Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold, and overcast this morning; a sharp contrast to the condition of my Heart today. The Living God has been doing a little Construction Work on my Heart to Prepare me for the Work He has for me this New Year and beyond. Sometimes the Hand of God reaches down to Refine me – there’s nothing “bad” about me – I’m just a Work in Progress. Sometimes God uses me in Special Ways – but there’s nothing special about me…I’m just a Willing Vessel. Sometimes God expects me to do the “impossible” – things that make no sense to the human mind – but nothing is impossible with God and whatever He has for me will be Completed…not because I’m determined…because I’m willing. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Life too?

The world is filled with people excited about this New Year and all the possibilities that come with it. Some are hopeful they’ll find love while others are hopeful they’ll find wealth. Some want to welcome a baby into the world while others want to buy a home. Some want to take an exotic vacation and others want to eliminate debt. There’s no end to all the things people are hoping for in this New Year. I hope their dreams DO come true…most of them will if they determine to make it so. But more than anything else I wish more people could see the Possibilities the way I see them. I wish THEIR wish lists were more about what they could GIVE AWAY than what they might receive. Just imagine if more people were more interested in Speaking the Language of Love than pitching a product or service. Just imagine if more people were more interested in the condition of the Soul than the condition of the body or bank account. Just imagine if more people got their Priorities in the Right Order and actually shared their Faith with a lost world instead of merely praying for it. The Possibilities are endless for this New Year and beyond…a world that could easily be turned Right-side-up! It all comes down to Willing Vessels who are more interested in what they can Give away than what they can receive.

I’ve got my Marching Orders for this New Year and beyond and the excitement sometimes keeps me awake at night. I’m still under Construction and I will be until He takes me Home – but I’m Prepared for the Journey because I’m Willing and I’m Teachable. Pleasing Him is my First Priority and I Understand what Success looks like from where He sits. There is NO greater success in the world than having an Eternal impact on the life of another human being and the Rewards we’ll receive in Heaven make Earth look like a playground. There is no greater Purpose in Life than to Give away the Truth….over and over and over again. There is no greater Fulfillment than to discover our God-given gifts and then put them to Work in His Name. There’s no need to fret over money when going about the “Father’s business” – He’s got that part covered. All we ever really need to do is to be Willing to Serve the King of Kings is to show up, arm up, and Speak up all the days of our lives. When we love Him with our WHOLE Heart we make sure He IS our First Priority and Serving Him every day is the greatest Honor in the world.

Will you be SERVING Him this year?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold outside this morning and venturing out to snap a photo was as much pain as I’m willing to endure until I bundle up. I was outside long enough to capture this image though, and it took my breath away. The sun was rising in the east, and reflecting in the west before I could even see the sun itself. Just the color FROM the sun added beauty to the dark world and it didn’t even take much light to add Warmth. As I met with the Living God in the warmth of my home, I began to weep for those so much less fortunate than I am… those left out in the cold in more ways than one. It’s one thing to be cold and hungry – it’s an entirely different story to be Lost. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see cold people, lost people, sick people, and poor people all around, and the image overwhelms me. Except for the honor of praying for them and doing my small part to attempt to change their lives…I’m powerless. But I know Who brings the warmth. I Know the Miracle Maker and I know the Provider very well, and I know that He has a Plan through it all…even when I don’t understand it and even when it hurts. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It could be so easy to ignore the pain in the world or to consider it somebody else’s problem if not for having a Christ-like heart. It would be so easy to convince ourselves that we’re Reflecting Light from the Son just by our mere existence and that there is no need to take action at all. But the Bible says, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” so apparently it’s a big deal to a Big God who Commands us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. When we strive to have a Heart like Christ, we begin to Experience genuine Compassion, and we no longer have just fleeting moments of feeling sorry for people, we hurt for them instead and before you know it, the beautiful Warmth of our Faith shines over their lives like the sun on the trees this morning.

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

I have a place Reserved for me in Heaven when I leave this temporary home and I’ll have an Everlasting Life with my loved ones who were born-again Believers too. I have a family that is so close and so filled with love that it defies logic, AND they’re all healthy and strong. I have a Purpose that was Divinely Designed just for me and I understand what I need to do to Fulfill it.

I have a warm home and a warmer Heart and every day I strive to have a Heart like Christ. I want people to look at my Life and see the Warmth of the Son Reflecting over me as surely as I see it on the trees this morning. I want the kind of Heart that hurts over the pain of another, and the kind that wants to do something about it if I can. The kind that NEVER overlooks the honor it is to be able to stand before the Throne of a Mighty God on behalf of someone else…the kind of Heart that knows I’m NOT getting what I deserve because Jesus already paid the price for me.

How about you?

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

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped outside on this cold January morning to welcome in a new day of this New Year, and to dedicate it all to Him all over again. He is my Hope, my Strength, my Redeemer, and my Friend, and “there is no good thing in me apart from Him.” He deserves the first fruit of my Life …beginning with my Time. I know if I give it all TO Him and if I live my Life FOR Him, the Journey will be beautiful no matter what’s going on in the dark world around me. So, when I stepped onto the porch for the first time this year I thanked Him for the year behind me now, and I thanked Him for what He’ll be doing with me and through me in this New One. Isn’t that the way you step into “a new thing” too?

Plenty of people around the world are saying “good riddance” to the year we left behind…but not me. Oh, it brought some disappointments here and there just like all the years do, and there were all kinds of bizarre changes in a dark world that are not easy to comprehend these days. But last year had a Purpose in the Master Plan just as much as all those “when times were different years” did, and Beauty can be found everywhere if you look with the Right set of eyes and a Grateful Heart. I’ve spent just as much time as the next guy scratching my head in disbelief over what’s going on in the world and how quickly life has changed, but more than any other emotion or reaction to what I see and hear, I’ve watched with Great Anticipation for what God is doing at such a time as this. I don’t have all the answers, but I Serve the God who does, and I’m watching Him connect the dots to what He already had in motion since the very beginning of time. The only thing I need to concern myself with is how I fit into His Plan – and the only thing I can do that has any significance at all is to Live out my Faith “with fear and trembling,” to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as I can, and to feed the sheep He Orchestrates into my Life.

The world around me has changed, but God sure hasn’t. He never changes His mind and He never leaves His Throne. He’s never taken by surprise like we are and He already knows the rest of the story because the world is in the palm of His hands and He “wrote the book” on how and when the Story ends. He’s “the same yesterday, today, and forevermore.” He never grows tired of hearing our prayers…they’re like “incense in Heaven” to Him… and He stores up every tear we ever shed “in a jar” because He loves us. He sent His “only begotten son” to die for us so that we can live out Eternity with Him in the place He’s already “prepared for us” – at least that’s what the future looks like for those who Believe. God cares about each one and He died for all. But there are still plenty of people out there who don’t know my God – there are plenty of people who THINK they know my God but they don’t- and there are plenty more who have never been told about Jesus at all. And THAT’S where you and I come in…ESPECIALLY at such a time as this.

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

Happy New Year, world.

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

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s rainy and foggy at the farm this morning, and somehow this is the perfect “setting” for time with the Living God after a season of Christmas chaos. It’s time to get back to “business”, so I approached the Throne of the Leader of the Universe this morning and I placed my plans in His Hands as I asked for Strength and Wisdom to complete them. Just like the foggy fields this morning…I can’t always see to the other side but that doesn’t dim my Belief. He has a Plan for me and I exist to Fulfill it – each day is one step closer to what He has for me. The Bible says; “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path” – it doesn’t say to sit back and wait for the “green light” to Proceed. His Word also says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” – it doesn’t say to do nothing UNTIL you have all the answers. I have hopes – I have dreams – and I have PLANS…and I’ll keep moving toward the Goal all the days of my Life while I acknowledge Him through it all and I Trust Him to direct my path. Isn’t that the way you Prioritize your Life too?

It takes no Faith at all to sit back and do nothing until you some sort of “sign” or the “green light” from God. It should come as no surprise that most of the people waiting on the “green light” never see it in their lifetime at all because they lack the Faith to keep moving when they don’t have all the answers and they can’t see what lies ahead. It’s not surprising that people succumb to fear when they aren’t sure what to do or where to go – but all it takes to overcome fear of the unknown is a Request for Wisdom from a God who promises to give it abundantly…and a Belief that He’s true to His Word. Moses kept moving – David kept moving – Elijah kept moving – along with a host of others – and although God was very specific once in a while as He (re)directed their paths, they kept moving in faith no matter what. They Trusted the Creator of all to give them Supernatural Wisdom and Direction while they kept putting one foot in front of the other toward the Ultimate Goal. This is the most significant difference between the Journey of Faith with Courage and Purpose and the average person who professes to know Jesus Christ.

I’ve got plenty of hopes, dreams, and plans for my life, but nothing compares to the Hopes, Dreams, and Plans set in motion by the Hand of God. He’s front and center in everything I do; nothing is as important to me as He is. I already know the General Direction He wants me to head in, and I’m Confident of the Ultimate Goal. Once you throw in Supernatural Wisdom and a path that will always be Straight, there’s no chance of “failure” for me. God is a welcome member of my marriage, my family, and the ministry and He’s the only Leader we will ever need. I care more about His Plans than any I conjure up on my own, but I am Confident that if I set my plans before His Throne, I know they’ll all be blended together in Perfect Harmony with what He has Planned for me. In the Mighty Name of Jesus, I Trust Him.

I’m excited about the New Year and all that He has for me. My hopes and dreams will never die, and His Plans can never be thwarted! I’ll be working hard this coming year to raise the barometer of faith in a complacent world and I’m already giving Thanks to Him for using me to rattle Believers on His behalf so that they learn how to Live a Life with Purpose too. Too many people of Faith either work hard at working hard OR they’re still waiting on a green light before they are willing to step out in Faith. It’s time for them ALL to wake up…before it’s too late for them. Whatever Plan God has for their lives won’t NOT happen if they don’t complete it, they’ll just be replaced by a willing Vessel instead and One Day they’ll answer for refusing to Trust Him. I KNOW what’s in store for the ones who decide to raise the barometer of Faith and I’m CONFIDENT that once they decide to Trust Him to Provide Supernatural Wisdom and Direction, they’ll never need to fret over life again.

What will the New Year look like to you? Will you still be waiting for a “sign” or a “green light” OR will you move forward with Boldness and Faith in the Mighty Name of Jesus even when you can’t see what lies ahead?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s Christmas Eve, and my Heart is more focused on the Greatest Gift than anything else in this world. If not for the birth of my Savior He never would have died for me…and without that sacrifice, there would be no Hope at all. There are no words to describe my love for Him and no way to express my gratitude for the Greatest Gift of all. When it comes to my Reason for Living, sometimes I’m speechless. This morning as I stood before the Throne of the Living God I thanked Him for it all. His birth, His death, the Reason for my Hope, the Purpose of my Life, and for Eternity that is possible ONLY because of the Greatest Gift and the Greatest Price that was paid for you and me. Isn’t that the way you feel at Christmas too?

It’s hard for me to comprehend how people can still deny that Jesus Christ is Lord of all especially when His Life…from birth to resurrection… was predicted hundreds of years before it ever happened. It’s almost as if the earth knew a Savior would be born but mankind can’t fully comprehend it. It’s not easy to accept that the Son of God could be born to a virgin, but with God all things are possible, and that’s what happened as surely as I breathe. It’s hard to imagine that God could “become flesh” and that He could “dwell among us” so that He could Teach the world about Love and Redemption and everything else in between…but that’s what happened as surely as I breathe. It’s not easy to wrap your head around the fact that a total “stranger” would be willing to Pay the price for every wrong we ever even thought about doing long before we were ever born to do it…but that’s what happened as surely as I breathe. It’s almost impossible to imagine how a dead person can come to Life and be transfigured for others to see what’s possible after death for those who Believe…but that’s what happened as surely as I breathe. Leave it to Jesus to go above and beyond…He even cooked His friends a breakfast of fish just to drive home the Truth. Had that “little baby lying in a manger” never been born to the virgin, none of these things would have been possible. It all began with the Birth of our Savior, and without Him, we’d have no Hope at all.

It’s so sad to think that there are still lots and lots of people who don’t believe that a Redeemer was ever born and then died for them…and it’s even sadder to consider their destiny because they don’t. Some people convince themselves that when the body dies it’s all over for them because they don’t understand what’s Possible for those who Believe. Some people think it’s ridiculous to believe that a baby could ever be born to a virgin or that a woman could give birth to the Son of God, but that’s because their heart is closed to the Truth. Plenty of people share the story of Christ when Easter rolls around, but it’s Christmas that marks the day of a Promised Future…the birth of a Savior…a Redeemer to dwell among us to share the Truth…our ONLY Hope. I wonder how many people take the time in the middle of a “hectic” Christmas schedule (and endless celebrations) to share the gospel with the lost world? Had He never been born, He couldn’t have died for you and for me. That’s an all-year-long, no matter what’s going on kind of Message, and sharing it is what we are ALL commanded to do…every day…including…especially…at Christmas.

I’m excited to see most of my family tomorrow and I’ll be missing the ones that can’t be with us this year. We’ll “eat, drink, and be merry” that’s for sure…and we’ve got some gifts to share to express our love for one another. But more than anything else we’ll be celebrating the Greatest Gift the world has ever known and the Message of the Gift won’t get dimmed for the festivities…EVER. He’s the Reason for our existence. He’s the Head of our family. He’s the Source of our Joy. He’s our ONLY Hope…our Savior…our Redeemer…the reason we Live. And THAT’S what Christmas is all about, amen?

Merry Christmas, world!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God from my desk overlooking the front porch as the sun was coming up with a hot cup of coffee, and a Bible, and I set the tone for a beautiful Time with my God. There wasn’t a whole lot of color at sunrise and at first, I was disappointed. But when I looked at this photo of the grey sky taken from my desk, I smiled at the precious reminders of my life…a welcoming porch…a few rockers…beautiful fields…flags to make a statement…and a Christmas tree filled with precious memories. Without saying a word, this one photo symbolizes who I am and how I live. Isn’t it just like God to use all those simple things to Remind us of the Beauty of Life?

They say that “home is where the heart is”, but the Heart can be seen in different ways in a home, and we can easily “lose” a part of us in the process if we aren’t careful. It can be so easy to focus on what the house looks like, especially this time of year. Some houses transform from the ordinary to a house worthy of the front cover of a magazine while they make a holiday statement to the world. Some people have a knack for decorating and the house is perfectly coordinated and decorated from room to room. Some people live in modest homes and they don’t have much to show in furnishings at all, but their heart can be seen when you settle in for a good conversation and a hot cup of coffee served up in a chipped mug. Some people have pictures of family members wall to wall, and some have fine art. Some have Christmas trees laced with ornaments that are museum-worthy and some have trees that are perfectly color-coordinated from top to bottom. It takes a lot to make a house a home, that’s for sure, but making a home that welcomes the world is an entirely different story. It’s one thing to show a stranger what your house looks like…it’s another thing to show them what a home should feel like instead. Getting the balance right is the difference between looking good to the world and feeling safe and warm.

When I look around this old farmhouse there are plenty of projects that need to be taken care of and plenty of things things that I’d like to alter one day. But there’s not much about this flawed farmhouse that I would change even if I could. This place reflects my heart from corner to corner and when strangers show up, they feel like they’re finally home. They kick their shoes off when they come in…not to protect my flooring…but to get comfortable instead- and before you know it they’ve got their feet up on the furniture and their hearts begin to overflow over a warm cup of coffee and a heartfelt conversation. I love them and they know it. They’re in a safe zone and it shows. There are no pretenses and no effort to impress and yet most of them ARE impressed by the way they feel when they’re here. They’re welcome here no matter how they’re dressed or where they come from and they feel it. This time of year they spend a little time looking at the Christmas tree filled with homemade ornaments that tell a story, and each one can lead the way to me sharing my Savior with them just in case they don’t know Him. Even the most affluent visitors living in homes that are magazine and museum-worthy comment on the warmth that they feel here… and sadly some wonder why they don’t have the same “feeling” at their house. Most visitors stay a little longer than they planned on staying and they can’t wait to come back again one day soon. Every visitor at this old farmhouse leaves with the same gift…they leave with a full heart because each one got a piece of mine in the process.

Plenty of people would love the chance to remodel this old farmhouse, but that would be over my dead body. This home is where my heart is and it has drawn a whole lot of hearts to it over the years with its charm. The flaws show its character the same way my flaws show mine, and we’re on this Journey together. My house is a home and my heart is ready and waiting to share with every single person that settles in for a visit. When you think about it that way, it’s like Christmas all year long…a focus on my Savior…the warmth of the season…a welcoming heart, a ready rocker, and lots of love. There is no greater Gift to offer friends, family, and total strangers as well, and it all begins with a flawed old farmhouse…my home…where my Heart is. It IS like Christmas all year long when you celebrate the Savior every single day and you open your heart AND your home wide enough to share Hope every day too. THAT’S the real charm that can’t be missed from this old farmhouse in Virginia all year long.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the morning after a heavy rain and now God has brought the wind to dry things out all over again. There was no sunrise to see this morning, but from where I sit the aftermath of the rain we’ve been praying for is spectacular. No matter what the weather is like on any given day, it is as if God Almighty hand-paints His Majesty right before my very eyes. This morning my Heart went from solemn to celebration as I watched this new day unfold, and the course of my time with Him was redirected. I started out focused on His birth and all of the circumstances surrounding His humble beginning…things we should never overlook. But God made it clear to my Heart that He didn’t just want me to consider the birth of His Son – He wanted me to CELEBRATE Him instead…so Celebrate I did this morning.

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

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

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

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I crawled into the presence of the Living God this morning feeling like there wasn’t much of me to give for no good reason at all. I sat there in silence with a cup of coffee in hand and I eventually said “Here I am, Lord.” That quiet beginning turned into a magnificent Time with my Magnificent God as He Recharged me for this new day. His Love Reminded me of how much I mean to Him and His Direction reminded me of how much more I have to Give. Like David, Job, and Elijah before me, sometimes I grow weary and sometimes I need to be Recharged; and just like those saints before me, God always extends a little extra Compassion at just the Right Time before He nudges me back into Motion for Him. He knows my Heart and He understands the Journey and He always keeps His Promises. Isn’t that the way you look at Him when you’re weary too?

One of the most difficult things for people to understand is that a little suffering comes along with the Journey and it’s that lack of Understanding that leads to trouble if we aren’t careful. We may be referred to as “saints,” but we’re still just human beings…and when we suffer it’s real suffering. David was scared and depressed more times than I can count though God referred to him as “a man after God’s own heart.” David taught me to cry out to God without shame, and his life comforts me because God didn’t get impatient with David and He didn’t say “suck it up” – instead He always came to David’s rescue with Love and Compassion…and new Marching Orders when David was ready.

Job hit bottom after everything was taken from him…his children…his possessions….his ability to create wealth…and he “wished I’d never been born” even though God referred to Job as the “most righteous” man on the planet. Job’s story taught me that you’re never too righteous to suffer and that God always restores His people…if we continue to cling to Him through the suffering, that is.

Elijah was a favored prophet and God released Miracles time and time again through him. You’d think Elijah would know (from his front-row view of Miracles) that he had no reason to despair. But Elijah was human just like I am, and he grew weary and suffered with despair too UNTIL God came to the Rescue with an extra dose of Love and Compassion. After Elijah was strengthened for the Journey…He received New Marching Orders. We don’t get to avoid the suffering, and sometimes we’ll grow weary, but when we turn to the Alpha and Omega with our weary hearts, He’ll ALWAYS extend Compassion and Love and He’ll ALWAYS give us New Marching Orders once He’s Restored us for the Journey again. This is the Key to Growing in Faith through all circumstances.

I felt like there wasn’t much of me to give when I first woke up this morning, but the Love of my Life showed up with Love and Compassion and He comforted me the same way he did David, Job, and Elijah before me. His Love and Compassion will always see me through, and the Holy Spirit will always reveal schemes of the enemy set out to defeat me. I’m ready to do the Work of my Father with Hope and Excitement all over again because I understand the Journey and I know how to Fight the war and win. There’s NOTHING I can’t endure! Yes, there will be a little suffering until He calls me Home BUT none of it will get the best of me because when I’m weary I turn to the Best of All.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Master of the Universe with a front-row view of the fields and absolutely nothing could be sweeter (to me) than to Witness His Hand first thing in the morning. God “expresses” Himself through nature and nature Responds to His Commands because God is the Master of it all. His Light Shines in my Heart, throughout my Life, and over this old farm day in and day out. It’s His Light that brings Life to my Instruction Manual and His Light that burns the Words into my soul. When I see Him shed Light over this old farm, it represents a whole lot more than just the sun shining over a property to me because I know that without Him I wouldn’t be here at all, and it is His Hand that protects this old farm day after day for His own Purpose. Nothing on this earth and no person in my life “belongs” to me and I can take no credit of my own. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy to take credit for the good things in life…from the great place we live to the people in our lives, but we lose sight of the Might of His Hand in our lives when we do. It’s not easy to wrap the head around a God that ordains every piece of our lives and connects the lives of people together as surely as a child connects legos. But the same God that “knows every hair” on our head…who “knew us before” the earth was formed…and stores our “tears in a jar” knows every other thing about our lives too! He will send someone into your Life to help you along the way as surely as He will make the sunrise or bring the rain tomorrow. He will Draw you to the Right Words to Strengthen you or to Lead you as surely as He scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name. He will Command the angels to protect you from harm and He sets the Circumstances for when you’ll go Home to be with Him. It’s ONLY possible to find True Peace and Joy throughout the Journey called “life” when we Embrace the fact that He’s got every single piece of the Puzzle in the Palm of His Hand, and as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow He’ll take care of you and me.

Getting to that place where we realize that we’re powerless sounds like a sacrifice to most of the world, but that’s only because most people still believe that they have control over the Journey and the outcome. Surrendering the Control of Life over to Him is a place of Strength and not weakness and it’s the way to the “Peace that surpasses all understanding” no matter what. God gives us free will to Love Him or not, and He gives each of us Gifts and talents for our Assignment here…whether we use them or not is a choice for each of us to make. He gives us “the ability to create wealth” and He’s the God that can “give and take away”. God gives us a “spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind”….fear doesn’t come from Him; we accept fear and fester it all on our own. God makes the sun shine and He made it stand still once too. He plans the day of birth and He knows the day of death. He’s our Provider and the very roof over our heads is only possible because of His Will. Surrendering our control for His Power is THE MOST empowering thing we can EVER do, and He won’t ever let us down. When we KNOW that He’s in Control of it all, we get busy doing all those things He Commands us to do while we’re here…instead of trying to micromanage things, we have absolutely no control over them at all. It’s almost like God saying “I’ve got this…now get to work and do what I Created you to do”. I have Power because He gives it to me, and He gives it to me because I KNOW that without Him I’m powerless. He gets Credit for everything and everyone in my Life because it all belongs to Him.

I met with the Master of the universe this morning and I’m ready to do His Work. I won’t let a spirit of fear creep in because He’s given me “a Spirit of power, and of love, and a sound mind”. I’ll be working hard today but I don’t have to worry about the Outcome. He’s got that…and I’m going about my Father’s business, Trusting Him, Thanking Him, and giving Him Credit for it all!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I stepped out onto the porch to welcome in this new day I saw that God dusted the mountain with snow overnight- an outward reminder of the winter season ahead…and a sweet reminder of where I am in the Journey of Life. Today marks the beginning of a new year in my life and I’m now in the winter season…a time when most of the hustle and bustle is behind me and where Wisdom is my greatest attribute. A time when my body shows signs of age and most things about me aren’t what they used to be. A time when my kids are now raising their kids and they don’t need me the way they used to. But for all the things that are “behind” me now, the Greatest Season is still ahead. I’m a Vessel for the Living God and He’s using me like never before. I’m a Voice for the Kingdom and I’m speaking up like never before. I face each new day with great anticipation, and I prepare for the Wonderful things He has in store for my Life. It’s a beautiful life and a blessing to be in the season capped with snow. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Life too?

There aren’t many things that make me crazier than to see people squandering a life that has so much Potential…especially during the season capped with snow. Some people crawl through life like slugs as they get older with no joy or excitement at all. It’s as if they lost a little happiness each year along the way and they don’t seem to care to look for it again. They sound more like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh when they speak…as if even uttering a word is a major effort and their age can be heard in their voice. They’re convinced that the best is behind them, so they have no Excitement for today whatsoever and sometimes they even wonder why God hasn’t taken them Home yet. Some people face each new day as if it’s a burden they are forced to endure instead of the Blessing that it really is. Some people look at the life of someone else and they’ll claim that IF they had a life like theirs, they could be happy too… as if outward things make the biggest difference of all. Some people believe their happiness is dependent on other people and they convince themselves that if they had the “right” mate or a houseful of kids, they could be happy just like the rest of the world. Some people have aches and pains and other physical challenges, and they embrace them like an old friend with no expectation of it ever getting better. Some people quit living a LONG TIME ago and they’re just biding their time until the end. They’re already dead, they just haven’t made it to a coffin yet. But in all fairness, anybody can live like that (and at any age) IF they fail to see that Life has a Purpose much Greater than themselves and much broader than the 4 walls of their solitary confinement. Nothing ever changes unless we do our part to change it, and no long-lasting Joy can be found without a proactive Focus on a Mighty God…all the days of our Lives!

There are plenty of people who look at my life and they could write a list a mile long for why THEY think it’s easy for me to be happy. They look at outward things or they hear me laugh or watch me smile and they convince themselves that joy comes easier for me than it does for them…but that’s not true at all. I determine to be happy and I insist on peace…and I’m old enough and wise enough to know where to go to find both. I refuse to surrender to the woes of “old age”, and I know where to go for my Strength. I meet each day with Great Anticipation, and I expect Good things each and every day…still. When I face trials and tribulations (just like everybody else does) I know where to turn for my Comfort and my Strategy. When the Devil tries to beat me up, I don’t lick my wounds – instead, I run to my Protector and I let Him take care of business on my behalf. I determine to be happy and I put in the effort it takes to sustain it…no matter what’s going on around me. I’m filled with Gratitude in ALL circumstances…it’s not possible to pick Life apart or lose your Joy when you remain Grateful through it all…especially in the Season capped with snow.

Age has no relevance at all when it comes to enjoying our days or making a Contribution to the Kingdom of a Mighty God and you’ll never hear me making excuses as I grow older. I’m like a child on a Christmas morning ready to open the Gift of each new day… and you’ll find me Savoring the Blessings like treasures. I work hard to be this way! I do my Part to Live out this Life with Purpose! When you Walk with Purpose, you’ll ALWAYS find happiness and Joy…no matter what season of Life you’re in.

Thank you, God, for the years capped with snow and for another Season to Serve you everything within me.

Happy birthday to me!