Hello! We are Jonathan and Erin, and we live on a small farm Middle Tennesse with our daughter, Dreo.
Adoption has been on our hearts for years. We believe God calls His children to adopt, foster, or support those who do as we are commanded to care for orphans in the book of James. Since we were dating, we knew adoption would be a part of our story, we just didn’t know how.
We were married in 2017 and planned to have biological children first and then adopt. But we had years of unexpected infertility. The two times we got pregnant, the babies passed during pregnancy.
Erin found out about some health issues that made it difficult to get pregnant and carry full-term. But God had a plan He planted in our hearts years before: adoption.
So in late 2022, we found an amazing, local agency who completed our home study. It was a bit overwhelming, but looking back, it was such a sweet time to plan and hope and dream about the future.
As we planned, we felt strongly that God was wanting us to pursue domestic adoption.
We wanted to give pregnant moms whose life circumstances impaired them from raising a child an option to choose life for their unborn baby.
Seventy-two moms considered us before our daughter’s birth mom saw our profile and chose us to raise her little girl.
We brought Dreo home as a newborn in 2023.
With an open adoption, we get to speak with Dreo’s birth mom and keep Dreo connected to her first family.
Just months after Dreo was born, we knew God was telling us we needed to adopt again.
So over the summer, we updated our home study and prepared our hearts to welcome another child.
We anticipated it being much like the first time—lots of waiting and lots of disappointment. But it was quite the opposite. After just 6 weeks, we were matched!!
And it’s a boy!
His birth mom is across the country and has been living on the streets for a while. She’s had some hard life circumstances and struggles with addiction.
With those concerns, we anticipate some medical needs. He will likely have NAS (neonatal abstinence syndrome) at birth and go with withdrawals. He could also have life-long needs or disabilities.
Though we won’t know the extent of his needs until he is born and in the weeks following, we feel strongly that we shouldn’t “pick and choose” who God wants to place in our home. We knew from the beginning we were open to anyone—no matter their gender, race, medical needs, or family background.
We want to be obedient to the path God has us on. We believe He has plans for each child He places in our family as well as their first families.
As we await our little boy’s birth and continue to support his birth mother, we pray God will use this time to strengthen our family and her’s. Through your prayers and support, this little boy will find a stable, loving home, while maintaining a healthy relationship with his birth mom through the blessing of an open adoption.
We are honored to have received a $7,000 matching grant through Lifesong and Hope that Binds!!! Every dollar you give toward our adoption expenses is doubled through their generousity.
Thank you for sharing this journey with us.
We are excited to see what God has planned as we surrender our will and submit to His will for growing our family.
We believe He has placed us in this unique circumstance to share His gospel with the children we are honored to bring into our home as our own.
STRIPE charges an online processing fee (2.2% +.30 USD per transaction)*. Your donations will be decreased by this amount. You may also send a check payable to “Lifesong for Orphans”. In the memo line please write “Belcher 11202”, to ensure it is credited to our account. Please mail to Lifesong for Orphans, PO Box 9, Gridley, IL 61744.
Lifesong has been blessed with partners who underwrite all U.S. administrative and fundraising costs (TMG Foundation and other partners). That means 100% of your donation will go directly to the adoption.
- In following IRS guidelines, your donation is to Lifesong for Orphans. This organization retains full discretion over its use, but intends to honor the donor’s suggested use.
- Lifesong is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Individual donations of $50 or more and yearly donations totaling $250 or more will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Receipts for donations under $50 will gladly be sent upon request.
- *3.5% fee for donations given with an American Express card