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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Is His Story – Your Story?

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I love what I do.  A lot of days it is very frustrating and I must confess that there are many times that I want to throw up my hands and give up, but I still love it.  In one moment it is frustrating and discouraging and then in the next moment it is exciting and encouraging!

Every morning when I get up, I have the major task of helping to try to connect people to God’s story!  We are already His story, but when we cross the line and allow our stories to merge – watch out amazing things are getting ready to happen.  In fact, amazing things are already happening, you just have not learned to see them yet.

Trying to connect people to the story of God is often times frustrating, but when it happens, when I experience success – it is the most amazing thing that I have ever witnessed in all of the years of my life.  I have seen it again and again and it never gets old.

I know that many of you out there are trying to get it right and help others to get it right too.  I know that many times, you feel like you are the only one.  I know that there are a lot of days, where nothing makes any sense and you really want to just go and do something else, but stay faithful my friends!

You are a part of the most amazing story and it really is amazing that you and I get to take part in the amazing challenge of helping others to connect with that story.  Stay after it and G3!  (GIVE GOD GLORY!)

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No Limits!

God has a way and it is probably not your way!  In fact, most of the time our way gets in the way of God’s way because we limit God with our lack of faith!  When we decide to step past our fears and uncertainty by trusting God, our faith is an open invitation to God for the miraculous in our lives.

God is always at work!  It is usually not in the way that we think.  And I think the reason is because God is so much bigger and diverse than we can dream or imagine.  God is at work and God’s will, will ultimately be accomplished!

Think about your life!  Take a look back – what have you learned from your past mistakes and failures?  Don’t beat up on yourself, just learn, grow and move forward!  Take a look present – Ask yourself the five w’s and an h questions:  Who do I need to be?  What do I need to do?  When will I get started?  Where will I go from here?  Why have I not done it yet?  How can I get started right now?  Take a look forward – Know that God has an amazing plan for your life and don’t limit His plan with your plan!

Enjoy the journey God’s way and the destination will take care of itself!

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Is It Really?

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I have been in church and around “church people” all of my life.  One of the things that I have observed and that really gives me a problem is when people do what they want to do and then call it “God’s Will!”  (As I look back on my life, I can see times and places where I have been guilty of this and the result was I cheated myself of God’s blessing and robbed God of His glory!

It is amazing the manipulations that some of us will go through to make the outcome that we want to become reality and then turn around and call it God’s will.  It may be God’s will or it may not be God’s will!  The truth is:  It is almost always our will!

God has a will and God has a plan for our lives, but He will never force it on us!  He allows us to make decisions and choices and if we are obedient in our decisions and choices, then God’s blessings are able to flow.

Just because you call it God’s will, does not make it God’s will.  I don’t want to play this game, because, I could miss out on something really special that God has for me by convincing myself that it is His will – when really it is not.

Be careful!  God loves you and has an amazing plan for your life.  I have discovered the hard way – just because you call it His will, does not make it His will.  By playing this game, I have cheated myself and missed some amazing blessings that God had in store for me!  If you think about it, you will discover that you have probably done the same!

Don’t beat up on yourself for past mistakes!  Admit them, ask God to forgive you and move on in a right relationship with Him by really seeking and submitting to His will!  Trust me – you will be glad that you did!