If I Speak...

"If I Speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal..." -- 1 Corinthians 13:1

Yesterday, I FINALLY decided what I would call my blog and my website. For months I've listened, thought, pondered, strategized, searched. Such mighty effort for my meager endeavor. At first, I'd hoped for something straightforward...using my name alone would have been perfect except for the fact that there must be thousands of Stephanie Smith's in the world. No chance of digging up an URL using any variation of my own name.

But, after some thought and set aside moments, the first verse in 1 Corinthians 13 came to mind. After spending a little time with GoDaddy.com and a little more time with Blogger, IfISpeak.com is taking its first breaths of new life. As with each of my children's births, I'm breathing a little more freely now that this "thing" is finally here, and I feel so relieved. Yet, while the baby is so fun to admire in the cradle, this is only the beginning of a long term investment into this new life...so now the work begins.

"If I Speak" doesn't just embody the act of expressing myself; it speaks to the art and the attitude of my expression. My motivation, not just my vocation. I could master the craft of writing and communicating, attend all the writer's conferences in the world, acquaint myself with every grammar book known to man, and align myself with the most like-minded people. But, if my craft does not reflect God's love as it's been poured out in my life, it will only be a "resounding gong" or "clanging cymbal." I'm on my knees.