“Be strong and courageous.”
Joshua had just become the new leader of Israel, responsible to lead the Israelites to the promised land, when God gave him this command. This verse resonates with so many Christians to this day; it has been reproduced in almost iteration you could imagine: t-shirts, mugs, and yes, even curtains. But it’s more easily said than done, so how can we apply this verse to our everyday lives? Our friend Kiri and the Friendship Group she helps lead at Hope House recently explored this question through our “Choose Courage” online Bible study.
This program is modeled after the example set by Joshua and Caleb in the Bible, outlining what courage means for followers of Christ. Kiri’s Friendship Group at Hope House encouraged members to “Choose Courage” by following an activity in the TOGETHER studies.
After the group discussed courage and shared about times when they had been afraid, the group leader took out two large oven mitts, which represented “God’s hands.” The group members were then asked to reflect on things that make them scared. They wrote these fears down on a piece of paper and placed them in “God’s hands.”
As each person placed their piece of paper in the mitten, they said together, “God will hold you and help you.” Afterward, they prayed for each other, asking the Holy Spirit to direct them.
“This study is truly amazing! Not only did all the ladies have fun but we talked through very deep truths that cause us to be scared or worried and to lay those in God’s hands,” Kiri said. Drawing on Caleb and Joshua’s experiences, this interactive lesson was both fun and healing for the group.
If this sounds like a study you might be interested in, you can explore “Choose Courage” (and our other TOGETHER Bible study programs) at togethersmallgroups.org.
