With all that has happened to me (possibly – “for me”) since December 22, 2021, and all the craziness in the world since Russia invaded Ukraine, I believe I am not alone with “Now what to do?” The Answer? TRUST GOD.
Ever since my decision to leave a profession I had wanted to be a part of since I was a sixteen-years-old (1982), I have been sharing with you “Now, what to do?” If you would like to know about my decision to retire early / jeopardize my retirement (leaving close to $36,000 – $45,000 a year on the table), please read this article… https://conductingmylife.com/explanation-of-retirement/
When I left the profession, I thought, “Hey, I will get a job wherever and look forward to the next part of my life. Heck! There are all these ‘Help Wanted’ signs. No problem in getting a job.” Well, as you can probably tell … today (March 15, 2022) is the 63rd day without a job and yes, I admit it: it is a little troublesome. Several interviews – thanks-but-no-thanks. Many applications and I have gotten two “thanks-but-no-thanks.” And I see, hundreds of thousands have gotten jobs? Damn.
What I am doing is building a business and that too has been an interesting adventure. PayPal? The number of hoops to jump through = WOW! Working with “givesendgo” = WOW! Just these two steps (setting-up accounts) have been challenging for me. The challenge is a sense of getting old and frankly – YOU HAVE OUR MONEY! WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO GET IT? Just the sense of frustration with, “Well, now Mr. Everts you need to do this. And now… Mr. Everts, you need to do that.” Today, I said to the very nice lady from another nation representing a company, “I love ya. It’s not you. IT’S FILL-IN-THE-BLANK-COMPANY. You? You are fantastic. You are super patient with me. I appreciate you. Your company? Not-so-much!” I do hope she and I solved my issues.
We have had some wonderful feedback about our upcoming seminars in Visalia, CA. Which is a sign of “Trust GOD.”
Globally? Seeing what is happening in Ukraine. Having a son in the military; former students in the military; friends in the military leads to a sense of concern to the future. Right?
I mean … we have so many different takes on the story. Putin is an evil man who had no business to attack Ukraine. Putin is the hero in this due to all the corruption that is happening near his country. Zelenskyy and Ukraine are innocent victims of Putin’s madness. Zelenskyy is just as bad as Putin and there is so much corruption in Ukraine this war “needs” to happen.
Seriously… this war seems to be the next step in dividing the world. I am sure when we (you & me) work together we could come up with a comprehensive list of all these attempts to divide our nation and world. So goes the United States, so goes the world. I know that sounds arrogant to some of you. Yet, I believe if you could choose to see the world through my “lens” you may agree with me.
The “peaceful protests” (RIOTS). Certainly, we saw the world join in those “peaceful protests” (RIOTS).
COVID 19? I will give other nations praise for how they are handling their response compared to our nation’s response. They took off their masks sooner. They did not have “vaccine passports.” Some countries did NOT do “online learning.” But, nonetheless, the world was watching the United States.
Now, we have the tragedy in Ukraine which can lead the way to other tragedies. The United States’ response thus far? Too soon to see if the response is working or not working.
Now, what to do? TRUST GOD.
God is in all of this. Is satan? Absolutely. satan is all over this. However, I don’t trust satan. In this major transition in our lives / marriage, I trust God. I trust God will help Diana and me. I truly believe He told me, “Trust Me, Paul. Walk away. I got this.” And ya know what? With each ticket sold; each “investment” made (we have a Speaker Sponsor for the April 30th seminar we are hosting); with each positive email from our BAND TOGETHER – VISALIA 2022 TEAM… these are all gifts from God.
Yes. I also need to trust God that every “no” I get from people is His doing. Every non-response I receive from people to my “I want to add value to you” is His doing. These are all signs God is keeping in me in my / His lane. Do not misunderstand me, in the sense that these “no’s” / “non-responses” don’t hurt or cause me to doubt what I have done, and I am doing. But, when that feeling comes, I attribute it to satan. Take a breath. Say a prayer. Move forward.
As I watch the devastation in Ukraine, I trust God that He will deliver all the retribution / revenge. Not man. GOD! God knows the good in this war and the evil.
Love in Action
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I write this series (“Now, What To Do”) to help you AND ME. It helps me because I am held accountable to you – the reader and/or friend / family members. When I write these “answers,” I am reminded that someone is watching me and someone else is always watching me … God.
Do all you can to TRUST GOD. Even with the excrement is hitting the fan! Let go and LET GOD happen! This is hard to do!! I know. I am doing it. Most of the time (wink).
A Verse to Trust
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
It’s difficult in a culture like we are living in to know who we can truly trust. Do we listen to what we read and hear? How do we know what is true? It’s a struggle that has never been more difficult because of the expansive amount of information we have access to. But we have one person who promises to guide and direct our hearts toward trust and toward the right path of life. Not only does God offer wisdom, but He also offers direction in a directionally challenged culture.
Other verses for you to think about / pray about:
- Psalm 32:10 10 Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.
- Proverbs 29:25 25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.
- Isaiah 26:3 3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.
- Isaiah 26:4 4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.
- Isaiah 41:10 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
- Philippians 4:19 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
WE are looking for help with our seminars. If you are interested in helping, please visit https://bit.ly/3BuWjd3
Thank you for reading this and I hope it helps.