At StoneBridge, our vision is to see our community transformed by God. We believe that each of us have a part to play in seeing that happen. We believe that as we follow Jesus and become more like Him (Romans 8.29), and are led by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5.25) into the good works He has prepared for us (Eph 2.10) in the places He has sent us (Jer 29.7) we will see His Kingdom come more fully here on earth as it is in heaven.
Below are the stories of a few of our folks who are doing just that. We hope their testimonies will encourage and inspire you in your journey.
If you would like to share your story please reach out to us at kim@stonebridgemarietta.org
Highlands Church
David Scott had worked in vocational church ministry for 15+ years when God put it in his heart to plant a church. At age 40, he and his family made a dramatic shift, left a secure job, and started Highlands Church. He's got some great advice for people who feel God stirring their hearts but are concerned about making a big life-change to do their deal.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
Dwell House Church
Russell and Megan Marshall heard God’s call to leave good jobs and a comfortable house in the 'burbs to develop redemptive relationships at an apartment complex in a transitional area of the city. Russell and Megan share the challenges and blessings of doing what all believers are called to do: Listen to God’s call and follow him in obedience – to love our neighbors and make disciples of Jesus wherever we live, work, and play.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 3
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 3
The Table on Delk
Tina Williford's only qualification for doing her deal was a willingness to say "yes" when the Lord called her to serve sexually exploited women and children on Delk Road near I-75. Her first step was simply to hang out at a gas station and talk to the women there. Now "The Table on Delk" has grown from a once-weekly ministry to five days of offering meals, Bible study, Celebrate Recovery and friendship to souls desperately in need of encouragement, hope and life transformation.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
Acts 6
Richard Wannall really didn't want anything to do with homeless people, but he needed something to do in retirement. He decided to volunteer at MUST Ministries, a local charity that helps the homeless. One day, a MUST client asked Richard to help him replace a lost birth certificate. Richard had no idea how to do that, but he jumped in anyway and figured out the complicated process. When that birth certificate arrived, the man's excitement told Richard he had found something to do that could transform lives: Birth certificates are required to get the state ID that opens doors to jobs, housing, and a host of other resources. Out of that experience, StoneBridge's Acts 6 ministry was born — and Richard realized that helping the poor and homeless is so scriptural that, if he wanted to call himself a Christian, he had to be helping others rebuild their lives and grow in their relationship with God and others.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 5
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 5
Women's Ministry
Jennifer Martin endured a heart-breaking divorce and searched in vain for post-divorce ways to connect with church. But as the Lord redeemed her life, he reminded her of the isolation she had felt and drew her toward organizing ministry events that could help women find community and connect with others who were walking paths similar to theirs. Enrolling in StoneBridge's FIT class confirmed her "deal" and helped her step out in faith — to discover her life changed in ways she never thought possible.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
Go Forth Yoga
At age 18, Norrie Morrison found herself in a place of extreme pain and inability to move. Her physical therapist used yoga poses to help her improve strength and mobility, and Norrie realized her brain was calming down and she could focus better as well. She began to use yoga and Scripture meditation in her time with God. Then the Lord showed her how her painful journey had been preparing her to do her deal: using Christian yoga to enable Christians to have stronger bodies, more aligned hearts, and quieter minds — so they can "go forth" and do their deal.
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 3
12/16/2020
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 3
Chosen Vessels
God broke into Bekah Baxter's world with a revelation about his direction for her life when she was a teenager on a short-term mission trip. Bekah was amazed to see that, more than 5,600 miles from Marietta, God was at work in amazing ways through his people. She began interacting with missionaries, asking them how she could help their work. One group rocked her world when they replied, "We're really just hungry for relationship." Out of that was born Bekah's "deal" — Chosen Vessels, a ministry that provides "member care" for missionaries, as well as assists with projects like summer camps for teens, among other things. Her message for us is that God is at work right around us every day, inviting to join him in what he is doing to transform lives and communities for his kingdom.
3/17/21
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
3/17/21
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
High School Bible Study
Nancy Hutchins' teenage daughter was growing up fast, and Nancy's heart was filled with so many things about faith in Jesus that she wanted to pass along, but, like so many teens, the days already were jammed with activities. Nancy wondered when she could find the time to teach her the things she wanted her to know before heading off to college. She was thunderstruck when her daughter agreed to invite her friends over for a weekly breakfast and Bible study before school. Her daughter is out of the house now, but the Bible study continues as the Lord has given Nancy a new group of young hearts each year. Listen to the excitement and passion in Nancy's voice as she shares how fulfilling it is to discover your deal and see God work through it.
8/17/21
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
8/17/21
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2020 4
Tanzania Community Transformation
Susan Kelly discovered her deal by serving in various ministry opportunities until she found the one God had wired her to do. Then the Lord took her on a journey from one service to another – and along the way she kept discovering more excitement, satisfaction, and fruit in her ministry. At one point, God led her to leave her corporate job and engage full-time as a missionary in the East Africa country of Tanzania. Over the past eight years, as one of our StoneBridge missionaries, Susan has trained Tanzanian believers to show and share the love of God among two people groups where the vast majority of people had never heard the good news of God's love. As a result, dozens of people have opened their hearts to Christ, home discipleship groups have been started, and entire communities have experienced some of the abundant life God's kingdom offers.
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
Business Owner
Brandon Hutchins shares transparently about how God transformed his life as a business leader, leading him to see himself at work as a pastor, rather than a hard-driving boss, and giving him opportunities to encourage young men and business leaders to step into who God has made them to be.
Single Mothers in Crisis
During Greg Tabb's 20+ years in real estate and property management, he has seen the housing struggles faced by single women with children. As he talked with two other men in his small group, who are also involved in real estate, they realized God had given them a similar burden to help struggling families like these, many of whom lived on the edge financially and could easily become homeless. As they researched the hardships facing homeless families, Greg says his eyes were opened and his heart changed. The trio decided their God-given "deal" was to help single mothers in crisis get into stable long-term housing. After dozens of conversations, they began working with the StoneBridge Acts 6 ministry to translate their idea into action. Listen for what Greg says confirmed for him that God was at work in "doing his deal."
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
Mission 1:27
She may have been a teenager, but the Lord spoke clearly to Angie Smith's heart that his "deal" for her was to help people in need. At the time, of course, she couldn't know where that would lead. But when her family began rehabbing an apartment complex to serve low-income single mothers, Angie knew she should be involved. James 1:27 spoke to her about helping "widows and orphans in their distress." While doing her deal has taken different shapes at different times in her life, now Angie has the privilege of leading the Mission 1:27 team to enrich and transform lives in the entire group of communities that has grown from that first apartment complex.
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
Series: Doing Your Deal 2021
The Art of Listening
June Littlepage shares how she was led into her calling as a prophetic artist. Joy and child-like faith have marked her ministry and have opened the door to hearing the Lord in unique ways. Her ministry has touched 6 continents and impacted many lives, simply by being present with people and obeying the Lord in the moment.
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
The Forgotten Initiative
Fresh out of college, Alex and Tess Dykstra found themselves living the “American dream” with good jobs, ample finances, and a spacious home. But God soon made them aware of the enormous need for safe, loving families to care for kids in foster care. He prompted them to use what He’d graciously given them to help kids and families in need. Since then, they’ve had multiple foster placements and have seen God refine and redeem families, and their own hearts, in powerful ways. They’re currently in the process of adopting a son through foster care and are passionate about equipping the Church to serve their local foster community
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
ACHA Mentor
In 2016, at age 29, Katie Brown was faced with a life-altering medical diagnosis. She discovered she had a congenital heart defect that would require open heart surgery in the near future. Faced with both physical and mental adversities, Katie powered through a successful open heart surgery and shortly after, became a peer mentor for the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA). Through this program, Katie has been blessed to walk alongside other individuals facing similar journeys as well as share her own experience and how God was present through it all.
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
Picnics with The Table on Delk
Cris Hunt worked with the children of inmates for five years before becoming a stay-at-home-mom in 2012. Since then, much of her attention has focused on her three kids, but her heart for those less fortunate/with different backgrounds continued to stir. One night she spoke with her daughter and realized that making an impact in others' lives doesn't have to be a grand gesture, so she made some simple plans and wants to encourage you to do the same.
Interviewer: Mark Kelly
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022
Series: Doing Your Deal 2022