Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The rockers lined up are a beautiful reminder to me that the front porch and the fields are always “open for business” around here – whether for the masses that come far and wide to visit the farm or a simple visit with a friend in need of Love and laughter. Whoever finds their way here, they’ll find God’s farm waiting for them along with a Steward with a Willing Heart and open arms. It won’t matter the purpose of our meeting – they’ll always hear about Jesus Christ one way or another. Whether it’s work or play, my Faith is NEVER hidden and it’s when I’m being the Boldest for Him that I face the MOST adversity. I know how this Battle rolls, and I know how easily I could be tempted to throw in the towel in my weakness. So, these days my time with the Living God is more about Securing my Armor for the Battle than anything else. I’m a Warrior, but I’m a woman too, and it could be so easy to stumble into discouragement. But as long as I do the most Important Part…as long as I’m Spiritually Strong..as long as I understand where adversity REALLY comes from, you won’t find me merely enduring the battle, you’ll find me Victorious instead. Isn’t that the way you deal with battles too?

It amazes me to consider how easy it is for most people to quit almost anything in life. They’ve somehow convinced themselves that if things were “meant to be” there wouldn’t be any challenges at all. When they hit a little bump in the road in their relationships or in their work, they easily use the bump as a “sign” that it’s time to move on. If they face a huge project and they get hit with challenge after challenge in the midst of it, they’re ready to call it a day as they label the challenges a “sign” that God must not want them to complete it. If they speak up about Jesus Christ and get shot down for it, they convince themselves that God wants them to live Peacefully without offending another, so they muzzle their Words instead of speaking the Truth. These people will often take the high road, silently praying in the background, while they watch a loved one fall into destruction of some kind, and they’ll camouflage their lack of Courage to endure the biggest Battle under the name of “tough love” – a Lesson Jesus didn’t teach. I’m not quite sure how so many people of Faith could possibly convince themselves that life as a Christian is always smooth sailing IF you’re “living right.” There’s no Truth to that at all. In fact, it’s when you’re Bold and “living right” that you face the most adversity because when you’re Bold “living right” you are a Big Threat in the Biggest Battle of all.

I’m a Warrior, but I’m a woman too. Some people have a long-distance view of me and my life and they see me as “tough” and “strong” from where they’re sitting. But I’m neither of those things. I’m just as inclined to curl up in a ball and have a good cry as any other woman ever born…and sometimes I do. I’m a bold Vessel for the King, but I’m human too. Sometimes I want to succumb to my weakness and I want to throw in the towel just like everybody else. If I’m not really careful, I can let fear sneak in and I’m inclined to hide under the bed and away from the world just like so many others. But I understand what’s REALLY behind the Battle I face, and I see the adversity for what it REALLY is. I understand where my Strength REALLY comes from and I know that when I am weak “He is strong!” I know that “His grace IS sufficient” for me and that “His Power is made perfect in weakness” and I know that He will take me “by the right hand” and lead me through it all. Most of all I know that because I REALLY live out my Faith for all the world to see, I’ll always be a Threat to our enemy and I’ll be doing Battle until I take my last breath. No matter what I face in this Journey of Life I WILL be Victorious AS LONG as I do my part to be sure I’m ready 24/7 to do Battle in His Name. I’m “locked and loaded” for Jesus Christ…the ONLY Hope this world has EVER had.

How about you?