Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was in the 50s at daybreak on this Sunday morning but temperatures like that would never prevent me from watching God wake up the world from the front porch. A hot cup of coffee and a warm throw is all that it took to prepare me for the “uncomfortable” this morning. I focused on the tattered Christian flag…still beautiful and still flying after all the beating it has taken to fly day after day on the front porch day and it reminded me of the Journey of Life. When we’re willing to fly Boldly and Beautifully in the name of Jesus Christ, we’ll take a pretty good beating too. I could have retired this flag before it became tattered, and I could have shielded it from the “uncomfortable” to keep it safe…but, just like me, it was designed to fly as long as possible. One day we’ll both be “retired” from flying for our Faith and we’ll both be replaced with another beautiful one to pick up where we left off. Until that time, we keep flying with everything we’ve got all in the name of Jesus. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Life too?

Sometimes I think about all the things the disciples endured in the name of Jesus Christ, and I wonder where people get the idea that this Journey is supposed to be cushy. When we’re willing to boldly fly in His Name, we’ll take a beating as surely as the flag on the front porch does. When we speak up in His Name, we become a threat to the dark one and we’ll take a beating as he does his best to silence us. When we stand up for Jesus, and we proclaim the Truth of His Word, we’ll take a beating as the enemy does his best to distract us. When we pour Jesus Christ into a conversation we’ll take a beating as some mock us, some shun us, some attempt to debate us, some threaten us, and some walk out of our lives. When we sound off on our Rights as followers of Jesus Christ, we take a beating as the dark world laughs and calls us maniacal. Just like the tattered flag on the front porch of this farm, you can see the results of flying day after day, even when it’s “uncomfortable.” We don’t “retire” until God retires us and ONLY then do we get Replaced by a New One. This is the Key to being an Ambassador for the King of all kings…a Representative of the Truth…a Warrior in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Journey of Life is filled with beatings IF we’re Active Ambassadors for Jesus Christ – how can we show the world what Victory looks like if we never show them what it looks like to walk through the beatings with Faith and Joy? All it takes for the Active ones to Prepare for the “uncomfortable” is to keep Flying…to keep Trusting…to keep drawing Strength from the One who died for me…the One I live for. After all, If I “retired” myself out of Service to Him to protect myself from the “uncomfortable” I wouldn’t be of Good Service to Him at all! So, I keep flying despite those beatings and I fly with Joy in my Heart to be on a Heavenly Assignment for the King of all kings.

I may or may not die a martyr’s death as the disciples did, but it won’t be because I refused to Fly…it won’t be because I avoided taking the chance that I’d be Tattered…it won’t be because I’m a coward…it won’t be because I value my life more than Him…it won’t be because I might lose a few friends…It won’t be because I sat back silently to avoid the “uncomfortable.” Until then, I’ll keep Flying and I’ll keep taking a beating because I do…but that’s okay. Because the One I Love is worth it, and when I’m weak HE IS STRONG. His Power is made Perfect in my weakness. Look out world!

How about you?