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.
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Making The World A brighter Place!

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‘This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” -John 15:12 (KJV)

Friend, Jesus did not give us a suggestion. He gave us a commandment: “Love one another, as I have loved you.”

Now think about that for a moment. Jesus loved sacrificially. He loved unconditionally. He loved when He was misunderstood, rejected, and even betrayed. His love was not based on what others deserved. His love flowed from who He was.

And that is the kind of love He desires to produce in us.

The world teaches us to love people when they are lovable, but Jesus teaches us to love even when it is difficult. Why? Because love is the greatest evidence that Christ lives within us. A harsh world is looking for believers whose lives are marked by kindness, grace, patience, and forgiveness.

You may not be able to change everyone’s attitude, but you can choose your response. You can choose to love. You can choose grace over bitterness and forgiveness over resentment.

The same Savior who commanded us to love also empowers us to love. So today, ask God to fill your heart with His love and let that love flow to everyone you meet.

When you love like Jesus, you shine like Jesus.

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What Does God Really Want From You?

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“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” -Micah 6:8 (KJV)

Life can get complicated if you let it. Folks will tell you that happiness is found in bigger houses, fancier titles, or having everybody agree with you. But God has a way of cutting through all the noise and bringing us back to what really matters.

Micah 6:8 is not complicated theology. It is heaven’s simple blueprint for a meaningful life. Do what is right. Love showing mercy. Walk humbly with God.

I grew up around people who did not have much money, but they had character. They kept their word with a handshake. They helped neighbors without expecting anything in return. They knew that kindness was never weakness and that pride could ruin a good man quicker than poverty ever could.

That sounds a lot like Micah 6:8.

God is not asking us to be perfect. He is asking us to be faithful. To stand for what is right when it is unpopular. To extend mercy because we have received mercy ourselves. And to remember every day that we need God just as much today as we did yesterday.

Walking humbly with God is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking more of Him. It is waking up every morning and saying, “Lord, guide my steps. Help me love people well. Help me leave this world a little better than I found it.”

At the end of the day, people may forget what you owned or what you accomplished. But they will remember how you treated them. They will remember your kindness, your grace, and the way you quietly walked with God through both sunshine and storms.

So today, do what is right. Love mercy with all your heart. And walk humbly with the God who has walked beside you every step of the way.

That is a life well lived.