Punch Fear in the Face & Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!

This week, and every week, I want to encourage you to punch fear in the face and live fearlessly with your eyes locked on Jesus!

I’ve been doing the Rise & Reign Challenge, and I’m currently on Day 21! When I first started, I honestly thought I’d be deep in the Word with tears pouring out every day, and that’s exactly how the first few days went. But something unexpected happened...

On Father’s Day, God began planting dreams in my heart about my Kingdom assignment, this ministry. It was like oil to my soul. I had been feeling stuck in the mundane, and suddenly I was burning bright again. Since then, I’ve been dreaming wildly with God and putting in the work. It’s been beautiful!

But then... fear hit. Like a tidal wave. It smashed down on me like a massive weight, and I wasn’t ready for it.

Every time it hit, I would pause, open my Bible, and read a chapter or two. That would calm me, temporarily. But the fear didn’t stop. It came in waves. Over and over. Until one day I realized: I had started staring at the waves instead of Jesus.

And that’s when the “what ifs” crept in:

• What if this doesn’t work?

• What if I fail?

• What if I heard God wrong?

• What if I’m not enough?

It was awful. Heavy. Paralyzing.

Then this past Sunday, I was at church, standing at the front, and this sweep of peace came over me. I looked beside me, and my pastor was standing next to me. Moments later, he went up to speak, and guess what he preached on?

The Sabbath.

He said something that hit me hard: “We often view the Sabbath as something God makes us do, but God isn’t forcing us. He’s inviting us to desire it.”

That was a gut punch... because I’d already been feeling convicted about not truly honoring the Sabbath. Yes, it's built into the Rise & Reign Challenge. But honestly? That’s where I’ve been struggling the most.

And then God connected the dots for me: I’m sinking because I haven’t been Sabbathing.

Just like Peter, who walked on water until he took his eyes off Jesus, I had let fear steal my focus. I still spend time with Jesus daily, yes. But I haven’t been setting aside a true Sabbath. A holy, focused, undistracted day to just be with Him. And that’s the piece that’s been missing.

So this week, I’m going all in. I’m going to Sabbath, fully and freely. I’m going to rest, fix my eyes on Jesus, and declare Kingdom Confidence right over the very places fear has tried to creep in.

Because the truth is: fear loses when our gaze stays on Jesus.

If you’re feeling like the waves are crashing in, maybe it’s not about working harder or doing more. Maybe it’s about resting. Stopping. Sitting with Jesus. And remembering that your peace and power comes from His presence, not your performance.

So take a Sabbath this week. Carve it out. Protect it.

And remember: you’re not sinking, you’re just one shift away from walking on water again.

Praise Report!

I took my Sabbath day, and let me tell you, it was hard at first. Slowing down felt unnatural... but little by little, I leaned into it. And it turned out to be so beautiful. I had so much Jesus time, real rest, and stillness. I woke up the next morning feeling refreshed, light, and full of peace.