The story of Shepherd's Haven began with a meeting of a small group of Christian parents. The common bond between this group of parents was that each had a child who was mentally challenged. For Shelby County alone, that meant nearly 30,000 people could possibly use their help. They also considered what might happen to their own children as they, the parents, grew older and could no longer care for their children. They prayed and asked the Lord for wisdom and discernment.