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.
We are getting ready to finish up our study on “Our Church Experiencing God!” I have and I am really enjoying this study and God has opened my eyes and heart to a lot of different things that we need to do and be as a church and that I need to do and be as a Christ follower! I am excited about the direction that I believe that God is taking us and can’t wait to see what He is going to do in us and through us. In the next few weeks – as a community of faith we are going to be talking about what we see God up to and how we as a Church can join in with Him.
I thought that it might be fun to have all of you that read this blog to throw out some possible themes for the next year of ministry at Northwood. You don’t have to be a member to suggest a theme. If you can think of a theme, then please take the time to leave a comment at the bottom of this post or email me with your thoughts. I will try and share some of the theme ideas and maybe even take some of them and try a blog poll.
What is God saying to you about Northwood and what we can join Him in accomplishing during this next year? Please share your thoughts and ideas and most especially your THEME! Let’s have some fun with this!
God has been speaking to my heart a lot lately about “MAKING DISCIPLES!” In Matthew 28:19-20 we are given the command to “GO and MAKE DISCIPLES!” I am not real sure how good we are at this. I am not real sure at how good I am at this! I think that I have spent a great deal of my life and energy trying to make Christians – that is, I have worked hard to try and help people see their need for a life changing relationship with Jesus. I think that I have done okay in helping people get into the relationship. I am not so sure that I have done such a good job in helping people experience and grow into the life changing part of it.
It’s not that I haven’t tried! It’s just that in order to make disciples we must, I must spend personal one on one time with people. I think that the reason Jesus said to GO is because disciples cannot be made in the safty and protection of our own self built kingdoms. We must get out into the world and experience life with others and share Jesus in these experiences.
I think the best way to MAKE DISCIPLES is by being a disciple that others can learn and be encouraged from! It is a very big job, but God would not have commanded us to do it – if it were not possible! I’ve got to go and so do you, because we’ve got work to do, if we re going to bring a smile to His face today!
I am spending a little time outside today – just enjoying creation! The leaves are changing colors, the sky is a brilliant blue and the sun is warm in the cool and crisp air. I love to get out and away from everything else. When I get away I hear and see things that are normally all around me, but that I miss because I am trying to take in to many things at one time. In this moment I can hear an airplane off in the distance, crows that are really excited about something in the woods, leaves being rustled by a gentle breeze, a squirrel chasing another around and around a pine tree. And I can see beauty all around me – not the man made kind, but the stuff of God.
Everyday God is saying to you and me: “I LOVE YOU!” Our problems is we are just not listening and looking! I encourage you to take a little time OUTSIDE today and listen for God’s “I LOVE YOU!” to you. I hope you hear it and and hope that we all take the time to say “I LOVE YOU!” back!
Michael Joe Harvell 