Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was hungering to be in the presence of my God this morning and I couldn’t wait to pour my heart out to Him. He’s my Rock. He’s my Fortress. He’s my Deliverer. He’s my Strength. He’s the One Constant in Life. He’s the One that will never leave me nor forsake me! He never disappoints. He never stops loving. He never stops forgiving. He always has time for me. He cares about every aspect of my life. He’s Jehovah Shammah – the One who is always there! Most of the time just thinking about Who He is in my Life sets my heart in Praise-mode, and when I’m in Praise-mode what I want from Him pales in comparison to Who He is to me. That’s what Love looks like.

I could write a prayer list that would wrap around the entire state of Virginia of all those things…those requests…those people in need of His Hand. I could go to my prayer closet and pray for days upon days for all those things in my own life and in the lives of others. I could pray from sun up to sundown and I’d never cover it all. Sometimes I wonder what they did back in the day when prayer requests were made known. Did they take the time to chisel the requests into stone to be sure they wouldn’t forget or did the Request get chiseled into their Hearts instead? I pray throughout the entire day for lots and lots of things chiseled into my Heart. When someone asks me to pray I take it seriously and those Requests become chiseled into my Heart so there’s no need to write them down. The Heart is where Love and Compassion are found and God hears every thought. But it all begins with Praise for the One Who hears the prayers of His people. When we draw near to Him – He draws near to us! Without that, a prayer list becomes more like a shopping list for the Author of Life.

I know God counsels me “even when I sleep” and it comforts me to Know that He doesn’t just “watch over me” but that He’s inclined toward me day and night because I love Him and He loves me. When someone “pops into my head” I begin to pray because I don’t believe the “pop into my head” was coincidental at all. When someone “just happens” to show up – I begin to pray because I don’t believe in chance meetings. When some random thought about something going on in life “pops into my head” I don’t dismiss it – I pray. My children and grandchildren “pop into my head” all day long each time they do, I pray. I have a Time with the Living God set aside each morning…a Time to Praise…to give Thanks..and to make my Requests known to Him…but my Time with Him doesn’t end there. I commune with Him all day long no matter what’s going on around me. I pray throughout my day for people who are chiseled into my Heart – and because He’s chiseled into mine – He knows every thought, every prayer, and every need without referring to a list at all.

I woke up hungering for Him this morning and He filled my Heart to overflowing as I gave Thanks for Who He is. My Heart is inclined toward Him and His is Inclined toward me. I’ll be praying throughout this entire day and into the night… and even when I sleep He’ll counsel me. What a Mighty God I serve!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I began this new day with an Important Meeting with the Living God and I approached His Throne with Humility. Though I’m a Willing Vessel and I’m living out my Purpose in His Name…I know there is no good thing in me apart from Him, so filling my Heart and Soul up with Truth and Wisdom is key to my Journey of Faith. It’s making sure that He is my First Priority and approaching Him with due Humility that transforms me from being a “willing” Vessel into a Usable one. As I sat on the front porch at sunrise with a Heart inclined to the One who Created this cool and rainy day, I saw no signs of wildlife and there were no sounds of life at all. If not for the flag of my Faith still flying strong in the face of the poor conditions, it would look lost and dreary everywhere. But in the Journey of Faith we can’t always see behind the scenes, and we can’t make assumptions based on what we see. We should be confident that as long as the flag of our Faith flies strongly in the face of it all, we WILL see Victory. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” and yet so many people of Faith base the circumstances only on what they see and they miss out on the Power to Propel when they do. I don’t need to see Jonah get swallowed up in the belly of a big fish to believe that it happened and I don’t need to hear his cry for repentance from the belly to know that it’s True. I don’t need to see Noah build an ark based on God’s specific instructions to Believe that he did, and I don’t need to see the flood to Believe that every living thing on the earth was destroyed. I don’t need to see into tomorrow to Believe that the Lord will sustain me and I don’t need proof (outside of His Word) to Believe that “the Lord will not let the Righteous go hungry.” I don’t need to be an eyewitness to the morning sunrise to Believe that the sun will show itself all over the world whether I see it or not. I don’t need to see Heaven to Believe there is a place for me there so beautiful that it’s impossible to imagine because the Word says, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him” and I believe it. Faith isn’t something easily described to someone who doesn’t share it, but unwavering Faith should be evident in all the ones claiming His Saving Grace. It’s NOT relying on what we see with our eyes, and our Determination to fly the flag of Faith no matter what, that leads to indescribable Peace, Joy…and Victory.

I have an inquisitive mind and I like to know how things work. I’m curious about people and their journey of life and I ask lots of questions to learn as much as I can about them. But when it comes to my Journey of Faith, I accept what I read in the Word because “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” and I need no proof to Believe that it’s true. Sometimes people attempt to debate what the Word says to spin it into their belief system but I’ll have no part of that. Sometimes people negate pieces of the Truth because they only want to follow what THEY determine is important or not. Sometimes people will take one verse out of over 31,000 verses and 783,000 words and they’ll base an entire theology on one piece instead of threading the Whole Truth together for Wisdom on any given topic…but not me. I want to Know it all. I want to Live it all. I want to be all that He Created me to be. I want to be a Willing (and usable) Vessel all the days of my Life and none of that is possible unless I have an Unshakable, Unbreakable, Unwavering Faith in it all.

No matter what I do or don’t see with my eyes today, I know what’s really going on behind the scenes in this dark world and I’m working hard to build my Spiritual Stamina for what lies ahead for us all. The sky isn’t going to fall, but for those of us with the kind of Faith Hebrews 11 talks about, we Understand the Importance of Time with the Living God to offer Him our Praise and our Thanks with due Humility. His “Grace is sufficient for me and His Power is made Perfect in weakness”…and I BELIEVE it.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I woke up this morning long before sunrise and I impatiently waited for the Living God to wake up the world. I like to savor life, not rush it along, but this morning I needed to feel the sun on my face and I hungered to meet with Him at the beginning of this new day. No amount of impatience would rush the sunrise along no matter how much I “needed” it because God had already ordained this sunrise before the foundations of the earth. And, so it is with Life. Although God has given us “dominion” over the earth and everything in it, He’s the Keeper of all Time and we have no control over it whatsoever. That’s where Trust comes in…Trusting that He always knows best and that His timing is always Perfect. It’s when we attempt to rush things along and take matters into our own hands that we step outside His Will and we risk squandering the Beauty found in His Perfect Plans. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

It’s His Perfect Timing that sets the sun in the sky at just the right moment in time for the season, and His perfect timing numbers the minutes of daylight given to each new day. His Perfect Timing provides just the right light to nourish the plants, and His Perfect Timing brings forth the water they need to grow. His Perfect Timing orchestrates the conception of each new life, and His Perfect Timing brings forth birth. His Perfect Timing causes lives to cross paths at just the right moment in time, and it’s His Perfect Timing that brings forth the sparks of love. It’s His Perfect Timing that puts just the right person in place at just the right time when there is a need to be met, and it’s His Perfect Timing that sparks Hope because of it. It’s His Perfect Timing that numbers the years allotted to each one of us, and it’s His Perfect Timing to call us Home. It’s His Perfect Timing that allows for hardship and heartache, and it’s His Perfect Timing that will give birth to a Mission to help others based on our experiences that led to a Testimony. If not for His Perfect Timing life would cease to exist, and if not for His Perfect Timing my life would no longer have meaning. Understanding that He makes no mistakes and that He is the keeper of Time (for every area of Life) is the key to Peace and Contentment – but we have to make the choice to Trust Him…or not.

There have been plenty of train wrecks throughout my Journey of Faith and they ALL came down to me trying to rush things along and attempting to take matters into my own hands. The train wrecks weren’t a lost cause or “waste of time” because it’s through the havoc that I’ve learned to Trust Him in all things and I no longer try to drive the train. I’ve learned to be patient and I’ve learned to Trust. I’ve learned that sometimes He’s Protecting me through delays and sometimes He is waiting to Ready me for whatever it is that’s coming. I’ve learned that I’m not the reason the world goes around, and I’m not significant enough to question the Hand of God. I’ve learned that His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts and no amount of human rationalizing can “make sense” of God sometimes. I’ve learned that my Life has Purpose beyond myself and that every second of my Life was already ordained before the foundations of the earth. I’ve learned that each breath I take is a Blessing, and I’ve learned that Glorifying Him with each breath is the most essential part of my Journey of Faith. Understanding His timing and willingly surrendering to it is the source of my Joy, my Hope, and my Peace.

I’m facing this new day with confidence that every step, every word, every encounter, and every experience will come at the Perfect Time and I won’t be impatient when it doesn’t LOOK like the timing is perfect to me. He’s the Keeper of Time – the Author and Perfecter of Faith – the Great I am – the Bright Morning Star – the God worthy to be Praised with every breath…and I Trust Him.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As the sun rose in the morning sky it was as if the Living God was filling me up with Joy and Gratitude with the same sweetness, the same beauty, and the same magnificence as the sun and I smiled as I felt Him bless me with this heavenly “good morning”. I stepped out onto the front porch this morning with a mind cluttered with things that need to be accomplished today, but by the time my God was done with me, all I can think about is Love. Nothing on my list of things to do is as important as Serving the King, and nothing on the list should earn its place in my mind and my Heart where He belongs. Isn’t that the way Love is supposed to be?

Love brings out the very best in us and it’s the Greatest gift of all. It’s love that causes us to think of another more than we think of ourselves, and it’s love that gives us a burn to serve them with no expectation of return. It’s love that allows us to turn the other cheek when we’ve been wounded despite the pain, and it’s love that defines our forgiveness. It’s love that allows us to embrace another for who they are and not for what we want them to be. It’s love that grants us patience and it’s love that allows us to relinquish control. It’s love that prompts us to sacrifice our own wants and our own needs to please another. It’s love that opens our eyes to the pain of another, and it’s love that guides us to ways to ease it. It’s love that can keep us awake through the night with thoughts and prayers for another, and it’s love that prevents the Heart from forgetting. It’s love that stings the heart and feeds the tears, and it’s love that paints a smile on even the most downcast face. It’s love that can change a life, and it’s love that can open the door to eternal life. Without love, everything else is just going through the motions and without love, nothing can be long-lasting. “The greatest of these is love”.

My to-do list for this new day is still in place and (hopefully) all of those things will still be accomplished today BUT my list has now been Prioritized by the King. The Love that I have for Him has been Refreshed and Revived and my Heart is shining right along with the morning sun. The most important thing I can do today is to be a Reflection of the Love and Compassion of Jesus Christ – and everything else will pale in comparison. When my Heart overflows with Love for my God, my Father, my Redeemer, my Provider, and my Rock it’s a piece of cake to Share Unconditional Love with the world around me. Without Love, I am nothing and my life has no meaning at all…and without a voice laced with Love, the lost world will turn a deaf ear to the Greatest Message of Love I have to share.

I’m armed and ready for this new day and I know that loving others will be my Biggest Priority no matter the circumstances that surround those I encounter. If I have a weak moment and I am inclined to whine about how I’m being treated, I’ll think about how Christ was treated when He died for me. If I’m insulted and “slapped” around about my Faith, I’ll think about how Jesus was beaten and mocked when He died for me. If I encounter one that is not so easy to love today, I’ll think about how Jesus found me loveable enough to die for even when I didn’t Know Him. If I am betrayed by a friend today, I’ll think about how Jesus was betrayed by a “friend” before He died for me but He never stopped loving. If people chose to watch me suffer instead of coming along to help, I’ll think about all those people who had a front-row seat to watch my Savior suffer too – and yet, He cried out “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do” when as He died on the Cross. The Greatest of ALL things is Love. After my Time in His Presence this morning, I’m ready to Follow His lead and to Love as much like Him as I possibly can. He’s a “tough act to Follow” but He’s equipped me with everything I need to Follow Him with Excellence…as long as I focus on His Love.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s destined to be a hot day today with temperatures to scorch and humidity to choke. As I sat in the Presence of the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, I thought about how the scorching temperatures and choking humidity feels a lot like America today. Tempers are rising and the Truth is being choked from one end of America to the other. A Country founded by God and FOR God isn’t even recognizable today. The Living God can lower the temperature and remove the humidity with just one little Whisper from Heaven…but He can also bring hurricanes and tornadoes in His allotted time too. If there is one prayer heavy on my Heart today, it’s for God’s people to set aside their own versions of truth and their own agendas to Trust the Hand of God…the God who allows temperatures to rise and humidity to choke for a season…no matter what tomorrow brings.

The Bible is filled with accounts of wars I think most people like to overlook. All wars were brought on by God and for God because people had turned away from Him and He was being replaced by idolatry. “Idolatry” isn’t just about bizarre statues built in the image of a powerless “god”, “idolatry” is about trusting in something – ANYTHING or ANYONE- other than the Living God. God won’t tolerate idolatry forever, and when He’s had enough, He is ready, willing, and able to bring calamity upon any land…including America. America is guilty of idolatry. We idolize our money and our security, and we’re willing to roll over and play dead – to go against the Living God – just to keep it. We idolize the body as we are consumed by fear of sickness and death. We idolize our agendas that most of the time have little (or nothing) to do with the Living God. We idolize leaders who speak the language we want to hear. We idolize our hidden source of “knowledge” and our own version of “truth.” We idolize our “choice” to distort creation while we spit in the face of the Creator. We idolize sex and we defend our perversions. We idolize our freedom and we’re willing to fight for it AS IF the Living God guarantees freedom in this life – while the only Freedom that matters in the eyes of God is the Freedom that comes by way of Jesus Christ. When you look at it that way, no wonder God is displeased with a country once founded BY Him and for Him.

It’s not possible to be a humble Servant of the Living God and an idolater all at the same time. While so many of us are praying for God to heal our land – so few of us are humble enough to examine our own hearts and to turn away from ANYTHING and ANYONE that isn’t God Almighty Himself. Once upon a time, in a nation filled with idolatry – from idol worship to sexual perversion – God took matters into His own hands the same as He can in America today – “Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down” (2 Kings 21:12-13). When God has had enough, He’s had enough!

If we sincerely want God to heal our land, then we must be willing to turn away from our idolatry – our versions of the truth – and turn to Him instead. He isn’t obliged to tell us what He’s doing but He expects us to accept what He’s doing no matter what it looks like to us! When Habakkuk asked God to fill him in on the plans – God responded with “Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.” God rose up a “ruthless and impetuous nation” for a Purpose all His own and it doesn’t have to make sense to us! Our job is to Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to Trust God no matter what this world looks like from where we sit AND NOT to obsess over the agenda we’re idolizing. God is still on the Throne and the end of the Story is Spectacular…on the other side of this life, that is. Are you as prepared for that part as much as you believe you’re prepared to fight over the political condition of America today?

If we want the Hand of God to heal this land, we must be willing to humble ourselves in ways we never have before. We must be willing to Trust the Hand of God even IF/when it gets ugly. We must be willing to stand up for God MORE than we stand up for our idols. When you look at it that way, we’ve got a LOT of Spiritual awakening of our own to do before God can (or will?) turn things around…IF THAT’S HIS PLAN. America is just a temporary address for God’s people – if/when we understand that part, we talk a whole lot more about our New Address (and our ONLY Leader) than we do about a broken land filled with broken leaders…a land God may OR may not be willing to heal.

My Heart is heavy for so many of my brothers and sisters much more focused on their idolatry and their own version of the truth than they are on the Living God and HIS Truth….the God who brings the temperatures to scorch and the humidity to choke. I hurt for the ones more passionate about speaking words of defeat and discourse than they are to Speak up about Jesus Christ…the ONLY Hope any of us ever have. It’s a Spiritual War and we’re still fighting with weapons of the flesh. It’s a nation riddled with idolatry and we’re refusing to let go. Humility goes a LONG way with the Living God and it is the FIRST STEP for a land in need of healing by the touch of the Master’s Hand.

“Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in My presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here.” (2 Chronicles 34:27-28)

God bless America.

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 refuse to squander it because there will never be one just like this one again. Since I won’t have the chance to relive it, I’ll be sure to give it everything I’ve got when it comes to what the Living God has Planned out for me and I won’t let the sun go down with regrets. As long as I do what He wants me to do, and I live my Life the way He tells me to Live it, this day will go down as a day to remember for all Eternity. Isn’t that the way you look at each new day too?

It can be so easy for most people to let each day blend into the next without noticing much difference between them (outside of the weather) but that’s because they don’t understand the Significance of each one AND they don’t accept that each day has a Unique Purpose of its own. How bizarre for people to think that the God of all Creation would roll out a new day that has no significance at all….but most people live as if that’s the case. How bizarre to think that the Author of Life would create people just to knock around through life for however many days they’re allotted without a Unique Purpose for each one….but most people live as if that’s the case. The saddest part is that most people live their entire lives that way UNLESS they’re taken to the place where Gratitude is found.

Usually overflowing Gratitude is found when we face GREAT adversity OR when something happens to threaten our number of days. Without a “push” from the God of Love, most people don’t get to a place of Understanding the Significance of Life and how their Life plays into God’s Bigger Picture…and sometimes they run out of allotted time before they ever Fulfill what they born to do. It may seem strange to us that God would use Pain to Prepare His servants for Greater Service, but that’s just the way God works. God created all, and He knows our nature well. He KNOWS that without a little “push” to wake a Servant up, most of us would do nothing Significant at all. God knows that the human heart is incapable of voluntarily stepping into situations that take us beyond our comfort zone and He understands that we’re inclined to take the easy way out in Life. So, He intentionally brings us into Hard Places to Refine us – to build our Dependency – and to drive us deeper into His Grace. Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus and when God opened his eyes (in more ways than one) you can bet Paul understood the Significance of each day from that day forward. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace and supernaturally protected from harm. You can bet they understood the Significance of each day after that too! I was thrown into a deep pit of adversity and my life was turned upside down in ways most people could never imagine. My understanding of my Significance and my Gratitude for all that He is and all that He does was refined through my pain. So, if you ever find yourself wondering how I can consider each day a Unique Gift with a Unique Purpose of its own, that’s because the God of all Creation chose to Refine ME for a Purpose far greater than myself and it took breaking me down to get me to that place where Gratitude is found and Purpose is Fulfilled.

This day might look like others you’ve seen before by the photo in this post, but you can bet I don’t see it that way. I’ll Live out this new day like the Gift I know it is, and I won’t leave any stoned left unturned. I’ll be looking for what He has for me and I’ll be Willing to step up when He tells me to….and THAT is how and why each new day stands out from the countless others I’ve lived. I found Gratitude the hard way and I Live like it.

This is a day that the Lord has made – when it’s over, it’s gone forever and tomorrow is promised to no one.

Will you LIVE like it?

Will you LOVE like it?

Will you Serve like it?

Will you SHARE Him like it?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s one of those cool foggy mornings so I took my time in the presence of my Mighty God and I’m savoring it all from the inside out. I once heard about how the shouts from the stadium hosting the World Cup in Brazil were so intense, that they measured 6 on the Richter scale from miles away. When I heard that, I wondered what it would be like if the Church got so excited about the imminent return of Jesus Christ that it tipped the Richter scale all over the world. THE MOST exciting “play” of all time is getting closer by the day and the mere thought of that Day inspires me to make a little noise of my own. Today is just another day to most of the world, but it’s just as miraculous to me and it’s getting my undivided attention on this extraordinary day because I know that one day soon I’ll look up and see the Son of God and He’ll be looking for me! Isn’t that the way you consider the Day that draws near too?

It’s pretty amazing to live in a time when things like a hurricane or a solar eclipse can be predicted and all the world can be put on notice of its coming long before it takes place. With a hurricane, we’re told about where we can take shelter and with a solar eclipse, we’re told to use protective eyewear because the eyes couldn’t endure what it sees without them. The time of arrival for a hurricane or solar eclipse can be narrowed down with precision and there’s no question about what time of day these things will happen. The news channels buzz for weeks beforehand and the virtual highway gets loaded up with photos and predictions. People stock up on food and water and double-check generators before a hurricane and some people have block parties to witness a solar eclipse. The “wows” over something like a solar eclipse on a clear night can be heard from one corner of the world to the next and in some places, maybe the excitement even tips the Richter scale. It’s amazing to see the human reaction to the Hand of God even when it doesn’t acknowledge who He is at all. But One Day, He will show up out of “nowhere” in the blink of an eye and despite all the warnings to Prepare for that Day, many people will be caught off guard, unprepared, and left “in the dust” all the same. Warning them to prepare is what keeps people like me Busy in the Journey of Faith. Like a watchman on a hill, I KNOW what’s coming, and because we don’t know the day or the hour, being Prepared every minute of every day is the Key to Victory.

One day, in the not-so-distant future, it won’t just be nature rattled by the changes it sees in the sky, the entire world will be too when the Son of God shows up with no warning at all. No meteorologist or astronomer will be able to predict the day or the hour, and the world will not be put on notice by the local news. No priest, pastor, or one who claims to know the future will be able to predict the time of His coming – even the Son of God doesn’t know that – He’ll just show up without warning at all. The Son of God won’t be showing up to entertain the world with His presence and no special eye-wear will shield the world from Him OR help them see Him clearer. The world will be watching when He shows up to gather His people, and in the blink of an eye people like me will cease to exist on earth at all. At that very moment, there will be planes without pilots, cars without drivers, classrooms without teachers, and families without loved ones. No amount of shouting and screaming that takes place when a good play is made in a sports arena can hold a candle to what the world will sound like when the Son of God shows up to gather His Own. Like a father ringing the dinner bell to call his children home, the Son of God will sound a Trumpet that will make the Richter scale feel like child’s play to call His Children Home to be with Him forever, and no amount of doubting in the world will change the fact that this Day will come without warning at all. All the doubters and all the mockers will have something in common eventually…every single one of them will bow to their knees in His presence and declare that He is Lord one day.

I’ll be ready when the greatest “solar” miracle in the history of the world takes place and I’ll be looking toward the Heavens in anticipation of the Son of God coming back for me. We may not know the day or the hour of His coming, but we’ve been told about a few things that needed to happen before He’s ready to come back, and they’ve all taken place at record speed, so I’m hoping that He’ll come back soon. I’m Excited about His Coming because I’m Ready. Sadly, lots of people won’t be so excited when they realize that they missed out on Preparing for the Day and it will be too late for them to be a part of that Miracle. I’m ready and waiting…how about you? Will you be prepared to see the Son of God with no warning at all? If you’re not sure reach out to me. I’m happy to introduce you to the Son of God and I’ll help you find your way to the Truth that will set you Free and lead you Home. Before you know it, you’ll be a lot more excited about the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ than you ever could be over something like a solar eclipse and you’ll be doing your part to tip the Richter scale right along with other people like me!

Are you ready?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I enjoyed the sweet aroma of the fresh-cut hay this morning as I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith. I’m not the one to labor over the fields – someone else has been called to do that hard work. But I am the benefactor of the harvest in more ways than one. As I enjoyed the look and smell of the fields this morning, it reminded me of my Journey of Faith. I’ve had a lot going on in my life for a while, and it’s hard to tell which part of me is feeling the strain the most…my mind or my body. I’ve pushed both to the limit, and I’m very Grateful that they are both still serving me well despite the push. My mind and my body may be tired, but my Spirit never will be, and it’s the Spirit that drives all the rest of me. I serve a God that set the stars in the sky and knows them each by name, and He has me on a Mission for Himself. He knows my Limitations. He Knows how hard to Drive me. And He knows just what I need when I need it. When I’m feeling weak, He breathes a Breath of Fresh Air as sweet as the fresh-cut hay back into me for the Journey. I know that as long as I stay Close to Him, He’ll be sure the mind and the body follow what the Spirit is driven to do, and One Day soon I’ll hear “Mission Accomplished”. Isn’t that the way you Push to serve the King too?

It would be so easy to say “I’m too tired, Lord” or “I’m too old for this”, but when God comes Calling, He wouldn’t ask us to Serve Him if He didn’t already know we’re up for the Job. When God comes Calling He already has the Details worked out for whatever it is we’re to do, and He already knows what we need before we even hear the Call. I don’t know for sure, but I think what God really looks for when He comes Calling is one that Seeks His Face, and one Willing to Serve because of their Love for Him. When He has One who Loves Him, who wants to please Him, and who is willing to say “Yes” when He comes Calling, He’ll do all of the other Equipping we need to Accomplish His Goal, and He’ll Handle all the the Details for the Job. Sometimes He Calls upon the most unlikely one to Serve, because He’s especially Glorified when He does. It’s the Service of the “unlikely” one that causes the world to stand in awe of the Power of a Mighty God when they Witness the unlikely one become Strong and Equipped right before their very eyes. God doesn’t look at the outward things like age, social status, education, or circumstances when He Comes Calling…He looks to the Heart instead…and He isn’t too keen on excuses when He Comes Calling for us to Serve. I don’t blame Him. After all, if HE is the One that will do the Heavy Lifting, and if He is the one who will Provide everything we need to do the Job, the only real reason we could have for saying “NO” when He comes Calling is that we don’t Trust Him to Provide and we don’t Love Him enough to Serve. Ouch.

I’m one of the most “unlikely” people that God has Called to Serve in ways that often make the world stand in awe of His Power and Might in my Life. Nothing that He’s Called me to do makes “logical” sense in the eyes of the world, and nothing about me is special. I don’t have youth, education, or social status…or even strength sometimes. But none of those things matter to the Living God. He has my Heart and I say “YES, Lord” when He comes Calling on me to Serve. I don’t make excuses for why I can’t because I already know that He wouldn’t Call upon me if He didn’t know that I’m Willing to do my small part to Fulfill His Plans. More than anything, I’m confident that He’ll never abandon me. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Many times I don’t understand why He wants me to do what He wants me to do, but I am CONFIDENT that if I am just Willing to say “Yes, Lord” He’ll complete the Good Work for His Glory no matter what.

I’m a Willing Vessel and I say “YES” when He comes Calling… and THAT’S why He Works Overtime in my Life. Sometimes people say “I wish God would use me like that” and they somehow overlook the reason He isn’t. They can’t be used by Him if they’re not willing to say “YES” no matter the time or the circumstances. Saying “YES” when we have no idea how we’ll Accomplish what He’s Calling for us to do takes a whole lot of Faith and Trust…and a whole lot of people lack both. He uses me because I’m “unlikely. ” He uses me because I’m NOT special. He uses me because I LOVE HIM and I say “YES.” I’m a very busy Willing Vessel, and I believe I will be all the days of my life here on earth…no matter my age, no matter my circumstances, no matter what because “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion”.

How about you?