Recap: “What are you afraid of? What keeps you up at night? In this series we’re learning to fear less so that we experience our best life and live fearless. Having less fear isn’t about playing it safer, or being more comfortable, it’s the opposite. It’s dreaming and risking big. It’s confronting our fears and in faith moving forward in the face of fear. We all face storms in life. Those storms can threaten to drown us, but the key to moving forward in faith, not frozen by fear is our focus. Are we focused on the storm or the Savior? In the Bible accounts from today we learn that Jesus is bigger than our storms. When we put our focus on Jesus he will help us walk through whatever storms we face in this life. Have courage. Keep going, keep moving forward. What we focus on will determine what we see & if we’ll live by faith or fear.

(1) What’s the biggest storm you’ve ever been in?

(2) What’s one of the biggest storms you’ve faced in your life? Where did or does your focus go in the middle of those storms?

(3) Read Mark 4:35-40 and Matthew 8:23-27. What do you notice about these accounts? What sticks out to you? Just share or write down your observations.

(4) Have you ever questioned whether God cared about you when you were walking through a storm? What were the circumstances that brought about that reaction? Where was your focus?

(5) What do you think it looks like practically to focus on our Heavenly Father not our fear, on our Savior not our storm?

(6) What do you make of the idea that Jesus was with them in the storm & even invited them to follow him into the boat?

(7) Review Isaiah 41:10, our theme verse. What does this say about God and His promises to us? How should that give us courage that he is bigger than our storms?

(8) What specific step can you take to fix your focus on your Father not your fear?

So do not fear, for I am with you;do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you;I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.