Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold here, and there’s a raging wind with enough strength to blow the rocking chairs off the front porch and into the field. I’m sure am thankful for the warmth and safety inside this old farmhouse this morning. As I considered how much strength it takes to lift these heavy chairs and toss them into the field like dollhouse furniture, I considered the Strength of my God and how He can just as easily set me in a New Place too with no effort at all. Just like the rockers that “have their proper place” on the front porch of this old farm, God can move me from what I believe to be my “proper place” in a heartbeat with just the Command of His voice. So, I do my best to Tune-in to Him and I’m ready to move in any Direction He takes me in even when it doesn’t make sense. Isn’t that the way you look at His Plans for your life too?

It can be so easy to fight against the Will of God when things don’t make a lot of sense to us on the surface. We spend so much time second guessing and rationalizing God’s “next move” that we often miss out on the Opportunity to fulfill His Purpose for our lives. But when God has a Plan in mind, He has the Strength to fulfill it. It doesn’t take much Faith at all to flounder around waiting for clarity when clarity comes from Him in the first place… IF WE TUNE IN to Him and we believe that He has the Strength to fulfill any plan He has for us. Moses was asked to lead millions of people to the Promised Land and when He attempted to tell God that He’d picked the wrong guy; God took away His excuses. It didn’t make a lot of sense when God told Joshua to march around the city of Jericho 7 times, but Joshua did it He saw Victory up-close-and-personal. We’re only weak and useless if we chose to be weak and useless, because with God ALL things are possible and He’s got enough Strength to share with the world…IF we TUNE IN and Trust Him AND if we’re willing to get our of our “proper place”.

Sometimes a Strong Wind comes through my world and God takes me from my “proper place” and He sets me in an entirely different direction. Sometimes it’s not convenient and sometimes it makes no sense to me. Sometimes it means that I’ll suffer a little persecution by doing His Will and sometimes it means that I’ll have to be ready for Battle. Sometimes I’m afraid as I set off out of my “proper place” and sometimes I attempt to make excuses just like Moses did. But God knows my heart beneath my fear and frailty, and anytime I try to excuse myself from Service; He makes sure that I am reminded of Who my Boss is and His Strength Working through me overwhelms me. There’s nothing “unproductive” or “irresponsible” or “wishy washy” about being willing to move when the Strong Wind passes through. In fact, it takes Strength and Trust and Faith to step outside of our “proper place” and it takes Obedience to do what the Boss tells us to do even when it doesn’t make sense. I know that when God brings the Strong Wind to change my Course, it’s miracle time and the outcome can never be credited to me. I like to believe that God knows that I will ALWAYS give Him the Glory in the end, and maybe that’s why I’ve had a few more Strong Winds that removed me from my “proper place” than the average person. Giving God the glory through the Good, the “bad” and the “ugly” is the key to being a Vessel that God can use to bring Himself Glory no matter the circumstances and no matter which way the Wind blows.

The strong winds have rearranged the furniture on the front porch and we’ve lost a few limbs at the farm. But with just a few minutes of clean-up the rockers will be back in their “proper place”. As for me? I’ll keep walking the walk and talking the talk and I’ll keep striving to be a Vessel Worthy to be used by the King, and when He brings the Strong Wind and He decides to move me from my “proper place” to that Place where I can be used to glorify Him; I’ll be ready.

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 it’s still outside, and just looking at the remnants of a dusting of snow days after it fell to the ground makes me want to run for cover from the inside out. But my body was warmed by the fire and a hot cup of coffee, and my soul has been warmed by the Hand of a Mighty God, and NOW I’m ready to venture out on this new day. It doesn’t take much for me to surrender to my circumstances if I’m not careful, so spending time on the inside of me to be sure that it doesn’t get cold there too is even more important than a coat and a hat on a winter’s day. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Life is like a rubber-band. We can stretch it out almost to the breaking point as we attempt to grow past our obstacles; but as surely as the rubber-band is inclined to retreat back to where it was before it was stretched; so are we inclined to go back to the place we’re trying to grow out of. It’s only when we lose our grip that the rubber-band retreats, and it’s only when we continue to stretch it that we eventually break through. Whether it’s fear, or depression, laziness, or discouragement; it’s easy to retreat back into any of these UNLESS we’re willing to keep stretching…even when it hurts and even IF it takes a million attempts. The Apostle Paul, said ” I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do”. If retreating back into old ways was a problem for one of the Greatest Saints who ever lived; it’s no surprise that it would be a problem for you and me too. It doesn’t matter how many times we (re)stretch the rubber-band that matters. What matters is that we keep stretching and stretching and refusing to retreat back. And if we do that over and over and over again; we eventually break through and the rubber-band can no longer retreat. It would be easy to throw in the towel and proclaim “that’s just the way I am” or to give credit to genes by saying “It runs in my family”, but retreating back to old ways is an on-going battle for ALL of us, and we each make the choice whether to surrender to our weaknesses or to keep stretching until we eventually break through the barriers. This is the key to Victory.

When I’m inclined to retreat back to where I came from, I’m certain of a few things. I know it’s time to regroup and to stretch a little harder. I know that if the Apostle Paul struggled with the same thing and eventually reached Victory, there’s Hope for me too. I know that He’s “my glory and the lifter of my head” and through Him I have the Power to change anything and everything. I know that when I’m inclined to retreat back that I’m on the brink of Great Things and the temptation doesn’t come from a Good Place at all. I’m fighting against the rubber-band-syndrome and I refuse to retreat back into my “old ways”. I’m doing my part to Stretch and I’m leaning on the One who gives me Strength 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 bitter cold with the outside temperature at a whopping 10 degrees, and venturing out onto the porch to snap a photo this morning was a painful step for me. As I met with the Living God in the warmth of my kitchen, I began to weep for those so much less fortunate than I am…those left out in the cold in more ways than one. Cold people and lost people and sick people and poor people all around, and with the exception of praying for them and doing my small part to attempt to change their lives; I’m powerless. But I know the Miracle Maker and I know the Provider very well, and I know that He has a Plan through it all..even when I don’t understand it and even when it hurts.

It could be so easy to ignore the pain in the world and to consider it somebody else’s problem…if not for having a Christ-like heart. When we strive to have a heart like Christ, we learn what genuine compassion really looks like, and we no longer have just fleeting moments of feeling sorry for people; we hurt for them instead. Over and over we read about the compassion of Christ and over and over again the translation refers to physical agony that He felt over the pain of another. It wasn’t as simple as a fleeting moment of compassion…He didn’t just shake his head and say “that’s too bad” or “that’s so sad”…He hurt for them…He was in agony over their pain. It was when Christ was moved with compassion that He performed some of the most amazing miracles…like feeding thousands and thousands of people from just a little bread and a little fish because they had no food. It’s when compassion kicks-in that action kicks-in and it’s when the heart genuinely hurts for another that we are in agony over their pain. It’s compassion that drives us to our knees to pray for the help we can’t provide on our own, and it’s compassion that forces us into action to help whenever and however we can…with no expectation of return, reward or recognition.

I’m heading into this cold new year with more blessings than any human deserves. I understand where I’ve been and how far I’ve come. I understand that God used my own pain and poverty to tenderize my heart, and I understand that “there is no good thing” in me apart from Him. I am a child of the King and I’m humbled to be Called to do a little Work in His Name. I have a place Reserved for me in Heaven when I leave this temporary home and I’ll have Everlasting Life with my loved ones that are Children of His too. I have a family that is so close and so filled with love that it defies logic; and they’re all healthy and strong. I have a Purpose that was Divinely Designed just for me for and I understand what I need to do to Fulfill it. I have a warm home and a warm heart and every day I strive to have a heart more like Christ…the kind that hurts over the pain of another, and the kind that wants to do something about it if I can. The kind that NEVER overlooks the honor that it is to be able to stand before the Throne of a Mighty God on behalf of another.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s going to be another very cold day at the farm but the sun is supposed to be shining, and as long as the sun shines; I’ll find my warmth somehow. We’ve gone from unseasonably warm days to temperatures in the teens, and although the changes didn’t happen overnight; they came upon us quickly. One day the warmth was here and the next day it was gone. As I considered how quickly God can change my circumstances, I was reminded that “He gives and takes away” and what a hard pill that is to swallow sometimes in every area of life…unless we Trust His Plans and we understand that it all “works together for Good”.  Isn’t that the way you see life too?

It’s so easy to get the wind knocked out of our sails when the circumstances in our lives change. We’re rarely prepared for change and we don’t accept it easily. One minute we’re healthy and the next minute we’re not. One minute we have love in our lives and the next minute we don’t. One minute things are running smoothly and the next minute they’re upside down. One minute our family is complete and the next minute it isn’t. One minute we have prosperity and the next minute we don’t. Some people immediately begin to question God when things change and they want answers RIGHT NOW for how and why He would allow the changes to come. Sometimes we feel broadsided by the change but most of the changes we experience don’t just happen, and they don’t just happen overnight. Instead there were “signs” of change that we may have ignored or sometimes we see a little change here and there but we refuse to acknowledge it at all. We owe it to ourselves, to our loved ones and to our God to do our part to prevent a shift in our circumstances whenever we can, but when it comes right down to it; the “Lord gives and the Lord takes away”. It’s when we refuse to Trust His Plans no matter what they are; we surrender our peace. God doesn’t make mistakes and He doesn’t find pleasure in making us miserable. He has Plans that we can’t begin to comprehend on this side of Heaven and “all things work together for Good” always; it we let it.

Some people live life as if they’re waiting for the other shoe to drop, and they find no joy or peace through this journey because of it. They see God as a tyrant-in-the-sky that can (and will) wreak havoc in our lives eventually, and they just wait for it to happen. They live in fear and uncertainty and they have a perception of God that doesn’t fit His nature at all. They believe we should prepare to suffer and that we should strive to live in poverty and anything else is less than godly to them. But it takes no Faith at all to sit back and do nothing and to wait for bad things to happen and these people lack a true understanding of the Grace of a Mighty God that ALWAYS has a Plan and a Purpose that will “work together for Good” and that will bring Him glory as a result. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” but when He does either one; there is good reason for it. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” but when He does either one; there is a Plan behind it that will blow your mind if you learn to Trust Him not only when He’s giving…but when He “takes away” too. This is the key to Trust and Peace and it’s the truest picture of unwavering Faith.

The Lord has given me SO MUCH, but He’s taken away some things that nearly broke my heart AND my spirit UNTIL I learned to Trust with me and every single thing in my life, and I surrendered to His Will and not my own. It may not always be Easy Street as I walk out my Faith, but it’s easy to endure when I know that whatever He gives and whatever He takes away will Serve a Purpose much bigger than me.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It looks and feels like the winter day that it is, and somehow it feels more like Christmas time to me because of it. I spent my time with the Living God this morning in my kitchen with a hot cup of coffee close by, but I had to work hard to focus on Him instead of the unfinished Christmas projects around me…gifts still in progress…things in need of my time. Every time I tried to focus on Him, I found my mind wondering to other things. Every time I began to read His Words, I found myself thinking about something else. It wasn’t until I physically moved away from the distractions that I was able to give Him 110% of my attention AND NOW I’m ready to tackle my day. Isn’t that the way it is with you sometimes too?

Of all of the times of the year, I think Christmas time is the easiest time to lose our focus on what Christmas is supposed to represent in the first place…the celebration of our HOPE. I love the tinsel and the glitter and the lights and the nativity scenes just as much as anybody else; but nothing about those things can adequately depict what we’re supposed to be celebrating at all. No amount of tinsel or glitter or lights or nativity scenes can soothe the heart of someone mourning the loss of a loved one, and no decoration can camouflage the loneliness the heart feels…but our HOPE in Jesus can put things into perspective and His Love can mend the most broken of hearts IF we’re sure to focus on Him and not the party we have in His Name. There’s obviously a competitive edge when it comes to homes decorated for Christmas and I’m not the One to judge whatever makes people happy. But I’m pretty sure that the more lights they have or the bigger tree they decorate doesn’t represent a bigger Faith or paint a more significant picture of the Celebration of His birth at all. In fact, if we do what we do this time of year truly in Honor of Him; I’m pretty sure just a simple candle in a window and a focused Heart would please Him more than we could ever imagine.

Of all the times of year that we have as an “open door” to share the story of Christ and His saving Grace with our world; Christmas is probably the time of year that we share the Gospel the least. Sometimes I think we’re too busy trying to make things LOOK like Christmas that we overlook the need to make it FEEL like Christmas. Having a nativity scene in the privacy of our homes (or on the front lawn) just looks like just decoration to the rest of the world, UNLESS we’re willing to tell them about the Reason we celebrate in the first place. Making sure that we say “Merry Christmas” or that we make mention of the birth of Jesus is a good thing. But our celebration isn’t as simple as a birthday party for a baby born long ago. His birth marks the Beginning of the ONLY Hope the world has at all! When Christ was born in that manger so long ago, the God-clock began to count down, and just 30 years or so after His birth; He took on the sins of the world and He died a miserable death for you and for me. His Birth marks the Beginning of our Hope, and His Birth is a reminder of Salvation and Redemption all because he was Born just to die for the world. Without His birth we’d have absolutely nothing…no Hope,no Forgiveness, no Redemption, no Joy, no Future…no Good thing at all. When we look at it that way, how could we NOT sing His Praises and how could we possibly contain our Excitement over the Birth of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? How is it possible that we are inclined to allow the distractions of the Birthday Party to override the meaning for why we Celebrate in the first place?

I’m burning the candle at both ends making gifts for my family that will hopefully last for a generation or two. We’ll have a feast on Christmas day and I’ll love every second of the time the Christmas tree is up and the candles are lit in my windows. But I’ll fight with everything I’ve got to NOT lose my focus on what this Celebration is REALLY all about and instead of just saying “Merry Christmas” or this is “Jesus’ birthday” I’ll share the rest of the Story with everyone I can.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold, but it’s sunny, and as long as the sun is shining I can endure the cold. It’s an amazing thing to wake up with Purpose, and it’s a beautiful thing to open your eyes in the morning with excitement to discover what God has for you to do in His Name. How sad it is to see so many people who will never lift a finger to fulfill their Purpose (if they even understand what that means) and it’s no surprise that life becomes a burden for them because of it. I know with absolute certainty that I’m a Vessel for the King of Kings and that I’m in the Lord’s Army, and that everything about my Life has Purpose…because He says so.,,and THAT is the reason I am alive on this December day and THAT’S what’s behind my Joy and my Peace. Isn’t that the way you see your Life too?

It’s surprising to see how rattled people can get when they’re asked about their Purpose; as if their Purpose can only be defined by what the world considers to be outstanding. They look around their circumstances and they can’t imagine that they could possibly be of use to the King; so, they don’t let Him use them at all. Some people have an idea of what they think God wants them to do, but they never put one foot in front of the other to accomplish it. I’m not sure if they’re waiting for Him to say “ready, set, GO!” or if what they SAY He has planned for them has never been Purposed by Him at all. Either way, it never seems to happen and they blame it all on “God’s timing”.

Some people say they’re too old or too busy or too alone or too broken; but with just a little time spent in the Presence of a Mighty God, and a little time studying their Instruction Manual, they’d see that they don’t have a leg-to-stand-on with those excuses at all. God LOVES using broken Vessels because that’s one way that He can reveal His Majesty. But how many of those excuse-makers EVER say “use me, God!!”? Some people figure out that they MUST be here for a Reason, so they work themselves into a state of exhaustion trying to figure out what their Purpose is; but they only find fatigue and a weary Spirit because of it. Understanding what our Purpose is isn’t nearly as complicated as some people want to believe that it is..all it REALLY takes is embracing the fact that this Life is not about you and me at all. We’re ONLY here for His Purpose and our True Joy and Peace can only be found when we understand that part.

I have a lot of the answers when it comes to Living out my Faith, but I sure don’t have all of them. Thankfully, when it comes to God; I’m not expected to have all of the answers, because it doesn’t take having all of the answers to Serve Him…it takes Faith and Trust and a willing Heart instead. It takes a heart that KNOWS that He loves me…that understands that He knit me together in my mother’s womb…that He has given me breath on this new day and that He can snuff it out any time He’s ready to call me Home. It takes a Heart that will never lose it’s gratitude for a Savior that offers me Hope and a Future. It takes a Heart that understands that I’m not here just to take up space and that the Purpose of my Life is much bigger than anything I can comprehend. It takes a Heart that understands that “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine; you do for Me”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The sunrise was spectacular this morning, and it was as if God Almighty hand- painted His Majesty right before my very eyes. My heart went from solemn to celebration as I watched this new day unfold, and the course of my time with Him and my time in His Word was redirected. I started out focused on His birth and all of the circumstances surrounding His humble beginning…things we should never overlook. But in the midst of this magnificent morning God didn’t just want me to consider the birth of His Son; He wanted me to CELEBRATE Him instead…so Celebrate I did at daybreak. Isn’t that what happens to you sometimes too?

My mind can’t begin to imagine what it was like so long ago when my Savior entered the world. A virgin girl was chosen to be the one to nurture Him in her womb, and there was no need for a doctor’s exam to confirm her pregnancy or to prove her virginity. He fiance’ kept his promise to marry her and he accepted what the angel of God told him…there was no need for DNA to confirm who’s child she carried. Without a text message conversation this girl’s relative immediately knew she was pregnant, because the baby she carried leaped in her womb at the sound of this young mother’s voice; and the Holy Spirit came upon her that very moment… just as it was foretold. Without cell phones or the Internet news traveled fast about this Child…the Savior…the King…because the details of His arrival, His life and His Purpose was foretold long before He was ever born. Without the benefit of GPS the 3 wise men found their way to Him and without the benefit of online shopping they brought Him the most precious gifts under the sun.

Most of the world will celebrate next week, but most of the world won’t be celebrating the birth of my Savior at all. Some take advantage of this time of year and although they light-up a Christmas tree and they wrap-up gifts; they don’t Believe in my Savior…they just like to use His birthday as an excuse to have fun. Some will proclaim to Believe but they don’t “buy in” to all of the details of His birth that was foretold LONG before He was ever born; as if the Word of God comes a-la-carte and we can pick and choose the parts we like the best. Some profess to be people of Faith and yet they don’t pause to celebrate in Savior-style and when (or IF) they “tell” the story of His birth on Christmas morning it will have as much excitement as a trip to the mailbox. Some will sing Happy Birthday to Him on Christmas morning and seconds after they sing; they’ll dive-in to gifts and shovel down a feast and He won’t be mentioned again…as if they’ve done their duty to acknowledge Him. Some claim to Believe and they’ll celebrate next week but the focus and thanks for all of those gifts their children receive isn’t on the Savior at all…but on a fantasy-guy-in-the-sky that determines if they’re worthy or not.

I’ll soon be celebrating the birth of my Savior at the farm with my family, and you can be sure that it’s Him we’ll be celebrating. We know that “there is no good thing apart from Him” so He’ll get thanks for it all. We know that He is our Provider and that every morsel of food and every gift we exchange is only made possible because of Him. We’ll be celebrating Savior-style and we Believe every single Word of the story of His Birth…a baby born to a virgin…our King…our Savior…our Wonderful Counselor…our Mighty God…our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace!

How about you?