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?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. If I searched every word in my vocabulary I’m not sure I could adequately describe the morning sky of this new day. It’s a little cool, a little hazy, and a little mysterious looking. There is one deer in the field ahead…at least just one that I can see. With a large herd of deer so close by I’m always curious when one wanders off alone. It’s amazing how what I see outside impacts the inside of me and my time with the Living God, and how He speaks to me through the simplest things. When I approached the Throne of my God this morning and I opened up His Word, He sent a Sweet Reminder to me of how easy it is to lose our way when we surround ourselves with things (and people) that drag us down instead of lifting us up. I read about how to guard my mind, and my Life and my Soul. I was Instructed on how to think, how to Love, and how to Live. If there’s anything I will need to guard myself against today, it’s anyone determined to rob me of my Peace. My Heart is Right (in part) because it is continuously guarded against anyone set on discouraging me today because I am certain of where those “tactics” come from. My adversary would LOVE to have me stopped and he will use whoever he can to discourage me in the Journey of Faith. Isn’t that the way you look at your Life too?

Being a woman of Faith comes with lots of responsibility, none of which I could handle if I just relied on myself and my own Ability. It requires Love and Patience and Compassion…and sometimes tolerance too…IF I want to be a Light in this dark world, that is. It requires that I focus more on the person than I do on their “wrongs” and sometimes that’s not easy when we encounter the “difficult ones”. It requires that I “be nice” even when they aren’t so nice to me, and it requires that I “turn the other cheek” when they wrong me. My Purpose in this Life is much bigger than anything I can totally understand on this side of Heaven, but I do understand this – there can be no doubt in the mind of a Christian that the Biggest Part of our Purpose is to be a Good Ambassador for the Living God. So, how I handle myself, how I treat others, how I react to conflict, and how I Love through it all is a Priority of mine, and it takes a lot of Work on me and a lot of Time with Him to even begin to pull this off in a way that Pleases Him. There is a balance between being a “Stepford Christian”…one that just merely exists and one that follows the crowd instead of thinking and Living for Him…and a Christian on a Mission to please the God of all Creation. I know that God won’t care about how many Bible studies I attended or how many prayers I prayed IF I’m not Willing to Live for Him, and if I refuse to be an Ambassador for Him while I’m here. I don’t put in the Effort because I’m afraid, or brainwashed, or because I Live under the “bondage” of Rules….I put in the Effort because He’s the Love of my Life and THAT’S what Love looks like. As a woman of Faith I am a Child of the Living God… I am Royalty, and I am Worthy, and I take my Role very seriously. While I am called to be Kind, and Compassionate and Love Unconditionally, I’m also expected to draw boundaries around those “difficult ones” that are determined to rob me of my Peace, and when I walk away it’s not “cold”…it’s God Designed.

It seems to be pretty easy for people to pull the Christian “trump card” whenever they are unhappy with someone else or whenever they want to manipulate a situation. Some people can be so toxic that they can almost suck the life out of you without even trying, and when you draw a Boundary Line around your Peace they are quick to say “That’s not being a good Christian”. Some people use their Faith like a weapon, so quick to remind another about what God says about this, or what God thinks about that, whenever they want to change the behavior of another without changing their own. Some people use fear tactics and some people use guilt tactics and some people will go so far as to suggest that you aren’t a Christian at all when things aren’t going well between you. Some people attempt to hold you hostage in the relationship when they paint a picture of God that fits their own way of thinking, and they’ll warn you that God won’t be happy with you for whatever it is as if they are Judge and jury. There is no end to how many times the Christian “trump card” can be played by those “difficult ones”, that’s for sure. But I serve the God who Breathed His Rules into existence and I Know them pretty well. I Know that Christ had little patience and less tolerance for the Pharisees when they played the Christian “trump card” because of their irresistible urge to judge and control. I am Confident in my Role and I understand my Mission…and when I draw boundaries around those people so eager to get my attention and to draw me into their schemes I’m not being “less” of a Christian…I’m doing what God tells me to do in those situations instead.

When the Disciples of Jesus set out to visit their hometowns to share the Good News with their people, Christ warned them that they would face opposition and that there would be plenty of their close friends and family that would go against them because of their beliefs. He didn’t instruct them to stick around his friends and family no matter what, and I don’t think He would have been pleased had they surrendered to the manipulation or guilt trips from the others. Instead, Christ told them to “kick the dust off their feet” and to keep moving forward in His Name. “Kicking the dust off” in those days could best be described as a sign of disgust and a way of saying “NEXT” in biblical times. “Kicking the dust off” was definitely a way of making a statement. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and if He warns us about the company we keep…about how we’re inclined to stumble when we surround ourselves with people intent on taking our peace…if He told those closest to Him to walk away from their own people for not being willing to Listen; I’m pretty sure that He’s okay with me when I walk away from the Christian “trump card” players too when they set out to manipulate OR discourage me…as long as I Love them, I forgive them, and I remember to pray for their hardened hearts.

I’m going to enjoy every minute of this beautiful day with a Heart that’s been Tenderized by the King and Prepared by my God. I’ll love big, I’ll laugh often, and I’ll have a tender Heart for ALL people. I’ll speak the Truth, and I’ll be willing to ask for Forgiveness and I’ll be forgiving others too. But what I WON’T be doing is surrounding myself with thoughts of defeat…I’ll be thinking and Believing in Victory instead. I won’t be spending my time with people who set out to discourage me in my Journey…those so willing to toss out the Christian “trump card” whenever they want my attention. I’ll pray for them and I’ll be hoping that they can find their way to Fulfillment from the Living God instead of relying on that “trump card” to rule their world.

How about you?

Isaiah 54:17 NKJV

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and if I want to be sure that I’m Prepared for whatever the Lord has for me, then I need to begin it ALL with Him. So, I sat in His Presence, I gave thanks for who He is and what He does for me, I poured out my Heart, I confessed my sins, and I sang a few songs of praise in my Heart. When I opened my eyes to take in the beauty around me one more time, I saw that the sun shining through the leaves on this very full tree and it left light on the ground where it managed to break through. There were some big breakthroughs and some little breakthroughs and the sun beat down on this tree as if to illuminate them. The breakthroughs in Life come by way of the Light too and everything we need to grow and bear fruit is found in the Truth of the Living Word…AND He’ll “light it up” too anytime we desire to be Taught. Isn’t it just like God to use His own sun to drive home a message to me this morning?

Most people in this world are content just to be average but I’m not one of them. It was never enough for me to be an average worker at the office…I put in the effort to be the BEST and I was rewarded with the fruit of the Labor. It wasn’t enough for me to be an average Mom…I put in the work to be the BEST I could be for my Treasures and I Know that the fruit of my Labor will last for generations to come. I did not labor in vain. As a child of the Living God, hand-picked to be one of His own, I want all that God has for me. I see warning signs all over His Word about what the future looks like for those who are just along for the ride – content to sit on the sidelines – so I make sure that’s not what the future looks like for me. I pour Him into me and before you know it, He pours right back out of me…I BEAR FRUIT. I have no interest in the sidelines – I want to be on the Frontline so I put in the work to make sure that my Heart is Ready and that my Life is bearing Fruit. The Journey of Faith is “evidenced” by good fruit being born day in and day out. If there is no fruit, that’s a pretty good indicator of someone content to just go along for the ride…and the Future isn’t nearly as bright for them as think it is.

When a tree stops bearing fruit the farmer gets busy trying to figure out what went wrong. The farmer has a lot invested in each one and he will never be content with a tree that’s not bearing fruit. Most of the time the tree stopped producing because it was somehow malnourished, lacking the nutrients it needs to have the strength to bear fruit at all. Once the farmer takes the steps to give the tree the nourishment it desperately needs to be a good bearer of fruit, the tree will become part of the land of the living again. If it never bears fruit again, it is removed so that it doesn’t take away from the rest of the orchard. A dead tree has no purpose whatsoever. It’s too bad we don’t look at the Journey of Faith the way a farmer looks at a tree. If we notice a tree isn’t bearing fruit we should do everything in our power to give the “tree” what it needs to mature so that it can bear fruit. After that, if there is no fruit naturally coming forth from the tree that has been Given everything it needs to Grow, it’s safe to assume it’s dead, and it’s time to plant seeds all over again. What’s true for nature is True for the Journey of Faith…if there is no fruit, there is no sign of Life.

I Nourish my Faith with the Living God the same way a farmer nourishes his crops. My Life depends on Him and I have no future without Him, so He is the center of my world and I refuse to be content or to labor in vain. I give the Living God the First and the Best of me because I LOVE Him more than anyone or anything else – as a result, my Life bears fruit. There isn’t anything “average” about my Journey of Faith and you won’t find me on the sidelines hoping for a Future with Him…you’ll find me Living out the Purpose He created just for me instead. Besides, with so many seemingly dead trees out there, there is plenty of work for me to do in His Name. I want everybody to Know who I Know and to have what I have and I want the world overflowing with beautiful Fruit. What I have isn’t rocket science and it can’t be intellectualized even though plenty of people try to. All it ever really takes to bear the Best Fruit FOREVER is the Right seed, and Proper Nourishment all the days of your Life.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s crystal clear and cool this morning and except for a little fog lifting off the ground, it looks the same as it did yesterday morning. But no two days are ever the same when it comes to the Journey of Faith and no two days should ever be compared. As I sat in His Presence to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known to the King of all kings, I thought about how every single day since the beginning of Time has been set aside from all the others in every imaginable way – and I became overwhelmed just thinking about it. It didn’t take long for me to ask for Forgiveness for not savoring each one and Forgiveness for the countless ones I squandered along the way – and in no time at all, I was more excited than ever for the one I’ll be Living for Him today – a unique day from all the others since the beginning of Time.

It can be so easy to take everything for granted if we aren’t careful but we risk losing the Beauty of what God Intended when we do. Sometimes the Beauty is lost for a short season, and sometimes it’s lost forever if we carelessly allow each day to blend into all the others without Savoring each one for what it is. Sometimes relationships fizzle out and die when the days are taken for granted and the heart overlooks the need to savor the Love. Sometimes the beauty gets lost when we live for what “used to be” and sometimes it gets squandered when we dwell on what “ought to be” instead of embracing each one with Gratitude for what it is today…right now…a Unique day filled with Unique opportunities…a day of New Beginnings for all. Nothing we can do will change the countless yesterdays we selfishly squandered, but what today and tomorrow will become comes down to how we’ll Determine to live out each one moving forward…in Celebration of a Unique day filled with Unique opportunities OR just another day like all the rest?

I’m excited about this New Day – a day, unlike all the other days I’ve lived so far in the span of my entire Life. I’m excited about the new Opportunities to shine the Light of my Faith as bright as the morning sun for those God places in my path today – and I’m REALLY excited about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them. I won’t squander this Unique day from sun up to sun down, and I won’t take anything or anyone for granted. I’ll be kind and compassionate. I’ll extend forgiveness when it’s needed. I’ll share the Truth every chance He gives me, and I’ll smile from the inside out all day long. And if anything threatens to rob me of my Joy today, I’ll put on my armor and Fight like the Warrior I am. It’s a day unlike any other day since the beginning of Creation and I’m filled with wonder like a child on a Christmas morning because of it!

How about you?