I've had, over the years, many people ask me, "What is Faith?"  Faith is not seeing what you know to be true, and yet continuing forward anyways.  And here is an example from my own life.

The image you see above is my current book sales.  So why is this important, and what does this have to do with faith?  Allow me to provide some background.  And before I go any further, this IS NOT a cry for help, or a request that people buy my books.  That's NOT what this is about.  Far from it.  If it was, I wouldn't be talking about faith, as I'd be relying on my own strength.  Instead, throughout all of this, I'm relying on God's strength as HE is the only one who can do anything to save me from the trajectory that my life is currently taking.  And that includes more than just my book sales.  As a bit of background, some of you may already know that my  health has slowly been fading the past couple years, especially when it comes to my eyes.  It's getting ever harder every day to just function. 

I can still drive, and work, and do other things.  But, if the trajectory of my life doesn't change, in the next two years I will be legally blind, and unable to work, will probably lose everything, and more.  As it is, my eyes are bad enough that it's a massive challenge to do any writing, to do my job, etc.  I still keep pushing forward because God hasn't told me to quit.  In fact, He's encouraged me to keep pushing forward.  So what does this have to do with my book sales cratering and going to zero, when they have always been really good in the past?  One word.  Promises.  AKA, faith.  What am I talking about?  God is always faithful, and He ALWAYS fulfills his promises.  And He's given me a pile of them that still need to be fulfilled.

1.  He's promised to fully heal me.  100%  Literally, not a spot or blemish on me, no ailments, limits, etc.  Full and perfect health.
2.  He's promised me a super healing gift.  I can't exactly have that kinda gift if I'm not healed already, can I?  That'd be like having red barn paint, but not being able to paint the barn.
3.  He HAS NOT told me to stop my writing.  If anything, He keeps giving me ideas, and encouraged me to keep moving forward, even giving me the things I need to push forward, even if doing so is really, really difficult.
4.  He HAS NOT prepared me for living as a blind, crippled, sick invalid.  He's preparing me for victory, and a life of incredible blessing.
5.  He has promised me an incredible end times ministry.  Like, HUGE.  So, even though I don't see any of that yet, a promise is a promise.
6.  He has told me not to quit my job, not to quit my current, albeit limited ministry work, even though I struggle through them.
7.  He has promised me that He will wipe away all of the "graves" in my life, and give me peace, freedom, life and so much more.

God has been fulfilling promises left and right for me, despite not seeing the big ones fulfilled yet.  He protected my apartment complex, and most of the city I live in, when that super storm came through a week ago.  Despite hurricane force winds, the worst we had was a temporary power outage, and a bunch of downed trees.  It could've been so, so much worse.  And what about healing?  God has healed me repeatedly.  He fully healed my back of a chronic issue I've had my entire life.  He's healed my joints, all of them, which I've destroyed either of my own foolishness, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  God has promised me many things, and even though I have not seen the biggest of these, I know He is faithful to fulfill ALL of His promises.

That is the essence of faith.  Even though I have not yet seen, I have His promises, and I know He is faithful to fulfill ALL of them.  That is what faith is.  Trusting that God will bring all these things, even the worst of them that you go through, to pass.  And, while I don't have promises on everything that I see God doing for me, if He hasn't told me to stop, then I consider that His blessing that He will do amazing things with them, and use those to bless others.  That's what I see Him doing with my books, with my healing, with my upcoming ministries, and so much more.  And, even if He lets me go blind for a time, I know He is faithful to fulfill His promises, and give me full and complete restoration, and renewing, no matter what.

Faith is believing in something, even when you don't see it.  That's what Faith is. :)  So even if everything around you seems to be falling apart, know that, in reality, it's all falling together.  You just haven't seen it yet. ^_^