Have you ever thought, “I want to get closer to Jesus, and I also want to torture my body” at the same time? Well, then this challenge is for you. I was looking for something new and remembered the 75 Hard challenge. I looked at it, really liked it, and then decided to crank it up a bit. We are going to do this for 150 straight days. You can start at any time, and hopefully all of these things become a habit not a chore. This challenge is more about discipline than anything else. Yes, you’re going to get closer to God. Yes, you’re going to get in better shape. But you’re going to do it through discipline and routine. Why 150 days? Well, it’s twice as long as the 75 Hard challenge, and there are 150 Psalms. So, it sounded like a good, round number. And why call it the “Walls of Jericho” Challenge? Well, I wanted a biblical theme, and there’s the nice symmetry of the number 7 in the Jericho story and the seven tenets of this challenge. God will get you through this challenge, just as He did with the Israelites. And of course, the Josh/Joshua thing. But it’s not about the challenge itself; it’s about getting into a good routine that will carry much further than 150 days. If you want to try it out, let me know. I love accountability buddies.
Rules
- Read the Bible for 30 minutes
- Quiet prayer for 15 minutes
- Abstain
- Two workouts a day, one must be outside
- Follow a nutrition plan
- Drink a gallon of water
- Progress Pictures
Explanation
- Find a Bible reading plan and stick to it
- Must read a Psalm every day
- Can do two smaller ones in a dayCan break up 119 over multiple days
- Must read a chapter of Proverbs every day
- Will go through Proverbs 4.5 times in the challenge
- Must read a Psalm every day
- Can be alone or with a partner. Just has to be a quiet 15 minutes of prayer, or longer. That’s not a problem
- Must abstain from something; alcohol, tobacco, fast food, porn, etc… Like giving up something for Lent, the idea is the same
- First workout can be anything inside; weightlifting, group fitness class, Peloton or other home workout. Second workout must be outside; walk, job, bike, anything with fresh air (if it is below 0, second workout can be done inside).
- There are many different nutrition plans out there. Find one you can stick with.
- A gallon at minimum, especially with multiple workouts. Does not have to be plain water. Alcohol and soda do not count.
- Can be shared in an accountability group or not shared at all. The idea is to see how your body changes while your faith grows. Taking progress pictures is a great way of self-accountability.
