Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I spent my time in the Presence of the Most High God and my Soul was nourished by His Word. It’s raining..still…but the rain is an answer to my prayers for a parched land so instead of complaining, I’ll give thanks for every drop. Rain does have a way of making things feel dreary though, so as I give thanks for the rain, I do business on my Attitude too. It’s the week after the celebration of the Resurrection and I can’t help but wonder…was it dreary in the days that followed His Resurrection OR was it business as usual the way it is with us today? Did they dress in black to mourn His death while missing the fact that He conquered death, hell, and the grave…a Truth so many miss today? We can’t know for sure on this side of history – all I know is that the Living God used a dreary day to drive home a Message into my Heart. Is that just like Him to use the simplest things to make His Point to His people?

They say that Easter Sunday is the most attended day of the year in the church in America. That’s shocking when you first hear it but not so difficult to understand when you dig a little deeper. People who otherwise wouldn’t be caught dead in church on a Sunday morning somehow make it to church on Easter Sunday. I’m not sure if they show up to appease a loved one or if they’re trying to make themselves feel better about where they are spiritually. I wonder how many claim to be Christians just because they make it to church on Easter Sunday as if they’re renewing a Membership card? I’m pretty sure some are anxious to show off their new Easter “bonnet” while others want to be sure to show off their (once-a-year) well-dressed kids to the world. I wonder how many people understand that they are actually standing on Holy Ground and the aisle is a path to the Alter and not a fashion runway? I wonder how many will take Communion on that one day of the year without giving it a second thought or caring about the condition of their heart before they do? I wonder how many rush out the door after Easter service to be sure they’re not late for family pictures or family dinner because the activities far outweigh the reverence surrounding Resurrection Sunday.

“Back in the day” people felt the earthquake – they saw the sky go dark – they saw the dead raised from the grave – AND they saw the 80-foot temple curtain rip in two like tissue paper when Jesus surrendered on the Cross…and yet, most of them went back to business as usual. Some saw Him raise the dead. Some saw Him heal the sick. Some saw Him walk on water. Some heard Him calm the sea. Some saw Him deliver people from under the influence of the devil. Some saw Him cause the blind to see. Some watched Him die…and yet, most of them went back to business as usual. An eye witness to the Miracles of God one minute…business as usual the next. No, I don’t think people are a whole lot different today than they were back then whether they claim to be Believers or not. They hear, they see, they claim to Believe and they’re flying high one minute as they proclaim Him to be the Master of their life and the next minute it’s as if He never existed (to them) at all.

Some people see and (proclaim to) Believe but if they really did, it wouldn’t be possible to revert back to business as usual. If they really comprehend that HE DIED for them, it would be impossible for them not to LIVE for Him. Some people have mastered the mourning process and all they can see is sadness on the Cross – but Jesus wasn’t a victim – He is a victor! Some people look at death as robbery because they can’t accept the Will of God no matter when or how they die. But Jesus said “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down instead” and He made a way for all of us to live out Eternity in Heaven…IF we Believe. The Bible says “Narrow is the gate that leads to Heaven” and that’s easier to understand when you see how so many people are living out their Journey in business-as-usual mode instead of a non-stop Celebration of Victory on the Cross! Some people look for the world to tell them how great they are, but when you focus on the Cross all you can think about is hearing Him tell you “Well done, good and faithful servant”. For us, “business as usual” doesn’t exist. This is the Key to Eternity with Him.

It’s a dreary day but my Heart is filled with Joy and Hope all because He gave His life for me. I’ll NEVER forget the price that was paid to set me free. I’ll NEVER get tired of the “Easter” story. I’ll never walk away from the Cross and I’ll NEVER live a Life in business-as-usual mode.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m ready for this new day after my time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, a good dose of His Living Word, and a hot cup of coffee. It’s not so cold but raining this morning and my heart is missing the sunshine so since I can’t enjoy the warmth outside, I’ll enjoy the warmth of the flowers instead. I determine to enjoy each new day…rain or shine…hot or cold and my glass is usually half full. This time of year it can go from the feeling of a warm summer day to frost on the fields and then back again from one day to the next. I am confident that the sun is always waiting just behind the clouds to warm things up and that nothing is predictable in the Spring in Virginia…and such it is with Life. When you think about it, Isn’t that just the way it is in this Journey of life?

Some people don’t look for the sunshine because they enjoy having frost around their hearts. They refuse to allow the warmth of the Son to melt it away the cold as if they’ll somehow lose their strength if they let it go. They strut around with a cold heart as if it’s something to be proud of and they have every excuse for why they refuse to let go of the offense. These people can hold on to something someone did to them like a snapping turtle year after year, refusing to let go as if refusing forgiveness will (in some twisted sort of way) get even with the one who wronged them. Their emotions can flare up in a heartbeat as they recount the wrong and they relive it as if it was yesterday. Some even wish for horrible, hurtful things to happen to the one who caused them pain. They carry the weight of unforgiveness around like a sack loaded with rocks and no matter how weary they become from the weight or how injured they become from the stress, they refuse to let it go. Unfortunately for these people, their glass is always half empty, and they would never know what it means to be content with a few flowers in place of the sun.

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

I’ve experienced some serious wrongs in my life and I’ve been labeled a “doormat” as I pick myself back up and then “let it go” over and over again. I’ve heard every reason on the planet for what I “should” do to make the wrongs right…instead, I leave the reckoning up to God. The Bible says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” so I can’t think of a better way for the wrongs to be made Right than to trust the Living God with the outcome. He knows it all and He will have the ultimate say and it’s His forgiveness that matters the most.

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

Just think…He reached my Heart with just a few flowers. Imagine what He can do for you.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I prayed over the farm and its boundaries this morning, I imagined what it would look like if I could SEE the Lord’s Protection over it. I wonder how many Angels show up when I’m doing battle and I wonder if they have swords? I wondered if they stand side-by-side or if they hover majestically over the farm. The Bible says “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” I don’t need God to “prove” Himself to me – He already did that on the Cross. What He says, I believe without question. What I can see with my eyes overwhelms me, that’s for sure, but what I CAN’T see overwhelms me even more. There is a host of angels doing battle every single minute of every single day and God has assigned a few to you and to me. When the big battles come, so does an army of angels, and if I could SEE them doing battle on my behalf, I’d never be anxious. Isn’t that what the Journey looks like for you too?

Of all the spiritual “mysteries” that will keep us wondering until we reach Heaven, I think the “mystery” of angels is most often confused AND abused. Some people think that when we die we become angels to hover around watching over our loved ones…but that’s not true. Our loved ones already have angels assigned to them and when we get to Heaven there’s no coming back in any form or fashion. Some people believe in “angels” but they don’t believe in the Living God. I’m not sure where their “angels” are coming from OR who is commanding them – but they won’t be coming from a Good Place if the Creator of ALL things is denied. Some people “pray” to angels as if they can bypass God, and sometimes it looks like they worship the angels too. I don’t understand ALL the mysteries on this side of Heaven but I DO understand that the angels have been here since the beginning…they were Created by God…they are subject to Jesus Christ…they were made to last forever…and that God Almighty can summon them at will and Assign them where they need to be for me and you. After that…who cares what I don’t know now?

Some people believe that angels are mystical beings and that they can never be confused with man….but that’s not true. Every once in a while they “show up” in “human form” to do the work of their Father. In fact, we’re told – “do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” Angels showed themselves to Abraham when they told him to expect a child, they showed up to warn Lot to get out of town. Angels brought Elijah bread and water and told him to regain his strength. There are countless times angels have “shown themselves” on God’s behalf even for someone like me. I believe I had an encounter with an angel years ago when a “mysterious” man showed up at just the right moment in time (and seemingly out of nowhere) when I was (unknowingly) in the presence of a man who was soon to be arrested for being a serial killer. God can summon the angels anytime He wants to, and sometimes we can see them with our eyes!

One time Elisha was facing a battle and things were looking grim. His servant was overwhelmed by fear so Elijah prayed that God would open his eyes so that his servant could see what Elisha already KNEW was there – “then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” If we could all SEE with our eyes what takes place in the Spiritual Places it would blow our minds and we’d never fear again! To see the evil ones working hard 24/7 to devour would drive us to our knees in prayer, and to see the fields filled with His Army ready to Protect what belongs to Him would send us into Perpetual Praise mode! What takes place in the “heavenly realms” is a much bigger deal than what we see with our eyes here on earth…and remembering that is the Key to Faith through it all!

God’s hand of Protection is over my Life, my family, this old farm, and the Ministry He’s called into being. When I pray, I BELIEVE because praying without Faith would be nothing more than chatter. I don’t need to see the heavenly host to be confident that they show up when God commands them my way because I’ve experienced Victory over and over again. I can’t see them with my eyes, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I’m pretty sure that if God would “open my eyes” so that I could see the way Elishah’s servant did, I’d see “the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around” – me and this old farm surrounded by angels ready to Protect what Belongs to Him.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a new day of a new week and there is frost on the trees on this Spring day. As much as I was longing for warmth, God had cold in mind, and I Accepted His Will with a Grateful Heart. As I entered the Presence of the Most High God this morning, it began the way it usually does…with Praise for who He is and what He does for me. I cried out “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, who is to come!” and I imagined what it must be like to hear that praise 24 hours a day in Heaven. Next, I began to Thank Him and it was as if I couldn’t stop. I sat there for what seemed like forever, weeping with a Heart so full of gratitude. I eventually got around to making a few Requests…but the One Who stands on the Right Side of the Throne of a Mighty God knows my Heart AND He knows my needs without me ever speaking a word. His Word says, “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear” and it brings me indescribable Peace to Know that He is already in tomorrow and that He Knows my needs even before I do. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

It doesn’t take much effort for people to shout out a “thank you” to God when things are running smoothly, but it isn’t so easy for some to thank Him in the storm. It’s almost as if all the Good He does day after day is diminished when His people go through a season of suffering. They’ll beg Him to hear their prayers and plead with Him to fix things RIGHT NOW. But do they THANK Him for what He is doing IN the storm…those things they cannot see? Do they Trust Him with the Purpose behind the suffering or do they spend time questioning Him for why He isn’t fixing things the way He’s supposed to? Are they willing to Surrender to His Will ESPECIALLY when they don’t know the rest of the story? His Word is clear when it comes to the trials – “And we know that ALL things work together for good for those who love Him and are all called according to His Purpose.” It’s when the storms show up that He does His BEST Work and it’s when the storm shows up that He can be Glorified the most! Thank Him for what He’s doing in the storm!

Most people know who God is and many proclaim their faith in Him -but even the demons know who God is and they shudder at the sound of His name. Some people are admirably faithful to ritualistic prayers day after day and some are in the church every time the doors are open. But there’s much more to the Journey of Faith than these things. I’m sure those things don’t go completely unnoticed by the Living God, but what He wants more than anything is a Heart that hungers for Him. A Heart that Trusts His Will. A Heart surrendered to Him. He wants a Heart that can’t get enough of Him…one that can’t wait to spend “quality time” with Him…one that Trusts…and Honors…one that never grows tired…one that is Faithful through thick and thin…one that never overlooks the Good to focus on the bad. It’s funny how people can easily define what it takes to have a “good relationship” with someone here on earth, while they overlook the beauty – the Characteristics – the necessity – of having a Relationship with the Living God. The King of kings and the Lord of lords wants to have a Relationship with you and me and the mere thought of that should send you to your knees and give you spiritual goosebumps! It sure does me.

The morning is cold while I was hoping for warm and the world around me appears to be in a tailspin, but that’s okay. I have profound Faith in the One who says “Before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear”. My God is Faithful. My God has a Master Plan that is Perfect and I Trust Him. I love Him. I Praise Him, and I Thank Him. We have a Relationship more beautiful than anything here on earth and my Heart thirsts for Him. I’m His child…He’s my God…through thick and thin. With a Relationship like ours, how could I ever be anything less than Thankful no matter what’s going on around me?

How about you? Do you have a Relationship with Him?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Today is the 2nd day of Spring, but the calendar doesn’t mean much of anything to the Living God. It’s 29 degrees this morning and it could just as easily snow as it can to shine. When He tells the sun to shine through the clouds it does. When He commands the snow to fall in the Spring, it comes forth. The unpredictability of the weather is a sweet reminder to me this morning of the unpredictability of Life…there is rarely rhyme or reason in the Journey at all. I look for the Good the same the same way I look for the sunrise each morning, but I have found my Contentment in the unpredictable Seasons of Life, and I no longer fight against it. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

The source of disappointment always comes down to things not going the way WE expect them to go, or when people don’t behave the way WE expect them to behave. But there’s rarely rhyme or reason and most of the time these things are completely out of our control. There are times when we go into overdrive as we attempt to make someone else be what we want them to be, or to feel what we want them to feel, or to behave the way we expect them to behave, and most of the time we do irreparable damage to the relationship when we do. People don’t change any part of them unless they want to change, and we have no control over the heart of someone else. How many precious hours of Life are wasted by pondering “if only” this or “if only” that over things and people completely out of our control? We trade our peace for all the “what ifs” instead of doing what WE need to do to change our own Hearts or our own circumstances. Sadly, lots of people choose to spend the rest of their lives in “if only” mode. No amount of “if only’s” could change the outcome of this day, and the “if onlys” ONLY lead to disappointment and heartache. The surest way to find Peace when people and things aren’t what we expect them to be is to Trust the Living God with the Road Map and to Believe that He’s got a Plan through it all. IF ONLY most people could reach that point…the world would be a more Peaceful place to live until He calls me Home.

Every person of Faith must reach a point where they’re willing to “die to” themselves because that’s the core of what it means to be a Christian. That’s not a place of sacrifice, neglect, or abuse, that’s the first step in Peace and Joy! We don’t become “Stepford” people when we give our Heart to Christ, BUT we learn to stop fighting against things we know we can’t control! It’s when we stop trying to anticipate the Next Move, that we learn to accept the Journey and we appreciate it every Step of the way. It’s when we strive to be Christ-like that we learn to love unconditionally…ESPECIALLY those people who aren’t so easy to love. It’s when we realize that we can’t control people, places, or things, that we stand a little taller and we REFUSE to accept less for ourselves because we KNOW that we are worthy. Instead of trying to change the ones that aren’t what WE expect them to be, we move on in Peace. It’s when we finally accept that God is Orchestrating Life and that our circumstances ALWAYS have a Purpose bigger than ourselves, that we learn to look past the details and the personalities that WE become Better through it all.

There’s no good rhyme or reason for why the temperature in Virginia is below freezing on this Spring day, but there’s no real rhyme or reason to this Life at all. So, I surrender to my Circumstances, and I always remember that the conflict I have with someone else has nothing to do with them at all…it has to do with what I EXPECT of them…things that I may or may not ever see in my Lifetime. I kick my expectations to the curb…and sometimes I move on to Peace instead of trying to put a square peg in a round hole. I’ve learned to “die to” myself, and I understand my Journey even though it doesn’t have much rhyme or reason from where I’m sitting because it ALL has Perfect Rhyme or Reason from where the Living God sits. He’s got my Full Attention no matter who or what I encounter on this 2nd day of Spring. Because I choose to die to myself and to live for Him, it doesn’t need to have rhyme or reason because everything and everyone else dims in comparison… and because I KNOW that “all things work together for Good for those called according to His Purpose”. I don’t sweat the small stuff.

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 One who “laid the foundations of the earth while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy”. How could I NOT be excited about this new day when I pause to consider the Power and Might of my God? Today marks the first day of Spring, and although we’re seeing signs of new life at the farm, the morning temperature is still too low for me to spend Time with the Living God outside on the front porch at sunrise. It won’t be long now before it actually FEELS like Spring at the farm and when it does, the world around me will come alive as I spend every morning watching the Master wake up the world at sunrise. It can’t come soon enough for me, but I’ve learned (the hard way) the importance of trusting in God’s Timing in all things. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

I know what it is to wait for God and although I occasionally cry out to Him to speed things up on my behalf, I know that those things He has promised to walk me through will come when He thinks I’m ready…not when I think He should be ready to take me there. I’ve been guilty of saying “I think God wants this” or “I think God wants that” but if I’m walking in the intimacy of our relationship, I still won’t know His Mind…but He’ll make His Will known to me. There is no doubt that my Father “knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” and it’s because I Trust Him, that I don’t worry about the little things. I walk with Him every day and I live a Life of Peace because of it. I don’t stop at every single turn and look for approval for every word and every step. What kind of Faith is that? Instead, I use the common sense God gave to me, and when I’m sure my Heart is open to His Spirit, He’ll turn me around in a heartbeat if I begin to head in the wrong direction. This is the key to boldness in Faith.

I pity some people who stay so wrapped around the axle about God’s will that they take no action at all, or they stay silent until they see a lightning bolt or some other “sign” that will confirm His Will to them….even for the smallest steps in life. Many of them appear to be in spiritual-pause mode and they seem to have stopped short of the intimacy to be had in a relationship with God. They claim that they want to be in His perfect Will in all things while they put things off and make excuses for not moving forward at all. I wonder what kind of relationship they have with the Living God if they need to rely on some visual sign of God’s Will, instead of the prodding of His Spirit? When we truly Walk with Him instead of just acknowledging His existence, “He’ll keep our paths straight” and He’ll “make the boundary lines fall on us in pleasant places”. Just like the sheep being led by a shepherd, they don’t look for guidance with every single step they take, but they trust the shepherd to keep them on the right path, and when He puts His staff in motion to set them straight they obey. Our Faith really isn’t complicated at all IF we have an intimate relationship with our God that leads us to being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. This is the key to Peace and Joy.

I’m facing this day with Peace and Joy and I’m moving forward full speed ahead as I patiently wait for it to FEEL like Spring in Virginia. You won’t find me stopping until God stops me, but you WILL find me seeking His Face 24/7.

How about you?

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and windy and not yet time for me to enjoy the mornings outside, but that doesn’t stop me from taking in the beauty of God’s Creation on a new day. For me, it all begins with Gratitude…Gratitude for a new day to Live, to Serve, and to Love. These things are even more important these days – a time when the world is in turmoil and many of God’s people appear to be lost in the desert. So, I give thanks, I pray up, I armor up, and I set out to make a God-sized Difference in a lost world. I’m on Temporary Assignment for the God of all Creation and nothing that goes on in this dark world has the power to derail the Plan. Isn’t that the way you look at Life these days too?

God knows how mankind is inclined to be fearful and He knows how easily we can be distracted and deceived…if we aren’t careful. He knows that we’re inclined to put our trust in man when things are scary, and he knows we are easily influenced…if we aren’t careful. He knows that our adversary can paint pretty pictures intended to draw us away from Truth to get us headed in the wrong direction…if we aren’t careful. He knows that we’re inclined to look for treasures in this world instead of the Treasures in Heaven when Truth is spun into lies…if we aren’t careful. He knows that we easily cling to this life as if this life is where our peace will be found…if we aren’t careful. He knows that we’ll struggle to Trust Him when the outward things of this world don’t make sense and that we’ll turn to “experts” on earth for direction…if we aren’t careful. God already knows how weak His sheep can be so He gives us Direction through His Instruction Manual and He gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us. The question at such a time as this is, will we Trust Him even when we can’t see where the world is headed OR will we put our trust in man?

It’s painfully obvious that lots of people of Faith have willingly “traded the truth of God for a lie”. Perhaps some people have attempted to make His Word work for their belief system instead of building their Belief System on His Word. Maybe they don’t know His Word at all, or maybe they don’t Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them through these crazy obstacles we face today. Whatever the reason, God already provided all that we need and He Knows how easily His sheep will wander away from Truth…if they aren’t careful. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, and He doesn’t want His people focused on the things of this world, He wants us 100% focused on Him instead. He knows all the in-betweens and He’ll never leave us nor forsake us no matter what we encounter in this Journey called Life, IF we focus on Him and not on the dark world. We exist to Glorify God and not to right the world. Understanding this is the Key to Peace, Joy, Contentment, and Hope no matter what we see with our eyes.

I’m more Focused than ever before on the King of all kings and I refuse to get caught up in the world. I’ve “lost friends” because I insist on focusing more on God and His Will than on the latest conspiracy theory. I do my part, but I don’t care much about politics because it is God Himself who will ordain our leaders. I don’t have the power to make the dark world right, and I won’t waste even one second pondering how things should be but aren’t. Vengeance isn’t mine, it belongs to Him, so I won’t allow myself to sin by wishing worldly justice on others. My Focus is on Him. My Heart is with Him. My thoughts are inclined toward Him. And because I’m so Committed to the God of all Creation, He’ll be able to use me to feed His sheep today. I exist to Glorify Him.

How about you?

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” Matthew 24:24

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith on this new day of a new week I began to pray for this dark world and I pleaded with the Great I AM to open the doors of Opportunity for me to share the Good News. The Bible says that I am “the light of the world” which means that if I walk the walk I talk about, my Light has the potential to snuff out the darkness. Although the Journey of Life isn’t easy right now, and it’s destined to get tougher, I am CONFIDENT that I was born for such a time as this and I’m a whole lot more excited than I am troubled because of it!

This morning, our Compassionate God whispered Hope into my Heart that is intended to be shared with you. My prayer for you is that your Faith will be Strengthened for such a time as this and that you will “run and not be weary – “shall walk and not faint”.

Here are the reminders for you today…

He’s the same “yesterday, today, and forevermore” – the same God who healed the sick, raised the dead, and parted the seas has the world in the palm of His Hand. HAVE NO FEAR.

There is “nothing new under the sun.” What we walk through today has been walked through before. The only thing that matters is HOW we walk through it. STAND FIRM.

Nothing happens that doesn’t filter through His Hands first and He always has a Purpose much bigger than the problems. TRUST HIM.

He’s our Shepherd – He “leads us beside still waters” – He “prepares a table for in the presence of our enemies” – He leads us “to the path of righteous” and He can restore any soul. With Him, we want for nothing. FOLLOW HIM.

The same God who made the sun stand still for a battle to be won can produce a miracle out of the direst of circumstances. WALK WITH HIM.

The same God who sent His son to die so that we might have Eternal Life is sending Him back again and He’ll call His followers to be with Him forever and ever. ACCEPT HIM.

My God is bigger than any sickness. He’s bigger than an empty pantry. He’s bigger than a lost paycheck or an empty bank account. HE’S OUR HEALER AND OUR PROVIDER.

The sun will come up in the morning just like it always does and He’s the God of a million New Beginnings. Some will begin this New Day with a world of opportunities to be a Light for Him in a dark situation…sadly, plenty of others never will.

Some will draw their last breath today while many will be drawing their first.

Some may die by way of a mysterious ‘virus”, some will die of something else BUT ALL will die at the Time God allotted to them. God can’t be robbed. Nobody dies “too soon” and nobody dies too late. No matter what, the God of Heaven won’t be surprised to see them.

He’s the Alpha and Omega – the Beginning and the End…the Prince of Peace, the Great Physician, the Bright Morning Star, the Everlasting Father and He is always Working. He NEVER leaves His Throne. He NEVER forsakes His children. BE COMFORTED. WORSHIP HIM today…” for He is worthy”

Now go take on the day like the Warrior you’re intended to be, overflowing with Peace and Hope.

Share Christ-like compassion.

Be respectful of our leaders.

Be generous.

Don’t hoard.

Don’t fret.

Don’t worry.

Share the Great I am with everybody you can and Celebrate the Victory that is soon to come.

Be encouraged.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Spring is definitely in the air in Virginia and it couldn’t come soon enough for me. I’m not the only one celebrating Spring. When I stepped outside this morning I heard an orchestra of birds – geese, quail, hawks, a woodpecker, and a host of others all singing in unison. There is not an orchestra on the planet that can hold a candle to the Orchestra of the Living God. I stood in awe of His Glory as He painted the sky and whispered “good morning” to the world around me and I praised Him right along with the birds. There aren’t words to describe the beauty of this new day from the inside out, but my Heart has been filled with an attitude of Gratitude because of it, and there’s a big smile on my face that will probably carry me through tomorrow. God Almighty is the source of my Joy, but I have to do a little work to be happy too. Isn’t that the way it is with everybody?

Taking the time and taking the steps that lead toward true Joy in my life is worth more than gold to me. There are plenty of “reasons” that I could dwell on to be sad or bitter or angry over my life circumstances, but I refuse to live with a heavy heart so I take the steps toward restoration each day. There are plenty of reasons I could find to cry and whine about what I do have, or what I don’t have, but I focus on all of the blessings in my life and I count them one-by-one each day instead. There are more than enough reasons I could find to be angry with people around me when I’m wronged or when things don’t go according to my plans, but I choose to examine my own Heart instead of scrutinizing theirs and eventually “let go and let God” deal with the wrongs instead.

Making the choice to be happy each day is the source of my Peace – it doesn’t come from an anointed, problem-free life that so many would like to believe I have here at my farm in Virginia. There is no doubt in my mind that I’ll hear from people who have read these words today and who will attempt to paint a picture that justifies their UNhappiness or their heartbreak, but it will never fly with me. As they try to “sell” me on their right to be miserable, and they suggest that I would be too if I were in their shoes, I’ll do my part to explain what it means to make the choice to be happy. As they attempt to fill me with details about what’s going on in and out of the White House, I’ll remind them that the Master of the world is THE ONE in control. As they paint a picture of heartbreak and loneliness because they put their trust in another instead of the Living God, I’ll do my part to explain the love and fulfillment that ONLY He can satisfy. Making the choice to be happy despite the circumstances is the key to it all, but one so many overlook as they remain focused on themselves above all. I hope and pray that one day soon they’ll learn to die to themselves and Focus more on the King and all of the wonderful Plans He has for their Future. I’m sorry to say, it does make me wonder if the whiners Know my God at all – and that’s where I come in – something that would never happen IF I chose to Focus on myself instead of the King of all kings.

I’ve done the Work on me this morning and I’ve turned to the Living God for it all. He’s the One who scattered the stars in the sky and Knows them each by name. He’s the One in Control of every heartbeat and every breath breathed into my lungs. He’s the One with the Keys to Hell and Hades, and He’s the One that will greet me in Heaven when He calls me Home. He’s the One with the Perfect Master Plan. I won’t be relying on anything or anyone but Him today. I’m happy, I’m content, I’m at Peace, I’m Grateful and I’m fulfilled this morning after a little attitude adjustment of my own as I made the choice to be happy today.

How about you?