The Jesus Challenge: Your Long-Awaited Lifeline Out of Stress and Anxiety
A Note to You:
Friend, I want to be gentle and take good care of you through this blog.
See you.
Protect you.
Offer you hope and a way out.
If you’re reading this, you’re aware that our topic is not a lighthearted matter. I want you to know, whatever situation you find yourself in, you’re not alone. I’m here to offer a helping hand, with a heart of compassion and excitement for your freedom. 🫶
The Weight On Your Shoulders
Your morning today probably started like any other – a shrill alarm piercing through your sleep. It signaled the start of another day marked by a nagging sense of unease. A heaviness weighing on your heart that you can’t quite shake.
Grief.
Stress.
Anxiety.
Depression.
You know it when you’re in it.
It can feel suffocating – a deep, dark tunnel with no way out. You feel out of control, at the mercy of this heavy, wet blanket dragging you through your days.
I see you. I’m so sorry you’re suffering under this burden. 🥺 My heart goes out to you, and my hope for you only grows.
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
That’s right. I’m going to throw you a lifeline of hope: my virtual Jesus walking challenge.
Before you shut me down and hit the “X,” hear me out.
This isn’t a sales pitch.
This isn’t just another routine for super-Christians.
No, my virtual Christian walking challenge is a proven weapon against stress, anxiety, and depression.
It’s been tested and tried by hundreds of participants who walk in your shoes:
🤰🏻stay-at-home moms…
🏠empty nesters…
😮💨exhausted pastors…
📚students…
💰business owners…
And after joining the Forty Forty Challenge, they reclaimed the peace and freedom you so desperately crave.
The Forty Forty Challenge
The walk with Jesus challenge takes place over 40 days. You spend 20 minutes a day walking while reading an assigned section of Scripture.
It’s incredibly simple and powerfully effective.
And you’re not alone! When you sign up, you join a beautiful community of others just like you who are taking a giant step towards freedom.
So let me show you, step-by-step, how exactly my virtual Christian walking challenge lightens your burden and replaces it with much-needed healing.
*Caveat*
My recommendation is not medical advice, nor is it *always* the best solution in each unique situation. But I will say, if you’re living in stress, depression, or anxiety and see no way out, why not give this a shot? You might be surprised how quickly you see change. 😍
Overcoming Stress with the Jesus Challenge
Who of us is untouched by stress? No one.
We can all relate to the frenzied race, squeezing never-ending tasks into a short time, only to be thrown off our game by interrupting circumstances. When someone asks us how we’re doing, we respond breathlessly, “I’m so stressed.” 🥵
The American Psychological Association reports that regular exercise like walking reduces your body’s stress hormones: cortisol and adrenaline. On top of that, exercise stimulates faster endorphin production – your body’s natural painkillers and mood-boosters. Dr. Michael Otto says, “Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise, you get a mood-enhancement effect.”
If you’re buried under stress, this means even a short walk transforms a stressful day into a manageable one.
But overcoming stress isn’t only physical.
When you spend time daily reflecting on how big and powerful our God is, your problems and worries shrink to a realistic size: very small. Reading in His Word reminds you of His ability to supersede time, weather, people, and anything else.
Nothing in this universe is out of His control – including you.
When you remember God is in the equation, you can face your circumstances unflinchingly. 😌
How the Jesus Challenge Alleviates Anxiety
Living with anxiety can feel like a maze with no exit, filled with constant worries, racing thoughts, nightmares, and preparing for the worst. It’s exhausting. 😣
But reclaiming your life might be closer than you think! It might be as simple as taking a quick, daily walk with the Lord.
Here’s a fact I bet you didn’t know: exercise is 1.5 times as effective at reducing symptoms of anxiety than medication or therapy. And on top of that exercise doesn’t blindside you with nasty side effects! Instead, it only improves every other area of your health: emotional, physical, and – when you add the Forty Forty Challenge – spiritual too!
Mind blown. 🤯
But the benefits of my Walk with Jesus challenge go beyond just physical activity. You might have noticed this before, but reading the Bible refills you with peace and reassurance, no matter how worrisome your circumstances. Any time you spend reading God’s Word reconnects you to your truest reality: God’s presence and provision.
Max Lucado says, “Anxiety and fear are cousins, but not twins. Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one.” Whether you’re fearful or anxious, you can combat those thoughts by focusing on God’s promises and truth. His presence is your strongest refuge.
Abolishing Depression with the Jesus Challenge
Let’s talk about something heavy but very relatable for many of us: depression. It can feel like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, making even the simplest tasks seem impossible. And when you have a full life, that weight can be overwhelming.
Oh friend, there is hope! 🥹
Physical Benefits
Recent studies reveal that a 20-minute brisk walk, five times a week significantly lower depressive symptoms and risk of depression. Wow. That’s exactly what you commit to when you sign up for my virtual Jesus challenge.
On top of that, getting outside and moving your body increases endorphins and improves your general mood, setting you up for a positive, joy-filled day. 🥳
Spiritual and Emotional Benefits
In my Jesus challenge, you not only combat depression with daily walks, you also regularly immerse your soul in God’s Word. When you fill your mind with the truth of who God is and who God says you are, you replace confusion with truth.
Lies and defeat have no more room in your mind and heart. 🙅🏻♀️
Social Benefits
Depression also often brings a sense of isolation, making you feel like you’re the only one who has ever struggled with this. My virtual Christian walking challenge grants you access to a wonderful private community where you can freely share your journey, feel tangible support from others who truly get it, and see that you are NOT alone. 🤝
Lifestyle Benefits
Creating a sustainable and manageable routine is essential for overcoming depression. My Walk With Jesus challenge sets you up with a bite-sized, sustainable habit of daily walks and devotions. On the days you feel completely out of control, it provides you with stable structure and purpose.
This routine not only gives you something to look forward to, but it also allows you to track and see your progress and growth out of depression. 😲 And I cannot WAIT for your freedom! It’s so close.
Sign Up for the Jesus Challenge: Sign Up for Freedom
Friend, I hope you feel seen, loved, and cheered for. I long for you to live in the abundant freedom God offers us.
That doesn’t mean life isn’t still hard – it is and always will be. But no matter what circumstances we face, He is eager for us to throw our worries on Him and find true freedom in His presence.
If you feel hopelessly stuck in stress, anxiety, or depression, this virtual Christian walking challenge is for you. 🫵
Sign up below to commit yourself to real, life-long change that brings you out of that darkness into the rich life of abiding in Christ.
I can’t wait to see your registration come through! 🤩
Much love,
Rachel