Living on the Edge

When Shawnalee Wilborn’s Unfinished video story aired in February, we met a woman who was ready to step up and speak out about God’s faithfulness in her life. As she shared in her video, Shawnalee left a toxic marriage after years of abuse and soon after began attending Pathway Church with her young daughters, Elitie, Emlyn, and Emeri. Though she intended to blend in and sit comfortably, a Pathway greeter named Jim went out of his way to make Shawnalee and her family feel loved. The impact his friendship made has had a snowball effect.

During the Unfinished series, Shawnalee felt the Holy Spirit strongly leading her to commit financially and to trust God’s plan even when it meant putting her story out there for all to see. “I didn’t commit to this large amount of money and see a big check in the mail, win the lottery, or have something miraculous with dollar signs happen in my life,” Shawnalee said. “In fact, satan has been in full attack mode since the day after I committed to Unfinished—it’s been pure ugliness.”

In the months since her commitment and video, Shawnalee has faced many struggles and unknowns. Her resolve and determination have only grown as she’s felt God move in her heart and life. “My God is bigger than anything satan can throw at me,” she said. “I live in perfect peace knowing every day we have a roof over our head, food in the fridge, beds to sleep in, and clothes on our bodies. When I wasn’t sure about some things, God moved in other people’s hearts to bring us peace. I’ve been able to privately help others who are in the middle of a violent relationship find resources to escape. I’ve had the joy of praying and trusting harder than I ever had before. I would much rather live on the edge—out of my comfort zone—trusting fully in the God who brought me here than to ever be in a safe space again. You have no idea what
you are capable of experiencing until you let God show you what He created you for.”

She encourages others to take the leap which she knows is anything but easy and may even feel like a dangerous risk. “Never once has God failed me in my entire life. Not once has my God left me alone. Why on earth would I believe the lie that He would leave me now?”

“God doesn’t need our money,” Shawnalee shared, “He yearns for our hearts.”

By Jess Lindsay | Photo by Cassie Johnston