Never Undestimate the Significance of the Small

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The magnificence of this new day captured my Heart the minute I stepped onto the porch, and I was compelled to Praise the God of all Creation. I don’t see just a good view, although it is, I see God. I don’t just see the wildlife that calls this farm home, I see God. This squirrel enjoying breakfast under the oak tree caught my eye, and I thought about how that little squirrel with a tiny little acorn has the potential to plant countless oak trees that might tower over the farmhouse one day…all because of God. God is the God of Big Things, and we spend plenty of time in Journey of Faith waiting for His Hand to move mountains because of it. But it’s in those “little things” where the Biggest Miracles can be found, and it’s through those “little things” that He can use me to have a Big Impact on my World. What a sweet reminder to me this morning, straight from the Throne of a Mighty God, to NEVER overlook the Little Things while looking for the Big. Isn’t that a good reminder for you too?

It can be so easy to do nothing while we wait for the Big Moments in Life, but we miss out on all the Tiny Pieces that make up the Big Things when we do. It can be so easy to overlook the Magnificent Moments while we wait on the sea to part or the mountains to move, but it’s in the Tiny Pieces that those most Magnificent Moments are found. Lots of people refuse to step into their Faith, and they whine about not knowing what God wants them to do while they’re here on this earth. But there are millions of Tiny Pieces that they can be a part of this very moment…IF they’re just willing to look for them and IF they’re humble enough to participate. It’s the ego that causes us to wait for the Big things to be a part of, and it’s pride that stops us from Serving in a million Tiny Ways.

This very moment, there are people across the country praying and “waiting on God” to Provide the funding to launch a mission to feed the hungry somewhere in the world BUT, most of them would never consider feeding a meal or two to a homeless person in their own home in the meantime. This very moment, there are people across this country praying and “waiting on God” to do something about abortion BUT most of them would never consider taking a pregnant teenager into their own home in the meantime. This very moment, there are people across the globe praying and “waiting on God” to touch the hearts of “lost” loved ones…but most of them wouldn’t dream of Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ on their own. There are millions of Tiny Pieces that anybody can do that will ultimately lead to the Bigger Miracles, but few are willing to try because they want the Big Moments OR no moments at all. Sad but true.

There once was a man who was desperate to be healed of leprosy. When he was told that there was a Prophet who could heal him, he immediately loaded a caravan with treasures to pay for his healing and then headed out to find his hope. Before he ever reached the home of the Prophet, he was sent instructions for his healing… “go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be cleansed”, and when he heard these Simple Words, he was outraged! He expected Big Things! He anticipated a Magnificent Miracle Moment! He THOUGHT he deserved to be (and needed to be) “touched” in order to be healed, so he disregarded the simple instructions as nonsense and a total waste of his time. His pride and his ego got in the way of believing that He could find hope and healing in the Simple Instructions given to him, so he set out to return to his land still riddled with leprosy. Thankfully, he was encouraged by his friends to do what he was told to do…after all, what would he have to lose by trying? So, reluctantly, he followed the Simple Instructions, and he washed himself in the Jordan River seven times…and he was instantly healed (with skin like that of “a boy”). This man could so easily have missed out on the Tiny Step that would lead to a Magnificent Moment, all because of HIS interpretation of what it takes for God to do Big Things. But the God that brings forth those Miraculous Moments is the same God that uses a million Tiny Pieces to bring Glory to Himself too, and it’s through those Tiny Pieces that He can (and He will) use His People day in and day out…IF they will humble themselves and IF they are willing to participate.

I’m a simple woman, living in a simple farmhouse on a simple farm in Virginia. I’m a wife, a Mom, a Grandma, a friend, AND I’m a child of the Living God. I’m a Tiny Piece in the Bigger Picture. I have no formal education, and I have no special talents that set me apart from everybody else in the world – BUT I Understand that my life on earth is just “a vapor”, and that my days of living are getting shorter every day. I Understand the Significance of all the Tiny Pieces that I can be a part of that will have a Big Impact and an Everlasting Significance on my world. I open my simple life on this simple farm for all the world to see because I know that when I do I have the chance to offer a Tiny Piece that will Glorify God. I welcome the masses into my home and onto the land of this simple farm because I know that every footstep will be a chance to Glorify my God by sharing all that He is and all that He does for me. I open my Heart and I share my weaknesses because I know that every Word I Speak is a chance to Glorify my God. All the Tiny Pieces that I’m willing to be a part of will “all work together for Good,” and at the end of my days when I draw my last breath, all those Tiny Pieces will add up to Magnificence.

I’m a humble Servant, and He is my God. What I may be inclined to believe is “simple” will always be Significant if it’s something He calls for me to do, AND if I’m willing to do the Tiny things that become Big Things that bring Him Glory. After all, if God can use a little squirrel with a tiny acorn to grow a forest, just think what He can do with me!

How about you?

Are You Reaching for the Heavens?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week, and I’ve Surrendered my plans over to the One who gave them to me in the first place, and NOW my Heart is Ready for whatever comes my way. I know that the ONLY reason I exist this very moment – the ONLY reason I’m still breathing – is that I have a Job to do in Jesus’ name, so I begin and end each day on a Serious Note. I had a little Work to do on my Heart this morning to Ready myself as the Warrior I know He Intends for me to be, and it’s definitely worth the Spiritual time and effort I put in to get there. Otherwise, I’d be inclined to wander around all day, focusing only on the low-hanging fruit or what’s right before my very eyes (just like this deer), and I’d miss out on the Blessings that come when I reach for the Heavens instead. God has Big Plans for my Life, and I intend to be ready for Him whenever He’s ready for me. The One Who scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name is the Same One who knit me together in my mother’s womb at His intended Time. So, from where I sit, He’s a Big God with Big Plans for me, and I’m doing everything in my power to be sure that I don’t miss out on what He has for me by focusing on the easy Way. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

Some people graze their way through their entire life just like the deer in this photo, and they often question what happened to all of the years because of it. Like Rip Van Winkle, they wake up one day in a start, they’re surprised at how fast the years have slipped by without them. These “sleepers” are usually content just to graze through the Journey of Faith, the low-hanging fruit – the easy way out – focusing only on their next bite, and they’re satisfied as long as nothing bad happens today. These people mostly “keep to themselves” and avoid getting involved in anything beyond their own fields. They refuse to reach higher than they believe is necessary, and they’ll enter the gates of Heaven (maybe) by the skin of their teeth because of it. Outside of a major catastrophe, nothing much excites these people, and they typically spend time with just their own tribe without a care or concern about Life beyond that. They see all “outsiders” as a threat to the space, so they refuse to let others into their very small world. Sadly, these people will pass through this Life without experiencing true joy and peace, and they’ll fail to fulfill their Purpose…the Purpose that can only be found outside of the walls of our comfort when we reach for the Heavens.

I can’t think of anything sadder than to end the days of my Life never having reached for the Heavens. I can’t imagine “settling” only for those obvious morsels in Life with absolutely no Desire to reach beyond what I can see with their eyes. It’s not easy for any of us to move beyond the comfort of our own field, but finding the way is the Key to our true Purpose in life, and finding the strength comes from Faith in the Living God. It’s through our Faith that Love grows, and through Love we find our motivation. This is the Key to finishing the race, and finishing it well.

I’m a child of the Living God, and I’m Living like it. I’m Royalty, and it shows in all I do in His Name. I Trust in things I can’t see with my eyes, and I’m depending on the God of all Creation to take care of me every step of the way. I acknowledge Him in all my ways and He directs my steps, so you won’t find me focused only on what is right before my very eyes – you’ll find me reaching for the Heavens and believing in Miracles instead. I’m facing this day as a NEW day with a BIG purpose, and I’ve Readied myself for it as if this will be the very last day I have in this Journey called Life.

How about you?

When Words Aren’t Enough…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I approached the Throne of the Living God this morning, and I began to pour my Heart out to the Love of my Life, weeping quickly replaced my words. Not many things can cause me to be lost for words, but His Spirit sure can. Not many things can cause me to weep, but His Love sure can. It was overwhelming just to be in His Presence this morning, and not only did the words not flow…but words weren’t even necessary. He knows my Heart better than any human ever could, and I don’t need to whisper a single word to Him to prove it. He reads me from the inside out, especially in the silence. Sometimes I spend “forever” talking to my God and sometimes I spend “forever” praising Him with Song – but then there are times like this morning when I’m so overwhelmed by His Love that all I can do is weep with Joy. Isn’t that the way it is for you sometimes, too?

I’m sure some people think it’s absolute insanity to talk about going to God in prayer only to end up speechless and weeping, but that’s because they don’t know Him the way I do. The God of the Universe is MY God, and our Relationship is very personal. He knows everything about me and Loves me anyway. He knows every vile thing I’ve ever done, and He died to pay the price for it all on my behalf. He knows those things I struggle with, and He gives me the Strength to battle them. He knows my emptiness, and He fills the void. He knows my shortcomings and He Teaches me. He knows my thoughts and sometimes He shames me because of them. He knows my weaknesses, and He takes me “by the right hand” and leads me to my Strength. He knows when I’m confused, and He gives me Wisdom for the Journey. He knows that sometimes I’m “hated because of” Him, and He equips me with the Armor to battle on His behalf. There are lots of things I do to Express my Love…like Speaking the Truth every chance I get and being a Willing Vessel for Him – but sometimes I can’t help but wonder if He sees my Love even MORE in those speechless, weeping moments than He does through everything else I do to Serve Him.

I began this new day overwhelmed by the Love of my God, and I wept for a while because of it. Not sad tears…but the kind of tears that flow when something is SO beautiful that all you can do is cry because you’re lost for words. His Love leaves me speechless and weeping sometimes, and I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything else in this world.

How about you?

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” – Psalm 126:5

Have YOU Lost Sight of the Cross?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s one of those quiet rainy days in Virginia – it was too wet for me to spend my time on the front porch, but it’s still PERFECT and full of life from anywhere I sit. I don’t need anything outward to make my time with the Living God richer or more meaningful than it already is, but what I see from where I sit is just the right touch for my time in the Presence of the King of kings. With a hot cup of coffee in hand, the Word of God at my fingertips, and the Touch of the Master’s Hand visible all around me, I felt like the Royalty He says that I am. Never losing sight of the Cross, and all that He’s done for me, keeps Life in Perspective, and it keeps Gratitude flowing from my Heart day in and day out. As surely as He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it, He chose me to be His Child…if THAT doesn’t make you embrace your Royalty, I’m not sure anything will!

Not everybody gets to enter into the presence of a king any time they feel like it, but I’m “Royalty,” so I have access to my King 24/7. Not everybody gets to meet with a king to discuss every single aspect of life and confidently expect Wisdom and Direction for the journey, but I’m the child of my King, so I can get His attention any time I need it. Not everybody can go against the king’s rules and be forgiven over and over again – but there is no limit to the Forgiveness I get from my King because I’m His Child – He “calls me by name” – I belong to Him. Not everybody serves a King that loves them so much that He would be willing to lay his own life down for them, but Mine died a brutal death just so that He could pay the price for my sins and secure a Future for me. My King isn’t just any king. My King is THE King of ALL kings! He’s the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the Bright Morning Star, the Lamb of God, and the One who died for me!

It’s accepting the Price that was paid at the Cross long ago that turns us toward the King in the first place, and yet, it’s the Price that was paid at the Cross that far too many people refuse to Share with another living soul. Instead of sharing the consequences of denying the Truth, they’ll tiptoe around God’s love instead…as if they’re too ashamed to tell the Story of the Price He paid for the world. When Christ “left” us, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us, and it’s the Relationship with have with Him that spurs us to Share with others! The Royal Ones (like me) are proud of their Heritage, and they love to tell the entire Story of the Life of the King. They don’t lose sight of the Saving Grace that led them to the King in the first place, and they have enough Love in their Hearts to Share it every chance they get. They share the Gospel with excitement every time because they love the King, and they leave no stone left unturned when they meet a stranger, because they’re a whole lot more interested in knowing if a stranger knows their King than they are in anything else. How is it possible for a Child of the Living God to NOT share the Message of the Cross?

I’ll be facing this new day filled with “challenges” like the Royalty I am, and I won’t miss an opportunity to share my King with the world today. The condition of the Soul is my biggest priority, and sprinkling it with Love is my calling. If they mock me, it won’t matter. If they persecute me, that won’t matter either! My King said they will hate me because of Him so nothing will come as a surprise to me. I love my King and I’m honored to be part of the Royal family…and there’s no shutting me up about Him! The Holy Spirit dwells within me and He spurs me on toward Good!

How about you?

Kick the Dust off and Keep Moving!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was eager for the sunrise this morning, and I had the most precious time with the Living God on the front porch with a hot cup of coffee and a Willing Spirit. I may be a bold warrior in this crazy world of ours, but my Heart has been tenderized by the King, and if I’m not careful, I can find my way to Discouragement when I get hurt…and my Enemy knows it! Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home,” which (basically) means that it’s those closest to you who often work against you, ESPECIALLY when it comes to Kingdom work. I’m very blessed to have a kind, compassionate, and supportive family, and my household is a place of Peace and Honor for ALL. Over the years, I have purged my life of the most hurtful people, and I’ve “kicked the dust off” my feet more times than I can count. When it comes to Kingdom Business there’s no room to tolerate the work of the Enemy, who often uses those closest to us in an attempt to cause us to stumble. I think it might be time to do a little kicking and purging again to rid my life of a “friend” being used like a pawn of Satan set out to “rob, kill, and destroy” so I’m praying over hurt that could potentially cause me to “react” if I’m not careful. I’ll do whatever it takes – I’ll leave anything and anyone behind IF they are on a Mission to destroy BECAUSE my Relationship with Jesus Christ is far more important than my relationship with them! Isn’t that the way you see it too?

When we become Christians, we don’t become “perfect,” and we’re subject to hurt just like everybody else. It’s what we do with the hurt that separates us from the rest of the world, and it’s how we deal with the one who hurt us that matters even more. My Heart has been Tenderized by the King, so most hurtful things will easily roll off my back as I pray for the one who hurt me instead of focusing on my pain. I’ve been Heart Schooled by the Master, so most of the time I can speak words of Reason and Compassion to the one who hurt me, and most of the time they see their part in my hurt when I do. I’ve been filled with Wisdom by the One who Created me (because I ask for it every day), so most of the time I can see the hurt in the works long before it ever makes its way to my Heart. I’ve been Trained by the Heavenly Arbitrator, so most of the time I can easily settle a dispute with a willing one, and it has become easy to say “Forgive me” and mean it. Some hurts are minor wounds, and some hurts cut to the core. Some are minor infractions and some are massive betrayals. But no matter how small or how large the “offense” is, hurt and disappointment have no place in my Heart, and it’s always up to ME to get my Heart right, even if they don’t care to make things right with me. Hurt and disappointment have the potential to damage my Heart, and the pain I feel has the potential to take root within me if I’m not careful. So, I can’t afford to hold onto hurt, and I get to work on it as soon as it shows up! This is the Key to Maturity in Faith.

Sometimes I allow myself to temporarily wallow in my pain because I’m always SHOCKED when someone close to me hurts or betrays me. When I’m hurt or betrayed, my first thought is “I don’t deserve to be treated like that!”…But we aren’t wronged because we “deserve” to be. When we’re wronged, it’s because the other person thinks a whole lot more about themselves than they may ever think about us or how their actions pierced the heart of another. Those people haven’t grasped the “Love thy neighbor as thyself” command yet. When you think about it, that’s a VERY sad way to live. Maybe I’m inclined to lick my wounds sometimes, and I might spend a few days with a hurt and disappointed Heart every once in a while, but as long as I run to the Great Physician to get my OWN Heart Healed as fast as I can, I know that I’ll be able to forgive the other person in the Process. What has been done TO me dims in comparison to what the Living God expects FROM me in the midst of the Trial.

It took a Spiritual trip to the Woodshed, but eventually, I confessed it all to the Living God and I asked for Forgiveness for the condition of my OWN Heart – and NOW all is well with my Soul despite the wrong against me. I can’t control the other person allowing themselves to be used as a pawn for Satan set out to discourage and disarm me, so I’ll leave the Details up to them and God. The only things I can ever really control are my Heart, my mind, my soul, and my “space”. This is the Key to Humility.

How about you?

Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times”

“Why so downcast, oh my Soul?”

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This is a day that the Lord has made, and no matter what it brings…I WILL rejoice and be glad in it! When I met with the Living God this morning, I had difficulty finding my joy! There’s no good reason that I should be lacking joy, but it just wouldn’t come to me “naturally” this morning – since I know the one who comes to “rob, kill, and destroy” would love to disarm me – I DETERMINED to have Joy in my head, even if my Heart wasn’t inclined on its own at first. I “named it and claimed” as my own, and I repeated Words Breathed by the Living God long ago to help me along. I thanked God for my Joy as if it was already a done deal, and I played songs in my head that I can always count on to bring joy to my Heart when I hear them. I FOUGHT FOR MY JOY this morning…and I won! I just needed a little help from my Head to kick my Heart into Joy-mode, and it didn’t take long to feel it from my head to my toes. I won the Battle again this morning. Isn’t that the way you fight through your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy for people to believe that the Journey of Faith is an easy one, and they lose out on how to Fight for Faith in the process. Some don’t think that “bad” things should EVER happen to the Good People, and they think People of Faith should be forever tiptoeing through the tulips of life every minute like a Stepford Christian. They question God when things aren’t going their way, and they sometimes blame every U-turn on the enemy. They twist the concept of a Loving God into a belief system that only tolerates good things and full bank accounts, and when things don’t go well in the life of a Christian, the world is ready to mock God because of it. We (Christians) are set aside as God’s Children, but we have many of the same challenges everybody else has…we just KNOW how to fight back and we KNOW we’ll always win when we do. When we lack Joy, we must DETERMINE to have it, and we “take captive every thought” because we understand that the Mind often deters the Heart…IF we let it. How we handle the “joyless” times determines our Witness to the world. We don’t seek Joy because we want to feel “happy” – we seek Joy because having it in the face of Adversity is a huge Witness to the lost world and to the power of my God. After all, who would want my Jesus if I whine and complain about my circumstances, and I walk my Journey with no Joy?

When we’re faced with adversity or dealing with trials, the biggest “focus” should never be on our circumstances – God already has that part covered – it’s how we handle them instead. David was hunted down like an animal even though he was a “man after God’s own heart.” He wasn’t “saved” from the trials; he was equipped with the Answer instead, and over and over and over again, David DETERMINED to find His Joy. Job had his life turned upside down when everything was “taken” from him…including his children, even though he was “the most righteous” man on earth. In his agony, Job cursed the day he was ever born, but he DETERMINED to Trust the Will of God in the process. Job stood as firmly as any broken man can stand, and He held on to the only Hope there is. His faithful friends questioned God when they contemplated how such bad things could ever happen to a “good” person, and they wondered what Job had done to deserve it. Eventually, Job confessed his wrong and prayed for his well-meaning friends, and God restored his life in DOUBLE MEASURE because of it. If “bad” things can happen to the “most righteous man on earth,” then they can happen to you and me too – but when we DETERMINE to Trust Him in the circumstances we’ll ALWAYS be victorious…and we’ll always find our Joy!

I started this new day a little low on joy, but I DETERMINED to find it…and I did! My Heart isn’t the only thing that matters in this Journey – my mind needs a lot of work too! But as long as I am DETERMINED to have ALL that God has Promised to me, and as long as I never lose sight of the Greatest Gift known to mankind, I will ALWAYS find my Joy. I’m an imperfect woman of God living an imperfect life, but I Serve Perfection with everything I’ve got. I focus more on how I handle my Circumstances than the details of the trials, and THAT’S why I’m Victorious every single time. NOW I can be the Good Witness God created me to be! Look out, world!

How about you?

Worried? Get Out of the Cheap Seats!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped into the Presence of the Most High God and tossed all my cares at the foot of the Cross just as the sun was coming up this morning. I don’t exactly know how many things I prayed for this morning or how many people were placed on my Heart, but I am confident that each prayer I whispered to the God of all Creation was heard, AND I trust Him with the outcome of it all. His Word says, “Let us then approach the Throne of grace with confidence” – so it doesn’t make much sense to pray without confidence that we’ve been heard AND with confidence in the outcome even before we see it. After all, that’s what faith looks like. When I look out at this twisted world filled with desperate people attempting to live in chaos without Hope, I am MORE confident than ever that ALL they really need is the touch of my Master’s Hand, and everything can be made Right. Their state of hopelessness keeps me going day after day and year after year as I strive to share my Hope with them. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

It’s sad to see so many people living in fear and lacking confidence in the future, especially the ones who claim to Know the King of kings the way I do. From the bleachers of Life, they see calamity and uncertainty, and they have very little confidence in the future because of it. But from the Bleachers of Heaven, things don’t ever look the same as they do in this life! The God I Know “gives and takes away” – but when He decides it’s time to take away, He always has something Beautiful to replace it with…I am confident.

The God I know says, “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things” – but when He creates disaster, it will always have a Beautiful outcome too…I am confident.

Most of the time, I have no idea what the Living God is up to, and I’ve learned not to lose sleep trying to figure Him out BECAUSE I am confident. His thoughts are not my thoughts, and His ways or not my ways – AND I’M GLAD I can’t see what He sees. Though my view from the Bleachers is not the same as His, I Know Him and I Trust Him completely.

He’s a God of the most amazing Surprises….the kind of Surprises that can take your breath away and leave you speechless. But He is also a God that allows things to happen that (sometimes) look hopeless if we gauge them by what we see with our eyes from the cheap seats…and THAT’S where most people get lost. Sadly, far too many people don’t approach “the Throne of Grace with confidence,” and they don’t Believe they have a shot at being heard. To make things worse, many believe they’re “sending prayers up” to the heavens like helium balloons while overlooking the honor of approaching the Throne of the Living God with confidence! I wish the ones reacting to life’s circumstances based solely upon their view from the cheap seats could know that with just One Touch of the Master’s Hand, and every twisted piece of life will be made Right again…I am confident.

I entered the Throne of Grace with confidence today, and I have “peace that surpasses all understanding” because of it. I am confident in the Lord of lords…the King of kings…the God of all Creation…the Prince of Peace…the Wonderful Counselor…Almighty God..The Great “I Am”…Jehovah Shammah, no matter what the view looks like from the bleachers, because I am confident in my Future with Him! I see what I see and I hear what I hear, BUT with eyes and ears more focused on Him than the latest headlines, I have no fear.

How about you?

The Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart

/ www.LivingLarger.life
May be an image of fog and grass

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’ve spent a little extra time with the Living God focused on Refreshing my Heart and my Soul, and I’m finally ready to face the day after a little Heavenly pampering. My Heart has been tenderized by the King, and it’s a rare kind of Heart because of it. Though I’m strong and I’m courageous, and I’m the kind of gal you want on your side to fight on your behalf, my Heart is tender and it can easily fracture if I’m not careful. It’s important for my Journey of Faith that I guard my Heart as best I can, so I make sure to go to the Great Physician when it needs a little patching up for the journey. After all, He wrote the Book on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart, so when my Heart is hurting, I know where to go for my nourishment.

Strong and courageous people are often seen as the ones who need the LEAST amount of care and feeding, but that’s SO far from the truth. Hearts that have been tenderized by the King have been put through a tremendous amount of adversity to get them in just the right condition to be used for Great things. They’re the bold ones not easily ignored, and they’re the ones you’ll see on the front lines of Battle. They’ll come to your defense in a quick minute, and they’re inclined to guard the underdogs when nobody else will. They’re often seen as the tough and capable ones, but they actually need a little more care and feeding for the Heart than the average person. They’re seen as the “survival type” and although they’ll rarely crumble for others to see, they crumble when nobody’s watching.

The tenderized heart will give and give until there is nothing left to give if they aren’t careful, or if they aren’t stopped by another who understands their Heart and who doesn’t hesitate to protect it. The strong and courageous ones often push beyond where the average person goes, but they dig deep to get there, and they’re fueled by a Heart tenderized by the King. Since it’s the Heart that leads the way for the bold and courageous, it’s the Heart that gets the most wear and tear in the process.

If you’ve been tenderized by the King, you’ll need to be sure that you guard your Heart even if nobody else does. As rare as it is to encounter a tenderized Heart, it’s just as rare to encounter others who see beyond the surface and into the Hearts of these bold ones. It’s that rare kind of Heart that’s the most likely to break when it’s not protected, but it can easily be repaired when we follow the Instruction Manual on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart.

If you’ve been blessed with the rare gift of having a tenderized heart in your life, be sure to exercise proper Care and Feeding if you want to benefit from all of those things a tenderized Heart brings to the table. They’ll be your strength and your courage, and they’ll propel you to great things, and if you’re willing to exercise proper Care and Feeding of their tenderized heart, they’ll keep going and giving like the Energizer battery.

I’m bold and courageous, and I’ve been tenderized by the King of all kings! I wouldn’t trade my Hard Lessons for anything in the world because those Lessons made me who I am in Christ today. The Bible says that “All things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” and I because I LOVE Him and I’ve been “called arrording to His purpose” I’m a good case study for the Care and Feeding of a tender Heart and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The Lord Knew precisely what it would take to transform me into a usable Vessel for Himself, so my primary Goal is to never let Him down. I’ve been strengthened this morning by the One who wrote the Book on the Care and Feeding of a Tender Heart, and now my Heart is overflowing all over again.

How about you?

“Go Forth and Multiply!”

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We’ve had just the right amount of rain and sunshine this Spring, and everything is rejoicing because of it – from the trees to the wildlife…to me. The beauty I see as I watch the earth being “multiplied” by the touch of the Master’s hands defies words. When it comes to God, anything can be multiplied, and I know that even that glimpse of sunlight this morning was somehow multiplied for Good. Multiplication is not just a mathematical fact – it’s a Spiritual Truth and one that keeps me on my toes throughout my Journey. I don’t need to understand everything about the Creator of Life, I just need to understand that He Loves me…That He died for me…and that He’s my Shepherd. I just need to live FOR Him, and if I do that…Everything good in my Life is multiplied too! The “stakes” are high in the Journey of Faith and the Road can sometimes be rough, but when I consider all that He is and all that He does for me, I don’t chase after Him because He multiplies the Good, I chase after Him because He’s my Shepherd and the Provider of all. Isn’t that the way it is in your Journey of Faith too?

This time of year, the idea of multiplication is easy to understand because we see it everywhere. The birds are busy feeding their little ones, and the bunnies are training their young. The foxes have cubs hidden away in a safe den to protect them from harm, and the deer will soon be dropping their spotted fawns. Saplings are sprouting all around the mature trees, and many of the plants have dropped seeds and multiplied too. Multiplication is everywhere, and it is a magnificent sight to see. But of all the good things that are multiplied in Life, the greatest of these is Love. Love can light a fire too big to contain when it’s “fed and watered” by God, and the Harvest will be Multiplied every single time. After all, it was love that fueled the multiplication of the fishes and the loaves because when Jesus looked out at thousands of hungry Followers, He was moved with Compassion to help them. Of all the beauty I embrace from the front porch, absolutely nothing compares to the beauty of Love, and it’s Love that will have me Chasing after my Savior and Sharing the Good News of love all the days of my Life!

Multiplication isn’t specific to Love…it is true for “bad” things too! Hate will eat its way through an entire generation like a moth when it’s left unchecked. All it takes is one bad seed to destroy an entire family, and all it takes is one instance of unforgiveness to rot relationships from one end of a tribe to the other. All it takes is one set of parents who refuse to command respect from their children, and generations of rude will be born while rude is multiplied over and over again. Gossip can eat away until there’s nothing Good left, while the Devil can use those hurtful words to whisper lies for generations. When sin was multiplied in ways unacceptable to God, He flooded the entire world for a “do-over,” and when just one city was overrun with sexual sin, God destroyed it too. Nothing but Good comes out of Multiplying Love…but Consequences for multiplying “bad” will wreak havoc in an entire family and fill up Hell faster than you can say “amen.”

I’m embracing the Beauty of Multiplication this morning, and my Heart is ready to Love. The fields of Faith are ripe and ready for Harvest, and I’ll be working the Fields for Jesus all the days of my Life because I Love Him. Am I blessed? Of course, I am! Do things in my Life multiply? Of course, they do! The condition of my Life has nothing to do with being “special” or “favored” – it all comes down to Multiplication. Jesus used barley loaves to multiply a feast for the multitudes when barley (at that time) was used to feed the animals, so I know that He can multiply anything into Good if I just give it to Him the same as the boy gave his fish and loaves. I’m Multiplying Love, Faith, Joy, Peace, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How could my Life not overflow with Good things that have been Multiplied by the touch of the Master’s Hand?

How about you?

ESPECIALLY When it Doesn’t Make Sense!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day guaranteed to be filled with New Beginnings, and I’m excited to see what the Living God has planned for me today. I spent my time on the front porch and watched as everything around this old farm began

celebrating the new day…especially me. I don’t know what He has in mind for me today, but I’ll be doing His Will no matter what, and if He tells me to do something that doesn’t make sense to another living soul, I’ll do it anyway because I Love Him. I can’t begin to comprehend how He paints the beauty of a sunrise, and I don’t always understand His Ways in my Life…but it isn’t up to me to understand…it’s up to me to Trust and Obey. Isn’t that the way you look at the Journey of Faith, too?

,

It is fascinating to watch people exhaust themselves trying to understand God and His Ways even though God says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”. It doesn’t come down to whether or not God’s Plan makes sense – it comes down to whether or not we’ll Trust and Obey even when it doesn’t. It made absolutely no sense to convert a worn-out horse barn into a place of worship, but that’s what God wanted. And now, just as it says in Haggai 1:8, “Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.” Without a doubt, God is pleased with this old barn-turned-church and how He is glorified every step of the way. None of this would be possible without a ton of Trust and a whole lot of Obedience…especially when it didn’t make sense.

God gave man intellect above all other living creatures, and sometimes that intellect gets in the way of being willing to Trust and Obey. We analyze, evaluate, moderate, and rationalize when He prompts us to go in a Direction that makes no sense to the human mind whatsoever, as if we need to help the Living God make sense of His Plans! Some people live their entire lives doing absolutely nothing for the Living God because they don’t have the trust of a gnat. Sadly, they’ll likely die without fulfilling their Purpose all because what God had for them needed to make perfect sense to the HUMAN mind before they’re willing to Serve. The Truth is that stretching the intellect has no place in Trust and Obey because it always comes down to Faith. Humans can diffuse a Miracle faster than they can say “amen,” all because they went looking for logic in His Will. His Plans won’t be changed just because we need to “prove” to ourselves that God wants them completed – He’ll just find another Vessel that knows how to Trust and Obey – and THAT Vessel will have the Honor of being part of a God-size Plan that makes little sense to the intellectual mind.

Countless people have gone before me as Examples of what it looks like to Trust and Obey when it doesn’t make sense to the human mind, and I choose to follow their Lead. Joshua was told to march around the walls of Jericho seven times to crumble the walls around the city of his enemy, and that warrior did what He was told because of Trust and Obey. Noah was told to build an ark to prepare for a flood when he’d never seen a drop of rain, and that old man did what he was told because of Trust and Obey. Peter was told to go fishing and to pull a gold coin out of the mouth of the first fish he caught so that it could be used to pay their taxes. Peter did what he was told to do because of Trust and Obey. A penniless widow was told to gather up jars, fill them with oil that flowed out of “nowhere”, and then sell the oil to sustain her family financially, and she did what she was told to do because of Trust and Obey. I like being a Vessel that can be used by the Living God, and it all comes down to Trust and Obey…ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t “make sense” to the human mind.

I’m kicking off a new day in my Journey of Faith with a willingness to Trust and Obey no matter what. If you’re the kind of person who needs a detailed plan and a written guarantee from God before you are willing to move forward, you won’t want to hang out with me. Some say I fly by the seat of my pants, but that’s not true…I fly with absolute Confidence about when and where He tells me to fly, and I don’t need to know what’s ahead to be willing to move forward in His name! I won’t waste any of my God-given intellect trying to figure out if His Plans make sense to me, that’s for sure. Instead, I’ll go where He tells me to go and I’ll do what He tells me to do whenever He tells me to do it! I LOVE Him and I choose to Trust and Obey all the days of my life because of it. Now THAT makes perfect sense!

How about you?

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.