Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God with a cup of coffee in hand and a Heart willing to learn. There are never any frills or formality when it comes to meeting with my God because I’m His student and He’s my Teacher and He loves me just the way I am. I’ll never be old enough or smart enough to stop Searching for what God has for me or for ways that I can become more of what He Plans for me to be. Being a Light in a dark world and a Willing Vessel is one thing…to have the mind and the Heart of a child, excited to learn and eager to spiritually “grow up” is another. So, I meet with Him with Humility and I Search His Word with no agenda of my own EXCEPT to Hear what He has for me today and to stay on Course with the Plans that were set in motion before the foundations of the earth. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

The world is overflowing with know-it-alls, but when it comes to God’s people but there’s no room for that. Some have become Bible scholars and they can point in the Direction of just the right Scripture without even thinking about it. The Word of God is embedded in the hard drive of their mind and they have instant recall at will. But if the Bible scholars aren’t careful, they’ll live Life like a walking encyclopedia, and the more they rely on their intellectual side, the farther they seem to get from that place of Humility. They’ll no longer have the Heart of a child – eager to learn and excited to spiritually grow up. Others seem to be stuck in Bible student mode, and they’re in every Bible study they can fit into a busy schedule. The Word of my God is highlighted and tabbed and notes fill up all the empty spaces on the tattered pages. They have the Heart of a child, excited to learn and eager to grow up, but they so often remain in student mode and they never take the step toward Application. For the perpetual Bible student, there’s always something else to learn BEFORE they believe they’re ready to “go forth and tell”. The interesting thing about living like a child is that not only are we eager and excited to learn all the days of our lives…we’re fearless too! We learn to Trust our Father to lead us in ways that no man is Qualified to lead and to Trust Him especially when it doesn’t make sense.

It takes the Heart of a child to follow His Lead even when we’re scared, and it takes the Heart of a child to find Humility. It takes the Heart of a child to be willing to Surrender and to be obedient to the Voice of God. It takes the Heart of a child to understand that there are consequences for our wrongs that can’t be negotiated or intellectually reasoned through. It takes the Heart of a child to understand that we don’t know it all and that we never really will on this side of Heaven. It takes the Heart of a child to Believe that when the Father says something it’s true…and it is never questioned. It takes the Heart of a child to live outside of fear so that we don’t just read about “how to ride a bike”, we actually get on the bike and ride – and if fall here and there that’s okay too, because the falling here and there makes us better and stronger as we master the art of “bike riding”. It takes the Heart of a child to cry and to admit that we’re Powerless on our own. It takes the Heart of a child to easily extend Forgiveness and it takes the Heart of a child to love unconditionally. It’s ONLY when we live and Love like a child that we can please our Heavenly Father…the Teacher, the Redeemer, the Author and Perfecter of our Faith…the ONLY ONE who Knows it all.

I’ve spent years in the Living Word of my Living God and it shows. I understand that head knowledge doesn’t do me any Good unless I move it from my head to my Heart and apply it to every area of my life. I’m excited to learn and eager to spiritually “grow up” I also Strive every day to have (and to keep) the Heart of a child when it comes to my God.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s delightfully cool on this August morning and somehow the cool air made my coffee better and the view more beautiful…at least it felt that way to me. I sought Wisdom and Counsel from my Instruction Manual and I entered His Gates with Praise. When I finally got around to approaching the Throne of a Mighty God to make my Requests Known to Him I found myself praying more for the United States and for Israel than for anything else. My appeals on behalf of our Country(s) didn’t just begin with this upcoming election and all the madness surrounding it. My appeals began years ago as I watched our Country begin to decline right before my very eyes as we turned farther and farther away from God while blaming somebody else for our problems. My appeals probably don’t sound like most people’s these days because my appeals are mostly for Forgiveness and Mercy for how far we (God’s people) have slipped away from Truth and for what we’ve allowed to happen to this Country of ours. I believe the Humility God looks for in His people is the kind of Humility that accepts responsibility for wrongs and then follows it up with genuine repentance…a foreign concept in our world today because we stay so busy blaming somebody else for our problems. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

A twenty-minute stroll through the Old Testament would be enough for anybody to see that our Sovereign God has no tolerance when His people turn away from Him to “worship” other gods and that He’ll stop at nothing to get their attention again. The same God who allowed enemies to overcome His people time and time again…who withheld the rain and brought famine to drive His people to their knees…the same God who brought forth a flood to wipe out the evil and who cursed Adam and Eve for disobedience…the same God who destroyed an entire city over sexual sin is the same God on the Throne today. He is to be revered AND feared…a novel concept within the church today. God Almighty doesn’t care about who is red or who is blue because He ordains ALL LEADERS for HIS own Purposes and it ALWAYS comes down to the Heart of His people and what it takes to get their attention. Sometimes the choice of leaders doesn’t always turn out so good when He’s trying to set things straight with His People. Even though God already knows how the Story ends, His people are busier than ever placing blame and shouting insults from the mountaintops rather than being Humbled to hit their knees REPENTING for allowing things to go this far. What we’re seeing today can’t be blamed on the Democrats or the Republicans…the blame belongs to us for allowing sin to dominate what was once a Christian Nation. Just like my furry friends in this picture, some people are determined to stand by and watch while they wait to point the finger of blame in one direction or the other – never assuming blame themselves.

Where were we when our government decided it was a matter of choice whether a woman murdered her unborn child or not? Where were we to tell the world that she DOES have a right to her own body, and (newsflash), that she’s not murdering herself…she’s murdering another life created by the Hand of God? It’s always been “he who screams the loudest wins” so why didn’t we take to the streets demanding the Righteouness of God? Instead, we roll out the red carpet and give the platform to murderers, blasphemers, adulters, sexual deviants, liars, and thieves, and THEN we expect our politicians to do something about it. It’s the “idol worship” of the freedom to do whatever is right in our own eyes that is one of the Greatest offenses to the God of all Creation. We’ve been ignoring God and we’ve refused to rock the boat by speaking up about what HE SAYS is “right” and “wrong” for years for fear that some of our idols might be taken away if we do. What do you expect from a Righteous God?

My destiny and the destiny of the United States of America is NOT in the hands of the Democrats or the Republicans…it’s in the Hands of the Author and Perfecter of my Faith who ORDAINS ALL leaders for His Purpose. He might have in mind for us to suffer in ways we’ve never suffered before as punishment for turning away from Him…God knows we’d deserve it. He might just squeeze us to our knees and wait for our Repentance and He can use anything He wants to use to get us to that point…to the point where He matters most of all…that He is first in our lives and the only One we worship. To that place where Righteousness matters much more party, policies, or a political race. To that place where we Surrender our Will to Him no matter what it looks like and we Trust Him with the outcome. As long as we continue to shake our fists and spit out insults at one side or the other it is a sure sign of pride and arrogance…two things God HATES. Just think, since God ordains the leaders, and He already knows who wins, all those insults and all that hate are actually being directed to the Living God…the Ultimate Decision Maker.

I mourn over what’s happened to America, and I wish my kids and grandkids could have what I had, BUT we (God’s people) are to blame for that. If there is any lesson to share with the next generations it is that we (Christians) should never have become complacent…we should never have accepted sin in the name of “tolerance”…we should never have been convinced to mind our own business when it comes to God’s business being “threatened”…that we should never have stopped praying in our schools even if it meant being kicked out and kicked on, that we never should have chased after white-washed sermons because they feel better than cold, hard, Truth…that we NEVER should have stop fearing God more than anything or anyone else…especially our government. David said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding”. So, the choice is ours. We can learn that He is worthy to be Feared and that the Knowledge of the Holy One is where we find our True understanding…OR we can continue to stand around watching like my furry friends. I’ve never been much of a spectator in the Journey of Faith.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It didn’t take much to put a smile on my face this morning as I watched the Master bring the winds and the rain on this glorious new day. There are tornado watches all around and flooding in every direction…you won’t hear complaints from me. Why would I complain about the rain I’ve been praying to receive? Instead, I praised, prayed, repented, and searched for Wisdom in my Instruction Manual for Life just like I always do. By the time I was ready to get busy with work, I was Readied from the inside out. I enjoy a little adventure in life here and there, but I love some of the routines as well. The routine of stepping out to see my world from the front porch of an old farmhouse filled with the aroma of fresh coffee is just about as good as it gets to me …and there’s no place I’d rather be. For as long as I live I will never take for granted the Blessing of each new day or the simple pleasures of the world around me EVEN in the midst of the storms. Isn’t that the way you look at Life too?

It could be so easy for any of us to wake to any new day without a single thought about the Blessing of still HAVING days to wake up to in the first place. Some people have already envisioned their house being destroyed by a tornado or being washed away by the storm, and some have not stopped complaining about the rain they so desperately need. Some people roll out of bed and their first thought is about the aches and pains that are sometimes a part of the rising….but also a sweet reminder of life. Some people wake up hungry and the first thought is what they will eat for breakfast. Some people wake up and are SO FAR from appreciating the new day that they turn on the TV just minutes after their eyes open to catch up on the tragedies of the world. Garbage in…garbage out. Some people wake up with a mind full of all kinds of things that need to be done on that particular day as if the checklist in their mind never shuts off during the night. Some people wake up mad and some people wake up scared. Some people wake up worried and some people wake up lonely. All of these things are Signs of the tendency to be more focused on ourselves than anything else so at the beginning of their new day it’s not possible to be Grateful – little do they know that they are willingly surrendering their Peace and Joy to the liar from Hell in the process. No one (including the Devil) can steal our Joy or our Peace….that’s something we surrender instead.

Plenty of people can’t be grateful for their own lives because they’re too busy comparing theirs to yours. Some of them want the Lord to take them home soon because they’ve already quit living. They’re already dead, they just haven’t jumped into the coffin yet. Little do these people know that the Joy and the Peace they see in the Life of someone else has nothing to do with a perfect day or a perfect life without struggles. The Joy and the Peace they see has nothing to do with God showing more favor on one life over another….although they’re quick to point out how YOUR life isn’t like THEIR life as they attempt to justify their attitude about where they are (or where they aren’t) in life. The Joy and the Peace is not a sign that nothing “bad” happens or that the other couldn’t easily be inclined to focus on the aches and the pains and the trials too. The Joy and the Peace show up (no matter the circumstances) when they turn to the Source of Life…to the One gracious enough to give them the Blessing of one more day to live…to the One who has Plans and a Purpose for each one of us…to the One who knit them together in their mother’s womb…to the One who holds their hand EVERY TIME they reach out for His, to the One who has the entire world in the palm of His Hands, to the One who is big enough and Powerful enough to handle any problem (and any emotion) IF they’ll just turn to Him…especially at the beginning of each new day. IF they’re willing to do their part they’ll find Joy and Peace no matter what’s going on in their lives too…guaranteed. It comes always comes down to being willing to die to ourselves so that we can Live for Him.

The view from my front porch is picture-perfect tornado warnings and all, but my Life sure isn’t always that way. When I have thoughts of defeat I Know how to send the liar from Hell back to where he belongs because THOSE thoughts come from him! I fight hard for my Joy and Peace and I refuse to surrender until He calls me Home. Until then, I am absolutely confident that He has Purpose for my Life and I’m not going to squander even a day because I don’t want to die without fulfilling what I was born to do. I want Joy and Peace and Strength for the Journey every single day and I know that it all begins with me and my Willingness to start the day with the King of kings…the One who died for me…the One I Live for. Because I determine to Live for Him, He’s the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thing on my mind at night. Everything in between is the Journey I have been Destined to live since the very beginning of Time. Why would I squander even one day when you look at it like that?

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and humid this morning and it won’t be long before the farm will be nourished by much-needed rain that is supposed to linger for days. I’ve prayed over every inch of this farm for decades and I see the Hand of God all over the place BUT one of my favorite God-given gifts at the farm is trees. I love trees. I like old majestic ones like these black walnut trees and sometimes I try to imagine what life was like here when they first took root. I like small ones and flowering ones and ones that bear fruit…I love them all! We’ve lost a few 300+-year-old oak trees at the farm, and we’ve lost a black walnut or two probably about the same age. Lightning has taken out a few others over the years and disease snuffed out a few as well. The black walnut trees that I see from my kitchen window are now hallowed out and, although they continue to leaf, it won’t be long before they succumb…and I’ll cry and feel the void. When the trees are gone, they’re gone for good and only the memory of their beauty is left behind….but that’s not true for me. When I’m “gone” I’ll finally be Home forever so as long as I’m here, I still have some lessons to learn from a tree.

When I look at a tree I think about what it took to grow so tall and how many storms it’s endured. I think about how much joy it brought to a child when they climbed its branches and I can almost hear the giggles if I try. I consider the shade it provided on a hot day and I think about how many years its beautiful fall leaves fell to the ground. I think about the refuge it provided for squirrels and how many birds made a home for their babies. I wonder how deep its roots are and how much water it consumes each day. I think about how it seems to reach out to the heavens when the sun shines and I wonder how much energy it takes to bud and bear fruit. I think about how many people have walked right past an old tree without ever noticing or pausing to take in the beauty. I think about how many people cut down trees every single day to make room for something else without blinking an eye and how new is much more beautiful than old to most people. No matter what we do, we can’t change the fact that there is a season for everyone and everything in the journey of life. When the trees go, some will notice and some don’t…and people like me will miss them forever. It’s that “permanent” stage of death that makes me so sad when I lose a tree but when it comes to man…”permanent” always comes down to Choice. Some poor people believe that death is permanent for everybody, but that’s not true. The only “permanent” in my future is Eternity and when I leave this world I’ll finally be Home for good.

I’m sure there are plenty of people who would think I’m crazy for how I love trees and for how much thought I’ve put into them over the years BUT that’s only because they don’t know what they’re missing. When I look at the trees I see the Hand of God and I’ll NEVER grow tired of that! The truth is, trees have taught me a lot about the Journey of Faith. I’ve learned to reach for the Heavens to find my strength and that Living Water is the source of my Life. I’ve learned that I become parched without Nourishment that I find in the Word of God. I’ve learned to offer “shade” to others when they need it, and I’ve shared a few branches to make room for others. If the time comes that I need to sacrifice a few branches to make a way for someone else, I’ll gladly do that too. I’ve made it my Goal to bear Good Fruit AND I’m willing to Share it with the world. I’ve learned that I can share Joy and Peace during ALL seasons and that it’s not easy to ignore the Beauty of Jesus Christ in me. I’ve learned to stand tall during the storms because I am a Child of the Living God and He sustains all Life. I’ve learned that life is frail and sometimes it’s over too soon, so I’ve learned to Savor it all while I can and to make it my First Priority to tell others what I’ve Learned so that they can Focus on Everlasting just like I do.

I shed tears over lost trees but that’s not because I’m greedy or selfish. I shed tears because a chapter closing permanently…whether it’s the life of a tree or the life of man…is the saddest thing I can think of AND the driving Force behind me Sharing the Good News of Jesus with every lost soul I can. I’ll always miss the trees but I’ll get over the loss eventually…BUT when it comes to a lost soul…that’s an entirely different story.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. God brought us an abundance of rain a few days ago and now everything around me is rich and green. I’m grateful for what I can see with my eyes but my Gratitude is much deeper than that. The minute I opened my eyes this morning my Heart overflowed with Gratitude and Love, and I felt the Power and the Presence of my God as surely as if He sat next to me on the porch. I set aside my Instruction Manual for a while and I just sat there enjoying the Living God and all that He is and all that He does for me. It’s no wonder I like to share this old farm with everyone I can because I am confident that others can sense the Peace of God when they’re here too…and I know they see Him in me. Sharing my God and my Life with someone else is the Greatest Gift of all. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey too?

It can be so easy for us to overlook the importance of Sharing, and we miss out on the Biggest Blessings when we do. From our Hearts to our homes and to everything in between, God looks to us to share what He graciously blesses us with…from time to tangibles. God never meant for any of us to be alone in anything that we do. He made Eve as a companion and helper to Adam when HE saw that “it is not good for man to be alone”. He brought Aaron to Moses because He saw that Moses needed to partner in the journey AND he needed another voice to speak for him. He gave Ruth to Naomi to lead the way to food and a Future. David had Jonathan. Paul had Silas. Even Jesus had an inner circle of friends to share the Journey with. They didn’t just walk around witnessing to the world, although that was the Biggest Role they played, they also traveled together and fellowshipped together too…breaking bread and living life…and I’m pretty sure they shared a laugh or two as well. Because Jesus had just a few guys in His inner circle, we know that a few of those guys were very special to Him, and He chose to share more with them than all the others. As for us, we need to share the Living Waters with the world, but we need to Share Life with others too (don’t forsake the assembly). If there was ever anyone who could probably survive just fine doing His work alone or living on an island by Himself, it would have been Jesus. But Jesus surrounded Himself with His friends, and He only went off alone when He needed to be Refreshed by some One-on-one time with His Father. After that…He went right back to His inner circle and right back to the business of Sharing.

There is a “danger” in isolating ourselves (whether we live alone or not) that most people don’t seem to see. Many people have built imaginary walls around their lives and “no trespassing” written on their Hearts. There isn’t much outside the four walls that interests them – and when they do venture out for something self-serving like food or appointments, they lock the doors and windows of the Heart and mind as soon as they return to their island. Lots of these people “do church” using the Internet and a remote control and they lie to themselves about the value of isolated Praise. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and months turn into years and eventually, they become useless Vessels to the Living God and oblivious to the needs of others. They don’t thrive because they don’t share, and they don’t Share because they choose not to. How many different ways can God explain the Value of a shared Journey? – “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work” and “iron sharpens iron”. There is no denying the Value of walking the Journey of Faith engaged with the lost world and encouraged by brothers and sisters walking the same Journey as we are. This is the Key to a Full and Fulfilled Life.

I work hard to make sure that I have a Heart that is willing to Share because the only thing that has any Value or any Significance in this Journey called Life, is not what we GET, but what we Share with someone else. I understand that there is “no good thing apart from Him” and that everything I have, from my family to the farm, belongs to Him. I shared my morning with the Living God, and now I’ve shared His Words with my world. I’ll share all that I can with my husband and my family today BUT I won’t be isolating myself from the world, that’s for sure. I will always have an Abundance of love to Share with someone else because that’s what the Living God has called ALL of us to do. If they need a meal…I’ll share it. If they need a bed…I’ll share it. Most of all, I’ll be Sharing Jesus…because EVERYBODY needs Him. Filling tangible needs is just a vehicle to reach the Heart just like Jesus did…a Truth the isolated ones have chosen to ignore. It’s not what we get out of the Journey of Faith…it’s what we Share instead AND THAT is the Biggest Blessing of all.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Alpha and Omega – the Beginning and the End, on this new day of this new month, and I’ll be walking with Him until the end of me. At first, I felt very small as I sat there in the Presence of the Beginning and the End, but there’s nothing “small” about me or my Life. At first, I felt doubt about my ability to make even the smallest Difference in the Kingdom through my Efforts today…but there’s no place for doubt in the Heart and mind of a Child of the Living God. From the outside, I might appear to be a speck of dust in the bigger picture of Life, but the Beginning and the End Designed me for a Purpose MUCH bigger than anything I can imagine, and my Significance is Known in the Kingdom. As long as I allow the Beginning and the End to Shape me, Teach me, Strengthen me, and Encourage me for His Work day after day, then I AM a Significant and Mighty force for Him. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy to allow ourselves to believe that we don’t matter much in the Big Scheme of things, or that we can’t make a significant Difference in the world on our own, but those thoughts are a sure indication that we’re listing more to the liar from Hell than when are to the King. We often hear people say “I don’t want to get involved” or “What difference could I make?” but those are just excuses stemming from the lies from the one set out to keep us from doing what we were Born to do. We weren’t all Born to preach from a pulpit or to be missionaries in a remote part of the world, but we WERE all Born to Fulfill a Specific Purpose that will never be found unless we’re willing to Believe that we ARE Significant to the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End. It’s when we Understand our Significance that we begin to roll up our sleeves and we get to Work to Fulfill what He has for us. It only takes one spark to get a fire going, and it only takes One to change the world when the Alpha and Omega is behind the Plan.

It only takes one smile, or one act of kindness to set things in Motion sometimes, and just these alone can be the beginning of a Transformation in the Life of another…when the Beginning and the End is at Work through us. It only takes a tiny bit of Compassion extended to someone who doesn’t believe they deserve it, to open the door to Introduce them to the Definer of Compassion. It only takes a small monetary contribution to someone who doesn’t believe they’ve earned it, to open the door to the Provider of it all. It only takes a little Love and Acceptance of one who doesn’t believe they’re worthy to lead the way to the One who died for them because they ARE. The Bible is filled with accounts of ordinary people doing Extraordinary things because they were Born for that very Purpose…and because they were found Willing to Serve the Beginning and the End. NOTHING stands in the way of each one of us doing Extraordinary things in His Name…UNLESS we actually believe the lies told to us by the one who sets out to destroy. None of the excuses we use for NOT getting to Work to Fulfill His Plans for us are EVER good enough for the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End and when/if we don’t bother to fulfill our Purpose…we’ll answer for it One Day.

Each tiny little piece of each Life on any given day has Significance WHEN we accept that we were BORN for His Purpose. We continue to draw breath ONLY because the Beginning and the End hasn’t called us Home yet, and I am confident that He isn’t happy to see so many “Servants” not serving at all as we pass the time away. I don’t imagine He’s pleased with us when we grab onto the Salvation Message…our Hope and our Redemption…AND YET we refuse to Pay it Forward by Sharing our Gift to a lost world so they can have what we have too!

I was feeling small and insignificant at the beginning of this new day but He set me Straight about my Worth. The Alpha and Omega knew ME before He ever formed the earth, and that fact ALONE brings clarity to my Worth and my Mission…and it kicks me into Motion to Fulfill what He has for me. He’s my God…my Savior…my Redeemer…the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End and I CHOOSE to Serve Him until the end of me.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s that time of year in Virginia with scorching temperatures and high humidity – and just when the earth seems to be shouting “ENOUGH!” God brings a storm to cool things off. It was 65 degrees at sunrise today and I enjoyed every minute of the cooler temperatures, that’s for sure. As I considered the high temperatures, and then the fierce storms that come along to force things back to “normal”, I thought about the Power and Might of my God. When He raises the temperatures in the Journey of Life isn’t always fun for us either. Unfortunately, there always seems to be some “bad” that comes along with the Good to set things straight in Life, but God knows what He’s doing when it comes to the weather and He knows what He’s doing when it comes to my Life. When I met with the Master of the Universe this morning I was looking for answers…but what I got was a good dose of Humility instead. Isn’t that just like God to use the weather to breathe a Message into the Heart?

Sometimes I wonder if we drive God crazy because we question (almost) His every move. Like a small child asking “why” a dozen times a day we do the same thing to the Living God! Sometimes a fierce storm passes through Life and more of our energy goes into asking God “why” than it does in trying to figure out why the fierce storm might have been necessary in the first place. Sometimes we’re too busy scrutinizing the Storm than we are to Examine our Hearts to see what’s behind it! As surely as it takes a fierce storm to bring the temperatures down in Virginia from the 100s to 60s overnight, sometimes it takes some pretty fierce Storms to reconcile Life too. One of our recent storms took down so many beautiful trees – trees blocked plenty of roads temporarily, and hundreds of people were without electricity on the hottest days of the year. But instead of Thanking God for dropping the temperatures that would surely have scorched the earth, we ask “why” we have to be inconvenienced in the first place. Sometimes we forget that the same God who loves us enough to send His only Son to die on the Cross so that we might have eternal Life is the God who became so disgusted over the depravity of people back in the days of Noah that He flooded the earth destroying every living creature. We focus on the flooding, but God focuses on the New Beginnings that are possible for ALL on the other side of that fierce storm.

I had a few questions I wanted answers to this morning but those questions don’t matter much anymore after a Good Dose of Humility straight from the Throne of a Mighty God. He loves me more than anybody else in my life does. He died on a cross that I might have Life everlasting. He planted me in my mother’s womb at His precise moment in time and He knows every hair on my head. He might raise the temperature in my Life and once in a while and I might even feel scorched – that is until His He’s ready to make a fierce move to cool things off all over again. When that happens, I won’t be asking “why” because I’ll be more focused on my Lesson in the heat than on “why” He thought I needed to endure it. In the end, my Life will be more beautiful than it ever was before and I’ll be loving Him and Trusting even more BECAUSE of the work of His Hands through it all. There’s nothing more beautiful than the Refiners Fire.

“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” Isaiah 55:8-9

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I made my way to the front porch with the excitement of a child on a Christmas morning. I couldn’t wait to get outside…I couldn’t wait to enter His presence, I couldn’t wait to read what He had for me on this new day. So, with coffee in hand and a Bible close by I set out to Ready myself for the Journey. I watched these two deer seize the opportunity from a fallen limb as if God dropped it to the ground just for them. Of all the deer around the farm, God led these two to finish a Job He started through a storm. We aren’t much different than the deer when it comes to seizing an Opportunity God puts in the Path intended just for us. Some of us put in a little effort on the limb before we walk away, while others devour the limb because they are confident God put it there for His Purpose. As for me, I know God has Big Plans for me that nobody else ever born can Complete, and everything from my fingerprints to my soul print was Designed for such a time as this. There are plenty of things I could add to a bucket list…things I’d like to see and do before I die…but the Biggest thing on my List is to Fulfill what I was Created to fulfill. With that in mind, every single day is overflowing with Excitement as I peel back the layers of what God has for me. Isn’t that the way you look at your Life too?

It can be so easy to lose the excitement in Life if we don’t Understand how big Life really is. Sometimes we lose our excitement when pain comes along – sickness, financial stresses, the loss of someone we love -the pain is real and it’s consuming. It’s when we Understand that God is there in the midst of the pain and that He has a purpose through the pain that it makes the pain a little easier to bear. We can’t find excitement when we’re hurting, but we can Cling to the fact that God KNOWS we’re hurting and He hasn’t forgotten us. That’s what godly sorrow looks like! I don’t understand how the entire Journey works, some things won’t be made clear until I step through the gates of Heaven. But I DO know that God uses the pain of His people sometimes to magnify His Glory to the world and THAT’S the Part that excites me! His Servant, Job was given up to endure pain like none of us will ever know, and I’m sure the world was in awe of how Job continued to glorify the God that allowed his pain. But God was Gloried in ways that aren’t possible without the pain, and Job’s life was restored in double measure! Paul was a Treasure in the ministry of Jesus Christ and when he was afflicted with sickness and pain He asked God 3 times to take it away. God’s response was: “my Grace is sufficient for you, my POWER IS MADE PERFECT in your weakness.” There is NOTHING exciting about pain itself, but there’s a whole lot to be excited about when…or IF…we allow ourselves to consider how the pain fits into His Plans.

A long time ago I asked God to “use me” for His Glory. Little did I understand the pain I’d have to endure to be shaped into a Usable Vessel for Him, ready and able to Complete my Purpose. It’s been a journey most people can’t wrap their heads around and sometimes the pain was almost more than I could bear. People LOVE to say “God won’t give you more than you can bear” but that statement falls short of the Truth. The Truth is that God will ALWAYS help us find a way THROUGH the pain IF WE TRUST HIS PLANS and turn to our only Real Hope. It’s no wonder some give up on life while others hate God…if they think God sits on His Throne and measures how much pain he’s going to dish out while we attempt to measure if He’s “given us more than we can bear”. It simply doesn’t work that way. God is the truest definition of LOVE and COMPASSION. God sent His son to die so that we might Live God Created each one of us with a Plan in mind and nobody else can do what we were Created to do! God doesn’t like to see His people suffer…but the pain is part of Growth in a Plan we can’t fully understand on this side of Heaven. The ONLY way to endure the Journey with Excitement is to understand that we are Part of a Master Plan that was written before the earth was formed, and our Pain will be used as part of it. This is the Key to Peace through it all.

The deer came and they went and nothing will come out of their visit to the fallen limb except a little nourishment for the body…but I strive for something to become of every day all the days of my Life. I devour the Word of God like a deer panting for water. I have no idea what’s in store for me today but I’m Excited. One Day He’ll call me Home to Paradise where I’ll live for eternity with Him with all those born-again Believers who have passed before me. The Bible says we can’t even imagine the beauty of what’s in store for us in Heaven. I can’t wait to see it – but more than that – I can’t wait to see my Savior and (prayerfully) to hear “WELL DONE, good and faithful servant”. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith Created a Job intended just for me and I intended to Complete it with Grace. It’s sad to see so many people living like the deer putting forth a little effort for their own gain ONLY because it makes them feel better. They’ll answer for their lifeless Journey One Day and I’ll answer for mine. As for me, when it comes to being a Witness…when it comes to Serving the King…when it comes to Praising my God…when it comes to reaching the lost…I’m on duty 24/7 and it’s the greatest Joy of my life. It’s a Journey FILLED with Excitement and I’m ready to do what He Created me to do. How could ANYTHING be more Exciting than Serving the King of kings through it all?

How about you?