Welcome Hamilton's to the Promise Love Family!!!!!

So I have had quite a few people ask me recently, is Promise Love still around? And I would like to state for the record…..We definitely still are!!! In fact, we have a new amazing family to share with you today!!!

WELCOME TO THE HAMILTON FAMILY!!!

This is one of those families that just warms your heart and lets you know there are some amazing people who live right in your own backyard. Scott and Cherrie say they are just doing what God called them to do and they just take each step with faith and obedience, but it is amazing to hear the faith walk they have chosen.

They are currently in process to adopt another little guy, Roman, into their large family and are in need of raising $18,000 for this adoption and you can donate right HERE!

Take a minute to read a little about this beautiful family and please help them bring Roman home forever!

Before moving to Florida, our family lived in Kentucky. While living in there, we
fostered thirty-seven children and adopted six. Since then, God has gifted us
with twelve more children to love and care for through quardianship and
adoption. Most of our children are medically fragile or considered "hard to
place."
We would have never imagined that this would be the life we were called to live,
but God has called us and He has prepared us for such a time as this.
Jonathan's Place is simply a family. A family that believes EVERY child
deserves a loving home.
Jonathan's Place is named in memory of our beloved son, Jonathan, who had
Down Syndrome and now resides in Heaven. He opened the door for children
with severe medical and/or emotional challenges to find a forever family in our
home. We bring medical experience (as being a registered nurse) and
compassion to help children reach their fullest potential
We are often asked, "When will you be done?" or "Don't you have enough
children?" Our response is always that we will continue to say, "YES!" until God
says, "No." This is our ministry - to care for the orphans. Please help us to
welcome Roman, a child in need of our medical expertise, into our home.

Welcome to the Dever Family!

Hey everyone! Carrie here, we’ve been kind of quiet but we’re still here! It’s so awesome that we get to work with families in all stages or their adoption journey. We have one family that is fully funded and waiting to be matched and our new family you will meet here already has been matched and needs to raise $15,000 for their adoption day that will be coming up here very soon!! Sarah has been a dear friend of mine through the wedding industry and we had convos over the last several years about adoption and it makes me SO incredibly happy to see her, Alan, and Olha as a family of 3!! I actually got to do their very first family portrait session together:-) Here’s just a little bit about them…..

Sarah and Alan Dever met and married in the year of 2019. Alan, who is self-employed as a carpenter, had been a long time friend of Sarah’s brother, Jon, who lived in the same town as Alan in Maine. Sarah lived in Florida and worked as a counselor/minister to women at a college. While Alan seemed a little too “geographically undesirable,” he eventually won Sarah over and they married August of 2019. That first year was not without its challenges as they served together Sarah’s father in his final year of life.

Sarah and Alan had no children of their own as they both got married to each other late in life. Alan had 3 adult children from his previous marriage. They talked about having kids together but knew when they first started talking they wouldn’t have children biologically but were both very open to adoption should the Lord open that door.  In the fall of 2021, God saw fit to open that door. 

Olha Joy was originally from the now devastated city of Mariupol, Ukraine. Her beginning years weren’t easy and she was brought to a Ukrainian orphanage at the young age of 6 upon the death of both parents. She still has an older sister, Vika, and an older brother, Serhii, who live in Eastern Europe. When Olha was 10, she was adopted by a Christian family in mid-coastal Maine. They already had two sons of their own, but no girls. They loved Olha, however, they soon realized they were unable to meet some of her needs emotionally. And they made the difficult decision to dissolve the adoption and search for a couple who could do for Olha what they could not. 

Olha Joy was placed in the custody of Alan and Sarah on February 22, 2022. And she just couldn’t fit into this family any better. Same sense of humor, same crafty and creative makeup, they even look related. It’s uncanny how easily and seamlessly Olha fits into Sarah and Alan’s life down here in FL. She is a fun, active, playful, sassy, and sweet newly thirteen year old who is loving Florida living. She loves to swim, play with her friends, climb monkey bars and is excited to start school in the fall. She is already a regular helper in her church’s nursery! She’s quick to help you in need….but be careful, she’s also quick to prank you. Sarah and Alan love having her as an integral part of their family and they have already seen her blossoming in the three months she’s been in their lives. Her adoption day is scheduled for July 20th and the Olha Joy will be Olha Joy Dever…forever!! Will you help us be a part of their adoption story and donate to their goal of $15,000????

Welcome to the Skipper Family!!!!

We would like to introduce you to our new Promise Love Family! Please help us give a big warm welcome to the Morgan and Jesse!

As with all our families, we would love for you to meet them, hear their journey and invest in their lives. So please take a few minutes to hear their adoption story below. This couple have waited and are ready to be parents!

Morgan and Jesse met in the 4th grade and were best friends, started dating in high school and 4 years later tied the knot! Talk about a beautiful love story. After trying to have children for 3 years and experiencing a miscarriage that brought them back to church and ultimately back to a relationship with God, they met a number of families who had adopted at their church. The more they prayed and talked to these couples, it became clear God was leading them in this direction. Here’s a little more about their story………..

We have seen the cost of adoption significantly increase in the last several years to now be between $40,000-$50,000 in many cases. What we do with our families is come up with their goal for fundraising which is an estimate of what their adoption cost will be minus what they have already paid or are have saved and will be contributing themselves. We are partnering with Morgan and Jesse to raise $30,000. Will you help us be a part of their adoption story by donating below?

Welcome to our Promise Love Family Gibsons!!!

Please join us in giving a BIG promise love welcome to the Gibson family!!! Promise Love has had to take a back seat this year due to the current climate. Asking for donations during this time is a very hard thing to do, as we know everyone is in a tighter spot than normal. However, when the Gibsons applied with Promise Love, we felt this beautiful family was the fit that God was asking us to get behind! So in this time, where the world seems to be upside down, take heart…good is still happening in the world! Be a part of the good!

The Gibsons have put in $20,000 of their own funds and now they are currently in need of raising $30,000 towards the remaining fees for their adoption. They are matched with a birth mom who is due August 24th!!!! That’s right around the corner. So we want to support them in reaching their goal!!!

Would you consider a gift of any size?

Donate Now

“May the Lord give you increase, you and your children"! Psalm 115:14

From the Gibsons:

We are blessed to experience the love and joys of parenthood with our three children Saniah 9, Caleb 11 and Kadin 12. Seeing them grow in their talents, explore new skills such as basketball, hockey, piano, dance and gymnastics and experience special family moments that we create together has made our hearts swell and is one of the greatest joys of our lives. Understanding the importance of a child being raised in a stable and loving home, we have been heartbroken over the years again and again to learn about the hundreds of thousands of kids who are shuffled around for years in foster homes. We are even more saddened to know that existing foster families are not able to support even half of these children who will grow up never knowing what it means to be loved and secure.

The question we asked ourselves…”is what can we do”?

The answer we felt fit out family the best was to become adoptive parents!! We have a heart for children as well as birth moms who find themselves in desperate situations. We want to be able to give a child the life that his/her birth mom chose them to have.

We are so grateful to be matched with a young birth mom currently, who has chosen us to provide a loving and stable home for her child. As we anticipate adding this child to our family to be loved and cared for, we ask for your support with the significant financial obligations that are part of this process. With over $20,000 invested on our end, we still need to raise nearly $30,000 by placement in just a few short months! Your support means so much to our family, especially during this time when giving is a stretch. But we know God rewards a cheerful giver! So we know He will bless you in return as you sow into a future generation. Thank you in advance from the bottom of our hearts!

Love,

The Gibsons.

It's National Adoption Month! Welcome Anastasia!

November is our favorite month of the year…National Adoption Month! This year we are celebrating by helping a single foster mom who reached out to us recently and we were blown away by her story!!!

She has been a single foster mom since the age of 26 and has fostered 8 children in that time!!! She has never felt led to adopt any of her foster kids until now. She is hoping to adopt a little girl who has been in her care for over a year now. They have bonded in a beautiful way, read below in her own words about this special little girl.

“In July 2018 I received a call for a foster care placement for a little girl who was 9 months old. I said yes, and she has been with me ever since. We have been through so much together in the last 15 months. The ins and outs of what she has been through and the details of her case along the way have been more than anyone should have to endure. When I first met her, her fear of abandonment was inconsolable, her trust for adults was non existent. Over the past year we have worked so hard in therapy to form a bond that has been remarkable and has noticeably changed her approach to relationships. She is one of the smartest, bravest and strongest little girls I've ever met. She teaches me so much about life everyday through the strong will and happiness that she exhibits in even the hardest situations. I have been with her for every visitation with her family, every emotion left lingering from those visits, every doctors appointment, every visit from the state workers, every therapy appointment, and every single good and bad day since I said yes. I was blessed to be able to see her do all of her firsts; from the simplest things like rolling over and sitting up, to her first steps, first words, and now her new found awesome dance moves. When I was presented with the question of adoption a few months ago my whole world changed. I could not fathom how it would be possible to afford a child as a single parent, but I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life watching her learn and grow.

Although I had not planned on being an adoptive parent, all of that has completely changed. The only barrier left is the financial challenge of providing childcare. As a night shift worker at the hospital, not only is childcare hard to find but it tends to also be more expensive due to the unusual hours.
The relationship we have formed is something I never expected to happen in this way, and I can no longer picture my future without her. Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story and for your consideration in donating to our journey. Please keep us in your prayers as we move forward with such an amazing life change.”
- Anastasia

So, we have a goal to raise enough to pay off her vehicle, the amount she has left is $12,500. This will help her to be able to afford to pay for the nightly child care she will need since she is a night night shift CT technologist. As a single mom, Anastasia needs to continue working and after the adoption will not have child care paid for. To be a part of their story donate here or below to reach our goal for this amazing mom!

Thank you!

Promise Love Family

Welcome the Helms Family to the Promise Love Family!!!

We’ve been so blessed to have some awesome families we’ve presented to you this summer! And today we have another one! I hope you enjoy reading about these sweet families and their journeys as much as we do! Today we are introducing you to the Helms family…and what better way for you to hear who they are then directly from them! Please watch their video below and share their story!

Our goal for the Helms family is $10,000! Scroll down to donate or go here!

A quick update on the Helms family….THEY JUST BECAME MATCHED WITH A BIRTH MOM THIS WEEK!!! BABY IS DUE IN JULY….THAT’S THIS MONTH!!! We will keep you updated on the Helms family!

IMG_9428.TRIM from Promise Love Foundation on Vimeo.

Here’s the Helms story!

We are Cody and Victoria Helms! We met in February of 2015, and instantly became inseparable. After a year of dating,Cody proposed following a helicopter ride over downtown Fort Worth, Texas. We got married just 5 short months later! Cody has been a local Firefighter/Paramedic for the last 6 years and Victoria is an Anesthesia Technician in the O.R.We always knew we wanted to be parents; however, we decided to wait a couple years before trying so that we could grow in our marriage together. Just 8 months into our marriage, Victoria began to have some health complications and underwent a minor surgery. During that time, we were told if we wanted to have children we needed to start trying, as Victoria would most likely need a full hysterectomy in the future, potentially much earlier in life than most would expect.We started trying immediately and were so excited about the hope of starting our family together! After an unsuccessful 10 months of trying Victoria knew something wasn’t right and called her doctor to have some testing and blood work done. Her results came back a month later indicating that she was not ovulating and had low progesterone levels. The suggested treatment was to start a particular medicine,and we thought it would be an easy fix for the issue. The doctors also recommended running some tests on Cody to rule out any male factor infertility,so we decided to go ahead and do that. We wanted to know what we were dealing with so we could have every chance possible for success. A couple months later we received the results from Cody’s testing, and it was worse than we’d anticipated. Because of the issues with both of our bodies, we were told we could never conceive children—that it just wasn’t in the cards for us. To say the least, we were heartbroken to receive this news. Over the following months, we grieved—grieved the loss of time spent trying to conceive, not knowing it wasn’t possible; grieved over the betrayal we felt from our bodies; and grieved the loss of the future we had always assumed and pictured would happen. We spent a lot of time in prayer and with our families, who rallied to support us during this time.Early in our relationship we had talked about adoption and both knew that it was something we wanted to together at some point. In those early conversations we did not know exactly how adoption would play in our family planning journey,however,we knew it would be apart of growing our family. The night after Christmas of 2018, we took a leap of faith and filled out a form to receive some more information on adoption. After that, we began to research everything we possibly could about adoption and started to actively take steps to pursue it. By February 2019, we completed our home study, and by the first week of March we signed on with our agency. The process was officially underway,and we could not have been more excited! Based on the recent placements the agency had made, we were told there was a good chance we would be placed within 6 months!!With excitement and the renewed hope of finally being one step closer to adding a precious child to our family, we have both been working lots of overtime as we prepare financially to welcome a sweet baby into our home. As much as our hearts have been ready, we believe that God’s timing is absolutely perfect. We know that He has been and will remain with us during our season of waiting so we will continue to praise Him through it, and as we wait, we will continue use this season to prepare as much as we can–emotionally, physically, and financially—so that when the time is right, we will be ready when we finally meet our beloved baby!

Welcome the Slaviks to the Promise Love Family (Emergency and Critical Need)

The Slavik’s at Disney with their 2 biological children before they started fostering.

A few months ago, I was invited to a friends birthday to speak about Promise Love! While I was there, I met another incredible foster mama and human being….Kelly from Foster Florida Pinellas! Besides the fact, that we had a ton in common, I knew God was building a valuable connection for Promise Love to be able to support not only adoptive families, but foster families. I mentioned to her we would love to start helping critical and immediate needs that are larger than just food, clothing and furniture. She said she would be happy to let us know when she knew of a family in this position, that could use some larger support!

Enter Slavik’s…

When I spoke with Aaron (dad)…you could hear the heart and passion for the kids in his home and the kids in care that he was unable to help. It was inspiring that a father has this much heart invested in to these kids!

He explained that him, his wife and their 2 bio children were wanting to desperately take in the 6 year old brother of their little foster daughter who had been in 6 homes in 3 weeks!!! The only thing standing in the way of this was a bigger apartment!!

They had met him and were 100% willing to bring him into their home so the siblings could be together and this sweet little guy could stop bouncing around….but unfortunately, there apartment did not meet the space requirements for licensing to approve it.

So they were reaching out to see how they could fundraise the money to be able to move to a larger apartment! We knew we had to help!

What we need is $6000 to get them first/last months rent and deposit and a few much needed items, such as washer/dryer to get them moved in. We are praying you will partner with us to get this critical need taken care of.

As previous foster parents, we know how taxing this can be on a family and how without support foster parents give up…and that’s not what we want to ever see happen…especially just because of lack of finances. We also don’t ever want a foster family to say no to permanency for a problem that is solvable if they just have some support and involvement from the community!

Get to know them a little below:-)

Will you join us in helping the Slavik’s? Your donation is tax deductible and it ALL goes straight to the family.

Welcome the Blairs to the Promise Love Family!

I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

We met a beautiful family inside and out recently, and are so excited to share their story with you today! Please give a big welcome to the Blair family!

There is so much to be said about this amazing family, but the thing that continues to show through above all else, is their love for Jesus and their family! They have 4 beautiful girls and soon will add a sweet baby boy to their family. They are currently matched with a birth mom who is expecting in July!!

One of the things that has stood out to us in the short time we have known the Blairs is how they have allowed their faith to overcome their fears in adoption and how God has met them every step of the way!

Fear is one of the biggest challenges when you are walking the adoption journey. There are so many things you could be afraid of. It’s inspiring to watch the Blair’s reach for the Lord and let him wipe away all their fears and be obedient to what he has placed on their hearts!

Here’s how you can help the Blairs and be a part of their journey (we will post updates, of course!).

1. Pray for their family, the birth mom, the baby and the funds they need to be there when they are needed.

2. Share their story! Know someone who could use encouragement in overcoming fear in adoption or just fear in anything. Share this video with them.

3. Give! Adoptions don’t happen without funds. Private infant adoptions can be as much as $40,000 Families feel so blessed and loved by your giving! We watch it happen with each family.

Thank you for coming alongside them with us on this journey! We can’t to see them as a family of 7!!

Welcome the Briggs Family!

It’s March and that means Basketball! Not only do we love helping adoptive families but we love sports too…so we are having some fun this month and matching them together to help one amazing family!!!

Please give a warm welcome to Josh, Hannah, and Colette….their story will pull on your heart strings! They have had a very difficult and unique adoption journey that is ending in a sweet way….finally holding their little girl:-)

For the month of March we are partnering with them to raise $15,000 or score 15,000 points to recoupe the money they lost and can never regain due to an adoption scam.

Hear their story below and jump in the game here! Don’t forget to share and challenge others to score too!

www.promiselovefoundation.org/donate

Welcome The Tobey Family to the Promise Love Foundation!!!

Please say a HUGE "Welcome" to our newest Promise Love Family....The Tobey Family!!!!  We just love this family and their unique story and heart for foster care and adoption and we know you are going to love them as much as we do!

What is very exciting for Us is The Tobey's are OUR VERY FIRST family to be in the process of adopting INTERNATIONALLY from Haiti!

We are super excited to walk alongside them at a time where they have felt like the journey has been a long, tiring one!  They have been working hard to bring their son, Luke, home for the past 6 years!!!

Will you please join their journey and help bring Luke home!  Watch their story and donate here!!

Welcome The Smith family X 2 to the Promise Love Family!

Please help us welcome 2 amazing families today to the Promise Love Family!  Thad and Loryn Smith and Jacob and Peggy Smith!  These 2 families are actually part of one larger family that has decided to adopt 9 beautiful siblings between them both!  Yes, you heard that correctly....NINE CHILDREN!!!  Because of these 2 families and their willingness to answer God's call, these siblings who have been in separate homes in foster care, are now going to be able to come together so they will no longer have to be separated!  

We can assure you, this is a story you DO NOT want to miss!!  Stay Tuned...the story will be right here, live tomorrow.  

In the meantime, here's what they need!  Both families are driving smaller vehicles and are unable to transport all the kids together.  

They both have an immediate and critical need for larger vehicles!  So we are looking to raise $40,000 for 2 new or gently used Honda Odyssey's or Toyota Sienna's so these families can accommodate their new and much bigger families.  You can donate here or please reach out to us at info@promiselovefoundation.com if you have connections for these vehicles to be donated. 

Please come alongside us to help these families have a family vehicle that can fit everyone!  Stop by tomorrow for the full story! 

Meet the Martinez Family

We are so excited to share with you our 2nd Promise Love Family for 2017!  Check out Gil and Mary Jo's family story below.  We are partnering with them to raise the $27,000 they need to make their adoption possible!  Click HERE to donated and help be a part of their adoption story! 

The Martinez Family from Promise Love Foundation on Vimeo.

A big surprise for the Long Family!!

Evelyn & Zack - Adoption Surprise! from Promise Love Foundation on Vimeo.

Welcome The Swobodas to The Promise Love Family!!!

We are SO EXCITED to announce our newest Promise Love family!  Please give a big warm welcome to the Swoboda's!   All adoption stories are different and unique, Cody and Ashley Swoboda are adopting their 3 of their nieces.  You may be wondering, why would it cost to adopt family members?  All adoptions have a range of fees involved, which include court costs, attorney fees, birth certificates, etc etc.   

THE TOTAL goal We are partnering with them to raise which will give these 3 sisters a permanent forever home IS $15,000.
Help them reach their goal by Donating now. 

And without further ado, please read their story, straight from Cody and Ashley!  We'll be posting updates on their goal and story so be on the lookout! 

Cody and Ashley with their soon to be daughters!

"We came to realize the full depth of our longing to adopt these three beautiful girls one night in November 2014.  Cody was standing in the kitchen making dinner (as is characteristic of our little duo since Ashley only knows how to properly make Ramen noodle soup), when all of a sudden he held his face in his hands and began to weep.  Through tears he said, "I just love them so much, Ash... and... I think God's calling me to be their father."  What Cody didn't know is that Ashley had been having a recurring dream for months on-end wherein the two of them welcomed these sweet girls into their forever family.  In that moment, it was clear that God had been uniquely and individually preparing our hearts and minds for something extraordinary.  He was calling us to truly consider adopting our nieces into our family to raise them as our very own daughters.

The road to doing so, however, was clearly laden with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and so we began the process of intentionally seeking the Lord in prayer.  Though we wanted desperately to share our hopes with the decision-makers involved in the girls' lives, time in prayer continually yielded a call to wait on His timing.  And so, we waited.  For months, we waited.  In the season that followed, our relationships with the girls deepened and we began to recognize a strong and indescribable connection with each of them.  And although these seemed like indicators that the Lord was moving and that we ought to be too, we again heard His distinct voice of wisdom urging us to wait on Him.

It wasn't until October 2015 that we finally were granted an open window of opportunity to share our hearts with one of the decision-makers.  And although the response was a resounding, "Thanks but no thanks," we knew that this conversation was the seed that God would use to take root and eventually bear fruit.  The very next day, something extraordinary happened.  Someone in our community of faith, with whom we had little to no interaction at the time, approached us and shared a vision God had given him about us... and friends, it was a vision of adoption.  "God is going to give you children whose childhood has been taken from them and you're going to teach them how to be kids again, you're going to teach them how to play, and you're going to model the love of Christ for them."  These words, these prophetic words, cut straight to the core of us, and we wept like babies.

These girls have experienced more heartache, more disappointment, and more pain than any seven, eight, and fourteen year old should ever know.  And no matter how hard their parents tried, they simply could not provide the kids with a safe and stable living environment.  As a result, they were removed from their home in May 2013.  Although we all waited in hopeful expectation for their mom and dad to complete their case plans, change their lifestyles, and bring their beautiful children home, after three years they have yet to do so.

Friends, there is no denying that God has so masterfully orchestrated the events of our lives in such a way that His redemption can be known intimately by us all.  And this divine union of familial love is so tangibly laced with the grace of God.  We could not be more grateful nor humbled to know that our lives might be granted the honor of speaking for the lives of these beautiful girls.  Will you join us in raising the needed funds for private adoption as we seek to finally give these girls what they desperately need: permanency and stability found in a unified and loving family?  May the Lord bless all that you set your hand to for the glory of His name. " - Cody and Ashley Swobod

Welcome Pucovsky's to the Promise Love Family!!!

There is no better way to celebrate National Adoption Day, then to announce our next Promise Love Family!   The Pucovsky's are truly one incredible family and we are so excited to be able to introduce you to them!!!  They are Paul (dad), Ivanka (mom), Oksana (5), Neveah (4) and Arabella (3) their newest addition Zaniya (14).

Photo Credit: Deanna Hurley Photography

They currently have a small goal of $3500 to complete what they owe for the adoption of Zaniya which will be finalized THIS MONTH!!!  We need to get this amount raised in just a few short weeks, but with God all things are possible!  Help us get them there, DONATE NOW!! 

After 3 failed domestic infant adoptions, this family wasn't sure where God was leading them, but they knew their hearts were called to adoption and God had a waiting child for them. At a match event for Eckerd Community Alternatives earlier this year, Paul, Ivanka and there 3 beautiful biological daughters attended, they truly learned the need for adoptive placement for teens.  It was there that God sent a young 14 year old girl to follow them around all day.  They really connected with her and felt this may be the child God had for them.  They went home and prayed it over and decided to take a step of faith and start paperwork to bring Zaniya home forever!

She was placed in there home almost 3 months ago and is thriving and has even accepted Christ as her Savior, during this time!  While Paul and Ivanka recognize there is still a long road ahead of healing for their sweet girl, they said the love for her has come immediately.  She is a gift from God to them and during the time Zaniya has been with them, they have begun taking her and many other young teenage girls to church for youth group and mentoring them.   They are currently becoming licensed foster parents as well, so they can take pregnant foster teens in their home.  This family is truly living out what the church is called to do and we feel honored to help them in a small way on their journey! 

We can't wait to see what God has in store next for this family!!!  Welcome Pucovsky's!!!

Welcome Team Boyer to the Promise Love Family!

We are so excited to announce to you our newest family joining the Promise Love Foundation!  Meet Cricket and Josh Boyer and their adorable 4 year old little guy, Blaine.  You are going to love them just as much as we do;-) This family's story has captured our hearts, and attention.  Our goal is to help them raise $20,000 for their private, domestic, adoption of a little girl due in July.  Help make their dreams come true and DONATE NOW 
or by check to:
Promise Love Foundation 
PO Box 47432 
Tampa, FL 33646
**if donating by credit card there is a small processing fee

Not only are they in process to adopt, Cricket is also pregnant with her 2nd child due just one week after their adoptive child is!  She has had many complications so far in her pregnancy and between the medical expenses and the adoption expenses, they really need our help!  We are itching to tell you the whole story, but we are going to let you hear it straight from them!   Please take a few minutes and let your heart be captured by this incredible little family of 3, that soon will be growing by 4 more little feet!!!

Photo Credit - Melanie Porter

"We are Josh and Cricket Boyer. We fell head over heels in love in high school in 2002 and were inseparable throughout college and ever since. Josh and I share the same passion for striving to be the earthly hands and feet of our Lord through our everyday lives at home, work, in the community, and in our church.

In 2007, after being married only a few short months, I started feeling incredible abdominal pain and underwent subsequent surgeries. We were told at that time that children might not be a possibility for us. We were crushed but knew that if the Lord put the strong desire in our hearts to become parents that He could make it happen. And He did! We were surprised to welcome our precious miracle baby boy, Blaine, into the world in May, 2011. We rejoiced at the Lord’s grace and mercy!

However, I endured some complications during delivery and postpartum. We were devastated to be told by four different infertility specialists that I would not be able to conceive a child again. We went through years of fertility treatments, procedures, emotional heartache, and prayer in attempt to defy the odds to expand our little family of three.

Josh and I have always shared the desire to make a difference in the world by opening up ourselves and our home to adoption. During our emotional infertility roller coaster, we felt the Lord really tugging at our hearts that this was the time to make our lifelong adoption dream a reality. We enrolled in the foster program, in hopes of eventually adopting. We spent a great deal of time and effort attending the classes, preparing to become foster parents. Then miracle #2 happened: we discovered we were pregnant! 

We were more overjoyed than words could express. We had prayed for so many years for a miracle. We even prayed for a baby by name: SAM (acronym for Shadrach, Abednego, and Meshach). In Daniel 1-3, the Lord worked a miracle in the lives of these three young Hebrew slave boys. When threatened with excruciating death in a fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol, they replied that their god (Jehovah) was able to miraculously deliver them, but even if He chose not to, they still would place their faith in Him. This Bible story was laid heavy on our hearts while fighting the feelings of infertility defeat. To this day, we still call our unborn baby SAM to remind us of the love, faithfulness, and sovereign grace of our Lord in providing the divine miracle of life inside of me.

Shortly after discovering our second miracle pregnancy, we were presented with the beautiful opportunity to adopt an unborn baby girl. Our hearts swelled as we humbly accepted this perfect gift from God with tears streaming down our faces. The Lord orchestrated this most precious baby to arrive only a week before our due date with baby SAM: virtually twins!

But even while our hearts were overwhelmed with joy, my newly-pregnant body was quickly declining. I was diagnosed with a rare and serious complication of pregnancy at week 5, called Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). I was uncontrollably vomiting and losing so much weight that I was forced to cease my part-time work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant, Massage Therapist, and Homeschool Teacher to Blaine. I became very ill because of my inability to keep liquids or solids down and my body became too weak and dehydrated to independently perform basic self-care tasks. My organs began to fail from malnourishment.

I have since been through quite a lot to sustain this precious life inside of me. I received full-time home healthcare for several months, including 24/7 IV treatments and a medicine pump inserted into my abdomen in an attempt to reduce the vomiting. Unfortunately my dehydrated veins would not withstand the IV needles any longer and my condition became increasingly worse by the day. My HG was crippling. I was then hospitalized and underwent the high risk “last resort” procedure of receiving a PICC line. I was immediately put on Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) which provided full medication and nutrition intravenously, similar to what a coma patient receives.

After several weeks of TPN, I began to make small improvements. Sadly, it was short lived. A sudden decline, high fever, disorientation, and convulsions sent me into the intensive care unit for a week. I had gone into septic shock from an unknown virulent systemic infection. We were told baby SAM and I were fortunate to have survived the attack.

Josh has been picking up as many extra shifts in his work as a Law Enforcement Officer to try to compensate for my lost work wages, childcare costs (I have been too ill to care for toddler Blaine), and the many pregnancy-related medical expenses. He has worked himself to the bone and comes home to be Nurse, Husband, Daddy, Errand-runner, Chef, Landscaper Extraordinaire, Chore-Master, and Boo-Boo fixer. He is our family hero in all aspects of the word. 

We are truly humbled as we continue to seek God’s will while preparing our hearts, home, and finances to nurture and raise three children. We look forward to the day of finally holding our precious “twins,” Blaine meeting his two new siblings, and striving everyday to fulfill Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Although everyone may not feel the tug to adopt as the Boyer's do, anyone can be a part of this by giving towards their $20,000 goal!  We, at Promise Love, want to help them reduce the financial burden so they can focus on getting these babies home.   Thank you so much for being willing to open your hearts to them!  All funds raised go directly to the Boyer's adoption fees. Promise Love Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization.  All donations are tax deductible. 

Help make their dreams come true and DONATE NOW 
or by check to:
Promise Love Foundation
PO Box 47432 
Tampa, FL 33646
**if donating by credit card there is a small processing fee

Dan & Davina's Story

Today is National Adoption Day, which is a day to help raise awareness about the 100,000 + children in foster care that are ready and waiting for forever families.  It's literally the perfect day to share with you our next Promise Love family!!!  Dan and Davina are an amazing couple, and they found out this past Wednesday that they are officially matched with a sibling set of 3 kids.  A 3 year old boy, 2 year old girl, and 1 year old boy!  These brothers and sister are going to get to grow up together with a wonderful family.  If you've read any of our other posts you know how much we absolutely love adoption from the foster system and we are SO beyond excited for Dan and Davina to be their forever parents. I love this little announcement image Davina shared today on her Facebook page.

They agency they are working with is Finally Home Christian Adoption Services, which is a private agency, but also helps match families with foster children who are ready to be adopted.

Dan & Davina are working on raising $7,000 to bring these kids home and that's where we are here to help!!!!  
     With Thanksgiving just a few days away and Christmas coming up, why not give the gift of a forever home to 3 children?  
CLICK DONATE ON OUR SITE AND PUT "DAN & DAVINA" IN THE COMMENT BOX.  YOU ALSO CAN MAIL A CHECK TO THE PROMISE LOVE FOUNDATION: PO BOX 47432 TAMPA FL 33646.  PROMISE LOVE FOUNDATION IS A 501C3 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND ALL GIFTS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. 
      What we do as a foundation is help families raise money, and all donations we pay directly to their adoption agency.  All donations, except credit card processing fees goes directly to Dan & Davina's adoption.  Here's their story, told by Davina:-) ....... 

 How did your adoption journey begin?

Dan and I began our decision to adopt with one purpose: Every child deserves a home where their needs can be met and they can be safe.

Tell us about you and Dan?

We met in 1996, while Dan was in the Marine Corps living in North Carolina, and I was a senior in High School in New Jersey. We married in 1999. The past 18 years together have been full of ups and downs, but through it all we relied on each other to make it and have a great history of working together. Since being a couple we remain best friends and only feel like we are at our best when we are together. We show care and compassion to each other, spending our time together filled with joy and love. We support each other in all endeavors, whether together or as individuals, but mostly we like spending time together with our close friends. We are a great balance as a couple. Dan is a Mr. Fix-it. He is level headed and really thinks though problems. I am excited to try new things and is always willing to help Mr. Fix-it. Mostly, we just enjoy each other’s company and really like to make jokes and laugh. We try not to be too serious all the time. We are a strong family unit that children can only enhance.

Why did you decide to adopt from the foster system?

God told us directly to care for the orphans. We believe that there is an added to joy to life when children are included and always have had a desire to have children. We did try for some time to conceive, but two years ago were told we could not have biological children. I always had an aspiration to adopt a child. Dan took a little longer to come to this decision, but quickly became filled with joy over our decision foster children. We became licensed foster parents in June 2013, and were quickly entrusted with a three day old baby girl. From the beginning, Dan and I knew she would be reunified with her biological parents, but we did not hesitate to treat her as our own. At 11 months old she went back to her family and we were left with an empty nest. I truly enjoy fostering children and mentoring families. This is probably something I will do for a long time. God has given her a heart for young families in trouble. But this comes with a downside. We still want to have children in our home that get to stay with us. We look forward to filling our life with the children that God has already chosen for us. We just need to be patient as we wait for Him to introduce us. At that point we knew that God had chosen us to adopt a sibling group from foster care; there are so many children who need a safe home and siblings need a chance to stay together. 

What do you want to share with these children who will become part of your family?

Looking back at our childhoods we are flooded with happy memories about the times we had with our families. 
     I always looked forward to Christmas morning when her mom, step-dad, two brothers, and sister would gather around to open presents. Mom would always make up names on the gifts so the kids could not peak before Christmas morning, yet she would always forget which child was assigned the different fake names. We would all laugh, as we would open one gift and then have to shuffle the presents to the correct child. 
     Dan’s memories of Christmas include his dad, mom, and two sisters. Each Christmas Eve Dad would light candles and turn on the tree lights as the family gathered around. Then Dad would always take out the Bible and read the Christmas Story. 
     All the holidays, vacations, summer breaks, and weekends were spent together as a family, having fun, and enjoying our time together. As we have become a larger family we have carried over some of these traditions, but look forward to creating even more with the inclusion of children.

What do you look forward to most becoming parents?

Celebrating World Adoption Day 11.9.14

We look forward to opening our home to children that will be a safe environment where all children are loved and respected as individuals.  Their family history will become ours, and we will share the unconditional love that God has given to us with each child He brings to our home. Each child is a unique gift from God with special talents. We want to be able to delight in those talents and be a source of encouragement and education for our children. 

Jennifer and Ryan's Story

This is Ryan and Jennifer.  We have known them for 8 years, and we are so excited that they are now part of the Promise Love Family! Their story is truly amazing and you can be a part of it! They watched us walk through both our foster and adoption journeys, and it is so exciting that they are on a journey of their own! 

Ryan and Jennifer are both in ministry, and have been since 2001 when they got married and began working with students full-time.  Since then, their ministry journey has brought them to Florida where they continue to serve a growing church on the East Coast.  Ryan works as a Worship and Student Pastor while Jennifer uses her gifts in Christian Counseling to help trauma victims. 

It wasn’t that long ago that a visit to the Promise Love Foundation helped them get ready for what God was about to do.  After several visits, lots of long talks, and much prayer, Ryan and Jennifer made a decision to say yes if God provided an opportunity for them to adopt.  Although it had been a long time in the making, the official decision to say yes to adoption was made on a Monday and the very next day God opened that very door!  A young mother was bravely choosing adoption and desired a loving family for her baby, and someone thought Ryan and Jennifer might be the perfect family for that baby.

The day they got the call that the birth mother had chosen them, Jennifer remembers reflecting on her prayer journal from exactly one-year prior.  Exactly a year before, the Lord had given her two very important passages of Scripture while on a trip to the mountains.  The first passage was from Psalms 20: 1-5 which said…

May the Lord answer you [and]…protect you.
May he send you help… and grant you support…
May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the Lord grant all your requests.

And the second verse was Gen 18:10, which read “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Through that verse, God gently spoke to Jennifer about their desire to have a family and in those verses He even provided a name for the son they were believing God to provide.  Jennifer couldn’t explain how, but she came home from the mountains in June 2013 telling Ryan that God had promised a son whose name would be Grant but they would have to wait a year for his arrival.  Imagine their shock and awe when their life-changing phone call came exactly one year to the date of that amazing journal entry

The confirmation came just a few weeks after that first phone call that the baby was indeed a boy!  Now Ryan and Jennifer are walking by faith, trusting God to provide all that they need to bring Baby Grant home from the hospital at the end of this year.  So, Promise Love Foundation is here to help.  We have created an adoption fund for Baby Grant and are now accepting tax-deductible donations.  Ryan and Jennifer recently shared with us that together they have 1,201 friends on Facebook. If each one of those friends gives $20 to Promise Love, then their whole adoption would be covered!  Let’s help Baby Grant find his forever family by all giving a little which will mean a lot! 

Here's how you can give!!!

Click DONATE on our site and put "Jen and Ryan" in the comment box.  You also can mail a check to the Promise Love Foundation: PO Box 47432 Tampa FL 33646.  Promise Love Foundation is a 501c3 Non-Profit organization and all gifts are tax-deductible.  If you itemize your donations seek advice from  your tax accountant.

Our First Promise Love Family - Lisa and Fred's Story

This is Lisa and Fred.  We got connected with them through Facebook when Carrie’s friend Karen saw the launch of the foundation.  She thought they might be a great family to help and we think so too!  They are an amazing couple that is matched with a sibling group of 3 children ages 4, 6, and 7.  Two girls and a boy.  They are adopting these kids from the foster system, which means the children’s biological parents’ rights have been terminated and the children are ready to find a forever home.  May is also national Foster Care month and so this is also very fitting:-)  We immediately fell in love with Lisa and Fred, their hearts, and their story.  It is VERY rare that people are open to siblings, especially 3 kids that are a little bit older.  They will get to grow up together as a family which is so awesome!

Adoption, especially of a sibling group isn’t for everyone, but, ANYONE can get involved and be a part of Lisa and Fred’s dream to become parents and give these kids an amazing family. 

Lisa and Fred's home is a 1390sq ft 1958 bungalow. They need some help turning into a more accommodating space for 3 growing youngsters!  What they are going to do is turn their 1.5 car garage into a master bedroom so that the 2 girls can share what was their room, and the boy can have his own room.  

They need to raise $5,000 for the renovation and that’s where we want to help!
There is a big DONATE button on our site or you also can mail a check to the Promise Love Foundation: PO Box 47432 Tampa FL 33646

It doesn’t matter if you have $1 or $1000 every little bit helps and 100% of the proceeds are going to this project.  It’s also a tax deductible donation for you! 

You can also meet Lisa and Fred at the No More Event THIS Sunday 5/18 at Baylife Church. They will be joining us as we support this awesome event!  We can’t wait to show you their finished space and their new family!!!!!

Here’s their story:

How did your story begin?

Our story began almost 20 years ago when we met, fell in love and decided to build a life together! We figured that once we built our foundation, we’d include children to our family and live happily ever after just like in all of the fairytales.  In life, all tales aren’t so grand and free of complications.  We weren’t able to successfully bear children of our own due to infertility issues, so we sought the alternative to adopt!

How did you and Fred grow up?

Coming from a large family, I’ve always been blessed to be surrounded by children, their laughter, their cries during accomplishments and triumphs and their infectious thirst to learn daily.  I get great satisfaction of being privileged to share those experiences with them. We have volunteered at Metropolitan Ministries, Paint Your Heart Out, HCSO, BBBS (Big Brother and Big Sisters), and Medical Reserve Corp within our own communities throughout the years. We both come from loving and stable families, our Parents have been married for over 40 years, although Fred’s are both deceased now and we understand commitment in healthy relationships. Through good communication, we always talk out our problems, come up with solutions and work past it.

Tell us about you and Fred?

I love watching Fred when he’s helping children with completing a task, showing them various sites at amusement parks, teaching them about history or just having a moment to discuss life with them.  He lights up as they recall how they saw or experienced something that he has shared with them and I always catch his eye when he is in the midst of having his heartstrings tugged by a child.

He often tells me that he knows that children like me because I’m very ‘motherly’ in my job of working with Mentally Ill Adults as well as with all of the children that we’ve been blessed to have in our lives.  However, I remind him of what a big ‘kid’ he is and loves to play!  Fred not only loves children, but he is affectionately nicknamed, ‘Ace Ventura’ due to his extreme love of animals.  If Fred could live in a big open land filled with children and animals, he’d be in his glory.

 I am completely a ‘City Girl’.  Fred grew up in New York and I grew up in Chicago.  He visited his Godparents and other family during summers in Puerto Rico. 

 We both have a very strong relationship with God and plan to introduce that to our children as well so that they’ll know, they’re never alone. We want to build strength in them so that they can turn those obstacles into positive experiences and allow it to help with their moral character and spiritual walk with God.

What do you want to share with these children who will become part of your family?

Though it’s been a real blast being ‘babysitters’, we long to have our own children to teach and show about how wonderful life can be, despite their previous obstacles and challenges.  Our hearts spill over with love that we can give to children that will thrive in a stable, loving and positive family!

What do you look forward to most becoming parents?

We look forward to tucking them in at night, reading bedtime stories, listening to how their day in school went, what field trips they want to go on, watching their eyes glow when we take them to Busch Gardens, taking the dog for a walk with them, shopping for Christmas gifts for them, eating dinner together, helping with homework, so many things and EVERYTHING!  We want to instill in our children a strong work ethic, and that they have the opportunity to do amazing things and make a difference in this world.

In 2 sentences why do you want to adopt?

I’d have to say, “I want our children to know what it’s liked to be loved in a healthy way and give them a chance to know that they DO MATTER!  Most foster care Children express that they feel ‘forgotten’, ‘unloved’ and other negative feelings that just aren’t true at all.

Why did you decide to adopt from the foster system?

We want to adopt children, specifically a Sibling Group since we’d like to give multiple children a chance to stay together, remain a family and grow in a loving, and nurturing environment. 

Want to be a part of making Lisa and Fred's dream come true and giving these kids a forever family?

DONATE on our site or you also can mail a check to the Promise Love Foundation: PO Box 47432 Tampa FL 33646.  All gifts are tax deductible and 100% of proceeds will go to this project!