god

In His Presence There Is ONLY Good…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s bitter cold this morning and just stepping out onto the front porch to breathe fresh air was almost too painful for me. Stepping onto the front porch in the Winter can be painful, but stepping into the Presence of a Mighty God never is. That’s not to say there aren’t times when I Know that I’ll be taken to the Spiritual Woodshed that I never weep and ask for forgiveness, OR that I’m never ashamed of my Heart. It means that whenever I face Him, in this life or the Next One, in His Presence there is ONLY Good. He IS Mercy, Hope, Joy, Peace, Forgiveness, Compassion, Healing, Love, and a million other Good things! Sometimes I feel a little self-inflicted pain when I turn to Him with a Heart that needs to be Tenderized, but I never feel pain from Him and I never will. When I stand before Him on the day He calls me Home, I’ll Know where He’s taking me, and I’ll have nothing to fear…EVER. Isn’t that the way you look at your Future too?

It can be so easy for some people to distort the Image of God, but they miss out on the meaning of Grace and Mercy when they do. Some live their entire lives in fear of God and they are robbed of the Joy of Faith because of it. Don’t get me wrong, the Fear of God is a good thing and I fear Him too, but I know that if a little pain comes my way He IS NOT trying to crush me, He’s trying to GROW me. When you look at it that way, there’s no pain to fear at all!

If He finds that I need a little “discipline” here and there that’s okay, because I know “The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” If I go through a Season of suffering, I’ll endure it with the right Heart, because His Word says “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” As long as He keeps making me “strong, firm, and steadfast” then I know He’ll continue to use me, so I don’t fear the pain of the Season – I learn to Hold onto Him and Grow through it instead. He is the “Beginning and the End”…the One who “knit me” together in my mother’s womb…the One who “knows every hair” on my head…the One who died for me…the One who has Plans for me…the One who knew me before the foundations of the earth…the One who says “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, YOU ARE MINE.” Why would I live in fear of pain from the One who knows my name and CHOSE me to be one of His own before He even created the earth?

Faith doesn’t need to be nearly as complicated as some people make it out to be. When you Love Him with your whole Heart you accept the Journey and you long to follow the “rules” because it pleases Him when you do! There is more Joy in the Journey with the Living God than anyone can describe with words…but when left to man, that Love becomes conditional, scary, and “too hard” to endure. Some get lost in the fear and some believe they can’t measure up to His expectations and they spend their entire lives lost and alone because of it. Like a child hiding under the bed to escape the boogie man, they attempt to hide from God too. But God knows everything about us and He loves us anyway. He sent His Son to die for every vile thing any human being has ever done and His Grace is sufficient to cover it all if we let Him. It’s sad to see so many people missing out on the Fullness of their Faith. Some out of fear…some out of guilt and shame…some because they think the Journey is too painful…some because they have been convinced that all they ever have to do is say “Yes” to an invitation to Believe and carry a membership card to a local church.

There is a Mighty God in Heaven longing for a bigger, deeper Relationship with His Children. He deserves to be “feared” because of who He is…but He doesn’t get joy out of inflicting pain and He warns us not to be afraid of anything. He’s the Source of Joy and Love and everything Good and if there is any “pain” to fear, it’s missing out on the kind of Relationship He longs to have with His Children.

I began this day with a cold breath of air but I warmed up my Life just by spending Time in the Presence of my God. The world might be a scary place, but I’m not afraid. I might feel a little “pain” here and there, but I’m growing Stronger every day because I Cling to the King, and with Him, there is nothing but Good and never a reason to fear pain.

How about you?

The Waymaker Never Sleeps…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Most High God who “gives and takes away” and He Illuminated His Word to speak to my Heart all over again this morning. While I was enjoying the warmth of the farmhouse, I watched the deer making their way to a feast that had been covered with snow for the last few days. It is fascinating to watch them move in for their feast after the melting takes place and the ground is clear of snow, but it’s not as if they didn’t eat while the ground was covered. It’s not as if they would starve had the melting taken longer. It’s not as if they need men to feed them. They just need to work a little harder for their supper and temporarily turn to the back up diet of bark and twigs instead…AND NEVER give up. The deer intuitively know that if they just keep moving, and refuse to give up, their Provider has a Plan to sustain them. So, as I sat there taking in the ways of nature, I thought about how our Waymaker gives and takes away, and when He does, it’s not time to be discouraged and it’s never time to give up…it’s time to go to the bark and twigs instead. What a Sweet Reminder from a Mighty God that He’s got my Life Covered in Grace no matter what it might look like to me sometimes. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

I’m not sure why some people Persevere through all kinds of turmoil while others throw in the towel at the first sign of difficulty and wait to be fed instead of looking for the twigs and the bark, BUT I AM sure that it’s how we Handle the Journey that will determine our Peace and Joy in the end. If we don’t KEEP MOVING we’ll never get to the other side of the turmoil and we’ll never be able to Claim our Victory because of it. If we refuse to KEEP MOVING like our furry friends, we’ll never be Transformed into a Vessel that can be used by the Living God. If everything in Life was smooth sailing we’d never Develop our Character. If we don’t Overcome…and Live to tell about it….we’d squander away a Testimony of the Power and Might of the God of Grace.

It’s sad to see that some people live their entire lives as if all the “good” is covered by the snow and they don’t hesitate to whine about the God of Grace as if He forgot all about them. They often turn to man to make a way without realizing that, although man may “feed the deer”, it’s never a good idea. Feeding the deer weakens their instinct and feeding the deer attracts their enemies, and the same is true for man. God will always make a way for those who Trust Him. But if we insist on taking matters into our own hands to force the Hand of God…well, we’ll suffer the consequences for our lack of Trust every time. When Moses found himself “confined” by the sea that separated his people from freedom, he whined to God to fix it too…and God DID fix it AFTER He told Moses to KEEP MOVING forward in Faith. Sure enough, the Waymaker made a Way that the world still talks about today but it took Obedience and Faith on the part of Moses to get there.

God used a few feasting deer to speak to my Heart this morning and now my Heart overflows with Gratitude for the One Who ALWAYS makes a way…the One who always Provides…the One who died for me. I Know the One who holds to Keys to Heaven and Hell can open any door, part any sea, heal any disease, halt any snowstorm, and melt any field to feed nature, has my Life Covered in Grace no matter what it looks like to me. I’ll KEEP MOVING because He says so and when (or if) I doubt, I’ll just turn to my furry friends for another lesson on what it looks like to truly “Let go and let God”.

How about you?

The God of Mercy…Still on the Throne!

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. God nudged me awake long before the sun came up and we had a long talk about Life. My Heart couldn’t wait for the lights to come on so I could see with my eyes that my world is the same today as it was yesterday. Thousands of people are standing by this morning as their homes (or businesses) burn to the ground and my heart is broken for them. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that He is a God who “gives and takes away”, but He is. Sometimes it’s hard to see that He is a God of Mercy, but He is. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that He is a God of Law and Order when it looks like the world has fallen apart, but He is. As I turned to Him for Peace and Direction for such a time as this, He reminded me that He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore no matter (how I perceive) what’s going on around me, and He reinforced my Marching Orders all over again – to share His Goodness of God with a world that needs Him now more than ever. And just like that – my heavy Heart was filled with Peace, Hope, AND Excitment all over again. Following Jesus is a choice. Reading (and Believing) His Word is a choice. Trusting Him when it looks like the world has gone crazy is a choice. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

Some of my favorite passages in the Bible come from Job 38-41 where God paints a picture of His Majesty and Might to a man who had everything taken from Him, from his kids to his wealth and his health. The God of All Creation considered Job to be “the most righteous man” on the planet and yet, He allowed calamity to come into every corner of his life. The kind of calamity that you and I would never EVER want to know. I want to be like Job because, through the calamity, he never stopped praising God. Job made the choice to cling to the Creator no matter what. That’s the good news. The bad news is that “the most righteous man” still managed to get himself into trouble when he presumed to know the Mind and Plans of God and he wasn’t afraid to say so. So the Living God set Job straight with the most beautiful “Where were you?” speech the world has ever heard. By the time God finished His “Where were you speech” Job was so ashamed of his arrogant heart…a heart that presumed to know what God was up to…that he cursed the day he was ever born. With humility like that, it’s no wonder God saw Job as the most Righteous man on the planet! I wonder how many of us are willing to admit that we DO presume to know the Plans of the God who “gives and takes away?” Hmm…

When I consider the “Where Were You” speech this morning, I couldn’t help but wonder what that speech would look like for America today? Would God say “Where were you” when laws were passed that allow us to rip an unborn child from the womb of its mother…70 million times? Would God say “Where were you” when laws were passed to disgrace what He intended to be between a man and a woman?” Would God say “Where were you” when we created new genders of our own and we chose to accept perversion as the “norm?” Would God say “Where were you” when we allowed prayer to be removed from our schools to avoid offending non-believers? Would God say “Where were you” when His commandments were ripped from the walls of our public places for all the world to (not) see?” I don’t want to presume to know the mind of God either…but could it be that God has had enough with our “one nation under God” or that all our efforts to “stand up” are just too little too late in His eyes?

This world needs Jesus Christ now more than ever before and I’ll be sure they hear the Truth when God puts them in my path. The Truth doesn’t come from “secret sources” or a favorite news channel. The ONLY Trustworthy Source of Truth comes from the Living Word of God…period. It’s there where we’ll find the Truth about the God of ALL Creation – the TRUTH about the Future that is possible for those who Believe – the TRUTH about what to expect as the Day draws near – the TRUTH about forgiveness and how to pray for our enemies – the TRUTH about how we have the choice to be “born twice but die once” – the Truth about everlasting Life and immeasurable Joy – the TRUTH about the God who gives and takes away – the TRUTH about the One who died for all. There is pain from coast to coast – from hurricane victims to the raging fires of LA but the God of Mercy is still on the Throne. Lots of things are changing in our world, almost faster than we can comprehend, but the God of Mercy is still on the Throne. Just thinking about my Future with Him fills me with Excitement and my Job Description is clearer than ever before no matter what God decides to take away for such a time as this. I choose to Believe. I choose to forgive. I chose to love. I choose Hope. I choose Jesus.

How about you?

Tenderized and Transformed in the Desert…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. God added a beautiful layer of snow to the fields while I was in Pittsburgh to celebrate the 13th birthday of my first grandson. Winter, Spring, Summer, or Fall there is no place like home to me. It’s bitter cold this morning, and there won’t be any melting today, but with a hot cup of coffee and a warm Heart, all is well with the world to me. I sat in His Presence for the longest time this morning Preparing for this new day and all that the Alpha and Omega has Planned for me in the days ahead. I’m Excited about His Plans for me and how He will be using me all the days of my life here on earth BECAUSE I’m Armed and Ready… I’m Tenderized and Transformed! I spent years in the desert being Prepared for this precise moment in Time and I was born for such a time as this! Some people will be in a tailspin today over something as simple as a snowfall and some people will hide under the bed over what’s going on in this dark world, but not me because I’ve been to the desert and I’m Prepared for it all. In the desert, I found my Strength and I learned to Lean on Him and I learned that there is no good thing in me apart from Him. I’m a Willing Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and I’m certain that if I keep my focus OFF myself and ON Him, I’ll be Serving Him with honor until He calls me Home…AND I’ll always be Victorious. Isn’t that the way you see your Journey of Faith too?

Most people do everything in their power to avoid time in the desert but it’s in the desert where God does His greatest Work on the human Heart. Paul spent three years in Arabia – Moses spent 40 years wandering – Joseph was in Egypt for 13 years – and David spent many years hiding away from King Saul. When we see people soaring in Service to the King of all kings, you’ll always hear that they were sent to the desert first to Prepare their Hearts. This is true from the saints of the Old Testament to people we rub elbows with today. It takes a desert experience to Prepare. Understanding this part is the Key to Peace and having the Heart it takes to see (and Believe) that all things really do work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His Purpose. I received plenty of War wounds while in the desert and “proudly” wear them in the Name of Jesus Christ today as a Witness to how a Mighty God can Transform even the hardest of Hearts with just a little Time in the desert.

Be careful what you wish for in your Journey of Faith – if you sincerely want God to enlarge your territory it’s probably going to involve some time in the desert where “no pain, no gain” takes on New Meaning. After all, if anybody knows how stubborn and selfish the human heart is, God does, and He Knows how to Tenderize the Willing Ones! He Knows that in order to accomplish His Greatest Work through us, He first needs to throw us into the desert…like a spiritual sink-or-swim Experience designed to Strengthen His people. It’s definitely an Honor to be used for Kingdom Work no doubt about that, but it always comes with a price for the Privilege. In the desert, God changes us and removes things that hold us back and make us “useless”. In the desert, He forces us to draw upon His Grace alone. Thank God, the desert is only a short (but Powerful) Season in our Journey of Faith. When He has accomplished what He wants in our lives in the desert, He will bring us out and when He does, we see Kingdom Work in an entirely different Light. God has given each one of us a Mission to fulfill that can only be Fulfilled after we have spent adequate Time being Prepared in the desert. Have no fear of the desert and don’t avoid it like the plague if you desire to be used by the King, because it’s in the desert where you’ll hear His Voice like never before, and it’s there where you’ll receive your Marching Orders for this Journey called Life.

The ground is covered in snow but I’ve been more focused on the desert of my past than what I see with my eyes this morning. I’ve been in the desert and I came out Victorious AND I always will because He promises me that. I have a Testimony that could make the toughest man cry but I wouldn’t change a thing about my Journey. It took the desert to Refine me into the Vessel I am today and my territory just keeps getting bigger and bigger because of it. Be careful what you “wish” for if you want to be a Vessel used by the King of all kings, it always comes with a “price” to Prepare. There are no words for my Gratitude for a God who loves me enough to take me to the desert so that I can have the privilege of doing Kingdom work on this side of Heaven until I draw my last breath.

How about you?

Lack of Gratitude Leads to Whining…Ouch!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It was a blistery 22 degrees at sunrise and snow is on the way. Although I’m not too keen on the idea that the snowfall may get in the way of my plans, I’ve prayed for snow to nourish the land, so I’ll do my best to trade my disappointment for gratitude. This isn’t the first time recently that God has changed the plans and I’m sure it won’t be the last. As I sat there in the presence of the Most High God I thought about how easy it is for some people to come to the conclusion that doesn’t Know what He’s doing when it comes to changing the Plans…but the God of Tomorrow always knows what He’s doing and all plans, large and small, belong to Him. Although the Word says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” there is no promise to avoid pain and disappointment throughout the Journey. It all comes down to whether or not we choose to whine about our circumstances or if we’re willing to Trust Him no matter what. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Faith too?

If there is anything that can tap my last nerve it’s whining – especially when it comes forth from a professed Follower of Jesus Christ. The whiners will shake their fists at the first sign of disappointment and they don’t hesitate to ask “Why me Lord?” as if they’re being picked on by the Author and Perfector of their Faith. The whiners want His Plans to conform to their plans and when they don’t…off they go. They spend a lot of time focusing on all those things they don’t have as if God has forgotten them and when they’re reminded of what they DO have they shrug it off as if it is meaningless compared to what they really want. They are like a real-time example of the Israelites who grew tired of the miraculous food provisions God rained down day after day because they wanted meat instead of manna. Whiners don’t see themselves as a defiant child but that’s the way God sees them, and as long as they shake their firsts in defiance with an ungrateful heart, they can’t receive all the Good that God has for them. It puts the saying “your own worst enemy” into a spiritual perspective. The Key to Peace and Contentment is so easy when you think about it…Be Grateful for all things and Trust Him with the Plans. This is the Key to Maturity in the Journey of Faith.

The whiners seem to have a perpetual half-empty glass and they LOVE LOVE LOVE to gossip because talking about someone else makes them feel better about their own circumstances. But it’s when we refuse to whine and we trade gossip for heartfelt prayers on behalf of the one we talked against that we see the most amazing fruit come forth in the one we’re praying for AND in ourselves. Whiners have a difficult time with forgiveness and they only extend it to people they deem to be worthy to be forgiven as if Jesus had exemptions for forgiveness that we don’t know about. If you wrong a whiner, they can hold onto what they perceive to be a personal offense forever. The best part is that they’ll attempt to justify their hard heart and they’re rarely willing to take the first step in the forgiveness process. It’s only when we can see ourselves the way God sees us – when we comprehend how hopeless we are without Him – it’s only when we can genuinely embrace the Grace that we can learn to easily forgive. This is the Key to Surrender in the Journey of Faith.

I’m disappointed about the changed Plans of late BUT I have complete Trust in the One who is in Control of my Life. When something happens to change my plans I pause to consider what God is doing to Steer my Life in a better (or safer) direction and I NEVER wonder if He knows what He’s doing. He’s my Father and I’m His child. I don’t want to be a defiant child in His eyes. I don’t want to be ungrateful in His eyes. I don’t want to be one unwilling to Trust because of my own insecurities. I want to worship the King of all kings with every breath I take and when He Redirects me I’ll say “Yes, Lord” without question.

How about you?

Reflect The Warmth of the Son….

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold and windy outside this morning and I was outside just long enough to capture this image. What I saw with my eyes (and my heart) took my breath away. The sun was rising in the East, and the light was reflecting in the West before I could even see much of the sun itself. The West became a reflection of the light shining on the East – exactly what Children of the Living God are supposed to be! Just the color FROM the sun added beauty to the dark world and it didn’t even take much light to add Warmth. As I met with the Living God in the warmth of my home, I began to pray and weep for those so much less fortunate than I am… those left out in the cold in MORE WAYS than one. It’s one thing to be cold and hungry – it’s an entirely different story to be Lost. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see cold people, lost people, sick people, and poor people all around, and the image overwhelms me. Except for the honor of praying for them and doing my small part to attempt to change their lives…I’m powerless. But I know Who brings the warmth. I Know the Miracle Maker. I know my Provider very well, and I know He has a Plan through it all…even when I don’t understand it…even when it hurts. Isn’t that the way you see it too?

It would be so easy to convince ourselves that we’re Reflecting Light from the Son just by our mere existence and that there is no need to take action at all. But the Bible says, “In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to KEEP AWAY FROM EVERY BELIEVER WHO IS IDLE and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching you received from us” so apparently it’s a big deal to a Big God who Commands us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”. When we strive to be a Reflection of the Most High God, we begin to Experience genuine Compassion and we no longer have fleeting moments of just feeling sorry for people, we FEEL THEIR PAIN just the way Jesus did – and before you know it, the beautiful Reflection of our Faith begins to shine on their lives like the sun on the trees this morning. The Bible says, “Be holy as I am holy” and that’s a tall order for sure – but just thinking about how Holy my God is makes me want to try even harder to be the best Reflection of Him that I can be!

I’m heading into this cold new year with more blessings than any human deserves. I understand where I’ve been and how far I’ve come. I understand that God used my own pain and poverty to tenderize my heart, and I understand that “there is no good thing in me apart from Him.” I am a child of the King and I’m humbled to be found worthy to do a little Work in His Name.

I have a place Reserved for me in Heaven when I leave this temporary home and I’ll have an Everlasting Life with my loved ones who were born-again Believers too. Because I Know what’s possible with Christ, I want to Recruit as many people as I can while I’m still here on this earth so that they can have Eternal Life too! That doesn’t make me “special” – it means that I’m obedient to the same Call we ALL have – to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. I sure don’t want to be found sleeping on the Job when He comes Calling for me!

I have a family that is so close and so filled with love that it defies logic, AND they’re all healthy and strong. I have a Purpose that was Divinely Designed just for me and I understand what I need to do to Fulfill it. I have a warm home and a warmer Heart and every day I strive to have a Heart more like Christ. I want people to look at my Life and see the Warmth of the Son Reflecting over me as surely as I saw it on the trees this morning. I want the kind of Heart that hurts over the pain of another, and the kind that wants to do something about it if I can. The kind that NEVER overlooks the honor it is to be able to stand before the Throne of a Mighty God in prayer on behalf of someone else…the kind of Heart that knows that the only reason I’m NOT getting what I deserve is because Jesus Christ already paid the price for me.

How about you?

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17

“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.

Reflect Who You Celebrate!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the One I Celebrate all year long from inside a warm house with an even warmer cup of coffee and I’m very thankful for both. I’m a little more tired than usual this time of year but not because I’m caught up in the madness of the holiday. I’m more tired than usual this time of year because I’m busy making things with my heart and my hands to express my love instead. It’s easy to head to a mall and shop til you drop; it’s an entirely different story to make something out of nothing. Every piece of this holiday season is (and will always be) about Love at the farm. You won’t find anybody in my tribe squealing over a luxurious gift with a big price tag, although we’ve all received plenty of those over the years. But you can be sure they’ll be moved to tears when they open a gift that was made with heart and hands. What a sweet reminder to me this morning straight from the Throne of my God that the most precious Gift is Love and how we express it makes all the difference in the world.

In many ways, this time of year resembles a contest to me…who has the best lights in the neighborhood or the most presents under the tree? Who has the best Christmas party with the finest food and wine, and who sends out the most cards? It’s funny and sad all at the same time when you think about it – most people celebrate Christmas…even the ones who want nothing at all to do with Jesus Christ any other time of the year. Some don’t mind telling you that they’re offended by the mention of His Name and yet they don’t miss an opportunity to celebrate His birthday. The glitz and glamour, the lights and gifts are just too good to refuse, so the ones who don’t Believe (and the ones who do) ALL set out to make it a Christmas to remember, and before you know it you can’t tell the Believers from the non-believers and Jesus is out shadowed by the “fun”. Believers are happy to say “Merry Christmas” as if we just “won the right” to speak His Name. But beyond the words, does it really look and feel like the Celebration of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known, OR do we slip a little Jesus into the festivities to pacify the conscience?

It’s a good thing Jesus can Love greater than any man, that’s for sure. Leave it to Him to keep Loving and Forgiving while His People blend the Message of the Birth of the Greatest Gift the world has ever known with Hollywood-style glitz and glamour. How sad to see His People teaching their children to give credit to a fictitious man as the one to determine their worth based on “naughty and nice”. How tragic that the Message of the Birth of a Savior is not enough fun for the family and that Salvation is not the Gift that keeps on giving. How pathetic to see images of that big guy in the sky mixed in with THE Big Guy in the sky as if sharing a Birthday with a fictitious character and giving him credit for the gifts would be pleasing to the Lord. Yes, Jesus wants us to be joyful! He had fun with His friends and family too! After all, His first miracle was performed at a wedding feast where he turned the water into wine and the Bible says that there is ” nothing better under the sun but to eat and drink and be merry.” Having a great celebration is NOT the problem…and neither are the gifts. It’s the mixing together of the message of Hope, our Savior, and our Redeemer with all those things that take the focus off of Him and onto a lie the world tells just for fun. NOW that’s a problem.

Christians don’t stand out to the lost world just by saying “Merry Christmas” – we stand out to the lost world by making SURE that the world knows Who we Celebrate…and NOTHING else.

I’m excited about celebrating Christmas with my family tomorrow and we’ll have lots of fun! The farmhouse is decorated for the Occasion but you won’t find Santa hats or any other sign of him here because we ONLY celebrate the Birth of the King of all kings. There will be plenty of gifts from the heart and a feast fit for our King….after all, it IS His birthday! We’ll do lots of laughing and we’ll walk down Memory Lane, for sure. We might even play a few games by the time the day is over, but my tribe will NEVER lose sight of Who we are, Who we belong to, and Who we celebrate, so we’ll be giving Thanks to Him for every gift – especially the BIGGEST Gift He was born to give…the gift of Love, Hope, Redemption, and Forgiveness so that we can have Eternal Life with Him. Now THAT’S something to celebrate, Amen?

“The greatest of these is love”

Merry Christmas, world.

It’s MEANINGLESS Without The Right Heart…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s gloomy and cold this morning and they’re calling for more rain or snow. Since I like nothing more than fields covered with snow for Christmas, I’m hoping for the snow. When I met with the Living God this morning, I had the hardest time trying to take captive every thought to bring His Word into my spirit. A long list of things to do kept popping into my head and my Praising turned into planning over and over again. All of the holiday preparations filled my mind and instead of focusing on the Greatest Gift of all, I was focused on all the gifts I’m making for others. I finally confessed my weakness to Him and it didn’t take long for Him to take me to the Spiritual Woodshed with a Firm Reminder about the Heart. No matter what I do – no matter what need I’m trying to fill – no matter who or how I serve – no matter what I say – no matter how elaborate the gift I make – if I don’t have the right Heart, all of it is MEANINGLESS. I began to weep as I thought about how my labor of love could so easily transition into lame projects. I never want to “go through the motions” when it comes to the Living God, and I never want to work myself into a frenzy just for the sake of doing good. Isn’t that the way you see the Journey of Life too?

I know that without the right Heart and without a Prepared soul, I stand the risk of being “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” because without Love there is no meaning to my words at all. No matter if the words warm the heart and no matter how profound the words sound sometimes – without Love, there is no meaning to my words at all. The “greatest of these is love” and no matter what act of kindness I do today, if the kindness is done to make me look and feel better and not out of Love for the other – it is worthless to the One who matters the most.

No amount of nice things I do for my family and friends and no matter how many handmade gifts they’ll all receive this year – if they aren’t given and driven by Love they’ll be meaningless to the receiver. Love is the greatest of all things and it takes a whole lot of Love to do the Will of my God no matter what’s going on in my life. Nothing I do for Him can earn His favor in my life or justify the Sacrifice He made for me, but when I do His Will with Love…no, no matter how large or how small…my Works are priceless in the Kingdom of God and I know that they’ll have an eternal impact.

Today I’ll focus on love. The love I have for the Living God and the love I have for His people. The love I have for my family and friends and the love I have for strangers I’ve yet to meet. Whatever I do today, I’ll do out of love despite the distractions that come my way. As I busy myself making gifts for my family, I’ll focus on Love a lot more than “perfection” and those simple little gifts will be Priceless when I do. The distractions will just motivate me to try a little harder to battle against the one who brings confusion to life. Absolutely nothing will change my heart OR my direction as long as I’m doing the Will of a Mighty God and I’ll continue to persevere through the obstacles until I succeed.

How about you?

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing”

My God is a Consuming Fire…

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cool and foggy this morning and even if I were meeting with the Living God from outside on the front porch, I wouldn’t be able to see any farther than a few feet into the fields. As they say in the South, “The fog is so thick you can cut it with a knife”. I won’t have much quality porch time until things warm up in Virginia, but I’ll have Quality Time with the Living God every day. That comes down to choice. I don’t spend Time with Him out of duty…I spend Time with Him because I NEED Him more than I need anyone or anything else in this Life. Psalm 42 says it best “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.” I thirst for Him. I hunger to be with Him. I need Him. I love Him. And I Serve Him because He’s the Center of my Life. Nothing else can satisfy my Soul and nothing else can bring me Joy the way He can. He’s my All. Isn’t that the way you feel about Him too?

It’s no surprise that many people can’t find their Way in their Faith and they have no idea what God’s Purpose is in their Life because they don’t hunger or thirst for Him. When we’re hungry in the human sense we don’t rest until we’re fed, and when we’re parched we’ll do anything to satisfy our thirst. Our animal instinct kicks in and survival occupies every thought. We have a built-in radar for our basic human needs and NONE of us go without unless circumstances force us there. Some have a weakness for a particular food or beverage and they’ll crave those things until they finally break down and satisfy the craving…because it occupies their thoughts until they do. Hungering and thirsting for the Living God can feel the same way (on steroids) but it’s a Choice whether or not we Nurture our Faith to the place where we NEED Him more than we need air. When we get to that place where our Soul hungers and thirsts for Him, we become consumed by the Living God and nothing else can satisfy the “craving” to spend Time in His Presence. When we’re feeling parched, we’ll crawl across the desert of Life to reach the Living Water and we’ll do anything to satisfy our Thirst. Hungering and thirsting for Him is a sure Sign that we “get it”. That’s when we realize that there is “no good thing apart from Him” and that our lives are meaningless without Him. That’s where we find our Purpose and that’s where He Directs us to Greatness. It’s a place of total Surrender that grows the most beautiful Relationship, and it is when we hunger and thirst for Him that He can use us in Miraculous Ways. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

Sadly, hungering and thirsting for the Living God is something that most people of Faith miss out on. They may love Him. They may honor Him most of the time. They may THINK they need Him. They may spend a little time with Him each day (most of the time), they make sure to be in church on Sunday mornings, and they pray. But they don’t hunger or thirst. They never seem to be Desperate for Him like the deer panting for water unless they need Him to do something or they want Him to fix a problem they have. Perhaps it’s because they’ve never been taken to the Spiritual Woodshed where He sets the Path of Life straight – or maybe they’ve never been to that desperate place where He’s ALL they have to cling to….no other human being…no subsistence…and no “hope” from the world’s perspective. Maybe they’ve never tapped into the Holy Spirit that dwells within the heart of a Believer and maybe the Spirit is quiet because of it. I don’t know the reason why most people aren’t hungering or thirsting for Him like a deer panting for water, but I DO know that’s the only Place to be and the only Way for a person of Faith to Live. “Our God is a consuming fire” and when we draw near to Him – HE WILL draw near to us and His Love will consume every part of us. That’s where Faith overflows and that’s where the most amazing Miracles happen in this Journey of Faith. It’s when we hunger and thirst for the Living God that He Knows He has our Full Attention and our Path will be set Straight for the Journey. If you wonder what your Purpose is and you’re confused about what God wants for your Life, then you need to dig in deeper to stir up your Hunger and Thirst for the Living God. The Living God doesn’t leave anybody out in the dark when they’re desperate for Him day in and day out whether they are “well fed or hungry”.

I spent some Quality Time with the Master this morning as He woke up the world and my hunger and thirst have been satisfied all over again. He’ll Consume my thoughts as I go about my day, and I’ll let His Spirit set my Path straight. I’m overjoyed to go “about my Father’s business” because He dwells within my heart and His Love satisfies me like nothing else. I pray that I bring pleasure to my God every step of the way because I hunger and thirst for Him. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, Oh God.”

How about you?