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David or Einstein? The Choice is Yours…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I watched the world come to life at the Touch of the Master’s Hand this morning, and I marveled at how nature intuitively knows what to do to survive and how to communicate with one of its own. These deer travel around the farm together, and they never seem to “fight” over who gets what to eat. They just share. There’s always enough to go around, and there is always trust that there will be more just around the corner. It’s as if nature is so in tune with the Creator that it effortlessly goes about life and needs no further reminder about what it takes to live and thrive. It just does. Man is an entirely different story, and if there is anything that can get mankind in trouble, it’s relying on the intellect while ignoring our God-given instincts. When the mind of man intervenes to change the natural course of life because it needs to make intellectual sense, we get ourselves in a lot of trouble. As surely as the animal world has an “instinct” to survive, man needs to tune into the Holy Spirit to navigate through the Journey of Faith for Survival, too. Isn’t that the way you see it, too?

The mind of man might be the most significant thing that sets us apart from the animal kingdom, but it’s the mind of man that God tells us to control ON OUR OWN – “Take captive every thought” and “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”…He leaves the heavy lifting of the mind up to us. Sometimes, instead of relying on our God-given instincts, we rely on the mind of man, which can be as ever-changing as the waves in the sea. We attempt to out-think God, and we pick apart our circumstances as we try to change our course in Life. Some of us kick and stomp when trouble shows up, and we insist on living in the past as if that will somehow change our future. We forge through life with a determination to make things different, and although our mind can play a big role in our joy, we kick our God-given instincts to the curb in exchange for intellectual conclusions almost every time. We sometimes get out of tune with the Living God, and we are determined to “make things happen,” but without the Touch of the Master’s Hand, our efforts will often just lead to destruction. Sad but true.

It’s easy to see how and why the intellect gets so much attention…especially these days. After all, most parents focus a whole lot more on what Johnny learned in school today rather than what God taught Johnny today. Parents seem to care a whole lot more about honor roll and college picks than they do about honoring the God of all Creation and whether or not Johnny will be “picked” for Heaven or Hell. Parents focus on the strength and stamina of their child(ren) on the ball field and what the stats look like instead of focusing on teaching Johnny how to rely on the Living God for strength and stamina on and off the field. Many new parents read every book imaginable to intellectualize the care and feeding of a baby as if instinct has no place in raising a healthy child, all the while the #1 Best Seller of all time, the Instruction Manual for Life, sits on the shelf to gather dust. Based on the example being set for the next generation, is it any wonder they’re putting so much time and attention into what they can cram into their brain instead of what they can pour out with the Heart?

Some people are inclined to rely on an “intellectual” faith because they’re too insecure to Rely on things they can’t rationalize. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work out very well for them in the End with a God who requires complete Trust in Him. Hebrews 11:1 must drive the intellectuals crazy – ” Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” – hmm…how do you intellectualize that? God can’t be rationalized, no matter how hard the intellectual tries, and He doesn’t care about how much head knowledge we have. There won’t be a test after we die to see how much head knowledge we have about our Savior. If that were the case, the intellectual will probably be very bored as they attempt to spit out “facts” stored in the brain to impress a God who ONLY cares about the Heart. Unlike our educational system, nobody is going to get a free ride to Heaven based on how much they know. God expects us to Trust Him in the journey and to keep moving forward without a detailed GPS system that prompts us to move, ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense! After all, He provides the nourishment for these deer, but He expects them to do their part to find the food and the water provided by Him. It’s the reliance on our God-given instincts and our trust in the Master’s Hand that keeps our lives in Balance IF we keep moving forward with Him in the Driver’s Seat.

I’m flying high and I’m trusting the Master’s Hand to provide for me and to give me Direction for the Journey. I’ll keep moving forward and I’ll trust in my God-given instincts, aka the Holy Spirit that comes only through a rich Relationship with the Living God… and I won’t stop until He stops me. I’m learning more every day, and, just like the deer in this photo, I’ll always hunger for more. I’m confident that my Desire to Know Him better pleases Him, but it’s my HEART that pleases Him the most. I don’t need to Understand His Will to obey it. I don’t need to Understand my Marching Orders to accept them. I don’t need to scrutinize every word of the Word of God to Believe it. He’s my God. I’m His Child. I’m no Expert, but I am Confident of this: He died for me, and He wants me to Live for Him. I’m a Treasure in the eyes of the Living God! David prayed that God would “Keep me as the apple of your eye” and “Hide me in the shadow of your wings,” and no “research” is needed to Understand what David meant. There is no way to Measure how much David loved God, BUT he was referred to as “a man after God’s own heart”. I want to be like David. I don’t care if I’m the brightest bulb on the planet – I want to be someone willing to Honor and Obey WITHOUT having all the answers…because that’s what Faith looks like. The world would be a much better place if we all sought to be more like David than Einstein.

How about you?

Independence? There’s No Place For That!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The minute my eyes opened this morning, I thought about the Love of my Life and I thanked Him for another day to Serve. Love and Gratitude are one thing, being made ready to take on a new day as a woman of Faith is an entirely different story. For that, I need Wisdom and Grace…a Compassionate Heart…and a willingness to Forgive. I need to Surrender this day and all that it is to Him. I need to be sure that I’m not harboring anything “bad” in my heart that could hinder my Relationship with Him or my Witness to a dark world. I need supernatural Strength, and I need Humility. My Journey isn’t possible without Him, and I’m not capable of any of these things without His Help, so I seek His face each morning, and I put Him first in all that I do. Isn’t that the way you begin your new day too?

It can be so easy these days for people to fight for their independence while they convince themselves that they’re fine all on their own – but God didn’t wire us to be on our own. God breathed the Rule Book into existence, and He says, “iron sharpens iron,” and that “two are better than one.” He made Eve for Adam. He called Aaron to help Moses. He joined Elijah and Elisha to prepare for a time when the prophet Elijah would be taken Home. There are countless examples of how God reinforced relationships to strengthen His people – each one driving the message home that “iron sharpens iron.” It’s that same determination to be independent that can easily carry over into our Journey of Faith, too, and before you know it, we can easily convince ourselves that the remote control is an adequate replacement for assembling together with the saints. The more we work to convince ourselves that we don’t need anybody else, the farther away from understanding what it means to be totally dependent on God for it all. What the world sees as weakness is actually a sign of Power as we Surrender it all over to God. There is no place for independence in the Journey of Faith.

Sometimes it’s funny to see the reaction when people hear me confess that I’m not nearly as “independent” as they think I am. I flew solo for most of my life, but that wasn’t because of a determination to be independent, and it wasn’t an outward sign of an inward need to be alone. It just was. What others don’t understand is that when Christ is the Center of Life, we never feel alone! No doubt I survived well on my own with God at the Head of my family – I managed to raise 4 kids on my own, and they’ve grown up to be wonderful God-fearing people. I’ve built success and I’ve seen abundance – my family wanted for nothing. I was also overwhelmed by the burden of it all sometimes, and I cried myself to sleep more times than you want to know. That is UNTIL I learned to surrender whatever was overwhelming me over to God while confessing to Him that I’m helpless without Him – and THEN GOD GAVE ME the reassurance that He’ll never leave me nor forsake me. He reminded me that all I have to do is Acknowledge Him in all my ways that HE WILL keep my path straight through the Journey. I’ve seen so many miracles that I can’t begin to count them all, and I’ve had friends hold me up when I couldn’t hold myself up countless times. I’m not ashamed to say I’m weak, and I’m not too proud to ask God for help….the God that KNOWS that “two are better than one.” I may have been flying solo, but I’ve NEVER been alone, and because of my Journey, I matured in my Faith enough to understand that His “power is (always) made perfect in my weakness.” When I am weak and dependent, HE IS STRONG.

I spend time alone on the front porch at daybreak most days, but I’m not flying solo anymore. God decided that I needed a suitable partner to walk through the Journey of Faith with me, and I was obedient to the Call…and oh what a Treasure it is to lock arms with the one God intended for me after decades of flying solo! Sometimes people will ask me how I’m adjusting to “losing” my independence now that I’m married, but I lost that a long time ago when I Surrendered it all to the Living God. So, as much as I know that I’m no longer alone in this vapor of a life, and as grateful as I am for my Covenant Partner, it’s Jesus Christ I put my Trust in still. He’s the Source of my Strength. He’s the Author and Perfector of my Faith. He’s my Redeemer, and He’s my Rock. I paid the Price to become a Strong Warrior for the Living God, and I walk out my faith with Boldness…but there is nothing independent about me or my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

How about you?

The Best is Yet to Come!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and beautiful again this Saturday morning, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think we were in a different season altogether. Last week it was scorching hot, and today it feels like Fall. As I sat there taking in the Magnificence of this new day, I thought about how we often get the Seasons of Life mixed up, and our focus gets off-kilter when we do. The temperature this morning FELT like Fall, but nothing looks like Fall. If I react to what I feel and not by what I see, I can easily be fooled into believing I’m in an entirely different Season in the Journey of Life. It’s not wise to go by what we feel or see; we need to go by what we Know instead. In terms of the season of the year, I know it’s Summer – in terms of the Season of my Journey, I Know the Final Season is near. The Bible says that “they exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.” I am confident that my adversary would love for me to be fooled into believing in things that I only see with my eyes. After all, his tactics haven’t changed since the Garden of Eden! That’s why I do my best to remain Laser-Focused on Truth and not some “version” of it. The Holy Spirit is my Teacher – the Word is my Barometer – Jesus is my Redeemer, and as long as I’m Focused on that Truth, I cannot be deceived. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith, too?

It’s only when I look in the mirror that I see that I’m in the Fall Season of my life. The years show on my face, and this old mare ain’t what she used to be, that’s for sure…I’m BETTER. My value no longer be measured by what I look like or how much money I make. I’m a bondservant to Jesus Christ, and I have a Mansion waiting for me in Heaven One Day, where there will be no more sickness or sadness. Does it get any better than that? Paul said, “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus. So…I don’t dwell on what I see, I Live as if The Best is yet to come…because it is! My heart is young. My spirit is young. I still have a young and teachable mind, and even though my body can’t always do what it used to do…I’m usually surprised when it can’t. But all in all, no matter what I see and feel, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” There is no greater calling in this Journey we call “Life”.

It’s sad to see so many people fooled by what they see in the mirror. They allow the adversary to convince them that NOW is the time to quit, and they believe they no longer have something to offer the Kingdom because of it. Moses was called into Service at 80 years old – had he looked in the mirror and embraced his years, he never would have obeyed the Living God. What we see in the mirror has no relevance at all; it’s what God sees in US that matters the most…and He can Spot a Willing Heart from millions of miles away. When God spots a Willing Heart, He always has plenty of things them to do. But the best part is that we can Trust what the Word of God says: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not faint”. So, no matter how old or how young we are, NOW is the Season to Serve like never before. This is the Key to being found worthy to be used by the King of all kings, all the days of our lives.

Some people consider their calendar years, and they make excuses for why they don’t Serve the King because of it. The adversary can convince them that they’re too young (or too old) to be so serious about the Journey of Faith – after all, “there’s so much living to do!” – so they put off Serving the Living God because of it, as if they have all the time in the world to get Serious. Some are in the season of raising a family, and the adversary will convince them that now is the season to focus on things like sports and GPAs instead of the only Season that matters in the Bigger Picture of Life. We have no way of knowing how many seasons the Lord will give us, and we don’t know when we’ll draw our last breath. But what we DO Know is that IF we are Born Again, the Season to Share Jesus Christ with the world is NOW. When we remain Laser Focused on that Truth, we cannot be fooled by what we feel or see with our eyes. It’s only when we Embrace what the Journey is all about do we set aside all the other “seasonal distractions” for the Season of the King. He’s coming back, and neither young nor old will escape the Outcome when He does. He won’t entertain excuses for why He died for us, but we REFUSED to Live for Him, all because of the selfish seasons.

I’m an imperfect woman living out the Final Season of my imperfect life on earth. I’ve lived long enough to know what it’s like to be fooled by my adversary, and I squandered plenty of my younger years because of it. Today, I don’t (much) care what the mirror reflects or about the high mileage that shows from my head to my toes. I don’t care what the calendar says or how many years I flipped. I am determined to be Laser Focused on Truth until I draw my last breath, AND I’m committed to Sharing the Truth with as many people as I can before He calls me Home. My Heart is Strong. My mind is sound. My body is healthy. I’m working harder than ever before, and I’m not stopping until He stops me, no matter what season I’m in. I might need a staff like Moses carried just to hold me up before it’s all said and done, but I WILL NOT QUIT.

How about you?

Isn’t it Time to Grow Up?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This morning was bright and beautiful before the next storm rolls in…exactly how I want my Heart to be. I have no control over the weather, but I DO have control over the Condition of my Heart, so I entered His Presence…I opened my Instruction Manual…I sat in Silence…I listened for His Voice… and I asked Him to Forgive me of my wrongs. All it ever takes is for us to ask Him to examine our Hearts (along with a sincere desire to please Him), and He will Reveal countless things in the Heart that need to be made Right. Let’s face it, we ALL have a Heart Condition; some are just too prideful to admit it, OR not Humble enough to Repent. These are the ones who are always looking for the flaws in someone else’s life while never seeing the flaws in their own. The worst part is that they aren’t even Mature enough to see it- but then neither did the Pharisees. This morning, it didn’t take long for my Heart to become bright and beautiful, just like the morning from the front porch, because NOW it’s been Cleansed of anything that had the potential to get in the way of my Relationship with Jesus Christ. All it takes is a little Humility mixed with Love, and I find my way to that place where I can be of Good Service to the King of all kings! Isn’t that your Goal in the Journey of Faith, too?

I think it’s interesting how some people react when I talk about Repentance as if they’re shocked that I have anything to repent of at all. Of course, I have things to repent of…AND SO DO YOU! Even the “tiniest” wrong needs to be dealt with before the Throne of a Righteous God because in His eyes there is no such thing as a “big sin/little sin” – He hates anything and everything that separates our hearts from His. That’s where Spiritual Maturity comes in. A Humble heart SEARCHES for things that go against the Nature of God, and a Heart filled with Love for Him will easily Repent because of it. But a Heart that hasn’t Matured yet will overlook (and excuse) all kinds of things that go against God without a care in the world. That kind of Heart justifies behavior, and is no stranger to inflicting pain upon other people without blinking an eye. That kind of Heart feels no compassion for the suffering, as if they’re not suffering themselves because they’re somehow a little more entitled than all the others. That kind of Heart is the source of lots of heartbreak in the Journey of Faith, and that kind of Heart is oblivious to the Nature of the God they claim to Serve. By the way, that’s exactly the kind of Heart our Adversary LOVES to have access to, because when he does, he can create non-stop turmoil in the church, in the marriage, in the family, and everywhere in between. Spiritual Maturity is the ONLY WAY TO PLEASE GOD and the only Route to being used as a Vessel for Kingdom Work. IT’S TIME TO GROW UP.

It takes Work to reach Spiritual Maturity – the kind of Work most people aren’t willing to do. It takes LOTS of Quality Time in His Presence, but most people NEVER seem to find the time. It takes reaching that place of Humility that refuses to hide from Repentance, but most people are too proud to do that. It takes Compassion, the kind of compassion that is developed ONLY through heartbreak of our own on the Rocky Road to Refinement, but most people never find it. It takes becoming SelfLESS so that the needs of others become far more important than our own, but most people are too focused on themselves to get that part Right. Last, but not least, it takes LOVE…the greatest AND the toughest of all. It’s not possible to Love the way we’re Called to Love with Immature Hearts, and THAT’S why Time in His Presence is the Key to Spiritual Maturity.

The Bible says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me”…and so it is throughout the Journey of Faith.

It’s time to grow up.

I love Jesus Christ more than I love life…more than I love anybody or anything IN this life…and because I do, I’m Willing to do anything I need to do to be Spiritually Mature. After all, I’m an “alien in a foreign land” and I’m just passing through. The Time we have here on earth is SO brief that the Bible refers to Life as a “vapor” – here one second and gone the next! I’m on a Temporary Assignment for Jesus Christ, and I don’t have forever to get it Right….and NEITHER DO YOU. My Focus is on the One who died for me and the Home that awaits me when it’s Time for my change of Address. Until then, I press on. The Goal is Humility and Love, and I work hard for both in hopes that He will find me Worthy to do the work of the King of all kings, all the days of my Life.

I grew up.

How about you?

Change + Gratitude = Peace

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s one of those perfect kinds of mornings with clear skies and cool air before things heat up for the day. Part of me wishes it could be like this all the time, but if it were like this all the time, I’d eventually take it for granted. Only God is “the same yesterday, today, and forevermore” while everything else in between changes. It’s the changing that keeps us on our toes, and it’s the changing that causes some of us to seek His Will a little harder than all the others. Some changes are good ones…some are bad ones…some seemingly without much relevance at all…at least from where I sit. Because I know that change comes to all of us, I determine to face each new day with a renewed Heart and an attitude of Gratitude while I Ready myself for whatever change I might face on this new day. Isn’t that how you look at change, too?

It can be so easy to take things for granted in life if we’re not careful, but we miss out on the Purpose of Life when we do. We skip through life without a care in the world as long as things are running smoothly, and before we know it, we begin to take things for granted in the process. We live as if love will always be there – it’s when we take love for granted that it has the potential to fade. We live as if nothing in life needs to be nurtured, but nothing grows strong roots without nurturing. We live as if life never ends for anybody – it’s when we take life for granted that we forget to savor more moments. We live as if money will always be there – it’s when we take money for granted that we spend it recklessly, OR we take for granted all those beautiful opportunities that can lift us out of poverty. We live as if good health is just a way of life – it’s when we take good health for granted that we forget to protect it. We live as if we have forever to do all those things we’ve always dreamed of doing…but it’s when we take our dreams for granted that we begin to perish. There’s no end to what we take for granted and no limit to our excuses when we do. It’s ONLY when we have a sincere Attitude of Gratitude for every sliver of life that we realize how precious (and how frail) life is, and we make SURE to savor it all while we’re still here.

The Bible says that in the end times, “men will be lovers of themselves” – no doubt, taking things for granted is a very clear picture of what that looks like today. It’s the selfish heart of man that leads to taking things for granted – living for ourselves and tending to our own needs above all else. The hard Reality is that it’s not possible to be filled with an Attitude of Gratitude for all that He is and all that He does when we take so much for granted…we’re “lovers of” ourselves instead. It’s when we see the Blessing of it all…the Blessing of each one…the Blessing of every Ordained moment…the Blessing found in every up and every down…even the Blessing behind the changes…that we learn to savor it ALL and taking things for granted is Spiritually impossible. The Lord “gives and takes away,” and I can’t help but wonder if He changes things up in Life to be sure that we don’t take it for granted.

I’m savoring this cool summer morning before it changes back to the norm, and I’m overflowing with an Attitude of Gratitude even though my life isn’t “perfect” here on earth. Change comes to all of us, and I’ve had my fair share just like the rest of the world. Sometimes I embrace it and sometimes I fight it, but I always Trust Him with the change. I don’t want to take one moment…one person…one change for granted, and I want to overflow with an Attitude of Gratitude that can be seen far and wide…no no matter what’s going on in the Journey called Life. May it never be said of me that I was a “lover of” self.

How about you?

The Master Goldsmith…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia this morning. It’s a new day of a new week, and I kicked it off at sunrise on the front porch with my God, just like I usually do. We’re going to have record-breaking high temperatures today, and despite an occasional thunderstorm, there seems to be no relief in sight. I don’t know the Purpose behind God bringing scorching heat to the land, BUT I DO Know His Purpose for bringing scorching heat to our lives. Not only does He “discipline” those he loves, but He also turns up the Heat in our lives to Purify us through fire just the same as a goldsmith does when he raises the temperature to 2,000 degrees to refine gold. The goldsmith increases the value of the gold by separating the “good” from the “bad” through the refining process, and God does pretty much the same thing to us. It’s how we “handle” the heat (or not) that determines our Value to the Kingdom. I’ve been Refined through fire for His Purpose, and I’m confident that without the Refiner doing His Work in me, I wouldn’t be doing my “work” for Him. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith, too?

“No pain, no gain” is a common phrase used by athletes to describe the necessity of enduring pain to achieve physical goals. It takes hard work, determination, sacrifice, and a whole lot of aches and pains to force the body to be shaped and strengthened, that’s for sure. The only thing that separates the “buffed” from the “unbuffed” is the commitment to endure whatever it takes to achieve the goal. Some do, but most don’t. Thousands of gym memberships sell to well-intended people every single day, and yet the average member will only make use of the gym in 90 days of their membership. After that, they quit because the gain isn’t worth the pain it takes to get there. They refuse to put in the hard work, no matter what price has been paid for their journey. They refuse to sacrifice time and energy, and they refuse to deny themselves of all those things it takes to “get in shape.” The Journey of Faith isn’t much different when you think about it. For some, it’s worth being Refined into Shape by the Master because they want to be all that they can be in His Name…for others, the Journey it takes to Get in Kingdom Shape simply isn’t worth it, and just like your average gym membership, they’ll “drop out” of the Spiritual Journey too.

When I look upon my past and all the valleys I endured, ALL I can see is the Hand of God. He Refined me through fire, and He molded me into a usable Vessel for His Glory. Why would I look upon the past like a victim? I don’t wallow in it, and I certainly don’t let it define me! Paul said that he was “forgetting what is behind” so that he could press on in his Faith, and I can’t think of better advice for so many “professed” Christians who refuse to see the Pain of their past (or what they’re enduring now) as Gain in the Kingdom. When the fire shows up and we can’t see a way “out,” ALL WE EVER need to do is turn our eyes upon Jesus, seek His face, Surrender to His Will, and Trust that our Pain has a Purpose. I’ve been Refined by the Master Goldsmith! I’ve been Purified in His Name! I am Victorious! I’m a Walking Witness of the Power of my God! What appeared to be turmoil turned out to be Treasure, and I wouldn’t change a thing about my “past” even if I could! It was, and will always be, the necessary road to draw me closer to Him and the Best Opportunity to bring Glory to my God.

How about you?

The Greatest Joy is found in the Simple Things

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped out onto the front porch with a cup of coffee in hand just as the sun was beginning to rise, and I smiled when I took my first breath of fresh air on this new day. We are under a “heat advisory” in Virginia, and the high temperatures will take a toll on the earth for a few days because of it. I watched the deer come out of hiding for breakfast, and then they headed right back to their cooler hiding place. As I looked out at the foggy fields filled with deer eating their breakfast in the early hours of this new day, I thanked God for the Beauty of the Simple things that bring such Joy to me. We’re all surrounded by Simple things that have the Potential to Fill the Heart with Joy and Gratitude for the God of all Creation, but not everybody is interested in looking for them because their Hearts are more inclined toward themselves and their “feel-good” moments instead. As for me, I’ll take the sound of a bird at sunrise over any concert on the planet, and I’ll take watching deer in the fields over any movie. God Entertains me more than man-made things ever could because I love the Simple things and my Heart is filled with Gratitude for each one. This morning, I spent a little extra time thanking the Living God for all that He is and for all that He does for me and for this amazing, clear, and soon-to-be scorching day in Virginia. The Simple Pleasures make my Heart sing. Isn’t that the way it is in your Journey of Faith, too?

It could be so easy to focus on the bigger battles in life and miss the Simple Pleasures if we aren’t careful, but it’s those simple pleasures that often have the Biggest Impact on the Heart. How can pleasure be measured when we look into the eyes of a child or when we hear them giggle? How can pleasure be measured when we stop the world to focus on conversation with our loved ones or when we break out in a belly laugh as we walk down Memory Lane? How can pleasure be measured when we spend time sharing our Heart with a friend or when we go before the Throne of our God together in prayer? How can pleasure be measured as we consider the birds of the air or the fruit of the fields, and we Know that it all comes from Him? How can pleasure be measured when we look at the sky full of stars and we know that God scattered them there and that He knows them each by name? How can pleasure be measured when He speaks to us at just the right time for just the right Purpose, and He takes us by the right hand to lead us where we’re Called to go? There is no end to Simple Pleasures and no way to measure the joy they bring to the Heart…IF we refuse to overlook them in our search for the “bigger” things.

Some people consider the simple things to be nonsense, and they miss out on the Quality of Life because of it. They need those “wow” moments for them to feel Fulfilled, and they’re only impressed by God when He does “Big” things to entertain them. They miss out on the Simple Pleasures. These same people are inclined to search only for those “big” moments found in the Bible, and they’ll flip past the pages of those Simple things as if they are unnecessary “fluff” in the Bigger Picture. But there isn’t even one word in His Word that is unnecessary “fluff” and just one Whisper from His Spirit when I read them is THE BEST (not so) Simple Pleasures in this Journey of Life. My God can part the seas at the sound of His voice. My God can make the sun stand still, and He can calm the storm. My God can declare war and bring Peace whenever He wants to. My God can heal the sick and raise the dead. My God gives AND He takes away. My God can do all things, and I am in awe of Him. But when He Whispers to my Heart…When His Words come flowing into me and I feel His Spirit Speaking to me…it’s THAT Simple Pleasure that brings me the most pleasure in this Journey called Life. Knowing that He Loves me…that He hears my cries…that He is with me always…That He has a Word for everything I am and for all that I do, and that He cares enough to Whisper those Words within my Soul is so beautiful it defies words! I wish everybody could have what I have all because I savor those Simple Things.

I pity the ones missing out on the Simple things as they let their Time here on earth slip by. Far too many parents refuse to participate in simple things with a child as long as there are smartphones and TVs to entertain them instead. Far too many people of Faith are sitting out the Game on the bench (aka pew) and they’re missing the pleasure of Selfless Service in His Name cause of it. Some people stay away from churches that serve up Simple music as if a rock band defines the worth of the Church, like spectators, and they’re missing the Truth in their quest for entertainment. Some people refuse to slow down for anyone or anything because chasing success is much more important to them than “chasing” Relationships with God or man. Eventually, the Time will run out for all of us, and the opportunity to enjoy the Simple things will come to an End. I wonder if there will be Regrets for the ones who thought of themselves and their entertainment as far more important than those “boring” Simple things where the Truest Blessings are found? Will they hear God say, “I gave the gift of a child, but you found other things more important than spending time with her?” Will God Remind them that they existed just to Glorify Him and not to entertain themselves?

I don’t know if we will be asked about squandering our Life here on earth, nor not, but the thought of standing before God with excuses for why I didn’t Savor the countless blessings in the Simple things is enough to keep me Chasing my God with everything within me. I see Him in everything around me, and He sees me as His child who appreciates it all.

What about you?

When the Consuming Fire is Seen in YOU…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning. world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I found my way to the front porch to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known to the Lord of my Life, and as I lingered to savor my time with Him, the air was cool, but the sun was blinding. Eventually, there was no escaping the glare, and no relief from the sun even with ceiling fans and sunglasses. The brightness of the morning sun outshone everything else around me, and pretty soon it was all I could see. I was powerless to dim it, so I surrendered to its beauty instead. God used the cool air and bright sun of this new day to paint a Picture of how it should be in the Journey of Faith, too. Even when I’m surrounded by the cool air of this dark world, the consuming Fire of my God should be so bright that I can’t see or feel anything else, and the Light of my Faith should be so Powerful that this lost world can’t miss it when I pass by. Isn’t that just the way it is with Faith?

The Consuming Fire of the Living God should be impossible NOT to see in my Life. Without speaking a word, the lost world should be able to see my Joy, Peace, my Love, just by being in my presence. That’s not something I can force into being; that’s something that happens naturally when the God of all Creation is all you can see and you’re Blinded by His Love. When He’s all we can see, we no longer focus on the things of this dark world, and we don’t spend our time or energy trying to right the wrongs that are out of our control. Instead, we remain blinded by His Light, and we do a little blinding of our own in the Process. Just like the blazing sun in the morning sky, the Consuming Fire can’t be avoided when we’re in His Presence, and absolutely nothing can snuff it out. The dark world can see the Consuming Fire within me as it outshines the world around me and illuminates the pathway to Truth. The peace that “surpasses all understanding” within me should outshine everything else around me, too. When you’re in my presence, you should recognize immediately that I’m not your “average person”, without me speaking a word. When you’re in my presence, you should be able to recognize that there is something profoundly different about me – and you’ll KNOW that I’m at peace with a world that appears to be falling apart. You should be drawn to me like a moth drawn to light because of the Consuming Fire in my soul, the warmth of my Heart, and the blinding Light that is all over my Journey of Life. Isn’t that what Faith is supposed to look like for ALL born-again Believers?

The words I speak should be like the language of the Son…bold, bright, and beautifully blinding. When I do my Part to keep the Consuming Fire of God burning in my Life, you’ll see Supernatural Beauty that has nothing to do with outward appearances – and the words that flow through me will be overwhelmingly Kind, Gentle, Loving, and Compassionate. The Characteristics that come by way of that kind of Consuming Fire are like an Open Invitation to a hurting world. Hurting people with “dark secrets” will know that they’re safe with me. Sad people who believe they’ve lost their hope will know that I have a Solution. Angry people ready to lash out at the world will be calmed. People who have been sleeping through their Journey of Life will be awakened. Wicked people will be disarmed. The ones being judged by this dark world won’t find judgment with me, and the ones longing for love will find it with me. The language of the Son is Perfect, and it’s filled with the Wise Words any time I need them…all because of the Consuming Fire I keep kindled in my Life. When we’re blinded by His Light it’s impossible to be “lost for words” – He says “the Holy Spirit will give you the right words when you need them” and THOSE WORDS are a reflection of the Perfect Balance for the Journey of Life…never judgmental…never too harsh…never words that would risk blinding the other with Truth before I impact them with Love…” the greatest of these is love.” Isn’t that the way Faith is supposed to sound for ALL born-again Believers?

I’m refreshed and revived for this new day, and my Heart is Consumed by His Fire. The God of all Creation used the blinding morning sun to quicken my Heart and Reinforce the Significance of my existence in this Journey called “Life”. The dark world will see His Fire IN ME and it will hear about Him THROUGH me…all because of Him and that beautiful Consuming Fire that is there for us ALL who seek it. I have everything I need to be a beautiful Blinding Light in a dark world…and I have a willing Heart to share. My Light cannot be dimmed.

How about yours?

Stop Trying to Predict the Hand of God…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. At first, when I stepped out onto the front porch, what I saw was another hazy day with little or no need even for a pair of sunglasses. But it didn’t take long for the sun to burn through the haze with a blinding light, and God surprised me by turning the haze into brightness. We had an unpredictable storm pass through Virginia last night that only the One who Commands the wind and the rain Knew was coming. It was one of the worst storms I’ve seen in a long time – fierce winds, lightning, and thunder that rattled the walls of this old farmhouse, and yet, it took the “experts” by surprise. God makes it rain when He’s ready for rain, and no amount of expert predictions can Predict the Hand of God. As I sat in the presence of a Mighty God to pour out my Love and my Thanks, I thought about how nature is a lot like Life. There is a mystery to the Journey, and we can’t predict what the future holds. We can’t control every turn. We can’t predict what the future holds no more than the “experts” can Predict the Plans of God. But when the Right Heart meets with Determination to embrace the Journey, we can find the beauty in the mystery just as surely as we find it in a summer storm. Isn’t that the way you look at Life too?

One of the Greatest Mysteries of all time is Faith. Some accept it – some don’t. Some “buy in” to every Truth between the pages of the Bible, while some believe it’s only True if they can PROVE it’s true, and they intellectualize the Word of God to satisfy their own curiosity and doubt. Some have a relationship with the Living God, and they search for the Truth all on their own, while some rely solely on a “man of the cloth” to lead the way. Some Surrender every aspect of Life over to the God they Trust, while some consider surrender to be weakness, so they attempt to steer their own ship. I don’t completely understand it, but I know that when we come to our Faith with a humble Heart, the ways of God aren’t mysterious to us at all…we just accept them! No scholar on the planet can change my mind, and no science can refute what I Believe. God formed the earth in 7 days. Jonah was swallowed up in the belly of a big fish. Moses used his staff to part the sea. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. The sun stood still at God’s command. The Earth was once flooded, destroying everything on it. Jesus died for my sins, and He was resurrected from the grave, and He has a place Prepared for me in Heaven. I believe every word of it! “Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being certain of what we do not see.” After all, what would it say about me and my Heart for Jesus Christ if I doubted the Word of my God? Hmm…

I am blessed to have a wonderful family…the love that flows through it is almost tangible. I raised my kids on my own, and we still laugh about some of the silly things I told them when they were young. Truth be told, I could have told them anything, and they would have believed me. They trusted me. They loved me. They depended on me. They respected me. We had plenty of ups and downs, but they never doubted me in the process, because they knew I would never leave them, and they knew I’d always do what’s best for us all. No doubt I flew by the seat of my pants sometimes, and I made plenty of mistakes – but when it came to raising my kids, I had ONE goal…to be a Reflection of the One I wanted them to Follow. I was absolutely sure that if they could see the Unconditional love of Christ in me, they’d learn to Trust Him too…and I was right. They witnessed my Faith day in and day out. They saw my Love for Him in every part of our lives. They experienced my Unconditional love no matter what, and “tough love” wasn’t in my vocabulary…and it shouldn’t be in yours either. I met each offense with Christ-like gentleness, and I didn’t rub past offenses in their face as a reminder of their rebellion because Christ doesn’t do that with me! They watched me depend on Him when I couldn’t see the future. They knew I Respected His Word and His Will, ESPECIALLY when Life looked as mysterious as the morning sun. I took the mystery out of Faith by walking it out in Living Color, and today they’re doing the same thing. My ONE Goal for my family will be paying off for generations to come! Hallelujah!

There’s plenty of mystery to this Journey called Life, and sometimes we feel uncertain about the future because of what we see with our eyes. But there’s really no mystery when it comes to God. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, and He is TRUST WORTHY. Some of us Believe every single thing we Read in the Bible, and we Trust Him through it all because we love Him. We depend on Him. We respect Him. Our Faith is Unshakable and our Belief Unquestionable … and that’s a huge mystery to a lost world. God says, “My thoughts aren’t your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways,” so it falls on the ridiculous side to try to Understand the Mind of God or what His next move is. You can’t out think God, that’s for sure. He IS the maker of the rain. He IS the Master of all. He IS the One who scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name…and He Knows my name too! So, I might look at a hazy sky once in a while and take a guess at what the weather will be like for the day BUT I know that I know that only God calls the shots and it’s not humanly possible to His next Move. All the more reason to keep “peeking” through the trees and keep Shining like the Stars. If the lost world can see the Unconditional Love of Christ in us…if the lost world can see Peace in us when it makes no sense at all, they just might learn to Trust my Unpredictable God, too!

How about you?

What parent DOESN’T want time with their child?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Master woke up the world this morning with the gentleness of a lamb, and I watched and listened to the world around me respond to Him with joy. I can’t help but think that God smiles when He hears His creation making joyful noises even on a “muted” morning, and I like to believe that He smiles when I meet with Him and I talk to Him, too. I’m His child, and He’s my Father – of course He wants Time wth me! What parent DOESN’T want time with their child? Sometimes He wakes me up in the middle of the night because we have Kingdom Business to do, and when He does, I’m obedient to the Call. Sleep isn’t as important to me as my Relationship with Him, and I’ll gladly Surrender a little sleep for the One Who died for me! Time with Jesus is the most Significant thing I’ll do all day, and it is sure to “set” things on the Right Path for whatever I’ll be doing in His Name today. More than those little prayers I whisper throughout the day, and more than the songs I’ll randomly sing about the King, are the quiet moments when it’s just me and MY God because that’s where I find my Peace, my Joy, and my Strength for the Journey! Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

It’s an amazing thing when you think about it – I get to meet with the Living God, the King of all kings, the Great “I AM”, the Alpha and Omega, the Prince of Peace, the Bright Morning Star, the Creator of all life, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who breathed life into me, the God who bought my Redemption with the blood of His only Son, any time I want to. The Lion from the Tribe of Judah is MY God, and He longs for time with His child! Wow! All it took was the touch of the Master’s Hand a long time ago, and I went from wretch to Royalty faster than you can say “amen!”. I will forever be Grateful for the Call. My God is never too busy for me. He hears me when I speak, even when the words don’t make their way to my lips. He loves me when I’m weak, and He loves me when I’m strong, there is nothing He won’t forgive me of, and no limit to His Protection. He knit me together in my mother’s womb at the perfect moment in Time. He Knew me before the foundations of the earth…and He Knows me by name! He knows every hair on my head. My prayers are so beautiful to Him that the Bible says they’re like “incense” in Heaven. He has so much Love for me that He has stored up every tear I’ve ever shed in a jar like a treasure. I don’t know how many tears I’ll shed before He Calls me Home, but I do know that ONE DAY He’ll wipe all my tears away for good. Hallelujah. With all this in mind, why in the world would I NOT take the time to meet with Him each day to tell Him how much I love Him…how much I revere Him…how Grateful I am for the shed blood of Jesus and that He has Prepared a place for me in Heaven to be with Him for Eternity?

It’s sad to me how some people “meet” with God out of guilt or some sort of obligation that was instilled in them along the way. Unfortunately, to them, their time is no more meaningful than brushing their teeth – it’s something “good” to do, but once it’s done, no thought is given to it until the next time rolls around. It’s heartbreaking to think that their “time” with the God of all Creation is meaningless and heartless, AND that the Living God Knows it. The Alpha and Omega knows everything, and He won’t be mocked or fooled. It’s sad how some people meet with God with a checklist of Scriptures and a well-planned agenda, and that they believe that the Key to a Good Relationship with the Living God hinges on more head knowledge instead of Heart Knowledge. They seem to have an insatiable appetite to learn more while neglecting the Relationship with the One who died for all, and they overlook the Strength that flows through humility. It’s sad how some people set a timer to be sure that God-time doesn’t interfere with their personal schedule, and how easy it is to nix the God Time altogether when something more important to them comes along. It’s sad how some people think that “meeting with God” in a church building on a Sunday morning should be sufficient to prove their faithfulness, as if just being there with a Bible app should satisfy the Living God…until next week. Sadly, some people NEVER meet with God at all, and their “relationship” is limited to an S.O.S. should they ever need anything. I wouldn’t want anybody I care about treating time with me that way…giving me so little attention and so little Heart UNTIL (or unless) they need something. Why would God be happy being treated that way, either?,

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life, BUT I Serve the God of Perfection with everything I’ve got to give. As for me, I like to nurture my Relationship with Perfect One as often as I possibly can because being with Him is my favorite Place to be. As long as there is breath in my body, I’ll be giving the Author and Perfector of my Faith the First Fruit of my days, and I’ll Surrender each new day to Him because I Love Him. Isn’t that the LEAST I can do for the One Who died for me?

How about you?