Defending the Christian faith is called 'apologetics'. Sometimes its debates and rationales can get pretty heated. But there are many people and organisations that do apologetics really well.

So how can we do it well? Well, there's a huge difference between disagreeing with someone and attacking them for thinking differently. The latter is: (a) what God calls us not to do and (b) never an effective way to get people to re-think their opinion. Yes, when we're comfortable that our stance is godly, we can have confidence. But taking care with how we share our message is so important. When we leave someone with a nasty memory of our interaction, it usually does not help to win them over. In 2 Timothy 2:25 NLT we read how to approach people in apologetic conversation: 'Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth.' Take notice of the words 'gently instruct'.

A discussion will only go God's way when we invite him into it, let him lead our words and do our best to behave as he would. It's not our clever arguments that will change someone's mind. It's God's words on our lips and his work in their hearts and minds.

So what now? In future conversations about your faith, remember to ask Jesus in and to be gentle, as he is. As Romans 12:4 says: 'It is God's kindness that is trying to lead you to him and change the way you think and act'.

The Bible talks about the 'narrow path' and entering through the 'narrow gate' (Matthew 7:13-14). Proverbs 3:6 reassures us that when we submit to God this path will be made straight.

What does this mean? Well, God has already told us: 'I know the plans that I have for you... they are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope' (Jeremiah 29:11 GWT). This puts the ball in our court; it's up to us to accept God's heart for our lives and allow him to reign over our desires, goals, hopes and decisions. Proverbs 3:6 tells us that when we choose his leading for our life path, he'll make it clear, step by step, how we're to travel. Even though the path and gateway to Heaven may be 'narrow', God's guidance makes the way better and safer to navigate.

So, when we hit a tough decision or challenge that creates a bump in that path, God will work in the bump so that we can move forward with him. Psalm 91:11-12 NIV explains: God will 'command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' Wow, what a promise!

So what now? Write a list of what's important to you: the people, projects and plans. Pray over each one, thanking God that each thing will be made clear and straight under his guidance and care.

This is ironic... being on-point, efficient and successful are the name of the game in the world we live in, but so are stress, deadlines and worry. In reality, these two lists directly cancel each other out. Worry is an assassin, taking out our ability to rest, get stuff done and keep hold of healthy relationships. We've known that for at least 3,000 years: in the Bible we find that Solomon wrote, 'Worry is a heavy burden' (Proverbs 12:25 CEV).

Philippians 4:6 NLT shares a way for us to relieve worry. It says, 'Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he's done.' It reminds us that the only way to centre ourselves is to centre on God. Without that, our own efforts to do stuff or meet expectations can destroy us. And sometimes, worry and stress move in and take over, leaving us with no space or energy to focus on anything, let alone God.

We're not built to live our days without peace; our minds, souls and even our bodies start breaking without it. The only source of true peace is God. So let's deliberately make space to sit still, breathe and ask him into our anxious spaces. As one adage says: 'No God, no peace; know God, know peace'.

So what now? Today (or any day), when things are so stressful that you don't have the energy to think about what to pray, just say, 'God, be here with me.' Then have a distraction-free five minutes of accepting God's peace.

There's a story of a little boy whose mum died. Every night he toddled into his dad's room to ask if he could sleep with him. Only when his father promised to sleep with his face turned towards him did the little guy feel safe enough to doze off. He needed to know his dad was looking out for him. When we're struggling, we need to remember that God is looking out for us and that his face is towards us.

It's not only when we're struggling; God watches over us, guides and protects us 24/7. How awesome is that! The most common promise in the Bible is, 'I will be with you'. God made that promise to Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Mary and Paul - quite a list! And that promise kept them going through the stickiest of situations! David said, 'Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me' (Psalm 23:4 NIV). God used all sorts of ways to remind his people he was with them constantly; from the manna in the wilderness to the pillar of cloud and fire that went before them.

Remember, 'Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged...the Lord...will be with you' (Joshua 1:9 NIV). Be at peace; your heavenly Father is looking out for you!

So what now? Pass it on. Encourage someone else today by reminding them that their heavenly Father watches out for them too, 24/7.

Gossip. It wrecks trust, kills reputations and can completely spiral out of control. And that's just the consequences for our on-earth lives, without even getting into what it does to our relationship with God. Yet, we all still feel (and often give in to) the temptation to talk about that one person/thing, just a little bit. Proverbs 18:8 acknowledges that; we really can relish and swallow gossip easily.

There's something about knocking someone down a peg or two, even behind their back, that makes us feel a bit better about ourselves. This common human reaction is so different to the godly model in Romans 12:15 NIV: 'Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.' At its root, gossip is self-centred; it's more to do with our own worries about how well-liked/Christian/good-looking/whatever people think we are. This may sound like a motivational poster, but... other people's successes are not our failures, and their failures aren't our successes.

So, let's let go of any inclination to talk about others' weaknesses and awkward moments. Let's develop Jesus-like concern for those around us. Let our first response be joy for the joyful and heartbreak for the distraught. Then, bad-mouthing others wouldn't even feature as an option.

So what now? When you're next around a conversation that gets a bit gossipy, try steer the conversation to an interesting idea instead. Don't be associated with gossip - it is extremely destructive.

Jesus is fully God and fully human. It's probably easier to get our heads around the 'fully God' bit than the 'fully human' bit. But Hebrews 2:18 NKJV says, 'He himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted.' Jesus went through real, human experience, including temptation (which, let's be clear, isn't a sin. Being tempted is part of being human. Giving in to the temptation, even for a second, is sin, which Jesus didn't do - he was without sin).

Max Lucado puts it pretty well: 'Jesus was angry enough to purge the temple, distraught enough to weep in public, fun-loving enough to be called a drunkard, winsome enough to attract kids, poor enough to borrow a coin for a sermon illustration, radical enough to get kicked out of town, responsible enough to care for his mother, tempted enough to know the smell of Satan, and anxious enough to sweat blood.'

So... our God gets it. And not just from a distance. He gets it because it happened to him, which means he's with us in our current situation. Whatever life looks like for us right now, Jesus has felt it. That's our God, alongside us, saying, 'I know. I hear you. I'm with you.'

So what now? Read the Max Lucado list again. Which are you feeling? Fun-loving? Anxious? Poor? Find a passage in the Bible showing this side of Jesus and ask God to help you learn something about your humanness from him.