Patient Endurance: Living the Dream Without Fear

 The last two weeks leading up to the launch of our newest brand have been some of the most stressful of my professional life.

Restful sleep has been elusive. My mind has raced at night, and my heart has carried a quiet but persistent fear—Can I really carry the operational and financial weight of what’s ahead? There have been moments of doubt, and even flashes of regret, where I’ve questioned whether this leap of faith was wise.

It’s strange how faithfully pursuing the voice of YHWH can sometimes feel so heavy.

At times I’ve wondered if I was being foolish—taking on too much risk in the name of calling. The truth is, I’ve never chosen a simple life. I carry a vision for what I believe the Lord has asked me to steward, and that vision has required risk, stretching, and repeated steps beyond the edges of my expertise.

And yet—here is the paradox—I am living my dreams.

At 47 years old, I am content with what YHWH has given me. Life now feels less about accumulation and more about preservation—protecting what has been built, and prayerfully preparing to pass it on to the next generation of Kingdom builders.

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Living the Dream Doesn’t Remove the Weight

As I sit with the anguish that sometimes accompanies the pursuit of purpose, I’m reminded of a sobering truth:

Many people never live their dreams.

They imagine them. They talk about them. Then life, fear, or responsibility quietly places those dreams on a shelf. That will not be the story of the Briggs household.

Still, I’ve realized something important: I’ve been taking this privilege for granted. The ability to try, to risk, to walk out faith in real time is itself a gift. I don’t need to wait for outcomes or prosperity to enjoy obedience. Faith is not validated by success—it is validated by listening.

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Patient Endurance

Lately, I’ve found myself deeply connected to John’s words, written after he had likely lost nearly all of the other disciples to martyrdom:

“I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
(Revelation 1:9, ESV)

That phrase—patient endurance—sets the tone for the entire book of Revelation. Five of the seven churches (Revelation 2 - 3) are explicitly commanded to endure, and the remaining two are implicitly called to do the same.

Endurance is not optional in the Kingdom.

Whether through suffering or through long obedience, the people of God are called to remain faithful over time.

Patient endurance is not merely surviving adversity.
It is sustaining faith while resisting fear, complacency, and despair as time stretches on.

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How We Endure

Endurance begins with hearing.

John tells us plainly that it was because of the word of God that he found himself on Patmos. Revelation reinforces this again:

“Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.”
(Revelation 14:12, ESV)

To keep the commands of YHWH, we must listen—to His Spirit and His Word. Once we recognize His voice, obedience will often require risk. It may require giving without knowing if anything will be returned. It may require walking forward while discomfort or suffering remains unresolved.

That is the space Scripture calls endurance.

But the call is not simply to endure—it is to endure patiently.

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The Battle With Fear

Patient endurance means remaining faithful while maintaining joy.

This is where the Lord has been gently confronting my heart. I have not struggled to stay on the path. My struggle has been staying free from fear while walking it.

Scripture speaks directly to this:

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.”
(1 John 4:18, ESV)

Fear interprets hardship as punishment. Love understands hardship as formation.

Patient endurance is not a trait we receive—it is a discipline we learn while pursuing the will of YHWH. Revelation makes this unmistakably clear: growth in intimacy with the Father and victory over the enemy are inseparable from long-suffering and faithful endurance.

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Choosing Joy, Rejecting the Lie

So I choose to take up this cross with honor.

I reject the lie that hardship means I am cursed, punished, or foolish. I am not. The Lord is using my professional life to draw me closer to Him and to deepen my love for Him.

My prayer is simple:

YHWH, teach me what You desire to teach me here.
Let me live in patience, obedience, and joy—free from fear.

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The Gift of Shabbat

I am deeply grateful for the gift of Shabbat, which gave me the space to pause and write this reflection as a step toward healing.

From Friday evening to Saturday evening, we are commanded to release our striving and allow the Lord to restore what the week has worn down. This Shabbat, I needed that restoration. I needed to hear His voice and allow Him to heal places of emotional fatigue I hadn’t fully named.

Shabbat reminds me that faithfulness is not proven by effort alone—but by rest.

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Faithful Unto Death

Scripture is unambiguous about the finish line:

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
(Revelation 2:10, ESV)

Not until conditions improve.
Not until pressure lifts.
Unto death.

Joy is not found when endurance ends.
Joy is found when faithfulness is embraced without condition.

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A Dedication

As we step into 2026 and launch this new brand, I dedicate this season to the apostles—men who pursued the call of God at great personal cost:

“Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”
(Acts 5:41, ESV)

May I rejoice the same way—not after suffering passes, but within it.
May I endure patiently.
May I walk without fear.
May I remain faithful—with joy—until the end.

Why the Pass Through Works (Part 1 of 2)

 A testimony of blood, time, and restoration

In hindsight, it’s a little ironic that I’m writing this article after publishing Pass Through: A 90-Day Transformative Weight Loss and Vitality Plan.

This is the article that probably should have come first.

But maybe it couldn’t have been written then.
Maybe it could only be written now—after more than a decade of actually living it.

What follows isn’t a pitch. It’s a testimony.
Not of perfection, but of consistency.

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Where the Pass Through Began

Long before the framework was fully articulated, the dietary foundation of what we had already named the Pass Through began with Kayla and me around 2007, and it produced meaningful success from the very beginning.

Through intentional changes to food—simplifying ingredients, removing what inflamed, and eating with greater restraint—Kayla experienced a significant transformation, losing more than 35 pounds. What started as a practical pursuit of health became an early lesson for both of us in how powerfully the body responds when it is given the right environment.

Years later, that foundation was deepened when we read Four Cups: God’s Timeless Promises for a Life of Fulfillment by Chris Hodges, then pastor of Church of the Highlands.

That book sparked deeper conversations around Passover, deliverance, and the role of blood in God’s redemptive story—bringing language and structure to something we had already been practicing intuitively.

One verse in particular stayed with us:

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” — Leviticus 17:11

That statement stopped us cold.

If life is carried in the blood, then a simple question follows:

How much of our health—or sickness—is also carried there?

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From Body → Organs → Cells → Blood

Over time, a pattern became clear:

• If you want a healthy body, you need healthy organs

• If you want healthy organs, you need healthy cells

• And if you want to influence nearly every cell in the body, there is only one system that reaches them all

Blood.

Blood delivers oxygen, nutrients, hormones, immune signals, and healing instructions to every cell.
It also carries away waste, inflammation, and toxins.

Change the environment, and the cells respond.

Blood is the environment.

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Blood Is Not Static — It Renews in Cycles

As I studied further, I learned something critical:

Blood is constantly being renewed—but not all at once.

Here’s what science shows:

• Plasma refreshes within days

• Platelets renew in about 7–10 days

• White blood cells turn over in days to weeks

• Red blood cells (the slowest) live about 120 days

This mattered more than I realized at first.

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Why 90 Days Works

By 90 days, the blood is substantially renewed:

• Plasma reflects a new nutritional environment

• Platelets and immune behavior have reset

• A majority of red blood cells were formed under new conditions

This is why people experience real, durable change after a full quarter—not just “detox feelings,” but measurable improvement.

Ninety days is long enough for systemic change to begin.

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When 120 Days Matters

However, 120 days represents something more complete.

At that point:

• Every red blood cell in circulation was formed under healthier conditions

• The blood has reached its full healing potential

This is why I encourage:

• An annual 90-day Pass Through reset for most people

• A 120-day commitment for those who:

  • have never done a full reset

  • are dealing with chronic or nagging injury

  • face ongoing sickness or metabolic dysfunction

  • have received a concerning diagnosis or prognosis

Always in coordination with a licensed healthcare provider.

Not because healing suddenly happens on day 120—but because the blood is finally fully renewed.

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Blood First — Then Organs (With Real Timelines)

Here’s an important distinction many health plans miss:

Blood renews first. Organs respond next.
And they do so on different timelines.

Not everything heals at the same speed.

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Tissues That Respond in Weeks (≈2–6 weeks)

These tissues are highly vascular and metabolically active, meaning they respond relatively quickly once blood quality improves:

• Muscle tissue – improved oxygen delivery, endurance, and recovery

• Vascular lining (endothelium) – better blood pressure regulation and flexibility

• Immune signaling – reduced inflammation and improved response

• Gut lining – improved absorption, reduced irritation and bloating

• Skin and hair support tissues – improved circulation and structural integrity

This is why people often notice:

• better workouts

• clearer thinking

• reduced swelling

• improved energy

within the first 30–45 days.

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Tissues That Respond in Months (≈2–6 months)

These tissues require sustained exposure to healthier blood over time:

• Liver tissue – fat metabolism, detox pathways, enzyme balance

• Connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, fascia) – injury resilience, joint comfort

• Metabolic organs (pancreas, adipose tissue signaling) – insulin sensitivity, fat regulation

• Nervous system regulation – stress response, sleep quality, autonomic balance

These systems don’t just need clean blood — they need consistent clean blood.

This is why deeper healing often shows up after 90 days, and continues improving well beyond it.

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Tissues That Benefit Most After Full Blood Renewal (≈4–6+ months)

Once the blood is fully renewed (around 120 days), longer-term restoration becomes possible in:

• Chronic injury sites

• Long-standing inflammatory tissues

• Organ systems stressed for years, not weeks

• Hormonal signaling pathways

This is where people often report:

• nagging issues finally resolving

• stable blood pressure trends

• durable metabolic improvement

• a sense that the body has “turned a corner”

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Why Staying the Course Matters

Think of it this way:

Blood changes the environment.
Time allows the structure to rebuild.

Stopping right as the blood becomes fully renewed is like planting seed but leaving before harvest.

That’s why I encourage those who reach 120 days—especially for the first time—to remain on the plan as long as reasonably possible, giving refreshed blood time to restore deeper systems.

Blood renews first, performance improves next, and organs restore last—on timelines measured in weeks, months, and sustained consistency.

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What I Have Personally Witnessed

I share this testimony with some reluctance, as I generally prefer the path of humility and thanksgiving over drawing attention to personal blessings. However, for the sake of those who are searching for meaningful healing—and not just another plan—I offer my experience thus far as a witness to what God has done in my life.

I am not claiming perfect health, nor any form of superiority. In fact, my own journey has included real struggle. Over the years, I wrestled with keeping my blood pressure within a healthy range, experienced intermittent chest discomfort, and dealt with a constant, nagging cough that never seemed to fully resolve. These were not abstract concerns—they were signals that my body was under strain. Through consistent application of the Pass Through plan, alongside targeted supplements and lifestyle changes, those issues gradually resolved. What this convinced me of is not that I am immune to decline, but that what we eat—and how we steward our daily habits—has the power to reverse health adversity and significantly reduce the likelihood of future challenges when practiced faithfully over time.

Over more than a decade of repeatedly returning to this framework, I have personally witnessed:

• improved fitness and faster recovery

• healthier body composition over time

• steadily improving blood pressure trends

• restored energy, mental clarity, and focus

• growing resilience against burnout and injury

At the time of this writing, at 47 years of age, I can also say with gratitude that:

• I have never had a single cavity

• my eyesight remains 20/20

• have been given the grace to avoid hospitalization, major surgery, and long-term dependence on prescription medications

• and my overall health markers—fitness capacity, metabolic labs, recovery, and cardiovascular performance—more closely resemble that of someone a decade or more younger than my chronological age

I do not share these things to boast, but to testify out of my love for you. Not to elevate a method, but to point toward faithfulness—both in how the body was designed and in how God honors consistent stewardship over time.

These outcomes did not come from extremes or shortcuts, but from aligning daily choices with the way the body was created to heal.

Not because the plan is severe—
but because it respects design.

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A Final Word

The Pass Through is not a diet.
It is not a cleanse.
It is not a guarantee.

It is a rhythm—one that honors both Scripture and biology.

It works with the body instead of against it.
It teaches restraint, trust, and patience.
And it reminds us that restoration is rarely instant—but it is always possible.

I share this not as a medical expert, but as a witness to what consistent obedience can produce over time.

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Written by: Martin A. Briggs
With gratitude to my wife, Dr. Kayla L. Briggs, and to the many counselors and teachers who have sharpened my understanding.

Disclaimer:
I am not a medical professional. This reflects my personal witness and experience. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider before making significant changes to diet, exercise, or fasting practices.

I Didn’t Know My Faith Was Heavy Until the Weight Was Gone

I served Jesus most of my life—and if I’m honest, I was exhausted. But what’s surprising is this: I didn’t know I was weighed down at the time. I thought what I was carrying was normal. I assumed faith was supposed to feel demanding, heavy, and costly in ways that quietly drained you.

It wasn’t until later—after I encountered Jesus in His true covenantal and historical reality—that I realized how much weight I had been carrying. Only then could I see the difference between serving God and serving a version of faith that had slowly become a burden to bear.

Nothing about my devotion changed. My sincerity didn’t change. What changed was clarity. And with clarity came freedom.

Looking back, I can now see that much of what shaped my understanding of faith wasn’t rooted as deeply in Scripture as I had assumed. Layers of tradition, history, and inherited assumptions had subtly framed how I viewed God, worship, and even obedience. At the time, I didn’t question it—because it’s all I had ever known.

The shift didn’t come from walking away from faith, but from seeing it more clearly. When the framework changed, the weight lifted. Scripture began to make sense in ways it never had before. God felt consistent, not contradictory. Faith stopped feeling like something I had to constantly manage and started feeling like something I could finally live.

I’ve linked three YouTube videos below that helped explain why my faith had felt so heavy for so long. They don’t tell you what to believe—but they do help uncover how history shaped what many of us inherited. If you’re quietly asking similar questions, they may help you see things more clearly too.

• The Controversy of Constantine’s Conversion to Christianity
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qYiwPBQ8Qg

• Sol Invictus Day: The Roman Roots of Christmas
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D0Fr9oTHW4

• A Very Pagan Christmas
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh27RDRevgI

Sometimes you don’t realize how heavy something is until you finally set it down. That was true for me—and it may be true for you too.