Thanking God for the Doors He CLOSED!

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Most of my prayers are for God to open a door.  I am unashamed to say that I regularly ask God for ridiculous opportunities and connections and still have childlike faith that He hears me and cares enough to act.

However, I want to thank God today for the doors that He has CLOSED in my life.  As a matter of fact, I am growing to believe that it is precisely because so many doors are now closed in my life that I am more focused than I have ever been on doing what God has called me to do. 

Three weeks ago I pursued a job with a great company that would have really supplemented my income as a church planter.  Over 200 people applied.  25 of us did a group interview.  They narrowed that down to 8 of us in the next round.  Then 3 of us made it to the final round.  They hired the best person…and it wasn’t me. 

Let me tell you why I am thankful that God closed that door to an opportunity that I thought I wanted.  The past 7 days have been the most amazing 7 days in the history of our church plant. 

• Our "$20 and a Prayer" campaign is getting a running start!

• Real people from all walks of life are connecting with our vision for a Courageous Church and are committing to our launch team.

• I received the most incredible invitation to speak to a church staff here in Atlanta.  I am still shocked and haven’t told anybody in case the church changes its mind!

• My friend, fellow UFC fan, church planter, and charter member of the "rough around the edges club for men" of which I am a dues paying member, Gary Lamb, connected with me this week and we’re going to hang out in a few weeks -yeah, come on.

• My "Open Letter to Jesse Jackson" was featured on NPR and on the blog of my buddy Eugene Cho. 

• I created a church planting Wish List with 3 items on it and posted it on The Courageous Church website.  They are HUGE items that are so stupid that only an idiot like me would think someone would give them away.  A great church planting leader that I have never met emailed me today – without even seeing the list, and offered us one of the items.  Tell me that God’s not real and I’ll slap you in the face!  Just too big of a coincidence for God not to have His hand in it!

• 3 or 4 other cool things happened that I just want to be between me and God.

THANK YOU LORD FOR CLOSING SO MANY DOORS IN MY LIFE! YOU ARE SO WISE AND ALWAYS KNOW WHAT I NEED!  Hallelujah! 

Oh my goodness, I feel my inner Pentecostal coming out!  I might just do a Holy Dance!  Nah…this guy did enough for me and him!