Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It wasn’t warm enough to spend more than a minute or two outside on this first day of November, so I settled for the inside instead. For me, that’s a major sacrifice. Although I don’t necessarily need to be outside to enjoy the spectacular view (for me), it takes being outside to fill up my senses because it’s not just about satisfying my eyes. Spectacular view or not, I wasn’t feeling spectacular myself this morning, so I prayed. I read His Word. I contemplated my Journey, BUT I just wasn’t feeling anything move in my Soul at all…UNTIL God reminded me of the “man after God’s own Heart”. So, I turned to my Bible and read the Psalms, and before you know it, I was weeping with Joy and Overwhelmed by my God all over again. HE SHOWED UP! I could easily have “done my time” this morning and chalked it up to “not feeling anything” OR to it just being “one of those days,” BUT that wasn’t good enough for me. It never has been, and it never will be. Instead, I sought Him out the way He sought me out, and I wasn’t giving up until my Spirit was filled with Him on this new day. Isn’t that the way you determine to spend your time with Him, too?

It’s amazing how easily people are inclined to “settle” in this life, but they lose out on genuine Joy when they do. They’ll “settle” for allowing their relationships to go stale while never looking for more (as if not being alone is the only thing that matters), and when they do… there’s a train wreck around the corner just waiting to happen. They’ll “settle” for 3 square meals and an iPad for their children as if that defines a family, and before you know it, there’s a train wreck around the corner just waiting to happen there, too. They’ll settle for a bland time with the Living God, as if God is alright with a little time without Heart. Those people check it off their list as if it’s a duty they fulfilled instead of a missed Opportunity to feel the Presence of a Mighty and Merciful God. Living a fulfilled life in all these areas takes Determination and a Commitment to Excellence every single day. It takes Persistence and Perseverance, and it takes a whole lot of Love for the One who died for me. Sometimes I wonder if people realize what they’re missing or if it’s even possible for them to Comprehend what a genuine Relationship with the Living God is like? As long as they’re willing to settle for less in every other area of life, why would they Expect more with God?When we’re satisfied with the status quo in every area of our lives, we not only miss out on an Extraordinary Journey with Him, but WE’RE ALREADY DEAD, we just haven’t been buried yet.

I’ve learned to be content in this Journey of Life but Contentment should NEVER be confused with a willingness to “settle.” The Apostle Paul said, ” I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Paul learned to be content no matter his circumstances…but he NEVER gave up. He never quit Striving for More. He never quit Trusting. He never stopped Seeking the face of God. He never got in a rut, and he never threw in the towel. He never lost His excitement for the Living God, and He never “settled.” Instead, He determined to be Persistent, to Persevere, and to make the most out of His Journey while He still had time to Serve the One who Sought Him and Bought Him too. There is Joy beyond measure when we determine to Live that way too. Never “settling”…not with our Relationship with the King of kings or anybody else in our lives. We are peole of Excellence!

I began this new day with a spectacular view and a numb Heart, but I’m Energized and Ready for this New Day now, and I’m overwhelmed with Love…ALL BECAUSE I REFUSE TO SETTLE for a mediocre Relationship with the Most High God. I refused to quit, and I refuse to stop Growing. He’s the Love of my Life! He’s worth it…I’m worth it…every relationship I have is worth it…every one of His Creations is worth it…the Journey is worth it…Life is worth it, and Love is worth it. Why in the world would I ever settle for less?

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week, and I was chomping at the bit at daybreak to see what God has for me today. A hot cup of coffee and a blanket served to warm my body on this cold day, and time spent reading my Instruction Manual warmed my Soul. Every thought and every Word I read this morning pointed in the same Direction…the Message of Love. Before I knew it, I was overwhelmed with Love for the One who died for me, and I found myself asking for Forgiveness for a Heart that sometimes finds it hard to love the ones who go against me and my God. I was taken to the Spiritual Woodshed over and over again as my Heart was examined, and I felt so ashamed until I confessed my wrongs that I couldn’t confess them fast enough! It’s not easy to face our own sin, and it’s certainly not easy to be shown what the Heart looks like from where the Most High God sits, BUT it’s all part of the Growth Process, AND it’s the Only Way to find His Favor. Isn’t that the way you feel, too?

There’s no excuse for a Child of the Living God to withhold Love…EVER…even (especially) from our enemies. The flesh wants to give the world a piece of its mind as if spitting out insults somehow makes a difference – but those insults don’t hurt the one we hurl them at – they are wrongs against the One who died for us instead.

Some people are on a Spiritual pedestal in their own minds and they “justify” every insult they spit out because of it. One “bad” experience in a retail store and they go off with their hair on fire…” in Jesus’ name” – as if they’ve given the approval to hate and hurt. They spit out threats and insults, and they spread gossip like wildfire to as many people who will listen as if they’ve been given the green light to singlehandedly reconcile the wrongs. But no matter how hard they try, or how bad they look to a lost world, vengeance will never be theirs. Lots of people are caught up in politics these days, and they’ve convinced themselves that their insults are somehow helping God make things right. But the only thing that EVER makes things right is Love. It’s “the greatest of all” and it’s the ultimate disarmer of evil. Just a few Words about Love and the mention of the name of Jesus Christ makes every demon in Hell shudder. It’s the ONLY thing that matters in the Bigger Picture, and although it’s not easy to love the “unlovable,” – it IS possible IF we see them the way He sees us.

I got taken to the Spiritual Woodshed this morning with a Message that I didn’t see coming, and NOW all is well with my Soul. I know that there is “no good in me apart from Him,” and it’s only by His Grace that the Price has been paid for my wrongs. As David said, “His Mercy endures forever,” so the way I see it is that if the “Great I am” can have mercy on me and love me just as I am, then certainly I can do the same for others.

The Author and Perfector of my Faith gave me a chance to make things right that I didn’t even realize were wrong until He got a hold of my Heart one more time this morning. I’m grateful that things have been reconciled (again) while I still have time to make things right before I draw my last breath. Today I choose Love, no matter what, and no matter how I’m treated or how I’m wronged because LOVE is the only thing that matters in the Bigger Picture. After all, it’s the Greatest Gift of all.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a glorious day in Virginia. The nights are cool and the days are warm, and I’m enjoying every minute of my favorite Season. I could feel the sun on my face as I was praying in this new day from the front porch, and when I opened my eyes, what I saw took my breath away. The sunbeam in this photo reminded me of my Journey of Faith – bright, beautiful, and “hovering” between my Final Destination and my Temporary Assignment. What an amazing God to speak to my Heart through a sunbeam. When I turned in last night, I was longing for a good night’s sleep, but what I ended up with was naps sandwiched in between prayers throughout the night. I’d fall asleep, and the Lord would wake me up to bring someone to mind, and then I’d stay awake long enough to Intercede on their behalf. What may sound like misery to you was an honor to me that my God would see fit to take me from my slumber to the Sonbeam to pray. My heart was a little heavy, but not for myself…it was heavy for a few others desperately in need of the Touch of the Master’s Hand – even though they don’t know it – and I can feel their pain as surely as if it’s my own. As I woke countless times throughout the night to enter into the Presence of the Source of Hope, I appealed on their behalf, AND I thanked God for what He’s already doing to Restore. I Praised Him for Victory without even seeing it yet, I thanked Him for answering my Prayers before I even heard of them being answered, and I thanked Him for waking me up. Isn’t that the way you Intercede on behalf of others, too?

God Refined me through fire a long time ago, and He Tenderized my Heart for the Journey. He taught me about my Journey on the Sonbeam and the urgency that surrounds my Journey between my Final Destination and my Temporary Assignment. He’s given me the kind of Heart it takes to look beyond the circumstances, flaws, or the “past” of someone else so that I can SEE the God Potential with 20/20 Vision. I can see them on the Mountain when they’re still in the valley. I can see them walking the straight line of Faith even when they’re zigzagging right now. I can see them turning from their “wicked ways” even when they’re still wallowing in them. I don’t care what they’ve done in the past because I know what’s in store for their Future with just one Touch of the Master’s Hand. It’s not easy Loving this way sometimes, but it’s the way we’re called to Love, and the parable of the lost sheep is proof that we should never give up on the “lost” ones, no matter how far they wander off. If I don’t want God giving up on me, then who am I that I would give up on a brother or sister of mine?

I’m the kind of Friend you’d want on your side…the kind that will lose sleep to pray for you instead…But I need to warn you, while I’m at it, if there’s anything that troubles my Heart, it’s watching a life with Divine Purpose being squandered away as if there’s all the time in the world to waste. So, I’ll use the rod and staff of my Shepherd to help spur them on, and I’ll tap into Divine Wisdom to show them the way. I’ll love them as if it depends on me, and I’ll pray like it depends on God. I KNOW there’s potential for so much more in His Name, and I’ll pray like it…lead like it…and Love like it in hopes that One Day soon they’ll join me on the Sunbeam so that they can see themselves the way Christ does. Sometimes having a Heart that’s been Refined to feel Compassion for others is not an easy thing to bear…but when I think about what Jesus had to bear to take on all my sins, all in the Name of Love, it makes the Journey worthwhile.

I’ll “carry burdens” for my friends throughout this busy day, and I’ll be praying as I go because that’s what it looks like when you focus on the Sonbeam. I refuse to watch someone squander a life with Divine Purpose if there is anything I can do to turn them back to the Throne, so I’ll do my part to help them hunger for the Touch of the Master’s Hand, where the Victory is found.

After all, isn’t that really what Friends are for?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I headed outside on this new day of a new week, long before daybreak, to meet with the One who died for me. Just sitting there on the front porch in the silence and in the darkness waiting for the sun to rise nourished my Soul and refreshed my Heart. It’s cool and windy this morning, and I could hear the wind long before I could feel it. The wind roared through the trees as if it was warning the earth to brace itself. As I sat there thinking about the sound of the wind and the time it took to reach me, I reminded me of how God often issues Advance Warning to us too, but if we don’t Know His Word we’ll be caught off-guard when we feel the winds of Life. As God shed light on this old farm, I smiled as I looked out at the deer gathered around the oak tree to feast on acorns. They receive nourishment from this old farm on their own day after day as surely as I receive mine. When the sun finally broke through the sky, it took my breath away, and I thought to myself that man truly is without excuse when it comes to believing in the Living God. He can be seen every day, everywhere where and when we Love Him, we never grow tired of Praising Him for His Goodness. If I’m hungry and needing to be fed Spiritually, emotionally or physically I know precisely where my provisions come from and I know that if my God leads the deer to food and water day after day, He’ll surely lead me to what I need too. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

Life doesn’t come with a list of guarantees. We know that we’ll live for the days allotted to us and not one day longer or shorter. Despite some of the heroic attempts we make to extend life, one day we’ll die. We know that our life has a Purpose much bigger than ourselves whether we choose to sit it out or to Run with it. We Know that if we’re Willing, we will be “developed” in every way to do whatever He has for us to do for His Glory and not our own. We know that if our Heart is in the Right Place, and if we Surrender to our Savior, we’ll have an eternal Life after this life where tears and sickness can no longer exist. We know that He will fulfill our every physical need if we rely on Him to provide, but everything in between is unknown Territory and one that requires a whole lot of Faith and a whole lot of Trust IF we want to get through this life in one piece with joy and peace through it all. When we hear the wind howling through the trees, we Know it’s Time to brace for what’s ahead and we’re Strenghtened for the Journey. The road we travel on this earth may be a whole lot more complex than the life of a herd of deer, but the requirement to Trust without question is all the same. He is my Strength and He is my Provider. I know the beginning and the end of my Journey. I chose to Trust Him with everything else in between just like my furry friends.

Faith doesn’t come with a blueprint of Heaven although I already know all that I need to know to want to be there forever and ever. I know that in Heaven there is no more sorrow, no more tears and no more pain. In Heaven we will be in the very presence of the Everlasting God, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I know my Savior has gone before me to prepare a place for all those who Believe and that there are mansions and streets of gold and beauty that will be can’t begin to imagine. I know that I’m being groomed for the Role I’ll play in Heaven, so all of my efforts here on earth are significant in the Bigger Picture. I know that I’ll get a new body that will never get sick and die again and that I’ll recognize my family and my friends who Believed and who are already there…I also know that it will be a glorious reunion for all. I know that there is no delay or some spooky place that I’ll float around in after I die waiting for someone to pray me forward, but that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” – Hallelujah! I know that I won’t have to suffer the consequences of the wrong I’ve done here on earth because I’ve already been forgiven of all that, BUT I will have to answer for all of those times I failed in my Faith..whether I overlooked a hurting soul or ignored the needs of another that I could have met – or worse yet, if I failed to share my God with my world as God opened the doors and put them in my path. I can’t think of anything worse than facing my God with shame, so I work hard every day to Strengthen my Heart and my Soul and to share the Gift of my Faith with the world.

All of those in between things that we may wonder about Heaven don’t really matter at all – like whether or not there will be animals in Heaven or whether or not the Saints will hear my laugh echoing through Heavens for eternity? Maybe you won’t hear me in Heaven, but you’ll surely see me there if you find your way to Eternal Life too, and, just think, you’ll be stuck with me forever I know with absolute certainty what my future holds.

How about you? I’m sure you can hear the Wind blowing and it won’t be long before it reaches you. Do you have doubts about what comes after this Life and do you wonder what your life is really all about? If so, reach out to me. I’ll get you so fired up about what COULD be in store for you if you Believe and Surrender just like I do, and when I’m done with you, you’ll be looking for your own One Way ticket to Heaven too!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was in the high 30s this morning, and winter is just around the corner, so I’m savoring the front porch as much as possible UNTIL it’s too cold to endure. If there is one thing I don’t stress about in this Journey of Life, it’s the weather. So, you can imagine how I react when I receive a “weather advisory” alert because there’s a “chance of frost” overnight. The way I see it, since God hung the sun, the moon, and stars in the sky, then He’s the one to decide when (and if) it will rain sleet or snow. I’m not inclined to hang my hat on man’s predictions in any area of my life – from the weather to the White House – and I don’t plan my life according to what they say. I serve a God much bigger than the weather or the White House, and I am Confident He has already written the Future for us all – so I press on, no matter what, with a Peace that truly does surpass all understanding. I can’t afford “distractions” because there’s a lot of work to do in His Name. God often stretches us beyond our human ability; that’s for sure. But if we’ll just tune out the distractions of man and his predictions and remain Obedient, He will Provide everything we need to fulfill what He’s Called us to do. Sometimes it’s supernatural strength and stamina. Sometimes it’s resources. Sometimes it’s prayer warriors and people willing to lock arms to do the heavy lifting in service to Him, too. If God finds a Willing Vessel, He’ll equip them to do incredible things, and I wouldn’t trade being a Willing Vessel for anything in this Life. It’s beautiful. It’s humbling. It’s exciting! But even more than that, being a Willing Vessel Strengthens me in the process because I’m “forced” to have Faith in the Creator of all, FOR all things despite the predictions of man. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith, too?

It’s sad to see so many people make plans in this life based on how they “feel” or whether or not it makes “sense” (to them. When God comes Calling, He doesn’t care much about how we “feel” about the Job, and it probably won’t be “convenient” OR make sense in terms of human perspective. Very little (if any) of what He’s Called for me to do in this Journey of Faith makes sense, and if I stopped to think and weigh the risk, I probably wouldn’t have been Obedient to the Call at all. I don’t know the mind of God, but I DO know that He sees the Heart and He already knows who is Willing to Obey and who is more concerned about the “frost advisory” than to be Productive at all. Getting caught up in the details and expecting the Call of God to make sense – or to be convenient – is the very reason that the “average” Christian never gets to be a part of a Supernatural Work of a Mighty God. When God comes Calling, I’d much rather be Known for asking Him to help me instead of asking Him to forgive me for not being Willing to do His Work.

When God sent Phillip to the eunuch, Phillip didn’t ask for details…he obeyed without question, and the Results were Eternal. When God told Noah to build the ark, Noah didn’t question…he just began building, and the Results were Eternal. When God called Moses to lead, Moses didn’t question the Call…he just began walking and the Results were Eternal. When God called Elijah up to the mountain, Elijah didn’t question…he just started climbing, and the Results were Eternal. When God (through Naomi) sent Ruth to Boaz, Ruth didn’t question the instructions…she readied herself and lay at his feet, and the results were Eternal. In fact, Ruth became the grandmother of David, and it’s through her family tree that Jesus was born. None of these Calls made sense from a human perspective, BUT God found the Willing Vessels, and He provided ALL THINGS to fulfill His Purpose. If you want to be a part of the Supernatural work of God, then your human perspective must be Replaced with Faith, and all the meaningless distractions must be set aside.

I’m feeling the Peace that surpasses all understanding this morning, and I’m feeling Pressed to move forward beyond my human ability by a Mighty God to places most people never See. I’m unstoppable…because I’m Willing and I rely on Him for the heavy lifting. I’m stronger than the average person because I Serve the Strong One with all my Heart. I’m Obedient because that’s where the Blessings and Strength are found.

“I will sing of the goodness and lovingkindness of the LORD forever; With my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation”. Psalm 89:1

Look out, world – rain, shine, frost, snow, it doesn’t matter to me. When He comes Calling, He will Work out all the Details to Perfection, so why in the world would I EVER Move Forward (or stay put) based on man’s predictions?

How about you?