You probably know the story of David and Goliath. It’s the story in the Bible about a shepherd boy who walks out to face a giant that an entire army was too scared to fight—and he wins! But have you ever noticed the little detail right before the fight? The Bible says that David stopped at a brook and picked up five smooth stones.

Why five? The Bible doesn’t say, which is why people have been guessing about it for thousands of years. Some think David knew Goliath had a family who were giants too, so he grabbed a few extras just in case they showed up.

But the simplest answer might be the best one: David was ready. His enormous faith in God didn’t make him careless. He trusted God completely, and he still picked up five stones. Trusting God and being prepared aren’t opposites. They go together.

You’ve got giants too. Some are problems you have to solve. Some are temptations you have to fight. So you should gather your stones (more than one!) so you’re ready to fight. But what are your stones? Bible verses! And the Bible has more than 31,000 verses in it (that’s plenty to choose from!). So when a giant shows up, reach into your pouch and pull out God’s Word. It’s rock solid!

Take Action: Be like David and prepare your pouch with five “stones” this weekend. Look up these five verses and write each one down somewhere you’ll have them handy—maybe on an index card or in your Bible or in your notebook.

1. When you’re afraid: Joshua 1:9
2. When something feels too hard: Philippians 4:13
3. When you’re worried: Philippians 4:6-7
4. When you’re tempted: 1 Corinthians 10:13
5. When somebody’s been unkind: Ephesians 4:32

Done? Good! Now, you’ll have a stone ready before the giant even shows up!