We live in a world where there are numerous products being advertised trying their best to get us to buy them. And we see “as advertised” a lot. So what does it mean? Well, for the most part, absolutely nothing in my opinion and experience.

Most people who read this know I ride a tadpole trike. And most people who are familiar with tadpole trikes know that they are expensive and come pretty much bare bones … without most accessories. And most people know that one can get a lot of money invested in various accessories. I know I have spent many thousands of dollars over the years in various things I have added to my trike. Some I like and still use while others I didn’t care for and stopped using.

One thing that comes to mind is the Airzound horn. It seems to get rave reviews by many cyclists. And their ads proclaim it as one fabulous product. I bought one and tried using it for a short while. I was very unimpressed with it. In my opinion it had the quality of something that one would expect as a prize in a Cracker Jack box … just cheap junk … definitely not as advertised. I took it off of my trike and tossed it in the trash can. I went back to the bike dealership where I bought it to share with them my experience with the Airzound horn. They told me that they completely agree with my opinion and they had already stopped selling them as they consider them junk and don’t want their dealership associated with such a poor quality product. So much for “as advertised”.

I am going to get personal here and share with complete strangers that I, like many elderly men suffer with an enlarged prostate gland which greatly effects my ability to urinate normally. It is no fun! I, like many others, have spent a small fortune on medicines and supplements trying to get relief. I have read and listened to countless sales pitches claiming how well their product works … promising the world, but delivering absolutely nothing.

Some of it I was able to get my money back, but most of it was just money wasted. I just tried a product that is claimed to be what the doctors in Europe recommend to their patients. It is an altogether different approach than what doctors here in the U.S. use. I was really encouraged and looking forward to finally getting some relief. All I got was more disappointment. It, like all the other products I have tried, did nothing. So much for “as advertised”.

Lies, lies and more lies … that seems to be the name of the game when it comes to advertising. You can’t believe any of it. They will tell you anything to sell their product. So much for “as advertised”.

I have pretty much lost all hope in any product to help me with “my problem”. I started another new product a week or so ago. So far it hasn’t done anything either.

Several different people are praying for me concerning “my problem” and I am praying for some other guys that have the same problem. Twice the Lord has helped me to urinate normally, but it was only for one time at those two times and then everything returned to the same condition. I can’t say for sure why this happened. I think God was showing me that He could do this, but wants me to believe that He will. It is a test of my faith and thus far I am not doing too good in the test.

One thing for sure … with God all things are possible. He is my healer. I know He is able. Now I just need to believe His Word. His Word says “without faith it is impossible to please Him”. God is not a liar. This I know for certain.

I am grossly obese which certainly adds to “my problem”. I have been all my adult life. I started gaining weight at the age of 22 when I was in the Navy. I have lost all my excess weight twice previously but I always gained it right back and then some. I am slowly losing weight right now. I have lost about 40 pounds from the maximum weight I once was at. It is a bit easier to do now that I am older. I doubt if getting down to a proper weight will fix “my problem”, but I certainly think it would help.

I want to end this by saying that unlike all the world’s advertising what is found in God’s Word can be trusted and believed. The bible is God’s love letter to man and the only source of truth we have.

Yes, God really does love us. He demonstrated His love by dying on a wooden cross in our place to purchase our salvation. He did this while we were in the very act of sinning against Him. But we have to choose. We can have His love and forgiveness or we can reject what He offers and spend eternity apart from Him in hellfire. It really is our choice. That is one “as advertised” you can believe in.