What would you do if your church lost a major donation overnight—right after buying a massive building?

That’s exactly what happened to Pastor Josh of Wake Church in Conroe, Texas.

In 2020, Wake Church had the opportunity to purchase an abandoned Kroger grocery store—large enough for a sanctuary, kids’ spaces, and community outreach. The seller agreed to finance the deal, and a generous donor pledged to fund renovations.

Then it all fell apart.

The donor’s business deal collapsed—and the promised money disappeared.

Now the church owned a 40,000 square foot building… but couldn’t afford to renovate it. And they were still paying rent to hold services elsewhere.

That’s when Pastor Josh picked up the phone and started calling banks.

One bank said no. Then five. Then twenty. The reasons were always the same:
Too risky. Too religious. Too complicated.

By the time he hit bank number 50, doubt crept in. Maybe it was time to walk away.
But he didn’t.

He kept calling. 50 turned to 75. 75 turned to 100. And finally—one small bank said, “Maybe.”

That maybe became a meeting.

That meeting became a loan.

And construction began.

In December 2023, Wake Church moved into their new home. At the time, they averaged about 350 people in weekly attendance.

By Easter 2024, over 1,300 people walked through the doors of that former grocery store—now transformed into a house of worship.

The Lesson?

Rejection isn’t failure—it’s often just part of the process.

Great leaders aren’t the most connected or most talented. They’re the ones who can endure pain the longest.

I don’t know what door you’re standing in front of today—but if God called you to it, don’t walk away.

Knock again. Pray again. Ask again.

Because sometimes the miracle isn’t in the first open door—it’s in your willingness to keep knocking when every door stays shut.

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