I’m admittedly a carrot guy. If sticks are used to beat people into submission (challenge them, prod them, push them) and carrots are used to entice people (encourage them, reward them, smother them with fun and love), then I’m carrots all day.*

Ironically, I have terrible eyesight.

When it comes to church/God/faith stuff, I’ve experienced my fair share of sticks. In its simplest form, stick people will try to convince you that you should be good/follow God/have faith because if you don’t, you’re going to hell. In other words, let’s scare the living crap out of people with the worst possible scenario so that they choose the other direction. That’s a big stick.**

I’m way more interested in carrot faith.

I had a conversation with a buddy one time who wrestled with believing in God because of the whole hell thing. This is what I told him. I have amazing parents (thank you, Phil and Susie). Do you know what I never wrestled with ONE TIME growing up? That they might at any moment kick me out of the house and completely disown me if I misbehaved.*** 

To me, God is like those good parents. The reason I tried to obey my earthly parents isn’t because I was worried they would disown me (or throw me in a dark pit filled with fire); it was because I loved them and was grateful for how much they loved me. When faith and obedience are motivated by love (carrot), it’s a game changer.

I don’t know where you stand with God/Jesus/Easter/Faith/Lent/Church this season, but here is what I hope: That you’ll consider that God is WAY more like an amazingly loving parent (even better than Phil and Susie) and not some weird, tyrannical pyscopath in the sky. A parent like that isn’t just worth honoring; they’d be worth trusting completely.

What follows is a very simple 20-day challenge of meditation, prayer, and trust-building exercises. You can approach this any way you want, but here is what I’d recommend: take each day one at a time. (In other words, don’t try and Pink Pony this thing.)

My hope is that you’ll meet or meet again the God of Easter. Turns out He’s not a bunny, but he does love carrots! Enjoy.

*BTW, sticks have their place. Some of my best coaches and teachers were great because they expertly balanced challenge (sticks) and invitation (carrots). There’s something really powerful about a person you trust enough to correct you.

**To be clear, I’m not saying you shouldn’t believe in hell. I’m just saying that I could have probably murdered the family dog, and my parents were still going to love and accept me. However, at any moment growing up, I could have chosen to run away, abandon the love of my good parents, and try to exist outside of a family all alone. That’s what I envision as hell. 

***I realize that not everyone reading this has a Phil and Susie. Parents can carry a big stick, and if yours hurt you, not only am I sorry, but I also hope you know that they don’t/didn’t represent the God of the Bible.

HOW TO APPROACH THIS:

1. Each day, find 5-10 minutes of silence.

2. Consider the Relentless 2800 prompt.

3. Read the verse 3 times.

4. Ask: What if I believed this more deeply? Belief informs action and taking action is what helps you grow. Which is why…

5. Each day has an action step. Consider taking it.

Pro Tips: 

• Have a journal handy to take some notes.

• Keep this window open on your device and return daily.

This simple journey is just the beginning. Keep exploring, questioning, and taking steps toward something bigger. Happy Easter! 🎉