Author: www.LivingLarger.life

What Surrender Looks Like…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God in the wee hours of this new day, and I turned to my Instruction Manual hungry for Truth like a deer panting for water. When I looked out across the fields this morning, its beauty almost took my breath away…all over again. This old farm holds its own when it comes to beauty, that’s for sure, but what makes it breathtakingly beautiful really comes down to Surrender more than anything else. It’s in that place of Surrender that we find the Greatest Rewards. It’s as if the more we turn things over to the Living God, the more He fills our lives to overflowing…not with tangible things but with Himself! His Word says, “I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go” – and that’s what He’s done for me. He is my God, and I am His child…beyond that, nothing in this Life really matters! Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey, too?

It seems to be so easy for people to claim their prizes in life, from tangible things like a farm in Virginia to children to bank accounts – but that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. Oh, plenty of people thank Him for the prizes they receive – but the Treasures are found when we do more Surrendering than we do just thanking. He is the Prize Giver…the Author of it all. He doesn’t just flood us with blessings to make us happy, He floods us with blessings to Surrender instead, and the more we’re willing to Surrender, the bigger the Blessings flow. Once we get to the point of total surrender to Him, we become the Delighted Ones, filled with so much Peace and Joy that it cannot be contained. It’s at that point…that place of total Surrender…Surrender without limitations…THEN He gives “your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” What a Mighty God I serve!

I’ve Surrendered my life and everything in it to the One Who died for me, and He has given my life to me as a Prize. I Live for Him and I strive to Love like Him – not much matters to me beyond that. I know that no harm can come to me because He has placed a “hedge of protection” around me and my Life…the Life I’ve already surrendered. No harm can come to this beautiful farm because “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” – the place I’ve already surrendered. Surrender is where the Heavenly Prizes are unveiled…so, Surrender it is for me…day after day…Everything I have and all that I am. You won’t find me clinging to things of this world, that’s for sure, because apart from Him I have “no good thing.”

How about you?

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight

Heart Therapy for a Downcast Heart…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a spectacular new day in Virginia, and my life overflows with blessings. I’m alive and I’m well. I have my health and a sound mind. All is well with my family, and I have the best view on the planet. Despite all the Blessings, my Heart was downcast this morning, so I rolled up my Spiritual sleeves and got to work. It’s not possible to have a downcast Heart without first having a “downcast mind”, so to turn things around in my Heart, I needed to get control of my mind. Like the rudder on a big ship, the mind can turn us in any direction whatsoever (with a little help from the Enemy), BUT the good news is that we’re not powerless when it comes to the mind and the Heart. It’s only when we allow the mind to head in directions it shouldn’t go in that we find ourselves with a downcast Heart badly in need of Restoration. There’s good Reason the Bible tells us to “take captive every thought,” so to get my downcast Heart back where it belongs, I had to evacuate some things from my mind that have absolutely no business being there – And sure enough, once I got control of my thoughts, my Heart followed, and NOW my Heart overflows with Joy and Gratitude, and I’m ready to take on this new day like the Warrior I was born to be. I’m strong. I’m ready. I’m filled with Hope. Isn’t that the way you deal with your heavy Heart, too?

It’s so strange how we perceive people of Faith and how quickly we are inclined to criticise when we see a glimmer of their human frailty, like mine this morning. A few tears or a downcast Heart, and we’re ready to pass judgment and take them to the Spiritual woodshed. But everybody on the planet has had to struggle with feelings of discouragement at some point or another, and it doesn’t make one less of a Christian to confess it. David, “a man after God’s own heart,” was overwhelmed and downcast more often than I can count. He cried out to God with everything within him as He shared His heart in real ways…human ways…But he didn’t stay there long, and you and I don’t have to stay there long either. There once was a man named Job, and God referred to him as the “most righteous man” on earth at the time. When Job went through “hell on earth,” his shortcomings were made clear straight from the mouth of a Mighty God. God told Job to “brace yourself like a man” right before he highlighted where Job had gone wrong. Poor Job was so overcome with grief and shame that he cursed the day he was ever born! There are countless other people of Faith we read about in the Bible who were far from perfect, too. But the people who Knew where to turn for help with their downcast Heart were restored each and every time…and so am I.

When we cry out to God with a downcast Heart, He has compassion on us, and when we turn to Him for Heart Therapy, He delivers it every time. The world around us might expect to see “perfection” because we are people of Faith, but God knows better, and He’s there to help us through all of our trials IF we just reach out to Him and confess our weakness before His Throne. It’s a good thing that He’s our judge, and not all of those people around us who look for “Stepford Christians” and who are always so ready to pounce and to judge us over our weaknesses, especially other people of Faith. But being Christian doesn’t mean that all of our troubles miraculously disappear…it means that we just know where to go for our Help and our Hope. Being Christian doesn’t mean that we’re never weak….it means that we know where to go for our Strength. Being Christian doesn’t mean that we don’t stumble and fall…it means that we know where to go to get picked back up again….the source of our Straight Path. Humility isn’t a sign of weakness…it’s a sign of Strength, and honesty always leads to stronger relationships…especially when it comes to the Living God.

I may have begun this day with a downcast Heart, but it’s an entirely different story now after I confessed it to my God, I took captive every thought, and I turned to the Living God for some much-needed Heart Therapy. Now I’m Strong. I’m Ready. I’m Teachable. I’m Unstoppable. I’m Unbreakable. I Know where to find Truth, and I know the tactics of the Deceiver and his strategy to defeat me failed once again.

What about you?

Stop Hoarding and Start Sharing!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My time on the front porch with the Living God at sunrise was as perfect as this new day. It was clear, calm, and graced with the sounds of music that came from all different kinds of birds from every direction. Those birds made me think of what Heaven will be like when all the “different kinds of birds” sing Praises to the King at the same time! Wow – just imagining the Heavenly choir is so beautiful that it makes me cry. Even though what I imagine Heaven to be like brings me to tears, my imagination can’t hold a candle to what’s in store for me One Day. God says, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him,” and THAT’S what makes me want everybody to have what I have, to Hear what I hear, and to Know what I know. Isn’t that what your Journey of Faith is like too?

I’m not sure why some people have a Passion to Share Good things with the rest of the world, while some want to hoard all the Good for themselves. It’s a mystery to me. The same “hoarders” that don’t hesitate to show off a new house, or a new car, or to brag about an exotic vacation or an accomplished kid, never even consider “showing off” the Greatest Gift of all. The Treasures of Heaven will make the treasures on earth look like Romper Room one day – but still, SO MANY of the “ones who love Him” never utter a word to the lost about the Greatest Gift of all. It’s hard to watch “the ones who love Him” so easily storing up their own treasures on earth, and yet, they’re blinded to the lost ones destined to lose out on “what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.” Could it be that arrogance leads them to believe that the lost ones need to either “sink or swim” all on their own? Or maybe they don’t want to “offend” them by talking about such things, BUT from where I sit, Hell is pretty offensive and it will be that way for Eternity.

Perhaps it takes an added measure of Gratitude for the Promise of Heaven one day to Inspire us to share the Good News. Or maybe it takes Genuine Excitement for what is in store “for those who love Him”. Or it just might take understanding what Hell will be like for the lost. I can do my best to describe Heaven from just a few things I know based upon the Description in His Word…and my Passion is usually enough to make a lost person at least a little curious about what I have. But if there is anything I wish I could SHOW a lost person, it would be a video of what Hell is like. For as much as we can’t begin to imagine Heaven, we can’t begin to imagine Hell either. Hell is a place of torment and “gnashing of teeth” like none of us can begin to imagine…and the torment will go on for eternity. There isn’t a “bad” person that I’d ever wish Hell upon, and there isn’t a “bad” person that I want to leave behind if I can help it. That’s what the Compassion of Christ looks like and THAT’S why I do what I do.

It was heavenly at sunrise, that’s for sure, and I savored the Glory of my God while I basked in the beauty of this old farm. The Beauty I see defies words! But more than anything else on this beautiful new day, I did my best to imagine what Heaven will be like, and what I imagined made me WEEP WITH JOY. I won’t be keeping to myself what I know about Heaven for those who believe, and I’ll never hoard the Truth from the lost world. I don’t deserve the Greatest Gift…none of us do. I didn’t do anything to earn it – It’s Free, it’s PRICELESS, it’s ETERNAL, and IT’S MINE, and THAT’S why I want EVERY lost person to Know what I know so that they can look forward to Heaven with excitement too!

“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

How about you?

What Are You Willing to Sacrifice in His Name?

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was in awe of the Touch of the Master’s Hand the moment I stepped outside this morning, and after my time with Him, there is no doubt I’ll be in awe of Him all day long. Yesterday was Easter Sunday, and my Heart is still full as I recall the beauty of our sunrise service at The Well. Just a handful of Bold Believers braved it to the barn at sunrise while the others couldn’t (or wouldn’t) make the Sacrifice even for one day. It reminds me of the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus told His disciples, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me,” and yet, they fell asleep like spiritual slugs despite His desperate plea. It’s hard to imagine that they would trade Time with the Messiah for a little more sleep, but people easily make that trade all the time! (“The spirit is often willing, but the flesh is weak”) The disciples couldn’t (or wouldn’t) stay awake for Jesus, even when He needed them the most. With that in mind, why in the world should it surprise me that so many professed Christians today refuse to stay awake at this hour despite what the Word of God warns us about? Sleeping through a sunrise service is one thing – sleeping through these dark times when the world needs to Hear about Jesus is an entirely different Story. Isn’t that the way you see it, too?

It’s fascinating (and sad) to see how the church has evolved over time…humble little sanctuaries with an organ and not-so-soft pews have been replaced by cushy concert halls with theatre seats, lights, fog, and coffee shops all in the name of “changing times” and “comfort”. I’ve done a whole lot of looking, and so far I haven’t found even one verse in the Bible that says that God’s people need to be comfortable AND willing to modify the house of the Lord to make it easier and more appealing to the flock. It takes all kinds, that’s for sure. As for me, I like barns and not-so-soft pews. It reminds me of how Jesus was born in a manger, and it keeps me humble during our worship time together as I consider how and where the early church used to meet. When it comes down to it, all the pretty things that the “modern” church offers are just a matter of personal preference. If people believe they can draw closer to God only when the music is good and the coffee is hot, that’s between them and God. The saddest part to me is that while priorities have changed to please the crowds, the message of the Cross has been whitewashed to please them too – something they’ll all pay the Price for One Day.

As for me, I don’t worry much about comfort because the way I see it, Hell is the MOST uncomfortable place EVER, so my focus is more on being a Reflection of the Son than an entertainer in an attempt to “save even one.” I don’t worry much about the music or whether or not it will entertain the flock because the way I see it, no music has ever been written that can compare to the beauty of the Music in Heaven, so I keep striving to be a Reflection of the Son in hopes that more people will hear it along with me One Day. I don’t worry too much about “offending” with the Truth that has been softened to fit the modern church, because the way I see it is if I’m a Reflection of the Son, then I should Love enough to Speak the Truth because I don’t want anybody to perish. Paul said, “To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some,” and I’m taking my lead from him. People like us aren’t here to entertain. People like us don’t succumb to insults, and we aren’t afraid of threats. People like us don’t make excuses for speaking the Truth, and people like us are already “up at sunrise” seeking His Face. For people like us, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ is our greatest Honor until He calls us Home – AND at the top of the list of what God expects from each one of us…sunrise or not.

I’m a work in Progress and a diamond in the rough. I have a very full Life and I don’t concern myself with popularity. I’m unshakable. I’m unstoppable and I’m Relentless when it comes to Sharing Christ. But the main thing…the one thing I am that separates me from many others these days is that I am laser-focused on being a Reflection of the Son, and I’m willing to be Uncomfortable for Jesus Christ. The Day will come soon enough when I’ll see Perfection…the Timeless Throne of a Mighty God. I’ll look upon the beauty of Jesus and I’ll fall to my knees because He’s much more beautiful than I am capable of reflecting here on earth…but it’s not about me!!! His Spirit can get the Job done, and His Word can do the Teaching. All I ever need to concern myself with is being a Reflection of the Son…to Live and Love like Jesus. Will I perfect my Reflection? Not even close – no matter how many “sacrifices” I make. That’s the Goal, and it makes me uncomfortable when I consider all the ways I fall short. So…I keep speaking the Truth that might just make someone else uncomfortable as they consider the wages of their sin and the consequences of unbelief…because that’s what Jesus would do.

Will I see you at sunrise?

YOU Take Captive Every Thought!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I got out of bed with no aches or pains and more energy than most people my age only dream of having, and I gave thanks to the Living God for a body still willing to cooperate wth my Heart. But it’s not having an able body that matters the most – it’s having a Sound mind and a Willing Spirit too – and that’s where my morning time with the King of all kings comes in. When we meet, my Heart overflows with Gratitude for all that He is and all that He does for me; and when we meet, it’s time for us both to work on the Condition of my Heart. But the condition of my mind is an entirely different thing – it’s my Responsibility to do that part on my own. If I allow destructive thoughts to take up residence in my mind, I can easily destroy all the Work that has been put into my Heart! Destructive thoughts can easily thwart all the Plans He has for me today…and even for the rest of my Life! He shields my body and gives me Strength. He nurtures my Heart and Tenderizes it for Good, and I make sure to do my part with my mind. Isn’t that the way the Journey of Faith is for you, too?

It doesn’t do much good to work on the Heart, only to leave the mind on autopilot, which gives our Adversary a free pass to torment the mind. He’s always ready to whisper thoughts of defeat, failure, heartbreak, judgment, criticism, bitterness toward someone else, or bitterness over our circumstances – ALL these things work against the flow of a Mighty God and His Plans for each of us. The mind is like a digital recorder that can conjure up the worst memories and the most discouraging or destructive thoughts in the blink of an eye, and when it does, all of the Work that we put into the Heart can be slowly snuffed out. God doesn’t just watch our Actions, He sees inside the heart AND the mind, and He knows our thoughts without us speaking at all. It’s not His fault if we have a head full of junk, and He’s not going to be the one to fix it. It’s our job to do our part on the mind, to be sure that the Heart can do all the Good that He has Planned for us. This is the KEY to the sound mind God has given to each one of His children! “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.

How many times have we heard someone say, “I can’t help it” or “I can’t get it out of my mind”, but that’s not true! We have the POWER to “take captive every thought” and clean up the mind this very minute. How many times have we heard someone say, “I’m asking God to help me with my thoughts”? – but He CAN’T control your thoughts – YOU have to do that part on your own. The good news is that the more time we spend in His Presence of the Most High God and the more Time we spend on the Heart, the more manageable the mind becomes. Eventually, we begin to recognize dangerous and destructive thoughts the minute they come knocking, and we take immediate ACTION to evict them before they take up residence. This is the Key to Strength and Growth.

There are countless examples in the Bible of the importance of our thoughts, and it’s pretty clear that WE are expected to control them. We’re instructed to FOCUS on good thoughts – “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things”. We’re offered encouragement about how everything CAN change IF we do OUR PART on the mind – “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…THEN you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is”. We’re even warned about how our thoughts reveal the truth of who we really are – “As a man THINKS in his heart; so is he”. We’re shown the way to Hope – “With minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the Grace to be brought to you”. And we know that the heart follows our thoughts “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The List could go on and on and each example that we’re given is ABUNDANTLY clear that WE are responsible for our thoughts and nobody else is to blame for what whirls around in the head.

I rejoice over strength, stamina, and a healthy body. My heart is consumed with love for the Living God, and I’m ready to do battle within my mind so that I can be ALL that He created me to be and so that I don’t become my own “worst enemy”.

I’m laser-focused, tenderized by the King, and ready to do battle..beginning with me.

How about you?

While the Dew is Still on the Roses…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I stepped outside to take my first breath of fresh air for the day, it was only in the 30s, BUT it was magnificent. Every day, I see more of the trees budding out, and pretty soon, Virginia will be in full bloom. As I sat there taking it all in, I noticed that the ground was covered in dew, and I smiled when I considered how God had watered the earth even without the rain. That’s my God for you! He thinks of everything. By the Time I stepped into the Presence of the One who gives Instructions to the dew, I was eager to be Taught. The first order of business is ALWAYS to examine my Heart to be sure there is nothing within me that could grieve the Holy Spirit. It takes Humility to ask the God of all Creation to look inside your Heart – especially when we know He will see it all…good, bad, and ugly – But that’s the ONLY way to draw nearer to Him each day. So, here I am again, Ready and Willing to be Molded by my Maker so that I can be all that He Created me to be. Isn’t that the way your Relationship with the King of all kings is, too?

There are lots of reasons why people don’t continue to Grow for as long as they live, but I think the biggest reason is pride. It’s often said, “pride comes before the fall,” but that’s just the “Reader’s Digest Version” of the Words in Proverbs that drive the message home – “pride goes before destruction, a haughty (arrogant) spirit before a fall”. Pride is what prevents us from being willing to be transparent (even to the Living God), and pride is what keeps us from Sharing our Trials. Pride is where we convince ourselves that we’re something we’re not, and that we’re bigger and better than what we really are. Pride is what makes us run from the Spirit of God when it’s Lesson Time, and pride is what stands in the way of revealing our weaknesses. Pride is what prompts us to judge someone else, and pride is what makes us lie to ourselves about who and what we really are. Pride drives greed, and it drives lies. It’s pride that prevents us from helping the helpless, and it’s pride that leads us to find our identity in wealth. A prideful heart refuses to admit when it’s wrong, and pride stands in the way of forgiveness of another. There’s no end to the destruction that pride brings with it, and eventually pride will build a shell around the heart that it is so hard, that we’re no longer recognizable as God’s people and we’re useless to the King. There’s no room for pride if we want to grow, and unless we get a handle on pride, we can’t find Humility.

I’ve been slapped around by people of Faith more often than I can count when they hear me Confess my Weaknesses or Share my Trials or temptations as if Christians live a flawless Life. Long gone are the Testimonies we heard in church – in part because the Church no longer makes time to hear what God is doing within the flock – but also because they don’t think the “imperfections” should ever be discussed. Their pride drives them to believe that if you are a person of Faith, all those things (including sin) are just things of the past. They stifle the Holy Sprit by choosing to remain silent about what God is doing (and has done) in their lives. They’ve been lied to by the Father of ALL lies into believing that it’s best to remain silent about what God is doing in our lives…good, bad, or ugly. But isn’t that what a Good Testimony is? From where I sit, I believe these people reject the idea of sharing a Good Testimony because they might be asked to Share their Story one day too…something they’re far too prideful to do. As for me, I have NO pride when it comes to being a Vessel for the Living God. He saved a wretch like me, and I want the world to Know it. I am confident that the more I Share about my own Life, the more inclined God will be to use me to help someone else. It hasn’t been pretty, but it has absolutely “worked together for Good” because I LOVE HIM AND I’VE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE”.

My Life hasn’t been a “big mess”, even though it’s felt that way (and may have looked that way too) sometimes. My valleys have been deep, BUT my mountaintops are glorious, and the Molder of my Faith never stopped providing the dew even when it refused to rain. My Life is a Living, Breathing Witness to the Power and Might of my God, and I’ll NEVER be too proud to Share it. Every experience has Grown me, and all the pain has made me Stronger. But most importantly, I Know that “all things God works for the good of those who LOVE HIM, who have been CALLED according to His purpose”…so ALL of it has been used for Good- Hallelujah! My Life has Purpose, and I’m Humbled to be used by the King. So, whenever the spirit of pride tries to sneak in, and I’m inclined to take credit for things in my life, it’s time for a Lesson in Humility straight from the Throne of the Living God. I invite Him to look inside my Heart and to show me ALL my flaws so that I can make things right before the One Who died for me. I may not like it much when it’s Lesson Time, but I’m ready and willing to be Molded by my Maker so that I can be ALL that He intends for me to be for as long as there is breath in my body.

How about you?

He Fills Up My Senses….

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This was the first morning of this year that I’ve lingered on the front porch long enough to watch God wake up the world despite the cooler temperature, and it was glorious! The sunrise wasn’t as bold and beautiful as it is sometimes, BUT I’m still flying high after the magnificent moon I saw from the front porch last night, so that’s just fine with me. As God turned on the light of the sun, nature began to celebrate, and my Heart overflowed to be front and center on the front porch at sunrise one more time. Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone, so when I wake up on a new day, I give thanks to the One Who gives me life. This morning, I gave thanks for everything I saw and heard and for the blessing of sight to see and ears to hear. Every little creature seemed to remind me of a Bible verse, so I’d open up my Bible to read the Words that God put on my heart using His creation, and all my senses came to life. I’ve missed my time outside with Him, that’s for sure. To me, there’s just something more Powerful about His Presence when I can witness His Majesty for myself at sunrise, and it’s impossible to describe what my Heart feels when I do. Isn’t that the way you greet a new day of Life, too?

It’s interesting to consider our God-given senses and how often we just tune in to one or two of them ONLY when we need them, and we leave the rest behind until we do. Sometimes we touch, but we don’t feel. Sometimes we see, but we don’t hear. Sometimes we hear, but we don’t look. Sometimes we smell, but we don’t taste. There’s no end to how we tap into one of our senses without even thinking about it, but we often make no attempt to use the others unless we’re forced to. It’s when we lose one of our senses, or when it becomes impaired, that other senses kick in to pick up the slack for the loss without us trying at all. It’s when hearing becomes impaired that sight becomes even more important, and it’s when sight becomes impaired that we learn to navigate with fine-tuned hearing. It’s amazing to see how the body will naturally do what it’s designed to do without any effort from us at all! But when we learn to slow down – when we allow ourselves to take all the blessings of Life in – when we ponder the Majesty of a Mighty God – and when we savor the circumstance we’re in the middle of at that very moment in time – EVERY SINGLE THING within us can come alive through our senses, and when it does, it takes the Appreciation for the Hand of the Living God to an entirely different level.

My Dad lost his eyesight later in life, and I was blessed to have the chance to became his eyes. I described (in great detail) everything I saw so that he could “see” it too. Everything from the clouds in the sky to a good play in a little league baseball game, I did my best to paint a picture for my Dad. Not once in his 20 years of blindness did I EVER hear him complain or question God for taking his sight away. Instead, I heard him give thanks for all the other senses that were “workin’ just fine”. Not once did I hear him whine about not being able to do all those things he used to be able to do. When he could have said, “I wish I could see your smile,” he’d say, “I love to hear you laugh” instead. My Dad LOVED God’s creation, and I learned how to appreciate it all through him. It wasn’t easy watching his sight fade away, that’s for sure, especially because of how he loved to take in the beauty of each new day as it unfolded, too. But the more his sight faded, the more enhanced his listening became, and he lived life to the fullest all the days of his life here on earth because of it. That’s what Gratitude looks like, and I’m blessed to have learned the greatest lessons on Gratitude for my Heavenly Father from my earthly one. His “loss” was my gain.

When I have the chance to meet with God on the front porch at sunrise, I’m NOT taking in the scenery like a sightseer, although the view is magnificent from where I sit. When I meet with the Living God from the front porch, it’s a Spiritual time for me, and ALL of my senses come alive, and I can see the Miracle of His Creation in everything around me. I can hear the birds and the wind. I can smell fresh cut grass or hay and sometimes the faint smell of honeysuckle or lilacs close by. I can taste the sweetness of Heaven, and I can almost touch the Hand of the Master as I allow Him to take me by the hand and lead me every day. It all begins with a Heart that is Surrendered to the King. Unless (or until) that happens, the Heart is blinded to the Beauty all around – in the good times and the not-so-good times – and no other sense can pick up the slack for a Heart that fails to See.

There’s no question this old farm is a beautiful place, and sitting on the front porch is a Treasure. But what brings this old farm to life has nothing to do with the view from the porch! What makes this old farm so special is the Peace of God that can be felt by everyone who pauses here. I invite Him here. I meet with Him here. I celebrate Him here. I surrender to Him here, and I guard my Peace like the gold at Fort Knox – nothing and no one will be taking that away. I ASK for His Peace and Protection here as I pray over every inch of the farmhouse and every acre of the land every single day, and every single one of my God-given senses come alive to Worship Him here with everything within me.

I am His child…He is my God…and this is His farm.

Victory is Mine…Always

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Alpha and Omega first thing on this new day, and I took the steps necessary to Reinforce my Journey so that I’m Equipped for all things. He’s the Beginning and the End and the only way to find Peace in a world so riddled with turmoil. I know that along with this new day will come a new set of challenges too because my adversary stays busy trying to thwart the Plans God has for us all. But I’m a Force to reckon with in this Spiritual War, and I’m a bold Warrior for the Kingdom of the Living God. That’s only possible because I straighten up my Armor and I Prepare for the new things each new day. It isn’t easy sometimes, BUT I’m Unstoppable, and I’m always Victorious because of Him IF I make sure to Prepare for what I may face. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

I can’t think of anything worse than to be a coward at such a time as this, a time of turmoil where the world needs Jesus more than ever. I can’t think of anything worse than refusing to mention His Name out of fear of the consequences. I can’t think of anything worse than denying Him in this dark world by remaining silent, and I can’t think of anything worse than losing my Voice for Jesus. I can’t think of anything worse than hiding my Bible in a Bible app on my phone that no one else can see rather than carrying it around like a statement of Faith everywhere I go. I can’t think of anything worse than refraining from sharing the Gospel because I “don’t know what to say” or relying solely on prayer when I could easily have taken action in His Name. Just the idea of these “worse” things keeps me on my Spiritual toes and more Determined than ever to walk out my Faith boldly no matter what. This is the Key to Victory.

Unfortunately, many people have convinced themselves that they won’t “fold” under pressure for their Faith, but if it could happen to Peter, it could happen to you or me. Peter thought he’d be willing to go to prison or die for Jesus, but all it took was a little pressure from the dark world, and Peter denied even knowing Him. It’s when we stop focusing on Jesus and start focusing on the dangers around us that we fall every single time. Surrounded by uncertainty, Peter sat around the campfire with the locals trying to fit in with the crowd to avoid being associated with Jesus at all, and he lied three times to save his own skin. We know the rest of the story – Peter repented, and Jesus not only Restored Him, BUT He transformed Peter into the “rock” that would preach from the Heart and tirelessly feed His sheep. Peter’s Journey had a “happy ending,” but it’s that part where he violently wept and shame overtook him with just one “look” from the Master. So when I’m Preparing for the new day and whatever it might bring, I think of Peter, and I fix my eyes on Jesus so that denial isn’t even in my vocabulary. This is the Key to perseverance at such a time as this.

It’s a new day, and I’m ready for it all…the sweet Victories that I am confident will come my way AND the fiery darts from hell that set out to destroy me. Without Him, I’m powerless – with Him, I’m Victorious! When you look at it that way, why would I ever NOT take the time to Prepare in His Name?

How about you?

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing” 2 Timothy 4:7-8

An Attitude of Gratitude Goes a Long Way!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was a little too cold to sit outside on this magnificent front porch at sunrise, and I can’t wait for the time when it’s warm enough to be filled with love and laughter again. The front porch is my place of peace. It’s my solitude, and in so many ways, it’s my sanctuary because it’s there where the Lord speaks to me. No matter the season, all I have to do is look at the rockers lined up on the front porch, and my heart sings with gratitude and memories. When the Master lights up the world each day, I see everything around this old farm come to life…including me. Sometimes, it’s as if the birds sing what my Heart feels, and the entire Experience drives me into the arms of the One who died for me every single time. I set out to ask for Wisdom for my plans on this new day and to make a few Requests for my Life, but I ended up in a place of Praise and Gratitude instead. It’s amazing how a place of Gratitude can override every “burden” and fill the Heart with Joy no matter what’s going on or how big the Requests are. When it was all said and done, I was too overwhelmed with Gratitude to ask Him for a single thing this morning. Isn’t that the way it is for you when you focus on Gratitude too?

It would be impossible to list all the good things God has done since the Beginning of all time – David says, “Were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” His Righteousness cannot be measured, and His deeds can’t be counted, that’s for sure. If I were to sit on the front porch making a list of His Good Deeds for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t begin to make a dent in the list of His Goodness. Despite His neverending Good deeds, it can be so easy for most people to put Gratitude on the back burner while they race through the Journey called Life…forgetting to give thanks in the process. One little roadblock…one little “setback”…one little bit of “bad news” and Gratitude goes out the window while they beg for Him to fix those things they THINK are broken. Gratitude is the Key to Peace and Joy, and Gratitude is what propels us forward for Good, no matter how bad things appear to be on the surface – all because we are Confident that the One Who died for us is up to something Good if we’ll just allow Him to Work in our lives. This is the Key to Peace through it all.

I talk a lot about my Trials and Tribulations, all those things that I’ve endured so that my Heart could be Tenderized by the King and so that I could become a Stronger (and more usable) Vessel for the Living God. Today, I’m a Witness of Hope in a dark world and an Encourager to my brothers and sisters in Christ. ALL the trials have “worked together for Good” because I LOVE Him, and I’ve been “called according to His Purpose”, and I am able to recall each turbulent Season with Joy. When you get to the other side of trials and tribulations, Gratitude overflows, and it’s easy to shamelessly share the “bad” that it took to get there because the Victory is always so sweet! I have been Victorious when things appeared to be hopeless, more than most people could imagine. But if I were to be asked about my Blessings…all those things that I have to be Grateful for in this Journey called Life…” there would be too many to declare” too. If I were to sit on the front porch making a list of all the things I have to be Grateful for, the list wouldn’t end until I do. There can be no Peace without Heartfelt Gratitude for the Living God…for all that He is and all that He does for each one.

I set out with my own plans in mind today, but I ended up with a Heart that is feeling what the birds were singing this morning. I’m overflowing with Gratitude for yesterday, today, and forevermore, and I can’t think of anything at all except my Mighty, Merciful, Miraculous God who sent His Son to die for me. The One “who scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name” knows my Name too, and He has it written in the Book of Life. And because of that, I’ll have an Attitude of Gratitude all the days of my Life, and my Blessings and all the Victories will always be “too many to declare!”

How about you?

Birds of a Feather…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a whopping 32° this morning, and the wind is blowing, so it feels even colder than it is. Spring in Virginia is unpredictable and full of surprises – one day it’s hot and the next day it’s cold until FINALLY, Summer arrives and there will be no more bath and forth. In addition to my “normal view” from the front porch, occasionally, I’ll get to see a flock of peacocks running free, and we are blessed to see them when they pass through. I’m not sure how many there are for sure – 5 or 6, maybe more? – but interestingly, we’ve never seen them all at once. The only consistent one we see in the flock is the male. The females come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and they don’t appear to be the same age. All I know is that they are flocking together, and really the only thing they seem to have in common is the fact that they’re all peacocks; peacocks on a mission to search for quality of life. Humans are a little different. We want quality of life too, but we’re only happy if we’re around people like ourselves, and we’ll sacrifice just about anything to find it. The rich want to hang out with the rich and the poor with the poor. The old want to hang out with the old and the young with the young. I’m no expert, but I believe the peacocks might have it right – they seem to laser-focus on their common goal with no concern whatsoever over their differences. Isn’t that the way the Church should be, too?

If there’s one thing Christian people tend to obsess over, it’s how old they’ll be in heaven and how we will recognize each other if we get a brand new, indestructible, eternal body. Instead of obsessing over the fact that Heaven is real and the Qualified get to spend eternity there with no more sickness, sadness, or tears (WOW) people obsess over how old they’ll be, what they’ll look like, and how they’ll recognize their friends and loved ones. Some people even lose sleep at night as they obsess over whether or not the family dog makes it to Heaven, AND some go as far as to say they don’t even want to go to Heaven if their furry friends aren’t going to be there. As much as people fuss over how they look here and how they’ll look in Heaven…as fixated as they can be about hanging out with people their own age…NONE of it matters at all because we’re all just a gift-wrapped Soul. So, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that what we’ll recognize in Heaven is the SOUL of our loved ones, no matter what the new packaging looks like. I’ll know you and you’ll know me because the essence of us isn’t how old we are or what we look like…it’s the Soul. So, when you boil it all down, the ONLY thing that matters (or ever has) is what the Soul looks like to the Living God and whether or not we’re Qualified to be with Him forever.

Nothing brings out our obsession over silly things like being with people just like us than church does. Unlike the peacocks that remain laser-focused on the Common Goal instead of what the others look like, how old they are, how many people flock there, and what’s in it for them, we tend to focus on the outward much more than the Inward. When it comes to the Soul, it doesn’t matter what kind of gift wrapping we’ve been given for our Journey here on earth. It doesn’t matter how old we are because the Soul is timeless (and eternal). Most importantly, the Soul NEVER focuses on “what’s in it for me?” because the Qualified Soul is too busy staying laser-focused on God and the Purpose of our Journey here. To me, it’s very sad to hear people talk about what they look for in a local church as they set out to search for a group of people most like themselves. The same age, the same likes and dislikes, the same music – you name it – and when (or if) they find a church that meets their criteria, they think they’ve found the (almost) perfect church. Some have lost sight of the importance of the Common Goal in the Journey of Faith, and they’re satisfied with remote control church as far away from the flock as they can get. And then there are people like me. I’m in the Soul business, so names, ranks, and serial numbers don’t matter even a little bit…what matters is the Soul. I want to stir Souls up and cause them to laser focus on the Common Goal more and more, and I want to inspire them to toss the personal preferences down the toilet so that they ONLY Focus on the Soul instead. Come to find out, that’s what makes the (almost) Perfect Church – a body of Believers much more interested in flocking together as they reach for the Common Goal than they are “what’s in it for me?”

I’ll be Heaven bound sooner rather than later and there isn’t much in this Life that thrills me the way being with a group of Laser Focused beautiful Flock of Souls does. It doesn’t matter the shape or the size. It doesn’t matter the tone of the skin. It doesn’t matter how old or how young – it doesn’t even matter the quality of Life because as long as we’re Laser Focused on our Common Goal we’ll have EVERYTHING we need to please the Living God through this Journey of Faith. Think about it – the Qualified ones will be “stuck” with each other forever in a place so wonderful that it defies words. With that in mind, who in their right mind even cares if the outside is different than yours? The outside is just a gift-wrapped package hosting the Soul that will live forever. Trust me, you’ll recognize me because my Soul will be all that you see. So, the only thing that REALLY matters is where the Soul will be spending eternity. Now that is enough to motivate me to flock with the others as we chase our Common Goal together…to me, that is what the (almost) perfect church looks like!

How about you?