Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I made my way into the Presence of the Most High God this morning I was filled with anticipation and Excitement just to be with Him. What a blessing that it was warm enough for me to spend a few minutes outside taking in the beauty of the new December day. I snapped this photo of the sun making its way over the horizon and I noticed that it looks like (to me) the image of a cross in the sunbeam. A cross on the flag…a cross in the sunrise…it can’t possibly get any better than that. The pace of the holiday season can take a toll on my Time with the Lord of my Life. Although I’ve spent time with Him and I’ve spent lots of time in prayer, absolutely nothing compares to Meeting with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith before I do anything else. He’s my Father and I’m His Child. He’s my Master and I’m His Servant. He’s my Rock and I’m His Warrior. He’s my Heart, and all of me is in Alignment with His Will. He sent His son to die for me so that I might have Life everlasting, and I’m a Messenger of the greatest birth announcement and “death certificate” story ever told. He’s not my afterthought – He’s my Future, so for all that to be possible, I need to be in His Presence even more than I need to breathe. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Some people think I’m an uptight Christian because I’m so serious about my “routine” from the front porch first thing in the morning, but that’s not true. It’s because I know how to Recharge and Refuel for this Journey called Life and I’m serious about finishing my Race well. I’m not trying to “prove” anything to God (or to the world) but I am trying to Serve Him with all that I am and I’m willing to go wherever He tells me to go. I can’t afford to allow Him to become an “afterthought” and neither can you! He wants to be first before anyone or anything else. He wants to be my First Love forever. He wants to be the One who occupies my thoughts and He wants to be the One I desire to Please. He wants to be the One I talk about and the One to fill my Heart with Joy. He’s the giver of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known and I’m Heaven-bound because of it. When you look at it that way, how can anybody be okay NOT making Him their Priority in this Journey called Life?

When I look back at Christmas and the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I know that the greatest Gift I’ll ever give is the Legacy of my Faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been threaded into every ribbon on every present my tribe has ever received, and now it continues on to the next generation. My radar is always up to hear who is sprinkling Jesus Christ into every part of Life and who sees the Jesus message as an afterthought or just a Sunday morning conversation. When I see the latter, I don’t hesitate to tell “the rest of the story” to the next generation who needs the Legacy of my Faith too. The Truth is sprinkled into every conversation every time and the Love they see in me is only possible because of Him. They can see that He’s my Biggest Priority and that I lean on Him more than anyone else. They see me Serving, and they see me Loving unconditionally. If any of the gift recipients were ever disappointed in the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I won’t think much about that at all because I’ve already given them the GREATEST Gift of all and THAT gift will last for Eternity.

How about you?