You did it. You put in the work, logged the miles, and dove deep into the Word. That surge of pride and accomplishment is SO sweet. 

But have you ever battled through a challenge only to watch your goals slip away a week after finishing? 😭

Ouch. 

It hits hard and minimizes all the great effort you put in. Makes you wonder why you even bothered in the first place. 

And to rub salt in the wound, you look over and see someone else living the life you wanted. 😤Well, the life you had, but only for a bit before it slipped away. They’re enjoying health, intimacy with God, freedom in body and spirit – all the things you worked so hard for. 

Suddenly you’re on the outside looking in again, wondering what happened. 

How do you hold on to that hard-earned victory and keep the momentum going for a lifetime? 

Let me encourage you – it’s not out of reach! Thousands of my Christian walking challenge participants still exercise and spend time with the Lord daily after completing their challenge. 

Here’s how they did it. 

Jesus Habits 

I’ll be honest with you. When you signed up for your first challenge, my goal was never to get you to the 40-day mark. My hope is to get you much further – to create life-long habits aligned with the heart of Jesus. 

What are Jesus habits? They are habits Christ practiced in His life on earth. They’re tools to keep our hearts laser-focused on Him. 

Why are Jesus habits important? Think about it this way. If Jesus Himself – the holy and perfect Son of God – fought to maintain them, how much more should we – broken and desperate sinners – fight to protect them? 😅

Here are some habits Jesus practiced: 

• He protected alone time with the Father. 
• He pulled away to nurture His heart. 
• He grounded Himself in the Word. 
• He didn’t engage in drama, focusing solely on what the Father called him to. 

When Jesus habits become a regular part of daily life, your thoughts, actions, and desires align with God’s will. 

Now that you’ve built a solid foundation with my 40-day Christian walking challenge, you face a question: Is the growth and freedom you experienced in these 40 days worth keeping? 

The answer is “YES!” He is worthy of every second, every ounce of energy, every breath, everything. After all, He’s the One who gave it to us. 

Let’s break down a few practical ways to keep your Jesus habits up. 

Don’t Take a Break After Your 40-Day Christian Walking Challenge 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about celebrating your achievement! 40 days of walking/running and devotions is no small accomplishment. 💪 You built a solid foundation of daily exercise and time in the Word, and you’re reaping the rewards. 

But now is not the time to hit the pause button. 

ACSM’s health and fitness journal says, “...if you continue to persevere and not give up during the proceess, at the proper time the benefits will come. Habits develop and increase in strength by successful repetition of behavior.” 

Momentum is powerful. It drives us forward. And after 40 days of consistent effort, you’ve built up some serious momentum. The last thing you want to do is lose it. 

What Happens When You Take a Break

Taking a break sounds tempting, I know. You probably feel like you deserve some time off to relax and recharge. But here’s why breaks can be dangerous. 

When you take a break after the challenge, you designate “time off” as the sought-after reward, making “sticking with it” the unpleasant annoying task you’d rather avoid. That internal language sets you up to quit. 👎

Instead of taking a break, treat the days after like any other day during the challenge. Stick to your routine, lace up your shoes, and stay committed. 

The Important Difference Between Routine vs. Habit 

Before we continue, we need to establish one thing: habit and routine are NOT the same. 

Nir Eyal, author of Insdistractible: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life, says, “A habit is a behavior done with little or no thought, while a routine involves a series of behaviors frequently and intentionally repeated. A behavior has to be a regularly performed routine before it can become a habit at all.” 

🌱 Routines make us uncomfortable and require effort to keep up. 

🌳  Habits are routines so ingrained we do them without thinking. It feels wrong to NOT do them. 

Imagine not drinking coffee in the morning. Or putting on deodorant. 😵‍💫 Feels weird, right? 

I’ve got good news for you! By completing my 40-day Christian challenge, you’ve already laid a SOLID routine, conquering half the battle. But now you face your next challenge: practicing it so regularly that it becomes a natural habit you expect every day. I know you can do it – thousands already have! 

Keep reading for more tips on how to do this. 

Join a Virtual Christian Walking Challenge Add-On 

Guess what – it doesn’t have to be over! 

After you complete your 40-day Christian challenge OR when you purchase the Forty Forty Challenge Kit, you can tack on an additional challenge with a discount. 😍

Roughly 15% of my participants join my Add-On challenges. 

Why do they love it so much? Because it’s the most practical and cost-effective way to keep their momentum going. They don’t want to face the risk of losing all the benefits they built up during the challenge. 

This add-on challenge isn’t only 40 days. My add-on includes material for FIVE 40-day periods. That’s 200 extra days of reading material, accountability, and constant support. 🥳

Here’s what comes with the Add-On challenge kit: 

• a “Walk With Jesus” cap  **sweet new addition to the kit 
• a Psalms iron-on patch  **another brand new addition 
• a Psalms sticker sheet 
• access to the Forty-Forty Challenge Facebook group to keep you accountable 
• a private link to the Psalms reading plan, broken up into five 40-day segments 

This add-on is the continuity you’re looking for. The additional accountability will do wonders for your commitment, and you get five 40-day challenges in one! It cements that structure and rhythm into your life, ensuring this routine becomes a natural habit. 

Don’t let yourself take the easy way and lose all the growth you’ve worked so hard for. 

Purchase the add-on here. 

Be Prepared to Face Setbacks 

We live in the real world. 

🤒 You get sick. 

⚡ Extreme weather keeps you from getting outside. 

🌀 Unexpected events come up. 

If you want to successfully transform your routine into habits, you must be prepared to deal with roadblocks. An all-or-nothing mentality is not your friend here. 

Remember our friend Valerie from my last blog, Five Insider Tips to Conquer Your Christian Walking Challenge? 

She says, “Don’t skip the reading if you’re not able to walk one day (injury, illness, life happens, etc.) And don’t skip the walk if you can’t get to the reading one day. In other words, do something related to the challenge every day to keep it at the top of your mind. It’s easy to get distracted and forget. And forgetting to spend time with the Lord is exactly what the devil wants.” 

 

Valerie’s insight is GOLD. Don’t set a 100% win rate as your standard. Accept that some days you simply won’t be able to do both. But instead of throwing in the towel and forfeiting the whole day, do at least one – take a walk or spend time with the Lord. 

 

Let go of perfection. I know it’s hard. But when you accept that setbacks are just a reality of any new habit, you’ll navigate them with resilience and not get derailed from your goal. 

 

Remember Why You Joined a 40-Day Christian Walking Challenge

Your “why” is the driving force behind your commitment, and it should carry you beyond the limit of 40 days. 

What longing motivated you to join the Forty Forty Challenge in the first place? 

⏳More time to soak in God’s presence? 

🏃🏻Weight loss? 

🌿Prioritize your mental and physical health? 

Your “why” is a reflection of your deepest desires and values. Look back over your notes and remember what desire motivated you to join my virtual Christian walking challenge. 

I bet you didn’t just want that transformation to only last for 40 days, only to return to your old patterns. No, you made a goal based on a lifestyle you desire. Now is your chance to grab hold of that longing and make it a reality. 

You’re closer than you’ve ever been, don’t stop now! 

Set New Goals After Your Christian Walking Challenge 

First, we need to acknowledge how much you’ve already conquered! All those step goals, miles, and time commitment. Maybe you even doubted you could accomplish those in the first place!  

But your journey didn’t end with that one challenge. It’s the beginning of a continuous cycle of growth, improvement, and reaching goals you only dream of! 

It’s time to set new goals. Before you know it, you’ll have those under your belt too. 🤩

Here are some ideas of new goals to work toward: 

• Higher daily step goal 
• Faster pace (moving from walking to jogging) 
• Total miles 
• Improving healthy nutrition 
• Meal prep 

S.M.A.R.T. Goals 

Forbes magazine breaks down the five elements of S.M.A.R.T. goals, originally outlined by George T. Doran. Let me tell you – this guy came up with something that works. 

S – specific 

A specific goal is clear and well-defined. It answers the questions, “What exactly do I plan to accomplish?” “Why is this goal important to me?” “Who is involved?” “Where will it take place?” 

Example: instead of setting a vague goal like, “I want to get in shape,” a specific goal would be, “I want to lose 10 pounds in the next three months by walking one mile every day and cutting out sugar.” 

M – measurable 

A measurable goal is quantifiable and can be tracked over time. It answers the question, “How will I know when I’ve achieved my goal?” 

Example: To make a weight loss goal measurable, track your progress by weighing in every week and recording your results. 

A – achievable 

An achievable goal brings you back down to earth. 😅 It’s something realistic and within the realm of possibility of your resources, capabilities, and limitations. It answers the question, “Is this goal attainable to my current circumstances?” 

Example: If you undergo knee surgery, running everyday is not an achievable goal. But walking could be! 

R – relevant 

A relevant goal aligns with your values, priorities, and long-term objectives. It answers the question, “Does this goal matter to me? Why?” 

Example: If your goal is to build an intimate, thriving relationship with God, setting aside 30 minutes every day to spend time with Him is very relevant. 

T – time-bound 

A time-bound goal has a specific timeframe. It answers the question, “When will I achieve this goal?” That deadline creates a sense of urgency and propels you to take serious action instead of pushing it off till tomorrow. 

Example: Instead of setting an open-ended goal like, “I want to exercise regularly,” try a goal like, “I will join a running group and run three times a week for the next 40 days, starting on Monday.” 

Try finding your SMART goals and see what you come up with! 

Don’t Slow Down Now! 

I hope these tips leave you feeling empowered to pursue your desire to exercise regularly and deepen your relationship with God. 

There’s no time like the present to take action. 👏👏

If you’ve completed a challenge and fell off track, don’t let another day escape you. You’ll never get that day back. 

I’d hate to see all the growth and benefit fade away as the challenge becomes a distant memory. So I’m going to do everything in my power to not let that happen. 

Sign up for my add-on challenge here. 

You’ll get renewed access to our Facebook accountability group, as well as new merch and a reading plan spread over five 40-day periods. 

Before you know it, this routine will be an ingrained habit, and it will feel weird to not get out for a walk or jog and spend time with the Lord. Dream come true! 

I can’t wait to see you flourish and thrive. 🤗

Keep My Momentum Going