Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God outside despite the cold temperature and I flipped the pages of my Instruction Manual with gloves on determined to spend my time outside instead of inside this morning. What began as a quiet time surrounded by the beauty of this old farm transitioned into a celebration. What started out with reflection on the events of this year that is soon to be behind me, turned into a Reflection on my Life and how far I’ve come. In the quiet of this cold morning, God painted a picture that was so profound that it brought me to my knees and it put a “song of Praise on my lips”. Nothing on the planet could possibly compare to what it’s like when God takes us down Memory Lane to remind us of His Greatness and His Hand through it all. Isn’t that the way it is for you sometimes too?

The world may look at my Life with an opinion of its own about my journey; but every step of my Journey has been ordained by the Living God so that I could be used for His Purpose for such a time as this. Maybe I was hard-headed and He knew that I wouldn’t “get it” without a whole lot of pain to soften me, or maybe He drove me to the depths to Strengthen me for His Work. I’ve been taken to the top of the Mountain and I’ve been thrown into the desert and I’ve been to the Spiritual Woodshed more often than I care to admit. I’ve been overwhelmed with Joy and I’ve been overwrought with sadness. I’ve had a life filled to the brim with my loved ones and friends, and I’ve lived on an island “alone”. I’ve known poverty and I’ve experienced prosperity and each of those taught me to give. I’ve made some bad decisions in my Life as I set out on my own, and I’ve been filled with supernatural Wisdom that surprises even me. I spent a long time in the desert during one Season and I squandered years that I can never relive and I’ve learned now to savor the seconds. I know what it is to hate and to be hated, and I know what it is to have a heart that can love Unconditionally. All of the Ingredients of my Life have produced a Masterpiece for Him and I have no regrets. I don’t waste a minute wishing that my Life would have turned out differently because He has made use of it all. The good, the bad and the ugly have shaped me into His willing Vessel and I am a Witness to the World of His Greatness.. When you look at it that way, how can we have any regrets?

He is the Potter and I am His clay and I know that He’ll use whatever means that He wants to use to shape me for Himself. It’s ONLY when we understand THAT PART of the Journey that we can find our Joy through it all. “Bad” things DO happen to good people and a lot of turmoil can come our way BECAUSE He loves us. There are consequences to our sin just the same as there are consequences for a wayward child, but one of biggest lies floating around in the Christian world is that if you’re living right…you won’t face trials. My Instruction Manual overflows with example after example of people being Refined with “fire” so that they could be shaped by the Potter…and we’re no different in His eyes. So, I wear my War Wounds proudly as I continue to be Shaped by the Potter and whatever He sends my way, I’ll use to Glorify Him. The good, the bad and the ugly.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The sky may be gloomy and the air may be cold, but it’s an entirely different story when it comes to the condition of my heart after my time with the Living God this morning. We had a little chat about this Season of my life this morning, and it didn’t take long for me to go from feeling a little old and worn-out to feeling excited about my Purpose and Energized to accomplish all of those things He still has for me to do. The trees around this old farm were a sweet reminder to me about how each one of us is in a different Phase of the same Journey. Some have already withered and lost their leaves and others are still hanging in there until the last gush of wind forces them down. What we do with each Season of life comes down to choice…not age. Isn’t that they way you see your life too?

I’m not sure who came up with the concept of “retirement” but it doesn’t come from God. Somehow we’ve put a specific time limit on how long we’ll be forced to work and how much money it will take to STOP, and most people use that timeline to stop making contributions to our world at all. Some people stay so focused on when they can stop working, that they forget to keep Living in the Process. But striving for that time for when the work stops, and the schedule lightens up, and the responsibilities slow down, while we become obsessed with doing as little as possible; is a very dangerous place to Live and it serves no Purpose at all. Nursing homes are filled with people that stopped living long before they die. They lost Purpose and productivity and they left all of the responsibilities of Life for another younger person to handle. But it’s when we stop having a Purpose, when we stop being Productive, when we stop forcing the body filled with aches and pains to keep Moving, when we stop surrounding ourselves with other people whose lives we CAN make a Difference in; that the living has already stopped and we’re just biding our time until we die. It’s ONLY when we comprehend that we don’t exist for our own pleasure (but for His Purpose) that we understand that “retirement” is not on the Agenda at all. Every day that is allotted to us has a Purpose greater than ourselves and you can bet that Purpose doesn’t involve doing as little as possible…EVER.

I’ve been through a few seasons in my life just like everybody else. The first season was wild and reckless and it had no purpose at all beyond myself. I stepped into my Faith in the next season and my first priority through that season was to raise healthy, happy and God-fearing generation. The kids are grown and gone now, but my Purpose in their Lives didn’t end when they left the nest, and it will continue through the next generation. The Spiritual message that my children teach my grandchildren will be reinforced by the example of Faith that I set too, and my prayers on their behalf are like “incense in Heaven” to my God. This is the last Season of my life and slowing down or “retiring” isn’t on my radar screen. I KNOW that this Season has a Purpose that is just as important to the Living God as the other Seasons of my Life and I won’t waste it, that’s for sure. My Responsibility to Change as many lives as I can doesn’t come with a retirement plan.

You’ll find me striving to fulfill the Purpose that God has for me for all the days of my life. You’ll find me being Productive and working hard for as long as I’m able…not just for as long as I’m willing. You’ll find me using my mind and moving my body to do my part to be Strong and Ready and able to Serve no matter how old I am. I can make a Difference in a whole lot of Lives while I’m still here and I won’t stop until He stops me.

Have you put a time limit on your Purpose?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s the first day of a new week and when I met with the Living God at daybreak my heart was already heavy. It felt almost as if I crawled into His presence desperately looking for hope; and Hope is what I found. It’s not my life that burdens my soul these days and it’s not my circumstances that have the potential to rob me of my peace and my hope. It’s life all around me that troubles my soul…a world so dark that the oppression is almost a tangible. With so much tragedy going on in the world around me, it’s not easy for me to keep my own Balance or to sustain my own sense of Hope. Sometimes I wake-up with a burden for this world, and when I do; it takes a little extra work to find what I need to face this life on this new day. I KNOW that ALL that I need…all of my Peace and my Strength and my Courage and my Joy can ONLY be found through Him. So, instead of wringing my hands about these things that trouble me; I run to my God. Isn’t that the way you deal with life sometimes too?

It’s so easy to become discouraged and to lose hope when we’re surrounded by tragedy; especially if we don’t understand where it comes from. Hundreds of innocent people shot over here and dozens of people shot over there. Innocent people run over by a truck on a busy street like yesterdays trash. Young girls being swept off and away from their families and robbed of their innocence forever. Millions of people consumed by addiction that has robbed their entire family of peace, and that may ultimately rob them of life. Parents and teachers doing unspeakable things to innocent children and parents taking the lives of their own children just to get even with the other. There’s no end to the tragedy, and it takes its toll on all of us; especially when we know that we are to strive each day to have the compassion of Christ, and if we determine to “love our neighbors” as ourselves. We aren’t instructed to extend compassion just to those we deem worthy, and we aren’t called to love just the “nice guys”. IF we don’t understand where the tragedies in this dark world REALLY comes from, and if we don’t know how to do our part to battle against it; it will discourage us and consume us and rob us of our Hope and our Peace as surely as we breathe. Just like any good soldier, if we’re going to Win the Battle the we need to understand who our Enemy really is and we need to recognize HIS part in the tragedies. It’s understanding where the tragedy in this life really comes from that leads us to the Direction of Hope through it all.

It’s nearly impossible to remember that the people doing those dark things that lead to unimaginable tragedies in our world are not the enemy at all. They may be pulling the trigger and they may doing the harm to the innocent, but they’re just being used by their commanding officer. The Bible says that “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm”. We’re in full force Spiritual War that takes place in a place that we can’t see with the human eye, but it’s being played our right before our eyes through tragedy after tragedy. Unfortunately, the battle against “good and evil” will get much worse before it Ends. So, if we’re going to do battle against this dark world, there’s only One Way to fight…we Fight like the Warriors we are called AND INSTRUCTED to be. We don’t need our own guns (yes, I have more than one) and we don’t need bombs to fight this fight. Our Marching Orders for this horrific time in history, in a world that is filled to the brim with tragedy after tragedy, have already been made known to us by my Commanding Officer. Better yet, we can be confident that we WILL WIN this Battle if we don’t forget how to fight it and if we never lose sight of the enemy’s schemes.

I may have dragged myself into His presence this morning and I may have temporarily let the tragedies of this dark world to discourage me, but I’m armed and I’m ready now and I’m confident that WE WIN all over again. I have Hope and Peace and Strength for it all. How about you?

MARCHING ORDERS FOR WAR:

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. This old porch is graced with four flags and they each represent something I stand for. As I sat before God this morning and I looked at those flags still wet with dew, I considered those things that I stand for, and I wondered if what I stand for is as easy for the world to see. It doesn’t matter much if people look at these four flags and they don’t “get” what they represent to me…but it matters a WHOLE lot if people look at my life and they don’t see what I stand for or Who I represent. Isn’t that something that you consider too?

It’s so easy for us to look at the outer edges of a person and to draw our own conclusions about what they stand for by what we see on the outside. Sometimes people attempt to put the world on notice about what they stand for by placing bumper stickers on their cars or by wearing a cross around their necks. Sometimes those things are intended to be gentle reminders and sometimes those things are intended to provoke. Just like the flags hanging on this front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent; they merely serve as decoration. Sometimes people attempt to make their mark on their world by tattooing their bodies or by piercing the skin in unimaginable ways. But just like the flags hanging on the front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent; they merely serve as body art. There is no end to what can be done in our attempt to put the world on notice about what we represent, but what we stand for takes a whole lot more than flying a flag over our lives. What we stand for takes action and words and relationship to be seen by the world.

I have a crazy sense of humor and I’ve had a roller coaster life, and if I never spoke up about what I stand for; the world may see me as just someone fun to be around and someone with lots good of stories. But nobody has to be in my presence for long before they see AND hear what I stand for and Who I represent. Some may perceive me to be ONLY interested in fun things and funny things because of my personality. But with just a glimmer of an opportunity to change my Tune to comfort a suffering soul or to speak Words of Wisdom from God; and what I stand for and Who I represent is front-and-center. Some may believe that I can find humor in anything…and there’s a lot of truth to that…and they might hesitate to share their pain with me for fear of me laughing at them. BUT with just a few words about my Life Journey and all of the pain I’ve endured in His Name, and they open up like a flower with no fear of judgment from me. I don’t rely on bumper stickers on my car or a cross around my neck to make a statement to the world about what I Stand for. I live it, I breathe it, I speak it…what I Stand for is a part of me and taking action with Words and relationship is as natural to me as breathing.

I like to think of myself as being a little like those flags that hang on the front porch. Bright and colorful, resilient, able to withstand the winds, flexible, bold and forever making a statement for the world to see. But you’ll never find me being a silent representation of what I Stand for or Who I Represent, and you won’t find me relying on some outward “sign” to make the statement on my behalf. I’m a child of the Living God and there is never a doubt about what I Stand for or Who I Represent.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The beauty of the Fall in Virginia defies words, and it’s almost as if God colors the world to lift my spirits before everything becomes brown and bare in the Winter. I met with the Living God this morning with an agenda of my own and I flipped through the pages of my Instruction Manual looking for direction. But my agenda was not His Agenda and in no time at all; He changed the course of our time. His Agenda opened my eyes…His Agenda penetrated my heart…His agenda revealed much more than I was looking for…His Agenda brought me to tears and His Agenda restored my soul. I may have selfishly gone before His Throne with an agenda of my own, but even so, if I’m just willing to meet with Him; He can bring His Agenda into focus every time. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

As a Child of the Living God, I know that my life is not my own… and that’s okay with me. He has an Agenda for my Life and my agenda will always take the backseat to His. As a child of the Living God I know that He knit me together in my mother’s womb, and that He continues to breathe life into my body for His Purpose; and not merely for my pleasure. As a child of the Living God I know that I have the ability to bring Him pleasure IF I’m doing what He created me to do to fulfill the Purpose for my Life. But my existence without my obedience can’t bring Him pleasure at all. Just the thought that I have the ability to bring pleasure to the One who died for me, the One who gave me Life, the One who Created the heavens and the earth and everything in between, brings joy to my life that I would NEVER know if my Life belonged to me. You might have trouble considering what it might be like to live a Life that’s not your own and to follow God’s agenda for your Life…but it’s a beautiful thing to be living out the Purpose for your life and it’s the most satisfying of all.

As a child of the Living God my past, my present and my Future are not my own either and they are intended to be an open book for all the world to see. Each time something amazing comes my way; it’s a chance to give Him praise for His Goodness and His Faithfulness and His Provisions for all the world to see. For those times in my life that I stumbled and I fell and I managed to make a huge mess out of my life; it’s a chance to give Him praise, NOT ONLY for seeing me through, but for giving me a stronger Testimony of the Power of my God and a tenderized heart willing to share with the world about His Greatness and His Forgiveness through it all. My pain and my trials have Prepared me to tell others about how I’ve “been there and done that” and how He has used each transgression to transform me into a better version of me…a stronger Vessel for Him…ready, willing and ABLE to Serve. My Future belongs to Him from this life and all the way to Forever. I know what Plans He has for me and I know that in my Future, there will be no more pain, or tears, or sickness, or death, or heartbreak, or anything that causes me to suffer here on this earth; and I’ll be with Him for Eternity. Now THAT’S a Future to look forward to, and with the Promise of a Future like that; how could I NOT share it with the world?

Each piece of my past, my present and my Future has a tremendous Purpose in His Plans and only I can fulfill them. I know how special I am to the Living God…He sent His one and only Son to die for me…He Created me for His Purpose…He provides for all of my needs…He’s my Father…my God..my Savior and my King. He’s turned up the heat in my life more times than I care to count in order TO REFINE ME into something Precious…His Treasure…His Vessel…His Child…more precious than gold to Him and one so eager to Serve. No, my life is not my own and I wouldn’t have it any other way! My past, my present AND MY FUTURE all belong to Him and they are an open book to share with world…they are ALL part of my Purpose for living and they are all preparing me for my Forever.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Fall is here to stay and the mornings are colder now, but the heat of the sun and the beauty of the foliage make it all worthwhile to bundle up for a little time on the front porch with my God. The older I get, the more I appreciate the changing seasons because now I see the value in each one. The changing seasons are a sweet reminder to me that not all seasons of my life are the same and they each have Purpose too. No more than I can wish away the cold Fall air or rewind the tape to the summertime, I can’t wish away the Seasons that I endure either. So I’ve learned to be content and resilient through it all. Isn’t that the way you look at your Seasons too?

It’s a blessing to be content, and it’s one of those things that most people never find in life at all. So many of us live in “if only” mode and we attempt to rationalize why we can’t be (or refuse to be) content until our Season changes. It’s easy to be content when we have everything in life that we want and when we’re trial-free. It’s an entirely different story to be content when we don’t. But what robs us of our contentment isn’t our circumstances or how much money we have in the bank or what kind of house we live in or if we have someone to share a life with. What robs us is how we view the Seasons and our own perception of the way WE believe things ought to be…in every chapter of life…according to us. Being content doesn’t mean that we’re emotional slugs and it doesn’t mean that we don’t strive for bigger and better things in our lives. Being content means that we understand that everything is a Process and we Trust that if we do our part; God will ALWAYS do His. Being content requires that we understand that all of us are unique Creations handmade by the Hand of God and that each one of us has a very specific Purpose in this Life. When we “get” that part, it’s easier to find contentment and to roll-with-the-flow through it all. It’s ONLY when we truly understand (and accept) that ALL of the changing Seasons have a Purpose much bigger than we can fully understand and it’s ONLY when we accept that IF we do our part; He’ll give us everything we need to endure the Season and He’ll see us through it all the way to to Victory. This is secret to true contentment.

There’s plenty in my life (or not in my life) that I could whine about if I didn’t know how to find my way to contentment. But I’m definitely doing my part to become the kind of woman that God wants me to be, and I’m definitely doing my part throughout this thing called “life” to make it the best that I can make it. I KNOW that those things that I could choose to whine about will fade, and the Season will change again in His time as surely as this Fall will turn to Winter. I’ve learned to be content through it all.

How about you?

“For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:11-13

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was cold and windy this morning so I sat at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee in hand while I waited for the Living God to wake up the world around me. My time didn’t have a whole lot of focus this morning and I wasn’t feeling drawn to any particular Message from my Instruction Manual. I talked to my God for a little while, I prayed for a little while and I read for a little while. Although I felt close to Him the way I usually do when I spend time with Him; no message penetrated my heart…UNTIL I looked out the kitchen window as the sun was rising, that is. All I could see on the horizon is what appeared to be like the 3 crosses on Calvary and the image made me weep. What a sweet reminder from my God this morning that all I really need to focus on is the Cross. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It’s so easy for people of Faith to get wrapped-around-the-axle with lots things. Some are Bible scholars and some are music majors. Some are busy in 3rd world countries and some are as busy as bees volunteering to do things within the church building itself. Some feed the homeless and some minister to the helpless and all of these things are usually done with the right Heart by people of Faith. But no matter how many good things we do, no matter how hard we work in our attempt to be pleasing to our God; we often overlook the Cross while we’re at it. We fluff up our words to be sure that we don’t offend anyone and, outside of the Easter season; we rarely tell others about the Cross at all. But it’s only when we can stay focused on the Cross that we find our humility and it’s only because of the Cross that we find our Freedom. The Cross is our only Hope, and if we accept the Price that was paid on the Cross; it’s the Redemption for debts we couldn’t begin to repay for ourselves. When we remain focused on what our Savior endured on our behalf when He hung on the Cross so long ago; we overflow with gratitude and we’re eager share the story of the Cross with the world.

I’ll be focused on the Cross more than anything or anybody else today and I’m so thankful for the images that I saw in the sunrise that served as a sweet reminder to me of what my Faith is really all about. Not the things that I do or the Words that I speak, but the Cross and the price that was paid on my behalf so long ago…the Price for my Freedom…the Price for my Eternity.

How about you?

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.
Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. There’s a full schedule waiting for me on this glorious October day, but I found my time to meet with the Living God before all the madness begins, and I because I did; I’ll be prepared for whatever comes my way and I’ll have all the time in the world to do what I need to do. I’m not sure how the rest of the world copes with the sadness and the madness of this dark world without a focus on Him; but I know that I’m powerless and I’m worthless without Him front-and-center. I’m not sure how the rest of the world looks at their role in this thing called “life” but I know that my Life is supposed to revolve around Him first and foremost. I’m not sure how the rest of the world views their responsibility as children of the Living God, but I know that my role is to share the Good News with the world. Is that the way you see your life too?

It’s so amazing to me how people of Faith can read the same Instruction Manual and get a different meaning. Some of the biggest differences in the Christian world are over different interpretations of the same Word of God. Most of the differences that we argue over aren’t deal breakers at all; but we fight and we fight to be heard. Plenty of people of Faith will skip over the painful parts of the Instruction Manual and they’ll excuse away why that part makes no sense for their lives; as if God has somehow become obsolete and the Rules have somehow changed for us all. Sometimes legalism gets in the midst of us and the ones who believe that they’ve been hand-picked to be judge and jury will focus on the others with criticism and disdain and their words sting everybody within shouting distance. These people usually don’t have a whole lot of friends in their world but they explain away their hard hearts and they have convinced themselves that “the Truth hurts” and it’s only because they speak it that others flee their world. There are lots of people of Faith who believe that their part to Serve the King is restricted to the confines of a brick and mortar building and they’ll work like beavers to clean or to teach while they Guard the Fort as if God isn’t up for the task. Then there are others who believe that if they pitch a few dollars in the offering plate as it passes by that they have fulfilled their obligation by “funding” others to do His Work. How sad it is to see so many people complicate the Journey and overlook the simplest of Rules like “love thy neighbor as thyself” and “go forth and make disciples of all nations”. Abiding by just these two Rules alone would be a game-changer in our world and the Fruit of our actions would make an Everlasting difference. But do we make any effort all all to follow them?

It takes a lot of work on the human heart to get to a place where we can even come close to loving our neighbor as ourselves. Instead we like to pick and choose who deserves our love, and we draw boundaries around our lives because of it. But anybody can love the people closest to them or people they ALLOW to come in to their world; it takes a Surrendered Heart to love all the others “as ourselves”. If we’re Instructed to go make disciples of other people, how are supposed to do that if we aren’t disciples ourselves? Day after day so many people of Faith don’t even open their mouths about the Living God much less do they hunger to Introduce Him to their world. Somehow they’ve convinced themselves that their responsibility is to fill up a pew on a Sunday morning or to clean or teach for their own. They have convinced themselves that as long as they’re living a respectable Life that they are fulfilling their Responsibility as people of Faith. But “go forth” is pretty clear and to “go forth” it requires a little action outside of our home or our church. Just these two Rules have the Power to transform this dark world into something unrecognizable with Results that would make an Everlasting Difference.

I’m working hard to follow these two Rules (and a host of others that please my God) and although I often fail; I’ll keep working and working to fulfill what He tells me to do until I draw my last breath.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Fall temperatures have been warm enough on most mornings to spend my time outside, so outside I stepped with coffee and Bible in hand this morning to meet with my God. My thoughts were as scattered as the clouds in the sky but I was determined to focus on the Light to find my way. So I sat there and I sat there and every other minute my mind jumped to something besides meeting with Him, UNTIL I called out “Here I am, Lord!” and when I did; things became crystal clear for me. My mind is a big part of my Walk in Faith but sometimes my mind can get in my way when it gets filled with so many worthless things. When that happens I do whatever I can to redirect my heart toward the Living God. Isn’t that what you do to get your focus back too?

It’s not easy to find the balance between the mind and the heart. The mind is a big part of walking out our Faith but the heart is the key to it all. The mind can recall Scripture whenever it’s needed but it can do a good job to cloud our Purpose too if we aren’t careful. The mind can fill us with excitement about opportunities on the horizon, but the mind can squash out the excitement with just the wrong thought or two. The mind can conjure up plans or ministries that we’d like to venture into, but the mind can fill us with excuses for why it’s not the right time.The mind can engage in a sermon and the mind can inspire some note taking, but it’s that same disciplined mind that can rip apart the message with little effort at all. But when you combine the intellectual mind with the Christ-like heart….look out world! That’s when we become unstoppable and that’s when we comprehend Victory. That’s when we understand Purpose and that’s when we lay down our own will for His without a second thought. That’s when we eyewitness supernatural things and that when we love unconditionally. It’s that kind of combination that drives us to do all things in His Name and it’s that winning Combination that will hold the other accountable to get us back on Track to fulling our Purpose every time.

If there is anything that can make me uncomfortable it’s hearing about how “good” I am at something. I blush on the other side of the compliment because I feel embarrassed to be getting the credit when it’s all due to Him. That’s what happens when the mind and the heart understand that there is “no good thing in me apart from Him”. I haven’t lost sight of what my life was like without Him in it and I know what my limitations look like without Him behind my efforts. I’m just an ordinary woman who has been made Extraordinary by His Purpose…and so are you. My life is NOT extraordinary because of me or anything that I’ve done to make it that way. My Life is Extraordinary because I have surrendered to fulfilling His Purpose for me. I speak up with “Here I am, Lord” and I don’t argue His Plans or His Purpose for me. I am acutely aware that I’m still drawing breath ONLY because He isn’t finished with me and I have an Extraordinary job to do…and so do you! But it takes a sound mind and a willing Heart to accomplish the Purpose that we were Created to fulfill. The mind without the heart isn’t worth a whole lot and the heart without the mind can wander around aimlessly. The combination of these two is the key to Diligence in our Faith.

The sky had some scattered clouds at daybreak and my mind had scattered thoughts. But as surely as the sun broke through the clouds, all of me kicked into gear when I said “Here I am, Lord”. Now my mind is in motion and my heart has been made Ready by the King. I’m a powerful and unstoppable Vessel for the King and His Purpose for my Life has made me Extraordinary.

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 Living God when it was still dark outside and as the sun came up in the sky most of my world was masked by the fog. I can’t see the mountains and I can’t see much of the fields, and if I relied on what I can see with my own eyes; I’d doubt their existence at all. But no amount of fog can cause me to doubt, because I’ve seen them and because I love them…they are a part of me, and I can feel them even when they’re shrouded in fog….and so it is with my God. Nothing can cause me to doubt and nothing can dim what I know because I’ve “seen” Him and because I love Him and He lives within me. “He’s the same yesterday and today and forever” and no matter what I see or don’t see with my human eyes; nothing will ever change when it comes to the Living God. Isn’t that the way you see Him too?

I was a hard-nut-to-crack when it comes to my Faith, because I spent most of my life straining to see what was ahead so that I could prepare myself for the upcoming storm. I took my own insecurities into my Faith and I’d reason and I’d rationalize and I made every attempt to anticipate God’s next move. I tried to think like He thinks and I’d tried to understand His reasoning, and when I didn’t see things going smoothly; I’d be inclined to believe that it wasn’t of God in the first place. I wanted clear and specific directions and I wanted my Marching Orders made known at every twist and turn in Life. I’d often sit in the fog and wait for “signs” of the Son or the “OK” to move forward, and more often than not; I was of no Good use because of it. Time and effort and Love have matured me since those early days, but the turning point for this hard-headed woman was when God brought the fog into my life and it was so thick and so dark that I couldn’t see any way through it or around it. My mind couldn’t come up with a plan for survival and I threw in the towel in my weakness, and when I did; God showed up. When I had no more strength to go on…He gave me Hope. When I had no plan for Survival…He opened doors. When I couldn’t figure out what my next step should be…He made my path straight. It’s only when I learned to Trust Him in the fog that I learned to Surrender to whatever He has Planned for me….yesterday, today and forever. This is what Faith looks like.

It’s when we get to that place of Surrender, and it’s only when we sincerely learn to Trust Him that we take our Boldest Steps. We don’t sit back and wait for step-by-step Instructions or “signs” no more than Moses did when he lead God’s people to the Promised Land. When Moses needed help; God was there to deliver. But every other day for those 40 years, Moses did his part. He kept putting one foot in front of the other and he used the Gift of his God-given mind and his God-prepared heart to get the job done. Moses had no earthly idea of what he would encounter as he lead millions of people toward God’s Plan for them, but that didn’t stop Him…he kept moving in Trust. I may not have been given a Moses-sized Purpose for this Life, but my Purpose is just as Inspired as the one Moses was called to walk through…and so is yours. But as long as we live in fear…as long as we wait for clear and specific instructions…as long as we look for “signs” to confirm our direction…as long as we wait for the “warm and fuzzies”…we aren’t living in Faith at all. Faith comes in when we move through the fog without knowing exactly where we’ll end up and Faith is working far beyond the fear to fulfill that God-sized Purpose for our lives…even if it doesn’t make sense to the world around us. This is what Trust looks like.

I’m looking past the Fog in my life and I’m confident of Good things. I see a piece of my Future through the fog and I’m excited. I don’t spin my wheels looking for rhyme and reason anymore because it rarely exists when it comes to God-sized Plans. When I can’t see; I’ll Trust Him. When I’m weary; I’ll Trust Him. When I don’t understand; I’ll Trust Him. And, just like Moses and a whole lot of others before me; I’ll keep doing my part. I’ll keep moving and I’ll use my God-given mind and my God-prepared heart to get there. This is what walking the Walk looks like.

How about you?