My Honest Experience With the Virtual Jesus Challenge: Expectations Vs. Reality Part 2

Welcome back to Part 2 of my very real, very unfiltered experience with the virtual Jesus challenge. ☕

If you read Part 1, you know I went into this challenge like most of us would: with a healthy dose of uncertainty.

I had the same “entry fears” all of us do: 

• Do I even have enough time for this? 

• Is this physically harder than it sounds? 

• Will it drain the last brain cell I have left? (I can’t take on another mental load!) 

• What happens when bad weather hits? 

(Spoiler: those fears were NOTHING near as scary as I thought!) If you missed it, click here to read my honest feedback. 

But the fears don’t immediately subside once you say “yes.” If you’re seriously considering the Jesus virtual challenge, you’re probably already wondering the next layer of questions: 

• What happens if I fall behind?

• What if everyone else is consistent and I’m not? 

• Is this actually sustainable as a long-term habit? 

• What’s the hardest part no one talks about? 

I had those same questions. Like you, I didn’t want to start something I couldn’t finish. The real hesitation here is not wanting to feel like a failure. 😣

So today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the real-life, middle-of-the-journey experience. The day-in, day-out aspects of this challenge that determine if it’s just another abandoned commitment or an experience that actually reshapes your life. 

So if you’re hovering around the threshold, not confident enough to commit yet, you’re in the perfect spot! So glad you’re here. :) 

Now, let’s talk about the reality of what happens after you join the Jesus virtual challenge. Honest answers only. 🤝 

1.) Falling Behind 

Expectation: 

This is one of THE most-asked questions: “What happens when I fall behind?” We’re all human, so it’s a pretty imminent issue. 😅

With real life, kids, work, sickness, and exhaustion, something MUST eventually give, right?? 

I fully expected to miss days, fall behind, and then feel totally overwhelmed trying to catch back up. 

Reality: 

• What happens if/when you fall behind? 

I was surprised that falling behind did not actually derail the virtual Jesus challenge. In fact, it was already accounted for! 

I actually started the virtual Jesus challenge seven days late. Seven. Full. Days. 😅 And instead of feeling defeated or like I’d failed before I even started, I found it very easy to catch up. 

I simply doubled up on days when time allowed, and faster than I expected, I was back on track! 

Then I got sick and missed another two days. And guess what? I caught up again when I felt better. 

I had blown this concern up SO LARGE in my mind, but when it came down to it, catching up was completely attainable and straightforward. 

In the Facebook accountability group, people shared openly when they fell behind. There was no shame or pressure in responses, just many others encouraging and cheering them on. Seeing that normalized my own experience and reminded me that the goal was never a perfect walking streak. 😌

• Practical advice on falling behind: 

One nugget of wisdom from a former Forty Forty Challenge participant came to mind multiple times: “If you must skip one, don’t skip both.” 

Meaning: 

• If you can’t walk, read. 

• If you can’t read, walk. 

• But don’t skip both if you can help it. 

That simple mindset took off SO much pressure. 🥵

On days when I didn’t have the energy to walk, I listened to Scripture in bed. On days when my schedule was packed, I still did some kind of movement, even if it meant parking in the most distant parking spot. And that little nugget helped me stay on track even when I missed one or the other. 

• Is the virtual Jesus challenge rigid or grace-based? 

Without hesitation: grace-based. 

The goal of the Jesus virtual challenge has NEVER been to reach Day 40. The goal is the whole journey of walking with God in all the moments leading up to that. And missed days are a very real, human part of that journey. 🧩

👉 If you’re worried that falling behind means failing, let me reassure you: falling behind is part of it. Quitting is the only thing that actually stops progress. 

Don’t be like me and blow this question out of proportion in your brain. We all fall behind, and the virtual Jesus challenge is designed with that in mind. It’s so much simpler to catch back up that we like to imagine, and after all, that’s part of the journey! 

2.) Accountability Group

Expectation: 

I’ll be honest, I had no clue what to expect from the Facebook accountability group. 😆

Like you, I’ve been in Facebook groups that weren’t super great. Some were crickets. Others a fire hydrant of unnecessary information. Others were forced, awkward, and cringey. 

So going into the virtual Jesus challenge, I assumed I’d technically *join* the accountability group, but I’d never realistically use it. 

Reality: 

• What’s the Facebook accountability group like? 

I was very impressed by this accountability group! 

When I joined, I was amazed to see THOUSANDS of participants! 🤯 All choosing, on purpose, to show up daily for time with God. That alone was incredibly encouraging, knowing that a massive group of people was out there pursuing the same goal as I was. 

It helped me remember I’m not alone, and other people are overcoming much harder circumstances to stay consistent with God. 

Even with that many people, the group never felt overwhelming. I could control my notifications and engage as much or as little as I wanted. 

👉 What stood out the most was the tone of the participants. 

People were honest. 

Down-to-earth. 

Refreshingly real. 

They didn’t compete or pretend or perform. 

It was just real, messy life being shared. 

• Is there pressure to post or share? 

I never once felt pressure to post. But when I did, my comments immediately filled with encouragement and prayers. It didn’t feel like being on social media at all. It felt more like being wrapped up by a big, supportive tribe. 🤝

Everyone was clearly on their OWN journey, at their OWN pace, and that was celebrated! Whether someone was on Day 3, down with a sickness, or needing prayer, the group rallied around them with grace and encouragement. 🫂

All the thoughts of, “What if I don’t fit in?” or “What if I fall behind and feel embarrassed?” were instantly put to rest. 

This community supports real people living real lives, like you and me. It doesn’t function as a cookie cutter to force you into being someone you’re not. 🍪

3.) Sustainability 

Expectation: 

Over the years, you and I have both probably bought well-intentioned things like books, programs, courses, and they all felt really exciting at first! But pretty soon they ended up quietly forgotten in some corner. 

So naturally, one of my biggest questions going into the virtual Jesus challenge was the same: “Is this actually sustainable in real life, or is this another thing I’ll quit after a week?” 😬 (I have a nasty personal habit of starting new projects, but not finishing strong.) 

I fully expected the first few days to feel motivated and exciting, but once the newness wore off, I anticipated it would become another “should” on my list. Or worse yet, something I didn’t even finish… 🫣

Reality: 

• Is this something I’ll quit after a week?

My answer is NO, and that surprised me at first! I finished the WHOLE 40 days, and loved it more as I went. 

About a week in, right when motivation usually tanks for me, I realized, I didn’t WANT to stop. 🤯

By that point I started noticing real benefits, physically, emotionally, spiritually. (More on this in Part 3!) My mind cleared up, my stress dissolved, my body moved more easily. Spending time with God didn’t feel like a “should;” it was just a total relief to be with Him! 🥲

Even on days when it took effort to get out the door, I never ONCE came back wishing I hadn’t gone. Never. I always returned grateful, calm, and confident to tackle the next thing in my day. Often I even kept walking beyond one mile because I felt so good and craved that peaceful time with Jesus. 

This whole experience was deeply life-giving, and my appreciation for it increased as each week passed. 

• Is it really simple or secretly a lot? 

I wondered the same thing. 🤔

Sometimes when something sounds “simple,” we assume it must be ineffective or hiding extra layers. But there really aren’t any hidden components in the Jesus challenge. It’s exactly what it claims to be: 

• A 40-day commitment 

• Walking or running 1 mile per day 

• Reading a very manageable amount of pre-assigned Scripture every day 

• Optionally participating in daily challenges and the Facebook accountability group 

That’s it! 

And that simplicity sets the stage for the monumental, powerful, groundbreaking work of God. That way, WE can’t boast about our accomplishments because we didn’t really do much! It was ALL Him. 😍

• Is this realistically sustainable long-term? 

Absolutely. (I didn’t expect this.) 

After 40 days of this routine, I can’t imagine NOT living this way anymore. 

Returning to constant stress, fickle emotions, and spiritual dryness suddenly sounds so unnecessary. 😲 WHY would I return to that when I have an easy, natural answer to fill my life with God’s presence? 

Ever since finishing the challenge a few weeks ago, I’ve continued walking and spending time in God’s Word every day. As simple as it sounds, this habit changed my life, and I do not want to go back to life without it. 

The virtual Jesus challenge doesn’t rely on motivation, it relies on discipline and rhythm. Once you establish a groove, it stops feeling like such a big effort, and you can genuinely look forward to it every day. It becomes a lifestyle of walking with Jesus. 

4.) The Hardest Part 

Expectation: 

Even if you don’t say it out loud, we all have this question, “What’s going to be the hardest part?” 😰 "Is there something they’re not telling us?" 

You might assume it’s one of the big, intimidating things: 

• Finding time 

• Braving the weather 

• Staying consistent 

• Having mental energy 

• Physical exertion 

I definitely expected it to be one or several of these. 👆

Reality: 

• What’s the hardest part of the virtual Jesus challenge? 

I was absolutely blown away by this, but none of those elements were actually hard. At all! 

🚨The hardest part was this: getting my feet out the door. 

Yup. That’s all it was. 😅

Not any dramatic obstacle, just that quiet moment where walking on my two legs suddenly seemed inconvenient. When it was easier to stay inside, sitting in my stress, swimming around in my anxiety and illusions of “comfort.” (Which is just a stew of unnecessary worries and burdens.) 

If you’re anything like me, you know what I’m talking about. 😏

Sometimes we cling to our sad spirals because they feel familiar and “safe” in a strange way. 

But I was shocked to realize that once my shoes were on and I took those two TINY steps over my threshold, the battle was OVER. 🤷

I didn’t have to hype myself up, or perform, or push myself. 

All I had to do from that point was walk one step at a time and let God’s love and wisdom wash over me. Receive. 

There was NEVER a single day I regretted walking out that door. Not once. Every time, I came back calm, grounded, and deeply grateful that I didn’t let that small hurdle intimidate me. 😅

But this is where we tend to psych ourselves out. Like, a lot! I missed days I didn’t need to miss just because I let myself believe that staying inside with all my stress was the better thing for me. 🙄

We imagine the challenge as this huge, daunting commitment, when in reality, the biggest hurdle is so tiny. The literal size of a threshold. 🤏 And it’s just momentary, a decision that lasts about 3 seconds. 

Once you’re out the door, God does the rest. 

Your Threshold with the Virtual Jesus Challenge

If I could sum up these 40 days, it’s this: 

“The things I feared most weren’t nearly as important or defining as I thought.” 

👍 I didn’t fall apart when I missed some days. 

👍 The accountability group never judged me. 

👍 I didn’t burn out and quit after a week. (Which is big for me, let me tell ya!) 

👍 The most intimidating “hardest part” turned out to be two little steps out the door. 

That’s it. 

Friend, if you’re hanging around the sidelines waiting to feel perfectly ready, perfectly organized and disciplined, you’ll probably keep waiting forever. 🥺

But if you’re willing to take one tiny step, even with a shaky heart and a messy calendar, I’m confident you’ll be surprised by how refreshing and life-giving this challenge is. God WILL meet you right there, where you are, with a tired body and heavy-laden mind. 

Are you circling the idea? Is the only thing holding you back that little threshold? 

I’ve stood there many times myself, talking myself out of things that were SO good for me. So knowing how you feel right now, I can confidently assure you that you will not regret it. That little, single step is a wide-open doorway to experiencing the peace and presence of our wonderful Lord. He’s so eager to meet with you! 🫶

👉 Claim Your Spot In the Virtual Jesus Challenge 

P.S. Stay tuned for Part 3: the Jesus challenge’s real-life impact on emotional, spiritual, and physical health after 40 days!