Book Recommendation...

I'm so sorry that I haven't been blogging a whole lot lately. God has been doing some amazing things in me personally, and I honestly haven't been able to focus on much outside of that - blog included. I hope to share more later...

Anyway...I just had to take a quick moment to plug a little book that I absolutely adore. I'm reading through it now for the 3rd or 4th time. For you guys, this may not have as much impact, so please forgive me for focusing on women for just a moment. His Princess by Sheri Rose Shepherd is perhaps one of the best devotionals for women that I have ever read! If you've never read it - please, please spend the few bucks and buy it and read it. Then, give away copies to your women friends. It's not one of those books that you can just sit down and read cover to cover. It's designed in such a way that you need to drink it in slowly and let the words permeate your spirit. Here's an excerpt of one of God's love letters written in the book:

"My Princess...Give Me Your Plans

I know you have an idea in your head on how everything should unfold in your life. Even today you have an agenda. Because I love you, I need you to give Me back all your plans for today and for all your tomorrows. If you let Me have your day, I can then intervene with something special. My intervention will give you more joy in your jouney than your good intentions. I know all that your heart longs for, and I want to do more for you than you could ever do for yourself. So give Me a chance to change your agenda from ordinary to extraordinary, because that 's the kind of life I've destined you to live, My beloved.

Love,
Your King and your Planner"

Again, please read this book ladies! Men...get this book for the women in your lives also! You will not be sorry!

Until next time...be blessed sweet friends!

Total Forgiveness

The subject of forgiveness has come up a lot recently, so I wanted to share some tidbits from R.T. Kendall's Total Forgiveness that revolutionized a time in my life when I really struggled with forgiveness. To learn more, PLEASE get the book! I guarantee you won't be sorry. It's definitely the best book I've read on the subject, to date.

WHAT TOTAL FORGIVENESS IS NOT
1. Approval of what they did
2. Excusing what they did
3. Justifying what they did
4. Pardoning what they did
5. Reconciliation
6. Denying what they did
7. Blindness to what happened
8. Forgetting
9. Refusing to take the wrong seriously
10. Pretending we are not hurt

WHAT TOTAL FORGIVENESS IS
1. Being aware of what someone has done and still forgiving them
2. Choosing to keep no records of wrong
3. Refusing to punish
4. Not telling what they did (in a gossipy sort of way; therapeutically w/ a right heart attitude is good)
5. Being merciful
6. Graciousness
7. An inner condition
8. The absence of bitterness (ouch!)
9. Forgiving God
10. Forgiving ourselves

Kendall also goes on to say, "The ultimate proof of total forgiveness takes place when we sincerely petition the Father to let those who have hurt us off the hook - even if they have hurt not only us, but also those close to us."

Whoa - let that sink in a bit...