In this devotional from the Joshua series, Pastor Mike Woodruff opens with a disarming story — a four-year-old lying awake, convinced wolves were lurking outside the window. No wolves were ever there, of course. But the fear was real. The only thing that changed when his mom came in wasn't the situation — it was who he chose to trust.

That simple childhood memory becomes a powerful lens for understanding one of Joshua's central themes. Joshua faced enormous challenges — a river crossing, battle after battle, leadership crisis after leadership crisis. And yet the message he kept receiving wasn't "don't be afraid." It was "be strong and courageous" — because God was with him. The fear was real. The call was to trust anyway.

Pastor Mike turns the question on us: What's your Jordan River? What feels uncrossable right now? Financial pressure, relational tension, fear of losing a job, parenting stress — whatever it is, the invitation is the same. Name it. Admit it to yourself and maybe to a trusted few. And then hand it over to God.

As Dallas Willard said, faith isn't wishful thinking — it's confidence grounded in reality. It's trusting that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do.

Fear looks out the window for wolves. Faith chooses to trust the Father.

📖 Series: Joshua — A Devotional Study 🎙️ Pastor: Mike Woodruff 📌 Scripture Focus: Joshua 1 | "Be strong and courageous"

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Be Strong and Courageous: Choosing Faith Over Fear