Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My morning routine has been off kilter for a few days and although I didn’t meet with the Living God at sunrise from the front porch, He was ready and waiting for me when I turned to Him just like He always is. This old farm represents far more to me than just a magnificent piece of property – it’s “holy ground” in my eyes and in the eyes of so many others who have experienced it for themselves. But even more than that, it’s “level ground” for me where I see my Journey of Faith with clarity and where I’m strengthened to Speak the Truth to the masses. Like David before me, “my feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation, I will praise the Lord. Isn’t that the way the Journey of Faith looks to you too?

I love the mountains and the rolling hills BUT it’s on level ground where we find the most benefit. It’s on level ground that we can see what lies ahead and it’s on level ground where we can recognize danger. It’s on level ground where we can see someone coming from far away, and it’s on level ground where we build the strongest foundations. When it comes to the Journey of Faith, it’s on “level ground” where we brace ourselves for whatever comes our way and it’s on that “level ground” where we find our Stability so that we are Prepared for whatever it is. On the level ground, we can see what our enemy is up to from far away and we can face the enemy and WIN because there is no hiding there. When David faced Goliath it was on level ground, and although the stature of the giant would have overwhelmed an average man, David could see clearly that Victory was his and he braced himself for the win. Standing on level ground is the only way people of Faith can battle giants and it’s the only place to find Peace in the turmoil of war.

I recently taught about how the Journey of Faith is a collision course (verses and obstacle course) and that we are called to face the “giants” head-on. Anybody can dodge danger, and sometimes they can avoid it, but it takes a warrior like David to face the giants head-on. It takes a Brave One like David to choose the level ground where we can see the enemy and we know he can see us. It takes a Confident Warrior to plant our feet firmly on the ground refusing to run and hide from an enemy we KNOW can’t win if we’re willing to face it head-on.

I’m standing on level ground and I’m proclaiming the righteousness of my Amazing God as I fight the Ultimate Battle on behalf of someone else. I won’t run and hide. I won’t just “hope” that things turn around. I won’t speculate tragedy. I won’t listen to words of defeat. I won’t listen to words of destruction. I won’t listen to words of doubt over the situation, because I KNOW who wins and I’m just the right Warrior to fight the battle…a battle that can only be won on a level ground collision course. This is the Key to fighting a Spiritual war.

We are surrounded by the “prince of darkness” and the liar from Hell is raging. This war can’t be won by way of an obstacle course…it’s collision course time! Avoiding danger here and there doesn’t make it go away and hiding behind the hills isn’t a place for God’s people. To win the war we “brace ourselves like a man” the way Job did and we listen to the counsel of the Victorious One. We plant our feet firmly on level ground the way David did and we slay giants that appear to be undefeatable when looked upon with human eyes. We don’t hide behind the hills, we go for the level ground and we face it head-on like the Warriors God has equipped us to be.

I’m enjoying the view of the hills and mountains today but spiritually I’m standing on level ground and I’m unshakable. I’m fighting a battle I KNOW will be won because I know how to fight the enemy and I know how to disarm Him. I’m celebrating Victory long before I see it because it has been promised to me. That’s what a Warrior does.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God a little later than usual and I read from my Instruction Manual from the warm farmhouse. It’s an Honor to approach the Throne of a Mighty God, and although my Heart and my words are different each day, the process is always the same. It begins by Praising Him because He is worthy! “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come”. Next, it’s time to give Thanks to Him…without Him I am nothing. AND THEN I make my Requests known to Him. It’s a funny thing though…by the time I Praise Him and I give Thanks to Him, the Request list is shorter and the load is lighter ALL because it all began with the focus on Him instead of me. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

I don’t think most people understand what it’s like to approach the Throne of the Living God and they overlook the Power given to them in the process. When we approach His Throne and we begin by Praising and Thanking Him, some pretty amazing things happen to the Heart. When we seek His face His Spirit shows up, and we can feel Him through every cell. When our focus moves from our “shopping list” of requests to our Amazing God, we see that His “Grace is Sufficient” for us no matter the circumstances. This is the Key to Fulfillment.

Some people don’t bother with all of the Praise and the Thanks as if they think “He already knows I love Him.” But God examines the Heart of the child who is making the Requests. Why would any father honor the request of an ungrateful child? He is God…He is Worthy…and He wants to be sure that our heart Knows it. Some people “send up” prayers to the “big guy in the sky” like helium balloons, and they live like they hope He’ll somehow catch them. But His Word says that our prayers are “like incense in heaven” to Him…not random shots that we hope will be heard. The more time we spend with Him…the more we Live FOR Him…the stronger the Relationship, and we begin to experience the indescribable comfort that comes by KNOWING we’re being heard.

Some people rely on somebody else to intercede on their behalf like a priest or a pastor…as if they have more influence with the Living God than we do. But that’s not true. There is only One intercessor and He’s a one-size-fits-all. Jesus Christ died for all of us, and each one of us has the Honor and the Privilege to meet with Him to ask that He intercede on our behalf any time we want to. Missing out on what it means to approach the Throne will always be accompanied by a lukewarm faith. The Alpha and Omega longs for a Relationship with His Children, and to build a Relationship that will last forever, it takes Time with Him.

My Heart has been Tenderized and my burdens have been made lighter this morning all because it ALL began with Him. First I Praised Him because He is worthy! And then I Thanked Him for all that He is and all that He does for me. And THEN I tossed my Requests at the foot of the cross where Jesus will intercede on my behalf…and I’m Trusting Him. I KNOW He hears me when I pray because I Know Him. I nurture my Relationship with Him every day. He’s my Father and I’m His Child…and it always begins with Him.

How about you?

11

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s that time of year when almost everything I see from the front porch is the same color. The foliage is turning brown and falling to the ground. The deer get a new gray coat color for the winter…God’s way of helping them blend in. Sometimes the flags are the only bright colors I see and I keep them hanging all year because of it. As I sat there considering all the things I can see in the winter and all the things I can’t, I was reminded of how that’s the way it can be in the Journey of Faith too. The Goal of a Person of Faith isn’t to “blend in” but to STAND OUT through every season of Life – if we aren’t careful we’re blending in with all the rest while we ride out the Winter Season. How can the dark world see the Bright Morning Star in us if we’re blending in with it? Don’t you want the world to see the Color of your Faith all year round too?

The winter season often comes on with a vengeance – one day it’s warm and the next day it’s cold and it seems to strike and stay once it’s here. One day you’re outside celebrating the warmth and the next day you’re hiding away from the cold. One day the trees are covered with leaves and the next day the leaves are gone and there’s absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. But the winter of the Heart is a different story – that season is so subtle that most people don’t even realize the Heart has gone from Celebrating the Warmth of the Son to a Heart that’s as cold as the winter in Virginia. Many of them continue to do the same things they did in the Summer of their Faith – like going to church and praying even though the Heart is in hibernation, but that doesn’t make any more sense than wearing shorts and a T-shirt outside in the winter as if wearing those things will make it so. The Heart that was once so eager to Celebrate the Son can’t be seen in them anymore despite the steps they take as part of their “routine” like attending church and the bumper sticker on their cars. From cold to warm and back again. It must break God’s Heart when He sees His people blending in with all the rest.

When we’re in Celebration mode we want EVERYBODY around us to feel the Warmth of the Son too! We encourage them to FOLLOW us to the Warmest spot there is and we give them Directions on how to get there. When we’re in Celebration mode EVERYTHING around us appears to be in Living Color and we don’t want anybody else to miss out. When we’re in Celebration mode we STAND OUT in any crowd and they SEE Him in us even if we opt out of uttering His Name. Unfortunately, many have been deceived into believing that as long as they’re “nice” there’s no need to speak up at all. When we’re in Celebration mode we dance and we weep with Joy and we don’t care who’s watching. When we’re in Celebration mode we can’t get enough of the Son and we almost don’t want to go to sleep as long as there’s more to learn. That’s what Love looks like.

The church can be a great social club filled with the friends we love the most and we aren’t afraid to show and tell them most of the time. But when the Heart is Celebrating the Son it cares a WHOLE LOT more about all the ones who have never seen the Bright Morning Star and they NEVER lose their hunger to Share. God has a BIG Message about what it looks like to Him when the Heart of His People is no longer Celebrating the Son: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked”

I weep over the ones so determined to take the same steps over and over doing all those things they believe are a sign of their Love for Him – the ones who have let the cold set in and they’re no longer Celebrating the Son with PASSION AND RECKLESS LOVE the way they did in the beginning. I pray for REVIVAL for the ones who are no longer Celebrating the Son right along with the ones who have yet to HEAR because their destiny will likely be the same. As long as there is breath in my body I’ll be Celebrating the Son and nothing about me will blend in with the rest. I want EVERYBODY to have what I have before it’s too late for them – so I’ll be BOLDLY Celebrating in and OUT of the church. God forbid that He would see my deeds and find me “neither hot nor cold” – a place so vile that He would be inclined to “spit” me out of His mouth.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia. After I stepped out onto the front porch to embrace the new day, I met with the Living God from inside looking out this morning and I read my Instruction Manual after the sun showed itself in the sky. It’s that time of year of uncertainty. One day it’s warm enough to enjoy, one day it can be endured with warm clothes or a blanket, and one day it’s unbearably cold. I don’t give up when the weather gets in the way of my morning time on the front porch and I don’t give up when other things alter what my heart desires either. Instead, I embrace it all, give thanks for it all, press on through it all, and I look for the Treasure in the good and the “bad” throughout this amazing Journey of Life. Isn’t that what you do too?

Being able to enjoy the sunrise outside on an old porch is one of my life’s greatest joys. I cling to the warmth for as long as I can and I don’t much like it when the season changes and temperatures drop. But IF I have a Heart of gratitude, I take it all in stride and I love it through every season…just the way I do in the Journey of Life. Comparing the enjoyment of the sunrise to the significant trials in Life may seem lame on the surface, but it takes the same kind of Heart to embrace the ups and the downs in the Journey. I am forever Confident that the Living God…the God who “gives and takes away”…the God who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name”…the God who flooded the earth because He was sick of the wickedness…knows what He’s doing in ALL things and I Trust Him through it all.

If I had my way, I’d make each day clear, sunny, and 70 degrees and I’d destroy all the beauty that comes through each season in the process. I’d wreak havoc on nature and I’d thwart the growth. I’d never see the magnificent colors of the Fall, and I’d never watch the new things unfold in the Spring. I’d never see the fields blanketed with pure white snow, and I’d never see the birds scrambling for worms after a rain. There’s no end to the “damage” I would do IF I had my own way with the weather at the farm….and so it is with Life. Taking it in stride, pressing on no matter how dire the circumstances appear to be, and seeing the Beauty in the Will of a God we cannot see with our own eyes, is the KEY to Spiritual Contentment and Joy. That’s what Spiritual Maturity looks like!

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life but I serve the Perfect One and I love Him with all of my Heart. He’s taken me to the valley more often than I care to count, and when I’ve Trusted Him and stepped out of His way, He’s taken me back to the mountaintop and I’ve soared like never before. The Bible says “But he who has been forgiven little, loves little.” I don’t just love a little, appreciate a little, live a little, preach a little, give a little, or serve a little all because I’ll never forget what my Mighty God has forgiven me of and how He has transformed a “wretch like me” into a humble Vessel in His Name. He truly does have “the whole world in His hands” so I’ll Trust Him every step of the way. Rain or shine. Warm or cold. Ups and downs. Good or “bad”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I met with the Author and Perfector of my Faith to Nourish my soul for the day, it felt more like Spring than late Fall. I took in every ounce of the beauty around me as if I could store it all up to sustain me through the Winter…but it doesn’t work that way. The sun was warm on my face, and it felt more like May than November. I kept turning my face toward the sun to absorb all that I could while I still can before the winter cold shows up to stay as if I could bank it for another time…but it doesn’t work that way. When I opened my eyes to look at the sun that felt so good on my face, all I could see was a cross. I couldn’t snap a photo fast enough as if I was at risk of “losing” it if the clouds changed…but it doesn’t work that way. The reflection in the sky will come and go but the one Constant I can count on is the Cross and it’s what the Cross represents that keeps me going day after day. Isn’t that the way you look at the Cross too?

When you consider how we cling to things in this life that we know will disappear one day, it’s a little bizarre. As much as I wanted to bank the warmth this morning, it’s not possible to hold onto it and as spectacular as the image of the sun was, it was here one minute and gone the next. In Ecclesiastes, it says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” The key is “under the sun.” Soloman didn’t mean that these things lack value, what he meant is that there is no everlasting value outside of God. All human efforts apart from God are meaningless and just chasing after the wind. My kids have grown to be strong and beautiful and I savored the entire journey. I have every experience embedded in my heart and I rewind the tape often. But of all the beautiful experiences, within all of the beautiful memories, the true significance of that season of my Life was to raise up a godly generation. Everything else was fun and fulfilling and the greatest honor I’ve ever had but “meaningless” compared to the Eternal significance of my temporary role.

Some people think I’m too intense because my Focus is almost always on the Cross. They think I need to chill out and I need to “have more fun” because “life is short.” Oh…if they could only see inside my Heart they’d see how my Joy overflows and how I’m having the time of my Life doing the work of the King. I’ve got the Cross front and center and I’m running the race of my Life. I’m focused on Eternal things more than anything and I pay far more attention to the condition of the heart than I do the condition of the weather. I can “see” Glory just up ahead and my life is just a “vapor” here on earth – the time is short for me to complete my Purpose before He calls me Home. I’m no expert, but I believe my Time in Eternity will outshine any “fun” activity the world has ever seen and I’m hoping to hear “well done, good and faithful servant” when the King of all kings calls me Home.

Paul said it best: For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me but to all who crave His appearing”

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I grabbed a blanket and met with the Living God at the break of dawn on a cold front porch with a hot cup of coffee and an Instruction Manual to breathe warmth into my soul. It’s almost as if I could hear the voice of the Father as the world around me scurried around looking for sustenance. The birds need food for each new day – they can’t store provisions away like the squirrels can and they always seem happy to find what they find as they continually search for more. I think we stand to learn a few things from the birds when it comes to living each new day for what it is without a focus on what we’ll have tomorrow…and we find a whole lot more Peace in the process when we rely on the Living God for it all.

We’re more capable than the birds of the air but our lives are similar when you think about it. We have a sense of security as we approach each new day but there are so few things that we can bank on. We know that the sun will come up and the sun will go down and if we’re still breathing, we’ll enjoy them both…at least for one more time. We know that we’ll experience a lot of happy days throughout the Journey of Life and we know that we’ll experience some sorrow. Most of us know that we’ll have food on the table and a roof over our heads today, but there are no guarantees that we’ll have them tomorrow because “the Lord gives and He takes away”. We can store our food for the winter the same way the squirrels do around the farm, but there is no guarantee that it will be there for us tomorrow when we need it. We are loved and we love back, and it’s those things of the heart that bring the greatest joy in this life but there are no guarantees that the ones we love will be there tomorrow for us to love. It’s only when we consider how frail (and how brief) our lives really are that we learn to live each day to its fullest and we learn to appreciate what we have today without much worry about tomorrow.

We know for sure that one day life will cease to exist for each of us and that our days are determined by the One who gave us this life to live. It could cease on this very day or it could cease decades from now, but it will cease for all. One day we’ll be here and the next day we won’t, and if we live our lives with any depth at all there will be a void when we cease to exist here on earth. But the part of us that will die is the LEAST of us, and although it will get buried or burned one day, THE BEST OF US will go on forever. We know for sure that the choice we make for the Best of us will determine where we’ll spend our Forever. Some people see their lives like those birds…here today, gone tomorrow, and when it’s over it’s over. But that makes no sense at all! Some people live on the edge and even though they know that the choice they make for the Best of them needs to be made, they’d rather take their chances that they’ll be able to make it before they draw their last breath. But there are some of us that Understand what this Life is really all about and we know what Life will look like for us forever based on our choice for the Best of us. We look at Life a whole lot different than the rest of the world and we Understand that what we have today may be gone tomorrow. We live out our lives like those carefree birds at the farm…we work hard on each new day and we don’t try to plan too far ahead. We understand where our sustenance really comes from and we don’t fret about our provisions. We have Peace and we have Joy and we have a Lifetime Guarantee that will be honored for all of eternity. When you look at it that way, how could anybody NOT make a choice for the Best of them?

I will enjoy every second of this new day and I’ll do my best to make it my best. I am confident about the Best part of me and I’ll be ready and waiting to explain my Lifetime Guarantee to anybody put in my path today. Some of them will fly away and won’t give a second thought about the Best part of Life (or eternity) BUT there will always be some that want what I have and when I tell them about the Master Plan they’ll make the best choice for the Best of them.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia. This is the time of year that I fight for every minute I can get on the front porch before it becomes too cold to endure even for the most determined ones. So, this morning I set out with hot coffee and a warm coat to meet with the King at sunrise and I savored another day. It’s that threat of losing an opportunity impacted by the seasons that keeps me chasing after the sunrise, and it’s the “threat” of losing an opportunity impacted by my life’s season that keeps me chasing after His Will day after day. As I considered these deer…just a few of the many around the farm…they Reminded me of what Kingdom work looks like -“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few”. What’s missing in this dark world isn’t the amount of “workers” – what’s missing is the Heart hungry to chase. Isn’t that the way you see Kingdom work too?

It’s one thing to be comforted by (and confident in) our Salvation when we Know that we know we’ve been Redeemed and our Destiny is irreversible…BUT it’s another thing entirely to Chase after the Will of God and to hunger for the Harvest. It’s one thing to go to a prayer closet and pray for the lost ones BUT it’s another thing entirely to Chase after the one’s destined for an eternity in Hell before it’s too late for them. It’s one thing to sacrifice a few dollars to feed the hungry BUT it’s another thing entirely to Chase after their eternal “needs” more than the physical needs in this life. It’s one thing to serve in a local church to keep the schedule flowing BUT it’s another thing entirely to Chase after the ones that may need to join you inside. It’s one thing to set yourself apart from the “toxic” ones so they don’t “drag you down” BUT it’s another thing entirely to Chase after the “toxic” ones to show them the way to Peace and Joy. If you want to see what the “lukewarm church” looks, like just look at the fields so ready for Harvest and how few “workers” there are Chasing after Kingdom Work. It’s when we Hunger for Truth that we Chase after it and it’s when we Thirst to Please the Living God that we roll up our sleeves and get busy sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ….the way He Instructs us to do.

I’m Hungry for the Harvest and it shows as I Chase after the hurting ones…the hungry ones…the struggling ones…the sleeping ones…the lost ones…every day of my Life. Some I’ll reach through Words…some I’ll reach through conversation and prayer…some I’ll reach when I help fill a practical need and I sprinkle it with Jesus Christ…some I’ll reach when they see how Hungry I am and how Peace and Joy overflow in my life even though I am living in the same chaotic world they are…BUT ALL of them I’ll reach with Love. The workers may be few, but with a plentiful Harvest…fields so ripe and ready…I won’t be sitting back waiting to see what God will do with it all…I’ll keep Chasing His Will and doing Kingdom Work the way I’m called to do. May it never be said of me that I lived a complacent Life and that I didn’t even make a lame attempt at being a “worker” for Him with a “plentiful harvest” all around me.

What about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the morning after the storm of preparing for (and seeing through) Revival, and I’m feeling the kind of peace that surpasses all understanding after my Time with the Revival Planner. Sometimes God stretches us beyond our human ability, but if we’ll just remain Obedient, He provides everything we need to fulfill what He’s Called us to do. Sometimes it’s supernatural strength and stamina. Sometimes it’s resources. Sometimes it’s prayer warriors and people willing to lock arms to do the heavy lifting in service to Him too. If God finds a Willing Vessel He’ll equip them to do incredible things and I wouldn’t trade being a Willing Vessel for anything in this Life. It’s beautiful. It’s humbling. But even more than that, being a Willing Vessel Strengthens me in the process as I’m “forced” to have Faith in the Creator of all, FOR all things. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

It’s sad to see so many people gauge “success” and Service on what they “feel” or what they believe makes “sense” or not. When God comes Calling He doesn’t care much about how we “feel” about the Job and it probably won’t be “convenient” OR make sense in terms of human perspective. Very little (if any) of what He’s Called for me to do makes sense, and if I stopped to think and weigh the risk, I probably wouldn’t have been Obedient to the Call at all. I don’t know the mind of God, but I DO know that He sees the Heart and He already knows who is Willing to Obey (or not). Getting caught up in the details and looking for the Call of God to make sense – or to be convenient – is the very reason that the “average” Christian never gets to be a part of a Supernatural Work of a Mighty God. When God comes Calling I’d much rather be known for asking Him to help me instead of asking Him to forgive me for not being Willing to do His Work.

Our revival wasn’t at all what I expected it to be BUT it was everything God Planned for it to be. From a human perspective, it could have been gauged as being “too small” or “too short” or not entertaining enough for the needy ones, BUT the Lord worked in Supernatural ways from beginning to end and I won’t see the Full Result of my Labor on this side of Heaven. All I know is that God had His Way and my way took the back seat. All I know is that Hearts were forever changed and seeds were planted that will Grow for all eternity. All if know is that we were all encouraged for the Journey and Empowered to keep pressing on. All I know is that I prayed and wept before the Throne of a Mighty God on behalf of others and that I was Supernaturally Equipped with everything I needed to do the Work of the King. From a Spiritual Perspective, it doesn’t get any better than that and the human perspective is insignificant.

When God sent Phillip to the eunuch, Phillip didn’t ask for details…he obeyed without question and the Results were eternal. When God told Noah to build the ark, Noah didn’t question…he started building and the Results were eternal. When God called Moses to lead, Moses didn’t question the Call…he started walking and the Results were eternal. When God called Elijah up to the mountain, Elijah didn’t question…he started climbing and the Results were eternal. When God (through Naomi) sent Ruth to Boaz, Ruth didn’t question the instructions…she readied herself and laid at his feet and the results were eternal. In fact, Ruth became the grandmother of David and it’s through her family tree that Jesus was born. None of these Calls made sense from a human perspective BUT God found the Willing Vessels and He provided ALL THINGS to fulfill His Purpose. If you want to be a part of the Supernatural work of God, your human perspective must take the back seat.

I’m feeling the peace that surpasses all understanding this morning after being Pressed to move forward beyond my human ability by a Loving and Powerful God. I’m unstoppable…because I’m Willing and I rely on Him for the heavy lifting. I’m stronger than the average person…because I Serve the Strong One with all my Heart. I’m Obedient because that’s where the Blessings and Strength are found. ” I will sing of the goodness and lovingkindness of the LORD forever; With my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness from generation to generation”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. For me, walking out onto the front porch on a cool and clear morning is like getting a glimpse of what Heaven looks like; though the mind can’t fully comprehend the Beauty we’ll see when we get there. I don’t have to go far to see this kind of beauty, and I don’t have to go far to find the Beauty that can only be found with the Living God. I search for it…I long for it…I hunger for it…I need it…and I find Him every time. It isn’t “work” to build a Relationship with the One who Created the world, it’s more like Art – each piece gets spun into something more beautiful than it was before…each Piece spins a Masterpiece…and that Masterpiece is ME. Isn’t that the way you look at YOU too?

It can be so easy for people to underestimate their own worth, and devalue their own life when they lose Sight of the Touch of the Master’s Hand. Somehow they convince themselves that it was just “good timing” for them to enter this world when they did, and it will be “bad timing” when they leave it no matter how many (or how few) years they’re allotted. When life gets tough, they think they were dealt a “bad hand”, and they wonder why they can’t have the life that someone else has – as if God forgot to “deal them in”. When tragedy strikes, they get lost in the dark, and they stay there until they can Forgive the Master, and until they find the strength to look at the Light again. These people haven’t fully Embraced the Master at all, and they don’t understand how He spins a Masterpiece out of a mess. They can’t Comprehend how He set their life in motion at just the right moment in History, and they don’t Believe that He has a Plan to create a Masterpiece out of each one of us to bring Himself pleasure and glory. But the Master can take any combination of colors, and any set of “circumstances”, and when He starts spinning His Art, the most Beautiful Masterpiece will be Revealed at just the Right Moment in Time…and that Masterpiece will bring Glory to Him every single time. When we Consider how much Effort He puts into each of His Pieces of Art, how can we NOT understand our Value in His eyes?

I sometimes struggle with my “self-worth” when I’m feeling invisible, when my heart gets stomped on, or when I face persecution – BUT I know that every bad thought I have about myself all comes from the dark place and my adversary would love for me to forget Who I belong to…even if just for a moment The Truth is that no matter how the world treats me…no matter if I’m loved by anybody else on the planet or not…I’m a Masterpiece in the eyes of the One who sent His Son to die for me, and I’ve Surrendered my Life to Him to Paint a Masterpiece that can bring Glory to Him no matter what. He can turn the ugliest canvas into the most Beautiful Piece of Art when we Accept that our Life is His to Paint and that EACH ONE of us has the potential to be a Masterpiece…when we give Him the Artistic Freedom He deserves, that is.

I’m a Child of the Living God. I’m Royalty. He Loves me and He thinks I’m Worth more than gold. He has a Plan for my Life that only I can fulfill. I was born for His Purpose at just the Right Moment in the History of the world. I was once an ugly canvas filled with meaningless colors UNTIL the Touch of the Master’s Hand came along…and now, I’m a Masterpiece for all the world to see! And when He wants to add a few Finishing Touches to the Work He began in me; I’ll let the Artist work to Enhance His Artwork so that I can be EVEN MORE Beautiful for Him. I’m His Masterpiece!

How about you?