God's will is exactly what you would desire if you knew all the facts.

As morning dawns and evening fades...You inspire songs of praise!

Sometimes, if I get too focused on myself, my thoughts get lop-sided. But when my focus is right, I am able to set my worries aside see the glory of God.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love: true love has no room for fear, because where fear is, there is pain; and he who is not free from fear is not complete in love

An "Offense-Proofed" Life

(Psa 119:165 KJV) "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

I am writing this blog for two reasons: Myself and you. Clarification only because some blogs are entirely for the reader and some blogs are entirely for the writer.
So, take this to heart if it applies to you, because it certainly applies to me.

We should have a different approach to offense than the world. The church should be more long-suffering, slower to anger and less likely to be upset by little things like traffic or their place in line. We shouldn't lay our brave shoulders down when we get a look or a comment that offends us. Really. That's the difference in us.

It is tiring to have a person in your life that is constantly offended, without cause! It is tiresome to qualify every statement or look because your worried that they will not be able to decipher its true meaning! And it must be completely tiring to worry about EVERY little thing that someone does! Did that mean something? Was there an indirect message in that? Did that look or comment or (God forbid) smile have a hidden meaning that I must read into?

I have found that often what someone else takes as offensive was not meant to BE offensive. And often what someone means as offensive, doesn't have to offend me!
I also know that almost every time I have offended, or been offended, it started out as unintentional. But somehow, someone (on either side) allowed themselves to get OFFENDED!
This is not an excuse to do what you want, hoping for no ramifications. But it is a call to let us become more like God intended....Without Offenses! I can choose today if I'm going to let a little nothing bother me. I have decided that it's simply not worth it! I pray I never offend someone, but if I do, I hope they are a big enough person to let it go. And I will do my part... in not allowing myself to become offended if something doesn't set well with me. Don't worry, some people will continue to be offended and have problems....and excuse them away. But, I don't have to. Thankfully!

Proverbs 17:1
Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting with strife.

There is something special about a long-suffering, sweet person that allows humans to be humans...without constantly being offended. I want to be like that. Don't you?

Love from EE

"One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy."
— Elisabeth Elliot


This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience - it looks for a way of being constructive.
Love is not possessive.
Love is not anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own ideas.
Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage.
Love is not touchy.
Love does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.
Love knows no limits to its endurance, no end to its trust, no fading of its hope; it can outlast anything. It is, in fact, the one thing that stands when all else has fallen."
— Elisabeth Elliot (Let Me Be a Woman)

There once was a little girl. She had untainted views of God and people, immense dreams and whole love. Then she grew up and had to search for ways to keep those things alive...because they were constantly challenged. This grown up girl will work on that every day though. Because some things are too precious to give up. =)

Sometimes the deepest hurts reveal everything, about ourselves, our situations, and others.

I adore Valentine's Day. It's my third favorite holiday. I think the only thing that could possibly make it better would be my someday, driven, annointed, passionate, strong, brave, insightful, handsome, dreaming, doing, intelligent, faithful, intentional, gentle, somewhat snotty, loving, charming, family-oriented, encouraging, romantic, positive, and super talented husband that posseses a button in which to choose if I prefer he sing like Michael Buble, Jonathan Stockstill or Eddie James that day.

Fast 2011

Pumped about starting our yearly 21 Day Fast/Media Fast tomorrow at the Pentecostals. Join us for special guest Norman Paslay II tomorrow night! If you aren't familiar with fasting, check out the videos on Youtube by Jentezen Franklin! "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." - Matthew 18:18