Testimonies
Testimonies of people who have finished 24 days of The Start Experiment.
Obedience // David Bouchard
David Bouchard Adventure. Risk. What did I get myself into? I didn’t know what to expect when I signed up for the Start Experiment. The pendulum of my life was already starting to swing from ordinary to awesome when I spotted the fateful blog post. I had been focusing my life on listening to God and seeking His guidance. It had become clear that He wanted me to write. He had given me an idea for a book. He had even delivered it in an incredible package. Gift wrapped, with a huge bow on top. Yet I had been refusing to act. I had actually just made the decision to finally start when I found out about the Start Experiment. Is writing an adventure? Is obedience awesome? Although the goal that I shared with others was a specific writing goal, in my head my goal was really an act of obedience. It doesn’t matter if what I write gets published. It doesn’t even matter if anyone else ever reads it. The important thing is to write. Not because of some clever idea I have, but simply because God asked me to. Once the experiment started, I connected with some incredible people. I rediscovered how passionate I can be about the dreams of others. I truly delighted in reading about what the others were up to…whether it was trying to meet the president or attending a yoga class. I rejoiced with every success and encouraged others through every challenge. See, I rediscovered that I’m addicted to life change in whatever form it takes. I discovered that the relationships are much more meaningful than the risks. In addition to all that, though, my simple act of nearly insignificant obedience has resulted in substantial change in my own life. An outsider would notice the change in my sleep schedule. This night owl has been getting up at 5AM for about seven weeks in order to write. If you could look much deeper than that, there is also a rekindled connection with God. I see Him working again. Not just in my life, but in the world around me. I have definitely missed these glimpses. God has done some pretty crazy things in my life. Awesome things. It’s been quiet for too long, though. Now I feel like I’m hitting a spiritual peak at exactly the right time. My wife and I just returned from our third mission trip to Brazil. And at the end of the month, I’ll be a chaplain at our county fair. These times are always full of ministry and God’s presence. More significantly than that, though, my family and I have taken in a 17 year old girl that needs a home. She’ll be living with us as she finishes up her senior year. Like writing, this isn’t a “short term” event. This is a commitment made through love. This is daily obedience, even when it’s hard. God used the Start Experiment to teach me that it’s not only possible, but it’s also important, to disrupt life for the sake of obedience to Him. He often uses the little things that we do every day in order to prepare us for the big things He has planned. God-sized “awesome” is way better than anything I could ever do on my own. So… adventure? Risk? Awesome? Sign me...
Read MoreBigger Dream // Ashley Revely
Ashley Revely In Round 1 of the START Experiment, I was a wallflower. I didn’t buy into the thought of successful community maintenance with strangers via Facebook. I wasn’t even sold on the dream that I was dreaming. Then, in the second round, I decided that it was a “get what you give” scenario. I let myself dream and ended up finding my real dream. I have lost 55lbs in 5 months, and have chosen this START round to ditch the scales and numeric means of tracking progress to be as body-positive as I can. My ultimate goal is to lose 60 more pounds, get my fitness certification, and become a body positive fitness coach. I was encouraged by others to dream bigger. I shared my heart and now it swells with the sense of belonging I now have. I jump around in subgroups and am really active on #STARTsingles, but I love the main group too. While I love the thrill of likeminded individuals, I also glean from dreamers dreaming different dreams. I even found someone doing what I am longing to do, and would have never found her otherwise because her goal isn’t in the same subgroup as mine. I am thankful for the START Experiment. ...
Read MoreInternet Entrepreneur // Sean Nisil
Sean Nisil My risk during the first round of the START Experiment was to move from a hobby blogger to an Internet Entrepreneur. For me, the biggest shift was in how I approach what I’m doing with my blog. In the first 24 days of the START Experiment: I was featured on a large financial blog providing some tips on kids and money. I started a professional network of business men and women on LinkedIn dedicated to pushing their Start risks forward into their careers. We’re now almost 200 members strong. I made a number of great relationships which continue to grow. I interviewed one of my blogging role models, Jeff Goins, and am working with him to set up a book tour in San...
Read MoreDream Career // Brittany Gross
Brittany Gross Technically, my start started three months ago, when I decided to quit my job and move to Nashville to pursue a dream career. When Jon Acuff asked for risk takers, I knew I really didn’t have much to lose, and I was proven right. In the process of accountability, wise words, new friends, mentors and peers, I was able to apply and land a full-time job which uses my degree in radio. As a bonus, I was able to land a part-time job in concerts, which is my dream area of work. Beyond the fact that I achieved my risk, I was able to connect with others in my new hometown and re-ignite old...
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