WELCOME TO WORDS OF ABUNDANCE!

Welcome to Words of Abundance – a Christian website

and blog series about everything promised us in 2 Corinthians 9:8…

"And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity." (AMP)

YOUR HOST

Hello, I'm Randy Petrick, a near-septuagenarian with almost 45 years of experience personally saving, investing, and giving while also studying and teaching money, investing, and personal finance. I have a variety of financial certifications and credentials, including being a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a Retirement Income Certified Professional (RICP). Besides teaching in the financial world, I also spent a dozen years coaching clients through decisions about Life Insurance, Mutual Funds, Annuities, Long-Term Care Insurance, Banking Products, money management, and investing.

I am a Christian and a published author (three books so far). So why this site? I love to teach, share ideas, and help others succeed, and I love to see God honored and glorified! And it just so happens that Abundance is a topic I've been studying and thinking about for years. There are so many words connected to Abundance in the Christian life that it seems a worthy project to explore many of them "publicly" in the hope that we can learn together and perhaps gain from some dialogue. I'm a natural storyteller, and trust me, by my age, I've accumulated an "abundance" of stories to share!

ABUNDANCE DEFINED

So, what is Abundance? According to Webster's, Abundance is "an ample quantity" in an abundant amount, "affluence or wealth" in a life of Abundance, and a "relative degree of plentifulness." We have such a gracious and giving God, don't we? He is the ultimate giver – as evidenced by the incredible gift of His only son.

Doesn't it just blow your mind to think of the Abundance God promises us in 2 Corinthians 9:8? Every favor and earthly blessing! Why? So that we can be completely self-sufficient in Him – and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. And, by the way, isn't that an interesting phrase? "Self-sufficient IN HIM." That sounds like a topic we may come back to.

GOD HAS GOOD THINGS PLANNED FOR US

Meanwhile, guess what? God has good things planned for us – and He planned them in advance!...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon me, come and pray to me, and I will listen. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. You will find me," declares the Lord…" –Jeremiah 29:11-14a [NIV]

God wants (plans!) to give us hope. He wants us to call upon Him and pray, and He will listen to us. Isn't that beyond remarkable? The Creator of the Universe wants us to call upon Him and pray to Him, and He promises to listen to us. He will allow himself to be found by us when we seek Him with all our hearts.

I wish and pray for all these things, and perhaps you do, too: to have a blessed life where I don't need to look beyond God for sufficiency in every part of my life, to prosper, to find God when I search for Him, and to "have an abundance for every good work and act of charity."

WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS SITE

As I've thought about the long-term broad development of this site, I've gotten excited about all its possibilities. Just consider some of the words often associated with Abundance:

• Happiness

• Contentment

• Philanthropy

• Gratitude

• Joy
  

All those words represent topics I hope to cover over time as the website and the blog continue to be developed and expanded. Eventually, I hope to include links to books I've read and enjoyed, links to other websites I've found helpful, a section of prayers you may find useful, and much more. For now, I'm trusting God to lead me through the site's development and content creation in ways that bring Him honor and glory and bring you knowledge and (better yet) wisdom.

DISCLOSURE: I am an avid reader and frequently mention books I've read or am currently reading. Generally, when I mention a book, I will try to insert a link to Amazon.com, where you can purchase it. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thank you to all of you who are joining me in the early stages of the blog and the site's development! I look forward to your feedback and letting your comments and questions help guide this project's direction.

[Update 8-16-23: Thank you to all who have provided feedback on my blog posts so far! The most helpful feedback I've received is that my posts have been too long. Of course, that feedback has been presented to me in very kind ways, such as the person who described my posts as "dense and meaty, requiring occasional pauses for deep reflection." Point taken. As of today, I'm going to shift my goal from 1,500 words per post to 750-1,000 words per post and will be going back to my prior posts and adjusting them to more manageable lengths. Thanks for the input!]

Meanwhile, here's a glimpse of the future God has for us...

WE CAN BE HAPPY, CONTENT, PEACEFUL, AND WELL

God suggests we seek Him, which implies activities like prayer and study. If we are to practice "every good work and act of charity" actively, then other words come to mind as well: love, work, purpose, action, and philanthropy are examples. So now you are starting to get a sense of Words of Abundance. Thanks for joining me here. May God bless this endeavor, and may it bring Him honor and glory.

Again...welcome. We've got a lot to think and talk about!

Randy

---------------

Disclaimers:

Nothing on this site should be considered financial advice; instead, it should just be considered to be things of an informational or educational nature. I'm sure you'll find it "educational" as I begin sharing tales of mistakes I've made, commenting on "accidental" successes I've had, and telling stories about how God has worked in my life and the lives of others around me. There are many excellent financial advisors in our world - if you need personal, individual help, please seek one to help you.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.