Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The beauty of the Fall in Virginia defies words, and it’s almost as if God colors the world to lift my spirits before everything becomes brown and bare in the Winter. I met with the Living God this morning with an agenda of my own and I flipped through the pages of my Instruction Manual looking for direction. But my agenda was not His Agenda and in no time at all; He changed the course of our time. His Agenda opened my eyes…His Agenda penetrated my heart…His agenda revealed much more than I was looking for…His Agenda brought me to tears and His Agenda restored my soul. I may have selfishly gone before His Throne with an agenda of my own, but even so, if I’m just willing to meet with Him; He can bring His Agenda into focus every time. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

As a Child of the Living God, I know that my life is not my own… and that’s okay with me. He has an Agenda for my Life and my agenda will always take the backseat to His. As a child of the Living God I know that He knit me together in my mother’s womb, and that He continues to breathe life into my body for His Purpose; and not merely for my pleasure. As a child of the Living God I know that I have the ability to bring Him pleasure IF I’m doing what He created me to do to fulfill the Purpose for my Life. But my existence without my obedience can’t bring Him pleasure at all. Just the thought that I have the ability to bring pleasure to the One who died for me, the One who gave me Life, the One who Created the heavens and the earth and everything in between, brings joy to my life that I would NEVER know if my Life belonged to me. You might have trouble considering what it might be like to live a Life that’s not your own and to follow God’s agenda for your Life…but it’s a beautiful thing to be living out the Purpose for your life and it’s the most satisfying of all.

As a child of the Living God my past, my present and my Future are not my own either and they are intended to be an open book for all the world to see. Each time something amazing comes my way; it’s a chance to give Him praise for His Goodness and His Faithfulness and His Provisions for all the world to see. For those times in my life that I stumbled and I fell and I managed to make a huge mess out of my life; it’s a chance to give Him praise, NOT ONLY for seeing me through, but for giving me a stronger Testimony of the Power of my God and a tenderized heart willing to share with the world about His Greatness and His Forgiveness through it all. My pain and my trials have Prepared me to tell others about how I’ve “been there and done that” and how He has used each transgression to transform me into a better version of me…a stronger Vessel for Him…ready, willing and ABLE to Serve. My Future belongs to Him from this life and all the way to Forever. I know what Plans He has for me and I know that in my Future, there will be no more pain, or tears, or sickness, or death, or heartbreak, or anything that causes me to suffer here on this earth; and I’ll be with Him for Eternity. Now THAT’S a Future to look forward to, and with the Promise of a Future like that; how could I NOT share it with the world?

Each piece of my past, my present and my Future has a tremendous Purpose in His Plans and only I can fulfill them. I know how special I am to the Living God…He sent His one and only Son to die for me…He Created me for His Purpose…He provides for all of my needs…He’s my Father…my God..my Savior and my King. He’s turned up the heat in my life more times than I care to count in order TO REFINE ME into something Precious…His Treasure…His Vessel…His Child…more precious than gold to Him and one so eager to Serve. No, my life is not my own and I wouldn’t have it any other way! My past, my present AND MY FUTURE all belong to Him and they are an open book to share with world…they are ALL part of my Purpose for living and they are all preparing me for my Forever.

How about you?