Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s windy and cold but I’m beginning this new day of a new week with the hope of Spring – a new beginning just around the corner. As I approached the Throne of the Living God to give thanks for it all, He reminded me that every new day is an opportunity for a New Beginning with Him. All the woes of yesterday are gone and all the Promises of tomorrow are enough to consume the Heart with joy. It’s not always easy to leave yesterday behind knowing it can never be repeated, but it’s ALWAYS replaced by the New and it’s Promised to be filled with New Beginnings just the way He says it is. No matter what each day brings, God has a Plan designed with Perfection, and THAT alone should be enough to fill every Heart with Joy.

It can be so easy to live in the past or to obsess over the future, but we lose out on Joy if we do too much of either one. No amount of fretting or wishing can cause yesterday to be repeated again – the biggest motivation to Live without regrets, that’s for sure. All the beauty can be stored up and savored forever as we push the replay button at will. Memories are a precious gift from the Lord! Not all the pain from yesterday can just be set aside when we lose a loved one or suffer some other sort of agony. That pain will run its course and it will dim in time IF we allow it to be our past and not allow it to dictate our future. Life goes on for the living even when we’re in so much pain we sometimes wish it wouldn’t…and God ALWAYS has a New Beginning after the season of pain. He cares about our hurt…He even stores up our tears in a jar…but God doesn’t want us to Live in the past…He wants to show us a New Beginning. When we can get to the point of “releasing” the pain, the future will be filled with the kind of Beauty that can slowly override the pain. This is the Key to endurance in a Journey sometimes filled with pain.

Not living in the past is one thing, obsessing over the future is an entirely different story. When we spend more time thinking about the future than we do about today, we miss the blessings of the New Beginnings that come with each new day and we overlook the beauty in the rush. Tomorrow will come soon enough, and with it will come plenty of good and bad because that’s what the Journey of Life looks like. But tomorrow isn’t promised to any of us and we have no idea what the future holds in His Perfect Plan for our lives. Planning for the future…having goals for the future…excitement about the future…that’s one thing – but when the future overrides the New Beginning of today, we can easily squander a life away without even knowing it. His Word says “Each day has enough trouble of its own”…and “Who can add a single moment to life through worry?”…so I take His advice each day and focus on the New Beginning…more than the past and MORE than my future here on earth.

I’m celebrating Spring before it arrives and I’m savoring this New Beginning as if it’s the last one I’ll ever live. I’ll see each new experience or each new encounter as a Gift intended just for me on this new day and I’ll be living as if there’s no tomorrow. After this life I have a New Beginning that is so beautiful that the Bible says, ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” Now THAT New Beginning is something worth obsessing over!!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I poured out my Heart to the King of kings while He poured down the rain and I embraced His Word with the eagerness of a child. Sometimes I just can’t get enough of Him and sometimes I can’t seem to give Him enough of me. When I considered the rain on this new day, I thought about how all the soon-to-be Spring foliage can’t get enough of the rain the same way I can’t get enough of Him. It’s the rain that will provide what the dormant life needs to come back to life and bloom or bear fruit, and it’s the Son that will do the same for an eager and hungry Heart. Nature has no choice in the growing process…a little dose of rain and a big dose of sunshine and off it goes. But man has a choice of whether or not to grow. I choose to grow, don’t you?

It can be easier than most people are willing to admit to put God on a shelf and to leave Him there until He’s needed again. Some people go days without praying at all…except for the obligatory prayer before meals or a little “now I lay me down to sleep”…and they never consider the consequences. Some NEVER mention His name outside of their inner circle of friends and family. Some mention His name in public but it’s painfully obvious they haven’t Surrendered their Will to Him by the way they speak and judge. It might be better for them to never mention His name at all instead of being a bad Witness for a Gracious and Forgiving God. Some live in fear of what He might “do” as if God has a Plan to destroy the imperfect ones and He’s armed and ready to punish. Some pout like a 2-year old when He doesn’t give them what they want – all the while they refuse to give Him what He wants. There are lots of “signs” of a dormant Life but only one reason they are. They make the choice to remain dormant and they refuse to grow to bear Fruit.

There have been times over the years that I’ve worried about one of my children and the direction they were inclined to take. I prayed without ceasing and I trusted God with the outcome but it hurt to watch them make choices that went against the Rules. When they were our relationship suffered. I stood firm with unwavering Faith and non-negotiable expectations while they set out to challenge the rules and suffer the consequences. They made the choice to rebel against the one who gave them birth AND the One who died for them and it wasn’t easy to watch. I didn’t argue or berate them, I loved them instead, and I was as gentle as a lamb as Christ’s love for my child was Reflected through me. I reminded them of who they Belong to and I encouraged them to make the Choice to Grow again. When your Heart is Inclined toward the Son you’ll bear Fruit in the toughest of situations and when you Love Him more than anything else, the rest of the world sees Him in you no matter what’s going on. Having a saving Faith is one thing…bearing Good Fruit is an entirely different story and it always comes down to choice.

I was inspired by the Love of my Life on this rainy day and I’m grateful for the God-sized reminder straight from the Throne of the Creator of the universe this morning. The more we Give…the more we Love…the more we Surrender..the more we bear Fruit. But it always comes down to choice. I’ve made my Choice to be the best that I can be for Him…a Reflection of the One Who died for me…in all that I am, all that I do, and all that I say…and I reconfirm my choice often.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Spring is definitely in the air and it won’t be long before I can spend my early mornings outside where I belong. I stepped into the Presence of the Most High God and I poured out everything in my Heart – the good things I thanked Him for and the “bad” things I repented of so that there is nothing between me and Him. I opened my Instruction Manual and found Truth that I’d never seen before and I picked up some more Wisdom for the Journey. I don’t know what God has in store for me on this new day, but I DO know that I’ll be ready for whatever it is. No doubt I’ll be leaving my Soul Print on everyone and everything around me and I’ll be making a “mess” in Jesus’ name all day long. I was born for such a time as this! Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

It’s not hard to tell where a child has been because they usually leave a trail of fingerprints on everything within their reach. They scatter their prints on all the appliances and they touch walls as if they’re being held up by them. And when they’re older, they leave fingerprints on the door jams just because they are tall enough to reach them. Kids make the most beautiful messes and if only we understood how short our time with them is, and how fast they grow up, we wouldn’t complain about having to clean up after them nearly as much as we do.

Each one of us is born with unique fingerprints that set us apart from the rest of the world AND we each have a unique Soul Print that only God can identify. He Knows each one by name because He Created each one. There are great things in store for those who Follow Him and horrific things in store for those who don’t. When we make the Decision to Follow Jesus, He expects us to go out and leave our Soul Print on everyone we possibly can. You can always tell where a child has been by the trail of fingerprints they leave behind on every surface they can reach AND you can always tell where a Child of the Living God has been too. We leave Soul Prints on everyone God puts in our Path that cannot be “wiped off”, and because our Journey is eternal, we set out to make a “mess” in Jesus’ Name every day of our lives. This is the Key to living out our Calling.

I’m a unique woman Created by an Amazing God. When He came calling for me I followed. Nothing about me is like anyone else ever born. I have a unique set of fingerprints that can identify me from the rest of the world, but more than that, I have a Unique Soul Print too. It’s my Goal to leave a “mess” in Jesus’ Name so that the world can see Him even after I’m gone. My Soul Print should linger through Eternity and nobody’s going to be cleaning them up. When I leave Soulprint it makes my Father happy and when I meet Him, I pray He’ll look at the Mess I’ve made on this earth and say “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

How about you?

Are you making a “mess” in Jesus’ name or is your Journey undetectable in this dark world?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The temperatures are rising in Virginia so stepping out onto the front porch isn’t a bitter experience anymore…at least not for now. I had a staredown with the deer through the fog this morning and it was as if the deer wanted to make absolutely sure it was me and not something it should protect itself from. Nature relies on its own instincts and those instincts often have life-or-death consequences. Unfortunately, man is inclined to rely on “instinct” too, but the stakes are much higher with consequences that lead to eternal life or death. The Bible says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse”. When you look at the Journey of Life through the eyes of God, it’s impossible not to Believe. But for those so set on relying on themselves…well, they’re ‘without excuse”, and that’s where I come in before it’s too late for them. I don’t need “instinct” to navigate my way through the Journey of Faith, I need the Holy Spirit to guide me instead! And if I’m Willing, He’ll guide me to someone “without excuse” that needs a little Spiritual Enlightenment about the Future too. Isn’t it just like Him to use a foggy field and a deer to speak to my Heart this morning?

In some ways, I envy the animals. They don’t have an intellect or a conscience that gets in the way of decision-making. They aren’t attracted to “shiny” things and they’ll never need an “excuse.” They naturally surrender to something much bigger than themselves and they don’t waste time rationalizing the next move. They don’t hear the “noise” of other well-meaning critters telling them what they should (or should not) do and if another one takes something away from them, they don’t hate and hold grudges forever and they won’t gossip over the fence. Instead, they’ll speak their peace to the offender and IF they don’t get back what was taken away, they just shrug their furry shoulders and run off to replace what was lost. Yep, animal life looks pretty good sometimes UNTIL we remember that they will never have an eternal impact on this dark world and that the “wages of sin” have no relevance for them whatsoever. Our furry friends live a simpler life, that’s for sure, but nothing they do holds a candle to what’s coming for their friends who “are without excuse”.

Man’s quest to intellectualize the Journey of Faith is undoubtedly his greatest downfall. God doesn’t care how smart you are and He doesn’t care about degrees. God doesn’t (usually) share His next move and He doesn’t care if you like it or not. God’s ways don’t have to make sense to you and it doesn’t matter to God if man takes a million trips to the moon and back, we’ll never be able to intellectualize Creation. God has already proven Himself through His “invisible qualities, His eternal power, and divine nature” so you are without excuse to be searching for “proof” of His existence. Man’s need to intellectualize God is the very reason so many people don’t ever come to Faith, and it’s the reason EVEN MORE refuse to Serve Him. It’s a sad day when “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” is more common among the animals than it is among the man Created in the image of God.

As for me, I see God in everything. I see Him in the sunrise and I see Him in the stars. I see Him in the deer and I see Him in the birds. I see Him in my marriage, and I see Him in my children and grandchildren. I see Him in the trials and tribulations and I Trust Him through it all. I may not be the brightest bulb on the planet, but my God doesn’t care about that. He looks for the Heart that loves Him unconditionally and like no other. It’s when don’t get that part right, it will be the very thing that will cause Him to say “Depart from me – I never knew you”. He Created me for such a time as this and He’s already given me everything I need to face the intellectualized world head-on. He says He’ll never leave me nor forsake me. He says I have nothing to fear. He says that He’ll give me the “words to say when” I need them. With that in mind, why would I EVER dive into a foxhole in fear…and how could I NOT have compassion for those “without excuse?

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m saying “so long” to a challenging season and I’m happy to welcome a new day of a new week with a Renewed Mind, Body, and Soul. Everybody gets thrown a curve ball every once in a while, but it’s never the curve ball that causes the hardship, it’s how we handle the curve ball that matters the most. When I met with the Living God this morning I thanked Him for seeing me through the challenges of the season and I thanked Him for the curve ball too. My curve balls come as no surprise to the King of all kings, so when He pitches one to me, He has a Good Purpose for it. Isn’t that how you look at the unexpected curve balls in your Journey of Life too?

It can be so easy to get rattled when a curve ball comes our way, but becoming rattled serves no Good Purpose and it doesn’t stop the curve balls from coming. The curve balls aren’t a “sign” that God doesn’t love us, and they aren’t a “sign” that He’s fallen asleep at the Throne and forgotten about us either. Sometimes the minor curve balls are just a part of life in this Journey and they serve as a Reminder to persevere. They’re just a minor inconvenience with no real purpose at all…like getting a flat tire or catching the flu. Then there are the major curve balls that temporarily knock the wind out of our sails when they take us by surprise – now THOSE always have a Purpose…even when we don’t understand it. It’s when those major curve balls come our way that the real decisions come in. We can dodge the ball like a wussie OR we can step up to the Spiritual plate and Swing like never before. If we’re willing to Swing for the King, we will ALWAYS persevere and if we Swing hard enough, we’ll knock the curve ball right out of the park. This is the Key to having the curve balls become Major Victories.

I get my share of curve balls in this Journey called Life…some are just minor inconveniences that are a part of everyday life, and some have the potential to knock the wind out of my sails temporarily. It takes Wisdom to discern the difference but it doesn’t matter if they’re minor ones or major ones…the only thing that ever really matters is how I view the curve balls and whether or not I’m willing to Swing for the King each time one comes my way. Nobody ever won a battle by doing nothing, and nobody ever hits it out of the Park by refusing to Swing. The best part is that when we continue to Swing, no matter what the curve ball looks like from where we sit, eventually we grow Stronger and our Precision is Perfected – and when we hit the curve ball with everything we’ve Got (in His Name), that ball will split wide open and Victory will pour out of it…every single time IF we’re Swinging for the King.

I got thrown a curve ball but that’s all behind me now. I kept Swinging through the challenge and it didn’t take any time at all to split that ball wide open so Victory could flow out. My Precision is Perfected because of the curve balls and I’ll be Swinging for the King as long as there is breath in my body. I don’t like the curve balls much, but I sure do like the Victory!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. There wasn’t a whole lot on my mind or my Heart this morning, so when I met with the Living God it was all about Love. No distracting thoughts and no major Requests to toss at the cross…just an overwhelming feeling of Love and an irresistible urge to tell Him what I believe He already knows. Since we are made in the image of God, I’m pretty sure that the God of all Creation likes to Hear how much we Love Him the same as we like to hear it ourselves. David said “Your praise shall continually be in my mouth” and he (David) was known to be a “man after God’s own heart” so I take my lead from him and I let God know with my lips how much I love Him. So, this morning I poured out my Heart and spoke Words of Love and Gratitude to the King of all Kings, and I praised Him with a few Love Songs in the process. The best part about Love is that when you’re sure to Express it from the depths of your Heart, it always comes back tenfold. Isn’t that the way you look at Love too?

It can be so easy to get comfortable when it comes to Love, but we miss out on the Beauty of having the Love return to us tenfold when we begin to take it for granted. Love needs to be Nurtured and Expressed and when it’s not, the sweetness of the “new” begins to fade and the relationship grows weaker every day. It’s true for our loved ones and it’s true for our relationship with the Living God. Keeping Love alive isn’t always easy, and it’s never possible when we place it on autopilot. It takes determination to do our part to be SURE that the Love is Nurtured – It’s true for ALL relationships… from our mate to our children and everyone in between…and it’s especially true for our Relationship with the Living God. Failing to Nurture any one of those relationships doesn’t mean they necessarily go away, but anything that is no longer nurtured no longer thrives. There isn’t a whole lot of space between no longer thriving and no longer Loving, so if we want to be filled with the feeling of Love that defies words, it has to be Nurtured and Expressed…beginning with the One who gives us Life. When we Love Him and Determine to Nurture the Greatest Love…Love in every area of Life comes back to us tenfold. With that in mind, who would ever let the Light of Love dim by refusing to Express our Love with WORDS AND ACTION?

Everything in life takes balance, but that’s especially true when it comes to Love. It’s not enough for anybody to rely merely on actions to be an expression of love…and it’s not enough for God. It’s also not enough to Speak the words of Love with no action to back up the words….that won’t fly in any relationship – especially the one with the Most High. There’s no doubt that the God of All Creation LOVES to hear us Express our Love and Gratitude…that’s what Praise looks like… but if we express it and fail to show it with action too, it doesn’t carry much weight with Him. On the other hand, we can work like beavers doing nice things to “express our love”, but if we never Express our Love with Time and Words that flow from deep within the Heart…it doesn’t carry much weight with Him either. It takes Determination on our part to keep the “newness” of Love by Nurturing it every day, and it takes Balance to Express it to Perfection. Most people master one or the other…some are great expressers and some are great workers…but far too many people don’t get the Balance right. Some people have the perfect balance in all their earthly relationships, but they somehow overlook the Importance of Nurturing their Relationship with the King of Kings…the One who never fails to Love back tenfold when we do.

Love overflows in every area of my Life and I do my best to do my part to Nurture it. I don’t just say “I love you” – I live like I do. It all begins with the King of Kings…the One who died for me…the One who stands at the right hand of the Throne of God and intercedes on my behalf…the Source of my Joy, Peace, and Love! It all begins and ends with Him, and when I have Our Relationship in order, the Love comes back to me tenfold.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and windy again this morning and my heart is beginning to long for a warm day on the front porch. Instead, I met with the Living God inside looking out at a world coming alive right before my very eyes. I know what to expect in the mornings after all the years of watching and I can almost hear the birds singing the minute I spot them in the trees. What a joy it is to watch God’s Creation come alive! From where I sit, there’s absolutely nothing like watching the Master wake up the world and nothing like watching nature respond to His glory. For as long as there is breath within me I’ll grab my Bible and my coffee and I’ll meet with the Living God with a front-row seat of this old farm. It might sound like such a simple thing to you, but it’s a huge Blessing to me. Isn’t that the way it should be in the Journey called Life?

Simple isn’t in the vocabulary of most people these days. Some are super observant and they don’t ever seem to miss a detail. No matter what the situation, or how complex the scenario, they seem to zero in on details and they’re able to embed them in their photographic memory and recall them at will. But even though they can recall a conversation word-for-word, they’ll often overlook expressions or responses of the people in the midst of the conversation where the most Beautiful and Meaningful details can be found. If they aren’t careful. they might miss the tears behind the smile or the pain behind a bad joke because those things look like “minor” details to the one who focuses more on details than on mankind. If they aren’t careful, the beauty of the simple things will get lost in all of the meaningless details. The biggest blessings are found in the simplest things.

Some people live in a small world of their own and they’re easily overwhelmed when they step outside their safety zone. The glass is almost always half full to them and they’re quick to point out the flaws. They have become so focused on their own life and their own wants and needs, that they overlook the obvious things the rest of the world clearly sees. They stumble around through life rarely experiencing true Joy because they fail to look beyond the smallness of their own world. When the Blessings are pointed out to them, more often than not they resent the distraction that took them outside of their comfort zone and they quickly refocus on themselves all over again. Little do they Know that the biggest blessings are found in the simplest things.

Some people seem to naturally recognize the Blessings as they come along, and they’re able to sift and sort through the chaos in Life while they hone in on the smallest blessings. Like a moth drawn to the light, these people are drawn to the Beauty of the Simple things and they experience true Joy as they point the blessings out to another as if they’d just seen the most amazing thing on the planet for the very first time. These people intuitively know that the biggest blessings are found in the simplest things in life and they have discovered the secret to Peace, Contentment, and Joy because of it.

I’m enjoying the big blessings in the simplest things in life today. I won’t be dwelling on the negative nor will I sweat the small stuff. From where I sit, the most amazing things can be found in a simple sunrise and “simple” time with my God without all the “noise” so many people call “worship” and I adore, a simple laugh and a simple cup of coffee…it’s ALL a blessing to me! My prayer is that I NEVER allow the chaos of the dark world to cloud my view of the Simple things in this Journey called Life.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the first day of a new week and I’m already armored up and ready to Run after my time with the Living God. In this Life, I have many roles, and each one is rich and beautiful in its own way. My role in each one takes very little effort because it’s my Honor to serve and the Core of it all is Love. But there is One Role…the Common Denominator of all the others…and that Role, isn’t quite as “effortless” as all the others. In that Role, I’m an Ambassador for the Most High God and I have a real Enemy that would love to devour, distract, and destroy all the others. BUT that’s not going to happen on my Watch because I Know my Place in the Kingdom of God and I Know how to Fight the war and WIN. Isn’t that the way you look at your Roles too?

There have been times in my Life when I’ve said “Do you know who you’re dealing with?” OR “Don’t you know who I am?” but I was never referring to my significance in this world…I was referring to my Role in the Kingdom of God. Not everybody makes their way to where I am and sadly, far too many don’t care one way or another…and that’s where I come in. I’m not just your average wife, mother, grandmother, friend, businesswoman, or Christian! I am an Ambassador for the Most High God! I am Royalty. I was Chosen before the foundations of the earth and I was born for such a time as this. No weapon formed against me will ever prosper because I never battle alone and I Know Who to go to for Help. I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me Strength and I have absolutely nothing to fear. So, I will always be Victorious as long as I take my Role seriously and I do my Part to Stay Strong every day.

I’m pretty good at all my roles in this Journey called Life – NOT because I’m better than all the rest – but because I Understand the Importance of the Common Denominator in every area of my Life. He’s the Center of it all. He’s the One to Balance the details. He’s the One who fights the battles. He’s my Protector and my Provider. He’s the One who makes a way when there seems to be no way and He’s the One I Surrender to. So, as long as HE is first in my Life…my Leading Role…everything else will be as close to perfect as it can possibly be on this side of Heaven no matter what. I’m as bold as a lion and as gentle as a lamb and I’m Equipped to walk through fire whenever it’s necessary all because of Him. This is the ONLY way to Balance a Big Life and to find Victory through it all.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I began this new day like a new chapter in Life and I sought His Will and Wisdom for my Life like a child. My Heart was Tenderized by the King a long time ago, but if I don’t let Him work on me every single day, my Heart will be inclined to crust over just like the fields crusted over with ice this morning. Of all the things I can do to Serve Him…of all the things I can do to Praise Him…of all the things I can do to Please Him…examining my own Heart to be sure it’s Pleasing to Him is at the top of the list. If the condition of my Heart isn’t where He wants it to be, no amount of “shining” will melt the ice-crusted around my own Heart…or anybody else’s I encounter today. Isn’t that the way you look at the condition of your Heart too?

It can be so easy to assume that the Heart can’t crust over with ice for people of Faith, but that’s not true. Coming to our Faith is the turning point toward Victory and a secured Future, but it’s a daily battle to melt the ice and not something we’re immune to just because we Believe. When things grow cold…and they always will… there’s always a risk of ice crusting around the Heart, and when we don’t get busy melting it right away, it grows thicker and thicker each day. There’s water under the crust of ice on the fields today and all it takes is a step in the right direction to break through the layer of ice. But if the temperatures don’t rise before more ice is layered on top of the crust, it will take a blunt force to break through…and so it is with the Journey of Life. The sooner we examine our own Hearts the easier it is to break through – and if we delay getting our Heart in Good Condition for Him, the harder the force it will take to break through. Allowing the Heart to crust with ice is much easier than you can imagine, but a daily Heart Examination and a Willing Spirit will melt away even the biggest offense.

“I see dead people” is just a famous line from a movie we joke about, but I see dead people too. Not dead in the flesh, but dead in spirit with Hearts crusted over with ice. The cold in this dark world has gotten to them, and the madness of our circumstances has caused their Hearts to crust over. They seem to do a lot of examining the news, and they busy themselves with gossip and theories, and although you hear them mention God, He’s clearly not their main Attraction at all. When you hear them talk about their adversaries in this world, I think they’ve forgotten that God loves them too despite their wicked ways – with a good Heart Examine, that would be easily remembered. With Hearts crusted over with ice day after day and month after month, it will take blunt force to break through UNLESS they begin to Examine their own Hearts each day to be sure the ice doesn’t thicken. Until then, they’ll keep walking around like dead people with not enough Light in their lives to make an Eternal difference at all. Nothing matters more or makes a Bigger Difference in a dark world than a Willing Spirit and a daily Heart Exam. This is the Key to being a useful Vessel at such a time as this.

I’ve had a good Heart Exam this morning and there were a few things that needed to be taken to the King…things I didn’t even see yesterday. I have a Tenderized Heart that is pleasing to my God and its warmth will melt any ice I encounter today. It’s a new day and a new Chapter in the Journey called Life, AND I’M READY. I’m ready to show the world what a Tenderized Heart looks like, and if ice begins to crust around me when I least expect it, I won’t excuse it…I’ll take it to the Throne as fast as I can because I know that an ice-crusted Heart is of no use to the King of all Kings.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m back to Business today after a few days of downtime to spend with family, and I’m as eager to get going as a child on a Christmas morning. There is an old hymn titled “Every Day With Jesus Is Sweeter Than The Day Before” and when I hear it I wonder if the writer could have been looking into my Heart. Every day with Jesus IS sweeter than the day before and it’s not possible to have enough Time with Him with a Heart that Loves him like that. It’s impossible for me to imagine how anyone could question the existence of my God or that anyone could convince themselves that a morning like this just happens all on its own. But the Bible says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” so I marvel at the work of His Hands every single day and in every single little thing that passes through my Life. Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

I guess some people give credit to “nature” or to “science” because they can’t fathom that the earth was formed by God alone…but they don’t Know my God. They don’t believe that He placed all of the stars in the sky and that He knows them by name…but they don’t Know my God. They can’t believe that He separated the water from the land and that He gives boundaries to the waves or that He once flooded the entire earth to destroy what He Himself had created just to begin again…but they don’t Know my God. They can’t imagine that He opens the heavens to bring forth the rain and the snow and that He withholds them all for His purpose too…but they don’t Know my God. They can’t believe that the earth rattles and shakes and that volcanoes erupt with just one word from the Living God…but they don’t Know my God. It’s hard for me to understand how and why others don’t Believe what I Believe but that’s where I come in…AND that’s what keeps me as excited as a child on a Christmas morning. With so many people trying to maneuver through this life without Hope breaks my Heart and propels me into Action in His Name. This is the Key to Living out your Purpose in this Journey called Faith.

It’s easy to praise God when you see Him from where I’m sitting. It’s easy to look out upon this imperfect old farm and to see the beauty in every single thing when you see with eyes like mine. I stand in awe of the Majesty of the Living God every single day and It “shows” in my Life. I am blessed beyond measure to be able to live here on this beautiful farm but it’s not the real estate that I share with the world. It’s a picture of God from the front-row seat of my Faith that captures the photos and the hearts from this front porch in Virginia. It’s easy for me to give credit where credit is due because “faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”.

I’m marveling at the majesty of the Living God this morning and I’m giving thanks for the Heart that I have for Him. He chose me before the foundations of the earth and I chose to follow Him when He came calling. So you see, even my surrendered Heart was ordained by God Almighty and now He’s the Author and Perfecter of my Faith. There is no limit to the things God gets credit for when you believe He is who He says He is. He’s the great “I AM” – He’s the Alpha and Omega – He’s the beginning and the end – He’s the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and He’s my God! Every day with Jesus really is sweeter than the day before!

How about you?