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 a little inadequate to accomplish all that He has for me in this Journey called Life. So, the Author and Perfecter of my Faith walked me down Broken Lane to remind me of how Strong I really am and just how it 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 everything 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 explanations for 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 “break” experience as if it’s just a minor setback and they’ll brush it off without a second thought. Some people experience brokenness, but 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 more sad to know that they can’t be Used by the King as long as they remain on Broken Lane. God takes Brokenness and Spins it into Strength IF we just accept the Purpose behind the storms.

I wish I could have avoided the pain and suffering of Broken Lane, but I wouldn’t 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) about 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 in 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 I’d refer to what God does as a “test,” but He definitely forces us to flex our Spiritual Muscles to make us Stronger. The Author and Perfecter of my Faith has a Perfect Master Plan, and He longs for each one of His children to be willing to walk down Broken Lane with Purpose! Will we become weaker or stronger in the end? Will we see Broken Lane as a sign of a “mean” God or a testimony we’re willing to share with someone traveling down Broken Lan,e too?

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 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 Jesus Christ. I’m a force to reckon with in His Name…and it all began with brokenness.

How about you?

“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 in the early hours of this new day, and I savored the beauty of it all. I experience the view from the front porch with all my senses…I see it…I smell it…I feel it…I hear it…and I touch it. When I step into the Presence of the Most High God, I want it to be the same way, and I believe He uses this old farm to Glorify Himself through His Vessel. I want to know ALL of Him, and I want Him to grow ALL of me. I want to embrace the beauty of what He has in mind for me, and I want to be an Eager Student when He has something to Teach me. I want to be free to Praise Him, and I want to let my tears flow freely when He Touches my Heart for Good. My multi-faceted God deserves my Full Attention, and the “fragrance” of Him is even Sweeter than the honeysuckle at the farm. My Heart belongs to Him, and it shows. Isn’t that the way you feel when you’re in His Presence too?

I feel sorry for people who profess to be Christians but haven’t quite fallen in love with Jesus yet. They know who He is. They say they Believe in Him. They say they follow His Teachings and that they Understand (and accept) the Rules. They give Thanks when He shows up to Help them, and they endure fairly well when He takes them to the Test. They show up for church on Sunday mornings, and some even volunteer to help with the needs. They have a Bible (or should I say a Bible app on their phone?) and sometimes they’ll even open it outside of church. They know the words to their favorite Hymn or praise song, and some even listen to Christian radio throughout the day. They visit a sick friend and take food to a family when a loved one passes on. There’s no end to the list of things that some people will do for the sake of their “Faith”, and although their Heart might be in the Right Place, they haven’t quite fallen in love.

How do I know this? Because it’s easy to spot a person in love. People in love are consumed by the other, and they couldn’t quit talking about them if they tried. People in love notice every little thing the other person does for them, and they don’t hesitate to let them know how Grateful they are. People in love see the beauty in the other, and they overlook the “flaws”. People in love want to know everything about the other, and they take the time to learn. People in love are joyful and happy all because of the love they feel. People in love miss each other from the minute they leave their presence, and they’re always hungering for more. People in love have no limitations on what they’ll do for the other, even when the other doesn’t “deserve” it. People in love do everything in their power to be pleasing to the other because pleasing them is a way to express their love. People in love easily surrender to the needs of the other, and there are no boundaries around their ability to love and forgive. People in love want to share what they’ve “found” with the world. People in love find time for each other no matter how full their schedule is, and when time is lacking, they feel lost. When people are in love, it’s a beautiful thing, and it shows in countless ways. So, with this refresher course on what it looks like to be in love, it’s painfully obvious that lots of people professing their Faith have either fallen OUT of love with Jesus OR they never really fell in love in the first place.

They say that when two people in love are together long enough, they’ll begin to resemble each other, and sometimes they even finish each other’s sentences because they know each other so well…and, so it is when we fall in Love with Jesus Christ. We eventually begin to “resemble” Him when we naturally Reflect His Nature, and it shows in the way we Live and the way we Love…and in no time at all, we’ll “complete” His Sentences too because we Know His Word so well.

I’m an imperfect child of the Living God striving to be all that I can be in His Name because I’m in Love. It’s that simple. I want to embrace ALL that He has for me, and I want to do everything I can to Please Him. I’m always hungering for more because I’m in Love and I couldn’t stop talking about Him if I tried. When I step out of His presence and into the reality of a new day, I miss being with Him right away. When you’re in Love, it shows.

How about you?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21–23

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 was behind the War…if I didn’t have the power to make the demons tremble in fear…if I hesitated to take it all to the Throne each day…the Devil would succeed…BUT Victory is mine AND it always will be. 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 are 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 the 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 ALL OUT. That’s a tough pill for some people to swallow because arrogance prompts them to attempt to rewrite 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. It’s a new day in this Journey called Life, and if I want to be sure that I’m Prepared for whatever the Lord has for me today, I need to begin with Him. So, I sat in His Presence, I gave thanks for who He is and what He does for me, I poured out my Heart, I confessed my sins, and I sang a few songs of praise in my Heart. When I opened my eyes to take in the beauty around me one more time, I saw that the sun shining through the leaves on this very full tree, and it left light on the ground where it managed to break through. I could see some big breakthroughs and some little breakthroughs, and the sun beat down on this tree as if to illuminate each breakthrough. The breakthroughs in Life come by way of the Light too, and everything we need to grow and bear fruit is found in the Living Word. The Author and Perfecter of our Faith is ready to “light it up”too anytime we desire to be Taught. Isn’t it just like God to use His own sun to drive home a message to me this morning?

Most people in this world are content just to be average, but I’m not one of them. It was never enough for me to be an average worker at the office…I put in the effort to be the BEST, and I was rewarded with the fruit of my Labor. It wasn’t enough for me to be an average Mom…I put in the work to be the BEST I could be for my Treasures, and I Know that the fruit of my Labor will last for generations to come. I did not labor in vain. As a child of the Living God…hand-picked to be one of His own…I want ALL that God has for me. I see warning signs all over His Word about what the future looks like for those who are just along for the ride – content to sit on the sidelines – so I make sure that’s not what the Future looks like for me. I pour Him into me and before you know it, He pours right back out of me…I BEAR FRUIT. I have no interest in the sidelines – I want to be on the Frontline, so I put in the work to make sure that my Heart is Ready and that my Life is bearing Fruit. The Journey of Faith is “evidenced” by good fruit being born day in and day out. If there is no fruit, that’s a pretty good indicator of someone content to just go along for the ride…and the Future isn’t nearly as bright for them as they think it is.

When a tree stops bearing fruit, the grower gets busy trying to figure out what went wrong. The grower has a lot invested in each tree, and he will never be content with a tree that’s not bearing fruit. Most of the time, the tree stopped producing because it was somehow malnourished, lacking the nutrients it needed to have the strength to bear fruit at all. Once the grower takes the steps to give the tree the nourishment it desperately needs to be a good bearer of fruit, the tree will become part of the land of the living again. If it never bears fruit again, it is removed so that it doesn’t take away from the rest of the orchard. A dead tree has no purpose whatsoever. It’s too bad we don’t look at the Journey of Faith the way a farmer looks at a tree. If we notice a tree isn’t bearing fruit, we should do everything in our power to give the “tree” what it needs to Mature so that it can bear fruit. After that, if there is no fruit naturally coming forth from the tree that has been Given everything it needs to Grow, it’s safe to assume it’s dead, and it’s time to plant seeds all over again. What’s true for nature is True for the Journey of Faith…if there is no fruit, there is no sign of Life.

I Nourish my Faith with the Living God the same way a farmer nourishes his crops. My Life depends on Him, and I have no future without Him, so He is the center of my world, and I refuse to be content or to labor in vain. I give the Living God the First and the Best of me because I LOVE Him more than anyone or anything else – as a result, my Life bears fruit. There isn’t anything “average” about my Journey of Faith, and you won’t find me on the sidelines hoping for a Future with Him…you’ll find me Living out the Purpose He created just for me instead. Besides, with so many seemingly dead trees out there, there is plenty of work for me to do in His Name. I want everybody to Know who I know and to have what I have, and I want the world overflowing with beautiful Fruit that will someday be Transplanted to Heaven. What I have isn’t rocket science, and it can’t be intellectualized even though plenty of people try to do just that. All it ever really takes to bear the Best Fruit FOREVER is the Right seed, and Proper Nourishment all the days of your Life.

Are YOU bearing Good Fruit? If not, we need to talk!

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was cool, and a little on the dreary side, the first thing this morning – or at least I wasn’t able to feel the warmth of the sun on my face the way I love to feel it this time of year – and at first I was disappointed. When I looked around, I realized that I’m the only living creature at the farm that seems to be bothered by a cool, dreary morning. The deer stumbled out of their hiding place and went on to graze in the fields, and the birds were singing the same tune as they do on a clear and sunny day. When I took my childish attitude before the Throne of the God of all Creation, and I turned to my Instruction Manual to search for Wisdom for this new day, He kept pointing me to Words that emphasized the need to “grow up.” The message came across Loud and Clear, and I felt ashamed for having even one selfish thought about something as simple as the sun not shining on my face! So I got taken to the Spiritual Woodshed this morning with a little Lesson on Maturity, and I’m looking at the gloomy sky with clear Vision now, giving thanks for the cool air and the clouds that were shielding the sun this morning. Isn’t that the way God deals with your immaturity, too?

There’s a good side of “never growing up” that I wish everybody had – it’s that place where excitement can flow through the soul over the tiniest little thing. It’s that place where saying “Look at God!” becomes a “routine” thing because God can be seen in all things. Like a child on a Christmas morning, the ones who refuse to “grow up” look at the world with rose-colored glasses – with a Heart expecting nothing but Good. It’s that kind of attitude that enjoys the moment, and the one that never misses out on an opportunity to laugh at life. I like that part of “never growing up,” and I think the world needs more people like that. But there’s another kind of “never growing up” that thwarts the growth of the Heart, the Soul, and every relationship we encounter, and it always will when we refuse to Grow up. There are conflicts within marriages, families, and with friends that all stem from the refusal to grow up. Each one wants what they want when they want it, and each one kicks and stomps like a child when they don’t get their way. They spit out hurtful words like children on a playground, and they’re too centered on themselves to care about what their words do to someone else. It takes Maturity to step back from conflict, and it takes a little “growing up” to admit wrong and to ask for forgiveness. Sadly, many people refuse to “grow up,” and they’ll trade their Peace and Joy all because they’re content with the Heart and attitude of a child. Spiritual Maturity is the Key to Contentment.

There’s another kind of “never growing up” that prevents us from knowing the Fulfillment of God. It’s not enough to know Who He is, and it’s not enough to Read His Words…at some point, we need to Plant the Seeds of what we Learn so that we can move from being a “child” into a “grown-up” Christian. Some people of Faith turn to other people of Faith, and they wonder how they got where they are. Some are jealous, and some are envious, and some spend an entire Lifetime saying “why not me?” while they sit in the Spiritual playground refusing to Grow up. These people whine about what God’s doing or not doing in their Lives, and they’ll compare where they are with where the others are, like they’ve somehow been left out. They’ll say “I don’t know what God wants” or “I don’t know why I’m here,” but they’re like children refusing to grow up – and they never seem to move past their disappointment, all because they’re Spiritual children stuck in an adult body. All they really need to do to Grow up is to be willing to Plant the Seed of what they’ve Learned, and to Nurture the Seeds of their Faith to help it Grow. But they refuse because, like a child, they don’t volunteer for the hard stuff…they’d rather wallow in the playground instead.

Mature Christians have the Desire to Grow up, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get there. They understand that it takes Hard Work to Nurture that tiny little Seed to help it grow into Maturity, and they’re willing to Work hard for it every day. They move from a place of wanting what they want when they want it, and they understand the Value of Words. They learn to Sacrifice in His Name, and they learn to Equip themselves for the Journey. Mature Christians are always hungering for more of Him because they Understand how Sweet the Fruit is that is picked from a Mature tree. Mature Christians learn not to focus solely on head knowledge because they’ve come to realize that God cares a whole lot more about the Heart than he does the head, and they understand the importance of Application over IQ. Mature Christians “never get enough” of the Heart Lessons that lead to Spiritual Growth, and they find their Joy and their Peace by applying what they Learn. Mature Christians have found their Humility…the Key to Spiritual Maturity.

In many ways, I refuse to grow up because I like looking at the world through the eyes of a child, and I enjoy laughing at myself (and the world around me) well beyond what most people do. I’m inquisitive and LOVE to figure out how (and why) things work, and, like a child with a zillion questions, I can easily drive someone crazy in the process. But it’s that side of me that compels me to want to Know more about the people around me, and if I can understand what makes them “tick”, then I can easily Present Jesus Christ to them as their Solution for all things. When you look at it that way, seeing Life through the eyes of a child isn’t such a bad thing after all.

I began this new day with the attitude of a spoiled brat, but He set me Straight because I SOUGHT HIM the way a Mature Christian does. When it comes to being a Grown-up Christian, I’m determined to put in the Work that it takes to Grow the Seed of my Faith into Maturity. It’s through the Maturity that God can use me, and it’s through the Maturity that I find my Fulfillment. I’m surrounded by Love, and Peace, and Joy, and Contentment, and Treasures ALL BECAUSE I’m putting in the Work it takes to be a Grown-up Christian every single day.

How about you?

1 Corinthians 13:11 – 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.