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.
Have you ever prayed and asked God to help you fail? Of course not, that would be foolish! Have you ever prayed and asked God to help you live a mediocre and hum-drum life? Of course not, because who wants to live a hum-drum life? We will not pray such prayers because God did not create us to pray such prayers. God created us to desire something better. God created us to achieve, grow and be blessed! God created us and gifted us for success! And if God created us for success, then we must set goals that drive us in the direction of our creation!
It is God’s desire for each and everyone of us to experience and live lives of success and blessing! We just need to make sure that we have the right definition of success! God has placed inside of each one of His special creations the potential to contribute to His glory and every-ones blessing. God blesses us with success so that He can share His abundance. When I succeed it benefits me and blesses others!
True success for the Christian is discovering God’s plan for your life and pursuing it with all of your strength and energy! We will experience success when we figure out what God created us for, take the time to write out a plan and start to make the plan a reality! Pray about goals you need to have in and as a part of your life. Write your goals down and stay accountable! Take some action everyday that will help you get closer to accomplishing these goals! Go ahead and get started right now! Don’t wait – you might miss a blessing!
If we are going to be all that God made us to be and experience all the amazing things that God created us to experience, then we must take some time to answer the question: “What does success mean to you?” The definition of success is different for everybody and it changes as we grow and develop! The people that experience the greatest success are the ones who have made the time to think about who they want to become and what they want to do. Once we figure out the who, then we can work on the what!
Some view the Bible as a book full of rules and regulations! I choose to see the words in the Bible as a guide that protects me from myself! The Bible teaches me that there is great power in FOCUS! It helps me to understand that there is great reward and blessing that flows out of my HARD WORK! It encourages me to build STRONG RELATIONSHIPS that allow me to give and receive! It helps me to know that I can PERSEVERE no matter what the situation or circumstance might be! And the Bible promises me BLESSING from God as I live according to His plan and direction!
Figure out the direction that you life needs to be heading. Let’s God’s Word help to guide you. The unsuccessful of life that have chosen to live lives of mediocrity have settled to live without direction and the result is a life that goes whichever way the wind blows. Don’t allow circumstances and excuses to get in the way of the amazing things that God has for you!
Figure it out! Take some time to really answer the question: Success – what does it mean to 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?
