Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I woke up before the sun showed itself in the morning sky and the Lord was already speaking to my Heart before my feet hit the floor. David said, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” so it’s not surprising that I often wake up with a Word to share or a nugget of Wisdom over something I’ve been praying for. For most people, nighttime is just a time of rest…but for people like me, we understand that nighttime is a Time when the Spiritual war rages all around us and the enemy attempts to torment us while we sleep. The War is a 24/7 war and it doesn’t let up just because we’re sleeping. In fact, it’s often more intense when the enemy thinks our guard is down…BUT if we’re Living FOR (not just with) the King of all kings, we have nothing to fear and everything to gain…even at night while we sleep. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

I understand how important sleep is for good health, but it’s always seemed like such a waste of time to me. After all, James 4:14 says, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” so the way I see it, it’s a shame to spend one-third of our vapor time on earth sleeping! When the Lord of Hosts wakes me up in the “middle of the night” I don’t roll over and try to go back to sleep right away – I begin to pray. Sometimes it’s a short prayer and sometimes I pray for hours but it’s always a privilege. Being awakened by the Hand of God to pray is not a nuisance as some might be inclined to believe, it’s an honor. Some pretty amazing things have taken place in the “middle of the night” OR what the Bible refers to as “the fourth watch”. Jesus walked on water during the “fourth watch”. Jacob wrestled with an angel until the breaking of the day. Peter was fast asleep, in chains, when he was miraculously freed from prison. Samuel heard his name called not once, but four times, in the middle of the night. The dead of the night is NOT something to dread or to fear – instead it should be embraced because that’s when lots of good stuff happens ..the kind of Good stuff we miss out on when we don’t want to “lose sleep” for anything or anybody. The Key to embracing everything God has for you is being willing to “sacrifice” a little sleep for the fourth watch when He comes calling.

God loves me enough to speak to me 24 hours a day. He counsels me throughout the night and He nudges me awake to enter His presence and to fight the fight that takes place in the heavens. He sent His son to die for me and He calls me by name. He’s my Protector. He’s my Provider. He’s my Creator. He’s my friend. He’s my Counselor. He’s my Savior. He’s the great “I am”. He’s the Bright morning star. He’s the great Physician. He’s Jehovah Shammah. He’s everything to me! When you look at Him that way, losing a little sleep is the least I can do to Please Him! My vapor is dimming more every day and He’ll Call me Home one day soon. Never let it be said of me that a little sleep was more important to me than Meeting with the King of all kings in the middle of the night!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I met with the Living God from the front porch this morning I had plenty of things to give thanks for. Another day to Serve…a farm to steward…an amazing tribe from top to bottom…a life overflowing with friends…a strong and healthy body…and a father who taught me how to savor a sunrise and what it looks like to love unconditionally. It’s my Dad’s birthday today and I’m missing him a little more than I usually do. I don’t focus on when he died – or how he died – I focus on when he was born and how he lived instead. The legacy should never get lost over time. So this morning, I thanked God for choosing him to be my Dad and I thanked Him even more that I am absolutely sure that there’s a Heavenly reunion coming one day soon. Isn’t how you think of your loved ones too?

I could make a list that would wrap around Virginia a few times about the drama surrounding my childhood. I could blame all my bad decisions and all the trials of life on how I was raised. I could talk until I turn blue about what it was like to be abandoned over and over again by a Dad that was a runaway alcoholic. I could make a strong man cry to hear what it felt like to be shuffled from house to house more times than I can count and how uncertainty was part of daily life throughout my childhood. But it’s when we know that we know that God Handpicked our parents before the foundations of the earth for a PURPOSE much greater than ourselves, that we Learn to Trust that all things really do work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose. I am certain that all the uncertainty and heartbreak brought on by a man consumed by his addiction (and filled with remorse each time he stumbled) had a Big Purpose. It didn’t define me or my life and it sure didn’t make me weak – it made me strong instead. It taught me to love unconditionally. It taught me to be compassionate toward the “weaker ones” and it taught me not to judge the man (or woman) based upon their mess. It made me loving and kind. It taught me how to forgive over and over again, and it prepared me to put the needs of others before my own. When I think of my Daddy on his (110th) birthday, I give thanks for the ENTIRE journey and how his heart for me was so much bigger than his battles…and I look forward to our Eternity together. He knew how to laugh. He knew how to love. He knew how to talk for hours with his little girl. The beautiful side of my childhood prevails every time.

I wouldn’t wish my Daddy back to this life for anything in the world because I know he’s found his Forever Home and he’ll be waiting for me to join him one day. Things on this earth don’t matter anymore and there’s no more uncertainty for either of us. Through his weakness I became strong…through his love, I learned to love unconditionally… and through His character mine was developed. His journey prepared me for mine! How could I possibly have regrets when all the pieces have been threaded into Good just like God says it will be? The “bad times” will NEVER out shadow the good times and my Daddy’s legacy will NEVER be lost in the loss.

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Happy Independence Day America! May we NEVER forget to give thanks to a Mighty God “Who shed His grace on thee”. God gave us the land and HE made it the greatest nation in the world because we (still) are ONE NATION UNDER GOD! He has graciously protected it year after year and HE has great Plans for our future…IF WE DON’T TURN OUR BACK ON HIM. Celebrate our God-given Independence today!

God bless you and yours from the Living Waters Farm, and GOD bless America!

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

By the way, the photo is from the front porch of the farm too

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The morning started out a little slow for me and it was as if I woke up in a fog. Not feeling bad and not feeling good. Not feeling happy and not feeling sad. Not feeling energetic and not feeling weak. It was as if I had no feeling for this new day at all as I made my way to the front porch for coffee. My time this morning began more out of routine than it was out of eagerness and I had no expectations because of it. But to the Throne I went with not much of me to give, and into His Word I went to do what I do each day, and before you know it, I came Alive from the inside out and this New Day went from black and white to Living color. If I do my part even when I “don’t feel like it” He always does His Part. Isn’t that the way that it is with you?

It’s easy to treat the Living God just like everybody else if we aren’t careful. Out of sight…out of mind. When we don’t feel like talking, we refuse to answer the door or pick up the phone. If the plans aren’t thrilling, we go begrudgingly and we’ll even complain to the one who convinced us to participate in the first place. When the conversation is entertaining we’re all in, and if it’s not we tune it out or we walk away. We only want the “good” things and the good times in life, and we kick and stomp like a 2-year-old over the “bad” things and the bad times and we rarely see the Purpose in it all. We’re stuck in “if it feels good, do it” mode and we have a need to be entertained around the clock…even when it comes to the Living God. If things are going well, we’ll thank Him. When things aren’t going well, we’ll appeal to Him. But when things seem to be coasting along and we’re walking through the fog, we have no need for Him at all. It’s in that numb place that we need Him the most…ESPECIALLY when “we don’t feel like it”. When we’re in the fog we’re the most vulnerable, and when we’re feeling numb we are the most weak. It’s when we meet with the Master of the Universe even when we “don’t feel like it”, that He shows up in Living Color and He’ll Refresh and Revive the soul in a quick minute. He’s the lifter of the fog and the “lifter of my head” and He says “When you are weak; I am strong” and “My Power is made perfect in weakness”….BUT unless we do our part – unless we seek His Face – unless we Thirst for Him – He can’t do His. Meeting with Him even when we “don’t feel like it” is one of the truest signs of our Devotion to Him and it leads to some of the most amazing God moments…if we don’t treat Living God just like everybody else, that is.

It’s fascinating when you think about it. Most of us so easily serve our loved ones day after day, even when we don’t feel like it. We get up early in the morning to prepare breakfast and to send the kids off to school; even when we don’t feel like it. We head out to work to earn our living so that we can feed the family we love, even if we don’t feel like it. We’ll go shopping or to a particular restaurant or to see a movie we don’t care to see just to please the one we love, even when we don’t feel like it. There seems to be no end to what we’ll do (even when we don’t feel like it) for the people we love the most in this life. But meeting with the Living God even when “we don’t feel like it” is an entirely different story for most people. He gets set aside UNLESS things are really, really good or when things are really, really bad. Outside of that…He can sit on the shelf right along with a dusty Bible until we feel like spending time with Him again. He’s the MOST High and the MOST deserving of our time and our attention, but instead of giving Him our time and our attention day after day even when we “don’t feel like it… we set Him aside until we need Him again. Just because the Living God is out of your sight and out of your mind, don’t fool yourself into believing that He’s okay with that. He’s a forgiving God and although He’s already paid the Price for all of your sins no matter what you do, He’s your Father and He wants your time and your attention ESPECIALLY when you don’t feel like it. He wants you to be AT LEAST as devoted to Him as you are to the rest of your world. This is the key to a rich Walk with Him.

I was in a fog and a little numb when I faced this new day but it’s an entirely different story now after my time with the Lord of my Life. I met with Him with no excitement, no expectations, and not much feeling at all, and He turned my heart around, lifted the fog, and “put a new song of Praise on my lips” and NOW I’m armed and ready for whatever this new day brings.

How about you?

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 hot cup of coffee, a Heart filled with Gratitude and High Expectations about my Time with the Living God. This isn’t just any old day – it’s a New Day – and I’m not just any old Servant – I’m a Willing one with High Expectations about the Journey. My God has no boundaries and it shows in my Life as He continues to use me in ways I could never imagine I would be capable of IF I look at Life with my mind instead of my Heart. As I stumble through the Journey – as I struggle through life – as I fall down and get back up time and time again – I KNOW HE KNOWS my Heart for Him and He’ll use me all the days of my Life…because I Love Him and because I am a Willing Vessel with High Expectations about doing the work of my God. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It seems to be so easy these days for people to lose hope in the face of adversity but that’s because they don’t have High Expectations for the Journey of Life. Sometimes we focus on the surface of Life that can look like a shipwreck with a million broken pieces – but that doesn’t slow down the God of no Boundaries and He’ll always work it for Good IF we let Him. When we have High Expectations about the Work of His Hands, we understand that there is always something Beautiful going on behind the scenes and we look through the rubble for the rubies every time. When we have High Expectations about His Purpose for us, we don’t allow ourselves to think that things are impossible – because we KNOW all things are possible with Him and we Celebrate the Victory long before we see it. When we have High Expectations, we’re quick to hit our knees to ask for Forgiveness, because how He sees us is far more important than how the world does, and we Understand that we need to be found Worthy for the Journey if we want to be used by the King. With High Expectations, we don’t put God in a box and we NEVER quit believing in Miracles.

I don’t know how God will be using me here until He calls me Home – I only know how He’s using me right now. I have High Expectations because I’m a Willing Vessel and I’m Ready to step into whatever He has for me whenever He asks. I won’t be afraid, and I’ll never feel inadequate no matter what He Calls me to do – not because I’m confident or capable – but because I have High Expectations for the Journey and I’ve been Tenderized for the Work. I found the rubies in the rubble and it shows in my Life. What I do for Him can’t be measured by human standards, and my Rewards won’t be seen on this side of Heaven – what I do for Him is done out of Love…and it’s that Love that keeps me going with High Expectations.

Do YOU have High Expectations about what God is doing too?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who died for me with lots of things on my mind this morning, but the longer I sat in His presence, the more my thoughts just slipped away and my curiosity turned into Awe. I have an inquisitive mind and I love to understand people and things at a deeper level than most…not that it matters in the bigger scheme of life, but it satisfies my need to know more. I wonder things like, why the deer population segregates by gender for most of the year and what makes a bee drill into wood to make its home. I have lots of unanswered questions about the way nature works here on earth but none of the questions will come to mind when I meet my Maker, that’s for sure – my curiosity will be transformed into speechless Awe instead. Isn’t that the way you see your Future too?

Some people actually have a list of things they want to ask God one day, but I’m not one of them. As inquisitive as I am, I Know that won’t have a single thought about nonsensical things when I’m standing in the Presence of the One who died for me! When I look into the face of the One who Loves me more than any human ever could, the Love will overwhelm me. I’m confident that no questions will come to my mind at that moment, but if one did it would probably be, “How could you possibly love a wretch like me?” because I know that I didn’t do anything to deserve or to earn the Gift He’s given to me! Some people imagine hugging Jesus like a big Daddy in the sky, but not me. When I see the holes in His hands and feet I’ll be reminded of how He suffered to set me Free and I’ll probably fall to my knees in Awe all over again. Some people imagine a big praise band in the sky and they think they’ll spend eternity “jamming for Jesus” but not me. When I hear the sound of the voices surrounding the Throne of God singing “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, who is, who is to come” I won’t care about the lyrics to any song ever written and I Know that I’ll be listening to the most beautiful one of all for all Eternity. When I make my way to Heaven there will probably be a going away party for me on earth, but my Homecoming in Heaven will be more beautiful than any word ever spoken, or any song ever sung, since the beginning of Time.

The Awe will never fade for me because I’m overwhelmed with Gratitude for Who is and what He’s done for me, but IF the dust ever settles in Eternity, I look forward to meeting people like Paul and Peter and I’d definitely have a few questions for them! I’d like to hear Paul’s first-hand account of what it felt like when He was blinded on the road to Damascus that day and I want to hear Peter describe what it felt like to deny the Messiah three times just as it was predicted. I’d like to ask about the fish fry on the shore after Jesus was transfigured and if the disciples were amazed that Jesus would cook the meal and eat with them once more. What was it like for Moses when he led millions of people through the sea that day? Why was Elijah so afraid of Jezebel and why did Elisha bring a curse upon the youth in a village that led to them being mauled to death by bears? There are so many things that I’d like to understand better but I’m thinking my enlightenment will be “limited” to my Time with the Living God and my Time in His Word because when I get to Heaven, every thought I ever had, every ounce of curiosity I’ve ever felt, everything I’ve ever wondered about will be gone as I stand in AWE in the Presence of the One who died for me.

It’s going to be a spectacular day ordained by a Spectacular God and I’ll be savoring a million pieces of it as I live out my Journey of Faith. I’ll wonder about LOTS of things throughout the day but I won’t be making a list to present to God when He calls me Home. After all, I’m so in Awe of Him that He leaves me speechless on THIS side of Heaven…I can only imagine what it will feel like when I stand in His Presence.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’ve been away from the farm for the past several days and I’ve been hungering for my early morning Meeting with the King of all kings outside. So, this morning I crawled out of bed before the sun showed itself in the sky and when I stepped outside and onto the porch, it was as if I was seeing it for the first time. That’s what Gratitude looks like. No matter where I go or what I see in this journey called Life, nothing beats time with just me and my God at sunrise from this front porch. It’s there where I find my solitude and my Peace. It’s there where I Receive my greatest Lessons. It’s there where I bask in His glory. It’s there where I shed my tears. It’s there where I reckon my wrongs. It’s there where I sing praises to Him. A front porch…a beautiful sunrise…a willing woman…and a Mighty God – could there be a more perfect combination? Sometimes it’s the simplest things that have the utmost impact on me. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

There is so much to see and so much to do in this journey through life and sometimes people wonder why I don’t see and do more. I’m adventurous…I’m inquisitive…and I love to learn and love. But of all the things I’ve seen and all the places I’ve gone, the simple things bring me the most pleasure in life. I can be more entertained by visiting with a friend on the front porch or ministering to a suffering soul than I could ever be by visiting any other place in the entire world. I’d much rather look into a set of eyes than see any other site there is to see. I’d rather tune in to the voice of someone I love (or of someone God sends my way to love) than hear any concert by any artist in the world. I’d rather belly laugh on the front porch with my family or friends than visit any comedy club on the planet. I’d rather wipe away the salty tears of someone else than tip my toes in the salt water of any of the oceans in the world. I’d rather discuss History from the point of Creation and ponder my God than visit any museum of history or art or any place else in the world. My life isn’t as simple as it is Rich, and from where I sit, everything is beautiful to me.

I’m not exactly sure how this new day will unfold but I won’t be idle and it won’t be “boring.” One thing I DO know for sure is that my day will be Shared with others…some of them my family and some of them my friends and some of them I’ll see for the very first time and that each one will be certain of how Special they are to me. I’ll probably tune into a sermon spoken by someone Called to Speak it, and I’ll hear a few words of Wisdom along the way. It’s going to be another long day at the farm and I’ll be making the most of every minute. You won’t find me looking for fun or striving to be entertained. You won’t find me whining about being bored or disappointed over something that wasn’t “fun” or people who weren’t my cup of tea. Instead, you’ll find me walking through this day with Excitement no matter who or what comes along, because I know that this day and everything in it has been Ordained by the Living God and that His Plans for me on this new day beat anything else I could ever have added to my own agenda. He’s a God of Perfection and He’s the Master of my Life, and as long as I keep Him in First Position, every “simple” little thing will always have a huge impact and those “simple” little things will always cause my heart to overflow with Gratitude and Joy.

My life is filled with simple things but there’s nothing simple about my Life on or off of the front porch of this old farm. I see my Life as an Adventure and my steps as a Journey and I want to be sure that I savor the “simple” things until I draw my last breath because it’s the simple things about me that mean the most to Him.

How about you?

Are you on a mission to see and do as much as you can see and do before you die and are you overlooking the importance of the “simple” things you’re called to do while you’re still here? If so, PM me. I’ll write a list that will wrap around Virginia a few times of “simple” things that will bring you to tears and Entertain you as you’ve never been entertained before, and when I’m done with you; you’ll see those “simple” things in a whole new Light and you won’t ever need to be entertained by outward things again!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I know that God didn’t set the sun in the sky just for me, but I thank Him for it as if He did because it feels like that in my Heart. I have eyes to see, ears to hear, a voice to share what I see and feel, and a Heart that hungers for Him like a deer panting for water…none of these things would be possible without Him…the One who Created me before the foundations of the earth! Like a Heavenly Hug and a Proclamation of His Power, a sunrise can take my Spirit to an entirely different Level as I abide in Him through it all. I’m supposed to bring “every thought into captivity” and that’s no easy task. But the Journey is made a whole lot easier when I surround myself with Good at the beginning of each new day. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

One of the most difficult things for us to control is NOT our circumstances, but what goes on in our minds. Sometimes it feels like the mind has a mind of its own and that we have no control over what goes on in there…but that’s not true. I often hear people looking to God to help them control their thoughts FOR them, but it doesn’t work that way. God expects us to do that part for ourselves. He’s the Victory Maker and the Mountain Mover and He’s ready and waiting to release His Plan for our Lives….but He can’t do that unless we release all those thoughts that work against them. If He tells us to bring “every thought into captivity” it’s pretty clear that the process doesn’t happen naturally by itself, and it’s ABUNDANTLY clear that He’s not going to do that part for us. God always expects us to take action on our own. He may be Everything…the One who formed the earth with His Hands, and the One who Breathes Life into you and me…but we’re not in a one-sided Relationship with Him, and He expects us to do our part too. It’s when we see Him as the one to fix EVERYTHING, with no effort on our part, that we thwart our Growth and never reach the point where He is able to Release the Master Plan for our lives. Striving to bring “every thought into captivity” is the Key to Victory Success and Peace…but it takes Perseverance, Determination, and a Sound Mind…AND a willingness to take Responsibility of our own.

As surely as there is God in Heaven, there is an enemy that will do everything he can to keep us from Receiving what God has for us! Spiritual things…especially in those “breakthrough” areas, is not child’s play…it’s all-out WAR over you and me! What better way could our enemy have to fight against the Father than by bringing calamity and torment into the lives of His Children? It’s calamity and torment that have the potential to tease the mind into entertaining destructive thoughts, and those thoughts propel our self-will into motion. But it doesn’t have to be that way IF we strive to bring “every thought into captivity” despite our circumstances. Our enemy is a relentless fighter. He’s sneaky and conniving and so determined to “fight” even though He can’t really Win. People of Faith are Children of God…we Belong to the Most High…we’re Royalty…and we’ve already been Redeemed by His blood, and we’ve already Received our Inheritance…BUT he’ll keep working to disarm us by doing things that have the potential to derail the mind for as long as we live…IF WE LET HIM. We’re told to “Be alert and of sober mind, your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” so why would be expecting God to help us “control our thoughts” if that’s something we’re Told repeatedly to do for ourselves – AND why wouldn’t we be working harder to bring “every thought into captivity”?

I kicked off this new day in the Presence of the Most High God and I took steps to Refresh my Soul and to prepare my Mind to bring “every thought into captivity”. Victory is mine. If I abide in Him there isn’t anything to fret over and there’s nothing to worry about. Peace is mine today BECAUSE I’ve taken my thoughts into captivity and I’m trusting Him with it all…one day at a time.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. By the time I stepped outside this morning the sun was already up and the world was already stirring. This morning was like stepping into a movie with everything already in motion and the critters of all kinds were enjoying the farm before me. I spotted this bird on a limb but I snapped the picture a split second too late. She was resting on this tiny broken twig that was barely hanging onto a large oak tree. Of all the places the bird could have landed, she picked the end of an (almost) fallen twig – probably the most vulnerable place of all. I’m not sure if birds get scared, or if this one in particular, was unsure of itself at all, but it reminded me of the Journey of Faith and how some people make it to the end of the twig and then fly away before God has a chance to “show up. Isn’t that just like my God to drive a Message into the Heart using a bird and a tiny twig?

If people would only spend more time waiting for God and the unfolding of His Master Plan INSTEAD of trying to intellectualize their circumstances, we would see more Warriors for Jesus Christ and fewer people of Faith spinning around in circles with no Direction at all. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone say “I know God wants me to…(fill in the blank)” – yet when I ask why they aren’t doing what God wants them to do, they always point fingers at God for not providing what they need to do what He “wants” them to do. I’m not the brightest bulb on earth by far, but I am absolutely confident that when God Calls us into Action He WILL always make a way. So, either they stepped out onto the twig – that vulnerable place – and flew away before they saw the Master Plan revealed OR God never “told” them anything in the first place. Before you know it, they’re off to the next twig and they’ll sit there briefly before they fly away to the next thing God “told them” to do…and lather, rinse, repeat. Flying away the second fear sets in or Intelluctualizing the circumstances (before we flee) takes NO FAITH at all! It’s ONLY when we’re willing to step out onto the twig and remain there until He makes the way that our Faith is built and our Journey is fulfilled.

Being out on the end of a twig isn’t scary at all as long as we focus on Him instead of our circumstances. After all, we know through the Testimonies of the long line of Saints that came before us that He is an 11th-hour God. God likes to be Glorified and there is no better way to get your attention and drive you into a Testimony than to make you wait until it is crystal clear that the Outcome could ONLY be GOD. Sitting out on that vulnerable twig is an important part of the Journey of Faith. Unfortunately, many people professing to Know Jesus fly away far too soon and they’ll fly around in circles all the days of their lives waiting for the Details and Direction their intellect needs. When Moses was out on a twig and faced with a sea too big to cross and a long line of angry people, He didn’t analyze the situation and then fly away because it made no sense. Instead, he cried out to God…and then God showed up at the 11th hour! He parted the sea, devoured the enemies, and delivered millions of His people and all of their livestock to dry ground. Look at God! He could easily have rerouted the Israelites to avoid the sea altogether but God chose to test them instead just so that He could be Glorified! If Moses had faltered while out on that twig…had Moses chosen to fly away because the circumstances didn’t make sense, the entire outcome of the Journey would have been changed forever and God wouldn’t be glorified. The treasures are found on the tips of the vulnerable twigs.

I’ve found myself at the end of a vulnerable twig plenty of times in my Life. In my earlier walk with Jesus, I intellectualized my circumstances and I’d fly away long before the Blessings out of fear or impatience. Today, I Know that the Greatest Testimonies are formed on the end of vulnerable twigs and that being out there is a place of Honor…not horror – that is IF we don’t fly away too soon…if we don’t succumb to fear…if we don’t try to figure out what God is doing…if we’re willing to step out onto that twig in absolute Faith…AND if we Trust Him to make a way when there seems to be no way. If you’re too scared to step out onto the twig, just stand by and watch me! I’ll be singing out on the twig and I won’t fly away before God makes His Master Plan for me perfectly clear AND I’ll be ready to share my Testimony from out on the twig and beyond.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s another cool but hazy morning but it sure looks good from where I sit and the Journey of Faith is crystal clear. I approached the Throne of a Mighty God to make my Requests known but all I could feel was sadness. Sadness for where we are as a country…as a people…as GOD’S people…as the Church. No amount of beauty I see from this front porch can possibly wash away the depravity of this dark world, but it’s where I find my Strength to face the darkness like the Warrior I was Created to be. The Bible tells me to live IN this world but not OF this world. That’s easier said than done sometimes because the ones doing the persecuting want everybody on board with their belief system. They kick and scream like demons in the presence of anyone who doesn’t buy what they’re selling and the more Truth they hear, the more they hate. But I serve the Master of Truth…the Holy One…the Creator of all things…and He commands me to share the Truth (in love) even when I’m hated. THAT’S why it’s so important to Refresh and Revive for the Journey of Faith every single day if I am to be the Warrior He’s called me to be. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey too?

I’m willing to pay the Price of the Journey of Faith – unfortunately not enough of us are. Oh, there are plenty of professed Christians who love to spit out scripture like venom instead of sharing Hope and Love and they’ll debate the persecutors just for the sake of entertainment. Anybody can do that. Then, there are plenty of professed Christians who sit in a prayer closet believing that if they cry out to God long enough on behalf of America that He will leave His Throne and fix everything for us. Anybody can do that. And then there are those familiar with Scripture and Know what the Bible says about how bad the world will be before the King returns and they rarely do anything at all as if God is OK with a passive approach to Life and death. Anybody can do that. But then there are people like me. People heartbroken for the SOUL of the lost ones and are not ashamed to speak the Truth in Love no matter the cost. I Know that my King wants His banquet table FULL and I know He commands me to do my part to fearlessly invite others to join us. In this world today, that takes FAITH. Isn’t that what we’re ALL called to do though? If there is any one thing that could result in the gate being too narrow for most, I believe this could be it.

Warning: You might want to stop reading now.

As for me, I know God hates PRIDE of any kind and for any reason so I won’t be celebrating “pride” this month! I also Know what God has to say about gender and sexuality and I won’t be bullied into defending (or celebrating) the ones so open about their sexual preferences…preferences that go against God’s Design. I Know that God doesn’t make mistakes and He’s never confused. He doesn’t accidentally give boys girl parts, and He doesn’t give girls boy parts. If only the confused ones could Know my God they’d find their peace and See how Perfect they are in His eyes! God cares a whole lot more about their soul than their perceptions or what they do for sexual fun…and because He does, I do too. The Bible says that God “is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore” so I wouldn’t bank on Him changing His mind, and His Word will never become obsolete. Just so you know, there is no need to spit insults at me…I’m just a Faithful and Willing messenger. I’m a Warrior in the name of Jesus Christ and I’m hated more and more each day because of it. I know how to do battle in ways that disarm all the ones caught up in lies and I know how to share the Truth in Love. So, if you don’t like the Rules, it’s God you need to be angry with. Take it up with Him. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

These “causes”…these spiritual battles…have no place in the market place BUT if corporations are crazy enough to take a stand to support less than 1/2 of 1% of America, so be it. I’ve already given up lots of things in His Name – giving up a cold beer, a visit to a retailer, baseball, or a host of other things won’t hurt me at all. I’m willing to do without in His Name and I’m willing to take one for the Jesus Team. After all, He died for me – the LEAST I can do is live for Him!

How about you?