Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I love beginning a new day outside on the porch because God always has a surprise for me. This morning, it was these twins that felt safe enough to approach the front porch the same way I feel safe enough to approach the Throne of the God of all Creation. Looking out across the fields, I thought about how even though they change with the seasons and they’re graced with something “new” each day…the fields are still the fields. I know what things will look like from the front porch in each season, but there’s always something…some sort of God surprise that makes each day a little different than all the others. God used this simple observation to remind me to look below the surface of the fields of this crazy world of ours…one that is changing for the worse at lightning speed…not just for the Wisdom to see things the way He sees them, but to clarify my Marching Orders to do His Will before it’s too late. A New Day is coming soon and it’s the Season to share the Good News like never before. Mine is a Voice to be heard. Is yours?

It’s amazing how most people think the world has changed abruptly but the world has been spiraling downward for a very long time. Plenty of people blame the changes on politicians or other people in “power”, but politics and powerful people are just the distraction our adversary uses to win, and because we’re distracted and deceived…things just keep spiraling down. Fifty years ago we gave the green light to murder babies in the womb – one of the most savage acts known to mankind. The mere thought of that should have driven every Christian in America to the streets in protest…but the church slept instead. It’s been fifty years since prayer in schools was labeled “unconstitutional” in the “One Nation under God”. That should have been enough to drive every Christian in America to the streets to defend our God and our rights…but the church slept instead. Sexual immorality and perversion have become the norm and we’ve surrendered to “accepting” unspeakable things…things considered to be vile in the eyes of God. Just the hint of legal measures being put in place to protect the rights of things that mock the Hand of the Creator should have driven every Christian in America to the streets in protest to defend what we know is Truth….but the church slept instead. America isn’t the problem…the Church is the “problem” as it sleeps away these last days and refuses to stand up for Truth…despite the cost.

The Bible warns us about the condition of the Church in the book of Revelation. The church of Ephesus had lost its first love – God was no longer front and center. The church of Pergamos was a compromising church – doctrine was twisted to fit their own desires. The church of Thyatira was an adulterous church – immorality was acceptable. The church of Sardis was the dead church. The church of Laodicea was lukewarm…they were neither hot nor cold…”I’m about to spit you out of my mouth” – they were financially wealthy but spiritually deprived. If you look closely you’ll find these flaws in the Church today in one degree or another, and if you look closely at the condition of our world you’ll see that the problem isn’t with this dark world, the problem is that the Church is asleep. As long as God’s people insist on riding things out from their spiritual recliners, you can’t expect God to “heal” our land.

Many professed Christians lean on 2 Chronicles 7:14 for their hope – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land….but it ALL begins with humility. The kind of humility that seeks the Truth. The kind of Humility that accepts responsibility. The kind of humility it takes to repent of our own “wicked ways” instead of spending our time highlighting the wicked ways of the world. We’ll know when Humility has hit God’s people when they stop blaming the world and everything in it for our problems and they begin to Repent for what they did and didn’t do that got us here. It’s time to stop quoting the Scripture of hope and to start living it out instead. Just sayin’.

I spent my time in the Presence of the Most High God this morning and I’ve been Strengthened and Readied for His Work. I’m a Voice for the Living God and I don’t think He’ll be silencing me any time soon because my Heart desires to Please Him. My Instructions (and yours) have been clearly defined and written in black and white. I have my Marching Orders and my Purpose has been Defined by the Hand of God. The King is coming and this dark world needs the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ more than ever. My tongue that praises Him is not going to spit out insults against this dark world and the people in it because I have one enemy behind ALL the mess and I fight him with spiritual weapons and not insults. You won’t find me sleeping, I’ve got too much Work to do! You won’t find me settling because I serve a God that doesn’t Compromise Truth. You won’t find me afraid of this world because my God HAS NOT given me a spirit of fear. You won’t watch me weaken because “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength.” I was born for such a time as this and I’m Readied for battle each time I Meet with my Master. I’m a Voice to be heard, a Spiritual force to be reckoned with, I’m a Willing Vessel and an Ambassador for Jesus Christ.

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 I can’t think of a more important way to spend my Time than in the Presence of the One who died for me…the One who gives me life! It’s in His Presence that I find my Peace and I Receive my Instruction for this Journey called Life so, the way I see it, I can’t afford NOT to be still and listen for Him. There are plenty of things that I could be doing in the first few hours of any new day, but His Word says to “be still and know that I am God” and it’s that “still” part that feeds my soul the most. More than Christian music playing in the background or a long walk to commune with His creation, it’s when we’re “still” that He is able to drive a Message home and it’s when we’re “still” that He can Speak to the Heart with no outward distractions at all. So…” still” I am day after day. Isn’t that the way you spend your morning too?

It’s interesting to hear how some people define their “quiet time” with God. Some people have a Bible reading plan to help them stay on track to read the entire Bible from start to finish. Some people put on Christian music while they prepare breakfast for the family. Some people read a page or two from a devotional written by someone else that had been “still” before God. Some people work on homework for a Bible study they’ve committed to. Some people read a chapter or two from a book written by a Christian author. Some will tune in to a pastor’s message on TV or the Internet. Some people will multi-task by listening to a spiritual message through their earbuds while working at the gym or taking their morning walk or running. Some will pray on their way to work or they’ll insert a CD to listen to a spiritual message along the way. There’s nothing wrong with any of these things because each one is an effort to fill the mind and the soul with Good things. But none of these things leave room to “be still” before the Living God, and none of them allow for those miraculous moments when God unexpectedly “shows up” in the quiet. Although God is always with us, and I’m sure He likes to see some of those steps we take to fill our world with Him, I think He likes it best when everything else in the world is set aside and tuned out and He gets some serious one-on-one time with His child. We can study until we turn blue, but the Relationship is built by spending quality time with the King of all kings. For me it’s in the early hours of each new day…just me and my God, before my day has a chance to distract me.

It’s not easy to shut off the mind or to shut out the world because life overflows with distractions. It’s much easier to push the snooze button on the alarm clock a few more times than it is to get up earlier in the morning to make time for God, and it’s not easy to push the “pause” button on our to-do list so that we can “be still” in His Presence. For some people, it’s not easy to be in the quiet at all and they avoid shutting down the world for the Living God because of it. Some of them can’t stand to be still and some are afraid of what God may say to them in the quiet…ouch. There are others that claim that they don’t need a focused time to meet with God because they “talk to Him all day long”…they have no desire for the “still” time at all. Some people praise technology that allows them to tap the Bible App anytime and anywhere they want to. Because they have 24/7 access in a fast-paced world, they don’t understand why anybody would waste time being “still” before God when they can “tap into” Him anytime they feel like it. For them, He’s just an app away! How did it come to be that we’ve become more obsessed with how much we can get done in a 24-hour period that we’ve lost the importance of relationships? If parents and partners so willingly trade quality time with their own loved ones for whatever tickles their own fancy, I guess it shouldn’t be surprising that they see being still in the presence of a Mighty God as unnecessary nonsense too.

I’ve got a list of things to do a mile long and I’m (at least) as busy as the next guy, BUT before I get busy on this new day, I get “still” and in those “still” moments nothing else and no one else even hits my radar screen…it’s just me and my God. He gets the first of me and the best of me and the one-on-one time that He tells me I need in order to live the Life He wants me to live.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I woke up before the sun showed itself in the morning sky and the Lord was already speaking to my Heart before my feet hit the floor. David said, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me” so it’s not surprising that I often wake up with a Word to share or a nugget of Wisdom over something I’ve been praying for. For most people, nighttime is just a time of rest…but for people like me, we understand that nighttime is a Time when the Spiritual war rages all around us and the enemy attempts to torment us while we sleep. The War is a 24/7 war and it doesn’t let up just because we’re sleeping. In fact, it’s often more intense when the enemy thinks our guard is down…BUT if we’re Living FOR (not just with) the King of all kings, we have nothing to fear and everything to gain…even at night while we sleep. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

I understand how important sleep is for good health, but it’s always seemed like such a waste of time to me. After all, James 4:14 says, “You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away” so the way I see it, it’s a shame to spend one-third of our vapor time on earth sleeping! When the Lord of Hosts wakes me up in the “middle of the night” I don’t roll over and try to go back to sleep right away – I begin to pray. Sometimes it’s a short prayer and sometimes I pray for hours but it’s always a privilege. Being awakened by the Hand of God to pray is not a nuisance as some might be inclined to believe, it’s an honor. Some pretty amazing things have taken place in the “middle of the night” OR what the Bible refers to as “the fourth watch”. Jesus walked on water during the “fourth watch”. Jacob wrestled with an angel until the breaking of the day. Peter was fast asleep, in chains, when he was miraculously freed from prison. Samuel heard his name called not once, but four times, in the middle of the night. The dead of the night is NOT something to dread or to fear – instead it should be embraced because that’s when lots of good stuff happens ..the kind of Good stuff we miss out on when we don’t want to “lose sleep” for anything or anybody. The Key to embracing everything God has for you is being willing to “sacrifice” a little sleep for the fourth watch when He comes calling.

God loves me enough to speak to me 24 hours a day. He counsels me throughout the night and He nudges me awake to enter His presence and to fight the fight that takes place in the heavens. He sent His son to die for me and He calls me by name. He’s my Protector. He’s my Provider. He’s my Creator. He’s my friend. He’s my Counselor. He’s my Savior. He’s the great “I am”. He’s the Bright morning star. He’s the great Physician. He’s Jehovah Shammah. He’s everything to me! When you look at Him that way, losing a little sleep is the least I can do to Please Him! My vapor is dimming more every day and He’ll Call me Home one day soon. Never let it be said of me that a little sleep was more important to me than Meeting with the King of all kings in the middle of the night!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. As I met with the Living God from the front porch this morning I had plenty of things to give thanks for. Another day to Serve…a farm to steward…an amazing tribe from top to bottom…a life overflowing with friends…a strong and healthy body…and a father who taught me how to savor a sunrise and what it looks like to love unconditionally. It’s my Dad’s birthday today and I’m missing him a little more than I usually do. I don’t focus on when he died – or how he died – I focus on when he was born and how he lived instead. The legacy should never get lost over time. So this morning, I thanked God for choosing him to be my Dad and I thanked Him even more that I am absolutely sure that there’s a Heavenly reunion coming one day soon. Isn’t how you think of your loved ones too?

I could make a list that would wrap around Virginia a few times about the drama surrounding my childhood. I could blame all my bad decisions and all the trials of life on how I was raised. I could talk until I turn blue about what it was like to be abandoned over and over again by a Dad that was a runaway alcoholic. I could make a strong man cry to hear what it felt like to be shuffled from house to house more times than I can count and how uncertainty was part of daily life throughout my childhood. But it’s when we know that we know that God Handpicked our parents before the foundations of the earth for a PURPOSE much greater than ourselves, that we Learn to Trust that all things really do work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose. I am certain that all the uncertainty and heartbreak brought on by a man consumed by his addiction (and filled with remorse each time he stumbled) had a Big Purpose. It didn’t define me or my life and it sure didn’t make me weak – it made me strong instead. It taught me to love unconditionally. It taught me to be compassionate toward the “weaker ones” and it taught me not to judge the man (or woman) based upon their mess. It made me loving and kind. It taught me how to forgive over and over again, and it prepared me to put the needs of others before my own. When I think of my Daddy on his (110th) birthday, I give thanks for the ENTIRE journey and how his heart for me was so much bigger than his battles…and I look forward to our Eternity together. He knew how to laugh. He knew how to love. He knew how to talk for hours with his little girl. The beautiful side of my childhood prevails every time.

I wouldn’t wish my Daddy back to this life for anything in the world because I know he’s found his Forever Home and he’ll be waiting for me to join him one day. Things on this earth don’t matter anymore and there’s no more uncertainty for either of us. Through his weakness I became strong…through his love, I learned to love unconditionally… and through His character mine was developed. His journey prepared me for mine! How could I possibly have regrets when all the pieces have been threaded into Good just like God says it will be? The “bad times” will NEVER out shadow the good times and my Daddy’s legacy will NEVER be lost in the loss.

Happy birthday, Daddy!

Happy Independence Day America! May we NEVER forget to give thanks to a Mighty God “Who shed His grace on thee”. God gave us the land and HE made it the greatest nation in the world because we (still) are ONE NATION UNDER GOD! He has graciously protected it year after year and HE has great Plans for our future…IF WE DON’T TURN OUR BACK ON HIM. Celebrate our God-given Independence today!

God bless you and yours from the Living Waters Farm, and GOD bless America!

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America!

God shed His grace on thee

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

By the way, the photo is from the front porch of the farm too

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The morning started out a little slow for me and it was as if I woke up in a fog. Not feeling bad and not feeling good. Not feeling happy and not feeling sad. Not feeling energetic and not feeling weak. It was as if I had no feeling for this new day at all as I made my way to the front porch for coffee. My time this morning began more out of routine than it was out of eagerness and I had no expectations because of it. But to the Throne I went with not much of me to give, and into His Word I went to do what I do each day, and before you know it, I came Alive from the inside out and this New Day went from black and white to Living color. If I do my part even when I “don’t feel like it” He always does His Part. Isn’t that the way that it is with you?

It’s easy to treat the Living God just like everybody else if we aren’t careful. Out of sight…out of mind. When we don’t feel like talking, we refuse to answer the door or pick up the phone. If the plans aren’t thrilling, we go begrudgingly and we’ll even complain to the one who convinced us to participate in the first place. When the conversation is entertaining we’re all in, and if it’s not we tune it out or we walk away. We only want the “good” things and the good times in life, and we kick and stomp like a 2-year-old over the “bad” things and the bad times and we rarely see the Purpose in it all. We’re stuck in “if it feels good, do it” mode and we have a need to be entertained around the clock…even when it comes to the Living God. If things are going well, we’ll thank Him. When things aren’t going well, we’ll appeal to Him. But when things seem to be coasting along and we’re walking through the fog, we have no need for Him at all. It’s in that numb place that we need Him the most…ESPECIALLY when “we don’t feel like it”. When we’re in the fog we’re the most vulnerable, and when we’re feeling numb we are the most weak. It’s when we meet with the Master of the Universe even when we “don’t feel like it”, that He shows up in Living Color and He’ll Refresh and Revive the soul in a quick minute. He’s the lifter of the fog and the “lifter of my head” and He says “When you are weak; I am strong” and “My Power is made perfect in weakness”….BUT unless we do our part – unless we seek His Face – unless we Thirst for Him – He can’t do His. Meeting with Him even when we “don’t feel like it” is one of the truest signs of our Devotion to Him and it leads to some of the most amazing God moments…if we don’t treat Living God just like everybody else, that is.

It’s fascinating when you think about it. Most of us so easily serve our loved ones day after day, even when we don’t feel like it. We get up early in the morning to prepare breakfast and to send the kids off to school; even when we don’t feel like it. We head out to work to earn our living so that we can feed the family we love, even if we don’t feel like it. We’ll go shopping or to a particular restaurant or to see a movie we don’t care to see just to please the one we love, even when we don’t feel like it. There seems to be no end to what we’ll do (even when we don’t feel like it) for the people we love the most in this life. But meeting with the Living God even when “we don’t feel like it” is an entirely different story for most people. He gets set aside UNLESS things are really, really good or when things are really, really bad. Outside of that…He can sit on the shelf right along with a dusty Bible until we feel like spending time with Him again. He’s the MOST High and the MOST deserving of our time and our attention, but instead of giving Him our time and our attention day after day even when we “don’t feel like it… we set Him aside until we need Him again. Just because the Living God is out of your sight and out of your mind, don’t fool yourself into believing that He’s okay with that. He’s a forgiving God and although He’s already paid the Price for all of your sins no matter what you do, He’s your Father and He wants your time and your attention ESPECIALLY when you don’t feel like it. He wants you to be AT LEAST as devoted to Him as you are to the rest of your world. This is the key to a rich Walk with Him.

I was in a fog and a little numb when I faced this new day but it’s an entirely different story now after my time with the Lord of my Life. I met with Him with no excitement, no expectations, and not much feeling at all, and He turned my heart around, lifted the fog, and “put a new song of Praise on my lips” and NOW I’m armed and ready for whatever this new day brings.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I stepped out onto the front porch with a hot cup of coffee, a Heart filled with Gratitude and High Expectations about my Time with the Living God. This isn’t just any old day – it’s a New Day – and I’m not just any old Servant – I’m a Willing one with High Expectations about the Journey. My God has no boundaries and it shows in my Life as He continues to use me in ways I could never imagine I would be capable of IF I look at Life with my mind instead of my Heart. As I stumble through the Journey – as I struggle through life – as I fall down and get back up time and time again – I KNOW HE KNOWS my Heart for Him and He’ll use me all the days of my Life…because I Love Him and because I am a Willing Vessel with High Expectations about doing the work of my God. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It seems to be so easy these days for people to lose hope in the face of adversity but that’s because they don’t have High Expectations for the Journey of Life. Sometimes we focus on the surface of Life that can look like a shipwreck with a million broken pieces – but that doesn’t slow down the God of no Boundaries and He’ll always work it for Good IF we let Him. When we have High Expectations about the Work of His Hands, we understand that there is always something Beautiful going on behind the scenes and we look through the rubble for the rubies every time. When we have High Expectations about His Purpose for us, we don’t allow ourselves to think that things are impossible – because we KNOW all things are possible with Him and we Celebrate the Victory long before we see it. When we have High Expectations, we’re quick to hit our knees to ask for Forgiveness, because how He sees us is far more important than how the world does, and we Understand that we need to be found Worthy for the Journey if we want to be used by the King. With High Expectations, we don’t put God in a box and we NEVER quit believing in Miracles.

I don’t know how God will be using me here until He calls me Home – I only know how He’s using me right now. I have High Expectations because I’m a Willing Vessel and I’m Ready to step into whatever He has for me whenever He asks. I won’t be afraid, and I’ll never feel inadequate no matter what He Calls me to do – not because I’m confident or capable – but because I have High Expectations for the Journey and I’ve been Tenderized for the Work. I found the rubies in the rubble and it shows in my Life. What I do for Him can’t be measured by human standards, and my Rewards won’t be seen on this side of Heaven – what I do for Him is done out of Love…and it’s that Love that keeps me going with High Expectations.

Do YOU have High Expectations about what God is doing too?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One who died for me with lots of things on my mind this morning, but the longer I sat in His presence, the more my thoughts just slipped away and my curiosity turned into Awe. I have an inquisitive mind and I love to understand people and things at a deeper level than most…not that it matters in the bigger scheme of life, but it satisfies my need to know more. I wonder things like, why the deer population segregates by gender for most of the year and what makes a bee drill into wood to make its home. I have lots of unanswered questions about the way nature works here on earth but none of the questions will come to mind when I meet my Maker, that’s for sure – my curiosity will be transformed into speechless Awe instead. Isn’t that the way you see your Future too?

Some people actually have a list of things they want to ask God one day, but I’m not one of them. As inquisitive as I am, I Know that won’t have a single thought about nonsensical things when I’m standing in the Presence of the One who died for me! When I look into the face of the One who Loves me more than any human ever could, the Love will overwhelm me. I’m confident that no questions will come to my mind at that moment, but if one did it would probably be, “How could you possibly love a wretch like me?” because I know that I didn’t do anything to deserve or to earn the Gift He’s given to me! Some people imagine hugging Jesus like a big Daddy in the sky, but not me. When I see the holes in His hands and feet I’ll be reminded of how He suffered to set me Free and I’ll probably fall to my knees in Awe all over again. Some people imagine a big praise band in the sky and they think they’ll spend eternity “jamming for Jesus” but not me. When I hear the sound of the voices surrounding the Throne of God singing “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, who is, who is to come” I won’t care about the lyrics to any song ever written and I Know that I’ll be listening to the most beautiful one of all for all Eternity. When I make my way to Heaven there will probably be a going away party for me on earth, but my Homecoming in Heaven will be more beautiful than any word ever spoken, or any song ever sung, since the beginning of Time.

The Awe will never fade for me because I’m overwhelmed with Gratitude for Who is and what He’s done for me, but IF the dust ever settles in Eternity, I look forward to meeting people like Paul and Peter and I’d definitely have a few questions for them! I’d like to hear Paul’s first-hand account of what it felt like when He was blinded on the road to Damascus that day and I want to hear Peter describe what it felt like to deny the Messiah three times just as it was predicted. I’d like to ask about the fish fry on the shore after Jesus was transfigured and if the disciples were amazed that Jesus would cook the meal and eat with them once more. What was it like for Moses when he led millions of people through the sea that day? Why was Elijah so afraid of Jezebel and why did Elisha bring a curse upon the youth in a village that led to them being mauled to death by bears? There are so many things that I’d like to understand better but I’m thinking my enlightenment will be “limited” to my Time with the Living God and my Time in His Word because when I get to Heaven, every thought I ever had, every ounce of curiosity I’ve ever felt, everything I’ve ever wondered about will be gone as I stand in AWE in the Presence of the One who died for me.

It’s going to be a spectacular day ordained by a Spectacular God and I’ll be savoring a million pieces of it as I live out my Journey of Faith. I’ll wonder about LOTS of things throughout the day but I won’t be making a list to present to God when He calls me Home. After all, I’m so in Awe of Him that He leaves me speechless on THIS side of Heaven…I can only imagine what it will feel like when I stand in His Presence.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’ve been away from the farm for the past several days and I’ve been hungering for my early morning Meeting with the King of all kings outside. So, this morning I crawled out of bed before the sun showed itself in the sky and when I stepped outside and onto the porch, it was as if I was seeing it for the first time. That’s what Gratitude looks like. No matter where I go or what I see in this journey called Life, nothing beats time with just me and my God at sunrise from this front porch. It’s there where I find my solitude and my Peace. It’s there where I Receive my greatest Lessons. It’s there where I bask in His glory. It’s there where I shed my tears. It’s there where I reckon my wrongs. It’s there where I sing praises to Him. A front porch…a beautiful sunrise…a willing woman…and a Mighty God – could there be a more perfect combination? Sometimes it’s the simplest things that have the utmost impact on me. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

There is so much to see and so much to do in this journey through life and sometimes people wonder why I don’t see and do more. I’m adventurous…I’m inquisitive…and I love to learn and love. But of all the things I’ve seen and all the places I’ve gone, the simple things bring me the most pleasure in life. I can be more entertained by visiting with a friend on the front porch or ministering to a suffering soul than I could ever be by visiting any other place in the entire world. I’d much rather look into a set of eyes than see any other site there is to see. I’d rather tune in to the voice of someone I love (or of someone God sends my way to love) than hear any concert by any artist in the world. I’d rather belly laugh on the front porch with my family or friends than visit any comedy club on the planet. I’d rather wipe away the salty tears of someone else than tip my toes in the salt water of any of the oceans in the world. I’d rather discuss History from the point of Creation and ponder my God than visit any museum of history or art or any place else in the world. My life isn’t as simple as it is Rich, and from where I sit, everything is beautiful to me.

I’m not exactly sure how this new day will unfold but I won’t be idle and it won’t be “boring.” One thing I DO know for sure is that my day will be Shared with others…some of them my family and some of them my friends and some of them I’ll see for the very first time and that each one will be certain of how Special they are to me. I’ll probably tune into a sermon spoken by someone Called to Speak it, and I’ll hear a few words of Wisdom along the way. It’s going to be another long day at the farm and I’ll be making the most of every minute. You won’t find me looking for fun or striving to be entertained. You won’t find me whining about being bored or disappointed over something that wasn’t “fun” or people who weren’t my cup of tea. Instead, you’ll find me walking through this day with Excitement no matter who or what comes along, because I know that this day and everything in it has been Ordained by the Living God and that His Plans for me on this new day beat anything else I could ever have added to my own agenda. He’s a God of Perfection and He’s the Master of my Life, and as long as I keep Him in First Position, every “simple” little thing will always have a huge impact and those “simple” little things will always cause my heart to overflow with Gratitude and Joy.

My life is filled with simple things but there’s nothing simple about my Life on or off of the front porch of this old farm. I see my Life as an Adventure and my steps as a Journey and I want to be sure that I savor the “simple” things until I draw my last breath because it’s the simple things about me that mean the most to Him.

How about you?

Are you on a mission to see and do as much as you can see and do before you die and are you overlooking the importance of the “simple” things you’re called to do while you’re still here? If so, PM me. I’ll write a list that will wrap around Virginia a few times of “simple” things that will bring you to tears and Entertain you as you’ve never been entertained before, and when I’m done with you; you’ll see those “simple” things in a whole new Light and you won’t ever need to be entertained by outward things again!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I know that God didn’t set the sun in the sky just for me, but I thank Him for it as if He did because it feels like that in my Heart. I have eyes to see, ears to hear, a voice to share what I see and feel, and a Heart that hungers for Him like a deer panting for water…none of these things would be possible without Him…the One who Created me before the foundations of the earth! Like a Heavenly Hug and a Proclamation of His Power, a sunrise can take my Spirit to an entirely different Level as I abide in Him through it all. I’m supposed to bring “every thought into captivity” and that’s no easy task. But the Journey is made a whole lot easier when I surround myself with Good at the beginning of each new day. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

One of the most difficult things for us to control is NOT our circumstances, but what goes on in our minds. Sometimes it feels like the mind has a mind of its own and that we have no control over what goes on in there…but that’s not true. I often hear people looking to God to help them control their thoughts FOR them, but it doesn’t work that way. God expects us to do that part for ourselves. He’s the Victory Maker and the Mountain Mover and He’s ready and waiting to release His Plan for our Lives….but He can’t do that unless we release all those thoughts that work against them. If He tells us to bring “every thought into captivity” it’s pretty clear that the process doesn’t happen naturally by itself, and it’s ABUNDANTLY clear that He’s not going to do that part for us. God always expects us to take action on our own. He may be Everything…the One who formed the earth with His Hands, and the One who Breathes Life into you and me…but we’re not in a one-sided Relationship with Him, and He expects us to do our part too. It’s when we see Him as the one to fix EVERYTHING, with no effort on our part, that we thwart our Growth and never reach the point where He is able to Release the Master Plan for our lives. Striving to bring “every thought into captivity” is the Key to Victory Success and Peace…but it takes Perseverance, Determination, and a Sound Mind…AND a willingness to take Responsibility of our own.

As surely as there is God in Heaven, there is an enemy that will do everything he can to keep us from Receiving what God has for us! Spiritual things…especially in those “breakthrough” areas, is not child’s play…it’s all-out WAR over you and me! What better way could our enemy have to fight against the Father than by bringing calamity and torment into the lives of His Children? It’s calamity and torment that have the potential to tease the mind into entertaining destructive thoughts, and those thoughts propel our self-will into motion. But it doesn’t have to be that way IF we strive to bring “every thought into captivity” despite our circumstances. Our enemy is a relentless fighter. He’s sneaky and conniving and so determined to “fight” even though He can’t really Win. People of Faith are Children of God…we Belong to the Most High…we’re Royalty…and we’ve already been Redeemed by His blood, and we’ve already Received our Inheritance…BUT he’ll keep working to disarm us by doing things that have the potential to derail the mind for as long as we live…IF WE LET HIM. We’re told to “Be alert and of sober mind, your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” so why would be expecting God to help us “control our thoughts” if that’s something we’re Told repeatedly to do for ourselves – AND why wouldn’t we be working harder to bring “every thought into captivity”?

I kicked off this new day in the Presence of the Most High God and I took steps to Refresh my Soul and to prepare my Mind to bring “every thought into captivity”. Victory is mine. If I abide in Him there isn’t anything to fret over and there’s nothing to worry about. Peace is mine today BECAUSE I’ve taken my thoughts into captivity and I’m trusting Him with it all…one day at a time.

How about you?