"You Gotta Lock In, Bro"

“You just gotta lock in, bro—it’s as simple as that."

This was a common phrase I heard over the past two weeks as we prepared our church's Pathfinder team for the area Bible Bowl competition. Each Pathfinder was responsible for reading 5–6 chapters from either the book of Romans or 1 Corinthians. This wasn’t particularly easy for all of them—they were already juggling extracurricular activities, household responsibilities, and schoolwork. Memorizing and understanding their assigned chapters felt overwhelming.

However, as the competition drew near, it became clear that not much studying was actually being done. This prompted the assistant leader (and even some team members) to issue a firm reminder: "Lock in." If they wanted to make an impact, they needed to get serious, stay focused, and commit. Granted, it was their first time participating in the Bible Bowl, but nothing is impossible if you truly want it.

So, in the final week leading up to the competition, a few of us teachers, coaches, and elders met with the Pathfinders every evening for at least two hours—reviewing chapters, practicing questions, and reinforcing their learning. Some days, they were hopeful. Other days, they questioned why they had signed up in the first place. But no matter what, the same phrase echoed through our meetings: "Y’all gotta lock in." "Just lock in."

And you know what? They did. Not only did they place second in the area-level competition, but they also qualified for the next round! Saying I’m proud would be the understatement of the year. They worked so hard that by the time the competition arrived, the actual questions felt easier than the ones they had been practicing all week. They really locked in!

As we step into a new year, it’s easy to create a long list of goals: 

"I want to exercise more."
"I want to be wiser with my finances."
"I want to get all A’s."

"I want to get closer to God."

"I want to cook more, travel more, read more."

The list goes on. And don’t get me wrong—it’s a beautiful thing to set goals. But here’s the real question: What are you doing to actually make them happen?

At the start of 2024, buzzwords like "discipline" and "intentional" were everywhere. But as the year went on, people seemed to forget about them. Words are powerful, but they mean nothing without action.

Just two weeks ago, I wrote about the beauty of tomorrow. Now, with 2025 in full swing, we have approximately 329 tomorrows left. What are you going to do between now and the end of the year to accomplish at least one of your goals? How are you going to be intentional about the future God has given you? How are you going to "lock in, bro," so that 2025 becomes one of your greatest years yet?

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my Pathfinders, it’s this: You just have to start. Keep going. Everything else will fall into place.

Want to exercise more? Start by walking a little each day.
Want to cook more? Find one recipe and buy the ingredients for it.
Want to manage your money better? Create a budget.
Want to get closer to God? Start by talking to Him a little each day and reading a verse.

We are the only ones standing between who we are and who we want to be. So instead of just saying it, be about it.

One Bible verse I admire greatly is James 2:26:

"Faith without works is dead."

Yes, we can believe that everything we desire will come to us, but we have to put in the work. We can’t expect God to move in our lives while we’re just snoring our time away.

We gotta lock in.

Because at the end of the day, God can open doors, but it’s up to us to walk through them.

So, what’s it going to be? Another year of wishful thinking, or a year of action? A year of "maybe I’ll try," or a year of "I’m doing it no matter what"?

The choice is yours.

But if my Pathfinders taught me anything, it’s this—when you truly lock in, you can win.

So, stop waiting. Stop overthinking. Just do it.

Love always,

God's Most Talkative Child