During my scribing time this morning, I was in Genesis chapter 15, the famous passage of God’s covenant with Abram. Verse 6 says, “And [Abram] believed the LORD, and [the LORD] counted it to him as righteousness,” (ESV). There is a note in my study Bible that reads on this verse, “A person’s faith or lack of it is most apparent in crises such as Abram was facing.” A person’s faith or lack of it is most apparent in crises. I had a moment last week where I had another episode, and was overwhelmed by the frustration of being done with my body giving out on me and being so tired of getting lightheaded and having to stop what I’m doing and sit down and rest, lest I lose consciousness. I remember thinking in that moment how relatively easy it was been to stay faithful and content in my circumstances up to this point, and how my absolute trust in the goodness of God has not at all been shaken. But it has been months and we are no closer to answers. I can’t help feeling like now is when the real battle begins. Now is when my body is continually weakened and the discipline of rest sewn in with all my other goals is going to become paramount. Now is when the real test of character is going to be had. Will I continue to find joy and contentment in whatever the LORD has sought to bring me through, or will my faith waiver and allow me to begin questioning God’s goodness in my suffering? I want to vehemently declare the former, and am ready for the fight that will ensue. But I’m glad I have a community for accountability and encouragement through this process. What is it that is testing your faith in this season?

One question and then I am going to ask you to do something. What is one thing that happened this week that actually mattered? Not a highlight. Something real. Could be something you did. Something you felt. Something you finally said or finally stopped saying. I will go first in the comments. Then I want to hear yours. Drop it below. This room is for real things.

I want to try something different this week. Instead of asking you what your goal is or what your thing is, I want to ask you something harder. Think about the best version of yourself. Not the Instagram version. The real one. The person you are when everything is clicking, when you are living with intention, when you feel like yourself. Now be honest. What is the biggest gap between that person and who you are showing up as right now? Not a goal. Not a resolution. A gap. Name it here. One sentence. I will go first in the comments. Then I want to talk about it this week.

This month in The Arena, we're doing one thing. Naming it. Your goal. Your dream. Your obstacle. Out loud. In public. To this community. Because vague is safe, and safe doesn't change your life. Week one starts now. Drop your thing below. One sentence. Name it.