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.
“Courage is a gift of God that is given to each of us! Our problem is our failure to use what God has given!”
Another Amazing Gift! In my quiet time this morning, the Holy Spirit hit me with this thought! God has given amazing gifts to all of His creation. One of the amazing gifts that He has given to you and me is the gift of courage. The dictionary says that courage is strength in the face of pain or grief. Courage is the thing that allows you to take one more step in the right direction. Courage is the thing that motivates you to go on when everything and everyone else tells you to stop. Courage is the thing that takes you to amazing and incredible places.
Sad Reality vs. Happy Outcomes! Without courage, we would never go anywhere and never accomplish anything of real and true significance, but with courage we attempt to accomplish the impossible and often succeed and learn valuable lessons, even when we fail.
How To Grow Your Courage! How do we activate and live in the power of this great gift that God has given to us? It actually is very simple! Courage is activated by our faith! We need to continually remind ourselves that God is Who He says He is and He is faithful! This simple reminder will allow Him to do great things in and through our lives. Have faith in God, trust in Him, watch your courage grow and begin to go places and experience things that you only dreamed of before!
It has been another great Sunday! I am slap worn out, but worn out in a very good way! Looking forward to getting some good rest tonight!
Thank you so much for all of your prayers over the past couple of days. Your prayers and encouraging notes mean more to me than words can say!
I am very excited about what God is up to in my life. I am learning so much and really feel that I am experiencing some amazing personal growth. Can’t wait to see what God is going to do next! Your prayers and this journey that I am on with God has me standing in a very new, powerful and exciting place!
I want you to be able to enjoy the journey that God has for you. Do not be satisfied with the man or woman that you think you can be! Seek to become the man or woman that God knows you can be! I hope you have a good night and blessed week! G3!
A good friend is a friend that you can and do trust with anything and everything. You do not have to and you do not want to hide anything! You are willing to share it all and the sharing goes both ways!
A good friend is a friend who you are comfortable around and who is comfortable around you! It does not matter how you look, smell or sound. Mistakes are made and forgiven and life goes on regardless!
You may not realize it, but you have a good friend! Don’t take your good friend for granted. Appreciate your good friend by being a good friend back!
Michael Joe Harvell 