Have you ever hoped for something; spending days fretting, thinking of how you could change things?

Trust me. This never works.

I’ve been hoping for change in a situation for almost a year now. The change hasn’t come yet. Does that mean I’ve given up? No, it means I have hope. You might be wondering how can you still have hope after a year has passed.

It’s because I’ve handed it over to God. I’ve placed my worry and anxiety about the situation over to Him. I’ve surrendered. I’ve relinquished all of what I’ve been holding onto, to God.

James 4:7 - “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Don’t let Satan use this as a snare. Satan loves to tell you that God doesn’t care; that He has left you to fend for yourself.

Release everything you’re holding onto to God. You’ll never regret it and you’ll live a lesser stressed life.

What does retirement look like for you? For some, it may mean spending more time at home, taking it easy. Some may desire for travel and adventure. And to others, they’ll never retire because they love what they’re doing.

For me, retirement means more time available to do God’s work. More opportunity for God to put me in places where there’s a need, or where some need to know Jesus.

I’m ready to be inspired by God; to be used by God.

Romans 5:13 - “Psalm 119:105 - Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Retirement is a huge transition in life. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Life is short.

If you’re ready to retire or are thinking about retiring from your career, ask God for direction. Ask God for inspiration.

Be ready to be inspired by God and dive into your next chapter of life!

Faith is essential as a Christian. Faith is believing when you can’t see the proof. Faith is following God’s leading without knowing where. Faith is trusting God’s purpose without knowing why.

I know, for myself, I have questioned God; asking Him why it’s taking so long, or why do You have me on this path?

Right now I’m wondering why God’s not answering a prayer of mine. It’s been almost a year now.

I know in my heart that God is working diligently on my request. And I also know that it involves several parts and parties. I also know that if this is not His will for me, then it will not come to pass.

I know my God knows my heart. He knows my desires and He wants nothing more than to give them to me.

I don’t need an explanation from God as to why ‘it’s taking so long’ (in my opinion). I just know that God is faithful. ALWAYS.

God’s timing is never too late or never too early.

Faith and trust go hand-in-hand with God. You can’t have one without the other.

Isaiah 40:31 - “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

I love this quote I saw today in my reading: “Sometimes faith will make you look stupid until it starts to rain….Noah.”

I took the above statement from our pastor’s sermon Sunday. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

As a Christian, we should be busy daily, telling others about Jesus. We can’t do this on our own intuition or drive, it has to come from the Holy Spirit.

God’s not looking for people that have a seminary degree or someone who’s read the Bible through 50 times. He’s looking for someone with good fruit, meaning, someone who loves God, has a relationship with Him and who goes about telling others this good news.

I recently went hiking and someone had an app that would track our hike and guide us along the way. It would also show us when we were off the trail.

No, there’s no app that’s going to tell us when we’re not producing good fruit; God will reveal this to us when we’re not doing what we should be doing.

Colossians 1:10 - “So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”

We are to be as a fruit tree, bearing fruit. And just as it is with a fruit tree, if it doesn’t produce fruit, then you have to cut it down and throw it into the fire.

God desires the fruits of good works and service to others.

Stop trying to push religion down people’s throats. Show your good fruit in loving others and sharing the gospel.

The definition of convince is “to persuade someone with evidence or argument.”

Most times, you have to have proof to convince someone of something.

Matthew 13:13 - “This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”

As Christians, we are commanded by God to tell others about Jesus. It is not our job to convince others to believe in Jesus.

Evangalism is not about “winning” a person to Christ, but only about proclaiming the truth of the Gospel, with the exception that God might persuade the unbeliever of the truth of it.

Anyone can believe the truth about God intellectually, but this is not the same as having faith or heart belief.

I’m not going to convince you to give your life to Christ, but I will tell you my story of how Christ changed my life, and I am convinced without a shadow of a doubt that I’ll be with Him in heaven some day.

Are you convinced, or are you convicted?

Did you know that 63% of Christians don’t know their spiritual gifts?

A spiritual gift is described as an endowment or extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit.

Believers are given spiritual gifts to contribute to the growth of the church. No matter what your giftedness is, you play an important role in strengthening the church.

Spiritual gifts aren’t anything we can touch or developed by human capacities. As a Christian you have no right to brag about your spiritual gift.

Every Christian has a spiritual gift or gifts. Ask God to reveal it to you.

One of my gifts is serving people. Even in my early years as Christian, I can remember going with the older women of the church to visit the sick and shut-ins.

I have been so blessed in having a job that I love now. I serve people. I’m a Senior Helper and love giving back to the elderly who so desperately need it and deserve it.

I’m also serving on the mission fields. God has truly given me an abundance of spiritual gifts.

What are your spiritual gifts? Ask God to reveal them to you.

1 Timothy 4:14 - “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.”

Almost any edible or drinkable product you buy has an expiration date. Some ‘suggests’ that you either purchase or ‘use by’ a certain date.

Did you know that our life has an expiration date? Yep. One day, it will expire. Whether it’s your day to leave this earth by death or when God decides to stop life on earth, we will all leave the earth one day.

Right now, today, as you’re reading my blog, you’re breathing. You may be living in comfort or existing in misery. All of life on earth is only a temporary arrangement.

Ecclesiastes 12:5 - “they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets”

So, do you know where you’re going after this life?

No one likes to drink milk that is expired, right?

None of us know our expiration date. No one knows when life will end.

Be prepared. Know your destiny. Know for sure that God’s getting your home in heaven ready for you.

God is our source of life. He’s our supply for what we need. If we’re low on self-esteem, look to God to get re-fueled.

We can trust in God’s wealth for our security. It doesn’t matter that the stock market goes down. It doesn’t matter if our bank account is low. God provides. But He wants to see if we truly trust Him enough to let go of the worry and let Him give us what we need.

Philippians 4:19 - “My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Jesus Christ.”

God’s not sitting in Heaven waiting for you to build your bank account, or for you to save enough money for retirement. He’s available now, today, to use you as you are; to use you where you are.

God has used me in my worst days, to prove that He alone can change the destiny.

Stop trying to design your future based on your wealth or even your own plans.

I promise you, if you let God take over your life, your life will be more fulfilling and your wealth of love will be overflowing, everlasting, consistent through eternity.