NEWS, ARTICLES, DEVOTIONS AND MORE FROM BttB...

A central mark of a growing Christian is one who is increasingly obedient, steadfast, and loyal to God. Spiritual Fitness Coach Caleb White explains the key to this growth along with some baby steps for achieving it. Be faithful today. Ask God what He wants you to do, then do it!

Greed whispers that a little more, a little newer, a little nicer will bring happiness. Coach Donna Amidon shows you how to break free from the insidious grip of greed and live for what matters most! What has you in the grip of greed? Pray about it and take a step to break this grip on your life. Then, live for what matters most!

To recognize a lie, you must first know the truth! Today Coach Seth Walker emphasizes the importance of knowing God and His plan of grace so you won’t fall for the schemes of the evil one. Stick with our 4-step spiritual workout plan each day! We’ll be here to cheer you on and pray. Once you make getting into God’s Word a regular practice, the more you’ll be able to recognize and understand the things of God!

What’s the wait time? That’s our question for many things in life, but as Kate Dreesen points out, while the wait time with God is unpredictable, He is faithful, and patience pays off! Today, as you wait for the big and small things, focus on Romans 8:25 and Psalm 37:6-7 to help you remember that God is faithful, and patience pays off! And if you know someone struggling to be patient, share what you’ve learned and encourage them as they wait on God.

Feeling stuck in complacency or longing for more? Join Coach Alex as he explores the difference between complacency and true contentment. Discover through Philippians 4 how trusting God brings lasting joy and satisfaction. If you’re struggling with contentment, evaluate why you desire more. Then, pray and confess your desire to be filled up and satisfied in things of the world. Ask God to help you be content and joyful with what He has given you, how He has provided for you,

Where you look makes a difference! Coach Lydia Robertson explains that looking up at God rather than down at others gives you the humility you need to see the Lord’s plans and designs, not your own! Practice “looking up” and identifying what God is doing. When we see the goodness of God, we are quickly humbled!

Does self-control seem out of reach? It is, unless you have the power of Christ to depend on. Today, Coach Zane helps you choose Jesus rather than your own desires. Identify one area in your life where you can “die” to your own desires and choose Christ instead.

Striving to be honest and not lie is commendable, but Coach Jenny Hietbrink says there is a better way! Learn about the beautiful reality of being set free to live honestly through Christ. Identify one area in your life where dishonesty has taken root. Pray to God in asking for His forgiveness and help to change. Then, take a concrete step towards honesty, whether it’s confessing your dishonesty, correcting a lie, or choosing to speak the truth even when it’s hard. Live freel

Do your doubts and fears shut you down spiritually? Coach Justus Coppinger talks about this problem and gives you encouragement to take one step, then the next, then ... Examine your life, remember your gifts, and remember the God who gave them to you. Where in your life are you particularly gifted, and how can you use that as an opportunity for Jesus to shine his love and grace through you?

How are you walking today? By the Spirit? Alejandro Duran reminds you that the Holy Spirit is alive and well, able to give you the power you need to respond with love and kindness rather than react in anger and fear. How are you walking today? Are you walking in kindness or anger? Are you showing compassion and kindness to those who are seeking your forgiveness?

Do you let your feelings tell you what’s true or do you let truth transform your feelings? Coach Nick Orduna adds an important element to your core spiritual fitness workout—self-speak. Seek out the truth, then talk truth to yourself! Get those daily reps in God’s Word and prayer. Then allow your time with God to fuel right thinking. Finally, talk to yourself about the truths of Scripture, especially as they relate to your view of God.

We don’t choose whether other people will hurt us or how they will accomplish it, but we do choose whether those injuries extend to our souls. Join Coach Shannon Lenz today as she shares some extraordinary and encouraging stories of forgiveness! Don’t allow an unforgiving attitude to extend the injuries to your soul. Instead, confess any wounds that you have been nursing and ask God to help you forgive the offending party as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32). If you

When you were a kid, maybe you wanted to be like Luke Skywalker, or your favorite athlete, or ... Who do you want to be like now? Today, Ricky Kennedy coaches us to be like Jesus! Write about some of God’s attributes or about what He has done in your life. Then, thank God for what has He has done in your life and go win today!

If you want your faith to grow, you need to keep in step with the One Who defines faithfulness. Coach Faith Sherrer explains this core training principle to help you win today! Spend time in prayer asking God to open your spiritual ears so you can walk in step with the Holy Spirit!

Today, Spiritual Fitness Coach Mark Geist shares an inspiring story about unexpected kindness, where it comes from, and how it impacts others. Today, go out of your way to be kind to someone, especially someone who may not expect it. Your kindness could be the very thing that points them to the kindness of God!

Never satisfied? Always wanting more? Coach Sherri Kreps helps you put an end to discontentment with a change in focus, a change in perspective, and a change in attitude! If you want to win today over discontentment, 1) Intentionally SEEK things above by pursuing the things that matter to God. 2) SET YOUR MIND on things above by intentionally thinking about the things that matter to God.

Anger, by design, alerts our senses and causes you to act. The question is, how will you act? Today Coach Seth Walker shows us how to use our anger to restore rather than wreck the situation at hand. The next time you feel angry, remember to ask yourself, "How can I help restore this situation?"

What causes you to criticize others? Spiritual Fitness Coach Celeste Hellbusch digs into God’s Word to see what’s behind this natural desire to point fingers, and what Jesus offers instead! Rather than criticizing someone, remember the grace given to you and extend that grace to them today!

When it comes to growth, the right diet is crucial. Today Coach Gary Dunker prescribes the spiritual nourishment you need to grow goodness in your life and share it with others! Seek to “grow in goodness” by spending time in God’s Word where the Holy Spirit can be found. Then find ways to exercise goodness in your neighborhood, with family, in church, a local college, or elsewhere.

Jesus left His followers with a gift to take with them through every single day: peace of mind and heart. Lydia Robertson coaches us to connect, live, and grow in this important spiritual fitness ingredient. Ask Jesus for the peace that He offers. This can be a simple prayer - “Jesus, please give me your peace today.” Also, pray for an opportunity to share the peace you experience from Jesus with someone else!

Learn how to send jealousy’s ugly passions packing as Coach Jon Winkelman shares the truth of how God provides what you need when you need it! When we feel jealousy begin to take root in our lives, we must remember that God has given us everything we need. How will you remember that today?

What do you do when you feel discouraged because of discouragement? Shannon shares about who you can count on to keep you from going under, even when you’re flooded with despair. Memorize 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Write it down on a notecard and post it in a prominent place. Then remember, His grace is sufficient for you. He’s the one who makes you strong!

What makes you apathetic or lazy? What slows you down to the point of bringing your life to a halt? Today Coach Zane Sherrer helps you identify and shed the lies of laziness so you can get up and give glory to God! Think of one practical step you can take to reject laziness and do something for the glory of God!

There’s a healthy satisfaction that goes along with a do-it-yourself project. But when DIY means excluding God from all your decisions and deadlines, it means pride has taken over and it's time to learn to lean on God’s strength! Donna Amidon shows that there’s no harm in admitting you can’t do it all yourself! Think of ONE thing you need God’s help to do in your life. Then humble yourself and pray, “God, You are the Most High God. I need you. I can't do this alone. I humbl