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.
It was a rough, but good night! Last night I get up as I do on most Wednesday nights to receive prayer request and praise reports and we are having a very good time of praising God and sharing our concern for loved ones and friends. We had a very good group of people who showed up last night and everyone seemed to be in a really good mood. I noticed as I was sharing that everyone seemed to be paying extra special attention to me. I did not think much of it, because I am the Pastor and I am standing in front of all of them.
Things were shaping up and looking good! After a nice time of sharing, I prayed a very beautiful and serious prayer. I took time to acknowledge God’s holiness, thank Him for His faithfulness, ask for His forgiveness and plead for His interaction on behalf of all of the request that had been mentioned. It was a very nice time of prayer! As I finished praying and walked to the side for the music to begin, one of my members walked over to hand me a note. I opened the note and it said “ZIPPER?” As I made my way to the back sure enough – I was having a “wardrobe-malfunction!” I immediately took care of the problem and after the singing stepped back up to deliver the Word. I thought it best to say nothing of the zipper incident. The Word was powerful and spoke to all of us and I think we left church challenged in more ways than one.
At Home! Later when I got home and was telling my wife about the incident, she quickly spoke up and said “oh yeah – I heard all about it from” and began to share a list of names. She then reached over and turned down the waste of my khakis and said “and you are wearing your red underwear!” I’ve thought a lot about this episode through the night and I only have one thing left to say: “I love Christmas!”
What are you grateful for? You should be able to come up with a pretty long list of relationships, events, possessions and blessings. The truth is that most of us that live in the United States have an abundance that usually far outweigh our memory. I think that sometimes I allow all of my many blessings to get in the way of my being thankful. I hate to admit it, but I have at times allowed my much to get in the way of my being thankful. It was not on purpose. It’s just that I have so much to be thankful for that I sometimes get to focused on the wrong stuff and forget where it all comes from.
I sometimes forget to be thankful! I want to be full of joy and I should be full of joy and thanksgiving. God has been very good to me. Even when I have a problem, I never have to face it by myself, because God is always right here with me. When I really stop to take the time to think about being thankful, then God fills me with his joy.
Thank You God for the good and the bad! Thank you for being with me in all situations and circumstances! I love You and I am so glad that you allow me to be Your child! Thank you for reminding me to be thankful and help me this month to grow my “THANKS-GIVING!”
You are special and you do matter! It does not really matter what anyone else thinks or what they have to say. Life is tough and it seems to be getting tougher, but you are a special creation of God. There is not another you anywhere. Don’t let this world or the tough situations of life get you down. Don’t allow anyone else to count you out!
Get up and get going! God has an amazing plan for your life and God will take the bad, frustrating and discouraging and use it for your good as you trust and love living in Him.
Michael Joe Harvell 