Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I enjoyed the sweet aroma of the fresh-cut hay this morning as I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith. I’m not the one to labor over the fields – someone else has been called to do that hard work. But I am the benefactor of the harvest in more ways than one. As I enjoyed the look and smell of the fields this morning, it reminded me of my Journey of Faith. I’ve had a lot going on in my life for a while, and it’s hard to tell which part of me is feeling the strain the most…my mind or my body. I’ve pushed both to the limit, and I’m very Grateful that they are both still serving me well despite the push. My mind and my body may be tired, but my Spirit never will be, and it’s the Spirit that drives all the rest of me. I serve a God that set the stars in the sky and knows them each by name, and He has me on a Mission for Himself. He knows my Limitations. He Knows how hard to Drive me. And He knows just what I need when I need it. When I’m feeling weak, He breathes a Breath of Fresh Air as sweet as the fresh-cut hay back into me for the Journey. I know that as long as I stay Close to Him, He’ll be sure the mind and the body follow what the Spirit is driven to do, and One Day soon I’ll hear “Mission Accomplished”. Isn’t that the way you Push to serve the King too?

It would be so easy to say “I’m too tired, Lord” or “I’m too old for this”, but when God comes Calling, He wouldn’t ask us to Serve Him if He didn’t already know we’re up for the Job. When God comes Calling He already has the Details worked out for whatever it is we’re to do, and He already knows what we need before we even hear the Call. I don’t know for sure, but I think what God really looks for when He comes Calling is one that Seeks His Face, and one Willing to Serve because of their Love for Him. When He has One who Loves Him, who wants to please Him, and who is willing to say “Yes” when He comes Calling, He’ll do all of the other Equipping we need to Accomplish His Goal, and He’ll Handle all the the Details for the Job. Sometimes He Calls upon the most unlikely one to Serve, because He’s especially Glorified when He does. It’s the Service of the “unlikely” one that causes the world to stand in awe of the Power of a Mighty God when they Witness the unlikely one become Strong and Equipped right before their very eyes. God doesn’t look at the outward things like age, social status, education, or circumstances when He Comes Calling…He looks to the Heart instead…and He isn’t too keen on excuses when He Comes Calling for us to Serve. I don’t blame Him. After all, if HE is the One that will do the Heavy Lifting, and if He is the one who will Provide everything we need to do the Job, the only real reason we could have for saying “NO” when He comes Calling is that we don’t Trust Him to Provide and we don’t Love Him enough to Serve. Ouch.

I’m one of the most “unlikely” people that God has Called to Serve in ways that often make the world stand in awe of His Power and Might in my Life. Nothing that He’s Called me to do makes “logical” sense in the eyes of the world, and nothing about me is special. I don’t have youth, education, or social status…or even strength sometimes. But none of those things matter to the Living God. He has my Heart and I say “YES, Lord” when He comes Calling on me to Serve. I don’t make excuses for why I can’t because I already know that He wouldn’t Call upon me if He didn’t know that I’m Willing to do my small part to Fulfill His Plans. More than anything, I’m confident that He’ll never abandon me. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Many times I don’t understand why He wants me to do what He wants me to do, but I am CONFIDENT that if I am just Willing to say “Yes, Lord” He’ll complete the Good Work for His Glory no matter what.

I’m a Willing Vessel and I say “YES” when He comes Calling… and THAT’S why He Works Overtime in my Life. Sometimes people say “I wish God would use me like that” and they somehow overlook the reason He isn’t. They can’t be used by Him if they’re not willing to say “YES” no matter the time or the circumstances. Saying “YES” when we have no idea how we’ll Accomplish what He’s Calling for us to do takes a whole lot of Faith and Trust…and a whole lot of people lack both. He uses me because I’m “unlikely. ” He uses me because I’m NOT special. He uses me because I LOVE HIM and I say “YES.” I’m a very busy Willing Vessel, and I believe I will be all the days of my life here on earth…no matter my age, no matter my circumstances, no matter what because “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I approached the Throne of the Living God with boldness this morning and we had a little Talk about my Journey. I’m working on some Big Things… Kingdom things…a few things that have the Potential to dramatically change Lives…and when I’m in Full Swing, I face what feels like never-ending adversity. I’ve got a mountain to climb and a few mountains to move, but with God all of that is possible. No mountain is too big when you have a Purpose to fulfill. So, my Purpose was Reinforced at daybreak, and my Spirit was Refreshed and Revived for the Journey. The adversity is just a minor inconvenience when I am Willing to stay on Track and when I have God on my Side. Isn’t that the way it is with you when you are doing His Work too?

It would be so nice if the red carpet got rolled out for us whenever we are in full swing for His Full Service, but it doesn’t work that way. When we’re in Full Swing we become a threat to the “forces” that would much rather we sit back and shut up than make a Difference in a dark world. When we’re in Full Swing our Light is Brighter than it usually is because the Work that we’re doing has Everlasting Benefits. Some are drawn to the Light, while others will do whatever they can to dim it. When we’re in Full Swing mode the mountains we face seem to get taller and taller, and sometimes it feels like we take one step forward and two steps backward. But that’s not the way it is at all. All those minor inconveniences are intended to make the Mountain LOOK like it’s too big to climb and that the top is impossible to reach…but the height of the Mountain never really changes…only the Journey does. No matter how big that mountain is, it’s worth climbing when you have Purpose, and if we’re just willing to keep Climbing, we’ll reach the Top where Victory is found. The Living God warns us about what it is like when we’re in Full Swing for Him, and He even tells us “they will hate you because of me”. But only those of us willing to Climb the Mountain in Full Swing ever know what that’s like because it’s the Light that threatens the darkness…not just our existence in a dark world.

God has given me a Voice and I’m a willing Vessel to use it, so I’m more visible to the “spiritual forces of evil” that would much rather I sit back and shut up, and I face lots of minor inconveniences because of it. When I work inside of the Gift He’s given to me, I speak up, I show up, I pray up and I climb up, over and over again. My Journey has developed my Boldness and my Faith is Unshakable. I climb Mountains as often as He tells me to, and I don’t care how big they appear to be because of the outside influences that would love for me to give up. I can climb them and I can MOVE them with His Help as long as I don’t allow the minor inconveniences to discourage me and if I remain in Full Swing mode. I’m a Spiritual Force to reckon with in this dark world, and my Voice is used by the King of Kings. Of course I’m going to face a few obstacles here and there in the Journey! But I understand the significance of my Journey and I’ll always keep climbing no matter what. No mountain is too big to climb when you’ve got a Big Reason to climb it.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It stormed most of the night and the earth is nourished and vibrant this morning . When I entered His Presence at sunrise, I didn’t need music, words, or any other influence whatsoever to enter a place of Praise for this new day. The minute the sun came up in the sky, and the fog began to lift off the fields, my Heart overflowed with Gratitude and Love, and I felt the Power and the Presence of my God as surely as if He sat next to me on the porch. I set aside my Instruction Manual and my hymn book, and I just sat there enjoying the Living God and all that He is to me. It’s no wonder I like to share this old farm with everyone I can because I know that everybody else can feel the Peace of God when they’re here too…and I know, with absolute certainty, that they can see Him in me. Sharing my God and my life with someone else is the Greatest Gift of all. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy for us to overlook the importance of Sharing, and we miss out on the Biggest Blessings of all when we do. From our Hearts to our Homes and to everything in between, God looks to us to share. God never meant for any of us to be alone in anything that we do. He made Eve a companion and helper to Adam when He saw that “it is not good for man to be alone.” He brought Aaron to Moses because He saw that Moses needed to partner in the journey, and he needed another voice to speak for him. He gave Ruth to Naomi to lead the way to food and a future. David had Jonathan. Paul had Silas. Even Jesus had an inner circle of friends to share the Journey with. They didn’t just walk around witnessing to the world, although that was the Biggest Role they played, they traveled together and fellowshipped together too…breaking bread and living life…and I’m pretty sure they shared a laugh or two as well. Because Jesus had just a few guys in His inner circle, we know that a few of those guys were very special to Him, and He chose to share more with them than all the others. We need to share the Living Waters with the world, but we need to share life with others too. If there was ever anyone who could probably survive just fine doing His work alone or living on an island by Himself, it would be Jesus. But Jesus surrounded Himself with his Friends, and He only went off alone when He needed a little One-on-One time with His Father. After that…He went right back to His inner circle and right back to the business of Sharing.

There is a “danger” in living alone that lots of people fail to see. Plenty of people look at the life of someone living alone and they long to have freedom and solitude too. But if those living alone aren’t careful, they become the selfish ones not willing or able to share anything with anyone else. They weren’t Hard Wired to be alone, so you’ll find them overly concerned about their own needs or their own provisions with an “I need to look out for myself” attitude. They don’t easily sacrifice for someone else because life has evolved into being just about them; and when they do, they want the world to know about it. They don’t thrive because they don’t share, and they don’t share because they choose not to.

There are plenty of people who say they’d like to work for themselves just so that they don’t have to answer to anybody else. But even in our work, we’re told that “two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor” and we’re told that “iron sharpens iron.” Whether we work for ourselves or not, we will always see greater success when we share the journey with someone else. None of us are Hard Wired to live and work alone…we’re Hard-Wired to share the Journey.

I work hard to make sure that I have a Heart that is willing to Share every single day that I breathe, because I know the dangers of being on your own in this Life. The only thing that has any Value or any Significance in this Journey called life, is what we Share with someone else…and not what we do for ourselves. I shared my morning with the Living God, and now I’ve shared His Words with my world. I’ll be sharing my Heart on the front porch (that I share with the world) a little later on today. I’ll share a little food and I’ll share some funny stories, and I’m sure I’ll share some belly laughs. But along with all the other sharing I’ll be doing, you can bet that I’ll be Sharing my God, and all that He is and all that He does for me. Sharing is the Biggest Blessing of all.

How about you?

The road to my house was built between these two oak trees not merely to preserve nature, but because these trees are rumored to be “Anniversary Oaks.” Years ago, Anniversary Oaks were planted in honor of a newly married couple as a symbol of strength and longevity. The roots of an oak tree are deep and the wood is strong. Oak trees have the ability to withstand even the strongest wind. They bend, but they don’t break, and they often live for a very long time where they’re planted…the way marriage is supposed to be when it has good roots.

When oak trees are planted close to one another, it’s important to allow for enough space for each one to grow independently strong and healthy but close enough to shield each other from the elements. What a beautiful picture of relationships in life. Whether a marriage, a relationship with a child, or even a close friend, it’s important to have just the right amount of space for each one to grow independently strong and healthy while being close enough to shield and protect….and so it is with the Living God.

God Almighty knew us before the foundations of the earth. He planted the seed of life in our mother’s womb. He knows every breath we take and He collects every tear we shed in a jar. He is the Master of it all and yet He allows just enough space for us to grow healthy and strong in Him. He “planted us” just where we are, and He’s there to protect and shield us from “the elements” all the days of our lives. God doesn’t just sit in the Heavenly realms and orchestrate life, He longs for a Relationship with you with me…one where we learn to stand tall and Strong in His name…just like the Anniversary Oaks.

Give your relationship with Him all that it needs to grow and He’ll be your “Anniversary Oak” for all eternity…just enough space to allow for growth and strength and ALWAYS your shield from the elements.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might – Ephesians 6:10

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and calm on this new day of a new week and after a little time in the presence of a Big God my Heart felt on the inside what the day brought to the outside…cool and calm. It was shocking to step outside to temperatures so much cooler than the average summer day, but after a few minutes I settled in to enjoy the ride. As I considered the “shock” of experiencing something I’m not accustomed to…something I wasn’t expecting…it made me think of how that’s the kind of impact my Life can have on others IF I’m willing to be a Reflection of Christ, that is. When someone stands in my presence they should see, feel, and hear about the One who died for me and my life should cause an unbelieving soul to experience “culture shock” because I don’t resemble things of this world, but things of Heaven instead. Isn’t that your goal through the Journey of Faith too?

It can be so easy for people of Faith to fall into the snares of this life if we aren’t careful but we can’t be a good Reflection of Heavenly things if we do. We can stomp and whine about the state of the world with the best of them, but we are supposed to be “in this world, not of this world” and there’s nothing “shocking” about the way we live when we join the crowd of complainers. We can hold a grudge against the ones who wrong us like the best of them, but holding a grudge is a refusal to forgive and there’s nothing “shocking” about the way we live when we hate along with all the others. We can spit out insults and justify our beliefs like the best of them, but there’s nothing “shocking” about the way we live when “out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing.” It’s when we love when it doesn’t make sense…when we forgive no matter the offense…when we refuse to speak hate to (or about) any one of God’s creations…that we stand out like a sore thumb in this dark world and the “culture shock” that lost people experience in our presence will often lead them to want to know what’s “different” about us. This is the key to living out “thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life but I love the Perfect One with all of my Heart and I strive to Live the way He commands me to. My desire to please Him is far greater than my desire to tango with the darkness of the world. From politics to pedophiles I leave it up to God to exercise judgment and “vengeance” because I know when He takes care of business, the consequences of their actions are eternal. With Him in control of it all, I know that when I speak out against what I see with my eyes, I’ve lost sight of the Master Plan altogether and I become a poor reflection of the One I Serve. I want lost people to experience “culture shock” when they see my supernatural responses to unnatural events. I want them to see Love when they “don’t deserve it.” I want them to see the “peace that surpasses all understanding” when outward circumstances paint a picture of turmoil and hate. I won’t rely on what I think with my head or feel in my Heart to be a Witness to the darkness…I’ll give it everything I’ve got to live a Life, to SPEAK the name of Jesus Christ, to Love unconditionally, to reflect the “fruit of the spirit” which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. I want the darkness to experience CULTURE SHOCK in the Light of my Faith all the days of my Life…and THAT’S what God will use to add to His Kingdom if I remain faithful to the Faithful One.

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 Author and Perfecter of my Faith in the wee hours of this new day and by the time the sun came up, it was already warm and muggy. The humidity is so high, the air so “thick”, that it feels like you could cut it with a knife. As I sat there in silence taking it all in, I thought about how the world is very much like the air at the farm today. Evil is raging and the Spiritual warfare is so “thick” that it feels like you could cut it with a knife too. The Bible warns us that as the end draws near there will be “perilous times” so it comes as no surprise to see our adversary raging in his race to destroy as many as he can while he still has time. I can’t do anything about a hot and humid Virginia day except to withdraw into cooler places, BUT there’s a whole lot I can do about that Spiritual war and withdrawing is not an option for a Child of the Living God. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It’s amazing to experience pushback from people professing to share my Faith when I speak up for Righteousness and I preach the Truth…even when it hurts. I’m a stickler for manners and I preached “polite” to my children until I turned blue. These are important characteristics for Christian people and I drove home the message well…NOT so they would please me (although they did) BUT so that they would learn what it looks like to be a Good Witness of a Loving and Compassionate God…even when it hurts. It’s impossible to be a Good Witness for a loving God if we withdraw to our own opinions of what the Character of Christ looks like or retreat to our own comfort zone. Impolite, rude people carrying a Christian Membership card do much more harm than Good because they’re a poor representation of the Nature of Christ, and the ones opting for the comfort zone over what we’re Instructed to do…well, let’s just say they’ll be in for a BIG surprise One Day.

There are countless Good characteristics that should come into play for a Child of the Living God BUT withdrawing from Truth because we’re too cowardly to Speak it isn’t one of them. It takes Courage to stand boldly for Truth these days, but it also takes a whole lot of Unconditional Love to have the Heart to “save some” from the fire of Judgment that will come to ALL who withdraw from the Truth. So, I push back against the pushback and I pray for the ones professing to share my Faith as they do their part to Discourage me from what the Lord has for me because I know that when they do, they’re being used as “messengers of Satan”…ouch. Sad but true. No matter how many times they’re used by the adversary to shut me down, I remain strong because I know that he doesn’t win the Battle I’m Fighting, and the only thing that will succeed in stopping me from doing what The Lord of Hosts has called me to do is death.

Yes, the air is thick with the raging spiritual war BUT I am confident that no “weapon formed against me will prosper.” Yes, the air is thick with warfare BUT I am confident that “greater is He who is within me than he who is in the world.” His Word says: “Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets before you. You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” How could anybody professing to share my Faith pushback as I push Forward to finish the race I’m called to run? How could people professing to have a Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ withdraw like wussies and refuse to speak the Truth to a lost world? The answer to these questions might scare you…but they don’t scare me. I’m bold. I’m courageous. I have nothing to fear. But more than anything else, I have a Heart so in Love with Jesus that I want to be Pleasing in His eyes and Obedient to His Call..even when it hurts. I’ll do my part to assure that I remain “salty”. I’ll stand up and speak up with LOVE because I want to be the light of the world. My Life…my Faith…is like a city on a hill and it cannot be hidden.

How about yours?

Good morning. world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I watched the Master wake up the world at daybreak but as I lingered on the front porch to savor my time with Him the temperature rose quickly and the sun became blinding. It’s destined to be a scorching day in Virginia. There was no moving away from the glare and no relief even with a hat and sunglasses. The brightness of the morning sun outshined everything else around me and pretty soon it was all I could see. I was powerless to dim it, so I surrendered to its beauty instead. God used the bright sun of this new day to Paint a Picture of how that’s the way it should be in the Journey of Life too. The consuming Fire of my God should be so bright that I can’t see anything else – and the Light of my Faith should be so powerful that this lost world can’t miss it in me when I pass by. Isn’t that just the way it is with Faith?

The Consuming Fire of the Living God should be impossible NOT to see in me. Without speaking a word, the lost world should be able to see my Joy, Peace, and Love just by being in my presence. That’s not something I can force into being, that’s something that happens naturally when the God of all Creation is all you can see and you’re Blinded by His Love. When He’s all we can see we no longer focus on the things of this dark world, and we don’t spend our time or energy trying to right the wrongs that are out of our control. Instead, we remain blinded by His Light and we do a little blinding of our own in the Process. Just like the blazing sun in the morning sky, the Consuming Fire can’t be avoided when we’re in His Presence, and absolutely nothing can snuff it out. The dark world should see the Consuming Fire in me as it outshines the world around me and it Illuminates the pathway to Truth. The peace that “surpasses all understanding” within me should outshine everything else around me too. When you’re in my presence, you should recognize immediately that I’m not your average person even without me speaking a word. When you’re in my presence you should be able to recognize that there is something profoundly different about me – and you’ll KNOW that I’m at peace with a world that appears to be falling apart. You should be drawn to me like a moth drawn to light because of the Consuming Fire in my soul, the warmth of my Heart, and the blinding Light that is all over my Journey of Life. Isn’t that what Faith is supposed to look like?

The words I speak should be like the language of the Son…bold, bright, and beautifully blinding. When I do my Part to keep the Consuming Fire of God burning in my Life, you’ll see Supernatural Beauty that has nothing to do with outward appearances – and the words that flow through me will be overwhelmingly Kind, Gentle, Loving, and Compassionate. The Characteristics that come by way of that kind of Consuming Fire are like an Open Invitation to a hurting world. Hurting people with “dark secrets” will know that they’re safe with me. Sad people who believe they’ve lost their hope will know that I have a Solution. Angry people ready to lash out at the world will be calmed. People who have been sleeping through their Journey of Life will be awakened. Wicked people will be disarmed. The ones being judged by this dark world won’t find judgment with me, and the ones longing for love will find it. The language of the Son is Perfect and it’s filled with the Wise Words any time I need them…all because of the Consuming Fire I keep kindled in my Life. When we’re blinded by His Light it’s impossible to be “lost for words” – He says “the Holy Spirit will give you the right words when you need them” and THOSE WORDS are a reflection of the Perfect Balance for the Journey of Life…never judgmental…never too harsh…never words that would risk blinding the other with Truth before I impact them with Love…” the greatest of these is love.” Isn’t that the way Faith is supposed to sound like?

I’m refreshed and revived for this new day and my Heart is Consumed by His Fire. The God of all Creation used a blinding sunrise to quicken my Heart and Reinforce the Significance of my existence in this Journey called Life. The dark world will see His Fire IN ME and it will hear about Him THROUGH me…all because of Him and that beautiful Consuming Fire. I have everything I need to be a beautiful Blinding Light in a dark world…and I have a willing Heart to share. My Light can’t be dimmed. I am consumed by Him!

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 Lord of my Life before the sun came up and this sunrise was a perfect Touch of the Masters’s Hand to end our Time together. I sat outside in the dark and opened my Heart. I invited Him to take a close look at my Heart and to Highlight any areas that I need to Refine in His Name. I sang a hymn or two and I made sure He knew that my Heart meant every word as I made a joyful noise. I thanked Him for all that He is and all that He does for me, and I made sure to Surrender all of me to Him all over again today. I felt His Presence in the dark on a front porch of a farm in Virginia as surely as if He sat next to me. What a sweet reminder to me once again that as long as I’m willing to “draw near” to Him, He’ll always “draw near” to me. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Every relationship takes work to keep things headed in the right direction, and it’s no different when it comes to a Relationship with the Living God. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that it’s when we take things for granted and assume someone will always be there, that love loses its luster and a relationship begins to die. When it comes to God, knowing He’s omnipresent is one thing, Seeking Him out and Purposely drawing near to Him is an entirely different story. Some people look for God in the big things while they fail to seek Him in the simple things like a morning sunrise. When Elijah stood on the mountain top to meet with God he looked for Him in wind, in the earthquake, and even in the fire. But God wasn’t found in the BIG things, God was found in a “gentle whisper” instead. If we insist on looking for God only in the big things, we overlook the Importance of hearing His “gentle whispers”…the sweetest Sound there is. Just like Elijah, we need to do our part to be willing to meet with Him on the mountain top and refuse to leave until draws near to us too. The real Treasures in the Journey of Faith are found when we seek Him with a Heart hungering for Him to draw near and with eyes that determine to See Him in everything. That’s what Worship looks like!

I saught Him out at sunrise and my Heart overflowed with Praise over the sound of the birds singing and a sun determined to shine. He Knows my Heart is to please Him…and He sees when I hunger to draw near to Him and for Him to draw near to me. When people ask me about how to “hear from God” my answer is always the same. Look for Him in the gentle whispers – don’t just look for Him as an emergency plan for the challenges in Life – seek His face with everything you’ve got! He is Faithful and True – James 4:8 says; “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”