Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. Everywhere you look from this old farm you’ll see the signs of the Fall season…from the changing colors to the leaves that have left the trees and are now on the ground. I can enjoy the Work of His Hands from anywhere I sit (on and off the farm), and no matter the season; it all looks good to me. I marvel at His Majesty. He changes the seasons of my Life the same way He changes the seasons in the world around me, and I know that each one has a Divine Purpose for me. As long as I consider each Season to be driven by the King; I’ll keep rolling with the flow and looking for the Good through it all. Isn’t that what you do to?

I have had so many different Seasons in my life. Some were filled with joy and some were out-shadowed by despair. Some were focused merely on survival and some were so busy that I overlooked the need to pause to enjoy the Season itself. There has been a Season or two in my Life where I had no desire to step out onto the front porch at all, and pausing at this window to take in the view wouldn’t have even hit my radar screen. Some Seasons were like a breath of wind…they came and they went very quickly. But there has been a Season or two that took the wind out of my sails for a while and I allowed them last too long because of it. No matter the Season, the good and the not-so-good, they have all had a Divine Purpose for me and each Season has lead me to where I am today. I have been Tenderized by the King through parts of my journey and I’ve been Seasoned by the King through it all. I’ve been broken and then built back up to become a Vessel that can be used by the Living God and there is no greater honor…not in this Season called “life” and not for eternity. It’s on that Journey “back up” that we find our Strength and we see the Purpose behind the Season, and until we can “get” that part; we can’t grow through the Seasons at all.

When you’ve lived through Seasons that are colorless; it’s easy to see the Beauty once the veil is lifted and Life gets back on track. I don’t miss much in Life anymore because I’ve been taught to see the beauty in it all. I’ve learned about priorities the hard way and I’ve been reminded of the frailty of my life. One of the biggest Lesson of all, and one that took a few very difficult Seasons for me to grasp, is that when I “face trials of many kinds” that I am supposed to “consider it pure joy”…NOT because I’m going through the Trial…but because of the Lessons I’ll learn in the in the process. It’s those trials that will transform me into a better version of me and the trials will make me Stronger….IF I understand that there is Divine Purpose in the Season itself. Now that I’m on this side of so many refining Seasons, it’s very difficult for me to see other people hitting the “rough spots” and moving on without learning anything at all. It’s difficult to listen to the whining as people question the Living God as if because they Know Him they should have an easier time of it. It’s sad to see how few understand that bad things DO happen to Good people…for a Divine Purpose and that it will “ALL work together for good” whether we see the Purpose on this side of Heaven or not! I wonder what it will take for Him to finally get their attention?

I’m enjoying the Fall season of this year…I’m enjoy the Fall season of my life AND I’m celebrating all those Seasons that have refined me so that I can be used by the King of Kings and ALL of those things that transformed me into the woman I am today. I’m a child of the Living God…I’m a willing Vessel…and I am living proof that “ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.  I wouldn’t change a thing.

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 at the break of dawn and it’s almost as if I could hear the voice of the Father as the world around me celebrated this new day. It’s not springtime but you’d never know it from the sounds of the birds. They seem happy with the new morning and they’re staying busy looking for their food. I think we could all learn a few things from the birds when it comes to living each new day for what it is without a focus on what we’ll have tomorrow, and I believe we’d find a whole lot of peace in the process. Doesn’t that sound more appealing to you?

We may be more capable than the birds of the air, but our lives are so similar when you think about it. We have a sense of security as we approach each new day but there are so few things that we can bank on. We know that the sun will come up and the sun will go down and if we’re still breathing; we’ll enjoy them both…at least for one more time. We know that we’ll experience a lot of happy days throughout the journey of life and we know that we’ll experience some sorrow. Most of us know that we’ll have food on the table and a roof over our heads today, but there are no guarantees that we’ll have them tomorrow. We can store up our food for the winter the same way the squirrels do around the farm, but there is no guarantee that it will be there for us tomorrow when we need it. We are loved and we love back, and it’s those things of the heart that bring the greatest joy in this life; but there are no guarantees that the ones we love will be there tomorrow for us to love. It’s only when we consider how frail (and how brief) our lives really are do we learn to live each day to it’s fullest and we learn to appreciate what we have today without much worry about tomorrow.

We know for sure that one day life will cease to exist for each of us and that our days are determined by the One who gave us this life to live. It could cease on this very day or it could cease decades from now, but it will cease for all. One day we’ll be here and the next day we won’t and if we live our lives with any depth at all; there will be a void when we cease to exist here on earth. But the part of us that will die is the LEAST of us, and although it will get buried or burned one day; the best of us will go on forever. We know for sure that the choice we make for the Best of us will determine where we’ll spend our forever. Some people see their lives like that of the birds. Here today, gone tomorrow and when it’s over it’s over. But that make no sense at all. Some people live on the edge and even though they know that the choice they make for the Best of them needs to be made; they’re rather take their chances and roll the dice that they’ll be able to make it before they draw their last breath. But there are some of us that understand what this life is really all about and we know what Life will look like us forever based on our choices for the Best of us. We look at Life a whole lot differently than the rest of the world and we understand that what we have today may be gone tomorrow. We live out our lives like those carefree birds at the farm…we work hard on each new day and we don’t try to plan too far ahead. We understand where our sustenance really comes from and we don’t fret for our provisions. We have Peace and we have Joy and we have a Lifetime Guarantee that will be honored for all of eternity. When you look at it that way; how could anybody NOT make a choice for the Best of them?

I will enjoy every second of this new day and I’ll do my best to make it my best. I am confident about the Best part of me and I’ll be ready and waiting to explain my Lifetime Guarantee to anybody put in my path today. Some of them may fly away and they won’t give a second thought to the Best part of themselves BUT there will always be some that want what I have and when I tell them about the Master Plan they’ll make the best choice for the Best of them.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s bright and it’s beautiful and it’s just the kind of morning that propels my heart in to gratitude-mode before I ever formally meet with the Living God. I am forever in awe of the Work of His Hands and I am forever amazed by lessons that can be learned by nature around me. This deer venturing out for breakfast seemed to be reaching high for breakfast as though he knew that soon the higher vegetation would be lost until spring. He was traveling alone and wasting no time as if he wanted to be sure to get his share before anybody else showed up. What a powerful reminder straight from the Throne of my God of what greed looks like.

Greed comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes and most people fail to recognize greed in their own hearts. Greed stems from a heart that has an elevated self-worth and from an entitled mind.  It’s easy to point at successful people and at the mere mention of business we label them “greedy” as if talking about business defines the heart. But greed goes well beyond those monetary things. Greed is the rush to get to that parking spot before the other guy does. Greed is running back to the trough for another helping before it runs out with no consideration for others. Greed is walking past those suffering souls on a street corner without feeling their pain. Greed is saying the wrong thing and doing the wrong thing to be sure to be first or to be best. Greed is finding money on the ground or getting too much change at the check out with no thought to the one suffering the loss at all. Greed comes in all kinds of shapes and sizes and it has no place in the Kingdom of God. After all, the first commandment, and the one that is “greater” than all the others, is to “love thy neighbor as thyself”. This is the key to Christ-like character.

It’s easy for most of us to love the family “as thyself” and it’s easy for most of us to put their needs above our own. But it’s an entirely different story when it goes beyond the comfort of our homes; where the test of character is made and where greed can shine brighter than Faith. “Love thy neighbor as thyself” doesn’t come with exclusions. It isn’t followed up with “if they’re nice to you” or “if they’re beautiful” or “if they behave themselves” or “if they share your faith” or “if they’re the same color as you are” or “if they’re the same class as you are”. There are no exclusions in the command to “love they neighbor as thyself” whatsoever. It’s no big deal at all to love lovable people….anybody can pull that off. But loving those difficult-to-love people is an entirely different story. Loving through the challenges is ONLY made possible when we have Christ-like character and when we understand that Christ died for all. “Love thy neighbor as THYSELF”.

I’ll be focused on my business and I’ll be pursing my income today but there will be no greed within me. My determination to make a living has nothing at all to do with the condition of my heart and my determination does not be defined as “greed”. I’ll love the lovable and if I face a challenge with another or if someone does me wrong today, I’ll dig deep to love the unlovable too. How will they ever see Christ in me if I don’t learn to take on Christ-like character?

Do you strive to have the Character of Christ or do you excuse yourself for your own behavior as if you’re exempt from the Rules? “Love thy neighbor as thyself”.

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 anticipation this morning, and I was ready to meet with the Living God to build my Strength and to get my Marching Orders for Life. I don’t know what’s in store for me on this new day, but I do know that if all is well with me and my soul; I’ll be ready for whatever comes my way. It takes a lot of work to be readied for this Life and when I fail to do the work that it takes to be a Strong Vessel, I flop around like a fish out of water. Instead, I prepare like a Warrior and I do my part to be sure that I’m “like salt of the earth” while I’m here. Isn’t that what you do too?

There are countless analogies in the Bible for the way we are to live our lives as people of Faith, but one of my favorites is “like salt on the earth”. Salt enhances the flavor of our food and salt can be a preservative. When there isn’t enough salt where it ought to be, our food is bland and tasteless and it brings no pleasure to the palate at all. We tolerate food that is lacking in salt and we rarely go back for seconds. The bland has no good impact on us at all and we have nothing good to say to others about it. On the other hand, when we tip the salt too much and we over salt our food, we manage to out-shadow the original flavor entirely. Our food becomes bitter and the delicious can no longer be recognized because the salt has overtaken it. Too much salt can ruin the finest delicacy and the bitterness we taste can cause us to spit it out of our mouths with no desire for more whatsoever. Having just the right balance of salt enhances the food just right, it brings out the best flavor and it causes everyone who gets a taste of it to want to come back for more. For me to be “like salt on the earth” I need to be sure that I find the right balance…not too bland and not too salty and when I do; I know that the “flavor” of my Life is pleasing to the King.

We live in a world with tons of people who have no clue about what it means to be “like salt on the earth”. There are lots and lots of people claiming my Faith that are so bland that the Flavor of Faith can’t be recognized at all, and nobody they encounter wants to come back for seconds. Then there are other people claiming my Faith that pour “salt” on everything and everyone around them and they don’t care if they destroy the Flavor of the Faith at all. The bitterness that streams from them with their heavy-handed Salt shaker causes other people NOT of Faith to spit the Food out of their mouths and they never want to return for seconds. But when people of Faith embrace what it means to be “like salt on the earth” and they work hard to find the Right Balance, their lives are appealing to the world around them, and it’s that Enhanced Flavor of our lives that causes others to want to come back for more. Our Faith is Sweet, and it’s Filling and it should lead the world to hunger for more….WHEN we find the right Balance and we know how to use the Salt.

I’ve found my Balance in the Presence of my God this morning and I’m ready to Enhance my world with my Faith today. You won’t catch me being bland and I’ll be sure not to over salt my world so that the bitterness of my Faith doesn’t cause them to run. I’ll live this day with the “flavor” of Christ that is so sweet and so appealing that the world around me wants to come back for seconds. I’ll be striving to be “like salt on the earth”.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The hint of winter is in the air and it was too cold for me to sit outside for long this morning. But in just the little time I weathered the cold, my soul was warmed beyond measure. My life has been chaotic for weeks and although my time with the Living God never ceases, the time to savor the world around me took a back seat to my busyness and I’ve been feeling the loss. But after just one morning to savor, one more day to take it all in, one more day to focus on His creation, one more day to ponder His Majesty and I am refreshed and revived and full of hope and joy all over again. Isn’t that what savoring Him does for you too?

It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and it’s easy to lose time to savor when we do. Like hamsters racing on a wheel, we can run and run to accomplish those things on the to-do list and we don’t slow down long enough to look beyond the wheel to savor the Greatest things. We can get so caught up in preparing the perfect meal for our family and friends that we never look beyond the work of our hands to savor the hearts of those we serve. We can get so caught up in the routine of shuffling kids off to bed for the night that we never look beyond the exhaustion to savor the moments that pass so quickly. We can get so caught up in our daily lives and our work that we never look beyond the surface of all of those people we encounter to savor the chance to share a smile or a kind and compassionate word. We can get so caught up in all of the madness of the world and all of the bad that we see that we never look beyond the tragedies to savor our own peace and well-being. There’s a whole lot that we lose out on when we stay so busy that we neglect to savor but the Greatest of all is our Peace and Purpose.

I’ve become a master at savoring the Master and the work of His Hands but it all began long before I knew Him. I’d rather sit down and share a cup of coffee and a good conversation with someone than to rush off to take in the finest museum or a good movie. There’s a whole lot more entertainment there for me that comes from savoring those precious moments that I know may never pass my way again. I’d rather hear their words and savor their laugh than to rush off to take in the sounds of a symphony or to be part of a concert. I’d rather listen to the sounds of a child attempting to read a book at bedtime than to tune in to any other audible book option on the planet. I’ve been accused of being an “old soul” countless times but I’m not an “old soul” at all. I’m just a woman who loves to savor the moments in life and it shows. People in my world know that I care and because I take the time to savor; they know who to turn to when they need to be heard. I wear my Faith on my sleeve and I’m wrapped in Compassion from Christ and it shows. When people think of me, my Faith is the first thing that comes to mind. I savor my King…I take time with my Lord…and it shows. This is the key to walking the Walk and talking the Talk.

I’ll be savoring lots of things on this beautiful October morning but it all begins by savoring the Living God and the work of His Hands for me. When I consider all that He is and all that He’s done for me I get excited and I can’t wait to share Him with my world. I’ll savor every moment and every encounter today and you can be sure that His Name will come up in every conversation as naturally as I breathe…with love, and kindness and Christ-like compassion. The world will see Him in me as I savor His Plans and His Purpose for me today.

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. All of my senses came alive when I met with the Master this morning. The fields were cut yesterday and the smell of fresh cut hay was heavenly. I watched a few deer run across the fields as if they were protesting the cutting of their hiding place. I could hear the cries of a mourning dove and the other birds sounded as if they were trying to keep of with that beautiful sound. If all I did this morning was to give thanks for the Hand of my Creator and all of His splendor it would have been enough for me. But we always have a whole lot more Heavenly business to do especially over things in my life that aren’t so beautiful; so to His Throne I went. Acknowledging the Good is one thing; being willing to seek His Face and to abide by His Instructions over the not-so-good is another. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It’s a blessing to be content in life, but finding true contentment is a choice and it takes a lot of work. Every life has trials and tribulations and plenty of heartbreak. Being content doesn’t mean that we’ve slipped by without those things, it means that we see them as Steps in the Right direction instead of seasons to make us miserable. We see them as an opportunity to learn and an opportunity to improve. We see them as having a multi-faceted Purpose instead of a direct hit on our world. We see them as a chance to make our character stronger and our hearts softer. Sometimes we see them as “taking one for the Team” so that our experiences can be used to walk someone else through the same thing one day. There is no place for pity parties if we want to find true contentment in life because nothing we experience is intended to be against us; it’s intended to be FOR us and for His Purpose for our Lives. It’s when we overlook the Hand of God and we refuse to Trust His Will for us that we lose our peace and we toss our contentment into the abyss.

Every single person we read about in the Bible went through the Fire of Trials to build their Character into one that could be used by the King AND one that was worthy to share with the World. These are our role models and our mentors. From the murderers to the rapists, from thieves to the harden hearts and the broken hearts…there are lessons of Victory (and comfort) that comes from each one of them, and it was the Trial that transformed them into people “the world was not worthy of”. Most of us require a lot of trials to build our Character, but trials require that we be willing to put ourselves “out there” and most people are too cowardly or to vain to do that so they choose to hide in a foxhole instead. Living in a foxhole is a safe place to be, and you probably won’t see a lot of turmoil if you stay there; but there is no life and no joy and no growth and no Purpose in a foxhole. Some of us go through unbelievable Trials, but when we get to Victory; we refuse to share with the World. Withholding His Work out of pride or arrogance serves no Purpose at all, because it’s the getting-to-Victory-part that is an opportunity to give Glory to the Mighty God who sees us through. True contentment comes by understanding the Journey and being willing to run the Race through it all.

I enjoyed His Splendor from the front porch this morning and I refused to dwell on the imperfections of this old farm. It’s a perpetual work in progress just like I am, and somehow all of its flaws remind me of mine. Some of the “flaws” are War Wounds and some of them signs of a little wear and tear necessary on the Journey to Victory. But all of the “flaws” are signs of Living outside of a foxhole and they are proof of true Contentment that can only be found when we mix the Good with the not-so-good and we never stop chasing the Victory.

Find your contentment today.

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I don’t think it’s possible to see a mediocre sunrise or sunset ESPECIALLY in the Fall of the year and I’m savoring each one as if it’s the last I’ll ever see. I don’t have a morbid obsession with death nor am I counting down the days I have left; but I am acutely aware of the frailty of life and I refuse to waste any of it at all. I’ve always been one to savor life and I’ve never been one to lose precious moments that can easily be captured if I anticipate them. But the older I get and the closer I draw to the Living God; the more beautiful life around me becomes and the more I want to savor ALL of it with ALL of me. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

It’s so easy to take life for granted if we aren’t careful. We fail to look up (or to get up) to capture a sunrise and, more often than not, a television show takes the place of the sunset. We roll out of bed and scurry off to begin the new day and most of the time we don’t think twice about being physically able to do so. We throw the kids in the backseat and rush off to wherever it is we need to be and most of the time a TV monitor in the back seat or a cell phone conversation in the front seat replaces those little voices and all their sweetness that can only be heard when listen for them. Family meal time has become a thing of the past and instead of sharing a meal together at the same table at the same time, one is here and one is there…one is texting and one is watching television and the opportunity to hear about what’s going on the life of the other is lost forever.

I don’t want to wake up one day and wonder what happened with my life and I don’t want to squander my time. I don’t want to trade conversations and belly laughs for television and I don’t want to miss out on all of those precious little moments that come when you anticipate them. I anticipate great things because I serve a Great God and I treasure the beauty because it’s all a Gift from Him AND because I am acutely aware of the frailty of life. I can only imagine what Heaven is going to be like but I anticipate going there too. With an earth filled beauty that is impossible for me to capture in pictures or describe with words; Heaven is going to blow my mind. When I get to Heaven I’ll be busy doing the Work that He’s been preparing me for all along, but when I get there time will stand still and I’ll be there forever. I guess it’s possible for some people to go to Heaven and to spend eternity on the sidelines…but not me. I know that if I savor what He has for me here,and I work with His Plans and His Purpose in mind; I won’t be on the Sidelines…I’ll just be doing a Heavenly version of His Work intended just for me. With that in mind, who in the world would take Life for granted or be willing to squander their time?

This new day was beautiful when it first began and it will be beautiful until it ends too. No doubt I’ll savor all that I can and you won’t find me squandering. Instead you’ll find me ANTICIPATING Great things and when you look for Great things from God; you see them every time. How about you? Are you so caught up in that life of yours that one day blends into another while you squander the Gift of it all and are you at risk of spending Eternity on the sidelines? If so, reach out to me. I’ll introduce you to my Glorious God and I’ll show you a side of His Creation you’ve apparently never seen before AND THEN we’ll have a little chat about the frailty of Life and what’s expected of you on the Journey, and when I’m done with you; you’ll be anticipating Great things and you’ll be savoring the moments like never before!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The fog is heavy on the fields this morning and it looks a little mysterious because of it. As I met with the Living God this morning I considered the mysteries in life and how difficult the journey would be if I couldn’t trust beyond what I can see. As surely as I know that there is a pond and there are trees somewhere beyond the fog over the fields, I know that there are Plans unfolding for my life and there are results from my efforts for Him far beyond what I can see. What a sweet reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that I need to Trust His Plans and I need to keep persevering through the fog regardless of what I see.

Sometimes it feels like we’re working so hard and we get discouraged when we don’t see the results of our labor. But our labor is never fruitless and the results of our labor will often be seen somewhere down the line when the fog clears. Sometimes it feels like we give our heart to another and we get discouraged when we don’t see the results of our efforts. But a heart is never wasted when it’s given sacrificially and the results of the gift is often seen after the fog clears. Sometimes it feels like we share our Faith over and over again and we get discouraged when we don’t see results. But planting seeds of our Faith is never wasted even when it seems to fall on deaf ears and those seeds will often take root after the fog clears. Sometimes it feels like we share wisdom in times when it’s needed and we get discouraged when the wisdom is ignored. But Wisdom is never wasted and the results of the gift will often be seen only after the fog clears. None of our efforts should be gauged by the results that we see on this side of the fog. When we look for the results to be “right here and right now”, we miss the beauty of what God does with all of those seeds that were planted and that are hidden in places we cannot see. This is the key to perseverance.

It takes trust in the Master Plan to be able to find our peace when things don’t go the way we believe they should go or when we long to see the fruit of our efforts right away. But every single thing we do FOR Him and every single thing we do WITH Him has Purpose, and all of those seeds that we plant will take root in His time… if we refuse to quit planting and we learn to Trust through the fog to the results that we may not see on this side of Heaven.

I’m planting seeds and I’m trusting beyond the fog to the Master of all Life and I’ll keep persevering EVEN IF I don’t see the fruit of my labor in this lifetime. How about you? Are you so results driven that you can’t rely on the Living God for those things you cannot see and do you give up when things don’t happen when and how you think they should? IF so, reach out to me. It sounds like you need a Good Lesson in those Eternal Plans that we can’t see and you might need a reminder of what Faith looks like, and when I’m done with you; you’ll never quit planting seeds and you’ll stop gauging the value of your efforts only on Results that you can see with your own eyes too!

“He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” Jeremiah 17:8

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God long before the sun rose in the morning sky, and He took me to the Spiritual Woodshed for a little Talkin’ to. One minute I’m praising Him and placing my Requests before His Throne, and the next minute I’m hanging my head in shame over some things that need to be made right. We are more precious than gold to Him, and the only way for those things to ever be made right is if we are willing to spend time with the Refiner and we’re willing to endure His fire. When He reveals these things to us; He’s ready to take us “by the right hand and Lead” us and He’s ready, willing and able to Forgive whatever it is. So off to the Spiritual Woodshed I went, and I’m more pleasing in His eyes now because of it. Isn’t that the way it works for you too?

I think it’s pretty sad that most people of Faith either don’t believe any Refining is necessary for them OR they refuse to talk about the Woodshed for fear of anybody else knowing they aren’t quite as perfect as their world thinks they are. As long as the heart is content with things “just the way they are”, and as long as we refuse to strive to be ALL that we can be for Him, we can’t expect to grow into all that He Created us to be. He shapes and molds AND Refines those He loves, so the Woodshed is a necessary step to transform our Lives into something that will use to Glorify Himself. “No pain…no gain” is more true for our Spiritual fitness than it is for our physical fitness but it’s hard for some to believe that God allows a little pain for His own gain…but He does. The closer we draw to Him the hotter the fire to Refine us because He wants His “Gold” to be pure. I don’t like going to the Spiritual Woodshed and it would make me a whole lot happier if I never needed to, but I sure do like to know that He loves me enough to Refine me and that I’m more pleasing to Him when after my Visit. This is the key Spiritual growth.

It’s a dangerous thing when Christians say “nobody’s perfect” or “everybody sins” or “God loves me anyway”. All these things are TRUE but they’re more of a Spiritual cop-out than anything else. It somehow makes these guys feel better about their Flaws if they remind the world that God is still there and He’s always ready to forgive. Although forgiveness is the Biggest part of the Spiritual Equation; it’s not the ONLY part of the equation. If He took on the role of Redeemer and He’s already paid the price for every wrong we’ve ever committed or ever will, and if our hearts are sincerely Grateful for the Price he paid for us; then desire to please Him comes automatically and all those excuses for our wrongs are just lame attempts to mock His gift to us. I know that there is absolutely NOTHING I can do that could push the limit on His forgiveness…He paid the Price for it ALL on the Cross. But when I think about what He’s done for me even though I didn’t deserve it; I want to please Him and serve Him and be all that He created me to be. This is the key to Spiritual Maturity.

I’m a grown-up woman and a grown-up Christian but I’ll be busy working on my Maturity every single day that I draw breath into this old body; because I want to please Him. When He needs to take me to the Spiritual Woodshed; I won’t run and I won’t hide because I know that whatever it is that He’s calling attention to…I need to make it right. How about you? Do you like things “just the way they are” and do you refuse to Mature because you buy in to the lie that it’s not necessary to endure a little Spiritual pain if we want to have the Biggest gain? If so, reach out to me. I’m happy to set you straight on the Journey and I’m happy to show you how God uses pain for His Glory every single time, and when I’m done with you; you’ll spend a little more time with the Refiner and you’ll be eager to be considered His Gold too!

“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” 1 Corinthians 13:11

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The cool Fall mornings are my favorites of all, and my time with the Living God at daybreak is even richer when my outer world is pleasing to me. We had a little Business to do on my Heart this morning, and as I called out to the One who Created me; I wept. Everything that came to my mind and my heart made me cry. Happy tears and sad tears and tears of doubt and tears of shame. When I looked up to take in the beauty of the morning, I saw dew dripping down the Christian flag just like those tears dripping down my face. What a sweet reminder from a loving God that my Walk through this Life and the boldness of my Faith will sometimes comes with a few tears. But as surely as His Warmth will dry this flag after just a little time in sun; His warmth will dry my tears too if I linger in His Presence long enough. Isn’t that the way it is for you too?

I believe that the biggest turning point in our Faith comes when we embrace the fact that we were ONLY Created for His Purpose. That’s the source of our Peace and the source of our Joy and it puts all of the pieces of Life together…it’s the ONLY thing that makes our lives make sense at all. But most people don’t “get it”. They somehow have convinced themselves that life is all about what they can get out of it for as long as they live, and they somehow believe they exist for their own joy. They question everything that happens and they fight against the Flow and they determine to make things be the way they believe they should be instead of considering His Plan and His Purpose in it all. When good things happen they easily shout out a “Hallelujah” but when bad things happen they question His Will. My greatest Joy is knowing that my life has been stamped by His Hand for His Purpose and that every single piece of it belongs to Him. Some pieces make me cry and some pieces bring me profound sadness but EVERY piece has a Purpose beyond my ability to comprehend. This one significant piece of my Faith is the source of my Peace, my Joy, my Contentment, my Strength and Unconditional Love. I was Created for His Purpose and I’m Destined for Greatness. Why would I try to “own” all of the pieces of life when I can find my Peace only by accepting His Purpose for my Life every step of the way?

Sometimes I cry when I don’t have the answers, but I know that if I stay in His Presence and I ask Him for Wisdom; He’ll provide it to me every time. Sometimes I cry out of frustration over my circumstances, but I know that if I stay in His Presence and seek His Will; He’ll always put me on the right path. Sometimes I cry because I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for all that He is and all that He does for me because I know that I don’t deserve it; but He gives His love to me freely and unconditionally no matter what. Sometimes I cry because I’m humbled by the Work that He places in my Hands because I don’t believe that I can measure up; but EVERYBODY measures up in His eyes, and all He ever looks for is a Vessel willing to live out Life according to His Purpose and not their own. Living out Life with only His Plan in mind may look like the loss of freedom for those people who don’t “get it”. But living out Life according to His Purpose and His Plan is the ONLY Freedom that matters at all and it’s the ONLY way to find True fulfillment and Peace in life at all.

I shed a whole lot of tears this morning but every single one of them has been dried by His Warmth and my heart is singing for Joy as I set out to fulfill His Purpose for this new day. How about you? Will this new day be about YOUR Plans or will this new day be about HIS Plans for you?

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His Purpose” Romans 8:28