Have you ever noticed how many people are running just to catch themselves? For the most part, people don’t know what they even want, but they still want it right now. I have seen families destroyed because the drive for “more” ruined their relationships with one another by leading them to have division in their homes and live separate lives because they got sidetracked from God’s direction and calling. The problem with going after “more” is that we lose the most important parts of our lives in the process—the people that we are supposed to love, enjoy, and live for. Something to think about: when will enough ever be enough? Think about it, we’re born, we go to school to get a job, we work until we die. This is the simple truth. I do not write these things because I have figured life out. I write them because I have spent years chasing things that never truly satisfied me. I know what it is like to be distracted, to pursue my own plans, and to learn through failure that God’s ways are better than my own. The lessons I share have often been learned through my own mistakes, shortcomings, and seasons of wandering. For me, I am not afraid of failure because I have failed at many things over the span of my life. Since becoming a Christian, I fear only a few things, two of which are succeeding at things that God does not want for me and those things that have no eternal value. I would rather walk through a season of disappointment in obedience than enjoy worldly success outside of God’s will. At the end of my life, I do not want to be measured by what I accomplished for myself, but by whether I faithfully pursued the purposes He set before me. Think about this, when was the last time you paused your life to intentionally communicate with someone, invest into their life not for money or ulterior motives, but just to help in the moment? Not have your life be about “you” but about bettering someone else’s, and more importantly, about helping them draw closer to the Lord Jesus? How much have you blinded yourself to the needs of those around you because it doesn’t fit into the plan you have for your life today? I am convicted when I read what is written in *James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.* My dreams and aspirations have changed since becoming a Christian because of what Jesus did upon the cross. I regularly contemplate, what is my aim, my ultimate goal, my purpose in life? I know what I want to be so rich with that I want to share it with the entire world. Do you? I have put that into one word: Faith. What I have found in Christ is not a life free from hardship, but a life filled with purpose, peace, and a hope that cannot be taken away by circumstances. The things of this world promise satisfaction but never seem to deliver it completely. Jesus offers something deeper—a relationship with Him that transforms everything. The more I grow in Him, the more I realize that true riches are not found in what we possess, but in Who we belong to. My life verse is written in *2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.* The Christian life is not ultimately about what we give up; it is about responding to the love of Christ who gave up everything for us. When we truly understand what He accomplished on the cross, surrender becomes less about sacrifice and more about gratitude. We are not earning His love through obedience; we obey because we have already received His love. To all who read this, I have something for you to contemplate: Are you willing to forget about what you want out of life, what you think life may owe you? Are you willing to put aside your search for the yellow brick road, the road to happiness, and surrender to the will of the Father? The thoughts I have on a regular basis are: How serious am I about going to heaven and, more so, taking as many people with me as I can? My question to those who have made their own plans without listening to God is, “Will you be happy when you get what you want, or miserable when you find out that God had so much more for you?” In the end, what kind of success will it take for you to be joyful in being who you are in Christ? One last question: Are you willing to give up everything to follow the Lord Jesus as the Bible says you should? And if not, what is holding you back? My prayer is not that you would simply read these words and move on, but that you would allow God to search your heart and reveal what truly matters. None of us have arrived, and every one of us has areas where we need to surrender more fully to His will and purpose. The beautiful truth is that Jesus is not calling us to walk this road alone; He is calling us to walk with Him and with “Others” as we pursue His kingdom. If you find yourself weary from chasing things that never seem to satisfy, Jesus invites you to come to Him. He is patient with the broken, merciful toward the wandering, and faithful to those who seek Him. No matter where you are today, you can begin again by surrendering your life to Him. So today, while there is still time, choose to live for what will last forever and invest your life in the things that eternity will remember.

My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog

Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*

To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.