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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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