“Gotta Have Faith, Gotta have Faith-a, Faith-a, Faith-a!”

Yes, I went there… You know you have belted that song out before – proudly, strutting your stuff when you thought no one was watching!

George Michael was on to something.

I love the Bible’s definition of faith in Hebrews, chapter 11, verse 11. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (King James Version) or “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (New International Version). Wikipedia adds that it is “belief not based on proof”.

There is no evidence, but we believe.

We all have faith. Every single one of us. We all have hopes and dreams – and that is all they are – hopes and dreams… ethereal, unseen… But we hold on, we grasp at them as if solid, substantive, real.

Faith, is our hopes, our dreams becoming real to us.

Remember learning about deposition in science class? I can still see the Iodine vapors solidifying into black iodide crystals. On a cold day, water vapor, even your breath can form ice crystals on glass. Faith is the same way. It is the solid evidence of our unseen hopes and dreams.

But there is something else. “Faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17) I used to dislike this verse because it made me feel so guilty! I am such a dreamer. And the dreams can be overwhelming. So many dreams! But I now have a deeper appreciation for this verse. While actions do not replace faith, you can only show your faith by your actions. You can have all the hopes and dreams, and even have faith. But without action, that faith, that evidence of your hope and dreams, dies.

During my quiet time today, I stumbled across a verse I had never seen before. I gasped because it was so profound. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love” Galatians 5:6b. It is the only thing that matters. Faith expressing itself in love. So, ground your actions in love. It all comes back to LOVE.

My absolute favorite Indiana Jones’ scene features him stepping off a cliff. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, his father, Henry Jones disappears while searching for the Holy Grail. Later, he was found dying and Indy was forced to risk his life in order to retrieve the Grail and save his father. This required crossing an invisible bridge over an abyss to get to the Grail.

Indy had to step off a cliff in mid-air, putting all of his weight forward, even though he could see no bridge to hold him. There was no evidence of a bridge there. He only needed his faith that he would be and his love for his father to make him step off that cliff. And a bridge miraculously appeared. And in the end, he recovered the grail which ended up saving his father’s life.

So what do you believe in? In what is your confidence? Is there a bridge waiting for you? Are you acting on your hopes and dreams? Or are they just stuck in your head? What steps of faith can you take today? Whom do you love? Who will suffer or die if you don’t act on your dreams today?

Live Your Ideals Faith Action Steps:
0. Get help: Ask God for guidance and help in living your faith. Without this step,
nothing else matters.
1. Get clear: Write down all your Hopes and Dreams.
2. Get focused: Pick 3 you will regret not doing if you had only 6 months to live.
3. Get brutal: Now pick only 1 dream. You know the one that wakes you up at 3am.
4. Get creative: Brainstorm all the ways you can take action of that dream.
5. Get busy: Take action. Step Out. The bridge will Go from gas to solid. Embody the change you want to see and work that dream.
6. Get accountable: Post your plans in the comments below so we can support you. Or tell a safe positive friend your plans.

Yes, I realize that I started the article with George Michael and continued with tons of bible verses and Indiana Jones. This is who I am. You never know who I am going to quote next!

Now go back to step 2 and pick another dream.

Do it Now. Your “faith-a, faith-a, faith-a” depends on it! Your life depends on it!