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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Our Job!

As a Christian leader, I wear a lot of different hats and often have a lot of different responsibilities.  If I am not careful, I can get very caught up in all I am doing for others and forget “WHO” I am really doing all of this for.

I also can forget “WHO” it is that empowers, gifts and equips me for this service.  This forgetting can really get in the way of my making the difference and having the impact that God has for me to make!

Jeremiah 9:23-24 is a great reminder for Christian leaders!  It says:  “23 Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises loving kindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”

The true and effective Christian leader is not into pleasing himself/herself and this is why you it becomes so easy to give yourself away.  The true and effective Christian leader is also not into pleasing others, because ultimately it is not really about them, even though we serve them.  The true and effective Christian leader is into serving the Lord, because it is about understanding and knowing Him!

The Devil will try to side-track you by causing you to get distracted by self or others, but don’t fall into that trap.  Stay focused on G3!  Give God Glory because glory is His and you will always find yourself doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing – your job!

Our job is not to do what we think is best.  Our job is not to do what others think is best.  Our job is to understand and know our God and try to help others to do the same.  Have fun at work today!  G3!

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Some Of My Best Advice!

Anyone remember this show?

Almost everyday of my life, I find myself talking with someone, who finds that they are having to face a giant!  Most of us do not face giants everyday of our lives, but all of us are facing, have faced, will face a giant.  And when you get finished dealing with one giant, you can almost bank on the reality that another is just around the corner!

When someone comes to me with a personal problem or an overwhelming challenge, I listen to what is going on and then almost always share this simple advice:  “Take it one day at a time!”  Most of us mess our selves up, when we get out past today!  Today is all you’ve got, so don’t get out into tomorrow or next week, and who has any idea about a year from now?

My Granny used to sing this song!  “One Day At A Time!”  She was a very wise woman, who faced some of life’s hardest curve balls, but she did it with grace and charm.  This was one of her favorite songs and the older I get, the more I understand why!

"I'm only human, I'm just a woman. 
Help me believe in what I could be 
And all that I am. 
Show me the stairway, I have to climb. 
Lord for my sake, teach me to take 
One day at a time. 

Chorus: 
One day at a time sweet Jesus 
That's all I'm asking from you. 
Just give me the strength 
To do everyday what I have to do. 
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus 
And tomorrow may never be mine. 
Lord help me today, show me the way 
One day at a time. 

Do you remember, when you walked among men? 
Well Jesus you know if you're looking below 
It's worse now, than then. 
Cheating and stealing, violence and crime 
So for my sake, teach me to take 
One day at a time. 
Chorus: 
One day at a time sweet Jesus 
That's all I'm asking from you. 
Just give me the strength 
To do everyday what I have to do. 
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus 
And tomorrow may never be mine. 
Lord help me today, show me the way 
One day at a time. 
Now that's some good advice - put it into practice, you will be glad you did!