Reflect The Warmth of the Son….

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and windy outside this morning and I was outside just long enough to capture this image. What I saw with my eyes (and my heart) took my breath away. The sun was rising in the East, and the light was reflecting in the West before I could even see much of the sun itself. The West became a reflection of the light shining on the East – exactly what Children of the Living God are supposed to be! Just the color FROM the sun added beauty to the dark world and it didn’t even take much light to add Warmth. As I met with the Living God in the warmth of my home, I began to pray and weep for those so much less fortunate than I am… those left out in the cold in MORE WAYS than one. It’s one thing to be cold and hungry – it’s an entirely different story to be Lost. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see cold people, lost people, sick people, and poor people all around, and the image overwhelms me. Except for the honor of praying for them and doing my small part to attempt to change their lives…I’m powerless. But I know Who brings the warmth. I Know the Miracle Maker. I know my Provider very well, and I know He has a Plan through it all…even when I don’t understand it…even when it hurts. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It would be so easy to convince ourselves that we’re Reflecting Light from the Son just by our mere existence and that there is no need to take action at all. But the Bible says, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to KEEP AWAY FROM EVERY BELIEVER WHO IS IDLE and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” so apparently it’s a big deal to a Big God who Commands us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. When we strive to be a Reflection of the Most High God, we begin to Experience genuine Compassion and we no longer have fleeting moments of just feeling sorry for people, we FEEL THEIR PAIN just the way Jesus did – and before you know it, the beautiful Reflection of our Faith begins to shine on their lives like the sun on the trees this morning. The Bible says, “Be holy as I am holy” and that’s a tall order for sure – but just thinking about how Holy my God is makes me want to try even harder to be the best Reflection of Him that I can be!

I’m heading into this cold new year with more blessings than any human deserves. I understand where I’ve been and how far I’ve come. I understand that God used my own pain and poverty to tenderize my heart, and I understand that “there is no good thing in me apart from Him.” I am a child of the King and I’m humbled to be found worthy to do a little Work in His Name.

I have a place Reserved for me in Heaven when I leave this temporary home and I’ll have an Everlasting Life with my loved ones who were born-again Believers too. Because I Know what’s possible with Christ, I want to Recruit as many people as I can while I’m still here on this earth so that they can have Eternal Life too! That doesn’t make me “special” – it means that I’m obedient to the same Call we ALL have – to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. I sure don’t want to be found sleeping on the Job when He comes Calling for me!

I have a family that is so close and so filled with love that it defies logic, AND they’re all healthy and strong. I have a Purpose that was Divinely Designed just for me and I understand what I need to do to Fulfill it. I have a warm home and a warmer Heart and every day I strive to have a Heart more like Christ. I want people to look at my Life and see the Warmth of the Son Reflecting over me as surely as I saw it on the trees this morning. I want the kind of Heart that hurts over the pain of another, and the kind that wants to do something about it if I can. The kind that NEVER overlooks the honor it is to be able to stand before the Throne of a Mighty God in prayer on behalf of someone else…the kind of Heart that knows that the only reason I’m NOT getting what I deserve is because Jesus Christ already paid the price for me.

How about you?

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead”…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The first day of the New Year is an exciting time for me for more reasons than I can count. The Bible says, “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare” but you can’t blame a girl trying to give thanks for each one or for giving Glory to the One to bless me with another year to Serve. As I watched the Master wake up the world on this first day of this New Year, I Dedicated it all to Him all over again. I prayed Blessings over this New Year and I thanked Him for things I haven’t even seen with my own eyes YET. Sadly, some people are saying “good riddance” to the year they left behind as if God screwed up and dealt them a bad one. Some people are gauging the quality of the year left behind based on the outcome of an election as if man has the power to make or break the day. Some people slept through the last year and they’ll sleep through the new one as if there’s nothing worth Living for beyond their own needs. As for me? I don’t care much about anything besides how God wants to use me in this New Year, so my Biggest Goal is to be sure that I’m found Worthy and ready for Him at all times. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

I’m sure there were plenty of resolutions made for the new year and sadly most of them will never be fulfilled. Things like losing weight or finding love aren’t bad things to strive for BUT they don’t mean much in the Bigger Picture of Life. Striving to change our lifestyle is one thing, but striving to change our Character and Who we are in Christ…now that’s an entirely different story AND the only meaningful Goal there is. As for me, this year I’m going to love more and I’ll begin with the Love of my Life. I’m not going to miss a single day in this New Year giving thanks to the Living God for all that He is and all that He does for me. I will dig deep within my soul and remove anything that stands in the way of the richness of my Relationship with Him – I’ll also purge whatever hinders me from becoming everything He created me to be. Though my mind can’t comprehend how it could be possible to Love Him even more than I do today, I’ll make it my Mission in this New Year to Experience more than I’ve ever known in His Name. By Loving my God more, I’ll have abounding love to Share with my family, my friends, and anybody else I come in contact with who needs Love and Compassion from me. It all begins with the Love of my Life.

I’ve been Blessed to have been loved BIG by countless people throughout my lifetime, but nobody has ever loved me as much as He does. I’ve loved so big myself that I thought my heart would burst wide open, but I’ve never loved anybody as much as I Love Him. The world can keep changing and it doesn’t much matter to me because I’ll just keep clinging to the Only One with the Answers while I share Hope with the world around me as He Opens the doors. You’ll never hear me say “good riddance” to a year full of days to Serve the Creator of All, that’s for sure! I’ll keep Serving every day, year after year…in good years and in not-so-good years and with every breath I have because THAT’S what Love looks like.

Happy New Year, world.

Philippians 3:13-14 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

A Legacy That Will Last Forever…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I made my way into the Presence of the Most High God this morning I was filled with anticipation and Excitement just to be with Him. What a blessing that it was warm enough for me to spend a few minutes outside taking in the beauty of the new December day. I snapped this photo of the sun making its way over the horizon and I noticed that it looks like (to me) the image of a cross in the sunbeam. A cross on the flag…a cross in the sunrise…it can’t possibly get any better than that. The pace of the holiday season can take a toll on my Time with the Lord of my Life. Although I’ve spent time with Him and I’ve spent lots of time in prayer, absolutely nothing compares to Meeting with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith before I do anything else. He’s my Father and I’m His Child. He’s my Master and I’m His Servant. He’s my Rock and I’m His Warrior. He’s my Heart, and all of me is in Alignment with His Will. He sent His son to die for me so that I might have Life everlasting, and I’m a Messenger of the greatest birth announcement and “death certificate” story ever told. He’s not my afterthought – He’s my Future, so for all that to be possible, I need to be in His Presence even more than I need to breathe. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Some people think I’m an uptight Christian because I’m so serious about my “routine” from the front porch first thing in the morning, but that’s not true. It’s because I know how to Recharge and Refuel for this Journey called Life and I’m serious about finishing my Race well. I’m not trying to “prove” anything to God (or to the world) but I am trying to Serve Him with all that I am and I’m willing to go wherever He tells me to go. I can’t afford to allow Him to become an “afterthought” and neither can you! He wants to be first before anyone or anything else. He wants to be my First Love forever. He wants to be the One who occupies my thoughts and He wants to be the One I desire to Please. He wants to be the One I talk about and the One to fill my Heart with Joy. He’s the giver of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known and I’m Heaven-bound because of it. When you look at it that way, how can anybody be okay NOT making Him their Priority in this Journey called Life?

When I look back at Christmas and the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I know that the greatest Gift I’ll ever give is the Legacy of my Faith. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been threaded into every ribbon on every present my tribe has ever received, and now it continues on to the next generation. My radar is always up to hear who is sprinkling Jesus Christ into every part of Life and who sees the Jesus message as an afterthought or just a Sunday morning conversation. When I see the latter, I don’t hesitate to tell “the rest of the story” to the next generation who needs the Legacy of my Faith too. The Truth is sprinkled into every conversation every time and the Love they see in me is only possible because of Him. They can see that He’s my Biggest Priority and that I lean on Him more than anyone else. They see me Serving, and they see me Loving unconditionally. If any of the gift recipients were ever disappointed in the gifts I made with my hands and gave with my Heart, I won’t think much about that at all because I’ve already given them the GREATEST Gift of all and THAT gift will last for Eternity.

How about you?

Reflect Who You Celebrate!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One I Celebrate all year long from inside a warm house with an even warmer cup of coffee and I’m very thankful for both. I’m a little more tired than usual this time of year but not because I’m caught up in the madness of the holiday. I’m more tired than usual this time of year because I’m busy making things with my heart and my hands to express my love instead. It’s easy to head to a mall and shop til you drop; it’s an entirely different story to make something out of nothing. Every piece of this holiday season is (and will always be) about Love at the farm. You won’t find anybody in my tribe squealing over a luxurious gift with a big price tag, although we’ve all received plenty of those over the years. But you can be sure they’ll be moved to tears when they open a gift that was made with heart and hands. What a sweet reminder to me this morning straight from the Throne of my God that the most precious Gift is Love and how we express it makes all the difference in the world.

In many ways, this time of year resembles a contest to me…who has the best lights in the neighborhood or the most presents under the tree? Who has the best Christmas party with the finest food and wine, and who sends out the most cards? It’s funny and sad all at the same time when you think about it – most people celebrate Christmas…even the ones who want nothing at all to do with Jesus Christ any other time of the year. Some don’t mind telling you that they’re offended by the mention of His Name and yet they don’t miss an opportunity to celebrate His birthday. The glitz and glamour, the lights and gifts are just too good to refuse, so the ones who don’t Believe (and the ones who do) ALL set out to make it a Christmas to remember, and before you know it you can’t tell the Believers from the non-believers and Jesus is out shadowed by the “fun”. Believers are happy to say “Merry Christmas” as if we just “won the right” to speak His Name. But beyond the words, does it really look and feel like the Celebration of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known, OR do we slip a little Jesus into the festivities to pacify the conscience?

It’s a good thing Jesus can Love greater than any man, that’s for sure. Leave it to Him to keep Loving and Forgiving while His People blend the Message of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known with Hollywood-style glitz and glamour. How sad to see His People teaching their children to give credit to a fictitious man as the one to determine their worth based on “naughty and nice”. How tragic that the Message of the Birth of a Savior is not enough fun for the family and that Salvation is not the Gift that keeps on giving. How pathetic to see images of that big guy in the sky mixed in with THE Big Guy in the sky as if sharing a Birthday with a fictitious character and giving him credit for the gifts would be pleasing to the Lord. Yes, Jesus wants us to be joyful! He had fun with His friends and family too! After all, His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast where he turned the water into wine and the Bible says that there is ” nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be merry.” Having a great celebration is NOT the problem…and neither are the gifts. It’s the mixing together of the message of Hope, our Savior, and our Redeemer with all those things that take the focus off of Him and onto a lie the world tells just for fun. NOW that’s a problem.

Christians don’t stand out to the lost world just by saying “Merry Christmas” – we stand out to the lost world by making SURE that the world knows Who we Celebrate…and NOTHING else.

I’m excited about celebrating Christmas with my family tomorrow and we’ll have lots of fun! The farmhouse is decorated for the Occasion but you won’t find Santa hats or any other sign of him here because we ONLY celebrate the Birth of the King of all kings. There will be plenty of gifts from the heart and a feast fit for our King….after all, it IS His birthday! We’ll do lots of laughing and we’ll walk down Memory Lane, for sure. We might even play a few games by the time the day is over, but my tribe will NEVER lose sight of Who we are, Who we belong to, and Who we celebrate, so we’ll be giving Thanks to Him for every gift – especially the BIGGEST Gift He was born to give…the gift of Love, Hope, Redemption, and Forgiveness so that we can have Eternal Life with Him. Now THAT’S something to celebrate, Amen?

“The greatest of these is love”

Merry Christmas, world.

Look Beyond the Surface…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a crazy-busy, beautiful time of the year but nothing is permitted to get in the way of my Time with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. When you think of Him that way every day, why would you ever put Him second to anything? As I looked out over the fields this morning I thought about how things are rarely how they appear to be on the surface. The fields look barren, but they’re not – it’s focusing on the surface that can so easily fool us. Beneath the barren “look” is life that will be waiting to spring forth again in just a few months with a little Help from God – and the outer influences He provides like the sun and rain…and so it is with life.

If there’s anything that can get us into trouble it’s drawing our own conclusions by what we see on the surface of life. A smile doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness no more than the winterized foliage equates to barrenness. Seeing someone with material things doesn’t equate to everything being okay behind the wealth no more than seeing someone without material things means they’re not happy. Seeing someone dressed for success doesn’t equate to a full bank account no more than seeing someone not dressed for success means they aren’t. Driving a shiny luxury car doesn’t equate to plenty of expendable income, and driving an older car doesn’t equate to not having the means to upgrade. Living in a mansion doesn’t equate to it being filled with joy and living in a humble abode doesn’t equate to regrets. There’s no end to the assumptions we make by what we see on the surface of life. It’s looking beyond the surface where the truth is found. Without looking below the surface we never know what the view of life really looks like from where we sit. This is the Key to finding the need within each one so we know how to “fill it” with Hope.

Of all the assumptions we make about life the most dangerous assumption comes down to Faith. Going to church doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than going to a bar equates to being an alcoholic. Being able to quote Scripture doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than quoting science equates to being a genius. Feeding a few hungry people for the holidays doesn’t equate to being a Christian no more than breaking bread with relatives once in a while equates to a family. Being a Christian comes down to a personal relationship with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace – and when we have that part “right” we spring forth with Living Water, and the Love and Compassion cannot be contained. We dig below the surface of life with everyone in our path – never judging – because we understand the brokenness of man and we celebrate Forgiveness. We never stop Searching for the Condition of the Heart and sharing our Faith becomes as natural to us as breathing. We love our brothers and sisters in Christ enough to be sure that they’ve not grown barren in the Journey and we never make assumptions based on what we see on the surface. It’s the Holy Spirit that should be dwelling below the surface of every person of Faith and it’s His Spirit that prompts us to Search beyond what we see with our eyes. When He dwells within us we never look at barren without seeing Hope…in and out of the community of Christians.

God used the barren-looking fields this morning to remind me not to make assumptions based on what I see on the outside. Many people can easily be left behind all year long based on assumptions we make by what we see on the surface of life. So, as I celebrate the birth of the King of all Kings, I’ll keep digging below the surface to check the Condition of the Heart of all He puts in my path and I won’t assume anything by what I see. I’ll be Armed and Ready to share the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace throughout the season and every single day of the new year. And THAT’s what the “great commission” looks like below the surface.

How about you?

Will you be Celebrating the King?

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

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

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

How about you?

It’s MEANINGLESS Without The Right Heart…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s gloomy and cold this morning and they’re calling for more rain or snow. Since I like nothing more than fields covered with snow for Christmas, I’m hoping for the snow. When I met with the Living God this morning, I had the hardest time trying to take captive every thought to bring His Word into my spirit. A long list of things to do kept popping into my head and my Praising turned into planning over and over again. All of the holiday preparations filled my mind and instead of focusing on the Greatest Gift of all, I was focused on all the gifts I’m making for others. I finally confessed my weakness to Him and it didn’t take long for Him to take me to the Spiritual Woodshed with a Firm Reminder about the Heart. No matter what I do – no matter what need I’m trying to fill – no matter who or how I serve – no matter what I say – no matter how elaborate the gift I make – if I don’t have the right Heart, all of it is MEANINGLESS. I began to weep as I thought about how my labor of love could so easily transition into lame projects. I never want to “go through the motions” when it comes to the Living God, and I never want to work myself into a frenzy just for the sake of doing good. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Life too?

I know that without the right Heart and without a Prepared soul, I stand the risk of being “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” because without Love there is no meaning to my words at all. No matter if the words warm the heart and no matter how profound the words sound sometimes – without Love, there is no meaning to my words at all. The “greatest of these is love” and no matter what act of kindness I do today, if the kindness is done to make me look and feel better and not out of Love for the other – it is worthless to the One who matters the most.

No amount of nice things I do for my family and friends and no matter how many handmade gifts they’ll all receive this year – if they aren’t given and driven by Love they’ll be meaningless to the receiver. Love is the greatest of all things and it takes a whole lot of Love to do the Will of my God no matter what’s going on in my life. Nothing I do for Him can earn His favor in my life or justify the Sacrifice He made for me, but when I do His Will with Love…no, no matter how large or how small…my Works are priceless in the Kingdom of God and I know that they’ll have an eternal impact.

Today I’ll focus on love. The love I have for the Living God and the love I have for His people. The love I have for my family and friends and the love I have for strangers I’ve yet to meet. Whatever I do today, I’ll do out of love despite the distractions that come my way. As I busy myself making gifts for my family, I’ll focus on Love a lot more than “perfection” and those simple little gifts will be Priceless when I do. The distractions will just motivate me to try a little harder to battle against the one who brings confusion to life. Absolutely nothing will change my heart OR my direction as long as I’m doing the Will of a Mighty God and I’ll continue to persevere through the obstacles until I succeed.

How about you?

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing”

Another Year in Jesus’ Name…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I was awake long before the Master woke up the world and I spent a lot of time in His Presence to give Praise and Thanks for this new day of a new year of my life. A new year is something to Celebrate from the inside out, that’s for sure, and even though I don’t like what I see in the mirror these days, I like what I see on the inside more than I ever have. After a really good dose of Wisdom from my Instruction Manual and a hot cup of coffee, I’m ready to Celebrate this beautiful new day in my Journey of Life in a manner that will Please the One Who “knit me together” in my mother’s womb…the One who died for me! Without Him, I might be celebrating a day but with Him, I Celebrate my Life. Isn’t that the way you look at your birthday too?

My heart overflows with Gratitude this morning for countless things. Psalm 40:5 says “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” It’s impossible to count my Blessings – there are too many to declare. But on this day in honor of my birthday, I’ll declare a few…

I’m thankful for a saving Faith and that I know, with all that I am, that One Day I will spend the rest of my days in the Presence of the One who died for me and with all those Faithful ones who have gone before me. I’m thankful that all my children have a Saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ too, and that parting from this earth won’t mean parting forever for us! We’ll have a Family Reunion in Heaven one day that will be so beautiful it will defy words. I won’t just see the people I’ve loved here on earth in Heaven, I’ll also see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Daniel, Peter, Paul, and countless others that I read about in His Word! I’m grateful for the promise of Eternity for those of us who Believe – “too many to declare.”

I’m thankful for the world’s most amazing family. The Love that runs through my children for me and for each other is only possible through God and it’s an answer to a daily prayer since I became a Mom. God blessed me with children I don’t deserve and He has answered my prayers for Wisdom to raise them, a Heart to love them unconditionally…to forgive them just as Jesus forgives us…a Heart to speak Kindness and to reflect gentleness no matter what. I’m thankful for the strength and health of each one of them and for joy and laughter year after year. It hasn’t been a perfect journey and there have been plenty of storms, but we’ve Celebrated Victory together after the storms, and we’ve always clung to our Faith to see us through. The things I’m grateful for are “too many to declare.”

I’m thankful for my friends. Some that I’ve known for decades and some that have entered my life in this winter season. Some I’ve never met in person but I love them all the same. Each one has Blessed me in ways “too many to declare.” I’ve felt their prayers in the trying seasons of my life and we’ve celebrated Victories at the end as I climbed back up to the mountaintop while they cheered me on – and we always give thanks to God for the new Testimony they know I’ll Share with the world. The goal of Christian friendships is to “spur” one another on to be all that we can be for Jesus, so, I spur every chance I get and I’m grateful for when they spur me on too. I love to belly laugh with them at every opportunity and my Heart and prayers can be counted on when they need me…and I know that theirs can be counted on when I need them too. “Too many to declare.”

My morning is already filling up with calls from my family and friends – each one with a priceless message of love for me as I celebrate a new year. Today I’ll gather with my family to decorate our Christmas tree…a tradition for as many years as I can count. Our home will overflow with love and laughter and I know that the things I’ll be grateful for on this day I celebrate my birthday will be “too many to declare”.

Thank you, God, for another day – another year to make a Difference in this Journey called Life. Thank you for each life my Life will touch throughout this new year. May I be a Reflection of you as I share the Truth with them with Christ-like Love. May I not squander even one day of this new year so that I can Live it out for you!

Thank you for the Peace and Love.

Thank you to my precious tribe and all of my friends for each sweet birthday message for me.

My thanks are “Too many to declare”. My heart overflows.

Happy birthday to me!

My God is a Consuming Fire…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and foggy this morning and even if I were meeting with the Living God from outside on the front porch, I wouldn’t be able to see any farther than a few feet into the fields. As they say in the South, “The fog is so thick you can cut it with a knife”. I won’t have much quality porch time until things warm up in Virginia, but I’ll have Quality Time with the Living God every day. That comes down to choice. I don’t spend Time with Him out of duty…I spend Time with Him because I NEED Him more than I need anyone or anything else in this Life. Psalm 42 says it best “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.” I thirst for Him. I hunger to be with Him. I need Him. I love Him. And I Serve Him because He’s the Center of my Life. Nothing else can satisfy my Soul and nothing else can bring me Joy the way He can. He’s my All. Isn’t that the way you feel about Him too?

It’s no surprise that many people can’t find their Way in their Faith and they have no idea what God’s Purpose is in their Life because they don’t hunger or thirst for Him. When we’re hungry in the human sense we don’t rest until we’re fed, and when we’re parched we’ll do anything to satisfy our thirst. Our animal instinct kicks in and survival occupies every thought. We have a built-in radar for our basic human needs and NONE of us go without unless circumstances force us there. Some have a weakness for a particular food or beverage and they’ll crave those things until they finally break down and satisfy the craving…because it occupies their thoughts until they do. Hungering and thirsting for the Living God can feel the same way (on steroids) but it’s a Choice whether or not we Nurture our Faith to the place where we NEED Him more than we need air. When we get to that place where our Soul hungers and thirsts for Him, we become consumed by the Living God and nothing else can satisfy the “craving” to spend Time in His Presence. When we’re feeling parched, we’ll crawl across the desert of Life to reach the Living Water and we’ll do anything to satisfy our Thirst. Hungering and thirsting for Him is a sure Sign that we “get it”. That’s when we realize that there is “no good thing apart from Him” and that our lives are meaningless without Him. That’s where we find our Purpose and that’s where He Directs us to Greatness. It’s a place of total Surrender that grows the most beautiful Relationship, and it is when we hunger and thirst for Him that He can use us in Miraculous Ways. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

Sadly, hungering and thirsting for the Living God is something that most people of Faith miss out on. They may love Him. They may honor Him most of the time. They may THINK they need Him. They may spend a little time with Him each day (most of the time), they make sure to be in church on Sunday mornings, and they pray. But they don’t hunger or thirst. They never seem to be Desperate for Him like the deer panting for water unless they need Him to do something or they want Him to fix a problem they have. Perhaps it’s because they’ve never been taken to the Spiritual Woodshed where He sets the Path of Life straight – or maybe they’ve never been to that desperate place where He’s ALL they have to cling to….no other human being…no subsistence…and no “hope” from the world’s perspective. Maybe they’ve never tapped into the Holy Spirit that dwells within the heart of a Believer and maybe the Spirit is quiet because of it. I don’t know the reason why most people aren’t hungering or thirsting for Him like a deer panting for water, but I DO know that’s the only Place to be and the only Way for a person of Faith to Live. “Our God is a consuming fire” and when we draw near to Him – HE WILL draw near to us and His Love will consume every part of us. That’s where Faith overflows and that’s where the most amazing Miracles happen in this Journey of Faith. It’s when we hunger and thirst for the Living God that He Knows He has our Full Attention and our Path will be set Straight for the Journey. If you wonder what your Purpose is and you’re confused about what God wants for your Life, then you need to dig in deeper to stir up your Hunger and Thirst for the Living God. The Living God doesn’t leave anybody out in the dark when they’re desperate for Him day in and day out whether they are “well fed or hungry”.

I spent some Quality Time with the Master this morning as He woke up the world and my hunger and thirst have been satisfied all over again. He’ll Consume my thoughts as I go about my day, and I’ll let His Spirit set my Path straight. I’m overjoyed to go “about my Father’s business” because He dwells within my heart and His Love satisfies me like nothing else. I pray that I bring pleasure to my God every step of the way because I hunger and thirst for Him. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

How about you?

When “Mission Incomplete” Isn’t An Option

/ 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 my soul and once I got into His Word I couldn’t get enough. I read Words I’ve read many times before, but they Touched me in ways they never had before, and today they had New Meaning just for me. I’m growing more each day because of Him AND because I’m a Willing student. My days are getting shorter and shorter and there’s no longer “all the time in the world” for me. So I work hard to get my nature as close to the Nature of the Perfect One who died for me as humanly possible before He calls me Home. Just like the branches on this tree, there are pieces of me here and there that need Attention so that the smaller, weaker, parts of me can eventually become Mature like all the others. If I keep strengthening some parts, but overlook all those other “little” things that need to Mature, I can’t become ALL that He Created me to be. So, I keep working to become the Best I can be for Him. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy to feel good about ourselves based on Maturity in some areas of our lives, while we overlook the importance of developing all the other “little things.” We can be strong and well-rooted in some ways, but as weak as a newborn colt in others. If we continue to pour Living Water on the strong parts, no doubt they will stand firm for the long run BUT if we overlook the “little things” that need attention too, we risk thwarting the entire Journey of Faith. Sometimes those small branches need to be pruned to make way for all the others, and sometimes they need to be cut away entirely. Either way, unless we pay attention to the “little things” that stand in the way of us becoming all that He Created us to be, we never reach the Ultimate Goal. There aren’t many things that scare me as much as thinking I could end my Journey with a “Mission Incomplete” all because I refused to address the “little things” that stand between me and my God.

Sometimes we don’t realize our Journey is being thwarted, but that’s because we excuse away the “little things” as if they don’t matter. We easily deceive ourselves into believing that the “little things” don’t matter as long as there are some Strong parts…but that’s not true. After all, the human body is made up of millions and millions of cells but all it takes is a few active cancer cells to prevent all the others from thriving…and the same is true for the Journey of Faith. We often tell ourselves that “nobody’s perfect” and while that’s true, that’s no excuse for not giving it everything we’ve got to be more like the Perfect One who died for us. Don’t take my word for it – He says, “Be holy as I am holy”. It takes each piece to Grow into a Strong Vessel that is worthy to be used by the King, and sometimes it’s all those “little things” that are standing in the way of Spiritual Growth no matter how many other Strong branches we have. As long as we’re Willing…and Seeking His Face…and Determined to please Him more than we’re determined to please ourselves… He’ll keep revealing those “little things” that need our Attention, and He’ll teach us how to Prune them out of our lives so that we become the Vessel He intends for us to be.

The Lord used the branches on a dormant tree this morning to drive home a message to my Heart and I’m grateful for the Pruning we did together. He loves me. HE Created me for a Purpose. He wants to Use me. He wants me to be Strong. He wants me to Grow. He wants me to be a Walking Testimony of His Love and Grace in every area of my Life. If I need to go through a little pruning and cutting away so that I can be the Best for Him, it’s WORTH it. I won’t reach perfection on this side of Heaven but that won’t prevent me from trying to be more like Him every day until He takes me Home. “Mission Incomplete” isn’t an option for me.

How about you?