After a full career of college teaching and volunteering as a pastor I have been forced medically to retire from the pulpit. But, Jesus always opens the doors for His way. I have found a remarkable similarity between youth, especially college age and the elderly, especially over eighty. It seems that “belief” becomes a word without inner attachment. The elderly facing their end years and the youth facing adulthood can talk about belief but in private conference express fear and trepidation in actually defining their realities by stated belief; easy to say, ” I believe in Jesus” but hard to accept as dependable reality. The questions,”don’t you sometimes doubt?” begs the acceptable “yes” for an answer. I explain I do not doubt- not bragging- just learned from life what “belief” really is. Belief is one’s personal definition of truth and is arrived at through a variety of ways but yields the same result. I choose what I believe and then I allow belief to filter all of my reality. In this way faith grows from belief instead of trying to grow belief from faith. Christ said to first believe. Once you see the world through the eyes of the Holy Spirit, all of reality will reinforce God and the reality of Jesus Our Christ. Belief and faith will become your strength of resolve. Then death will have no sting and fear has no place to reside. Life is good, regardless of circumstance.