I don’t know about you, but when I read stories of fallen mega-pastors or politicians, I always wonder: how did they get to that place? Even though I know the answer is usually the same.
They got there one small step at a time.
Understand that people generally don’t experience a colossal failure out of nowhere. It usually starts with a small compromise, a small slip. And that mistake, when left unchecked, often leads to larger mistakes down the road. That’s why these things are so hard to see coming. They sneak up on you, and then it’s too late.
But here’s the good news: recovery works the same way.
Because it doesn’t have to be a zero-to-60 scenario. You’re not going to go from complete dysfunction or pain to absolute health overnight. Like failures, progress and recovery start with small steps that can lead to massive transformation.
And that’s the principle behind our Live Free Community app.
We wanted to give men an easy, low-barrier way to engage in a healthy, supportive community—to just dip their toes into recovery. Because we figured if we made that first step easy enough, they’d be way more open to taking the bigger ones later.
Now, admittedly, when we launched the app, we didn’t expect much. We saw it as just that… a first step.
But what has blown me away over the past five years is how many stories of incredible transformation have come out of that app.
Guys signing up on a whim.
Downloading it.
And then, years later, experiencing huge gains in their recovery.
Because that small step led to other small steps: joining a support group, seeing a therapist, going to a marriage counselor—the sorts of things you need for real and lasting change.
This is why when we talk about our resources, we don’t think of them as just platforms. They’re lifelines. They’re opportunities for people to engage in the healing process and completely change the trajectory of their lives.
And your financial giving fuels that.
In this video, I share the story of one such man who came to us with considerable dysfunction in his life. But through a series of small steps, he’s not only found a healthy relationship and started seeing real progress in his sexual struggles, he’s also experiencing growth emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.
Your giving makes stories like this possible. Your giving creates opportunities for someone to take that small step into life transformation.
We are only three stories into this email series, but there are thousands more waiting to be told.
So let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep telling the whole story. And let’s work together to make sure that Live Free and XXXchurch is here for years to come to help more people like the man in this video.
Will you help us finish this year strong?
Your gift today helps us go into next year well-prepared and well-positioned to do even more meaningful work. Work that’s going to benefit the lives of thousands of individuals who come to our websites and communities looking for hope.
Thank you for being part of this mission.