Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The Master woke up the world this morning with the gentleness of a lamb, and I watched and listened to the world around me respond to Him with joy. I can’t help but think that God smiles when He hears His creation making joyful noises even on a “muted” morning, and I like to believe that He smiles when I meet with Him and I talk to Him, too. I’m His child, and He’s my Father – of course He wants Time wth me! What parent DOESN’T want time with their child? Sometimes He wakes me up in the middle of the night because we have Kingdom Business to do, and when He does, I’m obedient to the Call. Sleep isn’t as important to me as my Relationship with Him, and I’ll gladly Surrender a little sleep for the One Who died for me! Time with Jesus is the most Significant thing I’ll do all day, and it is sure to “set” things on the Right Path for whatever I’ll be doing in His Name today. More than those little prayers I whisper throughout the day, and more than the songs I’ll randomly sing about the King, are the quiet moments when it’s just me and MY God because that’s where I find my Peace, my Joy, and my Strength for the Journey! Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?

It’s an amazing thing when you think about it – I get to meet with the Living God, the King of all kings, the Great “I AM”, the Alpha and Omega, the Prince of Peace, the Bright Morning Star, the Creator of all life, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who breathed life into me, the God who bought my Redemption with the blood of His only Son, any time I want to. The Lion from the Tribe of Judah is MY God, and He longs for time with His child! Wow! All it took was the touch of the Master’s Hand a long time ago, and I went from wretch to Royalty faster than you can say “amen!”. I will forever be Grateful for the Call. My God is never too busy for me. He hears me when I speak, even when the words don’t make their way to my lips. He loves me when I’m weak, and He loves me when I’m strong, there is nothing He won’t forgive me of, and no limit to His Protection. He knit me together in my mother’s womb at the perfect moment in Time. He Knew me before the foundations of the earth…and He Knows me by name! He knows every hair on my head. My prayers are so beautiful to Him that the Bible says they’re like “incense” in Heaven. He has so much Love for me that He has stored up every tear I’ve ever shed in a jar like a treasure. I don’t know how many tears I’ll shed before He Calls me Home, but I do know that ONE DAY He’ll wipe all my tears away for good. Hallelujah. With all this in mind, why in the world would I NOT take the time to meet with Him each day to tell Him how much I love Him…how much I revere Him…how Grateful I am for the shed blood of Jesus and that He has Prepared a place for me in Heaven to be with Him for Eternity?

It’s sad to me how some people “meet” with God out of guilt or some sort of obligation that was instilled in them along the way. Unfortunately, to them, their time is no more meaningful than brushing their teeth – it’s something “good” to do, but once it’s done, no thought is given to it until the next time rolls around. It’s heartbreaking to think that their “time” with the God of all Creation is meaningless and heartless, AND that the Living God Knows it. The Alpha and Omega knows everything, and He won’t be mocked or fooled. It’s sad how some people meet with God with a checklist of Scriptures and a well-planned agenda, and that they believe that the Key to a Good Relationship with the Living God hinges on more head knowledge instead of Heart Knowledge. They seem to have an insatiable appetite to learn more while neglecting the Relationship with the One who died for all, and they overlook the Strength that flows through humility. It’s sad how some people set a timer to be sure that God-time doesn’t interfere with their personal schedule, and how easy it is to nix the God Time altogether when something more important to them comes along. It’s sad how some people think that “meeting with God” in a church building on a Sunday morning should be sufficient to prove their faithfulness, as if just being there with a Bible app should satisfy the Living God…until next week. Sadly, some people NEVER meet with God at all, and their “relationship” is limited to an S.O.S. should they ever need anything. I wouldn’t want anybody I care about treating time with me that way…giving me so little attention and so little Heart UNTIL (or unless) they need something. Why would God be happy being treated that way, either?,

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life, BUT I Serve the God of Perfection with everything I’ve got to give. As for me, I like to nurture my Relationship with Perfect One as often as I possibly can because being with Him is my favorite Place to be. As long as there is breath in my body, I’ll be giving the Author and Perfector of my Faith the First Fruit of my days, and I’ll Surrender each new day to Him because I Love Him. Isn’t that the LEAST I can do for the One Who died for me?

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. My first thought when I opened my eyes this morning was of the Living God – because He’s my first Biggest Priority in this Journey called Life. He’s the Author and Perfector of my Faith. He’s the CEO of my Life, and His Word is my Instruction Manual. The Holy Spirit is my Guide. Considering all that He is to me, is it any wonder that I cannot wait to enter into His presence each morning? Time with the God of all Creation is the most Significant thing I’ll do today, and it will set the Course for the Purpose of this new day. Being willing to spend time with Jesus shows Him just how much I Love Him. It’s not possible to feel “small” or “insignificant” when we are “still” before the Most High God and when we are “still it doesn’t take long to begin Praising the One Who Created me for His Purpose…the One Who Calls me by name! Hallelujah! Just like everybody else in the world, there are plenty of other things I could choose to be doing in the early hours of any new day, but NOTHING compares to being in His Presence. His Word says to “be still and know that I am God,” and it’s that “still” part that feeds my soul the most. It’s when we’re “still” that He can drive a Message home, and it’s when we’re “still” that He can Speak directly to the Heart of His people with no outward distractions at all. So, “still” I am, day after day. Isn’t that the way you Prioritize your Life, too?

It’s interesting to hear how some people define their “quiet time” with God. Some people have a Bible reading plan to help them stay on track to read the entire Bible in a year, and they never venture off track on their own. Some people put on Christian music while they prepare breakfast for the family, and somehow, in the middle of morning chaos, they believe they’ve had quiet time with the King. Some people read a page or two from a devotional and call it a day. Some people dedicate time to homework for a Bible study they’ve committed to, and they label that as “quiet time” instead of extra credit. Some people read a chapter or two from a book written by a Christian author, and that becomes “quiet time” for them. Some tune into a sermon on TV or on the Internet, and they’ve sold themselves on the quality of their quiet time from their recliner. Some people multitask by listening to a spiritual message while they work out at the gym or take an early morning walk or run, and some pray on their way through rush hour. There’s absolutely NOTHING wrong with any of these things because each one is an effort to fill the mind and the soul with Good things. BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS can be defined as “quiet time,” and none of them leave room to “be still” before the Living God. None of them make room for those miraculous moments when God unexpectedly “shows up” in the quiet. Although God is always with us, and I’m sure He likes some of those attempts we take to fill our world with Him, I believe He likes it best when everything else in the world is set aside and tuned out and He gets some SERIOUS one-on-one time with His child in the quiet. Why would the God of all Creation be “content” with taking the backseat in our lives?

I’m just an average woman with an above-average Faith in the Living God, and the Priorities in my very busy Life are in order. He’s my FIRST priority, and it shows in all that I am and all that I do! It’s because of Him that I know how to Love others. It’s because of Him that my Faith is Unshakable. It’s because of Him that I Persevere no matter what. It’s because of Him that I hurt for the Lost ones, and I do my part to “save” them. It’s because of Him that I have a Future laid out for me that is more beautiful than the mind can imagine – a place where there is no more sickness, sadness, or pain. With all that said, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I NOT make time to sit in silence before the Throne of a Mighty God?

There is no doubt about Who my Heart belongs to, and there’s no competing with my time because my world Knows that He always comes first. I always have a mile-long list of things to do, and I’m (at least) as busy as the next guy, BUT before I get busy on any new day, I get “still” in His Presence, and in those “still” moments the world isn’t even a blip on my radar screen. He gets the One-on-one time that He tells me I need to live the Life He Created me to Live.

The King of all kings WANTS to spend time with His child, and there is no greater Joy in my Life because of it. I’m being still!

How about you?

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 to enjoy a hot cup of coffee with a Heart filled with Gratitude and High Expectations about this new day with the Living God. This isn’t just any old day – it’s a New Day of a new week – and I’m not just any old Servant – I’m a Willing one with High Expectations about the Journey. My God has no boundaries, and it shows in my Life as He continues to use me in ways I could never have imagined could be possible…IF I look at my Life with my mind instead of my Heart, that is. As I stumble through the Journey called Life – as I fall down and get back up time and time again, I KNOW HE KNOWS my Heart for Him and I KNOW He’ll use me all the days of my Life because I Love Him. I am a Willing Vessel with High Expectations about doing the work of my God. Isn’t that the way you look at your Journey, too?

These days, it seems to be so easy for people to lose hope in the face of adversity, but that’s because they don’t have High Expectations for the Journey of Life. Sometimes we focus on the surface of Life that can often resemble a train wreck with a million broken pieces – but that doesn’t slow down the God of no Boundaries, and He’ll always work it for Good IF we let Him. When we have High Expectations about the Work of His Hands, we Understand that there is always something Beautiful going on behind the scenes, and we look through the RUBBLE for the RUBIES every time. When we have High Expectations about His Purpose for us, we don’t allow ourselves to think that things are impossible, because we Know that ALL THINGS are possible with Him, so we Celebrate the Victory long before we see it. When we have High Expectations, we’re quick to hit our knees to ask for Forgiveness because how He sees us is FAR more important than how the world does. We Understand the importance of getting rid of anything in the Heart that has the potential to damage our Relationship with the King of all kings, and that if we want to be found Worthy to be used by the King, Humility is a Key Characteristic. With High Expectations, we don’t put God in a box and we NEVER quit believing in Miracles.

I don’t know ALL the ways my Redeemer will be using me here on this earth until He calls me Home – all I Know is how He’s using me right NOW. I’m an “alien in a foreign land”, and I’m here on Temporary Assignment on behalf of the King. I have High Expectations because I’m a Willing Vessel (with limited time) and I’m Ready to go where He tells me to go, and do what He tells me to do. I won’t be afraid, and I’ll never feel inadequate, no matter what He Calls me to do – not because I’m confident or capable – but because I have High Expectations for the Journey and I’ve already been Tenderized for the Job. I found the RUBIES in the RUBBLE, and it shows in my Life. I’m “pressing on” and I’m running “in such a way as to get the prize!” just like Paul did. When I receive my crown (reward) for what I’ve done in His Name during my time here on earth, I’ll be tossing it at His feet as fast as I can because it’s my HONOR to Serve Him and NONE of it would be possible without Him. What I do for Jesus Christ can’t be measured by human standards, and my Rewards won’t be seen on this side of Heaven. What I do for Him is done out of Love…and it’s that Love that keeps me going with High Expectations.

How about you? Do YOU have High Expectations for your Journey?

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s going to be another scorching day in Virginia today, and my Time on the front porch was brief because of it. That’s okay – although nothing replaces being on the front porch, I’ve prayed over every inch of this farm for decades, so I can “see” it even with my eyes closed. I’ve been an eyewitness to nature being obedient to His Call as He wakes up the world thousands of times, and I can visualize play by play because of it. I’ve walked this Journey hand in hand with the Master of the Universe, and no matter how many times I see a sunrise, I’m in awe of Him, and because I am, I want to be Obedient to His Call. At the sound of His voice, the earth was formed. At the sound of His voice, the land was separated from the sea. At the sound of His voice, Adam was put into a deep sleep, and Eve was formed from his rib. At the sound of His voice, the stars were scattered in the sky. At the sound of His voice, the sun stood still. At the sound of His voice, the sea parted. At the sound of His voice, the rain was withheld for years. As I considered the Power of the sound of His voice and how nature so easily responds, I thought about how often man…the most Valuable Creation of all…willfully ignores the sound of His voice, and we struggle with Obedience when we do.

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

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

When I was a child in my Journey of Faith, I “passed” on plenty of things because they didn’t make sense to my human mind. Today is a different story – today I’m Mature. At the sound of His voice, I’m Obedient and I Trust what He wants to do through me. My world sees the God of all Creation work in my Life in ways that sometimes leave them breathless – but what they see in my Life over and over again has nothing to do with me. What they see is the Hand of God working Miracles…Miracles born out of Obedience. Every single day, I work on “dying to myself” – to set aside my own will so that I can do His instead. Every single day, I ask Him to examine my Heart to see if there is anything inside that I need to purge and repent of. I can’t hear His voice if I have sin in my Heart (and neither can you!) I listen to His Voice with an open Heart and I set out to Serve the One Who died for me, ESPECIALLY when it doesn’t make sense to me at all. That’s what Trust looks like!

How about you?

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. We’re experiencing a heatwave in Virginia, so it didn’t take long for me to drag myself back into the house to find relief from the heat. After I settled myself inside the cool farmhouse, I sat there talking to the God of all Creation about His Plans for me on this new day of a new week, it occurred to me that for wildlife, it was business as usual this morning…heat and all. It was business as usual for the rabbits and squirrels. It was business as usual for the deer. It was business as usual for the birds. Watching them going from Point A to Point B with no real direction at all reminded me of the way so many people live. They go through the motions day after day, and they seem satisfied as long as nothing bad happens. What a sweet Reminder straight from the Throne of a Mighty God that Life should never be just business as usual for a Child of the King.

Most people live like rabbits and squirrels, except they have more intellect. They scurry through life in survival mode without any purpose at all. They go to work, pay the bills, mow the lawn, play with the kids, and then it’s lather, rinse, and repeat all the days of their lives Their days turn into weeks – their weeks into months – their months into years and they seem to be satisfied with business as usual as long as something bad doesn’t happen today. I’ve gone through plenty of motions in my lifetime – going from Point A to Point B – and I’ve always been grateful for God’s Provision and Protection as I scurried about. But I’m not satisfied with just nothing bad happening…I’m not satisfied unless I see Good in each day..The kind of Good that pleases my God and the kind of Good that makes an Eternal difference. I don’t wait for Good things to happen by chance like a squirrel or rabbit hoping to stumble upon a morsel. I LOOK for Good. I anticipate Good. There is Good in everything IF you look for it, and I’m excited about the possibility of sharing Good every single day of my Life. This is the Key to living a Life with God given Purpose, and it’s the Key to Fulfillment in the Journey called Life. Why would anybody be content just as long as something bad doesn’t happen when there’s SO MUCH Good to be discovered in each new day?

There’s really no nice way to say this, but all those people going through the motions day after day obviously aren’t ALL IN for the One they claim to Know and Love…the One who GAVE it all for them. Many of them have a false sense of security about their One Way Ticket to Eternity, and most of them will never Fulfill their Purpose for their time here on earth because of it. They never learn to look for the Good because they’re satisfied as long as there’s nothing bad. They never jump into the deep end of the pool for Jesus Christ, and they make excuses for why they don’t Serve Him beyond going to church or (maybe) tithing. They believe they’ve done their part if they whisper a prayer for someone in need, but out of the same mouth they Praise the King of kings, they’ll curse another one of His Creations. I feel bad for the shallow ones, just barely making it to the Jesus Team and satisfied with business as usual. I pray nothing bad happens to them too, but MORE than that – I pray they learn to find the Purpose for their time here on earth before it’s too late. Who wants to live like the rabbits and squirrels – merely going from Point A to Point B each day when we can Live like Royalty and Serve like Jesus?

From the outside looking in, you’d think I live a simple life…and in many ways, it is. But when it comes to the Journey of Faith there’s nothing simple about mine. I refuse to live a life like an old shoe; scuffed and beaten…predictable…comfortable…and never moving unless the reason for moving makes logical sense. I’ll leave that up to the ones satisfied with watching life pass them by and too afraid to move for fear of something bad happening. For as long as I live, I will look for the Good, and I won’t rest unless/until I find it. I have a Purpose that sometimes keeps me awake at night with excitement, and one that could easily exhaust me if I didn’t include Jesus Christ in the Journey. It will NEVER be business as usual for me, and I won’t squander even one day of the Journey. Any chance to Serve the One who died for me is the Greatest Honor of all. I’ll leave the scurrying around with no direction to my furry friends. As for all the rest, I won’t stop doing my Part to wake them up!

The King is coming, and He’s coming soon. Will He find you sitting still for fear of something bad happening, OR will He find you pressing on and fighting the Good Fight all the days of your life?

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