Hey friends! Welcome back to Strong and Courageous!

Have you ever faced something that felt too big for you?

Maybe it was a hard test at school, a fight with a friend, or something scary happening in your family.

Sometimes we face situations that make us think, “I don’t know what to do!”

That’s exactly how a man named King Jehoshaphat felt when his enemies surrounded him. But instead of panicking… he started praising.

King Jehoshaphat was the ruler of Judah. One day, messengers came running to him with terrible news:

“King! A huge army is coming to attack us! There are too many to count!”

The king could’ve freaked out — but he didn’t.

He called everyone together and prayed out loud:

“God, we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

And you know what? God answered.

Through one of the prophets, God said,

“Don’t be afraid. The battle isn’t yours — it’s Mine.”

So the next morning, Jehoshaphat got everyone ready — but he didn’t put the biggest soldiers in front.

He put the worship team!

Imagine that: instead of shields and swords, they marched out with music and praise.

They sang,

“Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever!”

And as they praised, something incredible happened —

God confused the enemy armies, and they started fighting each other!

By the time Jehoshaphat’s people arrived, the battle was already over.

They hadn’t even lifted a sword.

God had completely fought for them!

Thankfulness isn’t just for after the battle — it’s a weapon you can use in the battle.

When life feels hard, don’t just worry — worship.

When you don’t know what to do, thank God anyway.

Because when you choose praise over panic, you make space for God to move.

Remember: the same God who fought for Jehoshaphat fights for you, too.

Hey friends! Welcome back to Strong and Courageous!

Have you ever shared something small — like half your sandwich, a few dollars, or some of your time — and later realized it made a big difference?

Sometimes the little things we do for others open the door for big miracles.

That’s exactly what happened to a woman in the Bible who decided to bless someone with what she had.

There was a woman who lived in a town called Shunem. She and her husband didn’t have much, but they were kind and generous.

One day, a prophet named Elisha came through their town. He often traveled around teaching people about God, and the woman noticed he didn’t have a place to stay.

So she invited him in for a meal. Every time he came through town after that, she made sure he had food to eat.

Then she had an idea — she told her husband, “Let’s build a little room on the roof for him! We can put in a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp so he has a place to rest.”

It wasn’t fancy, but it was what she could offer — and she gave it gladly.

Elisha was so touched by her kindness that he prayed for her to be blessed.

He told her she would have a baby boy — something she never thought could happen.

And just like that, God did a miracle!

Years later, that same child became very sick and died — but the story doesn’t end there.

The woman didn’t give up. She went straight to Elisha and said, “I know God can fix this.”

Elisha prayed over the boy, and God brought him back to life.

A double miracle — all because one woman used what she had to bless someone else.

When you bless others with what you have, God can do more than you ever imagined.

You don’t have to be rich or have everything figured out — just be willing.

God can turn small acts of kindness into big miracles.

Hey friends! Welcome back to Strong and Courageous!

Have you ever seen someone get something you wanted — maybe your friend got a new phone, someone else got picked first, or a classmate got a higher grade — and you felt that little twist inside that says, “Why not me?”

That feeling is called jealousy. And if we’re not careful, it can steal the joy and thankfulness right out of our hearts.

In the Bible, there were two brothers named Cain and Abel.

Both wanted to bring an offering to God. Abel brought his very best — the best parts of the firstborn animals from his flock.

But Cain only brought some of his crops — not his best.

God was pleased with Abel’s gift, but not with Cain’s, because Abel gave with a thankful heart.

When Cain saw that God accepted Abel’s offering and not his, jealousy started to grow inside him. Instead of asking God how he could do better, he got angry.

He compared himself to his brother instead of being grateful for what he had.

That jealousy grew and grew — until one day, it turned into something terrible. Cain hurt his brother, and his jealousy cost him everything.

If Cain had stopped and said, “God, I’m sorry. Help me give You my best next time,” things could have been so different.

But jealousy blinded him to what really mattered — his relationship with God and his brother.

Jealousy blocks gratitude.

When you’re focused on what someone else has, you forget how blessed you already are.

Instead of comparing, celebrate.

Be thankful for your gifts, your journey, and your blessings — because God made them just for you.