People have asked me
"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity." - Lou Holtz
People sometimes ask how my faith became so strong. The question always startles me, because I rarely step back to analyze it—I just try to live it in real time. Yet when I look over my shoulder, a few clear milestones emerge.
Humble Beginnings
As a new believer my faith was fragile. I didn't know how to "stand on God's promises" or pray through—to stay on my knees until His peace settled over me like confirmation. I couldn't tell the difference between praying with faith and praying for faith. In short, I loved God but barely knew Him.
Immersed in the Word
Everything shifted when I began soaking in Scripture—especially the Psalms. David's songs painted a vivid portrait of God's heart, and his pattern of praying, believing, and waiting expectantly became my model.
I devoured the Old Testament prophets too, begging God to give me the faith of Elijah and Elisha. Little by little, the Word renewed my mind, expanded my view of God, and deepened my trust in His character.
The Furnace of Trials
Study alone wasn't enough; life supplied plenty of laboratories. Physical, emotional, and spiritual trials kept driving me to the edge of myself—and into God's arms. In those moments I chose, by sheer will, to stand on His promises whether I felt them or not. Repeated battles forged spiritual muscle memory.
A Gift Bestowed
Somewhere along the road—perhaps fifteen years ago—God entrusted me with the gift of faith. It didn't replace disciplined study or hard‑won perseverance; it crowned them. By then I'd walked with Jesus for decades, memorizing, meditating, and applying His Word through every season.
Looking Back
The sweetest times with God have often been the hardest ones, when His presence washed over my pain like a warm, healing rain. Experience taught me His love; Scripture taught me His nature.
So when people ask the secret behind strong faith, I answer simply:
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Stay in the Word.
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Choose to believe—feelings or no feelings.
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Hold fast through trials; they're classrooms of trust.
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Remember: great faith costs something, but it's worth the price.
That's the path God used to grow my faith, and the same path He offers to anyone who's willing to walk it.