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.

Don’t Let One Bad Moment Steal Your Praise!

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.” -Psalm 113:3 (KJV)

Have you ever noticed how quickly one bad moment can make you forget an entire day of blessings?

You wake up with plans. The sun comes up. God gives you another morning, another breath, another opportunity. Then something goes wrong, somebody gets on your nerves, the phone rings with bad news, or life simply doesn’t cooperate.

And suddenly, we forget to praise.

But Psalm 113:3 says, “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.”

Friend, God deserves more than our praise when life is good.

He deserves our praise when the morning is beautiful and when the afternoon falls apart.

Because praise isn’t based on what kind of day you’re having. Praise is based on what kind of God you have.

And God is still good.

The sunrise reminds us that His mercies are new. The sunset reminds us that His faithfulness carried us through another day.

Somewhere between the two, life may get messy.

But God never stops being God.

So today, don’t wait for everything to go right before you praise Him. Praise Him in the traffic. Praise Him in the waiting. Praise Him when the prayer hasn’t been answered yet.

Here’s your challenge: Don’t let one difficult moment steal an entire day of praise.

From sunrise to sunset, find something to thank God for.

And if you need a little encouragement from God’s Word each day, follow or subscribe and join me for another Encouraging Word From the Word.

Train Your Mind To Fight For You!

What if the greatest battle you are fighting is not happening around you, but inside your own mind?

Someone said, “Your mindset is either a weapon or a weakness. Train it to fight for you, not against you.”

Every day, your thoughts are either strengthening your faith or feeding your fear. Your mind will either remind you of God’s promises or continually rehearse your problems.

Romans 12:2 tells us, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Friend, you do not have to believe every thought that enters your mind. When a thought tells you that you cannot make it, answer it with, “I can do all things through Christ.” When fear says you are alone, remember that God has promised never to leave you. When your past says you will never change, remind yourself that you are a new creature in Christ.

A strong mindset does not mean pretending that life is easy. It means choosing to believe that God is faithful, even when life is hard.

So today, pay attention to the conversation taking place inside your head. Take every negative thought captive. Replace every lie with the truth of God’s Word. Stop speaking defeat over a life that God is still developing.

The battle may begin in your mind, but victory begins when your mind agrees with God’s truth.

If this encouraged you, follow or subscribe, and let’s keep growing stronger together through God’s Word.

Love Them Anyway!

John 13:34 says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.”

Now, loving people sounds simple—until you have to deal with people.

People will test your patience, borrow your tools without returning them, take the last biscuit, and then ask why you look aggravated.

But Jesus didn’t say, “Love one another when everybody behaves themselves.” He said, “As I have loved you.”

That changes everything.

Jesus loved Peter, even though Peter denied Him. He loved Thomas through his doubts. He loved His disciples when they argued, misunderstood, and made mistakes.

And friend, He loves you and me despite knowing every foolish thing we’ve ever done—and even a few we’re probably planning.

Christian love isn’t merely a warm feeling. It’s choosing kindness when you could be hateful. It’s offering forgiveness when you could hold a grudge. It’s treating people with grace even when they haven’t earned it.

Anybody can love the lovable. Jesus calls us to love the difficult, the disagreeable, and even the person who got on our last nerve before breakfast.

So here’s today’s challenge: Love somebody who makes loving difficult.

Because when we love people the way Jesus loves us, they don’t just hear about Jesus—they see Him.