Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master as He woke up the world and He painted a picture in the sky so beautiful it defies words. I stood in His Presence to give Him the thanks and the praise that He deserves and I sought my Direction for this new day. I’ll be busy making my living today, but my biggest priority will be to be a Witness to the world of the saving Grace of a Mighty God. My Faith goes to work with me as surely as my laptop does, and although I won’t “nag” people about the Living God, they’ll no doubt see His beauty in me…no matter what. THAT’S the most important part of all the steps I take along the way toward “success” on this new day. My Boss and my Beliefs will be front-and-center no matter where I go or who I meet with throughout my workday. Isn’t that the way you do business too?

It’s a little strange to see how few people understand what it means to be an Ambassador for Christ, and they’re not afraid to say that those “religious” things have no place in the workplace. Somehow they have separated the Workplace and the Worship Place and they don’t think the two of them should ever be mingled together. But if they know anything at all about their “Boss”…and if they have a sincere desire to be like Him…then they need a Good Lesson in how He lived out His Faith.

Jesus Christ didn’t hang out in the synagogue waiting for people to show up, and He didn’t keep His conversations about His Father contained within those walls or for an “appropriate time.” He sure didn’t refrain from “religious” talk in the midst of the workplace. In fact, He used the workplace as a platform to share the Truth AND He went out into the workplace to reach people where they were. He stepped into their everyday lives and He was part of the busy days as they toiled to make a living…and He reminded them of their Source and their Strength. He gave them Direction on how to deal with others, and how to be compassionate, how to handle disputes, what it looks like to be people of Integrity, and He talked a whole lot about money and how it is to be managed. Unless you doubt the Truth of what you read Bible and you believe it to be a book filled with entertaining stories about mythical people instead, then I’m not sure how you CAN’T be working out Faith full-force in the Workplace…the ideal platform to be a Witness to the world of the Saving Grace of a Mighty God.

I’ll be going about my work today with the boldness of a lion and the gentleness of a lamb because I have a firm Foundation of Faith that is as sweet as honey. I’ll be kind but courageous. I’ll be a woman of Excellence as I share my business with the world, and my world will know with absolute certainty that I am a woman of Faith. If they’re offended by my Faith, and they choose not to work with me because of it, I know God will provide a Replacement. I’ll be taking advantage of the Platform of my work as an opportunity to Serve Him and to Share Him. I know that the Platform of my work is ordained by the Living God and that I am called to be His Ambassador in all that I do…ESPECIALLY in my business. You won’t need to rely on a bumper sticker on my car or a cross around my neck to know that I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I walk like it, I talk like it, I live like it and I love like it…no matter where I am or who I’m with.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 cold but that didn’t stop me from stepping outside to take in the glory of this new day before I settled in to meet with the Master of it all inside. As I sat there offering my Praise and my Thanks, my mind kept wandering off to troubling things that could have easily robbed me of the Joy of Time spent with the Living God. I could have surrendered to those thoughts, and I could have cut our Time short because of them, but I chose to Persevere and I chose to take “captive every thought”… and before you know it all those things were put back where they belong and I found my Joy and Peace. What a Sweet Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that everything comes down to choice.

Humans are the only one of God’s Creation that has the intellect to make good or bad choices. God does the Calling, but we choose to accept Him as Savior or not. God does the Leading, but we choose to follow Him or not. God plants the seed of Purpose deep within the human Heart, but we choose to fulfill it or not. God breathed Life into His Word to show us the Way, but we choose to read it or not. God surrounds us with Beauty every day, but we choose to see it or not. God brings people into our lives to Grow us through the Journey, but we choose to accept them or not. God ordains Opportunities to share the Gospel with others, but we choose to Speak it or not. God issues “red flags” and the Holy Spirit does the warning, but we choose to Listen to Him or not. God ordains circumstances intended to draw us closer to Himself, but we choose to accept it as Divine or not. The Lord “gives and takes away” but we choose to accept His Will or not. God withholds the details of His Plans sometimes, but we choose to Trust Him or not. There’s no end to the choices we make when it comes to the Living God and His Will for our lives – but He’s either Lord of our lives or He’s not – and that comes down to choice too.

Maybe it takes a Valley to force us into Surrender instead of us getting there on our own. Sometimes where there seems to be no way we make the choice to Give it all to the “way maker” instead. Sometimes when we’ve lost our hope, we’ll turn to the only Hope any of us really have. Sometimes when we’re scared, we turn to the Great “I am” to “hide in the shadow of His wings.” Sometimes when we’re without, we’ll turn to the Provider of all. Sometimes when we’re lonely, we’ll turn to the One that will “never leave us nor forsake us.” There is always a Purpose for the Valley and we often Turn to Him for Help when we’re there – but when He Delivers us out of the Valley and places us on top of the Mountain again, we choose to tell the world about His goodness or not. He’s either Lord of our lives or He’s not – and it always comes down to choice.

I began this beautiful new day subject to things that could have robbed me of Good this morning, but I made the choice to fight back instead. All those “thoughts” come from an enemy that would LOVE to distract me from doing the Will of my Father – but I choose to thwart his plans by taking “captive every thought” instead. Today I will Serve the King of all Kings and I’m ready for whatever He has for me…all because I make the choice for Him to be Lord of my Life day after day.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a magnificent morning so I opted for a front-row seat to watch the Master wake up the world today. I can watch the sunrise from any window in this old house, and one day soon that’s what I’ll do as I ride out the winter months. But nothing beats being surrounded by His creation as we ALL stand in awe at the Work of His hands. Isn’t that the way things ought to be in life?

I’m a bold woman of Faith and I’m rarely lost for words. I stand for what I Believe in no matter what, and I’m not too timid to speak up. You can always count on me to stand up for the downcast, and you can count on my Voice to be heard when theirs is too weak or when they are lost for words of their own. I’m passionate and Compassionate. I’m Strong and I’m Courageous. I have unwavering convictions that are sometimes mislabeled as “personal opinions” and I never grow tired of speaking up for my God or for the Truth of His Word. But the purpose of me speaking up isn’t so that I can be heard….I speak up so that HE can be heard. God is the truest definition of Love and Compassion and although He can show His wrath any time He feels like it, His wrath is never abused and it always stems from Love. He doesn’t point fingers or jump down throats just to be heard even though He could…and neither should I.

Christ didn’t treat those who didn’t believe in (or agree) Him with unkindness, bitter words, or tongue lashings; instead, He extended Compassion as He spoke Truth with Love. He showed a Compassionate Heart to the most “unlovable” people and thousands upon thousands of people came to Know Him because of His HEART… NOT because of a heavy hand or bitter words. The way to lead people TO Christ is to mirror His Ways! If Christ didn’t minister to the dark world with a mean Spirit then why are so many Christians? That doesn’t come from Him…it comes from the adversary instead.

Despite my boldness, I know that I’m not the Judge or the Jury and I’m not a fighter at all. In fact, I dodge conflict like the plague and I am a renowned peacemaker in my own world. But when I am called by the Living God to speak up for Righteousness I’m given the Words, the courage, AND THE HEART to do just that. And when I’m called to be a Reflection of His love, His Grace, and His Compassion, I am given a Tender Heart and immeasurable patience to share with another. Every word I speak, every step I take, every day of my life should be a Living Testimony for the Living God, and although I’m not even close to being perfect, I never lose sight of the Goal. When you look at life that way it puts everything into perspective…especially our behavior toward others who don’t know Him. At least it does for me.

I’m as bold as a lion or as gentle as a lamb…I’m whatever He needs me to be at the time and for HIS Purpose and not my own gratification – and it all stems from Love and not hate or judgment. I’m striving to be a beautiful example of the Love of Christ and a Reflection of the nature of my God in a dark and ugly world so that He can be Seen in me and Heard through me in all that I do and all that I am. “The greatest of these is love.”

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold outside but I couldn’t resist bundling up and stepping outside to watch the Master wake up the world this morning. It’s a big day in America; the day we vote to elect the next President of the United States, and the world is in a uproar…but, not me. I know the One who set the stars in the sky and knows them each by name and I know that He knows the outcome long before the votes are cast…He knew the outcome before the foundations of the earth! I Trust the One who Rules the earth and everything in it and I Trust His Plans for me and my Country. Faith is a whole lot more than believing in the Living God…it’s Trusting Him through it all. Isn’t that the way you look at this election time too?

Some people are living in fear about what’s happening in America but not me…I’m sad. When I see the gnashing of teeth over this side or that side, it reminds me of what Hell will be like for so many. When I see the backbiting and the insults spit out from one corner of the United States to the other it reminds me of what evil looks like. When I see violence in our streets and innocent blood being shed, it reminds me of how God defines “hate.” When I see people willing to kill over the color of skin, it reminds me of how we’re all made in His image” – to hate over the color of the skin is to hate the One Who “knit you together in your mother’s womb.” When I hear about people ready to “bear arms” if their candidate isn’t elected, it reminds me of how few Trust the Hand of the Living God. When I hear people express their fear over “what’s going to happen if…” it reminds me of how arrogant we are to fight back about whatever it is that God ordains. Just a brief walk through the Bible to see how the disciples lived, loved, AND died WITHOUT spitting out insults and turning to hate THEN you’d Understand the way it’s done in Christ-like fashion. To genuinely Know Him is to genuinely TRUST Him through it all…this is where Peace is found in a world filled with turmoil.

The hate in America is so thick you can almost cut it with a knife but it has no place in the Heart of a child of the Living God. We have the right to be heard…to vote…to stand up for what we believe in, BUT we don’t have the right to hate…according to the Living God, that is. We have the right to “bear arms” and fighting to maintain that right is important…but the Arms we need at such a time as this never requires a bullet. Sometimes I wonder what these United States would look like if God’s people were as passionate about telling people about their God as they are to tell people about their candidate. Sometimes I wonder if we’d be in a land filled with hate at all if God hadn’t quit being our First Priority in the land that touts “in God we Trust”. Sometimes I try to imagine what it would be like if people of Faith actually walked it and talked it, and what it would feel like if they could recite His Goodness with the same accuracy (and passion) as they can detail a ballot for their guy. Darkness cannot exist in the Light…it’s too bad there isn’t more Light.I’m an alien in a foreign land and I’m just passing through. The United States of America is my home on earth and it’s still the greatest Nation in the world, BUT my Home…my permanent Home…my Eternal Home…is just around the corner and One Day I’ll be with the One Who Created and Rules the Universe. Until then, I’m praying, I’m Trusting and I’M BELIEVING in His Plans. After all, His Plans have been in place since before the earth was formed and His Plans are Perfect…ALWAYS.

God Bless America.

13Sheri Stephens, Denise A. Smith and 11 others8 Comments2 Shares

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I give thanks for a whole lot of things when I meet with the Living God, but one of the most Prevailing requests I put before His Throne and one that I proclaim for my life is Peace. When I have peace in my Life everything seems to easily flow, and when I have Peace I can handle it all. Having Peace doesn’t mean that everything is smooth-sailing around me and my peace doesn’t come without effort. I WORK for my Peace…I guard my Peace…I Proclaim my Peace…day after day and year after year. It’s pretty simple. If I can be a Reflection of Peace in the midst of a world in turmoil then I can be a living, breathing example of my Faith for the world to see. Without it, I’m a poor Witness of the God of the kind of “Peace that surpasses all understanding.” Isn’t that the way you see it too?

We live in a world that refuses to live in peace and we’re surrounded by people that do their very best to be sure that we never have it. Some people hunger for conflict and they make it their mission to instill anger and fear because they have no interest in peace at all. They’re entertained by conflict and they get a perverse pleasure out of instilling pain on other people. They’re like snapping turtles…they latch onto something that they’re sure will cause division and they refuse to let it go. They spit out venomous words and they stand by to see how much damage they’ve done as they celebrate their wicked accomplishments. From political preferences…to the color of skin…if they only Knew that God Almighty ordains it all, they might find their way to Peace too!

There are plenty of people hell-bent on division in our Country, within the Church, and sometimes within our homes. As long as we don’t make Peace a priority…as long as we don’t determine to have it and proclaim it day after day no matter what… the squeaky wheel will rob us as surely as we breathe. That’s the way the adversary works! Conflict is toxic and it’s contagious and it can spread like a wildfire, destroying everything and everyone in its path IF we don’t diligently guard our peace and IF we don’t mirror the Prince of Peace through it all.I am blessed to live on a beautiful piece of land in Virginia that has been graced with an old farmhouse and a front porch that I dearly love. I open my Heart and my home to the masses and I hear all kinds of comments when people make their way to the front porch. Things like “It’s so beautiful,” “it has character,” “it’s charming,” “the view is amazing,” “it feels like grandmas house,” “I never want to leave,” and “when can I come back?” There is no end to the list of compliments I hear when people visit, BUT the prevailing comment that crosses the lips of EVERY visitor is “I can feel the Peace here” – and more than anything else, THAT’S why they keep coming back.

The Peace around this old farm is so thick it’s almost tangible, but it isn’t that way because of the beautiful view or the character of the front porch. Peace can be felt by everyone because I Guard my Peace…I Pray for my Peace…I Proclaim my peace to the Prince of Peace every single day, and the sense of Peace is felt by my visitors because of it. I prayed over every inch of the farmhouse and every foot of the boundaries of the land BEFORE I moved my family here, and I’ve continued to pray over it every day for all these years. As a result, this place has been a refuge to countless friends and family over the years…they sought Peace and they knew where to find it. I have had LOTS and LOTS of adversity come my way and I’ve been known to be found in tears every now and then…BUT MY PEACE never falters because I won’t let it go. I Serve the Prince of Peace and it shows. Peace is the Source of the Brightest Light of my Faith and the fact that I Reflect it in a dark work is the greatest Witness to the One I serve. In a land that is in turmoil and a future unknown, I guard my peace like the Warrior I am and my Peace can be seen AND felt all around me because of it.

How about you?

17Lisa Malinosky Alligood, Denise A. Smith and 15 others9 Comments1 ShareLikeCommentShare

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s going to be a busy day filled with important meetings but none of them nearly as important as my Meeting with the King of Kings at daybreak. It’s there where I find my Strength and my Peace. It there where I get my Direction for the day. It’s there where I ask for Wisdom and I get it “abundantly without judgment.” It’s there where I cry and it’s there where I find Joy that can’t be described with words. Without this time to Refresh my soul and set my Journey in motion, I wouldn’t be equipped to handle the day ahead. Like a ship without a rudder, I’d have no control over this new day at all and I’d surely lose direction. Isn’t that just the way it is with your life too?

If I set out on a long journey, I’d need a plan of action to get there. Without a map or a GPS, I’d likely get off course and I’d struggle to keep my path straight. I might ultimately arrive at my destination by relying on my own instincts, but the challenges along the way would surely make the journey more difficult and a whole lot longer than it needs to be. My instincts and my sense of direction can’t hold a candle to a good map or a reliable GPS system. If I can’t rely on my own instincts on a road trip, why would I rely on my own instincts for my Journey through this Life?

If I set out on a voyage at sea, I’d need a little help to navigate my way through the water. Buoys would warn me of the dangers ahead and they would help me avoid running ashore. I would rely on a lighthouse to provide a beacon light to guide my ship in the night and I’d need a marine compass to help me determine the direction with no landmarks or means of identifying my direction at sea. If I rely on my own sense of direction to find my way to land, I’d likely be lost at sea. If I can’t trust my own instincts to navigate my way through the sea, why would I rely just on my own instincts to safely Navigate the Journey of Life?

God Almighty is my Lighthouse, my Balance, my Direction, my GPS, and my Compass for my Journey through this Life and I Trust Him for Direction with every day and with every step. It’s possible to navigate here and there by relying on intellect and instincts, that’s for sure, but I can’t expect the Journey to go smoothly without the help of my Ultimate Guide and Protector. I’m leaning on Heavenly Help for my journey today. I’m smart enough to know I need Direction and I’m “weak” enough to ask for Help. I know that as long as I’m willing to GO in His Name, He’ll set my path straight and Ready me for the Journey. He’s my Go, Set, Ready, God! He’s my Rock. He’s my Fortress. He’s my Lighthouse. He’s my Compass. He’s my Deliverer. He’s my Guide. He’s my Hope. He’s my Peace. He’s my King…and without Him, I’d be lost forever.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and gloomy on this new day of a new week and my Heart could so easily follow the “mood” of the weather IF not for my time in the Presence of a Mighty God at sunrise. I didn’t see any wildlife…a didn’t hear a bird chirping…it seemed as though nature was sleeping-in late on this gloomy new day. I know eventually, things will come to life around the farm and all God’s creatures will be scrapping for food just like do every other day. Nature doesn’t need to worry about its subsistence and neither do I. God is our Provider, so all we need to do is Trust and do our part to work. Nature knows how things work because they intuitively know the Nature of God while man has the written Word to serve as a reminder -“The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Isn’t that the way you look at work too?

I don’t know all there is to know about the Living God – that’s not possible on this side of Heaven – but I know a lot and I hunger for more each day. I’ve seen Him move mountains in my Life and I’ve seen countless miracles. I know He will never leave me nor forsake me and that He never leaves His Throne. I know He listens to every word I speak to Him and that He cares about my Life. I know that He knows every hair on my head – He has stored up every single tear I’ve shed – and that He has prepared a Home for me that is more beautiful than I can imagine. I know He’s my Provider and I Trust Him to take care of me…BUT I know that “the one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” so I do my part to meet my needs too. I work like it depends on me, and pray like it depends on Him! Although I enjoy long, leisurely visits on the front porch with a cup of the best coffee on the planet…there isn’t a lazy bone in my body and I’m working like never before. This is the Key to a long and fruitful Life.

I’m not sure where the notion of retirement came from because I see no mention in the Bible of anyone celebrating life by sitting back doing as little as possible. I’m not sure where the notion of expecting the government to meet the financial needs of its people came from because I see no mention in the Bible of anyone sitting back on government support. I don’t know where the notion of sitting under an oak tree praying for our needs to be met WITHOUT the willingness to lift a finger came from because I see no mention of spiritual slugs in the Bible. His Word says “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” and we can take THAT to the bank, for sure. But God always requires action and He always honors hard work. There’s no telling what the world would look like if Adam & Eve hadn’t sinned in the garden that day, but that was the game-changer (in more ways than one) for all of us. Easy Street was transformed into Labor Lane and the rest is history in terms of the requirement for a man to WORK.

I KNOW God will meet ALL my needs but I’ll keep working hard as long as I’m able. NOT because I have an insatiable appetite for money, but because I am confident that “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” – and I thank God for a healthy mind and a strong body to work. But it’s more than that for me. I know the more I can make, the more I can give away! When you look at it that way, how and why would anyone make the choice NOT to work?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the first morning in a while that the fog hasn’t been lingering on the fields at sunrise… a little like my heart, for sure. I know God didn’t clear the way just for me to have a better view of the fields this morning, but He DID clear the way for me to have a better view of my Heart…I’m grateful for both. There are seasons for everything in life…including fog and Joy and sometimes when the seasons change, we need to work a little harder to adjust. Just the same as God can clear the fields of fog, He can help us turn those difficult corners in the Journey of Life too as long as we keep searching for Him in the fog. What a beautiful reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God this morning and it all began with a clear field.

There’s no shame when you find yourself fighting through the fog in the Journey of Life- the “shame” is denying you do. I’m known to share my Battles with the world because I know my life (and yours) is a Testimony of the Power of the Creator of Life for all the world to see. Once in a while, someone will reach out to say “I can’t believe YOU struggle like that if you’re a Christian” as if “good” Christians walk around like God’s Stepford army immune to sorrow and oblivious to life. David cried out plenty of times – in Psalm 6 David says -“I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears” – that’s enough to make anyone cry! David wasn’t licking his wounds and feeling sorry for himself no more than I am…but David was in agony over the state of the world around him and I am too. When we fight through the fog it isn’t a sign of weakness at all – it’s a Journey to endure and it’s where our Strength is found…as long as we don’t deny our “weakness” and we go to the Lifter of the Fog for the Journey.

The world is dark and it’s getting darker by the minute…just the way the Bible says it will be. There’s not much we can do about how the End plays out because God has already ordained the days – but we have a LOT to do about what the End will look like for all the ones caught up in the fog when it comes. It’s so sad to see so many lost in the fog. The suicide rate is up – homicides are off the chart – almost every day you hear of innocent children being abused or murdered by a parent. Drugs are robbing our world and overdoses are off the charts. If we don’t Understand HOW we are to live out this Journey of Life in the dark world, it’s almost impossible to endure…if not for the God of Hope, that is. Way too many people are hiding their feelings or the trials they think got them there in the first place – a sure sign of pride or shame. Some are lost in the shuffle and they never slow down – a sure sign of too many distractions and not enough Focus on Hope. And some prefer to be in the fog as they entertain the dark places by giving the circumstances all their time and attention. As for me, I’m like David…not ashamed to cry out to the Source of Hope and in agony over the dark world and all the lost people in it…ESPECIALLY knowing that the Time is near. The pain of the trials I endure in my own life doesn’t hold a candle to the pain I feel for all those lost in the fog…the ones too ashamed or too prideful to speak up…the ones that don’t know the way to Hope!

I was hovering in the fog and longing to get out when the Author and Perfecter of my Faith cleared the way. I’m a force to reckon with in a very dark world so I’ve got LOTS of work to do in His Name. If I struggle from time to time it doesn’t mean I’m a weak Warrior…it means I am a Strong Warrior with a Heart that breaks for the ones in the fog. But “He’s my glory and the lifter of my head” and I know that I am “the apple of His eye.” He’s Jehovah Shammah…always there…He’s the Bright Morning Star…ready to light the way…He’s the Prince of Peace…ready to calm any storm…He’s the Living God…the same yesterday, today, and forevermore…He’s the Wonderful Counselor…ready to listen 24/7…He’s the Author and Perfecter of Faith…He’s where Hope is found. He’s my EVERYTHING…rain or shine…fog or clear fields, and I want the WHOLE WORLD to know Him as I do.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I turned in early last night looking for a good night’s sleep but sleep didn’t come at all, so my time with the Living God began in the middle of the night and I prayed for hours instead. My heart was heavy, but not for myself…it was heavy for someone else desperately in need of the Touch of the Master’s Hand and I can feel their pain as surely as if it’s my own. As I sat in the Presence of the Source of Hope, I appealed on their behalf AND I thanked God for what He’s already doing to mend. I Praised Him for Victory without even seeing it yet, I thanked Him for answering my Prayers and for all the God-size things on the horizon and to Eternity for a friend. Isn’t that the way you help a friend in need too?

God Refined me through fire a long time ago and He Tenderized my Heart…He’s given me the kind of Heart it takes to look beyond the circumstances, flaws, or the “past” of someone else so that I can SEE the God Potential with 20/20 Vision. I can see them on the Mountain when they’re still in the valley. I can see them walking the straight line of Faith even when they’re zigzagging right now. I can see them turning from their “wicked ways” even when they’re still wallowing in them. I don’t care what they’ve done in the past because I know what’s in store for their Future with just one Touch of the Master’s Hand. It’s not easy Loving this way, but it’s the way we’re called to Love and the parable of the lost sheep is proof that we should never give up on the “lost” ones no matter how far they wonder off. If I don’t want God giving up on me, why would I give up on a brother or sister of mine?

I’m the kind of Friend you’d want on your side…the kind that will lose sleep to pray for you instead, but I need to warn you while I’m at it – if there’s anything that troubles my Heart it’s watching a life with Divine Purpose being squandered away as if there’s all the time in the world to waste. So, I’ll use the rod and staff of my Shepherd to help spur them on, and I’ll tap into Divine Wisdom to show them the way. I’ll love you as if it depends on me and I’ll pray like it depends on God. I KNOW there’s potential for so much more in His Name and I’ll pray like it…lead like it…and love like in hopes that One Day soon they’ll see themselves the Christ does. Sometimes having a Heart that’s been Refined to feel Compassion for another is not an easy thing to bear…but when I think about what Jesus had to bear to take on all my sins all in the Name of Love, it makes the Journey worthwhile.

I’ll “carry the burden” for my friend throughout this busy day and you can find me praying as I go. I refuse to watch someone squander a life with Divine Purpose so I’ll do my part to help them hunger for the Touch of the Master’s Hand where the Victory is found. Isn’t that really what Friends are for?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The hint of winter is in the air and it was too cold for me to sit outside for long this morning. But in just the little time I weathered the cold, my soul was warmed beyond measure. My life has been off-balance for weeks and although my time with the Living God never ceases, the time to savor the world around me took a back seat to distractions and I’ve been feeling the loss. But after just one morning to savor, one more day to take it all in, one more day to focus on His creation, one more day to ponder His Majesty, and I am Refreshed and Revived and full of hope and joy all over again. Isn’t that what savoring Him does for you too?

It’s so easy to get caught up in the distractions and it’s easy to lose time to savor when we do. Like hamsters racing on a wheel, we can run and run to accomplish those things on the to-do list, and we don’t slow down long enough to look beyond the wheel to savor the Greatest things. We can get so caught up in preparing the perfect meal for our family and friends that we never look beyond the work of our hands to savor the hearts of the ones we serve. We can get so caught up in the routine of shuffling kids off to bed for the night, that we never look beyond the exhaustion to savor the moments that pass so quickly. We can get so caught up in our daily lives and our work that we never look beyond the surface of all of those people we encounter to savor the chance to share a smile or a kind and compassionate word. We can get so caught up in all of the madness of the world and all of the bad that we see that we never look beyond the tragedies to savor our own peace and wellbeing. There’s a whole lot that we lose out on when we stay so busy that we neglect to savor but the Greatest of all is our Peace and Purpose.

I’ve become a master at savoring the Master and the work of His Hands, but it all began long before I knew Him. I’d rather sit down and share a cup of coffee and a good conversation with someone than to rush off to take in the finest museum or a good movie. There’s a whole lot more “entertainment” that comes from savoring those precious moments that I know may never pass my way again. I’d rather hear their words and savor their laugh than to rush off to take in the sounds of a symphony or to be part of a concert. I’d rather listen to the sounds of a child attempting to read a book at bedtime than to tune in to any other audible book option on the planet. I’ve been accused of being an “old soul” countless times but I’m not an “old soul” at all. I’m just a woman who loves to savor the moments in life and it shows. People in my world know that I care and because I take the time to savor – they know who to turn to when they need to be heard. I wear my Faith on my sleeve, and I’m wrapped in Compassion from Christ…and it shows. When people think of me, my Faith is the first thing that comes to mind. I savor my King…I take time with my Lord…and it shows. This is the key to walking the Walk and talking the Talk.

I’ll be savoring lots of things on this beautiful October morning, but it all begins by savoring the Living God and the work of His Hands for me. When I consider all that He is, and all that He’s done for me, I get excited and I can’t wait to share Him with my world. I’ll savor every moment and every Encounter today and you can be sure that His Name will come up in every conversation as naturally as I breathe…with love, and kindness and Christ-like compassion. The world will see Him in me as I savor His Plans and His Purpose for me today.

 How about you?