1장
Faith That Defies Logic: The Journey from Impossible to Inevitable
Ever found yourself staring at a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, wondering if you're crazy to believe it could ever change? You're not alone. Michael Todd's "Crazy Faith" has become a cultural phenomenon precisely because it addresses this universal struggle. The book has garnered praise from celebrities like Justin Bieber and Ciara, topped bestseller lists, and sparked a social media movement with millions using #CrazyFaith to document their own journeys from impossibility to reality. As racial tensions heightened and a global pandemic raged, Todd's message about believing beyond what seems reasonable resonated deeply across demographic lines. What makes this book so powerful isn't just its spiritual insights but its radical premise: what seems utterly impossible today becomes completely normal tomorrow. The things we take for granted now-smartphones, racial integration, air travel-were once dismissed as absurd fantasies. Perhaps your own impossible situation is simply waiting for the same transformation.
2장
The Foundation: From Impossible to Inevitable
History proves that yesterday's impossibilities regularly become today's normalities. In 1979, someone carrying a portable phone would have been considered delusional. In 1955, the idea of integrated schools seemed unattainable to many. In 1899, human flight was dismissed as fantasy. Yet all these "crazy" ideas eventually became so normal we barely think about them.
This same principle applies to our personal struggles. That mountain of debt that seems unconquerable? The medical diagnosis that appears terminal? The addiction that feels unbreakable? The family dysfunction that spans generations? They're only "crazy" until they're overcome.
Michael Todd introduces himself as someone living with "Crazy Faith," having experienced firsthand how God transforms impossibilities into realities. As husband to Natalie, father to four children, pastor of Transformation Church, and bestselling author, Todd reflects on how achieving these roles once seemed impossible to him.
His faith foundation was established through parents who modeled "extreme faith," encouraging prayer over pessimism and teaching biblical stories that built both imagination and spiritual confidence. They demonstrated that it's never too late to build faith, regardless of your starting point.
Todd compares faith to building construction-the foundation determines what can be built above. You can't build a skyscraper-sized vision on fixer-upper faith. He defines Crazy Faith as "having thoughts and actions that lack reason but trusting fully in what you cannot explicitly prove." This stands in stark contrast to our Google-everything culture where people only believe what can be proven.
Biblical heroes like Noah exemplify this principle. Building an enormous boat on dry land when no one had ever seen rain seemed absolutely insane-until the flood came. What appears crazy in one season will be counted as faith in another.
Todd shares powerful stories of Crazy Faith in action, including Transformation Church's founding pastors, Gary and Debbie McIntosh. As white pastors, they followed God's call to plant a church in North Tulsa's predominantly Black community-the same area devastated by the 1921 race massacre. When Bishop Gary heard God tell him to "reverse the curse in North Tulsa," they obeyed despite the challenges, transforming a small group of forty people into a thriving ministry reaching thousands worldwide.
These stories aren't just meant to inspire but to compel us to become "willing vessels" that God can use. All creation is waiting for believers who will trust God and step out in Crazy Faith.
3장
Baby Steps: The Essential Beginning of Faith
While Crazy Faith is the ultimate goal, everyone must start somewhere. Just as no one immediately bench-presses 300 pounds or swims like an Olympian on their first try, faith also requires starting small and building gradually. These baby steps might seem insignificant, but they're absolutely necessary for reaching big goals.
Even small steps require faith, and Crazy Faith develops only after diligently exercising baby faith. Most people want dramatic results without humble beginnings-like Noah cutting down that first tree, unseen by anyone but God. Baby faith might mean opening a "Generosity Fund" with just five dollars, enrolling in a college class, or writing a letter to an estranged parent.
Imagination serves as a powerful tool for baby faith. Contrary to popular belief, imagination isn't childish but a divine gift-we're created in God's image with the power to imagine what isn't yet tangible. Through imagination, we can see ourselves healed when bedridden, living in a beautiful home while stuck in a leaky apartment, or enjoying peaceful family gatherings despite current dysfunction. These daydreams might be God showing glimpses of possible futures if we believe enough to move toward them.
Jesus told His disciples that faith even as small as a mustard seed could move mountains. This illustrates how much power is packed into baby faith-enough to dissolve debt or heal terminal illness. While a mustard seed seems insignificant, God notices when we step out in baby faith. The supernatural realm feels it, even when we can't immediately see results.
Our faith isn't in our own abilities but in an omnipotent God who multiplies our small acts of faith with exponential returns. It's like an employer matching a 401(k) contribution, but infinitely better.
In Matthew 18, Jesus teaches that we must become like little children to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Children trust first, without conditions or past experiences fueling fears. Todd acknowledges that our relationship with our earthly father shapes how we view God and addresses those with absent or disappointing fathers. Psychological studies show we tend to associate attributes of our primary father figure with God, making trust difficult for those with father wounds.
Todd encourages readers to allow the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts, forgive earthly fathers, and embrace God as the perfect Father who never disappoints, dies, leaves, or rejects. Even with just mustard seed faith, God can turn around impossible situations.
When Todd's daughter Ava Rae took her first steps at eleven months old, she was wobbly and falling, but encouraged by her family's cheering until she reached her goal. This mirrors our spiritual journey, where each baby step of faith brings momentum toward our miracle. Every step out of our comfort zone is momentous; every step past fear makes us a walking miracle.
For years, Todd believed certain matters were too small to bother God with. He later realized these small situations were actually opportunities to rely on God. Citing Proverbs 3:6, "In all your ways acknowledge Him," Todd emphasizes that "ALL" encompasses even trivial details of our lives. The baby faith exercised in one season builds faith muscle for bigger challenges later.
Hope serves as the essential fuel for faith. One of Satan's most effective tactics is discouraging people until they stop hoping. Like a luxury car without gas, no matter how impressive your potential, without hope (fuel), you can't move forward. Hope is found in Jesus-in His words, promises, and truth-who remains unchanging yesterday, today, and forever.
4장
Maybe Faith: Finding Confidence in Uncertainty
"Maybe" has become one of the most useful words in Todd's parenting vocabulary. With four small children increasingly confident in asking for what they want, he and his wife Natalie rely on this word that means "perhaps," "possibly," or "yes with a hint of uncertainty." Todd encourages us to view "maybe" optimistically, seeing possibilities instead of problems.
In his faith journey, "maybe" has become unexpectedly valuable, allowing him to look at seemingly impossible things and think, "Maybe God wants this for me." Maybe doesn't have to kill momentum-it may be the start of a miracle.
Many wonder how to know if they have enough faith or if God heard their prayer. Todd's honest answer is surprising-you can't be sure; it's almost always a maybe. Faith begins where human understanding ends, when we acknowledge we don't know everything.
Todd introduces the concept of "51 percent faith"-you don't need 100 percent certainty, just enough to tip the scale. He illustrates this with biblical examples like Abraham sacrificing Isaac and Joshua circling Jericho, and from his own life when marrying Natalie at age 23. Even Jesus had second thoughts in Gethsemane but maintained enough faith to continue.
The story of the widow with oil from 2 Kings 4 demonstrates how a small jar miraculously filled many containers-she couldn't be completely sure it would work, but her 51 percent faith was enough for God. If we can become just 51 percent confident in God's word, that's enough to move forward in obedience and for God to create opportunities for the impossible.
Living by faith isn't optional for Christians. Hebrews 10:38 states: "My righteous ones will live by faith." Reading Hebrews 11:6 in reverse reveals that with faith, pleasing God is possible. We can't expect to please God without believing in Him and what He says.
Bible stories can sound far-fetched-feeding thousands with a small amount of food, parting seas, defeating giants with slingshots-but these stories are true. God didn't do His best work in biblical times and then retire; He's still the same God with the same power. Faith is foundational to any great move of God, yet many try to live without it.
Todd uses the analogy of returning items to a store without a receipt to explain faith. While retailers require tangible proof of purchase, God accepts invisible evidence. Hebrews 11:1 states, "Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see." Faith is our receipt, our invisible evidence.
Stepping out in faith requires leaving comfort for the unknown. Like Abram being told to "go to the land that I will show you" without knowing the destination, faith means leaving what's familiar. Though the pain of faith is real-leaving relationships, possessions, or comfortable positions-God's promises always outweigh the pain.
God's guidance resembles GPS navigation: you don't get instructions until you start moving, receiving each step just in time to obey it. God meets us at the intersection of faith and obedience, and His plan exceeds our wildest dreams if we trust Him enough to get going.
The faith formula is simple: Intellectual Agreement + Trust = Faith. Intellectual agreement (knowing something is true) isn't enough without trust (relying on what you know). We can't see wind or Wi-Fi, yet we trust their existence by flying kites or using smartphones. Similarly, we trust chairs to hold our weight without testing them first. If we can trust Wi-Fi providers and chair manufacturers, why not trust the God who made everything?
5장
Waiting Faith: The Patience Between Promise and Provision
Todd's journey to becoming pastor of Transformation Church in his hometown seemed "absolutely crazy." In 2015, when he and his wife took over leadership of the 300-member church, God gave him a bigger vision that he was "just crazy enough to believe." Just 37 days after becoming lead pastor, Todd wrote out a vision from God for a new building-despite having just paid off their 33,000-square-foot converted grocery store.
This bold step was inspired by the biblical principle to "write the vision and make it plain." Todd explains how this practice began in middle school when he would draw detailed sketches of Air Jordans and later an elaborate drum set that miraculously manifested. These early "middle school miracles" built his faith for the much larger vision God had for his church.
Todd's vision was truly crazy-becoming a multiethnic, multigenerational, multiplying, multicampus church when they were none of those things. Despite having no pastoral experience, seminary education, or building acquisition experience, he boldly shared the vision with his staff and church family.
While it's easy to believe secretly for something great, it takes real trust to publicly declare a miracle that hasn't yet materialized. By sharing the vision with trusted people, he unlocked a deeper level of faith as they unified in language and prayer. Even when his banker laughed at his plans to purchase the SpiritBank Event Center, Todd's crazy faith remained unshaken.
Todd uses the analogy of waiting for his wife Natalie to cook dinner to illustrate the challenge of waiting between promise and provision. He admits that sometimes his impatience leads him to grab a snack while waiting, but these empty calories never truly satisfy. Similarly, he warns against settling for counterfeit versions of God's promises during waiting periods.
Instead of filling the gap with substitutes or sitting idly, Todd encourages "waiting on God"-actively serving Him by supporting others' visions, being generous, and volunteering. He suggests that God sometimes allows these waiting periods to prepare us for the promise, just as he wouldn't let his daughter drive before she's mature enough to handle it.
The danger of getting timing wrong is illustrated through King Saul's story in 1 Samuel 13. When faced with the Philistine army and his own troops deserting, Saul panics and performs a sacrifice that only Samuel was authorized to do. Samuel arrives just after Saul finishes and pronounces that Saul has lost his kingdom for not keeping God's command.
"The right thing in the wrong timing is a curse," and pressure reveals whether we trust God or panic. Hasty faith "Forgets Orders and Makes Options" while waiting faith "Follows Orders and Maintains Obedience." When we allow pressure, comparison, or impatience to lead us, waiting faith turns to hasty faith.
Todd warns that our feelings make terrible leaders-they should be indicators, not directors. With waiting faith, we put "Faith Over My Opinion" rather than "Feelings Over My Obedience." Faithfully waiting leads to "obtaining more oil" (God's anointing) while hasty faith "fumbles obvious moments often," concluding that "the only thing harder than waiting on God is wishing you would have."
6장
Wavy Faith: Stepping Out of the Boat
The Bible highlights people who took risks in faith rather than those who played it safe. Todd introduces Peter as his favorite disciple-a "gangster disciple" who oscillates between radical obedience and impulsive actions. After Jesus multiplied food to feed thousands, He told His disciples to cross the lake by boat while He would catch up later, setting the stage for a storm that would test more than their sailing abilities.
The disciples mistake Jesus walking on water for a ghost during their stormy lake crossing. Peter recognizes Jesus's voice and remarkably walks on water toward Him when invited. This miracle defies human logic-water isn't designed to hold weight. Our perception is limited; we can't always trust first impressions.
The disciples fail to recognize Jesus because He appears differently than they're accustomed to. Wavy faith requires examining before expressing-God may manifest differently in new seasons or storms. What seems like setbacks might be divine setups. Many apparent obstacles might actually be God at work-it's often too soon to tell.
Jesus remains completely unfazed by the storm because He is the creator of everything-including water molecules and weather patterns. As John writes, Jesus was present at creation as "the Word" through whom all things were made. He understands the inner structure of storms in ways scientists haven't yet discovered.
In another lake crossing story, Jesus sleeps peacefully through a fierce storm before calming it with a word, asking His terrified disciples why they still lack faith. Jesus knows every detail of our situations-medical reports, family drama, financial struggles-and remains untroubled by them all. Our job is to rest in Him as God's heirs.
When Peter witnesses Jesus walking on water, his "wavy faith" transforms into "crazy faith" through exposure to his Master's greater faith, making him temporarily unfazed by the waves himself.
While eleven disciples stay in their seemingly safe boat, Peter alone responds to Jesus's invitation to "Come." Many people miss adventures because they fear not being able to save themselves. They won't start businesses, be vulnerable in relationships, or take risks without backup plans. But Peter demonstrates that the safest place isn't in the boat-it's wherever Jesus is.
Even when Peter's fear overtakes his faith and he begins to sink, his proximity to Jesus ensures his rescue. Our job isn't to save ourselves but to trust the Savior completely. Walking with Him requires stepping out of safety, but enables us to accomplish what seemed impossible-breaking family cycles, establishing legacies, transforming lives.
Every circumstance in life is either God-used or God-sent. Sometimes storms come not from disobedience but from following God's instructions. Perhaps God deliberately sends us into difficult situations to perform miracles through us, test our readiness, save us through necessary detours, strengthen us through hardship, or prepare us for greater purposes.
While disciples row all night striving against the storm, Jesus walks on water and arrives at the same destination effortlessly. This contrast reveals a profound truth: we can stride with God's power rather than exhaust ourselves striving in our own strength. Many believers waste energy "rowing" through relationships, careers, and challenges, while God offers a better way.
Before Jesus walked on water, He withdrew to a mountainside alone to pray-spiritually preparing to stand on what others drown in. This preparation wasn't just for Himself but enabled Him to empower Peter to follow. Prayer acknowledges our complete dependence on God and keeps our eyes fixed on Jesus when winds and waves threaten to overwhelm us.
7장
Active Faith: Overcoming Spiritual Laziness
While many believers pursue God's promises with Crazy Faith, we often have a complacent side. Jesus highlighted this when He found His disciples sleeping in Gethsemane, noting the contrast between their eager spirit and lazy flesh. Even passionate believers can struggle with this-enthusiastic on Sunday but inactive on Monday.
You're the first Bible some people read through your life story. Though your faith work may be hidden now, like seeds underground, God sees it all and prepares it to bear fruit that will nourish others. Future generations depend on your faith-filled actions, as God commanded us to be fruitful in all areas, not just physically.
Active faith moves when God says move, regardless of feelings. Many start with enthusiasm but lack follow-through discipline. They pray for vision but won't act when God provides it, wanting prophetic words without doing prophetic work. As Myles Munroe noted, the cemetery is earth's wealthiest place-full of unrealized potential from those who never acted on their calling.
The story of the paralyzed man whose friends carried him to Jesus exemplifies persistent faith. When obstacles arose, they didn't quit but found another way-even removing a roof to reach Jesus. This demonstrates how active faith perseveres while lazy faith surrenders at the first setback. The Bible's instruction to "Cast all your anxiety on him" requires deliberate action.
God uses challenges to strengthen our faith, building perseverance and stamina. James 1:2-3 encourages us to view trials as opportunities for joy, as tested faith develops endurance. We must transform lazy faith that quits into active faith that persists through setbacks.
When our "why" aligns with God's passion for people, He empowers our efforts. Philippians 2:13 confirms that God works within us, providing both desire and power to do His will. The unnamed men who helped their paralyzed friend exemplify this-they worked without seeking recognition, focused solely on connecting someone to Jesus's transformative power.
8장
Trading Faith: Moving from Borrowed to Personal Belief
While Jerome's friends' active faith brought him to Jesus's feet, that's as far as it could take him. When Jesus saw their faith, he forgave Jerome's sins-already a remarkable outcome. Like Jerome, many of us have benefited from others' faith-a praying mother, cousin, or friend whose faith has brought us to encounter Jesus. That's worth celebrating, but there's more to come.
Once it's between Jerome and Jesus, he discovers someone else's faith isn't enough. He must exchange the borrowed faith that brought him here for personal faith that will take him further. Jesus wants to heal Jerome's body to demonstrate He has healed his spirit. This follows an important principle: God never does something on the outside that He hasn't already done on the inside.
When Jesus tells Jerome to stand and walk, He does it to prove His authority to forgive sins-showing through Jerome's body what He accomplished in his heart.
Not everyone celebrates Jerome's healing. The religious leaders question Jesus's authority to forgive sins. When pursuing Crazy Faith, you'll face skeptics who can't see what God has already worked. They'll doubt your business vision, marriage restoration, or financial breakthrough. But as long as you remain in God's presence, there is hope. You must hear the hate but hold onto hope.
Jesus gives Jerome seemingly impossible instructions: "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" If I were Jerome, I might think Jesus had lost His mind. Doesn't He see I'm paralyzed? Doesn't He understand my broken family, depression, rejection history? Doesn't He know no one has ever believed in me?
When God calls us to do something we've never done before, it requires trading faith-exchanging the faith that got us here for the Crazy Faith that will get us there. Trusting God means not depending on our own understanding, and trying shows where our trust truly lies.
"Pick up your mat" means carrying our testimony with us. Todd openly shares his decade-long pornography addiction at Transformation Church because his story of weakness is his weapon. The Bible says we overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. We must leave the sin but take the mat-our testimony is our secret weapon for staying free.
When you trade for Crazy Faith, God will first send you back to where people know who you used to be-because that's where your transformation will show most powerfully. The people at home who've cared for you in your broken state deserve to witness your miracle; it belongs to them too.
God wants to display your transformation before those who knew you in your crippled state. Todd experienced this when his old friend Kyle, who had struggled with substance abuse, came to his church. By sharing his unfiltered testimony that day, Kyle found hope and prayed to accept Christ, telling Todd afterward, "I am not too broken for God to still make a masterpiece out of me."
Crazy Faith makes you believe you can be the exception. Your perception of previous patterns doesn't determine your future possibilities. Instead of asking "Why me?" when facing impossible situations, people with Crazy Faith ask "Why NOT me?" God has a history of making exceptions: Daniel survived the lions' den, the Hebrew boys emerged unburned from the furnace, Sarah conceived in her nineties, Moses parted the sea, Joshua brought down Jericho's walls, David defeated Goliath, Joseph rose from slavery to leadership, and Jesus conquered death itself.
9장
From Counterfeit to Authentic: Recognizing Real Faith
When Todd's mother-in-law received a scam letter promising $100,000 for a $700 fee, it prompted him to consider what fake faith might look like in our pursuit of Crazy Faith.
Fugazi (fake) faith has three key features. First, hell isn't afraid of it. As James 2:19 notes, "Even the demons believe" in God. The seven sons of Sceva learned this painfully when trying to cast out demons without true authority. You can't borrow someone else's faith. True faith progresses from acceptance of Jesus, to access to the Holy Spirit, to action, to authority, and finally to abundance.
Second, fugazi faith lacks direction-it's generic optimism without God. While optimism says "Everything will be okay," authentic faith is specifically directed toward Jesus. Martha demonstrated this when Lazarus died, declaring to Jesus, "Even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." Like Todd's two-year-old daughter who specifically called for "Daddy" instead of anyone, real faith knows who to trust.
Third, fugazi faith wants God's results without personal responsibility. As James illustrates through Abraham, "his faith and his actions worked together." Paul emphasizes in Galatians 5 that genuine faith expresses itself through love-not just words, but sacrificial action.
Todd's congregation demonstrated this principle while waiting for their building. They gave over $700,000 to nonprofits and churches in 2019. When the SpiritBank Event Center became available, they acted decisively, putting down $100,000 immediately. Despite offers up to $2 million to walk away, Todd held firm, knowing God's purpose for the property.
The bank that once dismissed their vision approved a $10.5 million loan. On August 6, 2019-1,611 days after Todd first wrote the vision-they purchased the building. The congregation's authentic faith culminated in paying off the entire amount in just five months, far exceeding their one-year goal.
10장
Speaking Life: The Power of Faith-Filled Declarations
When infants want something, they grunt, whine, or point until adults figure out what they need. But as children grow, we teach them to use words to express themselves clearly. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things."
Though God is omniscient and knows our needs before we express them, He still wants to hear from us through prayer and worship. Todd's son Michael Jr., diagnosed with autism at age two and a half, struggles with verbal skills at age six, making it difficult for them to understand his needs. They've gotten better at reading his body language, but it remains challenging to know exactly what he requires.
If you're struggling with stating faith, use your words! It's not Crazy Faith until you start stating faith. Speaking your beliefs aloud puts a demand on heaven and establishes accountability. All the positive energy in the universe can't match the power of words spoken in faith.
Words carry creative power-the same tool God used to form the universe. In Genesis, God spoke "Let there be," and whatever He commanded instantly manifested. Stars appeared, darkness became light, seas formed, and life emerged. This same creative power has been given to us.
Proverbs 18:21 teaches that life and death power resides in the tongue, not just thoughts. Faith comes by hearing (Romans 10:17), and your own ears are the first to receive your spoken words. When you speak truth aloud, your faith grows and worry begins to dissipate.
Visualizing what you're believing God for and then speaking about it as though it's already happened builds momentum for your next faith step. This exercise helps us see life from God's perspective and reminds us to praise Him in advance for miracles yet to manifest.
Too many Christians think faith-filled thoughts occasionally but don't solidify them through declarations. Salvation itself follows the A-B-C pattern: Accept Christ as Lord, Believe He died and was resurrected, and Confess your need for a Savior-with confession being something you say, not just think.
Jesus demonstrated the power of spoken words when He cursed a fruitless fig tree. Walking with His disciples one hungry morning, He told the tree, "May no one ever eat your fruit again!" (Mark 11:14). The next day, they passed by to find it completely withered. When Peter expressed surprise, Jesus seemed unfazed-He had said what He said, and what He says, He does.
Hebrews 11:3 reminds us that "by faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command." God didn't think the world into existence; He spoke it. Jesus didn't think the fig tree into death; He declared it.
In contrast, consider Eve's encounter with the serpent in Eden. All the Enemy could do was make twisted suggestions to get her to doubt God's word. The devil operates the same way today-making suggestions to influence our actions against God's will. When we speak godly confessions, we interrupt these suggestions. That's exactly what Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness, responding three times with "The Scriptures say..." until the devil finally left.
The story of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10 demonstrates powerful stating faith. Despite his blindness, Bartimaeus passionately called out to Jesus, ignoring those who tried to silence him. When Jesus asked what he wanted, Bartimaeus boldly declared "I want to see!" This exemplifies stating faith-speaking what you desire even when you can't see it.
11장
When Faith Falters: Finding Hope in the Darkness
As a pastor, Todd must care not only for those ready to embrace Crazy Faith but also for "the one" whose faith is fading. Like a shepherd seeking lost sheep, he prioritizes those struggling spiritually. He's personally experienced fading faith while raising his son MJ after his autism diagnosis, even while witnessing God's transformation of their church. His faith hasn't wavered in every area, but he's had dark days that continue even now, requiring humble transparency about his struggles.
Everyone experiences loss in this broken world. Though we're God's beloved children and heirs with Christ, God often redeems our pain through suffering rather than removing it entirely. As Romans 8:17 reminds us, sharing Christ's glory means sharing His suffering. Todd struggles with this reality during MJ's therapy sessions-some days his Crazy Faith flourishes, other days it fades.
Faith can fade through various devastating circumstances: infertility despite prayers, business failure despite integrity, unexpected death of parents, sudden health crises, marital betrayal, educational disappointments, loss of family homes, racial injustice, or moral failure of spiritual mentors. Such profound losses can cause even Crazy Faith to fade.
Thomas missed seeing the resurrected Jesus when He appeared to the other disciples. When they told Thomas they'd seen the Lord, he refused to believe without seeing Jesus's wounds himself. This doesn't make Thomas a doubter-he's hurting, brokenhearted, and exhausted. Just like when Todd drives MJ to therapy, he's not Doubting Michael but Tired Michael who's seen God work before and desperately needs Him to show up again.
Thomas wasn't necessarily at fault for missing Jesus's appearance, just as your losses may not be your fault. Sometimes it's just life-unfair and painful. Faith fades when you only hear about miracles you desperately hope to see yourself.
Fading faith begins with Crazy Faith that's been shaken by loss. Thomas knew firsthand what Jesus could do, but after losing Him, his faith wavered. Yet Thomas kept showing up-he didn't abandon the disciples despite his struggles. When Jesus appeared again, He went straight to Thomas, already knowing his needs. Jesus didn't reject Thomas for his doubt; instead, He showed up specifically to restore Thomas's faith.
Even when your faith is fading, you still belong in God's family. Jesus is most likely to appear among His gathered people, which is why staying connected to community matters even when it's painful to see others receiving the miracles you're hoping for.
Jesus met Thomas's needs not so he could boast, but so he could believe again. Fading faith attracts God's crazy grace in three ways: He meets tangible needs, visual needs, and personal needs. Jesus invited Thomas to touch Him, see Him, and know Him personally. God often shows His grace through His people-which is why sharing our burdens with others is crucial.
Todd is deeply grateful for his community who've helped carry the burden of raising a son with special needs. God provides not just saving grace but sustaining grace. Even if MJ's situation doesn't change, Todd knows God will sustain them. As he wrote in a song after MJ's autism diagnosis: "You sustain, in the middle of it all, You remain the same." God will sustain you in your season of fading faith, preparing you for even crazier faith to come.
12장
The Journey Continues: From Saving Faith to Lasting Legacy
The events of Jesus's birth didn't happen during Christmastime - they occurred on ordinary days. Mary and Joseph's experience shows how God works in our everyday lives, making them perfect examples of living with Crazy Faith.
God initiates our Crazy Faith journey by giving us a crazy word - through dreams, prayer, or unexpected sources. This word often arrives in dark times, providing just enough light for the next step. Soon after, the Enemy typically responds with crazy worry, flooding our minds with "how" questions instead of focusing on "who" God is.
After receiving the word and overcoming worry through prayer, we must walk the crazy walk. Like Mary and Joseph's ninety-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, we walk by faith, not sight. This journey takes time and involves active waiting - not idle passing of time, but becoming who we need to be for God's purpose.
God's crazy way rarely matches our expectations. For Mary and Joseph, it meant giving birth in an obscure stable when no inn had room. In life's dark and difficult moments, God is developing His image in us. From unlikely circumstances, He brings forth new life and purpose.
The only appropriate response to God's crazy way is crazy worship. Like the wise men who traveled months to worship Jesus, or Transformation Church celebrating their new building, genuine joy and worship follow God's provision.
When God fulfills His promises, it's not the end - it's an invitation to believe for more. After receiving the SpiritBank Event Center, God prompted Todd to "keep his foot on the gas" and believe for the entire complex. Within fourteen months, that too became reality. This pattern becomes your new normal: God continuously pours out blessings, proving that something is only crazy until it happens.
