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.
Blogroll, Enlightenment, Gratitude, journey, Personal, Uncategorized

What’s In A Name?

My name is Michael Joe Harvell and I can’t think of a better name for myself.

One of my favorite country music singers is Johnny Cash and one of my favorite songs he sings is “A Boy Named Sue!” It’s a song all about a fatherless young man, whose father had named him Sue just before the father decided to disappear out of his life and into nowhere. The boy grew up hard, was made fun of, because of his name and had to get tough to survive. One day, he was sitting in a bar and met his Dad, the man who named him Sue. A fight ensued and son got the best of his Dad. The Dad said: “Before you kill me, let me tell you why I named you Sue!” “It was because I knew life was hard and tough and you were going to have to be to, if you were going to survive.”

Some times I wonder is the name making me or am I making the name and most days, I figure, it is probaby a little bit of both???

So let me share with you the story of how I got the name Michael Joe Harvell: I was born May 9, 1968. My parents could not agree on a name for me. My biological Dad wanted to name me: Ralph Maxwell Hiott III after himself and his Dad. My Mom wanted to name me Harry James Hiott; Harry after her favorite uncle and James after her Father. Neither would agree with the other on the name, so one day my biological Dad came to her with the idea of naming me “Michael Joe Hiott”, Michael after him, everyone called him Mike (I have no idea why?) And Joe after her, because her name was Martha Jo. So that became my name and a few years later, after a divorce, My Mom would remarry and the man she married would choose to adopt me, become my Dad and my last name would change to Harvell.

I have always felt I fit my name and my name fits me. I sometimes think that had I been named Ralph Maxwell Hiott III, I probably would have been a book worm, bratty and entitled. Had I been named Harry James Hiott, then I probably would have become a drugged up musician, looking for my next gig. Instead I was named Michael Joe and I really do feel like it’s who I am…

Michael in the Hebrew language means “One Who Is Like The Lord” and Joe in the American Dictionary means “An Average American”. I’ve always said this combination of names is my testimony in a nutshell: I am an average american, who is trying to be like the Lord…

So, I have enjoyed growing into being Michael Joe Harvell and have been blessed with a pretty amazing life, which I’m still living, learning and loving everyday…

Blogroll, Creativity, Gratitude, journey, Personal, Uncategorized

20 Random Facts About Me!

1. People think I’m an extrovert, but I am most likely a mixture of extrovert and introvert. I can be the life of the party or sit in the corner watching everyone else. Sometimes I can actually be very shy!

2. I am adopted by my Dad – he married my Mom, because I was part of the package! I always think it’s funny when people tell me I look like my Dad, because I do not have his dna, although I have always had all of his love and acceptance.

3. I love collecting and have in my life time had many different collections – comic books, star wars figures, knieves and antiques just to name a few…

4. I love the outdoors – almost anything outdoors is a treat to me…

5. My very first job was at a bank before I was a teenager. (I watered their grass!)

6. In High School I was voted “Most School Spirit” along with the Cheerleading Captain Kelly Burgess!

7. My current comfort binge show on Netflix is Supernatural.

8. Two of the most meaningful relationships in my life have been with my “PA” on my Dad’s side and my “Granny” on my Mom’s side.

9. I was across the street neighbors with Cher, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore in NYC for one week back in the early 90’s.

10. I currently have 3 tattoos – an eagle on my wrist, the word “blessed’ on the side of my hand and the “lion and lamb” on my upper arm.

11. I love just about any kind of food, but my regular goto food is BBQ, Mexican, Japanese, pretty much any meat and three w/ corn bread and I will flat out hurt myself on cube steak with rice and gravy!

12. I would really like to travel one day and I love going pretty much anywhere, because I have found that there are very interesting things all around us, even in our back yards…

13. I like pretty much all genres of music and usually listen to whatever I’m in the mood for, but grew up on classic country… (Hank, Waylon, Willie, Haggard and Jones = you get the picture???

14. My favorite word is probably “GRATITUDE”, because so much of our lives can be set right if we will begin to practice an attitude of gratitude.

15. I don’t really have any superstitions, but I still lick my finger and draw an x on the corner of the windshield anytime a black cat runs across the road in front of me.

16. I used to have bad migranes and terrible stomach aches, but outgrew them thankfully. I will still get a headache if a bad weather front is coming through, but other wise I stay pretty healthy.

17. My favorite animal was my horse Ceasar. My time with my horse and riding my 08 Harley Davidson Heritage Motorcycle got me through some hard times in life.

18. A favorite movie I could watch over and over is Tombstone!

19. My favorite color is blue, with purple coming in a close second.

20. My favorite candy bar goes back and forth between Snickers and Milky Way, but I also love Butterfinger, Resses Cup, Babe Ruth, Moon Pies – well pretty much anything sweet!

Blogroll, Growing, life, Personal, Uncategorized

Hello, My Name Is…

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Hello, My Name is Michael Joe Harvell and I decided to try something a little different on my blog this month. I am going to try to write everyday, using pre planned prompts for the month. That means that everyday, I will try to come to this page and write about whatever my prompt is prompting me to write about.

Today, I want to introduce myself and tell you a little about me. I am pretty much an ordinary guy. I get up most mornings around 5 AM and get ready for my day. I like to begin my day with a cup of coffee, outside in a rocking chair, where I will spend a few moments reading Scripture, meditating and then walking around the yard enjoying a little prayer conversation with my Creator.

I am a husband of a beautiful wife, who is a K-5 Teacher, a father to two beautiful and successful daughters. One who is working, pregnant and and about to bless us with our first grandchild. The other who is still in high school and liviing her best life. I am a son of very special parents, who are a blessing and sometimes a challenge. I am a brother to my favorite sister, who has blessed me with two incredible nephews, who I consider my own. I am a friend to anyone who is willing to open their life to me and I do my best to be an open book and sometimes I am probably more open than I need to be.

I am a Minister, so I spend part of my day studying and preparing messages to encourage folks in their spiritual journy. I am a teacher, so I spend part of my day at school working with high school students trying to help them succeed toward the goal of graduating and earning their high school diploma. I am a Master Coach, so I spend time communicating with clients trying to encourage them and keep them accountable to their goals. And I am a Mentor, so I work hard on myself to try to succeed myself so I can be someone worth looking to for advice and counsel.

I have made more than my fair share of mistakes in this life, and I thank God that His grace is more than sufficient. One of the greatest lessons I have learned and try to teach in life is that if we learn from our mistakes, they were an education, but if we fail to learn, they were a waste.

I believe that God is love and that we are created in His image, which means that as we receive His love, we are to return it to Him and one of the best ways we can do that is by loving one another.

At this age and stage of my life, I consider myself very blessed and I am grateful for all that life has allowed me to experience…