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.

How To Un-Crowd Your Life The Right Way!

Crowded?

Is your life crowded?  Do you have too much to do and not enough time to do it?  Do you feel like you are always on the run, but never really getting anywhere?  Are you often frustrated and exasperated?  Do you need “Calgon” to take you away?

I talk with a lot of people everyday, who are experiencing these kinds of feelings on a regular basis.  Often when we get to feeling this way, we respond by just saying no.  We think “My life has become too crowded and something has got to go!”

We are usually right in thinking that something has got to go, but the tragedy is that most folks send the wrong stuff packing.  When our lives get crowded, the instinct is to cut stuff out, but the problem is when we start cutting, we often cut the stuff that fills us back up.

If you get rid of an activity, service or ministry that fills you, then you may actually be doing more harm than good.  The best way to un-crowd your life, is to take a look at all that you have to do and be.  (MAKE A LIST!)

Now that you have your list make two categories:  (Fills Me! & Empties Me!)  Put all that you have to do and be under one of these two categories.  If it fills you, then you need to seriously consider if letting it go and pushing it out of your life is the best thing.

If it empties you, then you need to ask yourself some hard questions:  Can my life survive without this?  Will my life be better without this?  How will this impact others that I care about?  If you can feel good about the answers to these questions, then let it slide on out of your life!

Now let’s take a look at the “Fills Me!” list.  You may still have more than you can say grace over, so take a look at all that you have to do.  Are you doing so much that you can’t give your best to what is really important?  Take this list and make a list of what you must do to continue living – these things are not optional!

Now with whatever you have left that you don’t have to do, ask yourself:  Is there anything on this list that I can live with not being a part of?  If there is, then cut it from your life, even if it is just temporary.

When working on these list it is important to remember priorities:  God, Family, Friends, Service, Work!  Try to keep things in the right order.  I hope this helps you to think through all that you have going in your life and enables you to un-crowd in the right way!

One Thought!

What Are You Thinking About?

One good thought can change your moment, which can change your day, which can change your life!  One bad thought can change your moment, which can change your day, which can change your life!  Your thoughts belong to you and while it is hard to keep yourself from having a thought, it is very possible to choose which thoughts you will believe and dwell on!

I want to encourage you to think about your thoughts today!  Seriously, take the time to think about what you are thinking!  Are you thinking thoughts that build up and advance the good stuff of life or are you thinking thoughts that tear down and get you stuck in a rut?

The thinking of the thought is not the big issue!  The big issue is the continued thinking of the thought.  We have got to learn to throw the negative, defeating thoughts away by learning what ever we need to learn and then quickly moving on.  We need to learn to hold onto and milk the positive thoughts for everything that they have for us!

The right thought at the right time, thought on in just the right way can change everything in amazing and powerful ways!  This is one of the reasons that I read the Bible every day!  The Bible seems to always fill me with positive thoughts that help to make my life and it’s living better!

Here’s a thought – get rid of the bad, fill your life with the good and share that good with everyone, in every way that you can!  G3!

Some Days!

Where You Going?

I know this is going to be hard for a lot of you to believe, but some days, I just don’t have a lot to say.  Today is one of those days.  I don’t have any stories to tell, any jokes to crack, any points to make, any motivation to share or any message to give.  I have been thinking all morning about what I should blog about and I have nothing!

The crazy thing is, even with nothing, I want to talk to you!  I really do care about my friends who stop by to read this blog and I hope that you find it to be a source of encouragement and blessing.  While I don’t have any grand message to lay out for you today, I do want you to know that I am glad that we get to do life together and I pray that you are having a blessed Monday!  See you tomorrow!  G3!