The Closer You Get to the Cross, the Fewer People you see!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Countless things make this time of year beautiful to me, but absolutely nothing compares to the Time we set aside to Remember what Christ did for you and for me. When I look at this image of the mountain with trees mostly blooming closer to the ground and with just a few scattered green trees at the top, it makes me think about the day of the Crucifixion of Christ and the overall Journey of Faith. I’m sure the ground was filled with spectators that day, some of them salivating in anticipation of Jesus being Crucified right before their very eyes, while some watched in horror. No doubt, a few of them made their way closer to the top of Calvary, just like some of the green trees are closer to the top in this image. But the truth is, the closer we get to the Cross, the fewer people we see because so many professed Christians would rather be spectators than “defenders” of the Cross. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith at such a time as this too?

Soon it will be Good Friday, and I’ve often wondered how it got its name. The “good” is the end result of Jesus dying on the Cross so that we might have Hope and a Future, but there was nothing good about the way it came to be. Good Friday is a solemn day in my Heart each year as I consider the human side of what Christ did for me. He was brutally beaten to the point of being unrecognizable. He was flogged until the skin tore away from His body. He was spit on. His hair was torn out from His head and His beard. A crown of thorns was placed on His head as they mocked the “king” and the thorns pierced His skin. And then, there’s that long journey carrying His cross naked and bloody right through the business district for everyone to see until He was finally hung to die a slow and miserable death on the Cross. Solemn? That doesn’t begin to describe what my Heart feels, and I have a hard time referring to it as “Good” Friday even though the GOOD came ONLY because He was willing to endure what He did. I don’t want a place in the “cheap seats” in my Journey of Faith, and I’ll never be a spectator. I want to keep climbing my way closer to the Cross all the days of my Life. Sadly, the closer I get to the Cross, the fewer people I see.

I pity the ones so focused on Easter egg hunts and beautiful bunnies that they fail to teach their children about what Good Friday is all about. I feel sorry for the ones who gloss over His Crucifixion as if a child can’t understand suffering. I’m appalled by the ones who focus only on the Resurrection while they whitewash all He endured for mankind. Without Friday, there wouldn’t be a Sunday, and without Easter, there wouldn’t be a Christmas. Even our churches are shying away from being too descriptive about what Christ did for us to avoid “offending” anybody. I used to take my kids to a passion play hosted by a nearby Bible church every year at this time. People traveled far and wide to attend. It was graphic. It was so realistic that it wasn’t easy to watch. I can still remember my kids crying as they “nailed” the spikes into the hands of Jesus. Many adults left the sanctuary because they couldn’t bear to watch even a portrayal of what Jesus endured. The actor portraying Jesus was “bloody” and he groaned as he walked down the aisle being beaten. It was heart-wrenching. He was hung on the Cross and it looked so real…and then He was Resurrected! Yes, it was “scary” for my kids to see, that’s for sure, but it drove Home the message of the Cross within their Hearts, and none of them have ever lost sight of what Christ did for us. It was worth it to share with them. Sadly, today, that play is an entirely different story because all the “offensive” scenes have been removed. No miracles. No beatings or blood. No sign of the Price He paid for you and me. Today, it’s a whitewashed portrayal of the Greatest Event the world has ever known. Yes, the closer you get to the Cross, the fewer people you see, and sadly, some churches are taking multitudes with them to the cheap seats to teach them how to be good spectators instead of climbing closer to the Cross.

This is the most important time of year for me. It’s bigger than Christmas or milestone birthdays. It’s bigger than the celebration of new life or a new job. Nothing compares to this time of year! You won’t find me whitewashing what it represents with pastels and candy. I’ve got a front-row seat before the Throne of a Mighty God who sent His son to die for me, and I’m not budging! The closer I get to the Cross, the fewer people I see, and THAT’S what keeps me busy sharing Jesus Christ with the world all year long.

How about you?

My God STILL Performs Miracles!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s warming up a little in Virginia, and although I “suffered” through a few minutes outside this morning, I’m longing for warmer days when I can spend meet with my God on the front porch every morning. The Bible says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life”! When I met with the Living God at this morning, I thought about lots of other things I look forward to with longing. Some of those things are done-deals like entering the Gates of Heaven one day, while things look like “long shots” when they’re analyzed by the human mind…but with God, ALL things are possible. I long for a few long-shots even though they don’t seem possible to anybody else but me and my God, and I long for the day when Miracles are Revealed in Living Color. Don’t you long to see miracles, too?

It can be so easy for some people to express their own opinion of what God can or cannot do, and it’s even easier for others to believe that God doesn’t even perform Miracles today at all. Some people believe that Miracles are just things we read about and that the Bible is just an entertaining history book, and they miss the Glory of God because of it. Some people believe what they read about Pentecost, but the miracles are just things of the past we read about and nothing we could ever expect to see for ourselves. Why would the God of Miracles EVER quit performing them? He’s the same yesterday, today, and forevermore! To me, it’s very sad to see so many people deceived into believing that God’s power is limited and that Pentecost was just a time of show and tell for Jesus. As a result, some of them are just idling through this life with no Expectation of anything BIG from God at all. Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

Sometimes, people laugh when I share what I long for because they just can’t see God doing the things I talk about. But my God can (and WILL) Perform Miracles in my Life until He takes me Home. He’s been proven to be the Miracle Maker countless times, and He won’t stop as long as I Believe and my Heart is in the right place. Time and time again, people have seen God work in miraculous ways in my Life, and those Miracles have left them shaking their heads in disbelief. Yet STILL when I speak of the BIG things I long for with Conviction…things I KNOW will soon come to pass…those same people analyze my Life with the human mind and speak words of disbelief about the God of Miracles and what He’s willing ( or not) to do for me. One day they’ll be shaking their heads in disbelief all over again when they see what my God has done in my Life. When my longing is fulfilled, they’ll see the Tree of Life, that’s for sure, but I won’t be surprised because I Believed all along.

A long time ago there was a woman named Sarah who laughed when angels showed up to announce that she and Abraham would have a baby and that through that child, Abraham would become the “father of many nations.” Sarah laughed because she analyzed the message through a human mind instead of longing for what’s possible with God. I’m pretty sure that if Sarah shared that message with a few of her closest friends, they would ALL get a good laugh over the idea of a 90-year-old woman getting pregnant…but that’s exactly what happened because the God of Miracles made it be so. God has NO boundaries, and He hasn’t quit Performing Miracles…but if we allow the human mind to analyze them so that we can decide if they’re possible or not, then we quit believing in them all together. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

I’m longing for a few things that will soon come to pass one day and I will not waiver in my Belief even though I’ve been longing for a while. Sometimes, I confess to the Living God that I’m weary from the wait, but I NEVER doubt what He tells me, and I’m Confident that my longing will be fulfilled because He says so. When I tell Him I’m weary, the God of All Miracles is sure to nourish my soul for the Journey the same as He did for Elijah. “He is the same yesterday, and today, and forevermore” – OF COURSE He still “performs” Miracles! Nothing is too big for my God – but my God is way too big for some when they fail to Believe that all things ARE possible with Him.

You (Lord) are my Sonshine, my ONLY Sonshine!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m ready for this new day after my time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, a good dose of His Living Word, and a hot cup of coffee. It’s cold and overcast this morning, and my Heart is missing the sunshine, so since I can’t enjoy the warmth outside, I’ll enjoy the warmth these beautiful sunflowers (a gift from my precious friend) bring me instead. I determine to enjoy each new day, rain or shine, hot or cold, and my glass is usually half full. This time of year can go from the feeling of a warm summer day to freezing temperatures and then back again from one day to the next. I am confident that the sun is always waiting just behind the clouds and that nothing is predictable in the Spring in Virginia. When you think about it, isn’t that just the way it is in this Journey of Faith too?

Some people don’t LOOK for the sunshine because they enjoy having frost around their hearts year-round instead. It’s as if they enjoy being “a victim,” and it’s their mission to put the world on notice that they were wounded at some point. They refuse to allow the warmth of the Son to melt the cold away as if they’ll somehow lose their strength if they let it go. They strut around with a cold heart as if it’s something to be proud of, and they have every excuse imaginable for why they refuse to let go of an offense. These people can hold on to something someone did to them like a snapping turtle year after year, refusing to let go as if refusing forgiveness will (in some twisted sort of way) get even with the one who wronged them. Their emotions can flare up in a heartbeat as they recount the wrongs, and they relive the events as if they just happened yesterday. Some even wish for horrible, hurtful things to happen to the one who caused them pain, while others stretch “tape” around their lives like a crime scene, daring anybody to cross the line. They carry the weight of unforgiveness around like a sack loaded with rocks, and no matter how weary they become from the weight or how injured they become from the stress, they REFUSE to let it go. Unfortunately for these people, their glass is always half empty, and they would never know what it means to be content with a few sunflowers in place of the sun.

I know that when I go before my God and ask for forgiveness for my wrongs, they are “as far as the east is from the west” because the Bible says so. The Ultimate price has already been paid for me and my sins and I find indescribable comfort in knowing that as soon as I confess them, they’re forgiven. Remembering this is the Key to being able to forgive others, too. I’ll NEVER forget what a “wretch” I was before Jesus found me, and I’ll never grow tired of embracing the Price He paid for my Sins. I didn’t earn it. I didn’t deserve it. I could never have paid it on my own. This is the way I see it – if He could save a wretch like me…if He could lay down His life to pay the Price I couldn’t pay myself…if He could meet me where I was and Love me just as I am, WHO DO I THINK I AM TO WITHHOLD FORGIVENESS? The Key to being able to extend forgiveness to people you don’t believe deserve it is to NEVER lose sight of the price He paid to forgive YOUR wrongs. His Rules are pretty simple – if you want His Forgiveness, then you better be willing to extend it to someone else no matter what they’ve “done” to you. I wouldn’t want to be you if you refuse to forgive, that’s for sure.

I’ve experienced some serious wrongs in my life, and I’ve been labeled a “doormat” countless times as I’ve picked myself back up and then “let it go” over and over again. I’ve heard every reason under the sun for what I “should” do to get even – always under the guise of “making the wrongs right” as if God has exceptions to His own Rules about forgiveness. Those advisors may be able to fool themselves when they “justify” hateful thoughts and deeds, but they can’t fool God. What I don’t understand is why they would lift a finger to make things right when they can leave the reckoning up to a Mighty God instead. The Bible says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” so I can’t think of a better way for the wrongs to be made Right than to Trust the Living God with the outcome. He already knows it all, and He will have the ultimate say. His forgiveness is the ONLY forgiveness that ever really matters.

I’m an imperfect woman striving to live a Life that is a good Reflection of my King. I’m determined to look at the Bright Side, and my glass will remain half full all the days of my Life. I’ll do my best to “plow my own field” instead of concerning myself with the “fields” of others. I won’t carry a grudge or refuse to forgive someone who wrongs me today, and I’ll do everything in my power to let the Light of my Faith shine on this overcast day. I’ll be satisfied with a beautiful jar full of sunflowers in place of the sunshine, and I’ll be focusing on the Nourishment these flowers needed to grow into something beautiful. I want to be like the flowers – clinging to the basic things to find Nourishment, Strength, and Growth. As long as I keep reaching for the Son, I’ll find everything I need.

Just think…He reached my Heart with just a few sunflowers; imagine what He can do for you!

How Important is Religion to you?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was windy and chilly this morning, and even though I didn’t stay there for long, I stayed long enough to take a deep breath of fresh air and to thank the Living God for another day of Life and Service to the King. It’s a typical Virginia Spring, that’s for sure. One day, I’m savoring the view from outside on the warm front porch; the next, I’m dodging the cold and opting for comfort and warmth inside instead. It’s a small price to pay to be willing to endure the cold for any length of time outside with the Living God, but the Journey of Faith isn’t always a comfortable thing. Sometimes I’m stretched, and sometimes I’m tried, and sometimes I am uncomfortable as I Walk this walk with Him – but those tiny little things in a much bigger Picture make every sacrifice worthwhile as He Grows the Faith of this Willing Servant. Isn’t that the way it is for you, too?

I laugh when people refer to me as “very religious” because I’m not religious at all. I’m ready, willing, and able to serve my God whenever He’s ready for me, and I’m always listening out for the Call. I’m no expert, but from where I sit, the Flexible ones in the Bible – the ones ready to Follow His Instructions no matter where it took them or even if it made sense to them at all – they had the favor of God, while the ones riddled with rituals and obsessed over the “rules” were ridiculed by Him. That’s enough for me! So, I remain flexible and free, and I’m not bound to “tradition” or ceremonial things that define so many others. I learned a while ago that it doesn’t matter what denominational club I might belong to – it doesn’t matter what “religion” I believe in; the ONLY thing that matters is what Truth I believe in, and from where I sit, there is only One Truth.

Faith is a strange thing when you think about it, and it can’t be understood or defined in the flesh. It’s something felt from the Inside, and it is something that defies logic. The Bible says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I’ve had some of the highest I.Q.s on the planet attempt to debate things written in the Word of God as if they’re trying to save me from my own stupidity. But they don’t understand Faith (yet), and their arguments are wasted on me. Not just because the Bible instructs me (us) NOT to argue about such things, but because I’m unshakable. I KNOW the Truth. Religion can always be debated, theologies can always be scrutinized, and people can be swayed in one direction or another when they focus on “religion.” If that were not so, there wouldn’t be hundreds of denominations in the world and churches on every street corner – a clear picture of what it looks like when man can’t agree on the Word of God. All I know is that when you KNOW the King of all kings…when you KNOW the one and Only Truth…when you Walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh…the only thing that moves you (or matters) is Him.

I’m fairly knowledgable about what the Bible says, and I can pull out the Truth whenever I need it – but that’s not a sign of my head-knowledge, that a “sign” of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me instead. My Faith is like that of a child…Trusting and awestruck and forever Leaning on One bigger than myself. If His Word says that Jonah was swallowed up in the belly of a big fish or that Jesus and Peter walked on the water, then I don’t doubt it for a single second, and I don’t need it explained to me. I Believe with my Heart and not with my head, and I am confident that God is pleased because of it. It’s a sad thing to see the human mind fight against the Spiritual things to make sense of them, and it’s a sad thing to see people blinded by religion while they lack the Spiritual entirely…the only way to a Relationship with Jesus Christ. No matter the “religion” or philosophy – no amount of debating over theologies or the latest and greatest “religion” being sold to the world…one day EVERY knee shall bow and EVERY tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord whether they believe it (now) or not. My “job” is to share the Good News with as many people as I can so that they bow on their knees and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord while they still have time to Serve Him too! I don’t care about recruiting them to one religion or another – I care about recruiting them to the Jesus Team.

People from all walks of life (and belief systems) can sometimes be drawn to me like a moth drawn to light, but it isn’t because I’m religious that they’re drawn to me. It isn’t my personality that draws them to me, and it’s not my twisted sense of humor or my ability to thread a good story. People can be drawn to me NOT because I’m “very religious” but because I’m very Spiritual, and the Spirit of the Living God can be felt through me when they’re in my presence. They’re drawn because I am the “light of the world” and the “salt of the earth” just like the Bible says that I am, and as a Living Breathing Child of the Living God, it’s not so easy to ignore me. Being religious doesn’t minister to the heart at all, but being Spiritual, now that’s an entirely different story. Being Spiritual means taking on the nature of the One Who died for me, and being Spiritual means I love unconditionally and I refrain from judging the life of another. Being Spiritual means that I walk the Walk and I talk the Talk, and I love others enough to want them to have what I have. Being Spiritual starts on the inside and it permeates through every cell in my body…just the way Jesus says it should be. Being Spiritual involves a whole lot of Light and salt and very few rules and regulations. This is the Key to leading more and more people into a Relationship with Jesus Christ.

I don’t have a religious bone in my body, and I’ll keep it that way. I’ve worked hard on the Spiritual side of me this morning with a little sacrifice and with a childlike Heart and there is no doubt people will see Him in me today because of it. I’m a child of the Living God. I’m heaven-bound. I’ve been saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. I’m on a Recruiting Assignment, and there’s not much time to get my Job done before He calls me Home – and THAT’S what I care about the most. Not manmade denominations or manmade rules, or manmade rituals…JUST HIM. It’s pretty simple – He died for me – I live for Him.

How about you?

Do you strut around so proud of your denomination or your local church as if you’re the only “good ones” in town, and are you so religious that you’ve lost sight of the Spiritual? IF so, reach out to me. I’ll tell you about the Pharisees…the “religious” experts of old times, and what Christ thought about their “religion” and I’ll explain Grace and Mercy to you in a way that maybe you’ve never heard…and when I’m done with you – you’ll be a whole lot less “religious” and a whole lot more spiritual too!

The Message of the Cross…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Spring is springing in Virginia, and it seems like even the birds are celebrating the way I am. I’ve had my most important meeting of the day with the One who died for me, and I’ve picked up some Wisdom and Direction from my Instruction Manual. Like a bird perched on the highest limb it can find, I’m on top of my World too. Life looks a whole lot Clearer from here, and I can see my Journey with 20/20 Vision when I’m Living Higher and when I’m reaching for the Son. What a sweet Reminder to me directly from the Throne of a Mighty God this morning. If He “keeps my path straight” and if I’m “the apple of His eye”, how could I ever be surprised when He sends the Sweet and Subtle messages my way?

The Sweetest Message ever known to mankind is the message of the Cross, and somehow, so many people manage to complicate it OR avoid it entirely. Lots (if not most) people of Faith stay pretty busy talking about God, and His Word, and “His Ways” and ALL of that is Good….but unless the Message of the Cross is loud and clear FIRST, none of it means much at all. The world is filled with “experts” on the Word of God but so many of them completely miss out on the Sweet salvation message, and they don’t mention the Message of Hope that is ONLY possible because of the Cross. No matter who is or who IS NOT bold enough to speak up for the sake of Salvation, the Core of our entire Belief system as Christians comes down to the Message of the Cross. Sadly, even countless pastors refrain from mentioning the Cross, or hell or sin for fear of offending the flock. But I’m thinking that a large portion of their flock will be pretty offended when they die not knowing the Message of the Cross and their destiny looks a whole lot different than they were told it would be from a pulpit. Just sayin’.

The Message of the Cross is the Most Significant message of all…and it’s one that ALL people are commanded to share!

It’s a Simple Message and it’s the ONLY Message of Hope. It’s at the Cross that the biggest Sacrifice was made for all of mankind….from the beginning of time and until the end of time… and it’s at the Cross that Love was Defined. It’s at the Cross where the burden of ALL of our Sin was “washed away” and all the consequences that go with it was taken on by Someone we’ve never “met”. It’s at the Cross where we meet Him, and we “thank Him” by accepting Who He is and What He did for you and for me…and it’s at the Cross where we find Hope and Freedom and a Future.

It’s pretty simple when you think about it…We either accept the Message of the Cross and the One who died to Pay the Price for you and for me that we might have Life Everlasting OR we reject it and have eternal damnation. The Message is Simple enough for anybody to share…and when Eternity is involved, it’s not optional to refuse to share it. This IS what we’re ALL commanded to do, but it’s the one thing that most people of Faith refuse to do. For the ones refusing, it might be time to evaluate the Simple Message of the Cross all over again…because if they don’t see the significance and they refuse to share…perhaps they need a Reminder of the Gift and the Price all over again themselves.

I’ll be sharing the Message of the Cross today, and every day, for all the days of my Life because without Him, I could do nothing…without Him I’d fail…without Him I’d have no hope…without Him I’d be lost…without Him I’d have a Future in Hell instead of in the Place He has Prepared for me. Because of the Cross, my Future is bright, and my life is eternal.

How about you?

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry”

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I made up for lost time with the Living God this morning – after a season of “quiet,” He spoke to my Heart in Overdrive today, and there are no words to describe what my Heart feels. My Instruction Manual tells me to “wait patiently,” but it’s not so easy to be patient when God goes quiet because I need Him more than I need air. I won’t understand why He goes quiet until I enter the gates of Heaven, but I’m sure He has Good Reason. One thing is for sure: when He goes quiet, I get busy examining my Heart to be sure I’m not the reason for the quiet. After that, I wait patiently for Him and He always shows up in His Time. Isn’t that what you do when He’s quiet too?

I’m not sure that most people know what it’s like when God goes “quiet” because they fail to settle down long enough to hear from Him in the first place. Perhaps they spend their time reading as if they’ve been given an assignment, or maybe they spend their time making requests. Some people set a timer to limit the Time spent as if God should fit inside a convenience box and as if He’s on their schedule instead of the other way around. It’s possible that some people have never even experienced what it’s like when God speaks to the soul, and they don’t know what they’re missing at all. When God Speaks to the soul, it leaves you breathless, excited, at peace, and always hungering for more. The mere thought that the God of the Universe loves us enough to Speak to each one when He’s ready is overwhelmingly beautiful in ways that defy words. I feel sad for the ones that don’t slow down long enough for Him to Speak.

God is God, and He goes “quiet” whenever He wants to and always for Good Reason…but when He’s quiet, we sure shouldn’t be! He never leaves His Throne. He never sleeps. He never takes a break. He never turns His back on one of His own. He hears every prayer. He counts every tear. He’s always there! Once you know what it’s like for God to Speak to the soul, you never want to leave His Presence, and it’s unsettling when He goes quiet. So, the first step is always to search the Heart for Good Reason for Him to go silent. In some ways, our relationship with Him isn’t a whole lot different from all the others. When a loved one goes quiet, we start scrambling to find out why – why would it be any different in our Relationship with God? Once we’re sure the Heart is in Good Condition and that we’re not the reason for the silence, it all comes down to patiently waiting for Him to “hear our cry”…and He always does. Needing to hear His Voice more than we need air is the Key to being willing to do whatever it takes on our part to “break the silence.”

My Heart is overflowing with Joy and Gratitude after God showed up and He spoke to my soul this morning. Day after day, I still crawl into His Presence…I praise Him…I thank Him…I confess my wrongs…and I seek His Face, ESPECIALLY when He’s quiet. As long as there is breath in my body, I’ll be doing my part to Please Him because I need Him more than I need air.

How about you?

Is Your Pride Thwarting Your Growth?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped outside this morning with a blanket, a cup of coffee, and the Holy Word of a Holy God to meet with the One who died for me. The Bible says, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” and that’s what my Time with Him is always about. It’s never about just showing up…it’s about drawing near…and to pull that off, I need to enter His Presence with a Humble and Grateful Heart, AND I need to be willing to have my Heart Examined each day by the Author and Perfector of my Faith. Sometimes it’s a sweet Time, and sometimes it’s a tough Time, but it’s always a Good Time when I draw near to Him and He draws near to me. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith, too?

It can be easier than you think to find ourselves in that place where we wonder where God is and if He’s even listening to our prayers at all – but it doesn’t have to be that way. If we just do our Part to draw near to Him, He will ALWAYS draw near to us. After all, He is a God of His Word! Sometimes, drawing near seems impossible and it feels like we can’t get there from here…and when that happens, it’s because we are in our own way of having quality time because of the Condition of our own Heart. No relationship can thrive just by being in the same room, and it’s not possible to “draw near” to another human being if we rely on the fact that we’re “together” physically while the Heart is not Prepared for the journey at all. There isn’t a Relationship on the planet that can possibly survive and THRIVE if the heart isn’t in it. Why would it be any different with the King of all kings?

The Living God doesn’t just want us to show up; He wants us to DRAW NEAR instead, and that is where the “work” comes in. It isn’t possible to genuinely draw near to Him if there is Unfinished Business in the Heart, and it’s not possible for Him to draw near to us if we meet with Him just to see what He can do for us or how fast He can settle our latest crisis. Drawing near to Him takes Humility to confess whatever is in the Heart that is not pleasing to Him, and it takes a Heart that Hungers to be ALL that He created us to be. Drawing near is more about what WE can do…and who we can be…to be found pleasing to the Lord of all Creation than it could ever be about what He can do to please us. The child of God is Royalty, and it’s an Honor to enter His Presence any time we want to BUT it matters to Him how we show up, and He can’t draw near if we insist on living a Life that’s not pleasing to Him.

Having a Rich Relationship with the King of all kings isn’t nearly as complicated as folks like to think it is. A Rich Relationship isn’t reserved for just a select few, and it isn’t withheld from any Willing Heart, but it does take Effort on our Part. It takes drawing Near to Him with a hunger to be found Pleasing in His eyes and with a willingness to let Him Work within the crevices of the Heart…those places that only He can see. The heart of man will need to be Refined every single day until we find our way Home, and, as for me, that’s the Greatest Honor – to be Refined so that I can be found Worthy to Serve the King. It makes me sad to see how few professed Christians “get” this part and how few are willing to Surrender to Him to draw near all because they’re too proud to humble themselves before the Living God. I’m not sure how the Journey will work out for those people, BUT I’m confident they won’t see the kind of Relationship I have with the King until they’re willing to surrender just like I do…day after day and year after year.

I met with Him wrapped in a blanket on the front porch of an old farm in Virginia this morning with a Heart that longed to draw near. I need Him more than I need breath in my lungs and we both know it. As long as I draw near to Him, He will draw near to me.

How about you?

The Beautiful Buds of our Faith…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the second day of Spring and everything is coming to life around the farm, and I’m giving Thanks to the God of all Creation for Blessing me with another view of the Spring from the Front Porch. I LOVE watching the Touch of the Master’s Hand and I love to see what He’s up to each day especially this time of the year. It’s incredible to see how fast the trees bud out overnight, and I can almost hear them saying “Finally!” as it gets closer to the time they’re fully matured for the season. Unfortunately, this morning the temperature was just above freezing with a windchill factor of 26 degrees and it’s not unusual for us to get a snowfall in April. As I considered the joy of seeing new life in the Spring and how easily it could be snuffed out by freezing temperatures, it reminded me of the Journey of Faith. Many people come to Life when they’re first Introduced to Jesus Christ, and they’re the most Beautiful Buds you could ever imagine when they do. But just like a surprise Spring snowfall, the Enemy can come along to “freeze” all their fresh Growth and they can go from Budding Beauty to dead again faster than you can say “Amen”. Isn’t it just like the Living God to use a simple tree bud to inspire a Message for the world today?

God is the Creator of all Life, a Master Gardener, and the Author and Perfector of my Faith. Jesus has a lot to say about seeds to help us understand what takes place when we sow the seeds of the Gospel. In the parable of the sower of the seeds, Jesus taught us all about Beautiful Buds and what happens to the seeds (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) is never about the “quality” of the seeds, but about the Condition of the Heart when they’re planted. Some seeds get planted on a path and, although they hear the Word (Gospel), they don’t understand it, so the devil snatches the seeds away. Bye-bye Beautiful Buds! Some get planted on rocky ground and although they’re happy at first, as soon as hardships come they quickly blow away. Bye-bye Beautiful Buds! Then there are others who are planted in the thorns. Although they hear the Word they get choked out by the thorns and never bear fruit because of it. Bye-bye, Beautiful Buds! It makes me sad to think about all the seeds (Gospel) that have been sown and how few have actually taken root and have grown into Beautiful Buds all because of the condition of the Heart when the seeds of faith were “planted” in the first place. This is Key to our Journey of Faith – we do our Part to Plant the seeds of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but we have no control over the Condition of the Heart. That Part is between the seed and the Sower.

It takes just the right conditions for a seed to take root or for a tree to bud. It takes lots of water and plenty of sunshine. It takes nutrients it gets from the soil AND it takes the Touch of the Master’s Hand. Without any of these things (long term), not only will a plant not grow or a tree not bud, but it will begin to die altogether. It takes just the right conditions and the Touch of the Master’s Hand for the seed of Faith to bud BUT it also takes just the Right Conditions for Faith to Grow into Maturity too. The Bible tells us that our Adversary does nothing but prowl around on the earth looking for Seeds to Devour. He’s a liar. He’s a thief. He robs, kills, and destroys. He masquerades as something beautiful. His entire Agenda is to kill the seeds of Faith – especially before the seeds are firmly rooted. As surely as prolonged cold temperatures could cause the Beautiful Buds on the trees at the farm to fall to the ground, the Seeds of Faith can easily be destroyed if the soil isn’t just right. This is the Key to Maturing in our Faith in all conditions and it’s the Key to Protecting the Seeds of Faith every step of the way. After all, a Thief can’t steal what he doesn’t have access to!

I’m a Professional Seed Planter so I do my Part to warn others about all those seeds that have fallen to the ground and are potentially lost “forever” when all they ever needed was the Right Heart and the Touch of the Master’s Hand. It’s my Job (and yours) to plant the seeds of the Gospel of Jesus Christ but we can’t force them to Grow. As surely as we don’t plant seeds in the garden with a “love ’em and leave ’em” attitude, we should always be prepared to help Nurture all those seeds of Faith that have the potential to grow into Beautiful Buds. If God could take a wretch like me and Nurture me into a Beautiful Bud in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ…there’s hope for anybody with the Heart to Receive.

How about you?

Are You Focusing on the Ugly?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The air is cold and it still feels a little like winter in the morning, but the farm is looking more like spring every day. You’d think after all these years I’d get tired of the view from the front porch but that’s never going to happen because when I look across the fields of this old farm what I see is God. Who could ever get tired of looking at God? Wildlife is a WAY of life around here and watching nature respond to what God provides is an incredible site to see….day after day. The deer never seem to be in much of a hurry until they sense danger, but the birds are an entirely different story. To me, the birds always look frantic as they dart from here to there looking for food and they don’t ever seem to rest – at least not for long. As I considered my wildlife view this morning it reminded me of the Journey of Faith. Some people of Faith are like the deer – satisfied to “graze” on whatever satisfies the flesh and they don’t seem to have a care in the world about anything UNLESS danger shows up. Then there are people like me. We’re like the birds of the air…so focused on the fields full of lost people within our reach that we refuse to rest until our Job here on earth is done. Which one are you?

There is no such thing as a perfect view in Life no matter where we sit. My view from the front porch has changed dramatically over the years as farmers sold out to developers and cows were traded for houses. I see the ugliest cell tower you could ever imagine off in the distance that has recently doubled in size. It serves as a reminder to me of how man doesn’t care about the view at all when there are so many two-legged “creatures” to please. Instead of the pitch dark I used to enjoy (where the only light came from lightning bugs), I see lights on in houses across the fields and I see party lights that never turn off. I’ve seen things built that I don’t understand and I’ve seen what it looks like when property values decline because of it. All the things I just described are the ugly things within my view that could so easily destroy the beauty IF I allow the devil to rob me and I stop seeing God in it all. There’s enough ugliness in the world to sink a fleet of ships, and for the life of me, I don’t understand how professed Christians could spend so much time obsessing over the ugly that they’ve lost sight of fields full of lost souls and people destined for Hell. How can they spend so much time wishing harm on the very ones who were also “made in His image”? I guess they either don’t understand why they were Created in the first place, OR they don’t really Know the Living God at all. Sad but true. With Him, focusing on the Beauty is everything and it’s the Focus on Beauty that compels us to share Beauty with the ugly all the day of our lives!

I’m just an imperfect woman living an imperfect life with an imperfect view from my perfect front porch in Virginia. The ugly I can see could so easily rob me IF I allowed myself to stop seeing God in it all. I want to be like the birds – “franticly” trying to reach as many as I can while there is still breath in my body. I exist solely by the Will of my Perfect God. I have a Perfect Future in store for me with a Perfect View that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind even comprehend what He has in store” for me. I am Forgiven and Redeemed by the blood of my Perfect Savior. When I focus on these things the ugly disappears and is replaced by indescribably Beauty every single time. Ugly? What ugly?

What is it going to be for you? Will you focus on the ugly and forget about the lost OR will you “frantically” focus on the feast of lost souls right before your eyes while there’s still breath in your body?

Are You Feeling Parched?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I rushed into the Presence of the Most High God before the sun could be seen in the morning sky, and I set out to find my Peace “as the deer pants for water”. Sometimes my soul does thirst for Him and sometimes I can’t get enough. Sometimes my soul needs just a little refreshing for the Journey and sometimes my soul is like a withering plant. But no matter the condition of my Soul when I’m thirsty the Living Water is ready and waiting for me to come looking for Nourishment that will Refresh and Revive me all over again. Then, before you know it, I’ll be reaching for the heavens just like the well-nourished plant does – desperate to be in the presence of the Source of my Strength. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

It can be so easy for people to reach out to God as if He’s just the go-to for whenever we have problems that require a little extra attention – but He’s so much more than being The Answer to our problems! Just like the withering plant that’s close to death, we are inclined to desperately look for help from the Living Water to revive us again ONLY when we finally accept that we can no longer do it on our own. But if we just set out to get a “slow drip” from the Living Water every single day (and in every way), we never reach that state of being parched at all. His Presence, His Spirit, His Love, and His Strength can quench our thirst and nourish our souls in ways that most people (sadly) can’t begin to imagine. When we turn on the Tap of the Living Water, and we sustain a “steady flow”, eventually we begin to overflow with Living Water and we begin to Grow like never before! The Living Water will transform a life from “withering” to usable in no time at all, and the Living Water will Strengthen the root of our Faith. With strong “roots” and plenty of nourishment, we learn to reach for the Source of our Strength every single day, and the Life within us begins to overflow to the rest of the world with ease. This is the Key to spiritual growth.

It’s often said that “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” and nothing could be more true when it comes to Faith. Countless people have been led to the Living Water but they never seem to “thirst for Him” at all. I guess He’s the “go-to-guy-in-the-sky” and they have no need for Him unless they’re feeling desperate. They never turn on the Tap of the Living Water, and they see no need to nourish the soul at all. They’ve been led to the Living Water, but (just like the horse) they refuse to drink. Eventually, they’ll wither and they’ll stop growing due to the lack of Water, and it doesn’t take long before they are of little use for Kingdom Work at all. It’s the flourishing Plants that stand out in a Garden, and it’s the flourishing Plants that we’re inclined to pick. They are the beautiful Ones…the Ones that overflow with Living Water…the Ones that have Roots so deep that they can’t easily be knocked down. These Plants have been watered by the Living Water and they reach for the Sky, to the Source of their Strength… and it shows.

I was a little parched at sunrise, but my thirst has been quenched and now I’m Unstoppable. My roots are deeper than ever before and absolutely nothing has the power to “knock me down” as long as I’m being Watered with Truth. I’m reaching for the Heavens just like the withering plant does after it’s received its nourishment too. The people I encounter today will See the Living Water in me without me saying a single Word because I’ll stand out in the garden filled with so many withering plants. Others will drawn to me like a moth is drawn to light because I’m Overflowing with Living Water and the Beauty is undeniable. I know how to Lead them to the Place where they’ll NEVER thirst again, but I can’t force them to drink. I’ll do my Part to help them quench their thirst Once and for All and then the Daily Maintenance is up to them. I hope they’ll stand out like a sore thumb in the Garden with me One Day too…set aside from all of the withering ones. That’s where I’ll be until God reaches down and Picks me to take me Home with Him.

How about you?

“Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13,14