Skip to main content
A Spiritual Journey

The Two Daniels

Two Daniels help boost our mental resilience

What are we going to do?

  • Explore the meaning of the book of Daniel
  • Observe the similarities to Daniel The Beagle

Why is this a good idea?

  • We will enhance our faith
  • Our mental fortitude will be improved
  • The two Daniels will be a lasting influence

How are we going to do all this?

  • Scripture interpretations from the Book of Daniel
  • Thought provoking videos
  • Stories about our beloved Daniel The Beagle
  • Some self-directed meditations
  • Group discussions (eventually)

PLEASE proceed through each feeding this way:

  • Pick a day of the week (let’s say Sunday as an example)
  • Read through everything on Sunday and watch the video, and just observe what is going through your mind and heart
  • On Monday, take an hour to really pray and reflect on what you have read and listened to
  • On Tuesday, write down what you think God and the 2 Daniels are telling you specifically. Also perform the life work sections. (This would be the real :”work” day so please allow about an hour)
  • On Wednesday, sit quietly with God and the 2 Daniels and observe
  • On Thursday, develop 2-3 specific action steps you are going to take.
  • On Friday and Saturday, integrate into you daily life
The Two Daniels

First Feeding

As I started to develop this journey, I broke it down to four parts, or now known as “feedings” because they will all feed our mind and soul.

Psychologist Peter Clough is responsible for looking at mental fortitude through the four C’s.
Challenge, Control, Commitment, and Confidence.

This was obviously meant to be since I had 4 feedings and no good title but the four C’s fit so nicely. However, with all due respect to Mr. Clough, he did not have the two Daniels as his inspiration! We are fortunate to have them, so let’s get started.

Let us begin with – Challenge.

I ask you to consider 2 big challenges that had an impact on your mental fortitude in the last year. Once you have them in your mind, please think back to how your mental fortitude may have been compromised.

Our journey during this first feeding will be to improve our mental fortitude when the next challenge comes into our life.

Please read Daniel 2:20-22 and reflect on what this reading is saying to you. Especially consider your past challenges.

You can then move on to our first video

Our strategy to increase our mental fortitude during challenges is to

1. Feel God’s presence as soon as possible
2. Stay calm like Daniel the prophet.
3. Remain positive like Daniel The Beagle.

 

We need at least one “go to” for motivation and imagery when challenges take place

Mine is my Shelby. You can read more about Shelby in my book, ‘God, Shelby and Me”

Your Life work:

Who is your “go to” for when the next challenge hits? God is a given so select someone who reminds you of God.

Go back to the challenges you reflected on earlier and quickly stop 3 times and implement our 3-point strategy.

Can you feel your mental fortitude getting better?

 

Scripture passage for further reflection:

1Peter 2:4-8

The Two Daniels

Second Feeding

Control

When it comes to control there are usually two extremes. Either we feel we are in total control or we think we have no control at all. Both are not accurate.

The Book of Daniel clearly provides a message that God is in control no matter what happens in the world. But in a world where world leaders seem to control us, and we have scary issues like wars and pandemics, this control is not always evident.

One thing to get us started is to remember that God dwells in each one of us. So, there is some control of life in our heart and soul. We just have to realize it is there.

One way to seize this control is to be grateful for everything we have, even something old, damaged, or out of date. When we feel we have lost control, a fear comes upon us that we will lose the precious gifts we own.

When we have a need for materialistic things in life we lose control of our self, and what happens to us. Our focus gets distorted and we lose sight on what is most important.

This is our peace that is mixed with mental fortitude in our heart and soul.

Life work to begin:

Consider something you own for more than 10 years. Renew your sense of gratitude and sense your feeling of control in your life.

Now, let’s hear from Daniel The Beagle

We will now move on to the controlling thoughts of needing to be right

In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadrezzar repented from the need to be right and in control and God rewarded him.

Daniel encouraged him which we can also do for others, but we need to start with our self.

Life Work

How can you amend a stance you have had on an issue from the past that you were not 100% correct?

How does giving up control provide more control and mental fortitude for more important matters?

 

Scripture for further reflection:

Psalm 73
Phil 2:3

The Two Daniels

Third Feeding

Commitment

Everyone has a favorite. This is mine. I believe we need more accountability and commitment in our world today.

Commitment means “all in”, and if you are not you will begin to comprise beliefs, which will lead to a weakened mental fortitude. We need to remain committed even if it is not the popular position.

In my martial arts life, it was either total commitment or you did not progress through the belt ranks. This also meant it was advisable to have an open mind to learn from everyone.

 

 

Life work:

Please read Daniel 6: 1-28 (Daniel survives the lion’s den)

How do you think Daniel stayed true to God even in this dire situation?

Commitment is easy when things are going well. However, as the saying goes, “Winners are like tea bags, you only see their true strength when they are in hot water”

And this strength relates directly to their mental fortitude.

Life work:

 

Write a story about yourself either in the lion’s den or the gas chamber and describe what you need emotionally to not only survive, but come out stronger than before it happened.

Please then describe how you feel after you emerge from this situation and how it will help your commitment to causes you are passionate about.

 

Scripture for further reflection:

Luke 9:23
Mark 8:34-35

The Two Daniels

Fourth Feeding

Confidence

Are we confident in our self? Are we confident in God’s Presence?

If you answer either affirmatively, then it is true of both. As Forrest Gump would say these two go together like “peas and carrots”.

In order for us to obtain consistent confidence, we need to take 2 powerful steps in our daily life.

 

Please read Daniel 10:1-21

Then continue on to the first step that Daniel the prophet gives to us.

Fear:

Eliminate fear in our life, starting each day with the small things. Have you ever heard the acronym, “False Evidence Appearing Real”?   It is true, many times fear is completely unfounded.

Evaluate each situation with calmness and strength. That snake is not coming out of the television to bite you!

Truth:

Live the truth always, and be fearless living that truth.

Eliminate the “little white lie” theory in your life, and refrain from having to talk about every situation, especially if it requires gossip.

Life work:

Explore an area of your life where you can

  1. Simply remove fear from something minor that has bothered you for a long time
  2. Live a stronger truth on something you have hesitated to talk about.

Now let’s move on to the next step that Daniel the Beagle brings to us.

The other step we need in life to gain more confidence, and build our mental fortitude, is to see God more consistently.

I am convinced that Daniel saw God throughout his life because of his amazing positive attitude and another attribute he had.

Please listen in to the next video to learn what that is.

Life work:

Engage five individuals (2 and 4 legged) and explore through their personality where they see God. Take steps to appreciate their perspectives and try to integrate at least one of them into your life.

 

Scripture for further reflection:

Ephesians 6: 10-18
Mark 13:1-37

The Two Daniels

Moving Forward

Building our mental fortitude is no different than building our physical body. We need to be disciplined and perform actions every day.

Daniel the prophet and Daniel the Beagle have provided us with some very effective ways to do this, but I urge you not to stop here.

I suggest that you repeat the 4 weeks right away and this time take notes. Please observe anything new that comes up. Additional ways to build your mental fortitude are likely to come up.

Then include them on your copy of the 4 weeks that we went through together.

Life work:

Think of these inspirations from the 2 Daniels as a daily vitamin.

Pray and reflect for 12 minutes a day, taking 3 minutes for each “C”

Consider what is going on in your life that day, and then take what God and the 2 Daniels are telling you with you.

Thank you so much for taking this journey with me, and may God Bless you always!

Joe Dwyer

If you’ve found my work helpful in your spiritual journey, please consider donating to my cause.
Every donation helps me continue to fund the creation of these and other works in an effort to bring the world together through our love of animals.

Thank you,
Joe Dwyer

Donate Today