Just days before the Atlanta Flood I made a very tough decision to pull the plug on something in Courageous Church that I started and loved called Choose Your Own Adventure. On many levels it was working to impact and change our city, but the timing seemed off. It was doing OK, but wasn’t thriving. I had ideas on how God could breathe new life into it and prayed.
I felt like God told me to pull the plug and restart the initiative in January. I was disappointed, but decided I would rather do what God says to do than anything else.
Just a few days after making this tough decision, our city experienced a once in every 500 year flood. Because I freed up myself and other leaders just a few days earlier by pulling the plug on the program, we were able to respond to an urgent crisis by launching HopeATL!
When you do what God says to do, new doors will open to serve Him!
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It's so awesome when God has plans we don't about but we trust Him enough to be lead by His word and His Spirit. I believe God did the same with Kelly and I. We moved here so I could be a student pastor but quickly realized it wasn't why were here in the first place. God moved us here in preparation for something bigger than just a youth group. He moved us here to change an entore community with hopeATL and all those who are being Jesus to hurting communities whether they are confessing believers or not. I am so glad I listened to God's whisper as you did Shaun, otherwise, we might have never been able to be on this journey with you and all the other loving people we are meeting daily. Thanks for following after God's heart, HE will show you favor beyond compare when we are truly lead by His Spirit and nothing else.
God was obviously ready for you to make an impact before there was even a problem. Working with hopeatl made me realize that when God tells us to do hard things, he is trying to bless us beyond what we can imagine. Thank you for hearing his call, and making a huge impact.
HopeATL has blown me away. It has made such an impact that it seemed your church was a sort of mega church that had all the resources in the world. To find out your not that old and still able to make such an impact and difference is a welcomed reminder that with God you can do anything.
Keep up the good work.
This is a GREAT testimony Shaun! I didn't know about the timing of all of this, but I am SO overwhelmed and overjoyed by God's perfect timing!!!
I love this — I just found your church and I am SO looking forward to reading more! :-)