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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Do A U-Turn!

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God has a plan!  God has always had a plan!  God’s plan is the best plan!  I have a plan!  I like to think that my plan is the best plan, but I have lived long enough to discover that my plan almost never works out exactly like I planned for it to work out!  God’s plan is much better than my plan, so I have decided to throw away my plans and my plans to plan and just work to adopt and live according to the amazing plan of God!

If I am going to lay my plans aside and live according to God’s plan, then I must get comfortable with REPENTANCE!  I think that we church folks are scared of repentance.  But repentance is the only way to lay your plan down, so that you can pick up the plan of God!  When I repent – I change direction!  I repent when I come to a place of realization that I am headed in the wrong direction and I need to turn around and away from that wrong direction and head in the right right direction.  We don’t need to be afraid of repentance.  We need to embrace repentance, because it really is an amazing gift from God that takes us to a place that we could never take ourselves.

Take a little time to look at your life and plans today!  Are you where you need to be and are you doing what you need to be doing?  If we are honest with ourselves and with God – we probably need to do a “u-turn!”  We often start off in the right direction, but get distracted by the frustrations, disappointments and challenges of life and get off of the track that God had for us.  If you have gotten off track, don’t beat up on yourself.  Just admit it and let God help you to repent – turn around and head back toward Him and His amazing plan for your life!

Come back tomorrow and we will take a look at some of the blessings and benefits of repentance!  It really is a good thing, because it is a God thing!

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Chick-Fil-A!

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Hope & Grace!

Hope & Grace!

 I am the proud parent of two amazing little girls!  Gracie is eight and Hope is four.  They teach me something new every day!  They love me with an unconditional love – just because I am their Daddy.  They love to wrestle.  They love movies.  They love video games.  And they love Chick-fil-a!  They would eat Chick-fil-a for every meal – every day.  I used to think that they liked Chick-fil-a because of the playground, but that’s not it.  They like Chick-fil-a because of the chicken!  Every time they get nuggets with Polynesian sauce – it is all good – every single time!  They know what they like and they trust what they like and it fulfills and fills them!

This is what God and His Word does for me!  When I was younger, I had a youth leader who taught me how to go to the Word and hear from God.  When I learned how to open up the Word and hear from God, my relationship with God went to a whole new level.  Now I go there every day, because I know what to expect and I know that it is going to be good – really good!  I have been going back to God and His Word every since before I became a teenager and I have never walked away dissatisfied!

Go enjoy a Chick-fil-a today and also take some time to meet God in His Word!  You won’t be dissatisfied!

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Thank You Friends!

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I am so thankful for all of the friends that I have been blessed with!  God has blessed me with people that are always there for me.  Some are there for me everyday and some just seem to be there just when I need them!  I don’t think that I could do life without my friends and I don’t really want to have to try and find out.

Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves at all times!”  That is the great thing about a real friend – it does not matter if you are having a good or bad day, they are there for you.  A real friend loves you in all of life’s circumstances!  A real friend loves you on the mountain tops and through the valleys!  Jesus is the greatest friend that we have had or will ever have.  

To all of my friends:  Thank you for being there for me and please know that I am here for you!