Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a magnificent morning and I will “rejoice and be glad in it” no matter what…but I have a whole lot to celebrate today. A few victories. A few accomplishments. A few battles overcome. My family. My friends. My health. My sound mind. My Faith and a host of other things “too many to declare! But more than anything else in this world that I might celebrate on this glorious morning in Virginia, I Celebrate that I am a child of the Living God. My Heart overflows with gratitude when I consider that He chose me to be His own before the foundations of the earth. My Heart overflows with gratitude when I consider that the King of all kings paid the Price for a debt I could never pay on my own, and I don’t let one single day go by without giving Thanks for my special Place in the Master Plan. It’s that attitude of Gratitude that propels my Faith into Action and my Joy flows through me and into the world because of it. Isn’t that the way you feel about being a child of the Living God too?

I’m not sure why it seems to be so easy for people to take precious things in life for granted but I think it comes down to Gratitude. It’s true for our relationships…from our mates to our children – for our provisions to our paychecks – for our health to our Hope. Most people start out pretty excited and they don’t hesitate to express their gratitude because the Heart is still in overflow mode. But before too long things begin to lose luster and before you know it the very things they should be the most grateful for are the ones they neglect. Relationships become run-of-the-mill and the romance fades too quickly. Our children become just something that we do or something we can boast about and we stop treasuring the moments in the madness. Our provisions and our paychecks become something that we expect to always be there and we puff up and take credit for it all. Our health is rarely valued until we don’t have it anymore and we turn to someone else to fix it when it’s gone. But the most dangerous one to take for granted…the one that fuels every other aspect of life…the one that propels us with Gratitude is our Hope. It’s ONLY when we can see life through the eyes of God…when we can see our place in the Master Plan…when we can embrace the thought that we didn’t do anything to be worthy of being a child of the Living God and that we can’t do anything to cause Him to leave or forsake us that the Heart overflows and humility sets in and every second of every day is laced with Gratitude.

My heart overflows with Gratitude for the Living God and for the Plans that He has for my Life. When you see me you’ll see my Gratitude. When you talk to me you’ll hear about my Gratitude. I’m a child of the Living God and it shows.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. What the sun nourished yesterday was watered by rain overnight and everything has the look and the smell of new. This morning I read “He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me” and I wept when I read those Words because they reminded me of my Life. I am surrounded by beautiful space at this old farm, but my “spacious place” goes well beyond geography – my “spacious place” is the world because there are no boundaries when it comes to Him! He must “delight” in me somehow because He has “rescued me” in miraculous ways countless times and He has set a boundary line of Protection around my life. What a beautiful Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God…the world is my territory and He delights in me!

It can be so easy for people to refuse to step into that “spacious place” in every area of life – either because they like things just the way they are or they’re too fearful to venture outside of their comfort zone – either way, they miss out on the fullness of Life when they do. God doesn’t confine us to a small territory or a routine life…we do that to ourselves. God doesn’t have Limitations or Boundaries on where we can go or what we can accomplish…we place them there instead. God doesn’t restrict the number of lives we have the potential to Impact…we draw a line in the sand and refuse to go there instead. There is a “spacious place” ready and waiting for everybody but He won’t force us into it BUTHe’ll lead us there if we allow Him to. I wonder what it looks like from where God sits to see His people sitting still and drawing limitations around their lives because they Refuse to let Him take them to a “spacious place?”

A whole lot of people proclaim to have put their Trust in Jesus Christ, but I’m not totally convinced that’s true when you see them sitting still. It takes Trust to step out into that “spacious place” and it takes Trust to be willing to do whatever we can do so that He may be “delighted” in us. It takes Trust to believe in those “invisible” boundary lines of Protection and it takes Trust to keep moving when we aren’t sure where we’ll end up. It takes Trust to reach for the stars and to Believe that we have Purpose and it takes Trust to do His Will even if it doesn’t make sense to the human mind. When you think about it, it takes Trust to do anything and everything in His name! Is it possible to Trust Him and NOT Trust Him with our lives? Believing in that two-sided “truth” will find many people in eternal torment one day because a life Surrendered to Jesus Christ is a Life based on Absolute Trust.

God used a few simple Words from the Best Selling Book of all Time this morning to Encourage me and I’ll be repeating those Words all day long. I reside in a “spacious place” that brings joy to me and so many others, but my “real” spacious place is Service that I do in His Name and THAT space has no boundaries. I won’t know on this side of Heaven what impact I’ve had in my “spacious place” but I take Joy when I think that King of all kings delights in me and I’m filled with Peace because I know He’ll always rescue me.

How about you?

Psalm 18:19-21

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;

he rescued me because he delighted in me.

20 The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;

I am not guilty of turning from my God.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My soul is Refreshed after my time with the Living God this morning, and I my Path has been made Straight with His Word. I’m not JUST a Follower of Jesus Christ…I’m a Warrior, and Warriors take a few more “hits” in this Life than all the others. As a Warrior, I need to be Strong, Ready, Bold, and Fearless…but more than any of the Characteristics that I need to be a Good Warrior…I need to be Kind and Compassion too. It’s not an easy combination to be Bold and Kind all at the same time, and I can’t do it on my own. So, I step into the Presence of my Mighty and Loving God each day to Prepare myself for War and to take on His Character as best I can…and THAT’S where I find the Balance, the Strength AND the Compassion to do what He has for me to do. Isn’t that the way you find your Balance too?

It can be so easy to lose our Balance when we’re faced with adversity, or when we find ourselves in conflict with another. But anybody can roll over and play dead in the midst of the trials and Tribulations, and most people are good at lashing out when they’re feeling hurt or offended. Most of the time when we’re faced with these things, our truest character can show itself in a split second. Some are cowards and they refuse to “get involved” even if the Battle has the potential to harm someone else. Some people spit out insults without blinking an eye, and those words can never be reversed once they’re spoken. Some people point fingers and spin the situation in the direction they want it to go in, or in the direction they THOUGHT you were heading in even when you weren’t. Some people think they’ve been given the supernatural ability to read minds or to test motives, so they think they already know where you’re coming from without you speaking a word. Some people gear up and stay so busy defending their own position that they never stop to hear what yours is at all. Some people have perfected being passive-aggressive and they’ll pout or go silent in the midst of the conflict because they know that it hurts more when they do. There are plenty of people who are entertained by conflict, and they’ll do anything to keep it going – because as long as it’s going they are sure to have your attention…which is all they’re really looking for in the first place. No matter what’s going on or who it’s going on with, the Battle can’t be won when we rely on our own words or our own feelings to get the job done. It takes a Warrior to do battle God’s way. A Warrior that has been Prepared through time spent in the Presence of the One they “fight” for, and a Warrior equipped with the only Words that ever really matter. A Warrior willing to speak up and a Warrior consumed with Compassion. That’s the ONLY way a Battle is ever really one and it’s the ONLY way to Glorify God when we’re at War. Putting on boxing gloves and slinging insults has no place in the Life of a Warrior because War is ONLY ever won with Truth and Love.

There are all kinds of battles we face in this Life, but there is only ever ONE War. There are all kinds of conflicts with all kinds of people that we’ll face along the way too, but there’s only ever ONE enemy. I don’t pick fights and I don’t open a can of worms just so that I can speak Truth. I don’t like conflict and I guard my Peace with everything I’ve got, BUT when God throws me into a situation where I have the choice to be tolerant while His Name and His Character are being questioned OR to stand Firm for Truth…I’m called to be a Warrior. Because I know my enemy very well, I know his subtle ways and I know what he’s up to when he attempts to bend the Truth. Because I know what’s at risk if I stay silenced and if I’m willing to do nothing all in the name of “tolerance” I know when and how to Speak the Truth as a Warrior for God Almighty. I’m not afraid and I’m not worried about being popular. I’m not the Judge or the jury and don’t express what others might perceive to be my “opinions”; I stand up for the Judge and speak for the Truth no matter the consequences I might face in this world because of it. I don’t “hate” others because they don’t believe what I believe…I have Christ-like Compassion for them and I care enough about their Future to speak the Truth to them at all costs. He is my God and I am His Chosen Warrior. I am an Ambassador for the One who hung the stars in the sky and knows them each by name. I am a Child of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob! I know that if He sent His Son to die for me so that I might have Eternal Life, I need to be willing to die for Him if I’m ever faced with that too. I’m Bold, I’m Strong, I’m Compassionate, I’m Kind AND I’m a Warrior. I’ll be doing battle in His Name for as long as I have life, and when I draw my last weary breath, THEN I’ll see my Victory face-to-face and maybe I’ll hear “well done, good and faithful servant”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I had a lot on my mind when my feet hit the floor today, but all that changed when I met with Master of my Life. In just a matter of minutes, my focus went from thoughts of all those things “pulling” at my Life to being instantly Transitioned into nothing but Pure Love and Praise for a God so amazing He defies words. It’s incredible how that happens when we meet Him with a Surrendered Heart. I know that as long as I’m consistent (and sometimes persistent) just a few minutes with Jesus can change my entire Attitude and He can “set my path straight” like nothing else. As long as I do my Part He’ll always do His. It’s a mystery to me why everybody doesn’t do their Part when Life is so Beautiful AND SO much easier when we do.

It boggles the mind how so many people don’t necessarily want to do what’s best for them no matter how good the good is – from turning their life over to the One that Gave them Life in the First Place, to how to be healthier, how to live drama-free, and even to how to have good relationships. It’s almost as if they’re so driven to live Life according to their own purpose that they don’t care what price they have to pay because of it… and they’ll continue down that same path no matter how much they’ve been warned. If they fail, they fail. If they hurt, they hurt. If they’re broke, they’ll stay that way. If they are destined for Eternity separated from God, they’re ready to face the consequences…or at least they THINK they are. If they truly understood what that separation from God will look like, maybe they’d change their mind. I hurt for them because I KNOW how Beautiful AND how easy life could be for them if they quit trying to live it their way and Determine to Live it His Way instead.

Sometimes when people die others comment on what a hard life they had. I can’t help but wonder how much of the “hard life” was self-inflicted by a hard head or a hard heart….or better yet, why that “hard life” wasn’t Transformed into a sweet Testimony instead. God gives us plenty of Trials to build our Endurance…how we come out on the other side of the Trial has everything to do with the Heart. When the Heart is in Good Condition, we accept that there was a Good Purpose in those Trials instead of whining about the Journey. I can’t recall how many times I’ve heard the song “I Did It My Way” played at a funeral or how many times I’ve cried when I heard it. God gives us Free Will and plenty of Responsibility for our Direction but living a life “My Way” is nothing to brag about at all. Living a life His Way is the only way to genuine Peace and Joy no matter how much fun those people think they had.

I began this new day of a new week primed to do things “my way” UNTIL I spent some Quality Time with the One Who gave me Life and He set my Path straight all over again. No matter what happens today, I know everything will go According to Plan and my Heart will follow His Lead through it all.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day and I’m armed and ready for whatever comes my way after my Time with the Living God. Things beyond the view from this porch aren’t always beautiful, so I Know that if I’m going to endure what He has for me to endure and if I’m going to Bless a suffering soul in the process, it always comes down to being One with Him. I don’t have it in me to run the race of Life alone, but I have HIM IN ME – and with Him, there’s nothing I can’t do and no pain too great for me. I’m like a Walking Billboard for what Victory looks like and I make sure that my world hears about the Power of my God day after day after day. Isn’t that the way you live out your Faith too?

There’s no avoiding tribulation even though some people would have you believe that they have. Some people hide their lives so far from the rest of the world…and so deep within their hearts…that it would take a sledgehammer to break it free. Some people don’t believe that our trials and tribulations are “anybody’s business” as if people of Faith don’t have them, and as if there’s some kind of shame if they do. But Jesus DIED for the shame…past, present, and future, and Tribulation is where growth takes place! God NEVER stops refining the Character He needs to see in us in order for us to be Vessels for Him! The Bible says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” That’s the goal!

Some people square their shoulders and walk around as if they’ve managed to escape the hardships, and some of them have even convinced themselves that God is showing more favor to them than He does all the rest of us because they’re anointed. But nobody escapes trials and tribulations in this life ESPECIALLY if they’re going to be used by a Mighty God because it’s the fire that refines the gold. Those trials and tribulations ALWAYS have a multi-faceted Purpose from a multi-faceted God and weren’t intended to be hidden behind closed doors. How can a Mighty God be glorified through secrets and how can we offer Hope to a suffering soul unless they can see and hear about what God has done through our darkest hours?

The world beyond the front porch of this old farm is filled with trials and tribulations and it sure would be easy to hoard up at the farm and to ignore the pain and the darkness of it all. But I wasn’t Created to hoard up or to shut up and neither were you! God didn’t accidentally place me in this Life at just the right moment in time without Good reason, and He didn’t accidentally place you here without Good reason either. God doesn’t fill my world with only sweet, pleasurable things and He won’t fill yours like that either – regardless of what you’ve convinced yourself of! God hasn’t Refined me through Fire without Good Reason. He hasn’t made a mistake or left His Throne..He never has and never will. He doesn’t “play” with people like a cat plays with a mouse…He has Purpose for allowing the trials in your Life and He is patiently waiting for you to glorify Him by telling the world about His work in your life! How will you glorify Him if you keep Victories hidden away like a secret that shouldn’t be shared? This is the Key to a Powerful Testimony for Jesus Christ that can be used to lead a lost soul into His arms quicker than you can say “amen”. When you look at it that way, how could you NOT share your Journey with the world?

Sometimes it takes a season to recover from the pain beyond the front porch, but it’s never OK to sick back and to lick my wounds because of it. Instead, the hardness of my life has served to soften my Heart and I’ve been Tenderized by the King for Good reasons beyond anything my human mind can comprehend. ALL things work together for Good….if we let them.

I don’t understand it all, but I DO understand that I could do nothing without Him. Without Him, I would have no Hope. Without Him, I wouldn’t know what Victory looks like. Without Him, my Heart wouldn’t have been softened for the Journey. So, from where I sit, I know that all of those Trials and Tribulations Served a Purpose BEYOND me and they’ve “all worked together for Good” because I LOVE Him and I’ve been called according to His Purpose. He EXPECTS me to share my Journey (and all the ugliness that was turned into the most Beautiful Treasure) with all those suffering souls. NOT to whine…but to encourage. To offer Hope. To be a Living Testimony of the Power of a Mighty God! I’m what Victory looks like!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. No matter how many mornings I step outside to watch the Master wake up the world, I see something new every day. No matter how many times I read through the Words breathed into existence by the Living God I see something new every time. No matter how many times we Meet for me to give my Praise and my thanks, I learn something new about my Journey each time. Every day is filled with New when you look at Life with a Heart for Him and no two days are ever the same. The only constant…the only thing that NEVER changes in my Life is Him…my God is the same “yesterday, today and forevermore”…He’s the “Beginning and the End.” When you have One Constant in a sea of New things how could anybody ever get bored?

It’s amazing to see how easy it is for most people to get bored in a Life filled with New, but they do. Some people need entertainment as much as they need air, and the only time they’re ever really satisfied is when something or someone “fun” is around to satisfy their need for fun. They want to be on the go as much as possible as if they’re running from something in life. Some people schedule activities from sun up to sun down and in their eyes, the weekends were invented just for their own pleasure. In between the activities, they’re on the phone or the television or radio is sounding off in the background because the thought of silence makes their skin crawl so they fill it all up with noise. Some people don’t believe it’s possible to have fun without alcohol, so their entertainment almost always includes an abundance of it. I can’t imagine how exhausting it must be to work so hard to be entertained just to be sure there’s no chance of ever getting bored. But the saddest part to me is that the Sweetest Things in Life are found in those still and quiet moments that the “bored” ones are missing out on because of their need for self-fulfillment.

God doesn’t have a problem with fun, that’s for sure! His Word says “So I commend the enjoyment of life because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry”. The first Miracle Jesus performed was turning water into wine at a wedding when they ran out and Jesus clearly loved to break bread with His friends. I’m also sure that God didn’t mean for us to fill life up ONLY for our own enjoyment and I know He loves to meet with us in silence. Life is filled with beauty, fun, and amazing people, and I like to have a good time just like the rest of the world does sometimes. But if you want to see me REALLY entertained join me in the quiet places…without distractions…where conversations flow freely…where Trust is built…where wounds are healed… where laughter abounds…where every word is heard…where Hearts are fused together forever. Now THAT’S entertainment for me!

I watched the Master wake up the world the way I have a thousand times before…and I gave thanks for the New. I heard the birds singing a new song…and I gave thanks for it all. I read pieces of His Word that I’ve read countless times before….and I gave thanks for the new Message. Today I’ll hear from my family and friends that I’ve heard from a million times before…and I’ll give thanks for a new day to hear their voices all over again. Bored? NEVER! With the quality of Life that I have in the Silence, how in the world could I EVER be bored?

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cloudy, and they’re calling for rain later today, but it’s still perfect in my eyes. As I sat listening for the Call of My Shepherd, He entertained me with many things. A lone turkey crossing the field. A woodpecker feeding off a stump. A deer that had wandered away from the herd and one little Canadian goose flying solo. Each one looked healthy and strong but then again I can’t see the inside of them and they can’t speak to me. I’m pretty sure every living thing has aches and pains every once in a while but nature doesn’t stop to lick its wounds when it does – it keeps moving forward in survival mode instead. It’s not really about whether we have aches and pains or not that matters…everybody does at some point in life…it’s what we do despite the aches and pains that matters in the Journey of Life. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

The Bible says “Gray hair is a crown of glory” but most of the world doesn’t look at it that way. At the first sign of gray hair, they’re off to get it covered as if they will somehow look and feel younger if they do. At the first sign of wrinkled skin, they’re off to buy expensive miracle creams or to hire a plastic surgeon to make the wrinkles go away as if they will somehow look and feel younger if they do. At the first sign of an unexplainable ache or pain, they’re off to search for answers as if aches and pains only exist if something dreadful is going on. What is it about mankind that it wants to live a long life BUT it doesn’t want to see or feel the years? When David cried out to the Lord – “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come” – he was a lot more interested in having time to declare the Power of God to the world than he was about the years. Declaring the power of God to the next generation is the greatest Joy…through the gray hair, wrinkles aches and pains and THIS is the Key to a long, and fulfilling life.

I have the Heart of a young woman with a body that reminds me that I’m not IF I let it. I have enough aches and pains to keep me Humble BUT nothing will cause me to slow down to lick my wounds. I don’t conjure up scary things in my mind when I’m not feeling well and I don’t expect to take medications that I can’t even pronounce. Long years are a BLESSING and I’m going to Live like it, Love like it, and continue to run my race until I draw my last breath. Why? Because there is no greater Joy than to share the Power of my God with the next generation 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 a perfect morning to step into the Presence of my Perfect God and to read His Perfect Word. The sky isn’t blue and the sun isn’t bright but that doesn’t make it any less perfect to me. It’s always Beautiful from where I sit in Life and every day is a Blessing. That part has absolutely nothing to do with geography and everything to do with where I choose to be in the Journey of Faith. But, with a view like the one from the front porch, it’s hard to imagine that bad things are going on in the world all around me, and it’s not easy to understand how and why fear is so prevalent among God’s people. The perfect view from the front porch DOES help in calming my soul, but absolutely nothing compares to being in the Presence of my Perfect God…the One who scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name. He calls me by name…I am His…how could I fear? In these tumultuous times, it’s more important than ever for me to spend time with Him…to Acknowledge Him in all my ways so that He can direct my path…to do my Part to reach the lost…and to Battle like the Warrior I was Designed to be for my Perfect God. Isn’t that how you look at your Journey of Life these days too?

When I look at all that has taken place in the world over the last few years, I realize just how weak the flock is and why Jesus refers to us as “sheep.” Sheep aren’t the brightest beasts in the kingdom and without a shepherd, they don’t have sense enough to find their way without help. They’re jumpy and scared, and defenseless on their own – very similar to their human friends today. Although they don’t know much about survival, it’s when they hear the shepherd’s voice they instinctively know they are being watched over and they take notice because they’re too afraid not to – unlike their human friends today. What we’re seeing take place in the world today should come as no surprise to the Flock, but instead of listening out even MORE for the Voice of our Shepherd, we’re trading Truth for what we want to believe and we’re scattered (and divided) as a result.

In this divided world, each side is clinging to the truth they want to believe instead of the Perfect Truth of God’s Word, while each side points a finger at the other as they shout “liar!” The Future has already been written and the End is already Planned. All of it is being Managed by the God who sits on the Throne. He doesn’t make mistakes and He doesn’t change His mind but He’s always compassionate. He’s already told us what to Expect. We’ve already been warned about the trials and tribulations. His Word already told us that we would be divided while people exchange Truth for a lie! But we don’t need to be afraid like a furry sheep afraid of its own shadow because WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING we need to fight the Battle. This is the Key to Peace and Perserence in the tumultuous world today.

I can see how it’s possible for people who THOUGHT they were headed to Heaven to hear “I never knew you” when they face the Perfect Sheperd One Day because I see how easily some have traded listening out for the Voice of the Shepherd for listening out for their manmade version of the truth. On that day those people will say “But Lord, we prophesied in your name…we healed your name” as if they can negotiate the terms of their Eternity. But the Sheperd knows the Heart of His flock and He sees behind the scenes. He sees when His sheep are filled with fear and He sees when they’re leaning on outside sources. He sees how His sheep hunger for the latest conspiracy update far more than they hunger for His Perfect Word. He sees when His sheep Bless and curse out of the same mouth those people made in His image, and He sees the hate fueling their belief system. Those poor sheep are just as pathetic as their furry friends in the field…completely lost and scattered and desperately in need of the Voice of the Shepherd. The biggest difference is that sheep KNOW the voice of their shepherd while the Perfect Shepherd’s flock is lost and His Voice has become so foreign to them that they don’t even recognize it anymore.

The sky isn’t blue and the sun isn’t bright this morning but it’s absolutely Perfect to me! I wish everybody could have what I have; a Peaceful beginning to a new day, an Unshakable Belief System, Unwavering Faith in the Perfect Shepherd, and Peace that surpasses all understanding in a lost world. Having what I have is not (just) a Blessing, it’s a choice. I choose to get my Predictions from the Word of God and I choose to take my Direction from His Spirit. I choose to stay laser-focused on the Perfect Word and my Perfect God and I choose to tune out all those set on stirring confusion and hate. I choose to do my Part to reach the Heart of the flock and I choose to share the Perfect Solution with the lost ones before it’s too late. He’s my rock. He’s my redeemer. He’s my hope. He’s my future…forever and ever, Amen!

How about you?

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

It’s Mother’s Day, and as I looked across the front porch this morning, these four rocking chairs all lined up reminded me of my four amazing children. Each one is unique, and each one with a personality of their own. None of them are in perfect alignment with the others, and none of them are concerned about being in precisely the same place where the others are in life. They “rock” in their own direction and at their own pace, but they never rock too far away from the farm or away from each other. When they’re seated in the rockers on this old porch, there is laughter, love, and an endless supply of memories to share, and when one of the rockers is empty, the other ones feel the void. They are strong enough to bear the burdens of this life and yet they are gentle enough to rock a baby to sleep. They’ve endured the wind and the rains of life together, and although every once in a while a strong wind will scatter one in the opposite direction, the others stay right where they are, and before you know it the scattered one finds its way back to the line-up.

My heart was filled with love and gratitude this morning as I considered my “rockers” and all of those answered prayers for them over the years, AND for a family filled with so much love, it’s almost tangible.

There’s no doubt that I’ll hear words of love and appreciation on Mother’s Day, but every day feels like Mother’s Day to me. If there are any “thanks” to be dished out, it’s ME who should be doing the thanking.

Thanks to a Mighty God who honored the prayers of this Mom over and over and over again.

Thanks to a God who chose me to be the vessel to bring these four amazing creatures into the world, and Who trusted me to bring them up in His ways and not my own.

Thanks to a God who gave me wisdom abundantly any time I asked for it, and One who gave me strength when I was tired and weary from the journey.

Thanks to a compassionate God who was the “Father to the fatherless” and Who led this family every step of the way.

Thanks to a God who has kept them healthy and safe day after day, and for a God who planted the Seed of Faith in each one of them.

Thanks to a God who taught me to die to myself and One who used the opportunity to soften my heart through my children so that I would be softened for the King of all kings.

Being a Mom has been, and will forever be, the greatest and the most significant thing I’ve ever done and the source of so many spiritual lessons for me. The fruit of my labor overwhelms me and I know that the legacy of love, laughter, and Faith will go on from generation to generation.

I’ll never know on this side of Heaven just how far-reaching that legacy will be but thinking about it makes me smile. So on Mother’s Day…it’s ME who gives thanks for it all. For my four beautiful “rockers” and for the God of it all.

My kids are grown, but my role as “Mom” won’t end until I take my last breath. I’ll be around whenever they need me and I’ll still savor every single moment I have. I’ll long for the days for these rockers to be filled back up, and I’ll wait patiently in between those times. Mostly I’ll be praying without ceasing just like I have since the day they were born, and I’ll be sharing a legacy of love, laughter, and Faith while I plant a few seeds in the next generation too.

Happy Mother’s Day to me and to you!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a clear and cool day in Virginia so I wrapped a blanket around myself and met with the Master outside where my Heart is happiest. I began to focus on what He’s doing in the world around me before we examined my Heart. I’m not sure if God gets impatient with me when that happens or not, but I get impatient with myself sometimes when I allow my mind to overrule my Heart because I know I’m in control of my mind! This morning I kept focusing on the trees that have recently been set free from vines…invasive vines that had the potential to completely choke them out. If I didn’t know better, I’d think they are standing taller and stronger these days because they’ve been set free! Isn’t that just the way it is in our Journey of Life too? The trees are strong but they can have the life choked out of them if the vines are allowed to continue to grow…and so can my Heart! What an amazing Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God who Speaks to my Heart even when my mind wanders. Isn’t that the way He speaks to your Heart too?

It can be so easy for us to believe that we’re bigger and stronger than we really are, or that we’re immune from being snuffed out by the vines because we’re “mature”…but that’s not true. One little vine in the Journey of Faith that’s allowed to grow unchecked and we lose our strength faster than we can say “amen.” It takes years for a tree to reach maturity but it takes no time at all for a vine, and as “innocent” as the vine looks on the outside, it has the “power” to snuff the life out of the tree. Vines are persistent and resilient and they won’t go away on their own, and that’s precisely the way it is with the vines in Life too. Even the strongest “tree” can succumb to the vines if we don’t take Action of our own to snuff out the vine before it snuffs out the Heart. I know how to battle the vines on the trees but more importantly, I know how to battle the ones that creep into my mind too! Though God Nourishes my Heart and Soul, He expects ME to “take captive every thought” so that I can address the vines all on my own. So, I do what I’m told to do – “Demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” There’s not a vine in the universe that can survive that kind of Weed Control!

I did a little Spiritual Weed Control this morning and now that the vines are no longer creeping into my mind – they are no threat to me whatsoever. Had I let those vines go unchecked, I would become bitter and cold and these things have no place in the Life of a Follower of Jesus Christ. Of all the “tools” I could use to tackle the vines in my mind, Humility is the greatest Weapon of all. After all, it takes Humility to admit that sometimes we let the vines creep into the mind in the first place! I’m Strong and I’m Mature…Mature enough to know that even I can fall subject to the “vines” if I’m not careful…and Mature enough to know how to do MY part to remove them. I’m taking “captive” every thought that is intended to discourage me and I’m Victorious…again. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, I’m standing taller and Stronger just like the trees are because I’ve been set FREE!

How about you?