Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This is the first day I’ll be settling back into my “routine” since before the holidays, and I’m savoring every moment of the morning in the presence of the Most High God. It’s a typical winter morning in Virginia today – it’s cold, it’s windy, and it’s overcast, and lots of people are inclined to hide inside like a hibernating bear because of it…but not me. I thank God for all things, and I’m grateful to be alive to glorify my God, so I keep walking the Journey day in and day out WITH JOY. When my feet hit the ground each morning, I whisper a prayer of gratitude – I tell God, “Good morning!” – and I look outside to see what the new day will bring. Most of the time, if the sun is on the horizon, I focus on the sky, but this morning, all I could see was the barn. When I first moved my family to this farm decades ago, I never even looked inside the barn. It wasn’t important to me. I was raising kids, not horses, and my plate was too full to take on more expense and responsibility. My neighbors kept their horses here for a few years before they built their own barn, and then slowly, people began to store things in the barn “temporarily,” and in no time at all, it was overflowing with junk. And there it sat. And I didn’t care…UNTIL I needed it for my own purpose. Friends told me to “FORGET IT” because the barn was in such a state of disrepair and overflowing with junk. Though it was a disaster to get it cleaned up to use for my purpose, I’m too stubborn to let their opinions or hard work stop me. Today, I realize that God had a Plan for the use of this barn all along. Today I see how God set aside the barn UNTIL He was ready. Today, I see a beautiful chapel inside a barn that was once loaded with junk, and my heart sings. I’m no expert but I DO KNOW that when you’re hungry for more from God, He’ll use whatever He needs to use to head us in the Right Direction. This morning, it was a simple barn in Virginia that turned my plans and “purposes” around.

When I was searching for a Word this morning, God led me to the Book of Malachi, which is often overlooked in Church teachings…and that’s too bad. There’s no such thing as a “bad” book or a “boring” book or an “insignificant” Word from God. Some people wouldn’t have a clue as to where to find it in the Bible because they’ve seldom (if ever) turned there – it’s the last Book of the Old Testament, and it’s filled with rich Treasures. When the Living God ushered me into the Book of Malachi over a simple barn, I knew immediately that He had a Word for me today.

Some people doubt that the Lord gets that Specific as to guide us this way or that way, but that’s because they don’t know that He says that IF WE WILL just acknowledge Him in ALL our ways, He will direct our path. Or maybe they don’t believe Him when He says, “For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Maybe that’s why we see so many “lukewarm” Believers…they have no idea about the power of our God. Just maybe “They have a form of godliness, but deny its power,” and they’re ready to throw ice water on His Words any time because they doubt that He speaks to us this way in the first place. If that’s the case for you, the fourth chapter of Malachi has a Word you need to read: “Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.” So, I’d watch the arrogance that causes you to deny the power of God if I were you!

Malachi is short and sometimes not so sweet, but there is Good News for those who Believe and that’s where you and I come in. His Word says, “But for you who REVERE MY NAME, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.” I don’t know about you, but I revere His Name, and I like the idea of frolicking around like a well-fed calf!

The King is coming back One Day soon, and I’ll be ready and waiting for the One Who loves me enough to die for me and who takes the Time to lead me to Truth through a simple barn. I don’t have all the Answers, but I do know that when you’re hungry for more from God, He’ll use whatever He needs to use to guide us in the Right Direction. This morning it was that barn.

How about you?