I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 40 years. We have five children, eight grandchildren, one grandson and two dogs. My husband and I live near the Smokey Mountains in Knoxville, Tennessee. I love to spend time with my family singing around the piano, playing games, working puzzles, or just laughing and sharing stories. Church is an important part of our everyday lives. My husband is the Minister of Music and I sing in the choir and teach Sunday School. We also work together in our home business. One of my favorite places to be is sitting on my front porch reading, writing, or praying. I love to look around at God's creation from my porch swing and listen to the birds singing or the rain hitting the roof.
Psalm 130:6 “My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than they that watch for the morning”
Come morning…there is something about seeing the sunrise over the hill. It brings hope, a feeling of newness. Things are brighter in the morning and God’s mercies are new each day. I look forward to seeing the sun in my backyard as it glimmers through the trees and seems to say “Good morning, look at what I have for you today”. I see the Lord’s creation as it slowly comes into the light inch by inch. It is a beauty that can not be explained.
One day, I will truly see the Lord arrive in the brightness of the morning. I will see Him face to face in all of His glory and majesty. Can you imagine what that will be like to see? I long to see the face of the one that loved me before I ever knew Him. I love to look up at the sunrise and wonder, “Will today be the day that He comes?”. My soul waits for the Lord and looks forward to seeing Jesus, just as creation looks for the rays of sun as it comes across the horizon.
Matthew 5:14-16, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Our house sets at the top of a hill, with a 250-foot driveway almost straight up. Standing on our front porch you can see all the neighborhoods in the valley and can see a great distance. I love to illuminate my porch all year long using lights in various colors or shapes because I do not like to come home at night to a dark house. During some remodeling on our home, the workers removed all our outside lights until they were finished with their work. They even removed our front and back door porch fixtures that were attached to the house. One day during our renovations, my daughter called very early in the morning and said, “Mom, I just passed your house and there was nothing but pitch-blackness. You couldn’t see anything! It is so weird because there is always light coming from up there. You can always see a little light, but nothing today”. The more I thought about her words, the more they really stuck with me. I am to be a light on the hill, people are to see God’s light from me. If my light is shining, there is a path, there is hope, a form of comfort and peace, but if my light goes out…. people see nothing. Only darkness and hopelessness.
The Christian life should be an abundant and totally surrendered life. It should be a life filled with the Holy Spirit and full of hope. A life lived for Jesus gives out a light to others, like a lighthouse that can be seen on a dark ocean. It lights the way to those who are lost and sinking under the weight of sin and all its misery. They are looking for a way in the darkness, hope for salvation. Jesus said in Matthew 5:14, “Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.” Do not hide your light under a bushel, but hold it up high where others can see God’s light.
Let your light so shine before men that they may see the Father, see His Glory.
I am so excited to announce the release of my first book. No matter your age, beauty is always something women wrestle with on a daily basis. In this book, I share beauty tips, tell my personal struggles, and give scriptures revealing God’s ultimate plan to make us more beautiful. This book can be read individually or as a group bible study. There are pages at the end of each chapter for you to record additional scriptures, prayers, and answer questions. You can preorder now and the book will be released January 26, 2021.
Growing up I never really thought about what it meant to live “in my Father’s house”. I depended on him for everything, never worried about having enough food on the table or if the lights would come on at night. I trusted with everything in me that Daddy would take care of everything. Living in his house also meant we didn’t question his authority. Whatever he said was done or there would be consequences. From help with homework to help in relationships I knew I could go to him and he would be there. I also knew when I did something he wouldn’t approve of I could go to him with a broken heart and ask forgiveness and although I still may have to pay the price for my disobedience, he still loved me and would guide me back to what was right. Growing up in “my Father’s house” I learned a lot about God. Both my parents took me to church and taught me scriptures and prayed with me and for me but I learned the most about God’s character from watching my Daddy live the life of my Heavenly Father in front of me. I grew up and moved away and had a family of my own but I went from my father’s house to my Heavenly Father’s house. I know I can depend on God for everything, I can go to Him without fear for love and advice. He loves me in all situations and although I may fail and must repent, He is there with loving arms to guide me back to His will. God’s authority isn’t questioned. He is creator, King and Sovereign. He knows all things and has the answers to all my questions. I am so glad I live “IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE” Deona
I have a front porch with a swing. Beside my porch is a little water garden with a flowing creek. It is so peaceful sitting outside and listening to the stillness of the morning. This is my prayer closet. My morning coffee and little talk with Jesus place. I love to sit out there any time of year and see the seasons change, lay on the pillows, and even snuggle under a blanket and pray. It was a beautiful fall morning yesterday, so I got my coffee and went outside on my porch to swing. As I sat down, I noticed the seat cushions were faded and a little moldy. I hadn’t been out there in a while for many reasons, illness, busyness, weather, etc. I sat there and began to pray and noticed many other things around me. The plants were covered in spiderwebs, debris and dirt were everywhere and needed to be swept. The porch light was burned out and the creek wasn’t flowing. As I sat there trying to ignore my surroundings and pray, God spoke to my heart.“Look around, the porch is the same as it always has been, but you have neglected it. I am here everyday waiting for you….I haven’t changed. Where were you? If you neglect our time, you will become as the porch, dusty, dark and have no living water”.It broke my heart and after a good cry and prayers of forgiveness, I decided to work on my porch, God’s place. My daughter helped me clean, replace the cushions and decorate the porch with beautiful fall leaves and flowers. My son-in-law is coming to fix the pond and my husband changed the bulbs in the lanterns.This morning as I opened the door and walked out with my bible and morning coffee; I felt His presence, His peace, almost like, “Good morning, I have been waiting for you”. My porch is nothing special, just a small front porch to others but to me, it is where I talk to God, my special prayer closet. It is a place where I can spend time with the one I love and long to see.Deona Headrick
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