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.
Attitude has been called an outward behavior of an inward feeling. We tend to project on the outside what we feel on the inside. Sometimes we try to hide or disguise it, but the deception cannot last for long. Attitude – positive or negative, always makes its way to the surface.
Attitude impacts every aspect of our living. You decide if the impact is going to be positive or negative. Everyone has to make their own decision. Attitude can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Every part of your living is affected by your attitude and you can bank on the reality that your tomorrow is influenced by your attitude today.
So, let me ask you a simple question: What kind of picture is your attitude painting?
I am very blessed to get to do ministry with some very amazing people. Almost everyday of my life I have men, women, boys and girls who I get to work and walk with to reach outside of self and into the world for God’s glory.
I often get distracted by the challenges and frustrations of every day living. Today, I was taking a little time to just step away from all of the activity to listen for the voice of my Creator and He helped me to realize how fortunate and blessed I am to have so many around and beside me that I get to do life and ministry with.
I just wanted to take a moment to say to each of you – I love you and am so thankful that I get to do what I do with you. May God continue to bless and use you for His glory!
Someone said: “You can’t see clearly until you appreciate fully.” I hate to admit it, but for a small part of my life, I got distracted by people’s flaws and was unable to see and appreciate their potential. If we focus on people’s flaws and miss their potential, then eventually the relationship/friendship will break down.
I am not perfect. In fact, the older I get, the more I realize how just how many mistakes I have made and am still making. Hopefully, I am at least beginning to learn from some of them. None of us are flawless, but all of us have accomplishments and potential. Many times our accomplishments and potential go unnoticed, because most of the people in our world are looking for what is wrong, instead of what is right.
When I was growing up, I used to hear the older folks talking a lot about appreciation. I think appreciation may be one of the great lost art forms of our time. To appreciate means that we make an intentional effort to look past and beyond the flaws, mistakes and mess-ups and instead focus in on a person’s value. Every person in this life has value and contribution that makes life better.
Appreciation isn’t so much about saying “thank you”, as it is actually taking the time to recognize and understand the other person’s value and contribution that they can make.
I need to get better at appreciation. In fact, I want to pull out this old art form from the past and put it into practice, but I can’t do it by myself. I need your help. If enough of us get it and practice it, then it will become a part of our nature.
Here are a few things that I am trying to do to practice appreciation for others:
1.) Accept people as they are! I don’t have to agree with everything and I don’t have to like everything about a person to find something of value to appreciate in them. Sure I want to see people grow, improve and live up to their potential, but I am learning that before I can help anyone do anything, I first have to accept. appreciate and love them.
2.) Be willing to learn new things! I am a human being, but I don’t know all there is about human beings and what it means to live and succeed as one. Since I have room in my life to grow, then I need to be open to differences of opinion, realizing that while, I don’t have to agree, that I also don’t have to let it tear apart what could be a meaningful relationship of relationships. Sometimes we burn our bridges with no idea of who else could walk across them.
3.) Consider The Quickies: There are a few things that I need to do and keep doing to really appreciate others. I need to PAY ATTENTION. I am sometime so focused on myself that I miss everything else around me – must continually work on this one! I need to ASK MEANINGFUL QUESTIONS. Questions help me to get below the surface, so that I can know more. The more I know about you, the more opportunity, I have to find something to appreciate. I need to REALLY CARE. I care. I have always cared, but I am learning that I can care more deeply and more real. I am also discovering that I want to.
Appreciation is a choice. We want others to make the choice to appreciate us, but maybe we need to make the choice first, and then take whatever might come our way. Just a little something we all need to think about. Here’s a question for you: Who do you or who can you appreciate today? Take the time to appreciate them and you will be glad you did!
Michael Joe Harvell 