The Journey to Jubilee

 Dear Friends and Family,

This dream has been stirring in my heart since 2013. Back then, it was just quiet moments during prayer where I'd sense God nudging us toward something bigger. My wife and I would find ourselves constantly talking about it—over our morning coffee while the kids were still asleep, during those late-night conversations when we'd dream out loud, after worship services that left us both feeling like God was preparing us for something more.

Those whispers have grown impossible to ignore. What started as gentle promptings have become a fire we can't shake. God is calling our family—all six of us—to step out in faith and plant Jubilee City Church in Lower Alabama. 

More specifically, in Daphne, Alabama!

I'll be honest, the thought of starting from scratch both terrifies and thrills us. We've seen what happens when communities gather around God's Word with open hearts and expectant spirits. We've experienced the power of believers praying together, seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance, and watching Him move in ways that leave us speechless.

That's what we're dreaming of for Jubilee City Church. Not just another Sunday gathering, but a place where people encounter the living God. Where Scripture comes alive in our daily struggles and celebrations. Where we pray with the kind of faith that expects miracles and sees them happen.

Our kids often ask us about when we are moving, and we've finally got an answer: June 3rd and 4th. We're still figuring out some of the other details, but we know this much: God has planted this vision so deeply in our hearts that we can't imagine doing anything else. Lower Alabama, here we come.

Our vision is: to create a place where the people of "Lower Alabama" discover true freedom in Christ, authentic family connections, and God-given purpose.

A Season of Preparation

Looking back, we can see God's hand guiding every step of this journey. We were settled and content—serving on staff at a church we loved, living in the home we cherished, and raising our three beautiful children (or so we thought until the Lord blessed us with one more little boy to love!). 

But God had different plans.

When baby number four was on the way, the Lord had already been speaking to Sarah about becoming more present at home and to help more in ministry after 15 years in her role at a private Christian school. He was calling her to be more available to our home and children, recognizing that this is our first ministry—the foundation from which everything else flows. Simultaneously, He prompted us to sell our beloved home and downsize to a smaller villa "for a season." Shortly after moving, God called me out of youth ministry—a transition that, while challenging, created space for tremendous growth.

Our kids have been watching through all of this, seeing us walk out obedience even when it's hard. They've witnessed late-night conversations about selling the house they loved, watched Mom leave a job she was passionate about after fifteen years, and seen Dad step away from the youth ministry where they had literally grown up—the only church home they'd ever known. Change is hard, especially when it touches everything familiar, but they've also seen something beautiful unfold before their eyes.

They've watched us choose faith over comfort, trust over security, and hope over fear. They've seen tears and uncertainty, but also prayers answered and doors opened in ways we never could have orchestrated ourselves. As my wife says often, "hard and holy go together"—and our children are learning firsthand that following God's voice sometimes means embracing the difficult path because we trust it leads to His best. They're discovering that the temporary discomfort of change is nothing compared to the joy of walking in God's will.

What started as upheaval in their young lives is becoming a testimony they'll carry forever—that God is faithful, that His plans are worth every sacrifice, and that sometimes the most beautiful chapters of our story begin with the hardest decisions we'll ever make.

That villa became hallowed ground where God spoke clearly about our future and His calling on our lives. In that smaller space, with fewer distractions and Sarah fully present with our growing family, we discovered that downsizing our circumstances had actually enlarged our capacity to hear from God. The very place we thought was temporary became the sacred space where He prepared our hearts for everything that was coming.

The Confirmation

The desire to plant a church was first placed in my heart back in 2013—a moment I'll never forget when I felt the Lord whisper that one day we would start a new church. It wasn't dramatic or flashy, just this quiet, persistent knowing that settled deep in my spirit. For eleven years, I carried that promise like a seed, not knowing where it would take root or when the season would come. There were times I wondered if I'd heard correctly, times when the dream felt so distant I almost forgot it was there.

Then came October 2024. I was attending a conference in Dallas, and something drew me to visit UPPERROOM to spend time in prayer. As I sat there, surrounded by the hum of intercession and worship, the Lord spoke to me with a clarity that took my breath away: it's time to start.

Those four simple words landed in my heart like lightning, illuminating everything I'd been carrying for over a decade. In that sacred moment, the whisper from 2013 suddenly made perfect sense. The waiting, the preparation, the season of unknowing—it had all been leading to this moment when God would say "now."

Those four words have changed everything for us. They've turned a distant dream into an urgent calling, transformed years of wondering into months of action. Sometimes God's timing unfolds slowly, and then suddenly—after eleven years of waiting—He speaks one sentence that sets everything in motion.

Even more remarkable, exactly two years ago on June 3rd, the Lord gave me a dream that felt so vivid and clear—a dream revealing that we would be moving in two years to plant a church. I remember waking up that morning with such certainty, though honestly, the timeline seemed both impossible and perfectly orchestrated by God.

As we've taken each step in obedience—saying yes to His call even when we couldn't see the full picture, praying through decisions that felt bigger than us, finding a home where we could begin building the kind of community we'd dreamed of—I've watched God's hand guide every detail. There were moments of doubt, times when the path seemed unclear, but His faithfulness never wavered.

Now, as we pack our lives into boxes and prepare to move to Daphne this June, I'm overwhelmed by the precision of God's timing. Two years to the month from that life-changing dream, we're stepping into the very future He showed me in the quiet of that night. It's humbling to see how He plants seeds in our hearts long before we're ready to understand them, and how His promises unfold exactly as He intends—not a day early, not a day late. This move isn't just about changing our address; it's about walking into a calling that began with a whisper from heaven years ago.

Our Next Steps

After receiving confirmation that Daphne, Alabama, was our destination, we made the leap that faith sometimes requires—we sold everything we could. It was both terrifying and exhilarating, watching our familiar life get packed away as we took these tangible steps toward what God had called us to. There's something profound about putting your possessions on the market; it forces you to hold loosely to the things of this world and grip tightly to His promises.

What makes this journey even sweeter is that our dear friends, Corey and Desiree Penrod, felt the same stirring in their hearts. When they told us they wanted to join us in this mission, I nearly cried with gratitude. There's something beautiful about not walking into the unknown alone, about having friends who are willing to uproot their own lives because they believe in the same vision God gave us.

Together, we're preparing the way for Jubilee City Church, dreaming of what it means to become a beacon of hope and restoration in Lower Alabama. We talk late into the night about the families we'll serve, the community we'll build, the lives that might be transformed. It feels bigger than us, and yet so deeply personal—like we're planting seeds that will grow into something beautiful for generations to come. This isn't just about starting a church; it's about being part of God's story of redemption in a place He's specifically called us to love.

How You Can Partner With Us

As we embark on this faith journey, we need your support in two specific ways:
Prayer: Please become prayer warriors surrounding our family, the Penrods, and this church plant. Pray for God's provision, protection, and guidance as we establish Jubilee City Church in Lower Alabama.
Financial Support: The reality is that ministry requires finances. Please consider if the Lord is leading you to support this new ministry. Your contribution will help Jubilee City take off and become a place where people find freedom in Christ! You can give today by going to GiveToJubilee.com!

It's wild to think we officially head to Daphne June 3rd! If the Lord is leading you to give to this vision and mission, we would be grateful for your support! 

We are humbled and excited to see how God will use this new church to transform lives and bring glory to His name.

With grateful hearts,

Pastor Aaron & Sarah Hall