Caleb Stanley - The Alternative: Awaken Your Dream, Unite Your Community, and Live in Hope

CONTENTS

CALEB

I can remember looking at my teacher, asking, Is this okay? Am I doing this right? All I really wanted was someone to tell me I was doing a good job, to cheer me on and believe in me. I wouldnt be here today without the voice of my parents, who didnt just cheer me on, they told me when I was being stupid, and they placed me around the right people. They showed me what love looked like.

Luke Ayers, you practically bought stock in Waffle House with all of our late-night talks. You taught me what it looked like to live differently, to be passionate, to do hard things. Thank you.

Thanks to my brothers, Joshua and Nathan, who keep things fun when I get too busy. Life isnt perfect, but embrace what you have. I am always in your corner. Love you two.

Thanks to my grandfather, Allan, for showing me how to live a life of adventure, sip black coffee like its water, and tell stories like our lives depended on it. You set a standard for our entire family to love vulnerably, speak intentionally, and champion people even when they are different. Our ministry would look a lot different if you didnt bring all those kids to our first events. I wish more people could have seen how passionate you were about reaching people with the gospel. Im following that. You believed in me more than I ever did, and that gave me the courage I needed to keep going; still does. Thanks for the memories and all the love... see you soon.

At the end of the day, I want those closest to me to know how much I appreciate what they have given me. I couldnt be here without the countless hours served at Alternative gatherings, the speakers carried, the trusses lifted, the money donated, the things people will never know or see. To the Alternative Family, thank you for believing in something bigger than yourself, for embracing dreams, uniting communities carrying hope to those who need it most. Our most exciting moments are still ahead of us. Remember, keep the main thing the main thing and dont miss an opportunity.

AUSTIN

ONLY GOD. This opportunity would not have been possible without the provision God has had on my life. Writing this book has taught me so much on how to overcome our fears and insecurities. For years, writing has terrified me, so I never wrote. I was so insecure about the words I was jotting down in a Word document, thinking they were stupid, that the message I was trying to convey was going to sound dumb to people and they would never enjoy reading my content. But thank God for surrounding me with people who encouraged the heck out of me to just got for it.

To my family: my wife, Rachel, and daughter, Esther; my mother and father, Dina and Buddy; my sister, Amanda; and my grandmother (Mewmaw), thank you for supporting this project from the beginning. Thank you to the people who have walked life with me in years past who have helped strengthen my character for moments like these. And to the leaders in my life who have discipled me, challenging my faith and pushing my focus to Jesus, thank you.

To my friends who are brothers to me: Matt Morris, Luke Lezon, Jordan King. What a crew you guys are. I thank God for bringing you guys into my life.

To Michelle Rogers: thank you for prophesying over my life in 2010; that a movement would be born and that it would impact the whole worldspeechless.

Finally, to one of my best friends, Caleb Stanley. What an honor, lets keep stepping.

The Alternative is about thinking differently. Doing differently. Taking less-traveled roads. Creating your own path. Taking paths of great resistance. And actually making a difference in the lives around us... and the world at large.

If youre interested in joining our mission, or looking for more information on who we are and what we do, go to thealternative.org. There, youll find the latest news on live events, volunteer opportunities, and what were planning next.

And if youre hosting an event and would like to have The Alternative Band play, or want Austin or Caleb to speak to your group, email info@thealternative.org.

You can also follow us on social media:

@ The Alternativee

thealternativee

the alternative ministries

CALEB

Austin and I first met on the side of the road at one oclock in the morning back in 2012, four years before the night I sat writing dreams all over my glass coffee table. Its as crazy as it sounds.

We both grew up in the same small town in Georgia but had never met each other. A mutual mentor kept telling us individually that we needed to connect, but it wasnt until I recognized Austins truck from behind that this meeting happened.

That night, I flashed my lights to get Austin to pull overand he actually did. I introduced myself: Hey, man, my name is Caleb Stanley. I heard you wanted to start something new hereso do I.

And thats how the idea for The Alternative was bornon the side of the road in the early hours of the morning. We were eighteen and nineteen years old, and we were just a couple of dreamers.

We werent entirely sure how to chase our dream of doing something new in our community. Where would we even begin? But we knew this dream was something God wanted us to pursue, and He seemed to be bringing us together so we could pursue it as a team.

In the beginning, we had no plan, only passion. How do you plan for something that you have never done before? We wanted this to be organic. We wanted this to be authentic, and we were willing to sacrifice the five-year plan for a monthly analysis of our communitys need. Investors didnt like this, but it felt right for us.

Planning for something youve never done before is like trying to draw a map of a road youve never traveled. Its uncertain and scary. But theres also something about stepping into the unknown thats exciting. It draws you in and introduces you to new people and new places on your journey toward your yet-unseen destination.

Although there was uncertainty, Austin and I did feel sure of one thing: there was a particular need in our community. We knew our friends and peers needed something to do on Saturday nights. Most had no real plans for the future, no vision for their lives. Ultimately, they had no hope. Some were stuck in destructive cyclesdrug addiction, unhealthy relationships, you name it.

Surely there was something more we could be doing with our lives and our communitysomething positive, productive, and powerful. An alternative. Something that would invite new people in and establish unity.

What if... what if we could focus our vision on all those wasted Saturday nights? What if we could turn the emphasis away from short-lived parties and provide those around us a place to come together and find lasting hope? What kind of difference might that make in our community? In individuals lives? In the world?

We had a dream in our hearts and the desire to chase after that dream, so we made a start, then and there. Many of you reading this may feel the same way. God has put a dream in your heart, but you have no idea how to follow it. You are not alone.

THE COST OF THE DREAM