When traveling faster than the speed of sound, an airplane passes through a sound barrier. Similarly, when we tell people about Christ we hit three "sound barriers."

The first is to mention the name of Jesus Christ and the value of knowing Him. Once we get the conversation around from relationships, work or politics to spiritual things, we have broken the first barrier. It's difficult and doesn't necessarily get easier with time or practice.

The second "sound barrier" is to ask the person if he would like to receive Christ. That nervous feeling returns once again. Remember, many people, when they understand who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for them, will want Him in their lives.

The last barrier is the most difficult: It is to ask him to receive Christ right now. This is an important step. Often we tell the person how and then just leave him high and dry.

Next time you hit one of these obstacles, remember that once an airplane crosses the sound barrier, the flight is smooth.

With less than 10 minutes left in our rugby match, we lagged behind 30 to zero. Struggling to score, we pushed toward the Miami goal and misplayed the ball. It wound up in Miami's hands. They quickly moved the ball down the field, looking for a hole in our defense.

As right wing, I started the 50-yard run across the field under the scorching sun. I was hot, thirsty and tired. My job was to back up the fullback and be the last man on the left side of the field.

This time Miami couldn't find a seam in our defense. One of their players decided to kick the ball over us. Several of their players broke through our line and chased the ball as it rolled toward our goal. I sprinted toward the ball that awaited 40 yards away. If Miami reached it first, they would easily score.

I arrived first. No one on my team was in sight, but immediately three big Miami forwards dove on my 142-pound frame. They tore at the ball, attempting to rip it from my arms. I clutched the ball with all I had, waiting for my team.

Then I tried to fall back in my own end zone to reset play and give my team time to regroup. Right before I hit the ground, the ball was stripped from my hands and Miami scored.

My team came over to encourage me as I sat defeated on the ground. I gave it all I had left, knowing we would still lose. But I had to try.

So many times in life we fail to give our all or we don't do the right thing, because it is the hard thing. But God always deserves our best. He gave you and me nothing less when He gave His Son to die for us. I always want to try my hardest for Him and make my effort an act of worship. He is worthy of that and only that.

Several years ago, a farming community found itself in the midst of a drought. The once hearty soil had become as hard as bronze in the unrelenting sun. The parched crops lay wilted, and the anxious farmers grumbled at the incessantly cloudless skies. Finally, the ministers of the community scheduled an hour of prayer in the town square at noon on a Saturday. They encouraged the townspeople to bring objects of faith as inspiration.

On Saturday, the town square was brimming with people. Their faces filled with anticipation, their hearts hopeful, they clutched their "objects of faith"—Bibles, rosaries, crosses.

The hour of prayer ended and, as if on command, clouds appeared and a gentle rain began to fall. The townspeople cheered and held up their treasured objects in praise and thankfulness. In the middle of the joyous crowd, one object of faith stood out from the others. A 9-year-old child had brought an umbrella.

Faith is not merely believing. It requires action. And faith is essential to the Christian life. Without it, we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). But do we really comprehend the faith that God requires?

All of us have natural, everyday faith. This is the faith we exhibit in the ordinary things we do. When we sip a glass of water, we trust that the drink is pure. When we sit in a chair, we have faith that it will hold us. This type of faith comes from our senses. If the water looks odd or smells funny, we do not drink it. If the chair is cracked, we do not sit in it.

We need our senses and natural faith to live our physical lives, but the Bible explains that spiritual faith is "the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see"(Hebrews 11:1, New Living Translation). Spiritual faith does not depend upon our senses, but is based on God's consistent and trustworthy character.

"Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible," said George Mueller, 19th-century British social reformer and devoted Christian. "There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man's power ends."

Although our circumstances may appear hopeless and our feelings may tell us to give up, we must not allow ourselves to be limited by the visible, tangible world. Instead, we should place our trust in the amazing promises of our invisible God.

Yet many times our faith extends only as far as we can see. An African impala antelope can jump to a height of more than 10 feet and a distance of more than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo behind a 3-foot wall. The reason? The antelope will not jump if it cannot see where its feet will fall. The impala's dependency on its senses robs it of its freedom.

We, also, are often limited by our need to see or touch before we will believe. Instead, we must improve our spiritual vision so that the flimsy walls of fear and doubt cannot doom us to a life of spiritual mediocrity.

We are able to move beyond the limitations of our senses and circumstances the same way we were made spiritually alive: not by relying on ourselves, but by putting our faith in Christ and depending on the Holy Spirit's provision, power, guidance and protection moment by moment.

We cannot live an abundant, effective Christian life without the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is our example. The Holy Spirit was intimately involved in every aspect of His life and ministry. What an amazing privilege to have the same Holy Spirit who empowered our Savior living inside us.

The Christian journey can be defined as an exchanged life: our life exchanged for Christ's. We must die to our old self and invite Jesus to live His resurrection life through us: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, New International Version).

Jesus is the object of our faith. He is the door to our salvation and the immense blessings God has in store for us. To experience true life, we must continue the Christian journey the same way we began it. Paul warns, "After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:3, NLT).

When I got out of my car in front of my condo, I grabbed the coffee mugs and empty water bottles strewn inside. I heard someone yelling my name and waving for me to come. Feeling annoyed, I headed toward the person. On top of not knowing who was calling my name, I had a 6:30 dinner engagement and barely enough time to get there.

I continued walking, arms overflowing, until I could finally make out the fuzzy image. It was Wendy Hill, a friend and co-worker. She was standing with a group of neighbors pointing to the sky behind me. "The space shuttle's about to launch!" she said. Oh, that's nice, I thought. "When? I'm late for a dinner engagement."

"Under a minute," she replied. "3-2-1"

Then I saw it. The violet sky and the full moon, and next to both was a ball of fire with a colorful stream of smoke. The jet stream—from bottom to top—went from red to burnt orange to yellow to blue to white. At the same time, three jets crossed in front of the moon and the shuttle. My, what a view they must have had! I was speechless. And to think how annoyed I initially felt when I heard my name called.

Sometimes, unfortunately, I do that with God. He's calling my name, but I have my agenda and my life, and I'm too busy to listen. Not wanting to sacrifice my time, I end up missing His blessings.

Lillie Nye works with Answers for Life, a Campus Crusade for Christ ministry in partnership with clinical psychologist Henry Cloud, Ph.D.