The Inspiration Behind the "Unshakable" Project

8/17/2025

This book was born out of friendship, faith, and the kind of life lessons that only come from walking through both triumphs and failures together. For decades, we—Dr. Adolphus C. Lacey and Dr. Rodney S. Lofton—have been more than colleagues or church members; we’ve been best friends and brothers. Our paths crossed in the sanctuary of Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York, and what began as two young men chasing God’s call slowly evolved into a lifelong bond of encouragement, accountability, and shared purpose.

Through countless conversations at kitchen tables, over Sunday dinners, and during late-night phone calls, we found ourselves returning again and again to the life of King David. David was a man who lived with passion, who celebrated mountaintop victories, but also stumbled into devastating valleys. And yet, despite his failures, Scripture calls him “a man after God’s own heart.” That paradox gripped us. How could someone so flawed still be chosen, still be used, still be loved by God?

The answer we discovered became the heartbeat of this project: David embraced growth even in failure. He was never perfect, but he was always teachable. He repented deeply, he learned honestly, and he kept moving forward. In modern terms, David lived what we now call a growth mindset. His story reminds us that failure is not final, and setbacks are not the end—they are classrooms for the soul.

Our inspiration was also shaped by the wisdom of global leadership voices like John Maxwell, whose principle of “failing forward” resonated deeply with us. Both of us have lived long enough to know that failure is not an obstacle to growth but an invitation. Maxwell’s coaching, alongside our own lived experiences as pastor and leadership coach, affirmed that every man—and every leader—must learn to fall with grace and rise with resilience.

We didn’t come to this project as detached scholars. We came as men who have wrestled with doubts, carried scars, and discovered through faith that God is never done with us. Our life experiences—marked by seasons of disappointment, leadership challenges, and unexpected victories—became our own laboratories of growth. Time and again, we saw ourselves in David: misunderstood at times, underestimated by others, yet strengthened by God’s unwavering call.

But beyond our friendship and personal journeys, the truest inspiration behind this project is God Himself. This book is, at its core, a testimony of His grace—a reminder that God calls ordinary men, shapes them in hidden places, and uses even their failures as stepping stones toward destiny. We believe God placed this assignment in our hands not simply to retell the story of David but to invite men everywhere to see their own lives through the lens of growth, resilience, and faith.

This is why we wrote Unshakable: Becoming the Man God Had in Mind. Not to celebrate perfection, but to celebrate progress. Not to paint David as a flawless hero, but to present him as a relatable guide—an imperfect man who, because of God’s love and his willingness to grow, became extraordinary.

Our hope is that as you read these pages, you don’t just learn about David. You see yourself. You hear echoes of your own journey. You discover that your setbacks do not disqualify you, your failures do not define you, and your story is still being written by a God who specializes in redemption.

As Scripture reminds us: “The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). That truth carried David. It carries us. And it can carry you.