You say: "So don't just "jump in" without thought to what the heart is saying. But give it a good long look, pray over it, trust it ... trust it more than head-thoughts that speak fear or worry. "

However, some people seem not to be able to make a decision about anything without fear. Take for instance my girlfriend... she was trying to make a decision to go on a missionary trip. She had a lot of fear and decided not to go. Two days later she told me she was afraid of not going now, and had decided to go. A day later, she was afraid to go again and backed out... then she decided to go agian after a few days... that was her final decision. She left. Then was there for training for a week and decided to come home again because he was afraid to go. She is 33 years old.

It is the same with her deciding to get married. The only fear of her's is, "Something bad might happen in the future." Don't you think that some people just need to trust in God and let Him work it out?

The common ground for all of us should be "Protestant". What is the protest about? Roman Catholicism. The bible is what binds us together as protestants, and binds us apart from Roman Catholicism. There is a serious dearth of information in Protestant churches about the errors and dangers of Roman Catholicism. Correcting this would revitalize America's Protestant heritage.

Dear Unowen,
Only God Himself can look into the heart of a man and know whether he truly believes. Be careful of being self-righteous.
John 8:1-11.

Lord gave me burden for the past 2 days to get involved in my daugthers life. She is 7 years and started going to school this year. This article has kindled me and assured me of that burden. Thanks a lot!

It is a great article, giving insight into the largest mission field in the world. The Voice of the Martyrs is a great ministry too with plenty of opportunities to get involved; Bibles Unbound, where you can send bibles to individuals who desire them. You actually put the mailing lables on the bibles & mail them! It's great to have hands on in Kingdom work! But, the Lord put the people of China on my heart years ago thru the biographies of late missionaries Hudson Taylor & Jonathan Goforth; who were truely the greatest missionaries to China in church history. They are both "Must reads!". I hope all this info. brings alot more brothers & sisters in Christ to pray for the needs in China!

I understand this person's feelings because I have been there before and sometimes quite often.
I used to buckle under and then become emotionally awful for years, until I realized that he was at times wrong too, with what he said. I realized that I had to make sure that I was right in the situation and then I became like him and then he didn't know what to say or do. This might not have been the right thing to do, spiritually, but it made me feel better afterward and he started to think and consider what he was saying and the way he was saying it, because he now didn't know what to do.
In his case, his family somewhat did the same thing. There were issues and fights when my husband was growing up between his mom and dad. His mother literally shuts down if you cross her, now. I consider my husband to be excellent compared to her.
Over a few years things have been so much better. He knows how I break inside and respects that better than he ever did,now.
From One Happy Wife

Great advice !!!!!!!!! is all I have to say ,,,wrong's wrong's right's right's ,,,

I am so upset with myself. I got my weight down and now I have gained 20 back. How, does it creep up on us so quick? I now am having a problem finding or getting back to my spiritual walk that helped me loose over 55 pounds. Lost and looking to find my way back...

Agreed with about everything except the "love unconditionally".. not that you shouldn't, I agree with what you wrote but I don't think cats are the best analogy for that, i think you confused them with dogs... and as an owner of 2 cats and no dogs, you know that's coming from a "cat" person... cats are your friends on their terms.... something I find kind of funny and I like about cats, it's why they are independent and can be left alone all day and they don't miss you like a dog does... well they do but not in the same way... heck, with 2 of them, they don't need you for much but food and litter changes... 8^)

Great post... we're big believers in the "spoon"... really, it's just common sense but today's PC society makes any kind of parenting taboo.... yet some parents who think spanking is wrong are fine taking their 7 year old to a PG13 movie or their 11 year old to an R rated movie....