Adoption has been something on our hearts long before we got married. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 when we started to both feel the call to adoption separately. It took one long car ride together (where we tend to have some of our best conversations) for us both to share what was on our hearts, and to our shock, find out that God had been doing this work in us both! After God revealed this to us, we began to pray about what we needed to do to prepare ourselves for the time when God would place a child in our home. We began working on paying off debt, preparing our home, and continued serving faithfully. The only things we knew at that time were that God was calling us to adopt our first child and that He was also telling us to wait upon Him for this gift.
Fast forward 3 years later to the summer of 2022, and we both felt the Lord calling us to take this next step. After seeking wise counsel, praying, and contacting possible agencies and consultants, we took the next step of faith that the Lord was calling us to. We are now working with a consultant group and waiting on the call that we have been chosen. We both knew that God was calling us to adoption, but there was no way we would be prepared for how much He would change our hearts to see His heart in all of this.
We are all adopted into the family of God: "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15). No one earns it by birthright; we are all chosen and adopted by God to be his sons and daughters. We are so glad the Lord continues to change our hearts to be more like His, and we are so excited to start our family through adoption!
Our goal is to raise $25,000 by August 31, 2023. We knew adoption was expensive, but no amount of google-ing can truly prepare you for it. This is a God-sized financial move too! Most of the cases that we have seen range from $50,000 to $65,000 and that is before travel expenses, post adoption visits, and all of the costs that come with having a human being come home with you. We are so excited to share that we received an $3,000 matching grant from Lifesong for Orphans and a $5,000 matching grant from We Care for Orphans! This gives us a total of $8,000 of matching grants that will help us fund our adoption!
We would appreciate any support you would be able to provide, whether it be financial or spiritual. We would love your prayers throughout this time, we would ask you to pray for peace and patience in this process. Thank you for taking the time to read a little bit about our story. If you want to know more, we would love to meet with you to share more!
If you would like to give financially, you can give by check. Please make checks payable to Lifesong for Orphans. On the check memo line donors need to note “Preference: #10468 Brown.” Please have checks mailed to: Lifesong for Orphans PO Box 9 Gridley, IL 61744. We are so grateful for what Lifesong for Orphans does. Thanks to TMG Foundation and key partners, all of our fundraising and admnistrative costs for donations given directly to Lifesng for Orphans are already covered. 100% of your received donation will go directly to help fund our adoption! You are also able to give via the giving link above.
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 “Brown 10468”, 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