Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
2 18 2026
Moments of Real Truth – A Fireside Conversation
I got a call last week from a man who once lived in Tampa but moved north to the mountains. He said he was thankful for the friends he still has at our church. He appreciated that I picked up the phone and gave him a few minutes every couple of weeks.
But beneath his words, I could hear it — a desperation for friendship. A longing for connection.
The quiet ache that comes from too much silence in the house and
too much time alone with your thoughts.
He now lives in a rural area. And loneliness, especially when you have a past that has tried to pull you down, can be a loud companion. Yet, he’s been walking sober, clean and strong in the Lord for many months … something worth celebrating. He speaks so highly of a few men here —
Godly men he admires… and I told him the truth:
They are good people. They would help me if I called.
But I thought that doesn’t make them close friends — not anymore.
Time, distance, responsibilities —
they shape our relationships and sometimes they quietly shift them.
I encouraged him to value proximity and foster relationships that he can hang with more personally. Both are gifts, but they are not the same. Acquaintances may encourage us from time to time, but true friendship is built with time, trust, presence, and shared seasons — both in the mountains and the valleys.
I encouraged him:
Find a men’s group. A Bible study. A place where handshakes become conversations…
where conversations become relationships… and relationships become real brotherhood.
Because God never designed a man to stand alone for long.
“Two are better than one… If either falls, one can help the other up.”
— Ecclesiastes 4:9–10
God Knows the Long Seasons of Waiting
I reminded him of the patriarchs … men who walked with God through years that didn’t make sense.
Abraham left everything because God simply said, “Go.”
He was promised descendants as numerous as the stars… and waited 25 years
before he held Isaac in his arms.
“And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.”
— Hebrews 6:15
Joseph — betrayed by his brothers, falsely accused, imprisoned, forgotten — and yet in God’s perfect timing, raised up to save others.
“The Lord was with Joseph.”
— Genesis 39:21
That’s the Bible’s reminder:
Faith isn’t proven on the mountaintops — it’s formed in the ordinary days of doing the best we can and trusting God with the rest.
God Gives Small Oasis in the Journey
I shared with him a moment from my week — small, simple, but sacred.
My daughter came home from college, tired and worn down. We watched an old Christmas show, laughed, played with the dogs — nothing spectacular… yet it became the highlight of my week.
And the next morning, I woke early to pray over her before she left — and that became an oasis for my soul.
Because God often strengthens us through small mercies, not just miracles.
“His mercies are new every morning.”
— Lamentations 3:22–23
But Monday still comes.
Responsibilities are still waiting.
And sometimes, the road is steep — even when we’re walking faithfully.
The Words He Needed — and Maybe We All Need
What I told him — and what I remind myself — is simple:
Do the best you can.
Trust God for what you can’t.
Walk in His peace — not in your predictions.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:7
That call felt like a fireside chat — just two men talking openly about struggle and faith.
He didn’t need theological depth.
He didn’t need clichés.
He needed to know he was on the right track — that God sees, God stays, and God sustains.
And that the God who provides salvation… also provides friends.
But they are found on the journey — not on the sidelines.
“Let us not give up meeting together… but encourage one another.”
— Hebrews 10:25
A Reminder to all of us, for Every Lonely Season
If you’re walking through a quiet or lonely season — keep walking.
If friendships feel distant … keep reaching.
If progress is slow … keep going.
Do the best that you can.
Trust God with what you cannot.
And stay grounded in His Word — because He has walked this road with men before you,
and He will walk it with you too.
You’re not alone.
You’re not forgotten.
And God isn’t finished.
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