christianity

“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead”…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The first day of the New Year is an exciting time for me for more reasons than I can count. The Bible says, “Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare” but you can’t blame a girl trying to give thanks for each one or for giving Glory to the One to bless me with another year to Serve. As I watched the Master wake up the world on this first day of this New Year, I Dedicated it all to Him all over again. I prayed Blessings over this New Year and I thanked Him for things I haven’t even seen with my own eyes YET. Sadly, some people are saying “good riddance” to the year they left behind as if God screwed up and dealt them a bad one. Some people are gauging the quality of the year left behind based on the outcome of an election as if man has the power to make or break the day. Some people slept through the last year and they’ll sleep through the new one as if there’s nothing worth Living for beyond their own needs. As for me? I don’t care much about anything besides how God wants to use me in this New Year, so my Biggest Goal is to be sure that I’m found Worthy and ready for Him at all times. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey of Faith too?

I’m sure there were plenty of resolutions made for the new year and sadly most of them will never be fulfilled. Things like losing weight or finding love aren’t bad things to strive for BUT they don’t mean much in the Bigger Picture of Life. Striving to change our lifestyle is one thing, but striving to change our Character and Who we are in Christ…now that’s an entirely different story AND the only meaningful Goal there is. As for me, this year I’m going to love more and I’ll begin with the Love of my Life. I’m not going to miss a single day in this New Year giving thanks to the Living God for all that He is and all that He does for me. I will dig deep within my soul and remove anything that stands in the way of the richness of my Relationship with Him – I’ll also purge whatever hinders me from becoming everything He created me to be. Though my mind can’t comprehend how it could be possible to Love Him even more than I do today, I’ll make it my Mission in this New Year to Experience more than I’ve ever known in His Name. By Loving my God more, I’ll have abounding love to Share with my family, my friends, and anybody else I come in contact with who needs Love and Compassion from me. It all begins with the Love of my Life.

I’ve been Blessed to have been loved BIG by countless people throughout my lifetime, but nobody has ever loved me as much as He does. I’ve loved so big myself that I thought my heart would burst wide open, but I’ve never loved anybody as much as I Love Him. The world can keep changing and it doesn’t much matter to me because I’ll just keep clinging to the Only One with the Answers while I share Hope with the world around me as He Opens the doors. You’ll never hear me say “good riddance” to a year full of days to Serve the Creator of All, that’s for sure! I’ll keep Serving every day, year after year…in good years and in not-so-good years and with every breath I have because THAT’S what Love looks like.

Happy New Year, world.

Philippians 3:13-14 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I spent my time in the Presence of the Alpha and Omega in a warm home this morning and I approached His Throne with the Reverence He deserves. It’s the most amazing thing to have a personal Relationship with the King of all kings, the God of all gods, the Creator of the Universe, the Great “I am”! So, when I meet with Him it always begins with Praise and Thanks and soon after that, it becomes like a heart-to-Heart chat with the Best Friend anybody could ever ask for. Isn’t that the way it is with you too?

The Bible tells us that the Throne of God is surrounded by praise – “day and night they never stop” and I get goosebumps just thinking about what it must sound like to hear “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” 24/7 in Heaven. Sometimes when I praise Him I say those very words over and over again – I mean them with all of my heart… and I try to imagine His Throne and how amazing it is. When I give Him the heartfelt Reverence He deserves it doesn’t take long to feel His Presence and I get goosebumps when I do. But of all the experiences I have with my God, and all the Words I savor that were breathed into existence by Him, the most amazing thing to me is being able to approach the One that is surrounded by Praise “day and night” and He welcomes me as His child. If that doesn’t give you goosebumps, nothing will.

Like anything else, a Relationship with the Living God takes balance. Some people spend their entire lives in “reverence mode” and live in fear because that’s all they know of Him. They tiptoe through life for fear of consequences if they don’t partake in rituals or recite manmade prayers, and they rarely Serve Him because they don’t understand their Purpose. They’re in perpetual Reverence mode without the friendship part. Somehow they miss the point that HE IS approachable and they don’t see themselves as Royalty…His child, His “heir.” If they did, I think they’d get goosebumps too.

Some people get the “best friend” part but their Relationship has become so casual that they forget to Revere Him and Praise Him in the Process. Oh, maybe they utter an occasional “hallelujah” but not in the way He wants to be Acknowledged as the Alpha and Omega…the Beginning and the End. He IS the best Friend anybody could ever ask for, but He deserves a whole lot more than a pat on the heavenly back like a big buddy in the sky – “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name!” What makes that Friendship too incredible for words is that it comes from the Throne of a God who has been praised in Heaven twenty-four hours a day since the beginning of time and will be forevermore and Jesus is standing at the right hand of the Throne of God interceding on our behalf. The mere thought of Jesus interceding on our behalf 24/7 should give anybody goosebumps IF they understand the Balance.

The Author and Perfector of my Faith Hears every prayer and they’re like incense in Heaven to Him. He sees every tear and stores them away in a jar and One Day He will wipe them all away. HE LOVES US enough to die for us and He loves us enough to intercede on our behalf. Goosebumps? That doesn’t begin to describe what my Heart feels.

My day began in the Presence of a Mighty God and I was so caught up in Praise for Him that I never got around to a “list” of requests. He knows what’s on my Heart. He knows my needs and He knows my burdens. He already KNOWS everything! The Alpha and Omega is my amazing, approachable God – but it all begins with ” Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

How about you?

Holy Ground is Level Ground!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My morning routine has been off kilter for a few days and although I didn’t meet with the Living God at sunrise from the front porch, He was ready and waiting for me when I turned to Him just like He always is. This old farm represents so much more to me than just a magnificent piece of property – it’s “holy ground” in my eyes AND in the eyes of many others who have experienced it for themselves. But even more than that, it’s “level ground” for me where I see my Journey of Faith with clarity and where I’m strengthened to Speak the Truth to the masses. Like David before me, “My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation, I will praise the Lord.” Isn’t that what the Journey of Faith looks like to you too?

I love the mountains and the rolling hills BUT it’s on level ground where we find the most benefit. It’s on level ground that we can see what lies ahead, and it’s on level ground where we can recognize danger. It’s on level ground where we can see someone coming from far away, and it’s on level ground where we build the strongest foundations. When it comes to the Journey of Faith, it’s on “level ground” where we brace ourselves for whatever comes our way and it’s on that “level ground” where we find our Stability so that we are Prepared for whatever it is. On the level ground, we can see what our enemy is up to from far away and we can face the enemy and WIN because there is no hiding there. When David faced Goliath it was on level ground, and although the stature of the giant would have overwhelmed an average man, David could see clearly that Victory was his and he braced himself for the win. Standing on level ground is the only way people of Faith can battle giants and it’s the only place to find Peace in the turmoil of war.

God Reminded me that the Journey of Faith is NOT an obstacle course – it’s a collision course, and that we are all called to face the “giants” head-on. We can’t win the War if we’re hiding under the bed! Anybody can dodge danger, and sometimes they can avoid it completely (at least for a while), but it takes a Warrior like David to face the giants head-on. It takes a Brave one like David to choose the level ground where he can SEE his enemy and where his enemy can see him back. It takes a Confident Warrior to plant our feet firmly on the ground refusing to run and hide from an enemy we KNOW can’t win if we’re willing to face it head-on. This is the Key to Victory.

I’m standing on level ground and I’m proclaiming the Righteousness of my Amazing God as I fight the Ultimate Battle on behalf of myself and others. I won’t run and hide. I won’t just “hope” things turn around. I won’t speculate tragedy. I won’t listen to words of defeat. I won’t listen to words of destruction. I won’t listen to words of doubt over the situation, because I KNOW who wins and I’m just the right Warrior to fight the battle…a battle that can only be won on a level ground collision course. This is the Key to fighting a Spiritual war.

We are surrounded by the “prince of darkness” and the liar from Hell is raging. This war can’t be won by way of an obstacle course…it’s collision course time! Avoiding danger here and there doesn’t make it go away and hiding behind the hills isn’t a place for God’s people. To win the war we “brace ourselves like a man” the way Job did and we listen to the counsel of the Victorious One. We plant our feet firmly on level ground the way David did and we slay giants that appear to be undefeatable when looked upon with human eyes. We don’t hide behind the hills, we go for the level ground and we face it head-on like the Warriors God has equipped us to be.

I’m enjoying the view of the hills and mountains today but spiritually I’m standing on level ground and I’m unshakable. I’m fighting a battle I KNOW will be won because I know how to fight and completely disarm the enemy. I’m celebrating Victory long before I see it because it has been PROMISED to me if I just don’t give in. That’s what a Warrior does.

How about you?

Blend in with the world? NEVER!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s that time of year when almost everything I see from the front porch is the same color. The foliage is turning brown and falling to the ground and the deer get a new gray coat color for the winter…God’s way of helping them avoid danger by blending in. Sometimes the flags are the only bright colors I see and they’re kept hanging all year because of it. As I sat there this morning considering all the things I can see throughout the winter (and all the things I can’t) I was reminded of how that’s the way it can be in the Journey of Faith too. The Goal of a Person of Faith isn’t to “blend in” but to STAND OUT through every Season of Life, and if we aren’t careful, we could eventually blend in with all the rest while we ride out the Winter Season. How can the dark world see the Bright Morning Star in us if we’re blending in with it? Don’t you want the world to see the Color of your Faith all year round too?

The winter season often comes on with a vengeance – one day it’s warm and the next day it’s cold but it seems to strike and stay once it’s here. One day you’re outside celebrating the warmth and the next day you’re hiding away from the cold. One day the trees are covered with leaves, and the next day the leaves are gone and there’s absolutely nothing we can do to stop it. But the Winter of the Heart is a different story. That season is so subtle that most people don’t even realize the Heart has gone from Celebrating the Warmth of the Son to a Heart that’s as cold as the winter in Virginia. Many of them continue to do the same things they did in the Summer of their Faith – like going to church and praying even though the Heart is in Spiritual hibernation. That doesn’t make any more sense than wearing shorts and a T-shirt outside in the winter as if wearing those things will make it so. The Heart that was once so eager to Celebrate the Son can’t be seen in those hibernating despite the steps they take as part of their “routine” like tuning into church or a bumper sticker on their car. From cold to warm and back again. It must break God’s Heart when He sees His people much more determined to blend in with all the rest than to Stand up in the Mighty Name of Jesus.

When we’re in Celebration mode, we want EVERYBODY around us to feel the Warmth of the Son too and we could never be satisfied with blending in! We encourage others to FOLLOW us to the Warmest spot there is, and we give them Directions on how to get there. When we’re in Celebration mode, EVERYTHING around us is in Living Color, and we don’t want anybody else to miss out on what God has for those Willing to stand out in His Name. When we’re in Celebration mode we STAND OUT in any crowd and they SEE Him in us even if we opt-out of uttering His Name. Unfortunately, many have been deceived into believing that as long as they’re “nice” there’s no need to speak up at all. When we’re in Celebration mode, we dance and we weep with Joy and we don’t care who’s watching. When we’re in Celebration mode we can’t get enough of the Son and we almost don’t want to go to sleep as long as there’s more to learn. That’s what Love looks like.

The church can be a great social club filled with the friends we love more than any others and we aren’t afraid to show and tell them most of the time. But when the Heart is Celebrating the Son, it cares a WHOLE LOT MORE about all the ones OUTSIDE the walls of the church who have never Met the Bright Morning Star than do about socializing on Sundays – those guys NEVER lose their hunger to Share Him with the world. God speaks Boldly about what it looks like when the Heart of His People is no longer more committed to blending in than Standing out. He doesn’t beat around the bush or make excuses like so many of His people do, that’s for sure! This is what He says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked”. Leave it to God to get Straight to the Point and leave it to the lost ones to overlook the Truth.

I weep over the ones so determined to take the same steps over and over again doing all those things they believe are a sign of their Love for the Living God but their Growth is thwarted and they likely won’t make their way into Heaven unless they have a Heart overhaul. They’ve allowed the cold to set in and they’re no longer Celebrating the Son with PASSION AND RECKLESS LOVE the way they did in the beginning. I pray for REVIVAL for the ones who are no longer Celebrating the Son along with all those who have yet to HEAR, because their Destiny will likely be the same. As long as there is breath in my body I’ll be Celebrating the Son and nothing about me will BLEND IN with the rest because of it. I want EVERYBODY to have what I have before it’s too late for them – so I’ll be BOLDLY Celebrating in and OUT of the church all the days of my Life. God forbid that He would ever look at me and see me as “neither hot nor cold” – a place so vile that He would be inclined to “spit” me out of His mouth.

How about you?

Are You Absolutely Sure?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s too cold to spend my mornings on the front porch these days, but not too cold to step outside to see how God has Painted this new day. As I sat in the Presence of the Most High God I thanked Him for all things new…a new sunrise…a new day…a new opportunity to Serve and a New Word for such a time as this – it was a long list of New Things. But along with those New Things I thanked Him for in my own life, I thanked Him for the New that several of my friends are a part of today – friends that have drawn their last breath here on earth but are now in the New of Eternity. The sting of death isn’t easy for family and friends to endure, that’s for sure. But behind the tears of mourning, there is a Heavenly Celebration of the New Life for those who Know and Love Jesus Christ. Without the Promise of a New Beginning, life would be meaningless for us all and the sting of death would be unbearable. But with Jesus Christ, the Future is New, Bright, and Beautiful forever and ever, for those who Believe! Isn’t that the way you look at death too?

Mourning is a natural process and it can’t be rushed along. Parting from a loved one is excruciatingly painful and the emptiness they leave behind is felt forever. There is no right or wrong way to mourn. In the days of Moses, the Israelites had a 30-day mourning period. In the Jewish culture, loved ones are buried the same day they die – in Bible times there was a 7-day mourning ritual that sometimes included “mourning musicians” to help in the process and a tearing of their clothes to express their agony. Back in the day, widows were required to wear black for two years as a sign of respect for their dead husband and to let the world know she was off-limits until the time of mourning had ended. Some funeral homes employ a nurse to be present during a funeral service to assist the emotional loved ones with medical attention for their hysterical reaction to death. But no matter what the mourning process looks like or what kind of “rituals” people practice, it doesn’t matter how long it takes the human Heart to heal, there is a Celebration in Heaven for those who Know and Love Jesus Christ that NO AMOUNT OF EARTHLY MOURNING CAN DIM. Thank God for the Promise of Heaven for those who Believe!

We often hear “May they rest in peace” and see R.I.P. on almost every headstone in the graveyard, but not everybody will rest in peace One Day. Eternity is waiting for each of us, and it won’t be a dormant, “peaceful,” lifeless, forever resting place the way some people like to believe. For those who Trust in Jesus, the Bible says “No eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him”. I celebrate for my friends and loved ones who now see and hear what they longed for in this life. For all the others who don’t Trust in Jesus, the future isn’t bright, and they’ll be gnashing their teeth in torment for eternity. Now that’s something to mourn! For those who don’t (or won’t) place their Trust in Jesus, then this life is as good as it gets for them. But for all the rest of us, death of the body is just the Beginning – you see, our Victory only comes through death where we’ll finally be ushered into the arms of our Savior. Even Jesus (temporarily) struggled with death – just the idea of being beaten and crucified caused Him to sweat blood. But it was His Father’s Will for Jesus to die, and it’s His will for all the rest of us to die one day too! His death (and Resurrection) was the only way to achieve God’s Redemption Plan! Death is not a curse…at least not for those who Believe…it’s where we’ll step into Eternity with no more sadness, sickness, pain or tears Thank God for the Promise of Heaven for those who Believe!

The stakes are high and the Results everlasting which is what keeps Christians like me busy sharing the Truth that has the Potential to save the world. I don’t want even one person to die without knowing the Truth, so as long as there is breath in my body I’ll do whatever it takes to share it with the world! The ones to die without Trusting Jesus…now THAT’S something to mourn about – the others we Celebrate! There are no words for how blessed I am to Know that everyone in my family and my closest friends who have already gone before me Trusted in Jesus Christ, and I KNOW that they instantly entered into a Heavenly Celebration that will last forever! What joy and peace I have! Will I cry? Of course. Will I miss them? Absolutely! But you won’t find me wishing they were still here no matter how much it hurts on this side of Life. The day that they lived for is finally here and THAT’S something to celebrate through the pain!

Do you Know and Trust Jesus?

Are you absolutely sure of what Eternity will look like for you OR are you hoping just to “rest in peace forever”?

If you have doubts, I’m here to help. Don’t let even another minute pass until you find the Peace that leads to Victory.

Will You Continue To Waste Time?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was far too cold for me to linger on the front porch this morning but I have a great view from inside too so I savored the view in a warm house with a hot cup of coffee. This morning the moon was still visible as the sun was coming up and all I had to do was turn my head from one direction to the other to take in the beauty of both. One a sign of a new day, and the other a sign of the end of the night….neither of them ever sleeps. It isn’t possible to see them both at the same time – at least not with the human eye. It takes effort to look at what’s ahead and it takes effort to look at what’s behind…and it always comes down to choice. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is promised to no one so it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to spend too much time focused on either one of them. It always comes down to choice. Today I choose NOT to obsess over the future or to dwell on the past…today I’ll be Living for today. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

Human beings are, by far, the biggest “wasters” of all God’s Creation. We waste money. We waste food. We waste water. We waste energy. We waste love. The list could go on and on forever of all the things we waste. But the most significant things we waste come down to time and opportunity. We waste time because we’ve convinced ourselves that there is no end to the time we have. We waste opportunities because we’ve convinced ourselves that there will always be another chance. Instead of valuing this new day as if it is the ONLY one we have, we waste time and opportunity because we’re too busy dreaming about the future or dwelling on the past. IMAGINE what would the world look like if everybody lived for today! There would be a roar that could be heard all around the globe as people simultaneously said things like “I love you” – “Forgive me” or “Do you know Jesus?”. It would be the most amazing sound on this side of Heaven! Instead, we waste our days and nights because we’re so convinced there will be plenty of time and opportunity later. But, what if there isn’t?

If today is our last one and we fail to say “I love you” or “Forgive me” it won’t be the end of the world. The ones we needed to say those things to probably already know we loved them and once we pass away most of the time they forgive us. But what happens when we waste Time and Opportunity to share the Good News…the one thing that matters more than all the rest and the one thing that lasts long after the world ends. What if YOU were the one God was calling upon to Share the Good News with a lost person BUT you ignored that Golden Opportunity because you were too busy lying to yourself that there is always another time or a 2nd chance? We don’t have to pay the price for our wrongs – Jesus died to pay the price instead. We won’t be “judged” for all the bad things we did because His blood covers them all. But how will it feel when we face our Maker only to have Him show us ALL the time and opportunities we wasted – ALL those times we could have (and should have) shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost person…but we put it off instead… because we were too busy dreaming about tomorrow or dwelling on the past.

I saw the sun and the moon in the sky this morning for just a few minutes before yesterday was completely gone and today showed up. I’ve chosen to LIVE today and won’t be wasting time or opportunity, that’s for sure. God forgive me if I ever overlook a suffering soul…if I ever make excuses for why I don’t love them enough to share the Gospel before it’s too late…if I lose my footing and get stuck dreaming about tomorrow or obsessing over the past when He has a Master Plan for my Life and today is all I have.

How about you?

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow…Do You?

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was too cold to spend much time outside on the porch at daybreak, but what I could see from my kitchen window was enough to stir my Soul. As I stood there watching the sky, I didn’t even notice the break in the clouds for the longest time. All I could see was color so beautiful that I didn’t want to take my eyes off it long enough to look at anything else. It’s Election Day in America and it makes me sad to see the majority of (professed) Christians a whole lot more focused on the break than they are on the Beauty and I fear for them because of it. There will never be another day like this one, that much I know for sure – not another sunrise or sunset and certainly not an Election. But no matter what the results look like at the end of this Election day, America will remain divided UNLESS (and by some miracle) God’s people begin to focus MORE on the Beauty than the break. Our Instructions from the One who still sits on the Throne is to turn our eyes upon HIM and not on this mess of a world. It’s only when we do that we can Focus on (and Celebrate) the Beauty and not the break. Isn’t it just like my God to use a magnificent sunrise to drive a Message to my Heart today. I’m listening. Are you?

I Serve a God that can calm a storm at the sound of His voice. I Serve a God who can part the sea to save millions of His people and who can rain down manna from Heaven to feed them. I Serve a God who plants the seed of life inside a mother’s womb and I serve a God who can raise the dead on Command. I Serve a God who can still heal the sick and raise the dead. I Serve a God who set the Plans for the day we were born and the day we will die and every day in between. I Serve a God who sent His one and only son to die for me so that I might have Hope and a Future. I Serve a God who gives AND takes away. I Serve a God who has GIVEN authority to good kings AND bad kings and I serve a God who sends calamity when His children get too out of line. I Serve a God who is already in tomorrow and the Election results were already made known to Him before the foundations of the earth. I Serve a God who will stop at absolutely nothing to turn His people away from the break and back to the Beauty because He loves us. My God can do anything. But even though my God is able, far too many (professed) Christians who claim to be His people are focused on the break a whole lot more than the Beauty. What kind of results can they expect?

I’m no expert, but I believe that God LOVES it when His children surrender it all to Him….from life to family to country…and yes, even to Election results. I believe it pleases my God when we choose to hide in the “shadow of His wings” and when we Trust Him with the outcome of an Election no matter what the outcome looks like. I believe it pleases my God when we confess that we have no strength of our own (only His to sustain us) and when we Acknowledge that “there is no good thing apart from Him”. I believe it pleases my God when we’re Bold and Courageous in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ and when we care MUCH more about lost Souls than we do about lost Elections. To some, that might sound impossible based on the state of the Nation we claim to love – to others still making noise and shaking their fists, the fact that I lay it all down at the foot of the Cross and I trust Him with the results is “lame”. Many have tried and failed to entice me to focus more on the break than the Beauty but that’s never going to happen. I Know that with God all things are possible and that “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”. I know that my God can use anything and anybody to bring Glory to Himself and I know that I don’t have the power to change what God has already ordained AND I have the “peace that surpasses all understanding” because of it. Unless God’s people STOP focusing on the break and START focusing on the Beauty there is no hope for America because God will not be mocked.

I don’t know who the future President of the United States will be when I wake up tomorrow but I DO KNOW Who will always be King and I DO KNOW that He has the future in the palm of His Hands. He already Knows the Election results because He “certified” them before the foundations of the earth. My God already Knows the Plans He has for His Children and, although He promises to be our Provider and our Protector, He never promised Easy Street. There is no way to Welcome in the Future we’re promised without experiencing the perilous times the Bible warns us about. No matter what – no matter how good or bad – no matter how difficult – no matter left or right, male or female, conservative or liberal, you will find me focusing on the Beauty as I watch my God unfold the breaks to draw His people closer to Him again. It’s all for His Purpose and His Glory, America. Once you get that part right, you’ll have the “peace that surpasses all understanding” for such a time as this too!

God bless America.

1 I don’t know about tomorrow,

I just live from day to day.

I don’t borrow from its sunshine,

For its skies may turn to gray.

I don’t worry o’er the future,

For I know what Jesus said,

And today I’ll walk beside Him,

For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow,

I don’t seem to understand;

But I know who holds tomorrow,

And I know who holds my hand.

Every step is getting brighter,

As the golden stairs I climb;

Every burden’s getting lighter;

Every cloud is silver-lined.

There the sun is always shining,

There no tear will dim the eye,

At the end of the rainbow,

Where the mountains touch the sky.

I don’t know about tomorrow,

It may bring me poverty;

But the one who feeds the sparrow,

Is the one who stands by me.

And the path that be my portion,

Maybe through the flame or flood,

But His presence goes before me,

And I’m covered with His blood.

There’s No Other Way…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

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 my favorite season, for sure. It’s almost as if God uses colors to lift my spirits to tide me over before everything becomes brown and bare for the Winter. I met with the Auther and Perfecter of my Faith 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. Even though I sometimes go before His Throne with an agenda of my own, as long as I’m just willing to meet with Him, He will 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 too IF I’m doing what He Created me to do to fulfill the Purpose of my Life – but my existence without obedience can’t bring Him pleasure at all. Just the thought that I can 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 would be like for you to live a Life that’s not your own and to trade your agenda for His, but it’s a beautiful thing to be living out the Purpose of your Life and it’s the most fulfilling 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 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, tears, sickness, death, heartbreak, or anything that causes me to suffer here on this earth…and the best part is that I’ll be with Him for Eternity. Now THAT’s a Future to look forward to! 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 to REFINE ME into something Precious…His Treasure…His Vessel…His Child…more precious than gold to Him AND one so eager to Serve because of it. 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 the world…they are ALL part of my Purpose for living…and they are all Preparing me for my Forever.

How about you?

Peace Isn’t Stolen…It’s Surrendered Instead

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. By the time God turned the Lights on this morning, the fog was beginning to lift and I watched it slowly make its way over the mountain. There’s something peaceful about fog to me…the way it lingers…the way it slowly reveals what it was “hiding”. I give thanks for many things when I meet with the Living God – morning or night – foggy or clear – but one of the most prevailing Requests I put before His Throne, and one that I boldly Proclaim for my life, is Peace. When I have Peace everything seems to flow easily. When I have Peace I can handle it all. Having Peace doesn’t mean that everything is smooth sailing around me, and my Peace doesn’t come without effort. I WORK hard to guard my Peace day after day and year after year and I refuse to allow it to be stolen from me by anyone or anything. Maintaining my own personal peace is necessary for my joy and contentment but it’s more than that. I Know that if I can be a Reflection of Peace amid a world in absolute turmoil, then I can be a living, breathing example of my Faith for all the world to see. Without it, I’m a poor Witness of the God of the “Peace that surpasses all understanding.” Peace is non-negotiable to me. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

We can see the Spiritual War being played out right before our very eyes in Living Color and it would be so easy to surrender my Peace and get sucked into the battle if I didn’t know how to Guard what belongs to me (as the Bible defines it). The Bible tells me not to worry…no matter what. The Bible tells me that I’m protected by the King of all kings and that I don’t have to battle on my own so I don’t worry about the “boogie man” coming to my door to cause harm. The Bible tells me that the “righteous will never go hungry” so I don’t worry about a day when there is no food (or toilet paper). The Bible tells me to take His hand and to lean on Him so why would I try to maneuver through the land mines on my own? The Bible tells me that there will be “wars and rumors of wars” so I’m not surprised to see what I see around the world today. The Bible tells me that there will be “scoffers” in the end, so I’m not surprised to be hated for boldly speaking up about my Savior. The Key to Peace in a world at war is to Know the promises of God and to cling to the only Truth we really have. We don’t “lose” our Peace…we surrender it instead.

We live in a hate-filled world that refuses to live in peace because the battle we see cannot be rationalized or negotiated – it is the battle between Good and evil. Sadly many are being deceived just like the Bible says they will so they don’t recognize it for what it is. It boggles my mind to see professed Christians jumping into the fight and being so willing to roll around in the mud with the best of the Evil ones as if their voice can make the difference in the battle between Good and evil. But what they’ve been convinced is the “right thing” to do, the Devil finds very pleasing because immature Christians are so easily manipulated to participate in his agenda. There’s nothing like being blind to the enemy and falling right into his hands. Evil is fighting so hard to instill fear and to rob us of peace…and evil is winning plenty of battles because the weaker ones don’t know how to Fight and they are surrendering their peace at will. It’s not possible to lose Peace UNLESS we surrender it on our own b because we CANNOT be robbed of the promises God has made to each who Belongs to Him…period.

The Peace around this old farm is so thick it’s almost tangible, but it isn’t that way by chance – or because of the beautiful view or the character of the front porch – or because I’m “lucky”. Peace can be felt by everyone at the farm because I GUARD MY PEACE and the spiritual realm knows I can’t be robbed! I Proclaim my Peace to the Prince of Peace every single day, and I refuse to surrender it to the Devil. It always comes down to choice. If you start talking defeat in my presence I’ll correct you every time because I won’t let you surrender your own peace in my presence if there is anything I can do to stop it. But if you refuse to stop talking against the Victory we have in Jesus, it won’t be long before we part company because I know that if I entertain conversation that goes against Good then I’ll be vulnerable to all the ways of the wicked one too. I’m an Expert Peace Guarder!

I Serve the Prince of Peace and it shows. Peace is the Source of the Brightest Light of my Faith and the fact that I Reflect it in a dark work is the greatest Witness to the One I serve. In a land that is in turmoil and a future unknown, I guard my Peace like the Warrior I am, and my Peace can be seen AND felt all around me because of it.

How about you?

The Heart to Please…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was cold this morning but nothing that a hot cup of coffee and a warm blanket couldn’t handle, so I ventured outside for a few minutes to say “good morning” to my God and to fill my lungs with fresh country air. One day soon it will be too cold for comfort and we’ll be doing all of our morning meetings inside. Until then, I’ll go to extremes to Meet with Him outside even if for just a few minutes. This morning I gave Him my Praise, I gave Him my Thanks, I gave Him my Requests and then I ventured into His Word to see what He has for me…and He was Full of Surprises. The same Words that I’ve read so many times before took on New Life today because that’s the way His Spirit speaks to my Soul! A willingness to Meet, coupled with a Heart to Please equates to Messages that nobody else on this planet could ever get across to my Heart. Isn’t that the way it is when you Seek what He has for you too?

It’s a Blessing to have a Life full of family and friends who have your best interests at heart, but nobody offers Advice and Direction t he way God does. He sometimes uses His people to Confirm what He has in mind, but He Speaks for Himself if we just ask Him to (and believe He will). He can Heal a hurt, Remove fear, Reveal the Truth, Mend a Broken Heart, and force us to make U-turns in the blink of an eye, and He’s Ready to do all these things when we are Willing to Meet with Him with a Heart to Please. There is no place for doubt in the Life of a person of Faith, but sometimes when we turn to people for the advice we should be getting from God, we can become consumed with doubt based on their man-made input. If we feel the need to ask family and friends for approval for what we “think” God wants us to do, then it’s time to go back to the Drawing Board and build a Stronger Relationship with Him to be SURE about what He wants. When we have the Heart to Please Him, He gets First Priority, and we’ll push against the flow of our family and friends regardless of how hard they push back. When we have the Order of Business right, and we have the Heart to Please, we can count on Him to send a Messenger to Help us in the Journey, and when that Messenger Speaks we know it came from God and not from the opinion of man. It’s pretty amazing how God Works the relationships out and how He uses everybody for His Purpose WHEN we’re willing to Meet with Him for Direction and we Have the Heart to Please.

It’s impossible to make everybody happy, and sometimes we find ourselves working hard to please the world around us instead of having the Heart to Please Him instead. We look for approval from everybody else and we easily forget what Pleases Him when we do. We strive to “keep the peace” but until He comes back there is no real Peace. We pick and choose what part of His Character we’re willing to take on, and we kick all the difficult pieces aside for comfort. We rub elbows with lost people every day and we keep our mouths shut about Hope all because we fear what they might think of us when we do…and they’ll often die before they find Hope because of it. As people of Faith, we WILL find ourselves working against the flow of the world if we’re doing the Work of the Lord, and we’re inclined to settle into “comfortable” when we do. But when we’re diligent about Meeting with Him and we have the Heart to Please…sitting back is never an option and the opinion of the world dims in comparison to what He Calls each one of His Children to do. When He gives us Marching Orders He will open doors and pave the way – He’ll give us the Help that we need to do His Work – He’ll surround us with Protection – He’ll give us the Right Words and the Strength to do whatever it is He’s called us to do…if we have the Heart to Please Him, that is.

I wish I could make everybody in my world happy but it is not possible. I live out my Faith with Love and Compassion and I’ll extend Kindness to everybody He sends my way…with no regard for their status in life and no matter what they might think of me when I do. It Pleases Him when I “love thy neighbor as thyself” and it Pleases Him when I go about my Father’s Work trying my hardest to do my Work reflecting His Character within me. The Willingness to Meet and the Heart to Please can produce the Miraculous in the Mighty and Merciful Name of Jesus. Imagine that.

Is there any other way for a child of the Living God to live?