Strong and Courageous
Season 2
The Woman Who Touched Jesus
Keep Your Eyes On Jesus
Jesus Feeds The Five Thousand
Jesus Calms The Storm
No Greater Love
Love Your Neighbor As Yourself
Two Are Better Than One
A Friendship That Chose Love
Love God First
by Elizabeth Rocha
Hey friends. Welcome back to Strong & Courageous. Today we’re talking about a miracle that almost no one noticed at first. There was a woman who had been sick for twelve years. Twelve years of pain. Twelve years of doctors. Twelve years of disappointment. She had spent all her money trying to get better — and nothing worked. But she heard that Jesus was nearby. There was a huge crowd around Him. People pushing, pressing, trying to get close. And this woman thought to herself, “If I can just touch His robe… I’ll be healed.” She didn’t ask for attention. She didn’t shout. She didn’t make a scene. She reached out quietly… and touched the edge of His garment. And instantly — she was healed. But here’s what’s amazing. Jesus stopped. In the middle of the crowd, He said, “Who touched Me?” The disciples were confused. Everyone was touching Him. But Jesus knew this touch was different. It was a touch of faith. The woman came forward, trembling, and told Him the whole truth. And Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Did you hear that? Daughter. He didn’t just heal her body. He restored her identity. Maybe you feel invisible. Maybe you feel like just another face in the crowd. But Jesus notices quiet faith. Even when no one else sees your prayer. Even when no one else sees your tears. He sees. And your quiet reach toward Him matters.
Hey friends. Right after Jesus fed the 5,000, the disciples got back into a boat. And again — a storm hit. In the middle of the night, they saw something walking toward them on the water. They were terrified. But it was Jesus. He said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Peter said, “Lord, if it’s really You, tell me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said one word: “Come.” Peter stepped out of the boat. And he walked on water. He walked on water. But then… he looked at the wind. He noticed the waves. He felt the storm. And he started to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. Here’s what this teaches us: Peter didn’t sink because of the storm. He sank when he shifted his focus. When you focus on fear, you sink. When you focus on Jesus, you walk in things you never thought possible. You don’t have to have perfect faith. Peter didn’t. You just have to keep your eyes on Jesus — and when you start to sink, cry out. He will reach for you. Today, whatever storm you’re facing, ask yourself: “Where are my eyes?” Fix them on Jesus. Be strong. Be courageous. See you tomorrow.
Hey friends. Welcome back. Have you ever felt like what you have isn’t enough? Not enough talent. Not enough confidence. Not enough money. Not enough courage. In the Bible, thousands of people were following Jesus all day. They were hungry. And the disciples were stressed. They said, “Jesus, we need to send them away. There’s no way we can feed all these people.” Jesus asked, “What do you have?” One little boy had five loaves of bread and two fish. That’s it. It wasn’t enough. Not even close. But he gave it to Jesus anyway. Jesus took the bread. He thanked God. He broke it. And He kept handing it out. And it didn’t run out. Five thousand men were fed. Plus women and children. And there were leftovers. Here’s the miracle: Jesus didn’t need more. He just needed surrender. When you give Jesus what you have — even if it feels small — He multiplies it. Your kindness? He multiplies it. Your obedience? He multiplies it. Your little bit of courage? He multiplies it. You don’t have to be the most talented person in the room. Just be willing. Today ask yourself: “What do I have that I can give to Jesus?” Give Him your small. He does big things with small offerings. Be strong. Be courageous.
Hey friends. Welcome back to Strong & Courageous. Today we’re talking about storms. Not just the kind with rain and thunder… but the kind that happen in your life. One day, Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and cross to the other side of the lake. Everything was fine at first. Calm water. Normal night. But suddenly — a huge storm came. The wind was howling. The waves were crashing into the boat. It was filling with water. And do you know what Jesus was doing? Sleeping. The disciples were panicking. They shook Him awake and said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus stood up. He looked at the wind and the waves and said, “Peace. Be still.” And instantly — the storm stopped. The water became completely calm. Then Jesus asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Here’s what I want you to hear today: The storm was real. The fear was real. But Jesus was in the boat. And if Jesus is in your boat, you are not going down. Maybe your storm looks like: • A hard friendship. • Anxiety before a test. • Family stuff that feels overwhelming. • Feeling left out. You might be thinking, “Jesus, don’t You care?” He does. And sometimes He calms the storm around you. And sometimes He calms the storm inside you. Either way — He is in the boat. Today, when fear tries to rise up, whisper this: “Jesus is in my boat. I don’t have to be afraid.” Be strong. Be courageous. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Hey friends, welcome back to Strong & Courageous. Today we’re talking about the greatest kind of love there is. Jesus said, “No greater love has one than this, that he lays down his life for his friends.” That verse tells us something really important about love. Real love isn’t just words. Real love shows up. It sacrifices. It puts others first. Jesus didn’t just say these words—He lived them. He chose to lay down His life because He loves us. He saw our sin, our mistakes, and our brokenness, and He still chose the cross. That means you are not loved because you’re perfect. You’re loved because Jesus is loving. And when we understand how much we are loved by Him, it changes how we treat our friends. We learn to forgive. We learn to serve. We learn to love even when it costs us something. You may not be asked to give your life for a friend—but every day you can choose patience, kindness, and selfless love. Today, remember this: You are deeply loved by Jesus, and His love helps you love others well. Let’s pray together. Jesus, thank You for loving me so much. Help me share that same love with the people around me. Amen.
Hi friends, this is Strong & Courageous. Jesus said one of the greatest commands is this: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” That sounds simple—but it’s actually challenging. Loving your neighbor doesn’t just mean your best friend. It means the kid who annoys you. The person who’s different from you. The one who’s hard to love. Loving others the way you want to be loved means showing kindness, forgiveness, and grace—even when it’s not returned. Jesus loved people who were rejected. He loved people who didn’t deserve it. And He asks us to do the same. Today, ask yourself: If I were in their place, how would I want to be treated? Let’s pray together: Jesus, help me love others the way You love me. Give me a kind heart and courageous faith. Amen.
Today’s truth is simple but powerful: you were never meant to do life alone. The Bible says, “Two are better than one.” Why? Because when one person falls, the other can help them back up. Friendship matters. God designed us to need each other. We need people who will encourage us, pray for us, and help us stand when we feel weak. Sometimes we think being strong means doing everything on our own. But real strength is knowing when to ask for help. God often uses friends to lift us up—just when we need it most. So think about this: Who has God placed in your life to help you? And who can you help today? Let’s pray: God, thank You for the friends You give me. Help me be someone who lifts others up. Amen.
Today I want to tell you a story about one of the greatest friendships in the Bible—the friendship between David and Jonathan. David was a shepherd boy who trusted God. Jonathan was a prince—the son of King Saul. They came from very different places, but the Bible says their souls were knit together. Jonathan loved David as himself. He wasn’t jealous of David’s gifts. He didn’t compete with him. Instead, Jonathan chose love. He chose loyalty. Even when Jonathan knew David would one day be king instead of him, he stayed faithful. He protected David. He warned him of danger. He stood by him when it cost him something. That’s real friendship. A true friend isn’t just someone who has fun with you. A true friend wants what’s best for you—even when it’s hard. David and Jonathan remind us that godly friendship is built on love, trust, and faithfulness. And here’s the good news—God wants us to have friendships like that too. So ask yourself today: Am I being the kind of friend who protects, encourages, and loves others well?
Hey friends! Welcome back to Strong and Courageous! Today we’re learning about the most important commandment Jesus gave. Have you ever had to choose between doing the right thing or the easy thing? Maybe sharing your snack or helping a friend instead of playing alone? Jesus tells us the greatest commandment helps guide all our choices. Matthew 22:37 says: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.’ Jesus is saying that loving God comes first—everything else flows from that love. When we love God with all our hearts, it helps us make good choices, treat others kindly, and follow Him with joy. Love God first, and everything else will fall into place.
Hey friends, welcome back to Strong and Courageous! Today on Strong and Courageous we’re diving into one of the wildest Bible stories—Jonah and the big fish! God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people to stop doing wrong. But Jonah didn’t want to go—so he ran the opposite way! He got on a boat, a storm came, and Jonah was thrown overboard. Then something crazy happened—‘The Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights’ (Jonah 1:17). While inside, Jonah prayed and told God he was sorry. And guess what? God gave him another chance. We all mess up sometimes. Maybe we disobey our parents, say something mean, or don’t do what God asks us to. But the story of Jonah shows us that even when we run away, God still loves us. He always gives us a second chance to obey Him.