This beautiful old cemetery is just a few miles from the farm, and it is the resting place for both my parents, my nephew, and far too many friends…some old and some SO young…it’s not always easy to understand God’s timing. Our family cremates our loved ones, and we are at peace that they are no longer “there” after they pass. How each of us handles a burial is entirely a personal choice, and there is no right or wrong for how we bury our own.
When my Dad passed away, I was given one job in terms of the arrangements…to pick something special to bury his ashes in. Since my Dad was known to disappear when it was time for a binge, he was lovingly nicknamed “Houdini” – so he made his final journey in a beautiful old suitcase. My Dad passed along his sense of humor to the rest of his tribe, and we are confident that he would have LOVED being placed in that suitcase at the cemetery that was near and dear to his heart…and close to the farm. One last laugh.
When my Mom passed away (surprisingly), I was asked to pick something special to bury her ashes in too. The man in charge of grave digging saw me coming, and he said he couldn’t wait to see what she would be buried in. My Mom loved a good road trip, and she loved to cook. I couldn’t think of anything better to bury her in than a retro 1957 Chevy cookie jar. She didn’t care much for cats, but I’m thinking she wouldn’t mind in this case. Would she have been offended to be buried in a cookie jar? Not on your life! We had lots of laughs before she passed away, as she pondered what kind of vessel we’d be putting her in when the time came. Rest assured, she, too, would have smiled BIG TIME to find that she made her final road trip in a 1957 Chevy instead. One last laugh.
I think about all the people I’ve known that have gone ahead of me when I pass by this cemetery, and I pause to pray for their loved ones EVERY SINGLE TIME. No doubt there is an empty place in the lives and the hearts of those still here, but the memories and the smiles can last forever. They truly are a Gift from God to sustain us until we meet again. My family walks down Memory Lane often- we do a whole lot more smiling and belly laughing than we do shedding tears, that’s for sure.
I’m not callous when it comes to burying our loved ones…don’t misunderstand my humor. We celebrate a life like you’ve never seen before when one of our loved ones passes away…not because we aren’t sad…or because we aren’t serious…or because we disrespect the dead…but because we KNOW what they found when they left this place, and we’re SURE that we’ll be reunited again one day soon. It hurts that they aren’t still here…we MISS them…but they are the ones we no longer need to worry about…they are in Good Hands…and that’s no laughing matter!
If you aren’t ABSOLUTELY sure about what will happen when you die, reach out to me. I’ll paint a picture of Eternity that will blow your mind, and I’ll help you secure your future too. Will I make a few jokes in the process? Maybe….but the message of Christ won’t get lost in a suitcase or a cookie jar, that’s for sure!
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master inside, with a hot cup of the best coffee on the planet and my Instruction Manual to keep my path straight as I welcomed in this new day of a new week of Living. I took this photo from the bedroom window (almost) as soon as my feet hit the floor this morning. Even though it looks warm and inviting outside on this November day, the temperature tells a entirely different story. When I made my way downstairs and opened the front door, I was faced with the truth, and the cold temperature seemed so out of place at sunrise on such a beautiful day. What a sweet reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God this morning that this is just the way it is with Life! We can’t judge the heart of someone else, and we can’t base the way we treat them on what we see on the surface….WE HAVE TO OPEN THE DOOR to find the truth. It will ALWAYS be what’s behind what we can only see with the eyes that matters the most. Isn’t that the way you look at the Journey of Faith, too?
It’s so easy for us to draw our own conclusions about people just by what we see, but the REAL truth can only really be seen when we open the door. We see well-dressed people living in luxury homes, and we conclude that they are people of means. But I’ve been inside the homes of some of those people the outside world admires from afar, and I’ve found homes with no heat and no food more often than you care to know. These people were so desperate to impress the world from the outside and far too proud to allow a door to their truth to be opened. But through love, patience, and a whole lot of grace, any door can be opened.
We see “street people” with filthy clothes and their matted hair, and we conclude that they are one step away from being worthless. But I’ve had conversations with some of those people that most of the world ignores, and when I opened the door, I saw a life that was filled with hopes and dreams and productivity just like mine…before they lost their way. We see people living a life of addiction, and we think of them as weak and reckless, and selfish when we do. But I’ve been in the presence of grown men as they’ve cried about the pain they’ve caused their loved ones over and over again, and behind the door of that addiction is a man or woman longing to be free.
Behind every door is truth AND beauty that will never be seen UNLESS we’re willing to open the door. But it takes time, Heart, and compassion to be willing to open a door when we’ve already painted an ugly mental picture of what we THINK we see on the outside. It takes Humility to understand that if not by the grace of a Mighty God, you could be precisely where they are. It takes courage to open the door and compassion to face whatever is there. It takes a Christ-like heart.
I’ve lived long enough and I love big enough that not a whole lot surprises me anymore. I try not to assume anything about anyone based on where they are or how things appear to be, and I ALWAYS tell them about Hope that is theirs if they want it. I gently knock on their door until it opens, because it’s behind the door where the truth and the beauty can be found, and it’s behind the door where I’ll see how to pray and how to help…and when to Lead them to Jesus Christ.
I’ve had a season or two in my life where I’ve fooled the world from the outside, and despite my life circumstances (that should have been a red flag), nobody attempted to open the door to find my truth, and my journey was more painful and prolonged because of it. I learned some valuable lessons behind that closed door, and today, it’s not so easy to fool me. Today, my life is an Open Book to minister to the masses while I do my very best to meet spiritual needs and to love unconditionally, NO MATTER WHAT I SEE ON THE OUTSIDE…and THAT’S how people will see Christ in me everywhere I go!
Does the world see Christ in you?
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It wasn’t very cold on the front porch this morning, and I could have lingered well past filling my lungs with fresh air, but I have a great view from inside, too, so I savored it in a warm house with a hot cup of coffee instead. The moon was still visible as the sun was coming up this morning, and all I had to do was turn my head from one direction to the other to take in the beauty of both. One is a sign of a new day, and the other a sign of the end of the night….neither of them ever sleeps. It isn’t possible to see them both at the same time – at least not with the human eye. It takes effort to look at what’s ahead, and it takes effort to look at what’s behind…and it always comes down to choice. Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is promised to no one, so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to spend too much time focused on either one of them. Today I choose NOT to obsess over the future or to dwell on the past…today I’ll be Living for today. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Life, too?
Human beings are, by far, the biggest “wasters” of all God’s Creation. We waste money. We waste food. We waste water. We waste energy. We waste love. The list could go on and on forever of all the things we waste. But the most significant things we waste come down to TIME and OPPORTUNITY. We waste time because we’ve convinced ourselves that there is no end to the time we have. We waste opportunities because we’ve convinced ourselves that there will always be another chance. Instead of valuing this new day as if it is the ONLY one we have, we waste time and opportunity because we’re too busy dreaming about the future or dwelling on the past. IMAGINE what the world would look like if everybody lived for today! I think there would be a roar that could be heard all across the globe as people simultaneously said things like “I LOVE YOU!” – “PLEASE FORGIVE ME!,” or “DO YOU KNOW JESUS?”. It would be the most amazing sound on this side of Heaven, that’s for sure! Instead, we waste our days and nights because we’re so convinced there will be plenty of time and opportunity later. But, what if there isn’t?
If today is our last day and we fail to say “I love you” or “Forgive me,” it won’t be the end of the world. The ones we needed to say those things to probably already know we loved them, and once we pass away, most of the time they forgive (or forget) us altogether. But what happens when we waste Time and Opportunity to share the Good News, the one thing that matters more than everything else, and the ONLY everlasting thing there is? What if YOU were the one God was calling upon to Share the Good News with a certain lost person, BUT you ignored that Golden Opportunity because you were too busy lying to yourself about always having time for a 2nd chance? We (born-again believers) don’t have to pay the price for our wrongs because Jesus died to pay the price instead. We (born-again believers) won’t be “judged” for all the bad things we did because His blood covers them all. But how will it feel when we face our Maker on Judgment Day? How will it feel to have Him show us ALL the time and opportunities we wasted? What will it be like to have Him remind us of ALL those times we could have (and should have) shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost person, but we put it off instead because we were too busy dreaming about tomorrow or dwelling on the past? Ouch.
I could see both the sun and the moon in the sky this morning for just a few minutes before yesterday was completely gone, and today showed up. I’ve chosen to LIVE today and won’t be wasting time or opportunity, that’s for sure. God forgive me if I ever overlook a suffering soul…if I ever make excuses for why I don’t love them enough to share the Gospel before it’s too late…if I lose my footing and get stuck dreaming about tomorrow or obsessing over the past when He has a Master Plan for my Life and TODAY is all I have.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This morning, as I met with the Love of my Life, I was filled with Gratitude for how He answered my prayers over a short but challenging Season of Life. He “directed my path” and kept it Straight, and He gave me the words that I needed when I needed them,” just the way He promises He will. No matter what makes a challenging Season challenging, all we EVER need to do is Surrender the Plans He has for us and to Remain Focused on Sprinkling the Glory of God everywhere we go, no matter what’s going on. Sound simple? It IS that simple IF we give to the Creator of the Seasons to Manage. There are all kinds of Seasons in Life that come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Sometimes we go from one Season to the next so quickly that if we aren’t careful, we’ll stop Sprinkling the Glory of God as we go. When the Sprinkling ceases, the color of our “leaves” can easily get replaced with the barren, just like the foliage in Virginia. But it doesn’t have to be that way if the Seasons are Sprinkled with the Glory of God, and when they are, each Season is more beautiful than the last! Isn’t that the way you look at your life, too?
It can take your breath away to be in the presence of someone with a Life that is Sprinkled with the Glory of God, no matter what season of life they’re in. Some people start Sprinkling in the springtime of life, and as they go from one season to the next, they just become Sweeter with the Glory of God as time goes by. Some people start Sprinkling when they’re adults, and they laugh about their reckless youth as they Sprinkle the Glory of God over their own children in hopes that the next generation will Sprinkle His Glory too. Some people wait until the final Season of life to begin Sprinkling; after they’ve raised their kids and secured their retirement, because those things were more valuable than Sprinkling in their eyes. No matter the Season, a Life Sprinkled with the Glory of God is a beautiful thing to see, and somehow age doesn’t seem to matter much when you’re Living in Sprinkle-mode. I weep when I’m in the presence of someone who has made it as far as the final Season, and they never bothered to Sprinkle Life with the Glory of God at all. I wonder how much Love they really have for the God of their Salvation if they can’t be bothered to Sprinkle their world with Him? I’m no Expert, but I think those guys will have a lot to answer for on Judgment Day.
Unfortunately, I squandered the first season of my life as I focused on survival and then on my success, and most of my young days are nothing but a blur because of it. I was in survival mode, and I didn’t even think about Sprinkling the Glory of God to others as I hoarded for myself and my family. BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I KNEW HIM well. As my Faith grew, so did my Desire to Please Him, and I began to SERIOUSLY Sprinkle His Glory, beginning with my own. When my children were very young, because I longed to see their lives filled with His Glory too. I understood my Role in leading them to Jesus Christ and teaching them how to Sprinkle on their own by the example I set for them. All my grown children Know and love Jesus Christ, all because of the Sprinkling, and now my grandkids are being taught how to Sprinkle, too. GLORY! As a grandparent, there are LOTS of things I can teach my grandchildren and plenty of fun to be had, that’s for sure. But the Greatest (and everlasting) thing I can Share with each one is how to Walk the way Jesus walked and how to Sprinkle the world with the Glory of God the way Jesus Instructs us ALL to do. With that Part right, everything else in their lives, AND for all the generations to come, will be Amazing! And the best part is that not only will I see them in Heaven, but I’ll be able to Celebrate their Rewards because I “did not labor in vain”. Hallelujah!
I’m in the final season of my life now, but I’m not slowing down to take it easy when I’ve still got some time allotted to me! Instead, I’m Sprinkling the Glory of God all around my life and in every direction, and the thought of slowing down never enters my mind.
I’d like to think that I might take your breath away when you see my Life that is Sprinkled with the Glory of God in my final season – at least that’s the Goal, so I’ll continue to Sprinkle His Glory over the lives of my children and grandchildren and to EVERYONE else in my presence, until He Calls me Home….just the way He commands us all to do. As for today, I’ll be sure to be Sprinkling His Glory as far and wide as I can for ALL the world to see. After all, Isn’t that the Purpose of the Life of a Child of the Living God?
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a magnificent morning, and, as usual, whether I’m inside or outside this time of year, I’ll always opt for a front-row seat to watch the Master wake up the world. There is nothing quite like putting His Majesty and Magnificence in Perspective than by Considering His Hand on each new day. The way I choose to approach (and embrace) this new day will Determine how I’ll be used by the Author and Perfector of my Faith. If I Approach the new day feeling weak…then I’ll be too weak for Service, BUT if I approach this new day with Great Anticipation to do His Work and if I’m Empowered by the Great I Am, then I’ll be Ready for Kingdom Work today, no matter what that “looks” like from where I sit. I can watch the sunrise from any window in this old house, and one day soon that’s what I’ll be doing every morning as I ride out the winter months, BUT nothing beats being surrounded by His creation as we ALL stand in awe at the Work of His hands to set my Spirit in Motion. Isn’t that the way things ought to be in this Journey of Faith?
I’m a bold woman of Faith, and I’m RARELY lost for words. I stand for what I Believe in, no matter what, and I’m not too timid to speak up. I wear my Armor like the Warrior God has called me to be, and I don’t hesitate to do Battle when He tells me it’s Time. I am confident that “No weapon formed against me will prosper” -since I Believe every word OF the Word, I’m confident that “Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world”. I Know that Jesus Christ fought the Devil with Scripture, and I’m Armed with plenty of them should I need them in Battle today. You can always count on me to stand up for the downcast, and you can count on my Voice to be heard (especially) when theirs is too weak or when they are lost for words of their own. I’m passionate and Compassionate. I’m Strong and I’m Courageous. I have unwavering Convictions that are sometimes mislabeled as “personal opinions,” and I never grow tired of speaking up for Jesus Christ or for the Truth of His Word. BUT the purpose of my speaking up isn’t so that I can be heard, and I never take on a Project unless/until He gives me my Marching Orders. I don’t speak up for myself – I speak up so that HE can be heard. I’m a Vessel for the Most High God, and I’m Equipped to do His Work 24/7. Just like any Good Soldier, all I ever need to do to Win is to show up – to put on the FULL Armor of God – and then Follow His Orders in all that I do. If I don’t get these things Right…I won’t have what it takes to do Battle today.
God is the truest definition of Love and Compassion, and although He can show His wrath any time He feels like it, His wrath is never abused, and it always stems from Love. He doesn’t point fingers or jump down throats just to be heard, even though He could…and neither should I. When I encounter someone who is sick – physically OR spiritually – I don’t shun them…I don’t attempt to “fix” them…I don’t throw them under the bus…Instead, I treat them the way Jesus would, and I Trust Him to Guide me toward Helping them in His Mighty Name and not through my own will. Christ didn’t treat those who didn’t believe in (or agree) with Him with unkindness, bitter words, or tongue lashings. Instead, He showed them Compassion as He spoke Truth with Love. He showed a Compassionate Heart to the most “unlovable” people, and thousands upon thousands of people came to Know Him because of His HEART… NOT because of a heavy hand or bitter words. The way to lead people TO Christ is to mirror His Ways! If Christ didn’t minister to the dark world with a mean Spirit, then why are so many Christians? That doesn’t come from Him…it comes from the Adversary instead.
Despite my boldness, I know that I’m not the Judge or the Jury, and I’m really not a fighter at all outside of Kingdom Work, that is. In fact, I dodge conflict like the plague, and I am known for being a peacemaker in my own world. But when I am called by the Living God to speak up for Righteousness, I’m given the Words, the courage, AND THE HEART to do just that. And when I’m called to be a Reflection of His love, His Grace, and His Compassion, I am given a Tender Heart and immeasurable patience to share with others, too. Every word I speak, every step I take, every day of my life should be a Living Testimony for the Living God, and although I’m not even close to being Perfect, I never lose sight of the Goal. When you look at the Journey of Faith that way, it puts everything into perspective…especially our behavior toward others who don’t know Him. At least it does for me.
I’m as bold as a lion or as gentle as a lamb…I’m whatever He needs me to be at the time and for HIS Purpose and not my own gratification – and it all stems from Love and not hate or judgment. I’m striving to be a beautiful example of the Love of Christ and a Reflection of the nature of my God in a dark and ugly world so that He can be Seen in me and Heard through me in all that I do and all that I am.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Today is Veterans Day, and I spent a little more time than usual this morning praying for those special people who have sacrificed so much to serve me and my country. It’s the kind of sacrifice that I can’t begin to fathom and the kind of sacrifice that often goes unnoticed…except for once or twice a year, that is. Sometimes I think about the Biggest Sacrifice EVER made for you and for me. When I do, I realize that if most of the world doesn’t accept or appreciate THAT Sacrifice either, then how in the world will they understand the sacrifice of time and life that our servicemen and women (and their families) give selflessly each and every day?
I gladly gave up my own life to raise my family, and I’d be willing to die for any one of them today. I’d give up my life for my God, too, should I ever be asked to deny Him. But the thought of people being willing to give up their lives for people they don’t know…wow! That thought overwhelms me every time I think about it. These days, it must be difficult to make so many sacrifices for a country that hasn’t been showing them the respect they deserve. It must have been difficult to be threatened with being removed from service because of the choices they make for their health as they watched “freedom” quickly become a thing of the past…beginning with them. It must be hard for them to face a Government shutdown knowing that they are defending our country for free. God bless them for still being willing to serve the greatest nation in the world, even after watching it transform right before their very eyes into an unrecognizable place. If there’s ever been a time we need them, it’s now.
Not everyone who serves in our military is faced with the sacrifice of life (thank God), but they’re willing to if they have to…and they ALL make huge sacrifices for you and me every day. In THEIR fight for OUR freedom, they surrender their own. They’re told when to show up, when to suit up, and when to shut up. They’re told what to wear and when to wear it, and they know that what they wear better be perfect at all times. They are people of discipline and people of excellence, and it shows. They’re told where to live and how long to live there. They’re told what to say and when to say it, and to never question authority. They’re told what job they’ll be doing, and they’re taught how to do it, and if they don’t particularly like what they do, they do it anyway without complaining, instead of looking for a new job like you and me.
Most of our young enlisted men and women could easily make more money working at a retail store full-time than they do serving our country 24/7. They’re told when they’ll have a day off and IF they’ll have a holiday off, and many of our servicemen and women spend the holidays alone more often than we care to think about. Despite all of the sacrifices they make for you and for me, they PROUDLY serve America even when we don’t tell them or show them how much we appreciate the sacrifices they make for us. That’s what true heroes look like to me!
My husband proudly served in the US Marine Corps, my father served in the United States Navy during WWII, my youngest son served in the United States Air Force to do his part in this War on Terror, and my son-in-law still proudly serves in the United States Air Force today. I’m not just thankful for THEIR service, I’m humbled by ALL of the sacrifices made by them (and their families) day after day for you and for me. I’m thankful for EVERY Veteran…those I know and love and those I’ll never meet! I don’t just thank them on Veterans Day, and I don’t just pray for them on special occasions either. Every single one of them has my heart, my support, my gratitude, and my prayers every single day that I breathe.
How about you?
Thank you, Veterans!!!! May God bless you and your families, and may God richly bless the United States of America.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia. After I stepped out onto the front porch to embrace this new day of a new week and to fill my lungs with fresh air, I met with the Living God from inside looking out, and I read my Instruction Manual long after the sun showed itself in the sky. It’s that time of year of uncertainty in Virginia. One day it’s warm enough to spend the day outside, one day the cold can be endured with warm clothes or a blanket, and one day it’s SO cold that no winter wardrobe has what it takes to break the sting. I’m not one to give up or complain when the weather gets in the way of my morning “routine” on the front porch, and I don’t give up when other things alter what my Heart desires either. Instead, I embrace it all, I give thanks for it all, I press on through it all, and I look for the Treasures in the good and the “bad” throughout this amazing Journey of Life. Isn’t that what you do too?
Being able to enjoy the sunrise outside on my old porch is truly one of my life’s greatest Pleasures. Some people think my “obsession” with mornings on the front porch comes with old age… but they’d be wrong. Watching the Master wake up the world from a front row seat has been one of my favorite things to do ever since I Met Him, and it always will be until He takes me Home. I Praise Him when it’s raining, and I Praise Him when it’s cold, and I Praise Him for everything in between. This time of year, I cling to the warmth for as long as I can, and I won’t much like it when the season changes and temperatures drop for the long run. But IF I have a Heart of Gratitude, I take it all in stride. I look for the Beauty through every season… just as I do in this Journey called Life. Comparing the joy of the sunrise to significant trials in Life may seem lame on the surface to some people. Still, it takes the SAME KIND OF HEART to embrace the ups and the downs in the Journey as it does to appreciate the beauty in an “imperfect” day. I am Confident that the Most High God…the God who “gives and takes away,” the God who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name,” the God who flooded the earth because He was sick of the wickedness, knows what He’s doing in ALL things, and I choose to Trust Him. Trusting Him is the Key to Peace.
If I had my way, I’d probably design each day to be clear, sunny, and 70 degrees, AND I’d destroy all the beauty that comes through each Season in the process. I’d wreak havoc on nature, and I’d thwart the growth. I’d never see the magnificent colors of the Fall, and I’d never watch the new things unfold in the Spring. I’d never see the fields blanketed with pure white snow, and I’d never see the birds scrambling for worms after a rain. There’s no end to the “damage” I would do IF I had my own way with the weather at the farm….and so it is with Life. Taking it in stride, pressing on no matter how dire the circumstances appear, and seeing the Beauty in the Will of a God we cannot see with our own eyes, is the KEY to Spiritual Contentment and Joy. That’s what Spiritual Maturity looks like!
I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life, but I serve the Perfect One, and I love Him with all of my Heart. He’s taken me to the valley more times than I care to count, but when I’ve chosen to Trust Him with the outcome and I stepped out of His way, He’s taken me back to the mountaintop, and I’ve soared like never before, all because of the Beauty that’s Perfected in the Valley by the Hand of the Author and Perfector of Faith.
The Bible says, “But he who has been forgiven little, loves little,” a Spiritual Truth that should be pondered by all. When you see someone who holds onto unforgiveness, you’ll see someone with a VERY limited capacity to Love. That makes perfect sense. After all, it takes selfless Love to Forgive…just ask Jesus. As for me, I don’t just love a little, appreciate a little, live a little, preach a little, give a little, or serve a little, NOT because I’m some sort of Saint! It’s ALL because I never lose sight of what my Mighty God has forgiven me of and how He Supernaturally transformed a “wretch like me” into a usable Vessel in His Name. Now THAT’S miraculous and worthy of holding onto all the days of my Life.
He truly does have “the whole world in His hands,” so I’ll Trust Him every step of the way. Rain or shine. Warm or cold. Ups and downs. Good or “bad”.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was too cold to spend much time outside on the porch at daybreak, but I stepped out long enough to fill my lungs with fresh air and to see what the Master was up to today, and what I saw was enough to stir my Soul. As I stood there taking in the Fall beauty, I didn’t notice the break in the clouds at first. All I could see was color so beautiful that I didn’t want to take my eyes off it long enough to look at anything else. It’s the day after the midterm elections in America, and it makes me sad to see the majority of (professed) Christians a whole lot more focused on the “break” than they are on the Beauty, and I fear for them because of it. There will never be another day like this one, that much I know for sure – not another sunrise or sunset and certainly not an election. From where I sit, no matter the results of any election, America will remain divided UNLESS (and by some miracle) God’s people begin to focus MORE on the Beauty than the break. Our Instructions from the One who still sits on the Throne are to turn our eyes upon HIM and not on this mess of a world. It’s only when we do that, that we can Focus on (and Celebrate) the Beauty and not the break. Isn’t it just like my God to use a magnificent Fall sunrise to drive a Message to my Heart today? I’m listening. Are you?
I Serve a God who can calm a storm at the sound of His voice. I Serve a God who can part the sea to save millions of His people and who can rain down manna from Heaven to feed them. I Serve a God who plants the seed of life inside a mother’s womb, and I serve a God who can raise the dead on Command. I Serve a God who can still heal the sick and raise the dead. I Serve a God who set the Plans for the day we were born and the day we will die and every day in between. I Serve a God who sent His one and only son to die for me so that I might have Hope and a Future. I Serve a God who gives AND takes away. I Serve a God who has GIVEN authority to good kings AND bad kings, and I serve a God who sends calamity when His children get too out of line. I Serve a God who is already in tomorrow, and not only did He know the results of the election before the foundations of the earth, but Ordains every leader the world has ever known. He puts the leaders in place for His Divine Purpose, and whether we like them or not, we need to Trust Him. I Serve a God who will stop at absolutely nothing to turn His people away from the break and back to the Beauty because He loves us. My God can do anything. But even though my God is able, far too many (professed) Christians who claim to be His people are focused on the break a whole lot more than the Beauty. What kind of results did they expect?
I’m no expert, but I believe that God LOVES it when His children surrender it all to Him….from life to family to country…and yes, even to election results. I believe it pleases my God when we choose to hide in the “shadow of His wings” and when we Trust Him with the outcome of an election, no matter how bleak the outcome looks. I believe it pleases my God when we confess that we have no strength of our own (only His to sustain us) and when we Acknowledge that “there is no good thing apart from Him”. I believe it pleases my God when we’re Bold and Courageous in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ and when we care MUCH more about lost Souls than we do about lost elections. To some, that might sound impossible based on the state of the Nation we claim to love – to others still making noise and shaking their fists, the fact that I lay it all down at the foot of the Cross and I trust Him with the results is “lame”.
Many have tried and failed to entice me to focus more on the break than the Beauty, but that’s never going to happen. I Know that “with God all things are possible” and that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”. I’m not “clueless”, I’m Focused! I know that my God can use anything and anybody to bring Glory to Himself, and I know that I don’t have the power to change what God has already ordained. Not only that, I have the “peace that surpasses all understanding” because of it. Unless God’s people STOP focusing on the break and START focusing on the Beauty, there is no hope for America at all BECAUSE God will not be mocked. Anybody who has spent Quality Time in His Word knows that He that actually does have a tolerance threshold when His people focus more on their idols (in this case, politicians) than on the Living God. Many times throughout history, He has removed His Hand because of it. You think things look bad now? Just imagine what it looks like when (or if) the Hand of God is removed from our land. Now THAT ought to get our attention!
I don’t know what the future of our Country will look like or who will ultimately be leading our government, but I DO KNOW Who will always be King, and I DO KNOW that He has the future in the palm of His Hands. He already knew the election results before we did because He “certified” them before the foundations of the earth. My God already Knows the Plans He has for His Children, and although He promises to be our Provider and our Protector, He never promised Easy Street.
There is no way to welcome in the Future we’re promised without experiencing the perilous times the Bible warns us about. No matter what – no matter how good or bad – no matter how difficult – no matter left or right, male or female, conservative or liberal, you will find me Focusing on the Beauty as I watch my God unfold the breaks to draw His people closer to Him again.
It’s all for His Purpose and His Glory, America. Once you get that part right, you’ll have the “peace that surpasses all understanding” for such a time as this, too!
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Fall is a spectacular time of year in Virginia, and the view from the front porch changes a little more each day. I don’t ever want to miss a thing, no matter how cold it gets! I’ve been known to wrap up in multiple blankets JUST to be able to watch the Hand of God on a cold morning from the front porch…something most people would never consider doing…but I’m not most people. I love to take it all in from outside whenever it’s humanly possible, and I love to breathe in fresh air, no matter how cold it is. Today, I spent my Time with the Lord from inside with a hot cup of coffee and a good dose of the Living Word. From the minute I opened my eyes this morning, I began to take Authority. God is the Author and Perfecter of my Faith…He’s my Protector, my Provider, my Redeemer, and everything in between, BUT He expects me to do my part too. He expects me to take Authority all on my own. Authority over my thoughts. Authority over my Life. Authority over the devil that already knows he’s lost. Authority over Spiritual Truths that I can always lean on, and Authority over those fiery darts that threaten to disarm me. Authority over everything! Just like everybody else ever born, sometimes I’m inclined to feel like a weakling, but there’s NO EXCUSE for that because I’ve already been given the Power to take Authority in the Mighty name of Jesus Christ over anything in my Life. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith, too?
It can be so easy to succumb to our circumstances when we lose sight of our Authority, but whether we succumb or NOT is the biggest difference between Warriors and wussies. It makes me sad to see more wussies than Warriors these days, and sometimes I wonder why that is. How did it come to be that God’s people could be clueless about the Authority that is given to those who belong to Jesus Christ, and WHY would they ever want to serve a Power Less God?
Maybe we can’t change people (even though we want to sometimes), and we often have no control over our circumstances, BUT we have the Power to take Authority over ANY Situation so that we aren’t destroyed in the process. Warriors know how to put it all in Spiritual Perspective because we see a Bigger Picture. “Authority” doesn’t necessarily mean we have the power to alter the outcome; it means that we have the Strength and the Power to disarm whatever or whoever is set out to harm…a Gift from a Mighty God who longs for us to “get it.”
They say that most people only use a Smartphone to 10% of its capacity, and I think the same is true for most of God’s people when it comes to understanding the Power within us. Sadly, many people are easily disarmed because they believe they’re powerless; so they live their lives like victims who are “lucky” just to survive the journey. They throw in the spiritual towel and accept things that they NEVER should accept…all because they don’t understand the Power that has already been given to them in Jesus’ Name! This is the Key to being a Warrior for the Leader of the Universe!
When something comes along that threatens to disarm me, I don’t roll over and play dead waiting for the outcome. I don’t pull the covers over my head wishing it would go away, and I don’t whine and complain to whoever will listen. Instead, when something comes my way, I Fight like the Warrior I was created to be! I take the Authority that has already been given to ME in the name of Jesus! The first step is a refresher course on God’s Promises, and I Know them well by now, so I push the Replay button whenever I need to. Jesus “fought” the devil with Scripture, so I am confident that knowing what the Bible has to say is critical to the outcome for me, too. God is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore, and I can Rely on what He says. I may not always accept an outcome that I can’t see with my eyes from start to finish the way God can, so I take Authority over every thought until I see Victory.
The Devil is a liar, and he would love to convince me that I’m powerless or that my future is bleak, BUT that’s not possible because I Know the Truth. I speak the Word of God out loud, and I Proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, and when I do, His Word tells me that every demon in Hell shudders. Knowing that I have that kind of Power over the darkness makes me Proclaim it even louder, and it brings me that kind of “peace that surpasses all understanding” throughout those times when others would be tossed here and there like collateral damage, ready to throw in the Spiritual towel. I am Strong because His Spirit Lives WITHIN me…the Spirit that gives me the Power to take Authority!
There are some things in my life that could have the potential to disarm me UNLESS I take Authority, so it’s battle time at the farm 24/7. I refuse to give one thought to an unpleasant outcome just because I can’t see my circumstances from start to finish on this side of Heaven. Most things aren’t the way they appear to be on the surface, and nothing is too big for God…the same God who loves me enough to send His Son to die to pay my debt ALWAYS has my back, and He ALWAYS wants what’s best for me. More than anything else, I know that “when I am weak, He is Strong” and that His “Power is made PERFECT in weakness.”
Nothing is over until God says it’s over and NOTHING has the power to take me captive. I know how to Fight and I know how to take Authority using the Power that is within me, AND I’ll always find my way to Victory because it’s HIS SPIRIT that dwells in me and I Trust Him.
This Spiritual Battle isn’t for wussies, it’s for Warriors, and it’s time to armor up, Church.
Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The cold morning air is forcing me to spend most of my time with the Living God inside these days, but I never lose a chance to take in the glory of the morning, even for just a little while, from the front porch. For years, this porch was graced with hanging plants, but when I grew tired of being held hostage by birds nesting in them, I replaced them with flags. So, now, this old porch is graced with four flags, each representing something I stand for. As I sat before God this morning and looked at those flags, I considered what I stand for and wondered if what I Stand for is as easy for the world to see as those flags are. It doesn’t matter much if people look at these four flags and they don’t “get” what they represent to me…but it matters a WHOLE lot if people look at my Life and they don’t see what I stand for or Who I Represent. Isn’t that something that you consider, too?
It’s so easy for us to look at the outer edges of a person and draw our own conclusions about what they stand for just by what we see on the outside. Sometimes people attempt to put the world on notice about what they stand for by placing bumper stickers on their cars or by wearing a cross around their neck. Sometimes those things are intended to be gentle (and silent) reminders, and sometimes those things are intended to provoke. Just like the flags hanging on this front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent, they merely serve as decoration. Sometimes people attempt to make their mark on the world by tattooing their bodies or piercing their skin in unimaginable ways. But just like the flags hanging on the front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent, they merely serve as body art. There is no end to what can be done in our attempt to put the world on notice about what we represent, but what we stand for takes a whole lot more than flying a flag over our lives. What we stand for takes Action words and Relationships to be seen by the world.
I have a crazy sense of humor (thanks to my Dad) and I’ve had a roller coaster life for sure, so IF I never spoke up about what I Stand for, the world may see me as just someone fun to be around and someone with lots of good stories to tell. But nobody has to be in my presence for long before they see AND hear about what I Stand for and Who I Represent. Some may perceive me as being ONLY interested in fun things and funny things because of my personality, but they’d be wrong about that! With just one opportunity to change my Tune to comfort a suffering soul, or to speak Words of Wisdom from God, and what I Stand for and Who I Represent is front and center. Some could believe that I can find humor in anything…and there’s a lot of truth to that…and they might hesitate to share their pain with me for fear of my laughing at them. BUT with just a few words about my Life Journey and all of the pain I’ve endured in His Name, they open up like a blooming flower with no fear of judgment from me. I don’t rely on bumper stickers on my car or a cross around my neck to make a Statement to the world about what I Stand for; I live it, I breathe it, and I speak it. What I Stand for is a part of me, and taking Action with Words and Relationships is as natural to me as breathing.
Waving my Faith around for all the world to see has come at a high price, but that’s okay. The One I Stand for warned me that they “will hate you because of Me”. Make no mistake, they don’t hate the silence; they hate hearing the Name of Jesus Christ boldly Proclaimed as I wave my Faith around for all the world to see. He died for me, the least I can do is Live for Him, amen?
I like to think of myself as being a little like those flags on the front porch. Bright and colorful, resilient, able to withstand the winds, flexible, bold, and forever making a Statement for the world to see. You’ll NEVER find me being a SILENT Representation of what I Stand for or Who I Represent, and you won’t find me relying on some outward “sign” to make a Statement on my behalf. I’m a child of the Living God…I’m Royalty…I’m Unstoppable…I’m Victorious…I’m Redeemed…and there is never a doubt about what I Stand for or Who I Represent.
I Love Him…I Live for Him…I Serve Him…and it shows.
My Front Porch 
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