S8 Episode #19- Hold Course with Jes French
THE ONE WITH Jes + HOLDING COURSE
This week on The Collected Podcast... we’re leaning into a tender, timely reminder from the heart of God: hold course. After a busy, overwhelming season and a moment of wanting to quit, Jes shares how a simple word spoken to her back in 2018 became the lifeline she needed eight years later—and how it might be the encouragement your weary heart needs too. Through Scripture, personal journal entries, and a rich look at the biblical meaning of “holding fast,” this episode invites you to remember God’s faithfulness, cling to His Word, and stay steady in the work He’s called you to. If you’re feeling tired, discouraged, or unsure of your next step, this conversation will help you lift your eyes, anchor your hope, and keep moving forward with renewed courage and joy.
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SHOW NOTES
Welcome to S8E19 of the Collected Podcast! I’m your host, Jes French, and today I want to start by wishing you a belated Happy Easter! I may be a little late, but I’m of the mind that the message of Easter is something to be celebrated and remembered all year long– so I’m really right on time! The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes everything for us. It makes us new, it gives life to the death places in our lives, it gives us freedom from all fear, death, shame and striving. If that is not something to celebrate everyday of our lives, then I don’t know what is!
Before we get into the message for today, I feel like I have to pause and say that again– because of the resurrection of Jesus, you are made new. You are a new creation– the old you is gone and you now have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead. His power and presence is with you and it is for you– not just to bring you salvation in the afterlife, but to give you a full and abundant life here and now.
In Luke 24, after the death of Jesus, the women go to the tomb with the spices that they had prepared for his body. Yet, instead of finding a lifeless body, they encounter two angels who ask them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, He is risen!” I feel like so many of us continue to look for life in dead things that will never satisfy the deepest longing of our soul– only Jesus can do that. So let’s hold fast to Him and walk in the freedom that is our birthright as sons and daughters of the Risen Savior!
If you want to dig deeper into this, I’ve included a list in the show notes of “verses to remind you that in Christ you are a new creation”. Last Sunday at church my pastor, Doc Hanberry, shared these verses and they have stuck with me all week– so I wanted to share them with you too!
Verses to remind you that in Christ you are a new creation: Romans 6:4, Romans 8:11, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:10, Ephesians 4:22-24, Revelation 21:5
A LOOK BACK
Ok, let’s dive into our topic for today. I’ve already hinted at it when I encouraged us to “hold fast to Jesus”. Today I want to talk about “holding fast” or “holding course”. I was really struggling with what to share in this episode. It has been a very busy and stressful past couple of months at work, and I’ve felt burned out with teaching and to be honest, I’ve been a bit discouraged with the podcast. I know I shouldn’t be– God continues to provide incredible guests and guide us in conversations that bring glory and honor to Him. But I’ve still felt burned out lately. I almost threw in the towel this week and was going to just skip it all together because I wasn’t feeling any clear direction on what I was supposed to say. I had to record within the next day and I still had nothing on the page or in my brain. So needless to say, a 30 minute monologue felt daunting! I had taken on more than I could handle as I was trying to juggle it all in my own power– which clearly wasn’t working.
I feel like this might be relatable to someone else out there. If you feel weary with the work that God has given you, then I hope that this message today will encourage and re-center you.
So let’s jump in. In my moment on Monday of feeling stuck, weary and slightly panicked at my lack of direction, I felt God gently reminding me, “I’ve already given you everything you need. Just spend time with me and let me remind you.”
This immediately triggered another thought that maybe a word God had given me in the past was something I could draw on in this moment of weakness. So off to the old journals I went. I pulled out 2018-2019 and just started reading. That in itself was a faith building exercise– so many times I was blown away by the ways that God has answered prayers over the past 8 years that I completely forgot I had even prayed.
Then I got to my entry on December 30, 2018 and the tears welled in my eyes as I knew I had found the message for this week. Praise the Lord!
So here is what I wrote:
December 30.2018
Abba,
Today at church, Tim came up and said in worship he felt like he had a word for me– “hold course”. He thought it was related to the podcast. I feel like it applies to many things– the podcast, Sprezza, teaching, my hope/belief that you have a husband for me. I want to hold course this year! I want to be faithful to the things you’ve placed in front of me so that I can go to all the new places with you and be ready for the things that are headed my way. Help me to hold course this year. Thank you for the reminder that I’m on the right path.
Amen
When I wrote that prayer, we were only 3 months into the podcast. It was fresh, exciting, and something I was doing with 2 of my dearest friends. At the time my friend Tim gave me the word of “hold course”, I could think of plenty of other things that needed me to “hold course” in the coming year, but the podcast honestly didn’t feel high on the list.
Well it turns out Tim was right. That Word was indeed about the podcast, just not in December 2018. The Lord knew that this Word was exactly what I would need on April 13, 2026, when I was deep into Season 8, fighting the urge to quit.
How good and kind of The Heavenly Father to give me a word that was encouraging in that moment in 2018, but would be essential and lifegiving 8 years later. Our Sovereign God sees the full picture, the full arch of our lives and He knows exactly what we will need and when we will need it.
I feel like there is someone out there who is in a similar situation. I’d encourage you to take some time today to remember the faithfulness, encouragement and wisdom of God in your past. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. So His faithful provision in the past might be the very thing to speak to your heart and reignite your hope in this present moment.
In the same journal, two days later, on January 1st, 2019 I did a deep dive into the meaning and Biblical context of “holding course”. As I read over my notes, 2019 Jes was preaching a message that 2026 Jes desperately needed to hear, and I felt very strongly that I wasn’t the only one who needed this reminder today.
HOLD COURSE
So that was a very long introduction, but here we are– today let’s learn what it means to hold course, hold fast, hold steady, or stay the course, and hopefully we will be renewed and encouraged in the work that God has given each of us.
I began my study looking up when this phrase was used in the Bible. Let’s start with a few places in the Old Testament: .
Psalm 17:5 “My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not slipped.”
Exodus 17:12 “Moses’ arms soon became tired so he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. They stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset.”
I thought it was very interesting here that it took all three of them. They were all holding steady and they were in it together. We need people around us to help us remain on course when the weight feels too heavy. The Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation, we need each other. We need community.
Deuteronomy 10:20-22 “You are to fear the Lord your God and worship him. Remain faithful to him (or the NKJV says “hold fast to him”) and take oaths in his name. He is your praise and he is your God, who has done for you these great and awe-inspiring works your eyes have seen. Your ancestors went down to Egypt, seventy people in all, and now the Lord your God has made you numerous, like the stars of the sky.”
We see here that “holding fast” is also translated to "remaining faithful” and the way that we remain faithful is by remembering the works that God has done and continuing to worship him with awe and reverence. And when God’s people did this, he produced abundant fruit in their lives– “they became numerous, like the stars in the sky”.
The people would still suffer incredible hardship at the hands of the Egyptians, so it seems that comfort and ease are not a prerequisite to holding fast. But EVEN IN the hardship and struggle, God was still faithful to His covenant with His people and He still wanted them to hold fast to Him, no matter what came their way. I believe that the same is true for us today.
Jesus told his disciples in John 16:33– “In this world you will have trouble, but TAKE HEART, for I have overcome the world!”
Other translations say “take courage”, “be of good cheer” or “be brave”. These all feel like commands that are right in line with remaining faithful and holding fast to the promises of God. Jesus knew that the path would not be easy, but He also knew that we could remain courageous, faithful and cheerful because all victory belongs to Him!
IT’S GREEK TO ME!
Seeing all of these different translations for “take heart” made me wonder about the original Greek words used for “hold course” and if they would offer any additional insight. Stick with me as I get through the Greek terms because I think the application is very powerful!
I found that there are four different Greek words that relate to the English phrase “hold course”...
Greek Term #1: “Tamak” – to grasp, support, attain, lay hold of, hold fast
What is it that you are grasping or clinging to for support in this life? If it’s not Jesus, it will fall short every time!
I am to “hold fast” to my hope in Christ– not this podcast or a job or a relationship. Christ alone is our source and strength.
Greek Term #2: “Krateo” –
To have power, be powerful, to be master of
To get possession of, to seize, obtain
To hold in the hand, hold fast, not discard or let go, to keep carefully and faithfully, to retain, to hold in check
Greek Term #3: “Katecho” – to get possession of, take, to check a ship's headway– to hold or head the ship– to restrain
In the nautical world, this refers to traveling or sailing in the same direction; maintaining a constant, unaltering course while navigating.
Greek Term #4: “Orthotomeo” –
To cut straight, to cut straight ways
Proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equivalent to doing right
To make straight and smooth, to handle aright
To teach the truth directly and correctly
When we put all of these definitions together, we get a powerful picture of how all this applies to our daily lives as believers:
The act of “holding course”, of keeping carefully and faithfully in the direction I am headed, inherently requires restraint. In order to possess the many great and precious promises, I must (1) hold back from some things, and (2) take hold of or seize other things. As I master these things, God's power will be on display as I teach truth directly and correctly.
We see the term used again in Luke 8:15, when Jesus is explaining the Parable of the Soils.
Luke 8:15 “And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God Word, cling to it, and patiently produce a good harvest.”
Another translation says it this way:
Luke 8:15 “But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”
So here we see a call and a promise:
THE CALL: The “holding course” happens through pursuit of the Word of God. This is the way to know what things must be resisted, versus what must be mastered or pursued.
THE PROMISE: To bear fruit with perseverance, to patiently produce a huge harvest
The purpose of a seed is to bear fruit, but it takes time, patience and perseverance. This is where I have been struggling with feeling discouraged. God’s timing is often so different from what we think it should be. And yet, He is the One who sees the full picture and He works all things together in His perfect timing.
We see examples all throughout the Bible of God’s people waiting to see His promises fulfilled in their lives. Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for a son, Joseph waited 13 years for his dreams to materialize, the Israelites waited 430 years for deliverance in Egypt, Moses waited 40 years for his calling, and some traditions believe that 4,000 years passed between the Fall and the birth of our promised Messiah. And now we’ve waited 2,000 years for Jesus to come back again and restore all of creation.
BATTLE READY
Easter is a reminder that Jesus conquered sin and death. His work is complete. It is finished. And yet, we still long for the day when He will return and we wait with patience, perseverance and expectant hope, knowing that when he returns He will make things right once and for all. The victory is already His and Hebrews gives us a glimpse of the implications of this victory in our lives today:
Hebrews 10:19-25 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
We must hold fast to our hope in Christ, even when the world around seems to be battling for our very souls. There is a greater spiritual battle that is still at work while we wait for the return of Christ. To “hold course” or “hold the line” in a spiritual sense means to pursue our goal of living like Christ, regardless of any obstacles or criticism, and to help others find freedom, peace and salvation in Christ. In Revelation 3:11, Christ reminds us, “I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown" (ESV).
What we have is our faith, hope, peace and victory in Christ!
HOW TO HOLD FAST
I want to end with verses to help us hold fast to our faith. It is imperative that we trust in Christ's victory even when it is difficult, and the best way I’ve found to do that is to stay rooted in Scripture.
Psalm 119:11 tells us, “I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you.”
Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.”
VERSES TO HELP YOU HOLD FAST
Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.”
Isaiah 26: 3-4,7
“You will keep the mind that is dependent on you in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. Trust in the Lord forever, because in the Lord, the Lord himself, is an everlasting rock! … The path of the righteous is level; you clear a straight path for the righteous.”
Psalm 16:5-11
Lord, you are my portion
and my cup of blessing;
you hold my future.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
Indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I will bless the Lord who counsels me—
even at night when my thoughts trouble me.
I always let the Lord guide me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad
and my whole being rejoices;
my body also rests securely.
For you will not abandon me to Sheol;
you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.
You reveal the path of life to me;
in your presence is abundant joy;
at your right hand are eternal pleasures.
Ephesians 3:14-21
“For this reason I kneel before the Fatherfrom whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
NEXT STEPS
Here are a few action steps to help you dip deeper this week!
Reflect on the Greek definitions. What do you need to let go of or hold back from? What do you need to take hold of with fresh courage? Make one small, concrete choice in each direction.
If you’re waiting on a promise, remind yourself of the biblical stories of long, faithful waiting. Read through the story of Abraham, Joseph, or Moses and pray for renewed patience and perseverance.
Pick a verse from the “new creation” list or the “hold fast” list and carry it with you this week—write it on a card, save it as your lock screen, or memorize it.
Revisit your own history with God. Pull out old journals, prayers, or notes and look for the ways He has been faithful. Let past provision strengthen present perseverance.
Thank you, as always, for listening! Please remember that everything we do is funded by those who benefit from our ministry. Our ministry a 501(c)3, so your contribution is tax-deductible.
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The Collected Podcast is produced by Jes French and edited by Jacob Early. Cover art designed by Ben Biondo.