest conversations about faith, business, life, and everything in between. Hosted by speaker and author, Molly Stillman, her mission is to make you laugh, cry, and laugh till you cry. She wants to create a community of people who are unafraid to be themselves and have honest conversations about the things that matter most. Her vision is to create a safe space for people to explore their faith and share their stories and gifts with the world.
