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.
Success is one of those words that many who call themselves Christians have tried to distance themselves from. The result is that many of us have become mediocre in the process! Success is not something that we should run from, it is something that we should run toward. Success does not happen by accident, it is something that happens on purpose, because we make it happen. Success is actually the creation of God. He said: “A man will reap what he sows!”
With that thought in mind – let me ask you a question: What are you planting? Whatever you are planting is what you will grow and whatever you are growing is what you will harvest! If you want to harvest success, then you must plant seeds that will grow into success! Success is different for everybody! What does success look like for you, in your life, at this time? Answer the question honestly and you are on your way!
Be honest – take some time and think about it – what does success mean to you and what will it look like in your life?
My goal as a pastor is to try and help people have the amazing life that I know that God wants each one of us to have! It’s not about rules and regulations, it’s about relationship with a God that created us, loves us and desires to bless us! Northwood is working hard to become the kinda place where you can discover and grow in this incredible and amazing relationship!
I have decided to take the blog in a new direction starting today! I am going to try and blog everyday with the dual purpose of motivating and encouraging you that read and in keeping myself accountable to you! I have things in my life that I need to work on and make better – areas that I can improve in, that would cause my life to be more enjoyable to me and others! If we are all honest – we all have areas of our life that we need to work on! Starting today I am challenging each of us to really start thinking about these areas for improvement! I am serious – right now, make a commitment today to take 10 – 30 minutes to really think about your life and how it could be and should be better! Think about what you can do to make it better! Once you start thinking in the right direction – make a list of things that you will begin to work on! Feel free to comment by clicking comment under the title up above and let me know where you are on your journey and how I might be able to help!
P.S. A big thing that may seem small that I am working on this week is less carbonation- it really needs to be no carbonated drinks and a whole lot of water! Did you know that we are supposed to take our body weight and divide it by two – to get the ounces of water that we need to drink? So far, so good today – I am already floating!
I was born and raised in the South and I am proud of it! I am not one bit ashamed to admit that I love Grits! Being raised in the South has many advantages! One of the greatest advantages is that we have words in our vocabulary that explain things with one word that takes folks from other parts of the country to explain with several! While some of these words have never found their way into Mr. Webster’s fine, but limited volume, they have and continue to be of great importance to communicating life changing truth!
One of the words that you tend to hear a lot around the south is “y’all!” The word “Y’all” is more than likely referring to more than one and is usually talking about a group of people that have something in common! We might offer an invitation that says: “Y’all come on over to the house and we will break out some Moon Pies and RC Cola!” Which means: More than one person is going to have a good afternoon!
I think Jesus may have been raised in the Southern part of Nazareth, because He had a lot to say about “y’all”! He wanted everybody to be together, unified and as one! Many of the instructions that Jesus gave have been translated as “you” (singular), but if you look at the original languages, many times you will find that He is giving instructions not to an individual, but to a group “you all” (plural). The truth is Jesus was very much into us all coming together as y’all to be blessed by Him!
Just think what Jesus could do and would do if we became “y’all”!
Michael Joe Harvell 