Who you know..

In the summer of 2010, I was balancing 2 full time jobs.  I was a stay at home mom by day and  Children's Pastor by night.  I worked late nights while the kids were in bed, prepping for the coming weekend.  To stay awake I discovered audiobooks.  I heard about this guy who wrote a blog called "Stuff Christians Like" and thought I would start with his book.  During the day  I couldn't wait to get the kids in bed so that  I could get back to listening to my "friend" Jon Acuff read -I felt like I grew up with the guy-it was like he was in my own youth group!

I began following his blog and anticipating his next books "Quitter" and "Start."

I am convinced that Jon Acuff and I are very similar...and his wife and my husband are very similar.

Acuff and I have our heads in the clouds at all times, dreaming of what could be and if it were not for our spouses, we would probably be living in a van down by the river. (Oh yeah I did just make a Chris Farley reference.)

I have grand dreams of what I would like to be when I grow up and Jon has dedicated his life to use his experience to coach people like me to pursue our passions and punch fear in the face!

I have taken part in monthly experiments in which he emails daily assignments that push those of us taking part in  the group to be strategic and take creative next steps in the direction of our dream. 

Fast forward to 4 years later, I was sitting on the floor of the Gwinnett Center,  putting together bundle packages for the Orange Conference, when a young couple, Kevin and Leah sat down with me and began to help.  We chatted about how Kevin was a new hire for ReThink and was new to Atlanta and to Orange.  Naturally, I asked him how he got hired and he told me that Reggie Joiner had text him and asked him to have dinner with him...

I joked with him about it-  "Oh yeah.."  I said, "Reggie texts me all the time, too!"    Kevin told me that a friend had referred Reggie to get connected with him about this position.  It was all very general info-no specifics.

We laughed  together and continued stuffing bags.

For the next hour, I told them about how I was there as a part of Jon Acuff's "Hustle Experiment" and told them all about how it worked.

They kept looking at each other with smirky smiles. 

I began getting  the impression that they knew something that I did not know.... during the conversation, I noticed Kevin was texting with someone and then his phone rang.



It was Jon Acuff.


Um... are you there God?  Its me Leslie!


Kevin told Jon about my story and the next morning I was able to meet the guy who was helping me to face all my biggest fears!

God is creative.  Who know that I would get to share my own story with a couple I didn't know and in return...I would be able to meet the guy who pushing me to do the things that lead me to that very moment...

God did.

So yeah... that's my Jon Acuff story.