Gratitude in the Simple Things…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My porch time has been cut short lately because of the heat wave, and I’ve been hungering for my early morning Meeting with the King of all kings outside. A thunderstorm passed through last night, bringing cooler temperatures, so this morning, I crawled out of bed as the sun was rising, and when I stepped outside and onto the porch, it was as if I was seeing it for the very first time. That’s what Gratitude looks like. No matter where I go or what I see in this journey called Life, nothing beats time with just me and my God at sunrise from this front porch. It’s there where I find my Solitude and my Peace. It’s there where I Receive my Greatest Lessons. It’s there where I bask in His glory. It’s there where I shed my tears. It’s there where I reckon my wrongs. It’s there where I sing praises to Him. A front porch…a beautiful sunrise…a willing woman…and a Mighty God – could there be a more perfect combination? Sometimes it’s the simplest things that have the utmost impact on me. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

There is so much to see and so much to do in this journey through life, and sometimes people have wondered why I don’t see and do more. I’m adventurous…I’m inquisitive…and I love to learn and love. But of all the things I’ve seen and all the places I’ve gone, the simple things bring me the most pleasure in life. I can be more entertained by sharing a cup of coffee on the porch with a friend or ministering to a suffering soul than I could ever be by visiting any other place in the entire world. I’d much rather look into a set of eyes than see any other sight there is to see. I’d rather tune in to the voice of someone I love (or of someone God sends my way to love) than hear any concert by any artist in the world. I’d rather belly laugh on the front porch with my family or friends than visit any comedy club on the planet. I’d rather wipe away the salty tears of someone else than tip my toes in the salt water of any of the oceans in the world. I’d rather discuss History from the point of Creation and ponder my God than visit any museum of history or art or any place else in the world. My Life isn’t as simple as it is Rich, and from where I sit, everything is beautiful to me because I savor this Journey of Life. BUT my Joy could leave as quickly as it came, IF ever I allow my life to become dull.

I’m not exactly sure how this new day will unfold, but I won’t be idle, and it won’t be “boring.” One thing I DO know for sure is that my day will be Shared with others…some of them my family, and some of them my friends, and some of them I’ll see for the very first time, and that each one will be certain of how Special they are to me. I’ll probably tune into a sermon spoken by someone Called to Speak it, and I’ll hear a few words of Wisdom along the way. It’s going to be another long day at the farm, and I’ll be making the most of every minute. You won’t find me looking for fun or striving to be entertained. You won’t find me whining about being bored or disappointed over something that wasn’t “fun” or people who weren’t my cup of tea. Instead, you’ll find me walking through this day with Excitement no matter who or what comes along, because I know that this day and everything in it has been Ordained by the Living God and that His Plans for me on this new day beat anything else I could ever have added to my own agenda. He’s a God of Perfection, and He’s the Master of my Life, and as long as I keep Him in First Position, every “simple” little thing will always have a huge impact, and those “simple” little things will always cause my heart to overflow with Gratitude and Joy.

My life is filled with simple things, but there’s nothing simple about my Life on or off the front porch of this old farm. I see my Life as an Adventure and my steps as a Journey, and I want to be sure that I savor the “simple” things until I draw my last breath because it’s the simple things about me that mean the most to Him.

How about you?

Philippians 4:11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

All it Takes is a Courageous Mockingbird…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I set out to spend my time with the Master of all Creation this morning, but I didn’t last long outside because of the scorching sun. The heat wave in Virginia is taking its toll, so I’ve gotten serious about praying it out of here soon. In the meantime, I thank God for cooler places. From this photo, you can’t tell it’s scorching hot, and it looks so calm and quiet, but don’t always count on what you see with your eyes. A relentless crow was giving it all it had to give from a limb high up in the tree, and for a while, all I could think about was the noise. It cawed and cawed as if it was telling the world to sit up and take notice, that is, until a mockingbird – a fraction of the size of the crow – ran it off. One little attack from the much smaller bird, and that old crow ran off like a wussie. As I watched the exchange, I thought about the Journey of Faith and how the Enemy likes to make a lot of noise in an attempt to stake his claim too. But all it takes is the Courage of a mockingbird to send him running off like a wussie, just like the crow. Isn’t that the way you see the Battle too?

We are living in the state of “lawlessness” the Bible warns us about, and the Devil is raging. We’re living in the days “when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear”, and the Devil is raging. We are living in the days of Noah, where “man exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator”, and the Devil is raging. We’re experiencing the Written Warning, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”, and the Devil is raging. We’re living in the days where, “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law”, and the Devil is raging. There’s no end to the things we’ve been warned about that are playing out right before our very eyes, and there’s no doubt that the Devil is raging. It’s sad to see so many people wrongly believe that the Devil is gaining territory and that he has the ability to crush us at will…but that’s not true. He’s no different than the big black crow that parks itself in high places to threaten the world with its cawing. He’s big, and he makes a lot of noise, and to some, he even sounds scary. But all it ever takes is a Courageous “mockingbird” to chase him away and put him in his place. All it ever takes is a Fearless one who Understands that “Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world” and that the Devil DOESN’T have power or dominion over Creation, even when it LOOKS like he’s winning. All it ever takes is a Mockingbird who Knows the Word of God so well that it can repeat what it’s heard a million times before, and before you know it, the Devil runs off like the wussie he is. This is the Key to Victory.

God used a relentless crow and a (not so) sweet mockingbird to speak to my Heart this morning. The Battle is real. The Warnings are spot on. The Time is near. The King is coming…SOON. He won’t find me hiding when He comes calling for me. Instead, He’ll find me fighting the battle like the Courageous Mockingbird I am. I’ve been Trained for Battle. I’ve already Claimed my Victory. I Know the Word of God, and I use it often to send the Devil packing. He might rage…But he doesn’t win. He has NO dominion over me or my family, and I’ll be Fighting until the End to keep it that way.

It might be hot in Virginia today, but otherwise, it’s just another day in Paradise for me.

How about you?

Tune out the World…Tune in the King!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s going to be another scorching day in Virginia today, and my Time on the front porch was brief because of it. That’s okay – although nothing replaces being on the front porch, I’ve prayed over every inch of this farm for decades, so I can “see” it even with my eyes closed. I’ve been an eyewitness to nature being obedient to His Call as He wakes up the world thousands of times, and I can visualize play by play because of it. I’ve walked this Journey hand in hand with the Master of the Universe, and no matter how many times I see a sunrise, I’m in awe of Him, and because I am, I want to be Obedient to His Call. At the sound of His voice, the earth was formed. At the sound of His voice, the land was separated from the sea. At the sound of His voice, Adam was put into a deep sleep, and Eve was formed from his rib. At the sound of His voice, the stars were scattered in the sky. At the sound of His voice, the sun stood still. At the sound of His voice, the sea parted. At the sound of His voice, the rain was withheld for years. As I considered the Power of the sound of His voice and how nature so easily responds, I thought about how often man…the most Valuable Creation of all…willfully ignores the sound of His voice, and we struggle with Obedience when we do.

It can be so easy for us to tune out the Voice of God, especially when He Instructs us to do something that makes no sense to the human mind, but we miss out on the Opportunity to Serve and to Please the God of all Creation when we do. Somehow, when the rational mind kicks in, we convince ourselves that God would never Instruct us to do something that doesn’t make sense to us. But if it makes sense to God Almighty, that’s all that ever matters. God’s ways are not our ways, and His ways don’t need to make sense to us for us to be willing to be Obedient. I’m pretty sure not much made sense to Moses, or Elijah, or Daniel, or Joshua, or a host of other saints we read about. But the biggest Miracles the world has ever seen were born out of Obedience to things that didn’t make sense to the human mind- and the same is STILL true today. Being willing to be Obedient to His Instructions, ESPECIALLY when they don’t make sense to the human mind, is the KEY to a Rich Relationship with the God of Miracles. The surest Sign of Trust is Obedience through it all.

The Bible says, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” – this isn’t referring to age, but to Maturity instead. Most of the rules we teach a child make no sense to the young human mind, but when they’re taught to listen to the voice of their father and mother and they see the rewards of obedience, they mature into rule-following people able to accept authority, and they don’t hesitate to do what they’re told to do. If only people Walking through the Journey of Faith would do the same when they Hear the Voice of the Master of all Creation! IF only they would “let go and let God” the way they claim to! If only they would step out in Faith when God Instructs them to do something that makes absolutely no sense to the human mind. If only they could Trust Him. This is the Key to being a Willing Vessel – a Participant in the Master Plan that might not make a whole lot of sense to the human mind on this side of Heaven, but one that makes Perfect sense to the Perfect God.

When I was a child in my Journey of Faith, I “passed” on plenty of things because they didn’t make sense to my human mind. Today is a different story – today I’m Mature. At the sound of His voice, I’m Obedient and I Trust what He wants to do through me. My world sees the God of all Creation work in my Life in ways that sometimes leave them breathless – but what they see in my Life over and over again has nothing to do with me. What they see is the Hand of God working Miracles…Miracles born out of Obedience. Every single day, I work on “dying to myself” – to set aside my own will so that I can do His instead. Every single day, I ask Him to examine my Heart to see if there is anything inside that I need to purge and repent of. I can’t hear His voice if I have sin in my Heart (and neither can you!) I listen to His Voice with an open Heart and I set out to Serve the One Who died for me, ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense to me at all. That’s what Trust looks like!

How about you?

Is it Business as Usual For You Today?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We’re experiencing a heatwave in Virginia, so it didn’t take long for me to drag myself back into the house to find relief from the heat. After I settled myself inside the cool farmhouse, I sat there talking to the God of all Creation about His Plans for me on this new day of a new week, it occurred to me that for wildlife, it was business as usual this morning…heat and all. It was business as usual for the rabbits and squirrels. It was business as usual for the deer. It was business as usual for the birds. Watching them going from Point A to Point B with no real direction at all reminded me of the way so many people live. They go through the motions day after day, and they seem satisfied as long as nothing bad happens. What a sweet Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that Life should never be just business as usual for a Child of the King.

Most people live like rabbits and squirrels, except they have more intellect. They scurry through life in survival mode without any purpose at all. They go to work, pay the bills, mow the lawn, play with the kids, and then it’s lather, rinse, and repeat all the days of their lives Their days turn into weeks – their weeks into months – their months into years and they seem to be satisfied with business as usual as long as something bad doesn’t happen today. I’ve gone through plenty of motions in my lifetime – going from Point A to Point B – and I’ve always been grateful for God’s Provision and Protection as I scurried about. But I’m not satisfied with just nothing bad happening…I’m not satisfied unless I see Good in each day..The kind of Good that pleases my God and the kind of Good that makes an Eternal difference. I don’t wait for Good things to happen by chance like a squirrel or rabbit hoping to stumble upon a morsel. I LOOK for Good. I anticipate Good. There is Good in everything IF you look for it, and I’m excited about the possibility of sharing Good every single day of my Life. This is the Key to living a Life with God given Purpose, and it’s the Key to Fulfillment in the Journey called Life. Why would anybody be content just as long as something bad doesn’t happen when there’s SO MUCH Good to be discovered in each new day?

There’s really no nice way to say this, but all those people going through the motions day after day obviously aren’t ALL IN for the One they claim to Know and Love…the One who GAVE it all for them. Many of them have a false sense of security about their One Way Ticket to Eternity, and most of them will never Fulfill their Purpose for their time here on earth because of it. They never learn to look for the Good because they’re satisfied as long as there’s nothing bad. They never jump into the deep end of the pool for Jesus Christ, and they make excuses for why they don’t Serve Him beyond going to church or (maybe) tithing. They believe they’ve done their part if they whisper a prayer for someone in need, but out of the same mouth they Praise the King of kings, they’ll curse another one of His Creations. I feel bad for the shallow ones, just barely making it to the Jesus Team and satisfied with business as usual. I pray nothing bad happens to them too, but MORE than that – I pray they learn to find the Purpose for their time here on earth before it’s too late. Who wants to live like the rabbits and squirrels – merely going from Point A to Point B each day when we can Live like Royalty and Serve like Jesus?

From the outside looking in, you’d think I live a simple life…and in many ways, it is. But when it comes to the Journey of Faith there’s nothing simple about mine. I refuse to live a life like an old shoe; scuffed and beaten…predictable…comfortable…and never moving unless the reason for moving makes logical sense. I’ll leave that up to the ones satisfied with watching life pass them by and too afraid to move for fear of something bad happening. For as long as I live, I will look for the Good, and I won’t rest unless/until I find it. I have a Purpose that sometimes keeps me awake at night with excitement, and one that could easily exhaust me if I didn’t include Jesus Christ in the Journey. It will NEVER be business as usual for me, and I won’t squander even one day of the Journey. Any chance to Serve the One who died for me is the Greatest Honor of all. I’ll leave the scurrying around with no direction to my furry friends. As for all the rest, I won’t stop doing my Part to wake them up!

The King is coming, and He’s coming soon. Will He find you sitting still for fear of something bad happening, OR will He find you pressing on and fighting the Good Fight all the days of your life?

Outshining the Darkness!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who Breathed Life into this new day, and everything about it is a Reflection of His Hand. The birds sound like they’re celebrating the morning, the squirrels look like they’re celebrating a feast, and my Heart is celebrating another Day to Serve. I don’t know exactly what He has Planned for me today, but I do know that after my Time with Him, I’m ready for whatever it is. As I looked out at the shadows on the field, it made me think about how the Light always casts a shadow on the things in its path, but the Light has no shadow of its own. Darkness can’t exist when there is Light. No doubt I’ll encounter some dark things today because the world is filled with darkness, but when I do, my Light will Shine so bright that I’ll cast a few shadows of my own, and darkness will flee from me…every time. Isn’t that the way you “fight the good fight” too?

It’s not easy to encounter the “darkness” sometimes, but that darkness can’t exist with my Light. Darkness is darkness, but it comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and I could be easily fooled if I didn’t know the Light so well. Sometimes the darkness shows itself boldly, and it’s easy to spot when it’s nearby, and sometimes the darkness is so subtle that I could get deceived if that were possible. Sometimes the darkness masquerades as Light, and it could win an Academy Award for its effort to fool…but when you Know the Light so well, it’s not possible to be fooled by darkness. Sometimes the darkness shows up in the form of dissension, and sometimes it shows up with the sweetest looking lure – the kind that Adam and Eve refused to Resist. The only way to walk through this dark world without being overtaken by the darkness is to shine the Light so bright that the darkness disappears and not even a shadow is left in its place. This is the Key to battling the war that takes place “in the heavenly realms.”

It’s sad to see so many people attempting to battle the darkness with their words when there’s a much Bigger way to Battle and only One Way to win. I’m pretty sure that darkness just laughs when it sees us trying to use our own words and our own intellect to win the War that can ONLY be won by the Spreading of the Light. When it’s time for words, ONLY the Words that were breathed by Him have any Power at all, and absolutely none of the others will repel the dark or produce Good fruit. But time and again people of Faith spit out insults and dim the Light instead of “spitting” out love and turning up the Light of Faith…the kind of Light that makes the darkness flee. I know that every time I say the name of Jesus, I can cause every demon in Hell to shudder, and I say it often each day. It might be a really dark world we live in, but the Light of the World will always outshine the darkness IF…and ONLY IF…we turn up the Light of our Faith and we Fight the darkness with the only thing it can’t withstand. This is the Key to willing the war.

Darkness nipped at my heels for so many years of my life, that is UNTIL I learned about the Light. One day, I invited the Light in, and I’ve never been the same again. My Light outshone the darkness that so desperately wanted to thwart the Plans God had for me…but darkness has no power in the Light. Darkness can no longer have power OR Victory over me because I belong to the Light! Today, I make the liar from Hell sorry that he ever messed with me as I Shed the Light of Jesus Christ on the dark world as much as I possibly can. This is the Key to Freedom.

I’m ready for this new day, and although I NEVER look forward to encountering the darkness here and there, I Know how to fend it off and snuff it out. Darkness, aka the Devil, has no power over me because I know the Light, aka Jesus Christ, so well. It could be that Brightest Lights (the biggest risk) deal with the darkness a little more than all the others…I’m not sure. But I DO know that the darkness would LOVE to dim my Light IF THAT WERE POSSIBLE, and I guess I can’t blame “it” for trying to take me down when I stand SO boldly for the Light.

Yes, it’s a battle…but I’ll always be Victorious because I focus a whole lot more on the Light than I do on shadows of darkness…and THAT’S the source of my Strength in this dark world.

How about you?

    A Journey Down “Broken Lane”…

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I met with the Living God this morning to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known, I was feeling a little inadequate to accomplish all that He has for me in this Journey called Life. So, the Author and Perfecter of my Faith walked me down Broken Lane to remind me of how Strong I really am and just how it came to be. There are lots of things in the past I’d much rather forget…at least in the human sense…but the Hand of God brought calamity my way many times in my life…not to break me…but to Build me into a Usable Vessel and to make me strong for Him. I went from feeling inadequate to BELIEVING I have everything it takes to Serve the King of kings…ALL because of my brokenness. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

    It can be so easy for most people to throw in the towel when they experience brokenness, but they miss out on all the Strength that can be found in Victory when they do. Some people shake their fists at God and demand answers when calamity strikes, and some people hide under the bed. Some people spend what seems like forever “asking” for explanations for why the trials showed up in the first place, while others are consumed with self-pity because God is being so “mean.” Some people gloss over the “break” experience as if it’s just a minor setback and they’ll brush it off without a second thought. Some people experience brokenness, but they stay so busy trying to hide it from the world that they miss out on the Beauty that is just around the corner if they’ll just let go and let God do what God does best. It makes me sad to see all those wounded people so clueless about the process, and it makes me even more sad to know that they can’t be Used by the King as long as they remain on Broken Lane. God takes Brokenness and Spins it into Strength IF we just accept the Purpose behind the storms.

    I wish I could have avoided the pain and suffering of Broken Lane, but I wouldn’t be a Strong Vessel for Him today had He not taken me there to Shape me into what He needs me to be. I find comfort when I read about all those Saints of the Bible who were Broken for His Purpose too – like Paul on the road to Damascus and David after his sin with Bathsheba (and the list could go on and on) about people He walked down Broken Lane JUST so they could become Strong in His Name. Brokenness doesn’t end well UNLESS we accept His Purpose for our lives in the good times AND in the bad ones too. It takes understanding that brokenness comes with a Purpose much bigger than we can see on this side of Heaven…but we never fulfill the Purpose if we aren’t willing to look at Brokenness for what it really is…a chance to be Readied for Service… an Opportunity to become Stronger than ever. I’m not sure if I’d refer to what God does as a “test,” but He definitely forces us to flex our Spiritual Muscles to make us Stronger. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith has a Perfect Master Plan, and He longs for each one of His children to be willing to walk down Broken Lane with Purpose! Will we become weaker or stronger in the end? Will we see Broken Lane as a sign of a “mean” God or a testimony we’re willing to share with someone traveling down Broken Lan,e too?

    I started off this new day feeling inadequate for the Job, but He set me Straight by walking me down Broken Lane all over again. He reminded me of where He’s taken me and how Strong I really am in His Name. He Encouraged me with Heavenly Reminders that I have EVERYTHING I need to do what He’s Called me to do and that Victory is mine. I Serve Him well…I Love Him and Trust Him completely…and I’m grateful for Broken Lane….the place where I found my Strength through Him.

    I’m a Vessel for the Living God…an Ambassador for Jesus Christ. I’m a force to reckon with in His Name…and it all began with brokenness.

    How about you?

    “The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” – 1 Samuel 2:4

    “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve”…

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One Who Knew me before the earth was formed, and we had a long chat about my Life. My Biggest Priority in this Journey called Life is to be Pleasing to Him… and not necessarily to those around me. Though I’d love to please everybody all the time, I know from my Instruction Manual that it isn’t possible to please the world. So, as long as I’m Pleasing the Master of the world by the way I Live, Love, and Speak, everything’s going to be just fine, and all will be well with my Soul. When I looked at the flags on the front porch on any given day, they reminded me of my Life…I’m many things to many people, and I’m often wearing more than one hat. And just like the flags on the front porch, when you mix all the colors of Life together, you get a Masterpiece painted by the Hand of God. I AM A MASTERPIECE because of Him, and all the pieces of my Life work together for Good because I LOVE HIM and I’ve been Called according to His Purpose. Isn’t that the way you see your Life, too?

    It can be so easy to worry about what everybody else thinks about who we are and what we stand for, but when we worry more about what people think than what God thinks, we become useless to Him. Refusing to stand up for the Living God is a form of denying Him, and He makes it pretty clear that “Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in Heaven.” Some people feel better about defining God as “the same god to all religions by a different name,” AS IF the Living God is okay with being mixed up with untruths. No matter how many people worship whatever form of god they design in their own mind, there is only One God, and He makes it perfectly clear in His Word – “Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Plenty of people spend a lifetime making sure a loved one did not die in vain, and they do whatever they can do to be sure they aren’t forgotten…and that’s a beautiful thing. If only people had as much love for Jesus – if onlythey were Determined to Share His Messege so that He didn’t “die in vain” either, and IF ONLY they could love Him enough to make sure He’s never “forgotten,” the world would look a whole lot different than it does today. Unfortunately, with so many people of Faith opting to ride out their Journey as spectators, the world keeps getting darker and darker. As for me, “this little light of mine – I’m gonna let it shine” no matter what and what Jesus did for me will be shouted from the rooftops all the days of my Life!

    As surely as I would stop to help someone with directions to a nearby destination, I will never lose the opportunity to Redirect a lost person when I see them being deceived. When I’m asked to “tolerate” other gods all in the name of acceptance…I refuse…because the Living God can’t be pleased with me if I entertain untruth just to be nice. I know that if the lost ones don’t get headed in the Right Direction, they’ll be lost for eternity, so I do my part to Redirect them before it’s too late. I have the Only Solution and I’m obliged to Share it with as many as I can in my Lifetime. I make sure to share the Truth with Love, and I know that lost people can’t deny the Joy they see in me. If they’re “offended” by Truth, there’s nothing I can do about that except to pray. I don’t Share because I judge them or because I don’t like them…I Share because I LOVE THEM! I stand Strong as a Messenger of Truth and an Ambassador to the One True God, no matter the price I pay because of it. The Living God has already warned me about how I’ll be treated, so it comes as no surprise to me – “Everyone will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” There’s not much to “hate” when we are silent, and there’s not much love in withholding Truth. It would be nice to be more popular for who I am and what I stand for but as long as I’m “popular” with the King of kings, all is well with my Soul.

    I am many things to many people, and sometimes I wear lots of hats in this Journey called Life, BUT when you mix it all together and stir it up you’ll see that I really only have One Job, One Agenda, One Role and that’s to serve Him with everything I’ve got. I care a whole lot more about Pleasing the Living God than I ever could about offending man with Truth. I may not win a popularity contest in this Journey called Life because of it, but that’s okay because I’m much more Focused on being “popular” in His Eyes than I am the world.

    That’s what Love looks like…that’s what Faith looks like…that’s what Surrendering a Life to Christ looks like.

    What does your Life look like?

    The Boundary Lines of Protection…24/7!

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who places the Boundary Lines of Protection over my Life, and I spent a long time giving thanks. There’s no end to the things that could have the Potential to harm me and this old farm, but “the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places” and He’s “made my lot secure.” As I met with the Master this morning and I pondered all that is going on in my life and the lives of others I love, I thanked Him for those boundary lines of Protection over us day after day and year after year. I know that outside of myself and my own behavior, there isn’t much that I can do about most of the things that have the potential to “threaten” me, so I turn to my Protector for it all. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be in this Journey of Faith?

    I could own an arsenal of firearms, and I could build a wall around this old farm that I love so much, but I know that my real Protection comes from the Hand of God as He makes sure that the boundary lines fall on me in pleasant places. I could have every door locked and every window nailed shut. I could install hurricane shutters on every one of the 33 windows. I could have the most advanced alarm system known to mankind that would alert me to every threat outside – but I know my real Protection comes from the Hand of God as He makes sure to have the boundary lines fall upon me in pleasant places. I could refuse to allow guests into the house for fear of them robbing me or spreading their germs. I could live a life that is built around privacy and paranoia, but I know I don’t have to keep the world away from me to be safe because He will make the boundary lines for me in pleasant places every single time. More than any of these steps that I could take to “protect” myself and this beautiful old farm, the Biggest Step I take is to have a Belief in the Power of my God and the Assurance that He’s in control of it all. This is the secret to Peace in the midst of any storm in Life.

    When I’m asked to pray over the Life of another, one of the things at the top of my list to pray for…no matter what’s going on…is for God’s boundary lines of Protection over them. The kind of boundary lines that only He can draw and the kind of boundary lines that bring Peace that surpasses all understanding, even when it doesn’t make sense. I pray against our adversary, and I call upon the Name of Jesus Christ to thwart any plans to torment or destroy that he might have up his evil sleeve. I pray over the boundary lines of the Heart and mind so that no fiery darts from the enemy can tempt them into destruction, and I pray boundary lines around them to discourage them from listening to the world instead of the Master. I pray they find comfort in knowing that He “commands His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Yes, when I pray on behalf of someone else, it’s serious Business…and it all begins with Boundary Lines.

    I’m facing this day with the kind of Love that defies words for my Protector, and I have a Heart overflowing with gratitude for the boundary lines that have fallen upon me in pleasant places day after day and year after year, ALL because of Him. He has made my lot secure!

    How about you?

    I’m in Love…Are You?

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God in the early hours of this new day, and I savored the beauty of it all. I experience the view from the front porch with all my senses…I see it…I smell it…I feel it…I hear it…and I touch it. When I step into the Presence of the Most High God, I want it to be the same way, and I believe He uses this old farm to Glorify Himself through His Vessel. I want to know ALL of Him, and I want Him to grow ALL of me. I want to embrace the beauty of what He has in mind for me, and I want to be an Eager Student when He has something to Teach me. I want to be free to Praise Him, and I want to let my tears flow freely when He Touches my Heart for Good. My multi-faceted God deserves my Full Attention, and the “fragrance” of Him is even Sweeter than the honeysuckle at the farm. My Heart belongs to Him, and it shows. Isn’t that the way you feel when you’re in His Presence too?

    I feel sorry for people who profess to be Christians but haven’t quite fallen in love with Jesus yet. They know who He is. They say they Believe in Him. They say they follow His Teachings and that they Understand (and accept) the Rules. They give Thanks when He shows up to Help them, and they endure fairly well when He takes them to the Test. They show up for church on Sunday mornings, and some even volunteer to help with the needs. They have a Bible (or should I say a Bible app on their phone?) and sometimes they’ll even open it outside of church. They know the words to their favorite Hymn or praise song, and some even listen to Christian radio throughout the day. They visit a sick friend and take food to a family when a loved one passes on. There’s no end to the list of things that some people will do for the sake of their “Faith”, and although their Heart might be in the Right Place, they haven’t quite fallen in love.

    How do I know this? Because it’s easy to spot a person in love. People in love are consumed by the other, and they couldn’t quit talking about them if they tried. People in love notice every little thing the other person does for them, and they don’t hesitate to let them know how Grateful they are. People in love see the beauty in the other, and they overlook the “flaws”. People in love want to know everything about the other, and they take the time to learn. People in love are joyful and happy all because of the love they feel. People in love miss each other from the minute they leave their presence, and they’re always hungering for more. People in love have no limitations on what they’ll do for the other, even when the other doesn’t “deserve” it. People in love do everything in their power to be pleasing to the other because pleasing them is a way to express their love. People in love easily surrender to the needs of the other, and there are no boundaries around their ability to love and forgive. People in love want to share what they’ve “found” with the world. People in love find time for each other no matter how full their schedule is, and when time is lacking, they feel lost. When people are in love, it’s a beautiful thing, and it shows in countless ways. So, with this refresher course on what it looks like to be in love, it’s painfully obvious that lots of people professing their Faith have either fallen OUT of love with Jesus OR they never really fell in love in the first place.

    They say that when two people in love are together long enough, they’ll begin to resemble each other, and sometimes they even finish each other’s sentences because they know each other so well…and, so it is when we fall in Love with Jesus Christ. We eventually begin to “resemble” Him when we naturally Reflect His Nature, and it shows in the way we Live and the way we Love…and in no time at all, we’ll “complete” His Sentences too because we Know His Word so well.

    I’m an imperfect child of the Living God striving to be all that I can be in His Name because I’m in Love. It’s that simple. I want to embrace ALL that He has for me, and I want to do everything I can to Please Him. I’m always hungering for more because I’m in Love and I couldn’t stop talking about Him if I tried. When I step out of His presence and into the reality of a new day, I miss being with Him right away. When you’re in Love, it shows.

    How about you?

    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21–23

    Let not Your Heart be Troubled…

    / www.LivingLarger.life

    Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I woke up this morning, my heart was inclined to be troubled, so I rushed out to greet the morning and meet with the Living God to set things Straight. The One who parted the seas and made the sun stand still is the One to calm my Heart and give me Heavenly Perspective for the Journey. It’s funny how each new day is unique in every way, and how one minute the Heart is at Peace and the other it’s inclined to be troubled. I don’t understand why that is, but I DO know what to do to set things Straight, and the season of a troubled Heart is short-lived in my Life because of Him. It’s not what we face that’s the biggest challenge…it’s HOW WE FACE whatever it is that matters the most, and there’s only One Way to face it all. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

    It can be so easy to “lose” a Day when the heart is troubled, and I can’t think of a better waste. Even one day being sad or mad or fearful is one day we can’t be of any Good Use to the King! When I wake up that way I get really busy really fast setting things Straight because I know it serves no Good Purpose and I know that a troubled Heart can cripple me…even if just for a day. Since each day has the Potential to add to the Kingdom, that’s a Price I’m not willing to pay! No amount of woes is worth that! Sometimes it’s not clear to me why my heart is troubled, and I wonder if I lost control of my thoughts…the kind of thoughts that can trouble a Heart. Sometimes I wonder if the night was filled with dreams of things that can trouble a Heart, even if I don’t recall them. Sometimes I wonder if my enemy is working overtime trying to discourage me in my Journey, and sometimes I wonder if it’s all the above. Whatever the “reason,” there is NO justification for a Child of the Living God to allow the Heart to be troubled because we have the Solution for Life! As long as we’re willing to rush to meet with the One to set things Straight, and we’re humble enough to do our Part by surrendering it all to Him, a troubled heart is Healed faster than we can say “Amen.”

    I don’t like it much when my Heart is troubled with or without “good reason,” but I’m not too prideful to confess it to the One who loves me enough to send His Son to die for me. David’s heart was troubled many times, but David never hesitated to rush to the One to set his Heart Straight. Elijah’s heart was troubled, and he hit a breaking point because of it. Even though he didn’t have the strength to rush to the One to set his Heart Straight, the God of Compassion met Elijah right where he was. God understands when we get weary, and He understands when the Heart is troubled – and He’ll LOVE US OUT OF IT every single time BUT He won’t “coddle” us or let us off the hook when the Heart is troubled. Why? Because He already Knows that He is the Solution. He’s the Great Physician…the Bright Morning Star…the Author and Perfecter of our Faith…the Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. He’s the Great I am…the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End. He’s the One that parts the seas…the One to scatter the skies in the heavens and to know them each by name…the One who made the sun stand still once and the One Who raised the dead. When you consider all that He is, why would we ever hesitate to confess a troubled heart and why would we ever accept less than Perfection?

    I woke up with a Heart inclined to be troubled this morning, but it sure didn’t last long. I Understand the Journey, and I know where to go to set things Straight. I’ve been through adversity in my life that would rattle the cage of the strongest and bravest, and sometimes people question how I “survived.” No matter the problem, the answer is always the same. I rush to the One Who gave me Life and I do my part to get things Straight. I really CAN “do all things through Christ who gives me strength” He’s Jehovah Shammah (God is there) and I’m His child. When we Work Together, something like a little troubled heart won’t get in my way of Serving the King of Kings, that’s for sure!

    How about you?