Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s a perfect morning as I kick off this new day of a new week and I have a Heart overflowing with Gratitude after my time with the Living God today. We had a little Talk about Trust and about my Purpose and He showed me in Black & White the Wisdom I need…not just for today…but for every day of my Journey through this Life. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith reminded me that my walk as a Christian calls for me to be eager to Listen and Learn to the One who died for me and to always be Willing to be Obedient to His Call in my Life…no matter what. Tuning into the Living God is the key to Wisdom, Peace, Joy, and Strength. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

Being a Christian has nothing to do with DNA or genealogy. It has nothing to do with going to church or singing songs. Just saying you’re a Christian doesn’t make you a Christian, and just saying you Believe in Christ doesn’t either. The Bible says that even the demons believe and they shudder and tremble in fear at the sound of Jesus’ Name. Wearing a cross around your neck doesn’t make you a Christian. Neither does exchanging the word “luck” with the word “blessed.” Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re perfect or that you don’t make mistakes…it just means you’re filled with remorse when you do and you rush to the Cross for Forgiveness as fast as you can. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that you’re better than anybody else because of your Faith. Doing good things for others doesn’t make you a Christian. Being a “good person” makes you easier to be around, but that doesn’t make you a Christian either. Being a Christian means that you Surrender your life to Christ. Being a Christian means that you belong to Him and not to yourself. Being a Christian means that you long please Him and that you’re willing to put in the Time to refine your Heart to be more like Him…and you never stop Seeking Knowledge and Truth for the Journey. I am a Christian.

I get a little annoyed sometimes when people tell me how “lucky” I am. Although I am grateful beyond measure and I never cease to give thanks for the blessings in my life… from my Faith…to my family…to this old farm…to my heart that has been Tenderized by the King…even to the ministry He allows me to be a part of each day. NONE of these things have anything to do with me being “lucky.” God doesn’t love me more than He loves anybody else and He hasn’t blessed me more either. What they see from afar is not about me – it’s all about Him. They look at the beauty of this old farm and they read the Words that have been Delivered from the throne of God and all they see is the Sweetness. Some people make excuses for their lives and they’ll suggest that if they had my life then they could be “happy too.” But nobody knows all the crevices of my life. Nobody sees all the flaws. Nobody had a front-row seat as I’ve been Tenderized and broken by the Living God over and over and over again (be careful what you wish for). What they see from afar has nothing at all to do with me being lucky. What they see from afar is my heart for the King. What they see is Christ. I am a Christian.

Why do the boundary lines fall upon me in pleasant places and why does it look like I’m “lucky” to you? I’ll let God answer that in His own Words: “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

I am a Christian.

How about you?

Are you leaning on some lame definition of what it means to be a Christian while you lack joy, peace, compassion, and love in your life? IF so, reach out to me. It might be time for you to truly understand what a relationship with Christ looks like and when I’m done with you your life will take on a whole new “look” too!

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 was 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. It’s cool and foggy this morning but it’s always a perfect morning to meet with the Living God outside at sunrise from where I sit. I watched the Master wake up the world and I was an eyewitness to nature being Obedient to His call. At the sound of His voice, the earth was formed. At the sound of His voice, the land was separated from the sea. At the sound of His voice, Adam was put into a deep sleep, and Eve was formed from his rib. At the sound of His voice, the stars were scattered in the sky. At the sound of His voice, the sun stood still. At the sound of His voice, the sea parted. At the sound of His voice, the rain was withheld for years. As I considered the Power of the sound of His voice and how nature so easily responds, I thought about how often man…the most Valuable Creation of all…willfully ignores the sound of His voice and we struggle with Obedience when we do.

It can be so easy for us to tune out the Voice of God, especially when He Instructs us to do something that makes no sense to the human mind, but we miss out on the Opportunity to Serve and to Please the God of all Creation when we do. Somehow when the rational mind kicks in, we convince ourselves that God would never Instruct us to do something that doesn’t make sense to us. But if it makes sense to God Almighty that’s all that ever matters. God’s ways are not our ways and His ways don’t need to make sense to us for us to be willing to be Obedient. I’m pretty sure things didn’t make sense to Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Joshua, or a host of other saints we read about. But the biggest Miracles the world has ever seen were born out of Obedience over things that didn’t make sense to the human mind- and the same is STILL true today. Being willing to be Obedient to His Instructions ESPECIALLY when they don’t make sense to the human mind is the KEY to a Rich Relationship with the God of Miracles. The surest Sign of Trust is Obedience through it all.

The Bible says “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me” – this isn’t referring to age, but to Maturity instead. Most of the rules we teach a child make no sense to the young human mind, but when they’re taught to listen to the voice of their father and mother and they see the rewards of obedience, they mature into rule-following people able to accept authority, and they don’t hesitate to do what they’re told to do. If only people Walking through the Journey of Faith would do the same when they Hear the Voice of the Master of all Creation! IF only they would “let go and let God” the way they claim to! If only they would step out in Faith when God Instructs them to do something that makes absolutely no sense to the human mind. If only they could Trust Him. This is the Key to being a Willing Vessel – a Participant in the Master Plan that might not make a whole lot of sense to the human mind on this side of Heaven, but one that makes Perfect sense to the Perfect God.

When I was a child in Faith, I “passed” on plenty of things because they didn’t make sense to my human mind. Today is a different story – today I’m Mature. At the sound of His voice, I’m Obedient and I Trust what He wants to do through me. My world sees the God of all Creation work in my Life in ways that sometimes leave them breathless. But what they see in my Life over and over again has nothing to do with me. What they see is the Hand of God working Miracles…Miracles born out of Obedience. Every single day I work on “dying to myself” – to set aside my own will so that I can do His instead. I listen to His Voice with an open heart and I set out to Serve the One Who died for me ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense to me at all. That’s what Trust looks like!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. When I met with the Living God this morning to give my Praise, my Thanks, and to make my Requests known, I was feeling inadequate to Accomplish all that He has for me in this Journey called Life. So, the Master of the universe walked me down Broken Lane to remind me of how Strong I really am and how it all came to be. There are lots of things in the past I’d much rather forget…at least in the human sense…but the Hand of God brought calamity my way many times in my life…not to break me…but to Build me into a Usable Vessel and to make me strong for Him. I went from feeling inadequate to BELIEVING I have all that it takes to Serve the King of Kings….all because of my brokenness. Isn’t that the way you look at your life too?

It can be so easy for most people to throw in the towel when they experience brokenness but they miss out on all the Strength that can be found in Victory when they do. Some people shake their fists at God and demand answers when calamity strikes, and some people hide under the bed. Some people spend what seems like forever asking for answers to why the trials showed up in the first place, while others are consumed with self-pity because God is being so “mean.” Some people gloss over the broken experience as if it’s just a minor setback, and they brush it off without a second thought. Some people experience brokenness and they stay so busy trying to hide it from the world that they miss out on the Beauty that is just around the corner if they’ll just let go and let God do what God does best. It makes me sad to see all those wounded people so clueless about the process and it makes me even sadder to know that they can’t be used by the King as long as they remain on Broken Lane and they refuse to share the Journey with the world as a Witness of His goodness. God always uses Brokenness and Spins it into Strength IF we accept the Purpose behind the storms – “All things work together for GOOD for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” – Romans 8:28

I wish I could have avoided the pain and suffering of Broken Lane, but I wouldn’t I be a Strong Vessel for Him today had He not taken me there to Shape me into what He needs me to be. I find comfort when I read about all those Saints of the Bible who were Broken for His Purpose too – like Paul on the road to Damascus and David after his sin with Bathsheba…and the list could go on and on…people He walked down Broken Lane JUST so they could become Strong in His Name. Brokenness doesn’t end well UNLESS we accept His Purpose for our lives in the good times and the bad ones too. It takes understanding that brokenness comes with a Purpose much bigger than we can see on this side of Heaven…but we never fulfill the Purpose if we aren’t willing to look at Brokenness for what it really is…a chance to be Readied for Service….an Opportunity to become Stronger than ever. I’m not sure if God “tests” us or not but I AM sure that He has a Perfect Master Plan and He longs for each one of His own to be willing to be tested through brokenness…will they become weaker or stronger in the end? Will they shout Victory from the mountaintops or hide it from the world?

I started off this new day feeling inadequate for the job but He set me Straight by walking me down Broken Lane all over again. He reminded me of where He’s taken me and how Strong I really am in His Name. He Encouraged me with Heavenly Reminders that I have EVERYTHING I need to do what He’s Called me to do and that Victory is already mine. I Serve Him well…I Love Him and Trust Him completely…and I’m grateful for Broken Lane….the place where I found my Strength through Him. I’m a Vessel for the Living God…an Ambassador for Christ…a force to reckon with in His Name…and it all began with brokenness.

“The bows of the warriors are broken, but those who stumbled are armed with strength.” – 1 Samuel 2:4

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God at sunrise with a Heart overflowing with Gratitude and I poured it all out to Him. The view from the Front Porch is always magnificent (to me) but the view from the Front Seat of Life sometimes isn’t nearly as pleasant, so off I go to the Throne of a Mighty God to tap into my Power Source and to Prepare for whatever I face. Serving a Good God and being Willing to be a Vessel of Truth and an Ambassador for Jesus Christ always come with a price….a price I’m willing to pay for the Price He paid for me. There is nothing my adversary would like more than to distract and silence me because I am a Threat to his plans. If I didn’t know how to fight and win…if I didn’t put on my Armor each day…if I didn’t understand what’s behind the War…if I hesitated to take it all to the Throne each day…he would succeed…BUT Victory is mine. Isn’t that the way you walk out your Faith too?

Being a person of Faith and Walking it out in Living Color for all the world to see are two very different things. The silent ones don’t have much to worry about because they’re of no threat to the adversary at all – they live quietly, they pray silently, and they rarely mention the name of Jesus Christ outside of their church circle. Oh…but the Bold ones…they’re an entirely different story. They LIVE out their Faith for all the world to see, they pray out loud no matter where they are or who is watching, and they Proclaim the name of Jesus Christ countless times a day. They’re Unstoppable and Unshakable even though they know they’ll likely face consequences on the earth for their Faith AND they’ll experience all kinds of adversity that comes from the “heavenly realms” as the enemy stomps, shouts, and fires darts their way in an attempt to silence them. The Bold ones mourn over the lost ones because they know that’s where they were once, and they’re willing to pay the price for trying to “save” them…In Jesus’ name. The Bold ones never forget who they were before Jesus came along and they give all Credit to Him for who they are today. Remembering the Cross and celebrating the Free Gift of Salvation is what fuels the fire of the Bold Ones and the turmoil and adversity they pay for being Bold is a minor “sacrifice” to pay for what they have already Received.

I’ve been bruised but not broken. I’ve been tormented but not overcome. I’ve been to the valley countless times and I’ve mastered Singing the Victory song in a dark world that needs to Hear about Jesus and what He can do for them. My Work won’t be over until my life here on earth is because my Life has Purpose beyond myself. I was born for such a time as this! I’m a Bold Warrior and a Willing Vessel for Jesus Christ my Lord and I do whatever needs to be done in my own Heart and in my life to be sure that the Light of my Faith never dims. I’ll take my “hits” for being bold and I’ll walk through adversity with Confidence. My boldness may eventually cost me everything but what awaits me the very second I draw my last breath on earth will be far more beautiful than anything this earth has to offer. “Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe”

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I finally broke myself away from my Meeting with the Living God after basking in the glory of the new day He’s given to me. I don’t always live at full throttle, sometimes I slow down and do next-to-nothing too. No matter what, you’ll never find me squandering a day and you won’t catch me overlooking the Gift of Life…ever. When I open my eyes each morning I’m not just grateful to still be around, I’m Grateful because I know that I’m still here for a Purpose much Bigger than myself and all I can think is; WOW…I wonder what He has for me today? It’s Understanding the Purpose that makes everything else make sense, and it’s Embracing the Purpose that brings Peace, Joy, AND excitement to all who Believe. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Life too?

It can be so easy to take our time on this earth for granted if we aren’t careful, and it’s easy to get caught up in the living (and the dying) and overlook the Meaning of it all when we do. It’s easy for most to rush out of bed and off to work, through a commute, and into the office without ever pausing to give thanks for the very breath running through their body that enables them to work in the first place! It can be so easy to punch the clock and whine about the work conditions or the boss or someone down the hall, without ever pausing to consider what life would be like without the blessing of payday. It can be so easy to get caught up in the shuffle to get kids out the door and off to school without ever pausing to give thanks to the One who knit them together in their mother’s womb. It can be so easy to look around at our house or our cars and to take pride in our own accomplishments without ever pausing to consider the One who “gives us the ability to produce wealth” or how fortunate we are that He puts the roof over our heads and allows us to occupy the space. It can be so easy to take good health for granted and to somehow believe that we’re invincible because of it, without ever pausing to marvel at the Designer or to give Thanks to Him for the Divine Design itself. Overlooking all the Blessings of each new day can’t be attributed solely to a hectic life…it can also be attributed to arrogance that stems from convincing ourselves that we deserve all that we have and that we can take credit for the good as if we’ve earned it. Maybe it takes experiencing life circumstances changing in the blink of an eye…the loss of our health or our wealth or death that divides us..to ever pause long enough to consider the Source. Why is it that most people can only pause to give thanks when it’s too late to turn back the clock?

Being a person of Faith is an all-or-nothing deal. We’re either all in OR we’re not in at all. That’s a tough pill for some people to swallow because arrogance prompts them to re-write the Terms at their own discretion…but God doesn’t work that way. He wants to be Acknowledged before men all the time. He wants to be Acknowledged for the good things and He wants to be Acknowledged through the not-so-good too. He wants us to Acknowledge His Hand in everything…every day. He’s the God that “gives and takes away” and He’s not okay with us taking credit for the good and then blaming Him for the bad. He numbers our days and He has a Plan for each one, so when we wake up in the morning the first thing SHOULD be to consider what He has in Mind for us to Accomplish on this New Day. His Word says, “there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry” but that doesn’t mean that each new day won’t have “enough trouble of its own” or that when the trouble strikes we should start shaking our fist at God for not “performing” according to our standards. What it REALLY means is that when we find our Contentment in the enjoyment of Life itself “THEN joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.” Genuine Contentment can only come if we Trust Him with all the details. Genuine Contentment can only come when we understand our Purpose. Genuine Contentment can only come when we Believe that He has Great Plans for every day He breathes life into us. Genuine Contentment can only be possible when we pause to give thanks and we begin each new day with Excitement and Acknowledgement…and Gratitude.

This new day won’t be perfect…it’s just Perfectly Designed. I won’t be a “perfect” woman of God…but I’ll Serve the One who is. I don’t anticipate bad things…I savor the Good and I make sure I Acknowledge the God who “gives and takes away” because I know how quickly my life can change AND because I’m so Grateful for all that He is and all that He does for me. I paused this morning, and I’ll pause a few more times throughout this beautiful New Day…NEVER wasting a day or overlooking the Gift of Life.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One Who died for me with a Heart anticipating Comfort, and I opened my Instruction Manual looking for Peace. It didn’t take long for the God of all Creation to Speak to me with the gentleness of a Father, and before you know it, I was feeling Strong and Safe. Suffering is something God uses to draw His people nearer, and Suffering is where we Grow. I’ve been experiencing some suffering of my own lately – but that’s just a minor bump in the road for me. The greatest suffering I experience as a Child of the Living God is the suffering I see all around me. So if I want to Minister the way He calls for us all to do, then I need to spend more time on ME than anything or anyone else. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It’s amazing to see how God can Multiply everything on the planet…even things like Compassion and Love when we let Him. If we genuinely desire to have a Heart like His…to “love your neighbor as yourself”…to “hate the sin but love the sinner”…it’s not always an easy Journey. Sometimes we need to work on our own Hearts to have the supernatural ability to pull this off, and sometimes we have to deal with the suffering that comes through Compassion. Jesus is the Perfect definition of Compassion – from the way He lived to the way He died. The Bible says He was “moved with compassion” – which literally means that He suffered physically over the pain and suffering of another. Every single time Jesus was overcome with Compassion over pain and suffering He took Action to fill the need and to Minister to the Heart. It doesn’t take a genius to see the lack of Compassion in a suffering world these days as so many Children of God are dwelling on the “bad” without sharing the Good. But suffering always has a Purpose and it can always work together for Good…FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM and are called according to His Purpose.”

They say to “be careful what you wish for” but we should be careful what we pray for too! If we ask the Author and Perfector of our Faith to fill us with Christ-like Compassion for others, He will. But that’s not an easy Journey either because He’ll do whatever He needs to do to Tenderize the Heart to a point where Compassion for others overflows. After He’s taken us to the Spiritual Woodshed and He Refined the Heart for the Journey, THEN it becomes impossible NOT to feel the suffering of another. When we see someone destined for Hell, we speak up about Jesus! When we see someone consumed by hate, we show them Love. When we see a thief desperate for tangible things, we give them the shirt off our back. When someone goes against us, we turn the other cheek. When we see someone determined to cause dissension we Speak words that can calm any storm. When we see someone sewing discord, we Love them enough to tell the Truth. We can’t do any of these things on our own – and we can’t Love the way He instructs us to Love without FIRST being tenderized through our OWN suffering and THEN determining to have a Heart like His. Our own suffering is the Key to being sensitive and Compassionate over the suffering of others and Compassion is the Key to our story of Hope.

I’ve got a little suffering going on in my life these days, but I know that my suffering has a Purpose much greater than I can see on this side of Heaven and that God will use my Suffering to bring Glory to Himself. It’s not an easy Journey feeling the pain of others, but it is supposed to be the Core of our Faith and the thing that propels us to Love even the “worst of the worst” and to take Action…the same as it did for the One Who died for us all. I’ve been Strengthened for this new day and my Heart has been Tenderized by the King – my suffering has been put into Heavenly Perspective and I’m ready to be a Blessing in this suffering world.

How about you?

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” – Ephesians 4:32

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s one of those perfect mornings destined to have clear skies and a cool breeze and nature is coming alive all around this old farm. It’s as if everything around me is Celebrating, not just the arrival of Spring, but the fact that it endured the long winter. Endurance doesn’t mean to merely survive. Endurance is the pressing on through those tough things with a determination to see it through. As I consider the endurance of nature around me, I am reminded of the importance of endurance in my life too. If I want to see Victory, I have to do a whole lot more than just ride out this Life…I need to PRESS ON. Isn’t that the way you look at Life too?

It doesn’t take a whole lot of strength or stamina to ride things out when adversity strikes in life. Some people take to things that will distract them from their troubles while some go into denial. Some people get mad when things get tough and they kick and stomp like a toddler as if they don’t deserve to suffer; while some surrender to depression and hide from the world. Some people easily lose hope and in their weakness, they don’t believe that things will get better one day soon; while some people walk away in an attempt to abandon the trials completely. None of these reactions are surprising at all when you consider the difference between “getting through” and “pressing on.” Unless life is snuffed out in the process, anybody or anything can “get through” the hard times. But it’s the endurance…the pressing on…the determination that sees us through AND GROWS us through our adversity.

Endurance requires faith, patience, and an unwavering Belief that the Great “I Am” is much bigger than the adversity and that He has a Master Plan that will lead to Victory IF we just keep pressing on.

Sometimes people wonder why my life has been so filled with adversity and they’ll sometimes point a finger in judgment as if to say “you brought this on yourself.” But what they don’t see is that the minute adversity strikes my Life I hit my knees just like David did. Not to beg to be delivered from the adversity itself – although there is a time and a place for that -instead, I appeal to my God to show me the Lesson He has for ME through it all. Because I know God refines His people through FIRE, I’m ready to learn and to grow no matter what. I ask Him for the Strength to endure – but MORE than that, I press into God more than ever, and I press on through the fire with everything I’ve got – and before you know it, the sea has calmed and my Faith has grown and I can see the Beauty in the pain. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing.”

When people comment on my Strength it makes me laugh because I’m not strong at all…I’m just determined to press on to finish my race well. God says “My grace is sufficient for you and my Power is made perfect in weakness” and He’s proven that to be true hundreds of times in my Life. Anybody can sit back and ride out a storm but not everybody will fight to endure or look to grow through the pain. I’m a walking testimony of the power of a Mighty God and it took a whole lot of endurance to PRESS ON to tenderize my heart for the “job.”

How about you?

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus – Philippians 3:14