Every day, we spent at least 15 minutes during our hour with God directed to sit in complete silence, and we were prompted to focus on a singular phrase. Through the 40 days, that was over 10 hours of meditation. Early in the process, I started compiling the individual phrases into a singular prayer, not knowing if it would make sense or flow together. I love what it produced, and I wanted to share it with you all. I hope it blesses you. I'm thankful to have this prayer with me year-round, even though the 40 Day Crucible has finished. The Crucible Prayer Jesus, I believe that with you, the best is yet to come. In all things, I take you at your word to me; so I will rise and go as you tell me, because I want to get well. I trust and declare that You alone are enough. I hear you telling me who you are, and I will not be afraid. There was a time that I was blind, but now and only through you, I can see. I hear you calling me out of my sin and death by name, because you love me. I'm in awe that you created me in your own image, and with your own hands you formed me; and unlike anything else in your creation your breathed your own breath of life into me. I am overwhelmed that you are mindful of me. You hold all things together when I seek You and heed your Wisdom. You are very great, O Lord. Through your sacrifice, the old man is dead and you have made me a new creation. Jesus, crush the lies of the Enemy that will come against me to try to separate me from You. You became the curse of my sin and nailed the curse to your cross; yet sin is crouching still, but You will deliver me. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Your rainbow is your promise, and I trust in You. Above anything the world has to offer, God, I turn to you. I trust in You and what You tell me. I choose to live by faith and love as your image bearer, and not for my own power, control, or glory. I am thankful that You draw near to me. Jesus, cover me with your blood. I will stand still and see all that You are doing in my life.

Brothers, As we come out of the Crucible, this is a simple way to carry forward what God has started. Use this template to draft your personal Rule of Life and post it in the community. Treat it as a living document. Hold yourself accountable. And give yourself grace when you fall short. Men have done this long before us. The Reformers understood something we’ve lost. It wasn’t enough to believe the right things.They ordered their lives around God. Martin Luther built his days around Scripture and prayer, often rising early to meet with God before anything else. John Calvin lived with a steady rhythm of study, prayer, and work. Not driven by impulse, but by consistency. The Puritans carried this further. Men like Richard Baxter and Jonathan Edwards practiced daily devotion, self-examination, and discipline. Not to control their lives. But to align them with God. They weren’t trying to earn anything. They were returning to a way of life that kept them close to Him. A rhythm of seeking God's presence, discipline, and rest. My Rule of Life: Daily - Time with God: 30 minutes every morning before my phone, journal Weekly - Friday fast: Thursday dinner to Friday dinner - Brotherhood call: One 20–30 minute call with a brother - Exercise plan: min 4 workouts per week Food & Drink - Sugar boundary: No sugary snacks or sweet drinks - Snacking boundary: No snacking and no food after dinner - Alcohol boundary: Max 2 times per week, never alone - Self-check question: Am I coping or celebrating? Discipline - Cold shower rhythm: 1 cold shower per week, 2 minutes cold - Media boundary: No social media scrolling Sabbath - Worship in community - What I will not do on Sundays: No work, no rushing, no driving the timeline - What rest and recreation will look like: Slow day, outdoors, family, presence Seasonal - 36–48 hour fast plan: Twice per year - Annual 3-day prayer retreat plan: Once per year, alone, no work or media Brotherhood

When we designed The Crucible inside Forge Tribe, the length was not arbitrary. It comes from a pattern that appears again and again throughout Scripture. In the Bible, 40 days is a period God often uses to test, purify, prepare, and commission His people for what comes next. Before major turning points in God’s story, there is often a 40-day season of pressure, surrender, and transformation. Here are some of the most significant examples: The Flood — Genesis 7:12 Rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights, cleansing the earth before a new beginning with Noah. Noah Waits — Genesis 8:6 After the flood, Noah waited 40 days before opening the ark to see what God had done. Moses on Mount Sinai — Exodus 24:18; 34:28 Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights with God receiving the Law and later interceding for Israel. The Spies in Canaan — Numbers 13:25 Israel explored the Promised Land for 40 days before the nation faced a decision of faith. Goliath’s Challenge — 1 Samuel 17:16 For 40 days, Israel faced the taunts of Goliath before David stepped forward in faith. Elijah’s Journey — 1 Kings 19:8 Elijah traveled 40 days and 40 nights to Mount Horeb, where God renewed his calling. Nineveh’s Warning — Jonah 3:4 Nineveh was given 40 days to repent before judgment. Jesus in the Wilderness — Matthew 4:1–2 Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry. After the Resurrection — Acts 1:3 Jesus spent 40 days teaching His disciples before sending them out to change the world. Across Scripture, the pattern is consistent: 40 days is a season of testing before mission. A season of purification before calling. A season of surrender before leadership. It is the length of time God often uses to reshape hearts before He sends men forward. That is why The Crucible is 40 days. Not as a challenge for the sake of hardship. But as a biblically grounded season of refinement. A time for men to strip away distraction, confront their idols, deepen their dependence on Christ, and emerge ready to live with greater clarity, conviction, and brotherhood.

A lot of it centered on control. I’ve spent most of my adult life in environments where control worked. Take ownership. Drive outcomes. Execute. That mindset has produced results for me in the military, in business, in investing. But this week exposed how easy it is to carry that same posture into faith and relationships. I realized I often confuse clarity with responsibility. If I see a better move, I feel responsible to fix it. If I see potential, I feel urgency to optimize it. That isn’t always love. Sometimes it’s control dressed up as care. Day 7 with Lazarus reframed everything. If the resurrection is true, if the tomb is empty, then history is split in half and neutrality is impossible. If death lost, then the battle has already been won. We are not fighting for victory. We are fighting from victory. That changes how we live. It means faith can’t be inherited or cultural. It can’t just be “I was raised this way.” It has to be conviction. The disciples ran when Jesus was arrested. Then after seeing Him resurrected, they spent the rest of their lives preaching the gospel and died for it. Men don’t die for something they know is a lie. That reality forces the question: if this is true, what in my life becomes unnecessary? What fear loses its grip? What idols lose their power? For me, the big takeaway has been surrender. Not surrendering drive or intensity, but surrendering control. Acting boldly, but from security. Leading, but without trying to architect everyone else’s life. Still processing it. Grateful to be in it with you guys.

We are nearing the end of the first week of the CRUCIBLE! These devotions have hit me hard, and the disciplines have exposed many of my weaknesses. In honor of the Sabbath, we intentionally relax one discipline on Sunday. Of course, our goal is not to go wild, but to intentionally enjoy something that you've abstained from throughout the week. The Sabbath was designed as sacred rest, reordering our hearts to receive God’s gifts with gratitude instead of gripping them with control. Everything we have is a gift from our Almighty God. We should reflect on that as we engage in our choice (see the GIF below for a sneak peak at @Matt Coapman praising the Lord as he gets into his hot shower). I haven't decided what I plan to relax yet. What are you going to enjoy?