All posts by mjharvell

Welcome, friend—I’m glad you’ve pulled up a chair on the front porch of my little corner of the internet. My name is Michael Joe Harvell, and I live my life with one simple mission: to glorify God, encourage people, and leave this world a little better than I found it. I’m a husband, father, pastor, writer, Jeep enthusiast, and front-porch thinker who believes that life is best lived on purpose. I serve as pastor of Eureka Baptist Church in Anderson, South Carolina, where I get the joy of preaching, teaching, and walking with people through the ups and downs of everyday life. Over the years, I’ve discovered that faith isn’t just about Sunday mornings—it’s about living every single day in the presence and power of God. I’m also an author. My books—including The Grace Exchange: How Forgiven People Forgive People and The Word Works—grow out of the sermons, stories, and lessons I’ve learned on this journey. I write in a style that’s conversational, a little front-porch-rocking-chair, and full of stories, quotes, and Scripture that point us back to the goodness of God’s Word. When I’m not writing or preaching, you might find me sitting outside with my Bible and journal, cruising the backroads in my Jeep Gladiator, or sharing a meal and some laughs with the good folks God has put in my life. I love helping people find peace in their spirit, strength in their body, and encouragement in their soul. This blog is simply an extension of that mission. Here you’ll find devotions, encouragement, reflections, and practical insights for living a life of purpose, peace, and joy. So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a rocking chair, and stay awhile—I’d be honored to walk this road of faith with you.

When Someone Hurts You!

Good evening, my friend.

Often when I am reading, I will discover some nuggets of wisdom. I usually try to write them down and they often come back up in the living of life and are an extra blessing to helping me stay on track.

This simple little quote is one of those powerful nuggets.

“Don’t let sin against you produce sin in you.”

That’s a powerful reminder. When someone hurts us, it’s easy to let their words or actions stir up anger, bitterness, or a desire to get even. But their wrong choice does not have to shape our response.

The Bible says in Ephesians 4:26, “Be ye angry, and sin not.”

God understands that we may feel hurt or angry, but He calls us to bring those feelings to Him and let Him guide what we do next.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean pretending the hurt never happened or ignoring a problem that needs to be addressed. It means refusing to let someone else’s sin take root in your heart and lead you away from Christ.

Tonight, ask the Lord to help you release what you’re carrying. He can give you wisdom to respond with grace, courage to set needed boundaries, and strength to leave revenge in His hands.

Don’t let someone else’s wrong pull you into wrong. Keep your heart tender, your spirit steady, and your eyes on Jesus.

Time To Grow Up!

Good morning, my friend.

1 Corinthians 13:11 says, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

One of the signs that something is alive is that it grows.

When I was a child, there were things I thought were important that really were not important at all. There were things that upset me then that would not bother me today. Why? Because hopefully, somewhere along the way, I grew up a little bit.

And the same thing ought to be true spiritually.

As we grow in our relationship with Jesus, some things ought to change. We should not be offended as easily. We should learn to forgive more quickly. We should become less concerned about getting our way and more concerned about doing things God’s way.

Spiritual maturity does not mean that you know everything. It means you are becoming more like Jesus.

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves, “Am I responding to this situation out of spiritual maturity, or am I responding like a child because I did not get my way?”

My friend, God loves you exactly where you are, but He loves you too much to leave you there.

Keep growing. Keep learning. Keep surrendering. And day by day, allow the Holy Spirit to make you a little more like Jesus.

You Don’t Have To Solve Everything Tonight!

Good evening, my friend.

I saw a thought today that said, “Thinking twice is wisdom. Thinking endlessly is anxiety.” That’s a good reminder for all of us. God gave us minds to consider our choices, seek wise counsel, and pray for direction. But there comes a point when we have thought about it enough, and we need to place the matter in God’s hands.

Sometimes we keep turning the same concern over in our minds, hoping we can figure out every detail and guarantee how things will turn out. But we can’t. We can do our part, make the best decision we know how to make, and trust the Lord with what we cannot control.

Philippians 4:6 reminds us, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

So tonight, if your thoughts are running in circles, pause and pray. Ask God for wisdom, then trust Him with the outcome. You do not have to solve everything before you rest. The Lord is still at work, even while you sleep.