Faith is not about what you believe
Don't think about God - live a life transformed by joy
What do you believe about God?
The answer to this question is theology:
Does God exist? And if so, how does God act? Does God get involved with our day-to-day life or look down on us from far away? Where is God when we suffer?
All these questions are in our head. They are what we believe.
The Christian faith - or any religion - is a collective set of beliefs. The boundaries around how we understand God’s relationship with us, and the world.
And each of us personally has our own theology - where we fall on the spectrum of the broader set of beliefs held by our tradition.
Trexo is not about what we believe.
One thing I’ve learned about the earliest Christians is that they were not sitting around debating whether Jesus was the Son of God or not, and how that worked.
They were living radically changed lives after encountering the risen Christ.
The first followers of Jesus were not thinking about God - they were acting out their faith. And changing the world in the process.
Belief = assent to what is true.
I like to say that belief in God is like belief in gravity. No one sees gravity - few of us really understand how it works. But we take it for granted that it is there, literally grounding our lives.
I often joke that no one can stop me from believing there are little invisible elves with strings, holding onto my ankles. I don’t have to believe in gravity - but that doesn’t mean it’s not there!
Our belief in God is like our belief in gravity - it’s the extremely important grounding of reality. Yet we are also free to hold all sorts of beliefs about how that reality works. And we can spend our whole lives exploring and defining our beliefs - or never engaging them at all!
Faith = the building of relationship.
In human relationships, we build closeness and trust by repeated words and actions that build a shared life. This can be our whole lives - like a parent, spouse, or closest friend. It can be some part of our lives - work, or church, or neighbor.
Something as simple as saying ‘good morning’ to the person who makes our coffee every day can bond us together with someone. Can create a relationship where we really care about another.
Faith is the every day activities of our relationship with God.
That’s what we need a ‘gym for your soul’ for:
Learning small, repeated actions that build our relationship with God.
And like the earliest Christians, these actions re-orient our lives around:
The presence of healing and miracles.
Loving, serving, and forgiving our neighbors.
Worshiping the beauty, power, and presence of God.
Being surrounded by the renewal and strength of unconditional love.
The constant presence of peace and JOY.
Our beliefs are the bedrock of our lives of faith. Faith is our belief in action.
Don’t think about it. LIVE it.
The Daily Anchor (Individual Practice)
Every single day:
Hearts Up! — Orient yourself to God in worship (morning, throughout day, evening)
Jesus Prayer — Stay in constant conversation with God through prayer
Bodily Prayer — Engage your whole self (sign of cross, kneeling, open hands)
This is the foundation. Just 15-30 minutes a day can bring a sense of connection and groundedness.
The Weekly Rhythm (Community Practice)
Every week:
Sabbath — Rest, wonder, trust that God is in charge. (one full day)
Eucharist — Gather for communion with Christ and each other (typically Sunday)
This is where individual practice becomes communal. You’re not alone. You’re part of the Church across 2,000 years, every denomination, and all corners of the world.
Seasonal Intensives (Deeper Seasons)
Throughout the year:
Fasting (especially Lent) — Train in surrender and dependence
Vigil (especially Advent) — Practice wakefulness and readiness
This is where we push the edge. we go deeper, train harder, prepare for the transformative events of Jesus’ Incarnation and Resurrection.
How to join
Free subscribers get regular reflections on ancient practices and modern life - the “why” behind spiritual fitness.
the ‘Hearts up!’ Practice is open to all. Start here to find out what it’s all about.
Gym members (paid subscribers) get:
Guided Practices: Jesus Prayer, Sabbath, Bodily Prayer, Eucharist, Vigil, Fasting
Create a Workout/Rule of Life
How these Practices shape our lives, and how they’re connected to the earliest Christians
Support from others on the same path
For individuals and communities
Trexo is complete spiritual formation rooted in ancient Christian practice. It’s not another program or Bible Study.
Everyone is invited to participate in Trexo on their own - and in our digital community. You can also connect in-person with your congregation or other community for support and encouragement as you practice.
You’re grounded in what unites all Christians - so whatever your denomination (or even if you’re not part of a congregation), you’re participating in shared Christian practice..
Trexo (’TRAY-co’) is a structured system of spiritual exercises rooted in how the earliest Christians lived their faith.
Not as theory. Not as information. But as lived practice. Day by day, week by week, season by season.
I like the definition of faith as belief in action. Scripture says “faith without works is dead”.