What makes someone truly brave? William Wallace, Scotland’s 13th-century national hero, led his outnumbered army to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, proving Scotland could defeat the mighty English. The movie Braveheart immortalized his courage with the famous line: “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” The film won five Academy Awards and made more than $209 million worldwide. But here’s the thing—parts of the movie were made up. We don’t know if Wallace actually said those lines, and the movie’s climactic battle scene didn’t happen in an open field (it would have been a massacre). The real battle occurred on a narrow bridge. I’m taking you back to what I believe is the original braveheart—a man whose story is completely accurate and should be made into a movie. His name is Abraham. This story in Genesis 14 shows more about Abraham’s greatness than any other part of his life, revealing how we, too, can be bravehearts. The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Now these things occurred as examples …” (1 Corinthians 10:6, NIV). God is great and wants us to be great. The secret to greatness? Every day, follow God’s way. See how burden, battle, and blessing work together to build the courage you need for the life God’s calling you to live.

Have you ever made a promise to stick with something 100% only to cave at 98%? Clayton Christiansen, the famous Harvard Business School professor, taught that it’s easier to hold your principles 100% of the time than 98% of the time—because at 98%, you’re constantly debating whether “this time” is the exception. Abraham discovered this truth the hard way. God had called him to leave everything behind and follow Him to a new land, promising to bless him personally, nationally, and globally. Abraham packed up and obeyed, mostly. He took his nephew Lot when God said leave everyone, and when famine hit the Promised Land, he panicked and fled to Egypt without asking God. What started as faith turned into doubt, and doubt is simply forgetting God. Every time Abraham dropped from 100% trust to 98% trust, he made decisions that nearly cost him everything. It cost his integrity, his wife, and his witness. When doubt knocks at your door, let God answer. Discover three ways doubt attacks your faith, and how to let God answer every time. Understand how forgetting God happens in stages, so you can catch yourself before you lose your integrity, your peace, and your witness.

Who were Jesus’ favorite Old Testament heroes? If you guessed Moses, you’d be right—Jesus mentioned him 25 times. But number two might surprise you. Abraham, referenced 17 times, appears in Jesus’ teaching nearly as often. Why did Jesus love talking about this man? Because Abraham shows us a relationship with God that doesn’t start with our searching for Him, but with His grace finding us. Three thousand years before Jesus walked the earth, God spoke to a 75-year-old idol worshiper living in present-day Iraq and gave one command: “Go.” Abraham didn’t know where he was going, why he was going, or what would happen when he got there. But he knew who was telling him to go, and that was enough. Every time you trust God’s word and obey His will, you discover what Abraham learned—that when you walk with God, He shows you things you could never see standing still. Learn the three steps that take you from where you are to where God wants you to be.

What if the most important meal you’ll ever eat isn’t about satisfying physical hunger but remembering spiritual salvation? Three thousand years ago in Egypt, Jewish families smeared lamb’s blood on their doorposts so God’s angel of death would “pass over” their homes. One thousand years later, Jesus transformed that ancient Passover meal into something far more personal. He established the Lord’s Supper. In it, He showed that He was the ultimate Passover Lamb and His blood would cover the sins of all who believe. Because of His death and His shed blood, a holy God can pass over your sins. This isn’t a funeral; it’s a celebration of the One who is alive. Every time you take this meal, God invites you to remember and appreciate what happened, examine what’s happening, and anticipate what’s coming.

In the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evilfree. As one author wrote, “I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity.” Throughout our study of Elijah, we’ve seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused with the good life. While the good life might avoid evil, ignore it, or let others deal with it, those living the God life don’t have that option.

What happens when you trust the wrong guide? While driving through northwest Indiana, a man named Iftikhar Hussain drove off a ramp to a bridge that no longer existed, killing his wife Zohra. Police believe he ignored numerous barricades including orange barrels, cones, large “Road Closed” signs, and concrete barriers, all because he was listening too closely to his GPS. His wife died not because a bridge was out but because her husband made the wrong decision. The story is a heartbreaking picture of what life is really about. The force of your life and the course of your life are defined by your decisions. You are where you are, who you are, and what you are right now because of your decisions. Dr. Seuss said it best: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” In Genesis 13, we meet Abraham’s nephew Lot, whose name fits perfectly. He had a choice between two lots of land and chose the wrong lot, and it cost him a whole lot. The story teaches us about pre-decisions, meaning those decisions you make before you make “the decision.” When you make good pre-decisions, you’ll stick to your convictions instead of caving to your circumstances. See how your problems reveal your priorities, your priorities drive your decisions, and your daily practices determine where those choices take you.

It is the worst drought in biblical history: 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or not) that only God can get us out of drought. Through one of the most famous prophets in the Old Testament, you see how you, too, can live the God life—a life that is pure, powerful, and prayerful. You can see God work in your family, at work, and in your future because the secret to a powerful life is a prayerful life.

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, “God, where are you?” “Do you even care about me?” “Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?” If so, you’re following in the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survived a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt in the eye. Maybe you’ve followed God and lived according to His Word, but the economy crashes, you lose your job, or the marriage ends. What do you hold on to when doubt feels stronger than belief? Watch how Elijah walks through the valley of despair to the other side of doubt, remembering one timeless truth: If you trust and obey, God clears the way. As you trust God, you discover His promise, provision, providence, and power.