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.
There are some things that I love to do and there are some things that I can’t stand to do. Occasionaly in my life, I have had no other choice, but to do some of those things that I don’t really care to do! In almost every situation – it required that I step out of my comfort zone = the major reason why I did not want to do it! But in everyone of those situations, when I stepped out of my comfort zone and did the thing that I dreaded, I was glad that I did, after the fact!
I am trying to remind myself of this truth now a days. It seems that as we get older, we get more stuck in our ways and less willing to move out of our comfort zone. The sad reality is that when we refuse to move, we often miss blessings! You may have a way that you like it, but think about this: Would you move out of the way that you like it, what’s comfortable for you – if it means that you would experience something extraordinary? Just think of how many extraordinary blessings we miss because we are unwilling to move.
Let’s all look for some opportunities to step out of our comfort zones! Let’s seize those opportunities and see what God has in store for us!
When Jesus comes into your heart you are a child in the faith! You have received knowledge of God and forgiveness of sin. If you know God, you will seek to be saved and if you are saved, you will seek to know God. When you accepted Christ, you were forgiven and you are forgiven right now. Forgiveness is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus and has as it’s purpose making mercy and grace available to those that repent and enter into relationship!
When we confess our sins, salvation comes into our lives. Salvation provides us with access to God. Access to God enables Him to give us power, victory and growth. When we receive Christ and become a child of faith, we should immediately begin growing. So HOW MUCH HAVE YOU GROWN LATELY?
Good medicine is medicine that prevents you from getting sick! This is exactly what the Word of God is! It is good medicine that will heal us from our hurts and build our resistance to things tha would commonly take us out! At Northwood, we preach it and teach it, because we believe that it is God’s Word to empower and change our lives!
I hope that you are taking time to get into your Bible and read it everyday! I hope that as you read, you are thinking about how what you are reading applies to your life and how your life needs to change and adapt to line up with what you are reading. Especially make sure that you are taking time this month to read through the Ten Commandments. Think about why God gave you these commands and the difference that they could and should make in your daily living!
I also want to encourage you to come and take advantage of our LIFE classes on Sunday evenings. We have five different classes that will inspire, encouage and grow you in some incredible and amazing ways! God gave you some medicine – take it and watch what happens!
Michael Joe Harvell 