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Reflect Who You Celebrate!

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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 One I Celebrate all year long from inside a warm house with an even warmer cup of coffee and I’m very thankful for both. I’m a little more tired than usual this time of year but not because I’m caught up in the madness of the holiday. I’m more tired than usual this time of year because I’m busy making things with my heart and my hands to express my love instead. It’s easy to head to a mall and shop til you drop; it’s an entirely different story to make something out of nothing. Every piece of this holiday season is (and will always be) about Love at the farm. You won’t find anybody in my tribe squealing over a luxurious gift with a big price tag, although we’ve all received plenty of those over the years. But you can be sure they’ll be moved to tears when they open a gift that was made with heart and hands. What a sweet reminder to me this morning straight from the Throne of my God that the most precious Gift is Love and how we express it makes all the difference in the world.

In many ways, this time of year resembles a contest to me…who has the best lights in the neighborhood or the most presents under the tree? Who has the best Christmas party with the finest food and wine, and who sends out the most cards? It’s funny and sad all at the same time when you think about it – most people celebrate Christmas…even the ones who want nothing at all to do with Jesus Christ any other time of the year. Some don’t mind telling you that they’re offended by the mention of His Name and yet they don’t miss an opportunity to celebrate His birthday. The glitz and glamour, the lights and gifts are just too good to refuse, so the ones who don’t Believe (and the ones who do) ALL set out to make it a Christmas to remember, and before you know it you can’t tell the Believers from the non-believers and Jesus is out shadowed by the “fun”. Believers are happy to say “Merry Christmas” as if we just “won the right” to speak His Name. But beyond the words, does it really look and feel like the Celebration of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known, OR do we slip a little Jesus into the festivities to pacify the conscience?

It’s a good thing Jesus can Love greater than any man, that’s for sure. Leave it to Him to keep Loving and Forgiving while His People blend the Message of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known with Hollywood-style glitz and glamour. How sad to see His People teaching their children to give credit to a fictitious man as the one to determine their worth based on “naughty and nice”. How tragic that the Message of the Birth of a Savior is not enough fun for the family and that Salvation is not the Gift that keeps on giving. How pathetic to see images of that big guy in the sky mixed in with THE Big Guy in the sky as if sharing a Birthday with a fictitious character and giving him credit for the gifts would be pleasing to the Lord. Yes, Jesus wants us to be joyful! He had fun with His friends and family too! After all, His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast where he turned the water into wine and the Bible says that there is ” nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be merry.” Having a great celebration is NOT the problem…and neither are the gifts. It’s the mixing together of the message of Hope, our Savior, and our Redeemer with all those things that take the focus off of Him and onto a lie the world tells just for fun. NOW that’s a problem.

Christians don’t stand out to the lost world just by saying “Merry Christmas” – we stand out to the lost world by making SURE that the world knows Who we Celebrate…and NOTHING else.

I’m excited about celebrating Christmas with my family tomorrow and we’ll have lots of fun! The farmhouse is decorated for the Occasion but you won’t find Santa hats or any other sign of him here because we ONLY celebrate the Birth of the King of all kings. There will be plenty of gifts from the heart and a feast fit for our King….after all, it IS His birthday! We’ll do lots of laughing and we’ll walk down Memory Lane, for sure. We might even play a few games by the time the day is over, but my tribe will NEVER lose sight of Who we are, Who we belong to, and Who we celebrate, so we’ll be giving Thanks to Him for every gift – especially the BIGGEST Gift He was born to give…the gift of Love, Hope, Redemption, and Forgiveness so that we can have Eternal Life with Him. Now THAT’S something to celebrate, Amen?

“The greatest of these is love”

Merry Christmas, world.

Look Beyond the Surface…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a crazy-busy, beautiful time of the year but nothing is permitted to get in the way of my Time with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. When you think of Him that way every day, why would you ever put Him second to anything? As I looked out over the fields this morning I thought about how things are rarely how they appear to be on the surface. The fields look barren, but they’re not – it’s focusing on the surface that can so easily fool us. Beneath the barren “look” is life that will be waiting to spring forth again in just a few months with a little Help from God – and the outer influences He provides like the sun and rain…and so it is with life.

If there’s anything that can get us into trouble it’s drawing our own conclusions by what we see on the surface of life. A smile doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness no more than the winterized foliage equates to barrenness. Seeing someone with material things doesn’t equate to everything being okay behind the wealth no more than seeing someone without material things means they’re not happy. Seeing someone dressed for success doesn’t equate to a full bank account no more than seeing someone not dressed for success means they aren’t. Driving a shiny luxury car doesn’t equate to plenty of expendable income, and driving an older car doesn’t equate to not having the means to upgrade. Living in a mansion doesn’t equate to it being filled with joy and living in a humble abode doesn’t equate to regrets. There’s no end to the assumptions we make by what we see on the surface of life. It’s looking beyond the surface where the truth is found. Without looking below the surface we never know what the view of life really looks like from where we sit. This is the Key to finding the need within each one so we know how to “fill it” with Hope.

Of all the assumptions we make about life the most dangerous assumption comes down to Faith. Going to church doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than going to a bar equates to being an alcoholic. Being able to quote Scripture doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than quoting science equates to being a genius. Feeding a few hungry people for the holidays doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than breaking bread with relatives once in a while equates to a family. Being a Christian comes down to a personal relationship with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace – and when we have that part “right” we spring forth with Living Water, and the Love and Compassion cannot be contained. We dig below the surface of life with everyone in our path – never judging – because we understand the brokenness of man and we celebrate Forgiveness. We never stop Searching for the Condition of the Heart and sharing our Faith becomes as natural to us as breathing. We love our brothers and sisters in Christ enough to be sure that they’ve not grown barren in the Journey and we never make assumptions based on what we see on the surface. It’s the Holy Spirit that should be dwelling below the surface of every person of Faith and it’s His Spirit that prompts us to Search beyond what we see with our eyes. When He dwells within us we never look at barren without seeing Hope…in and out of the community of Christians.

God used the barren-looking fields this morning to remind me not to make assumptions based on what I see on the outside. Many people can easily be left behind all year long based on assumptions we make by what we see on the surface of life. So, as I celebrate the birth of the King of all Kings, I’ll keep digging below the surface to check the Condition of the Heart of all He puts in my path and I won’t assume anything by what I see. I’ll be Armed and Ready to share the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace throughout the season and every single day of the new year. And THAT’s what the “great commission” looks like below the surface.

How about you?

Will you be Celebrating the King?

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My mind can’t fathom what it was like so long ago when my Savior entered the world. A virgin girl was chosen to be the one to carry Him in her womb, and there was no need for a doctor’s exam to confirm her pregnancy or to prove her virginity. Her fiance’ kept his promise to marry her and he accepted what the angel of God told him…there was no need for DNA to confirm whose child she carried. Without a text message conversation, this girl’s relatives immediately knew she was pregnant because John leaped in his mother’s (Elizabeth) womb at the sound of Mary’s voice and the Holy Spirit came upon her that very moment just as it was foretold. Without cell phones or the Internet, news traveled fast about this Child…the Savior…the King…because the details of His arrival, His life, and His Purpose were foretold long before He was ever born. Without the benefit of GPS, the 3 wise men found their way to Him and without the benefit of online shopping, they brought Him the most precious gifts under the sun.

Most of the world will celebrate Christmas next week, but most of the world won’t be celebrating the birth of my Savior at all. Some take advantage of this time of year and although they light up a Christmas tree and wrap up gifts, they don’t Celebrate my Savior… they use His birthday as an excuse to have fun. Some will proclaim to Believe but they don’t “buy in” to all of the details of His birth that were foretold LONG before He was ever born as if the Word of God comes a-la-carte and we can pick and choose the parts we like the best. Some profess to be people of Faith, and yet, they don’t pause to celebrate in Savior-style, and when (or IF) they “tell” the story of His birth on Christmas morning, it will be with as much excitement as a trip to the mailbox. Some will sing Happy Birthday to Jesus on Christmas morning and seconds after they sing they’ll dive into gifts and shovel down a feast, and He won’t be mentioned again – as if they’ve done their duty to acknowledge Him. Some claim to Believe and they’ll celebrate next week but the focus and thanks for all of those gifts their children receive isn’t on the Savior at all…but on a fantasy fat guy in the sky who determines if they’re worthy or not. All in the name of “fun” parents across America will use the (threat of) naughty or nice to bribe a child while the ONLY one Who judges “naughty or nice” is the King the day is intended to celebrate. Hmm…

I’ll soon be celebrating the birth of my Savior at the farm with my family, and you can be sure that it’s Him we’ll be celebrating. We know that “there is no good thing apart from Him” so He’ll get thanks for it all. We know that He is our Provider and that every morsel of food and every gift we exchange is only made possible because of Him. We’ll be celebrating Savior-style and we Believe every single Word of the story of His Birth…a baby born to a virgin…our King…our Savior…our Wonderful Counselor…our Mighty God…our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace!

How about you?

It’s MEANINGLESS Without The Right Heart…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s gloomy and cold this morning and they’re calling for more rain or snow. Since I like nothing more than fields covered with snow for Christmas, I’m hoping for the snow. When I met with the Living God this morning, I had the hardest time trying to take captive every thought to bring His Word into my spirit. A long list of things to do kept popping into my head and my Praising turned into planning over and over again. All of the holiday preparations filled my mind and instead of focusing on the Greatest Gift of all, I was focused on all the gifts I’m making for others. I finally confessed my weakness to Him and it didn’t take long for Him to take me to the Spiritual Woodshed with a Firm Reminder about the Heart. No matter what I do – no matter what need I’m trying to fill – no matter who or how I serve – no matter what I say – no matter how elaborate the gift I make – if I don’t have the right Heart, all of it is MEANINGLESS. I began to weep as I thought about how my labor of love could so easily transition into lame projects. I never want to “go through the motions” when it comes to the Living God, and I never want to work myself into a frenzy just for the sake of doing good. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Life too?

I know that without the right Heart and without a Prepared soul, I stand the risk of being “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” because without Love there is no meaning to my words at all. No matter if the words warm the heart and no matter how profound the words sound sometimes – without Love, there is no meaning to my words at all. The “greatest of these is love” and no matter what act of kindness I do today, if the kindness is done to make me look and feel better and not out of Love for the other – it is worthless to the One who matters the most.

No amount of nice things I do for my family and friends and no matter how many handmade gifts they’ll all receive this year – if they aren’t given and driven by Love they’ll be meaningless to the receiver. Love is the greatest of all things and it takes a whole lot of Love to do the Will of my God no matter what’s going on in my life. Nothing I do for Him can earn His favor in my life or justify the Sacrifice He made for me, but when I do His Will with Love…no, no matter how large or how small…my Works are priceless in the Kingdom of God and I know that they’ll have an eternal impact.

Today I’ll focus on love. The love I have for the Living God and the love I have for His people. The love I have for my family and friends and the love I have for strangers I’ve yet to meet. Whatever I do today, I’ll do out of love despite the distractions that come my way. As I busy myself making gifts for my family, I’ll focus on Love a lot more than “perfection” and those simple little gifts will be Priceless when I do. The distractions will just motivate me to try a little harder to battle against the one who brings confusion to life. Absolutely nothing will change my heart OR my direction as long as I’m doing the Will of a Mighty God and I’ll continue to persevere through the obstacles until I succeed.

How about you?

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing”

Another Year in Jesus’ 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 awake long before the Master woke up the world and I spent a lot of time in His Presence to give Praise and Thanks for this new day of a new year of my life. A new year is something to Celebrate from the inside out, that’s for sure, and even though I don’t like what I see in the mirror these days, I like what I see on the inside more than I ever have. After a really good dose of Wisdom from my Instruction Manual and a hot cup of coffee, I’m ready to Celebrate this beautiful new day in my Journey of Life in a manner that will Please the One Who “knit me together” in my mother’s womb…the One who died for me! Without Him, I might be celebrating a day but with Him, I Celebrate my Life. Isn’t that the way you look at your birthday too?

My heart overflows with Gratitude this morning for countless things. Psalm 40:5 says “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” It’s impossible to count my Blessings – there are too many to declare. But on this day in honor of my birthday, I’ll declare a few…

I’m thankful for a saving Faith and that I know, with all that I am, that One Day I will spend the rest of my days in the Presence of the One who died for me and with all those Faithful ones who have gone before me. I’m thankful that all my children have a Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ too, and that parting from this earth won’t mean parting forever for us! We’ll have a Family Reunion in Heaven one day that will be so beautiful it will defy words. I won’t just see the people I’ve loved here on earth in Heaven, I’ll also see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and countless others that I read about in His Word! I’m grateful for the promise of Eternity for those of us who Believe – “too many to declare.”

I’m thankful for the world’s most amazing family. The Love that runs through my children for me and for each other is only possible through God and it’s an answer to a daily prayer since I became a Mom. God blessed me with children I don’t deserve and He has answered my prayers for Wisdom to raise them, a Heart to love them unconditionally…to forgive them just as Jesus forgives us…a Heart to speak Kindness and to reflect gentleness no matter what. I’m thankful for the strength and health of each one of them and for joy and laughter year after year. It hasn’t been a perfect journey and there have been plenty of storms, but we’ve Celebrated Victory together after the storms, and we’ve always clung to our Faith to see us through. The things I’m grateful for are “too many to declare.”

I’m thankful for my friends. Some that I’ve known for decades and some that have entered my life in this winter season. Some I’ve never met in person but I love them all the same. Each one has Blessed me in ways “too many to declare.” I’ve felt their prayers in the trying seasons of my life and we’ve celebrated Victories at the end as I climbed back up to the mountaintop while they cheered me on – and we always give thanks to God for the new Testimony they know I’ll Share with the world. The goal of Christian friendships is to “spur” one another on to be all that we can be for Jesus, so, I spur every chance I get and I’m grateful for when they spur me on too. I love to belly laugh with them at every opportunity and my Heart and prayers can be counted on when they need me…and I know that theirs can be counted on when I need them too. “Too many to declare.”

My morning is already filling up with calls from my family and friends – each one with a priceless message of love for me as I celebrate a new year. Today I’ll gather with my family to decorate our Christmas tree…a tradition for as many years as I can count. Our home will overflow with love and laughter and I know that the things I’ll be grateful for on this day I celebrate my birthday will be “too many to declare”.

Thank you, God, for another day – another year to make a Difference in this Journey called Life. Thank you for each life my Life will touch throughout this new year. May I be a Reflection of you as I share the Truth with them with Christ-like Love. May I not squander even one day of this new year so that I can Live it out for you!

Thank you for the Peace and Love.

Thank you to my precious tribe and all of my friends for each sweet birthday message for me.

My thanks are “Too many to declare”. My heart overflows.

Happy birthday to me!

My God is a Consuming Fire…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and foggy this morning and even if I were meeting with the Living God from outside on the front porch, I wouldn’t be able to see any farther than a few feet into the fields. As they say in the South, “The fog is so thick you can cut it with a knife”. I won’t have much quality porch time until things warm up in Virginia, but I’ll have Quality Time with the Living God every day. That comes down to choice. I don’t spend Time with Him out of duty…I spend Time with Him because I NEED Him more than I need anyone or anything else in this Life. Psalm 42 says it best “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.” I thirst for Him. I hunger to be with Him. I need Him. I love Him. And I Serve Him because He’s the Center of my Life. Nothing else can satisfy my Soul and nothing else can bring me Joy the way He can. He’s my All. Isn’t that the way you feel about Him too?

It’s no surprise that many people can’t find their Way in their Faith and they have no idea what God’s Purpose is in their Life because they don’t hunger or thirst for Him. When we’re hungry in the human sense we don’t rest until we’re fed, and when we’re parched we’ll do anything to satisfy our thirst. Our animal instinct kicks in and survival occupies every thought. We have a built-in radar for our basic human needs and NONE of us go without unless circumstances force us there. Some have a weakness for a particular food or beverage and they’ll crave those things until they finally break down and satisfy the craving…because it occupies their thoughts until they do. Hungering and thirsting for the Living God can feel the same way (on steroids) but it’s a Choice whether or not we Nurture our Faith to the place where we NEED Him more than we need air. When we get to that place where our Soul hungers and thirsts for Him, we become consumed by the Living God and nothing else can satisfy the “craving” to spend Time in His Presence. When we’re feeling parched, we’ll crawl across the desert of Life to reach the Living Water and we’ll do anything to satisfy our Thirst. Hungering and thirsting for Him is a sure Sign that we “get it”. That’s when we realize that there is “no good thing apart from Him” and that our lives are meaningless without Him. That’s where we find our Purpose and that’s where He Directs us to Greatness. It’s a place of total Surrender that grows the most beautiful Relationship, and it is when we hunger and thirst for Him that He can use us in Miraculous Ways. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

Sadly, hungering and thirsting for the Living God is something that most people of Faith miss out on. They may love Him. They may honor Him most of the time. They may THINK they need Him. They may spend a little time with Him each day (most of the time), they make sure to be in church on Sunday mornings, and they pray. But they don’t hunger or thirst. They never seem to be Desperate for Him like the deer panting for water unless they need Him to do something or they want Him to fix a problem they have. Perhaps it’s because they’ve never been taken to the Spiritual Woodshed where He sets the Path of Life straight – or maybe they’ve never been to that desperate place where He’s ALL they have to cling to….no other human being…no subsistence…and no “hope” from the world’s perspective. Maybe they’ve never tapped into the Holy Spirit that dwells within the heart of a Believer and maybe the Spirit is quiet because of it. I don’t know the reason why most people aren’t hungering or thirsting for Him like a deer panting for water, but I DO know that’s the only Place to be and the only Way for a person of Faith to Live. “Our God is a consuming fire” and when we draw near to Him – HE WILL draw near to us and His Love will consume every part of us. That’s where Faith overflows and that’s where the most amazing Miracles happen in this Journey of Faith. It’s when we hunger and thirst for the Living God that He Knows He has our Full Attention and our Path will be set Straight for the Journey. If you wonder what your Purpose is and you’re confused about what God wants for your Life, then you need to dig in deeper to stir up your Hunger and Thirst for the Living God. The Living God doesn’t leave anybody out in the dark when they’re desperate for Him day in and day out whether they are “well fed or hungry”.

I spent some Quality Time with the Master this morning as He woke up the world and my hunger and thirst have been satisfied all over again. He’ll Consume my thoughts as I go about my day, and I’ll let His Spirit set my Path straight. I’m overjoyed to go “about my Father’s business” because He dwells within my heart and His Love satisfies me like nothing else. I pray that I bring pleasure to my God every step of the way because I hunger and thirst for Him. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

How about you?

When “Mission Incomplete” Isn’t An Option

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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 One who breathed Life into my soul and once I got into His Word I couldn’t get enough. I read Words I’ve read many times before, but they Touched me in ways they never had before, and today they had New Meaning just for me. I’m growing more each day because of Him AND because I’m a Willing student. My days are getting shorter and shorter and there’s no longer “all the time in the world” for me. So I work hard to get my nature as close to the Nature of the Perfect One who died for me as humanly possible before He calls me Home. Just like the branches on this tree, there are pieces of me here and there that need Attention so that the smaller, weaker, parts of me can eventually become Mature like all the others. If I keep strengthening some parts, but overlook all those other “little” things that need to Mature, I can’t become ALL that He Created me to be. So, I keep working to become the Best I can be for Him. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy to feel good about ourselves based on Maturity in some areas of our lives, while we overlook the importance of developing all the other “little things.” We can be strong and well-rooted in some ways, but as weak as a newborn colt in others. If we continue to pour Living Water on the strong parts, no doubt they will stand firm for the long run BUT if we overlook the “little things” that need attention too, we risk thwarting the entire Journey of Faith. Sometimes those small branches need to be pruned to make way for all the others, and sometimes they need to be cut away entirely. Either way, unless we pay attention to the “little things” that stand in the way of us becoming all that He Created us to be, we never reach the Ultimate Goal. There aren’t many things that scare me as much as thinking I could end my Journey with a “Mission Incomplete” all because I refused to address the “little things” that stand between me and my God.

Sometimes we don’t realize our Journey is being thwarted, but that’s because we excuse away the “little things” as if they don’t matter. We easily deceive ourselves into believing that the “little things” don’t matter as long as there are some Strong parts…but that’s not true. After all, the human body is made up of millions and millions of cells but all it takes is a few active cancer cells to prevent all the others from thriving…and the same is true for the Journey of Faith. We often tell ourselves that “nobody’s perfect” and while that’s true, that’s no excuse for not giving it everything we’ve got to be more like the Perfect One who died for us. Don’t take my word for it – He says, “Be holy as I am holy”. It takes each piece to Grow into a Strong Vessel that is worthy to be used by the King, and sometimes it’s all those “little things” that are standing in the way of Spiritual Growth no matter how many other Strong branches we have. As long as we’re Willing…and Seeking His Face…and Determined to please Him more than we’re determined to please ourselves… He’ll keep revealing those “little things” that need our Attention, and He’ll teach us how to Prune them out of our lives so that we become the Vessel He intends for us to be.

The Lord used the branches on a dormant tree this morning to drive home a message to my Heart and I’m grateful for the Pruning we did together. He loves me. HE Created me for a Purpose. He wants to Use me. He wants me to be Strong. He wants me to Grow. He wants me to be a Walking Testimony of His Love and Grace in every area of my Life. If I need to go through a little pruning and cutting away so that I can be the Best for Him, it’s WORTH it. I won’t reach perfection on this side of Heaven but that won’t prevent me from trying to be more like Him every day until He takes me Home. “Mission Incomplete” isn’t an option for me.

How about you?

It’s Always About Priorities…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I woke up long before sunrise and spent my time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith inside a warm home with my Bible and (eventually) a good cup of coffee. It’s supposed to be cold and sunny today but I don’t care much about following the weather channels to see what man has to say because the God in control of every raindrop is Unpredictable, and because of that each new day is like a surprise from Him to me. I like watching God unfold His plans for the day and then I “plan accordingly”. Sometimes I need an umbrella and sometimes I need a warm coat – but no matter what steps I take to prepare for the outward, the Inward Plans are the most important of all. If everything is “well with my soul” I’ll be Strong and Ready for whatever comes my way… BUT if I fail to do my Part on the Inward, I’ll be like a ship lost at sea with no Direction whatsoever. Isn’t that the way you approach the Journey of Life too?

If not for the fact that it’s sad, watching the world watch the world would be entertaining. These days there is passion like we’ve never seen before, and I wonder sometimes what the world would look like if that passion was directed toward the King of all kings and the Spiritual realm instead of the President of the United States and the political realm. We’ve seen stadiums filled to overflowing with those who support the candidate most in line with their political beliefs, and I wonder sometimes what the world would like if that passion was directed toward supporting our Belief in the Word of God instead of the words of man. I see attempts to share (some version of) “the truth” from one end of the world to another, and sometimes I wonder what the world would be like if THE Truth of Jesus Christ was spread at record speed like that instead of just the opinion of man splattered from end to end. The passion is impressive, but it’s definitely misguided…like ships lost at sea the world has lost its Direction…and its peace. All it takes to “win” is a focus on the Inward instead of the outward…that will make the Biggest Difference of all. That’s how Revival begins!

Every four years there is an uproar in this country as we rally for a new candidate to occupy the White House and news channels of every shape, size, and belief system beat the story to death 24/7 for months on end. It’s exhausting to hear them spit out their 2 cents about how their favorite person will lead as if they’re experts on what the Living God has in mind. Truthfully, the outcome doesn’t matter much more to me than the outcome of the weather because I have a Personal Relationship with the One Who sits on the Throne to Rule the entire world. He’s been there since the Beginning of Time and He’ll be there through all Eternity whether He gets your Support or not. He doesn’t get “elected” into office…HE IS the “office” and no matter how the world votes, He will NEVER be replaced. I am confident that He is the One to “ordain the leaders” so no matter how passionate we are about this one or that one, God always has His Way. He has ordained our next leader who will ONLY be able to do what God gives him the power and authority to do…period. Although I’m a citizen of the United States of America and NOTHING could pry me away from this country, I’m actually just passing through and my Citizenship is in Heaven where the King is. With that in mind, I can’t afford to get caught up in the confusion of this dark world – instead, I focus on the Inward to be sure that I AM ready to take MY place in my Forever Home. Ready or not, the King is coming.

You’ll see a passionate crowd like you’ve never seen before One Day and it won’t just fill up a stadium to overflowing…it will fill up the entire earth. One day “every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.” Until then, this is all child’s play with a “hidden agenda” to get our eyes and ears a whole lot more focused on the things of this dark world than we are on the One who Rules the Earth. It’s time to spread the Only Truth that ever really matters and it’s time for contagious Passion for the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. HE’S my favorite and the One you’ll find me talking about from sun up to sun down all the days of my Life. The King IS coming, and I’ll be Ready.

How about you?

“Do not fear, I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; YOU ARE MINE” – Isaiah 43:1

Train up a Child…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLAYTON!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. From the looks of things from the front porch this morning, this day could easily turn out to be a “dreary” one, but there won’t be anything dreary about the day itself for me. I spent my time with the Living God giving Thanks more than anything else, and my Heart is bright enough to light up this entire old farm if that was possible. The Blessings overwhelm me. Answers to my prayers Humble me. His Perfect Plans for my Life inspire every minute of my Time. He’s a Mighty God so worthy to be Praised. This morning I’m especially thankful that He chose me to be His Child and because of that, there is an entire generation following in His Footsteps too. The Seed of Faith He planted within me so long ago will last for generations and generations to come. Hallelujah! Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

Thirty-seven years ago today my oldest son was born. It wasn’t an easy season, and I wasn’t overjoyed to be expecting my third child. I didn’t know how I’d handle another baby with two already at home and a busy job working to feed them all. I was worn out, unhappy, and self-centered. While I was preparing to be discharged from the hospital after his birth, I was told there were serious complications and my baby boy was immediately placed in the NICU. I began to pray like never before, beginning by confessing my selfish Heart and how I could worry more about myself and how “I” was going to handle my burdens than I was about the Blessing of this child…and I cried out to God for mercy. After a long week of praying and waiting for news from the barrage of testing they did on my sweet baby boy, his symptoms abruptly lifted and he left the doctors perplexed. “We can’t explain it”, they said…but I sure could! We were discharged from the hospital on my 30th birthday…the very best birthday present I could ever dream of! There were miracles wrapped all around the birth of my son, but the Miracle of healing was brought on by the Power of a praying mother and a very Merciful God. He heard my prayers then and He’s heard every single prayer I’ve ever prayed for this precious son of mine over the years. There are no words to express my love for my son. What a wonderful man He’s become…one that would make any mother proud. He’s healthy and strong, loving, kind, and compassionate. He loves me, he loves his siblings, and he loves the Lord and ALL the credit belongs to my Kind, Compassionate Merciful God.

Look out when a godly mother sets out to pray! She knows how to do Battle in the heavens on behalf of her family and she knows Who to Trust with the Results. I’ve spent entire nights pacing the floors of this old farmhouse while I battled through challenges at home and God was Faithful and Merciful every single time. I didn’t spend my time begging – I didn’t spend my time doubting – I spent my time standing on the Promises of my Mighty and loving God. I prayed for Mercy and Wisdom and I TRUSTED Him with my family. I claimed Victory over it all! I poured Living Water into my children every single day of their lives and I did my best to be a Reflection of Jesus Christ through it all. They saw Him in me. Prayers over my children were for things much bigger than good grades or sports, I prayed for the Eternal things instead. I prayed for their souls – the ONLY thing that really matters in the end. I prayed for future mates. I prayed for a godly generation. I prayed for my grandchildren before they were ever even imagined. One by one each one of my children accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and today their lives Reflect His Heart by the way they love. This is the Key to “train up a child in the way he should go.”

Today I’m celebrating the birth of my gentle giant 37 years ago and I’m STILL giving thanks to God for hand-picking me to be his Mom. Seeing answers to prayers come to life years after I prayed them makes me even MORE thankful to my Mighty and Merciful God. I’ll never stop praying for my family…for the big things and some little things too. God’s Word “does NOT return void” and I speak it over their lives daily. I’ve got countless generations already covered as I pray for my children’s children and beyond. I know God hears the prayers of this praying mother and I know that my prayers will NEVER “expire” over time.

Happy birthday, Clayton. I love you more than life itself.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I spent my time in the Presence of the Alpha and Omega in a warm home this morning and I approached His Throne with the Reverence He deserves. It’s the most amazing thing to have a personal Relationship with the King of all kings, the God of all gods, the Creator of the Universe, the Great “I am”! So, when I meet with Him it always begins with Praise and Thanks and soon after that, it becomes like a heart-to-Heart chat with the Best Friend anybody could ever ask for. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

The Bible tells us that the Throne of God is surrounded by praise – “day and night they never stop” and I get goosebumps just thinking about what it must sound like to hear “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” 24/7 in Heaven. Sometimes when I praise Him I say those very words over and over again – I mean them with all of my heart… and I try to imagine His Throne and how amazing it is. When I give Him the heartfelt Reverence He deserves it doesn’t take long to feel His Presence and I get goosebumps when I do. But of all the experiences I have with my God, and all the Words I savor that were breathed into existence by Him, the most amazing thing to me is being able to approach the One that is surrounded by Praise “day and night” and He welcomes me as His child. If that doesn’t give you goosebumps, nothing will.

Like anything else, a Relationship with the Living God takes balance. Some people spend their entire lives in “reverence mode” and live in fear because that’s all they know of Him. They tiptoe through life for fear of consequences if they don’t partake in rituals or recite manmade prayers, and they rarely Serve Him because they don’t understand their Purpose. They’re in perpetual Reverence mode without the friendship part. Somehow they miss the point that HE IS approachable and they don’t see themselves as Royalty…His child, His “heir.” If they did, I think they’d get goosebumps too.

Some people get the “best friend” part but their Relationship has become so casual that they forget to Revere Him and Praise Him in the Process. Oh, maybe they utter an occasional “hallelujah” but not in the way He wants to be Acknowledged as the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End. He IS the best Friend anybody could ever ask for, but He deserves a whole lot more than a pat on the heavenly back like a big buddy in the sky – “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name!” What makes that Friendship too incredible for words is that it comes from the Throne of a God who has been praised in Heaven twenty-four hours a day since the beginning of time and will be forevermore and Jesus is standing at the right hand of the Throne of God interceding on our behalf. The mere thought of Jesus interceding on our behalf 24/7 should give anybody goosebumps IF they understand the Balance.

The Author and Perfector of my Faith Hears every prayer and they’re like incense in Heaven to Him. He sees every tear and stores them away in a jar and One Day He will wipe them all away. HE LOVES US enough to die for us and He loves us enough to intercede on our behalf. Goosebumps? That doesn’t begin to describe what my Heart feels.

My day began in the Presence of a Mighty God and I was so caught up in Praise for Him that I never got around to a “list” of requests. He knows what’s on my Heart. He knows my needs and He knows my burdens. He already KNOWS everything! The Alpha and Omega is my amazing, approachable God – but it all begins with ” Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

How about you?