Psalm 142

I cry aloud to the Lord;
    I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy.
I pour out before him my complaint;
    before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
 Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
    no one cares for my life.

 I cry to you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my refuge,
    my portion in the land of the living.”

 Listen to my cry,
    for I am in desperate need;
rescue me from those who pursue me,
    for they are too strong for me.
 Set me free from my prison,
    that I may praise your name.
Then the righteous will gather about me
    because of your goodness to me.

Whom then shall I fear?

I think of how much we tend to value public opinion… especially with all of the social networking and status updates now days. Advertising sells that, “image is everything”. We spend so much time checking ourselves in the mirror but so little time checking our hearts with the Lord. Public opinion becomes our God and we so freely sacrifice the majority of our energy and time on the altar to uphold it.

Depression seems to be such a rising problem in society. I know for some people it is a very real illness but there are those who needlessly suffer with anxiety and depression from fear of what others think or don’t think of them.

“who art thou, that thou shouldest be ^aafraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; 13 And ^aforgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the ^bearth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 15 But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the ^asea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name.16 And I have put my ^awords in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

Why should we lose hope or why should we fear? When it's all said and done, who's opinion really matters most?

Change of Seasons

I noticed a few of the leaves were turning yellow today which means the change of seasons is in the air. This is always a welcome change for me because I LOVE fall! Seeing these signs of nature, made me think of the variety of seasons in life for all of us.

I couldn't help but reflect on the phone call from my dad earlier this morning that mom has been admitted to the hospital again. With her condition seemingly getting worse over the past year, this could be an indication that I am entering another season in my own life... the leaves are changing. I suppose nothing really does stay the same forever and life unfolds in ways we usually don't expect.

Thinking about my mom today, I began to feel a little heavy with fear. "I'm not ready to be at a stage in my life yet where I watch my parents deteriorate.... In 20 yrs. from now I still don't think I'll be ready to handle such a challenge!" Needing some comfort, I recalled the scripture in Mormon that reads, "For do we not read that God is the ^asame ^byesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no ^cvariableness neither shadow of changing?"

I remember sitting in a testimony meeting years ago and listening to a mother who just lost a baby at birth. I'm sure this was something she never imagined would happen to her. But through her tears she had not lost her faith. She stood confident and declared with boldness, "I don't know what the future holds...But I know Who holds the future." I've never forgotten that.

I take comfort in knowing that God will not leave us, He will help us through whatever life requires of us and give us strength to bear it. I believe with all my heart in the promise found in Isaiah "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

"What Faith Can Do"

Photograph Entitled "Resurrection" by, Mark Maybry I have hope because of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I trust in His Atonement for me that as I press forward with faith in Him & do my best to follow His example, He will set things right. I know He lives and loves all of us. I know miracles happen when we keep our focus on Him. One of my favorite radio stations to listen to is K-Love Christian Radio And "What Faith Can Do" by, Kutless is currently my favorite song.

"What Faith Can Do"

By, Kutless

Everybody falls sometimes

Gotta find the strength to rise

From the ashes and make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache

You think it’s more than you can take

But you are stronger, stronger than you know

Don’t you give up now

The sun will soon be shining

You gotta face the clouds

To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end

Even when the sky is falling

And I’ve seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard

Impossible is not a word

It’s just a reason for someone not to try

Everybody’s scared to death

When they decide to take that step

Out on the water It’ll be alright

Life is so much more

Than what your eyes are seeing

You will find your way

If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end

Even when the sky is falling

And I’ve seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds You do have a chance

(That’s what faith can do)

When the world says you can’t

It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end

Even when the sky is falling

And I’ve seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That’s what faith can do

That's what faith can do!

Even if you fall sometimes

You will have the strength to rise

Fruit Meet for Repentance

"Repent".... all throughout the scriptures we hear this important word. It is a foundation principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. After Jesus was baptized, Satan tried to thwart Christ's mission but to no avail.... triumphantly our perfect Savior escaped the snares of the adversary and the first thing Jesus began to teach was repentance.

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."- Matt 4:17

Why is repentance such an important thing? And what did Christ mean when He told the Pharisees and Sadducees to "Bring forth fruit meet for repentance."?

What do we think of when we hear the word "repent"? I believe how well we understand the doctrine of repentance will greatly determine our personal application and affections for it.

What feeling does it provoke... difficulty, uncomfortable, hesitation, condemnation of others, ridicule of self, or on the other hand, does it induce feelings of peace, gratitude, an assurance of God's love, Christ, the Atonement, hope and confidence?

Our 4th Article of Faith states:
"We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are:
First - Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Second - Repentance
Third - Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins
Fourth - Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

I submit to you that repentance is not a one time thing in our life. I submit that is the reason why Christ used the word "fruit" with repentance. A tree doesn't grow to bring forth one fruit but many, a whole harvest and year after year it does. Even within one fruit is the potential for so much more.

Today I read an article given years ago by one of the 12 Apostles, Neal A. Maxwell:

This is just a portion of it but you can see all of it here.... in fact I encourage you to read ALL of it. :)

"For some months, I’ve tried to emphasize repentance, one of the most vital and merciful doctrines of the kingdom. It is too little understood, too little applied by us all, as if it were merely a word on a bumper sticker. Since we have been told clearly by Jesus what manner of men and women we ought to become—even as He is (see 3 Ne. 27:27)—how can we do so, except each of us employs repentance as the regular means of personal progression? Personal repentance is part of taking up the cross daily. (See Luke 9:23.) Without it, clearly there could be no “perfecting of the Saints.” ( Eph. 4:12.)

Besides, there is more individuality in those who are more holy.

Sin, on the other hand, brings sameness; it shrinks us to addictive appetites and insubordinate impulses. For a brief surging, selfish moment, sin may create the illusion of individuality, but only as in the grunting, galloping Gadarene swine! (See Matt. 8:28–32.)

Repentance is a rescuing, not a dour doctrine. It is available to the gross sinner as well as to the already-good individual striving for incremental improvement.

Repentance requires both turning away from evil and turning to God. (See Deut. 4:30; see also Bible Dictionary, s.v. “Repentance.”) When “a mighty change” is required, full repentance involves a 180-degree turn, and without looking back! ( Alma 5:12–13.) Initially, this turning reflects progress from telestial to terrestrial behavior, and later on to celestial behavior. As the sins of the telestial world are left behind, the focus falls ever more steadily upon the sins of omission, which often keep us from full consecration.

Real repentance involves not a mechanical checklist, but a checking of the natural self. Often overlapping and mutually reinforcing, each portion of the process of repentance is essential. This process rests on inner resolve but is much aided by external support." - Neal A. Maxwell

Read the whole article here!

Good Things to Come

I had been feeling a little depressed these last few days. I was in a real slump. My sweet husband came home from school yesterday to a tired and emotional wife. Poor guy. He was very patient with me though and was quick to offer help.

I tried so hard to pull myself up and attend to the needs of our little family but I was on the verge of tears with every effort. There wasn't really one particular thing that was distressing me, it was a bunch of little things all piled on top of each other. It was the fruit of self doubt, thoughts of inadequacy, comparing my weaknesses to all the strengths of the women around me and the typical fears of a mom for the future of her kids.

My children could feel and see the emotion in my face yesterday and seemed to mirror the anxiety and tension toward each other. Shouting matches could be heard throughout the house, which only created a perpetual problem of contention. I felt guilty with each heated exchange they had with each other, feeling as if I started the whole dilemma.

"If this is what I'm teaching my children, what good is it for me to be home with them?" I began to ask myself. "It seems they hardly ever listen to me and when they do all they hear is negative."

My husband encouraged to go to bed early and suggested I'd feel better after a good night's rest. He was right. I needed to step away for a moment because I wasn't seeing clearly at all.

This morning I woke up to find a new video on Mormon Messages called "Good Things to Come". I cried all the way through it. It was everything I needed to hear. It was so refreshing and I felt a renewed hope in my future.

God doesn't expect me to be a perfect mom. I know that. And He doesn't expect me to be happy and sweet all the time either. He knows I'll have hard days. But he doesn't want me to give up, He expects me to keep trying and to trust in Him! Being a stay-at-home mom isn't easy and it's hard to see what good is really being done but I know that my family needs me and God will help me in all that is required of me for good.

"Everyone of us has times when we need to know things will get better. My declaration is that that is precisely what the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers us, especially in times of need." ..... This is how the video starts out and then Elder Holland shares a personal story when he was discouraged in his own life and how the Lord helped him through. Watch the video here, so inspiring it's a must see!!!

Chin Up, Hold Your Head High in Meekness

Sometimes I fall into the temptation of beating myself up, of picking at every little flaw and putting myself down saying things like, "Why can't I figure things out?" "She seems like such a better mother than me." "When will I learn to hold my tongue and be more patient with my kids?" "I wish I were prettier like her... I wish I were smarter like so and so... I wish I could somehow keep at least a little order in my house instead of this chaotic mess all the time..." and on and on I go viewing myself so negatively.

Pretty depressing ha?

So in my little slump I turned to some talks that were given at a women's conference a few years back. This is exactly what I needed to hear. Maybe someone else needs this pep talk too... so here's a few clips from it.

"We are all pretty hard on ourselves, but it seems to me women are harder on themselves than men will ever be. Why is that so? We ask you not to do it. Repent when or where that is necessary, but then honor that other “R”—Rejoice!" - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

and then Sister Holland adds...

"Sisters, may I make an appeal that it is a time for us, especially as women, to try to strip ourselves of something else that also seems so prevalent among women. I suppose men suffer with such things, too, but it seems to be particularly evident, and particularly painful, among women. It is closely related to the things my husband just touched on. I speak of the constant feeling we seem to have that what we are or what we have is not enough. That is Satan’s demonic chant sounding continually in our ears. It is not true! We are more intelligent than this. We are stronger, much stronger, than this! Constantly comparing ourselves with others leaves us feeling so weak and worthless. It taps into our pride and poisons with jealousy. Let’s start a new “chant”— that we are women of Christ, that we are spiritually strong personally, and that we will prepare the next generation for their opportunities. Let us strip ourselves of pride and vanity and envy forever.

Heaven only knows how much the world uses envy and pride and worldly glamour in our society. We have to walk away from these things but this will not be easy to do. We will need these gifts of heaven of which we spoke earlier, the power of God’s grace and priesthood, the atoning power of the Savior, which compensates where we try and try but seem to fall short.

James knew all this. He said: “The spirit which God implanted in us [all of us] turns towards envious desires. Yet the grace he gives is stronger. Thus the scripture says, God opposes the arrogant and gives grace to the humble. Be submissive then to God. . . . Come close to [him] and he will come close to you. . . .Humble yourselves before God and he will lift you up” (James 4:5–6, 8, 10, New English Bible;
emphasis added).

Isn’t that a tremendous thought? If we would not “lift” ourselves up with these cursed temptations of envy and pride, God would gladly step in and do the “lifting” for us! Only He can lift us up where He wants us and where we really want to be. We can’t get there by clawing or clamor, by cattiness or cutting others down. We certainly can’t get there by vaunting ourselves “up.”

Furthermore I believe with all my heart that this is a challenge we will face again and again. We should not be discouraged if the challenge returns tomorrow just when we thought we gave it such a good effort today. I say this out of the honesty, and experience, of my own heart. I struggle with these issues just as you do, and just as everyone does. So don’t give up hope and don’t think you are the only one who feels these things or struggles with these temptations. We all do, but every effort is a godly one, and every victory is counted for our good. And if we turn around to face the same challenge again tomorrow, so be it. We will work again, with all our heart, to strip away anything that keeps us from truly being “meek and lowly”—in all the right ways—before God. His grace is sufficient to help us succeed at that."- Patricia Holland

My Tribute to Jim

Today I found out that a relative of mine passed away. I just found out about his blog and was reading some of his final entries. He died very young. I've been sitting here crying as I'm reading. What a truly wonderful family and what an amazing man. He had great faith in our Savior and was devoted to being a true disciple of Christ. I didn't know him, he was my dad's cousin. I guess not many people do know their second cousins... But this is a one I really wish I did. I guess I'll have to wait.

New Years... and Fears?

I think with a new year it's easy to have new fears. Maybe fear because of the unknown, fear of future burdens, war, economic struggles, sickness, or losing a friend or loved one. We may have anxiety for a new year because we doubt our abilities or we are afraid we will make the same mistakes all over again.



But faith is to hope for that which is not seen but are true, to trust that God is in the details of our lives and will guide us as we seek His guidance. He will strengthen us to do right as we seek His strength.



The Lord led the children of Israel out of bondage through the plagues, the famines, the sea and wilderness... surely then He can and will lead us through our trials and provide us with our needs!

Painting by, Arnold Friberg

So many times I have witnessed this in my life! I know God lives and He hears our prayers. He will provide & He will guide as we seek His will. The right things will fall into place and that which is not essential will drop out. It's through the Refiner's fire that gold is made and dross consumed. He loves us, we are His children. This I know, I shall not fear!



The following quote is from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf and is part of the January Message from the Ensign.



"Individual and collective trials may sometimes seem overwhelming. That is when we need, more than ever, to draw near unto the Lord. As we do, we will come to know what it means to have the Lord draw near unto us. As we seek Him ever more diligently, we will surely find Him. We will see clearly that the Lord does not abandon His Church or His faithful Saints. Our eyes will be opened, and we will see Him open the windows of heaven and shower us with more of His light. We will find the spiritual strength to survive even during the darkest night.



It may be hard to see that at times, but hold on a little longer, for “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” and wait for Him (1 Corinthians 2:9; see also D&C 76:10; 133:45)."

Psalms 31:24

One of my ultimate favorite scriptures is found in Psalms 31:24 "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord."

I remember when I was in High School I saw a beautiful video about the life, love and sacrifice of my Savior, Jesus Christ. This scripture from Psalms flashed across the screen and I felt the truthfulness of this speak to my heart with such force. The spirit bore such a powerful witness to me then. I still feel the wonderful truth of this verse when I read it today.

I know that as I seek the Lord through diligent prayer, sincere and humble heartfelt prayer... He is faithful in answering. Sometimes it's not always the answer that I want but His ways are not my ways. He is aware of my needs, fears, insecurities, trials, my failings, my triumphs, my efforts, my desires and so on. He delights to bless each of us, He is anxious to answer our prayers, to direct our paths.... He wants us to call on Him, to knock, to ask, to pray, to hear, to receive....

One more scripture I love is found in the Book of Mormon...

2 Nephi 25:23&26
For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

I am forever thankful for the hope and strength that comes from my Father in Heaven through His precious Son, Jesus Christ. I am thankful for the peace and hope I find in His word and His Spirit. He gives me strength beyond my own and comforts my heart.

God Bless you!
Alicia

What is happiness?

I was reading another blog a few days ago. They asked, "What is happiness?" this blogger had posed a very good question with some very good arguments.

I have pondered on this question for several days. I have scribbled down some thoughts in an attempt to try and describe it. I think there is often a confusion between "fun" and "happiness." Sometimes we define them as meaning the same thing but they are not. Of course we can have both at times. ..But we must understand that fun and happiness are different. I have more thoughts on this but I won't go into the details today.

As I continued to ponder on this question I remembered a talk given to the women (but certainly can be applied to men as well) by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency. The following is taken directly from his talk. This is some very wise counsel.

May the Lord bless you all and thanks for taking the time to visit my blog, I hope it inspires you and lifts your life today and gives you hope for tomorrow.
- Alicia

Here is a link to a youtube video also collaborated from bits and pieces of his talk. It's less than 2 minutes so take a second and check it out and then come back to read the rest ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7k


To All Who Are Weary
"Today I would like to speak to those who have ever felt inadequate, discouraged, or weary—in short, I would like to speak to all of us.

...We know that sometimes it can be difficult to keep our heads above water. In fact, in our world of change, challenges, and checklists, sometimes it can seem nearly impossible to avoid feeling overwhelmed by emotions of suffering and sorrow.

I am not suggesting that we can simply flip a switch and stop the negative feelings that distress us. This isn’t a pep talk or an attempt to encourage those sinking in quicksand to imagine instead they are relaxing on a beach. I recognize that in all of our lives there are real concerns. I know there are hearts here today that harbor deep sorrows. Others wrestle with fears that trouble the soul. For some, loneliness is their secret trial.

These things are not insignificant.

However, I would like to speak about two principles that may help you find a path to peace, hope, and joy—even during times of trial and distress. I want to speak about God’s happiness and how each one of us can taste of it in spite of the burdens that beset us.

Let me first pose a question: What do you suppose is the greatest kind of happiness possible? For me, the answer to this question is, God’s happiness.

This leads to another question: What is our Heavenly Father’s happiness?

This may be impossible to answer because His ways are not our ways. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s] ways higher than [our] ways, and [His] thoughts [higher] than [our] thoughts.”1

Though we cannot understand “the meaning of all things,” we do “know that [God] loveth his children”2 because He has said, “Behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”3

Heavenly Father is able to accomplish these two great goals—the immortality and eternal life of man—because He is a God of creation and compassion. Creating and being compassionate are two objectives that contribute to our Heavenly Father’s perfect happiness. Creating and being compassionate are two activities that we as His spirit children can and should emulate."

The Work of Creation
"...The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. ...Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. "

Being Compassionate
"Being compassionate is another great work of our Heavenly Father and a fundamental characteristic of who we are as a people. We are commanded to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”7 Disciples of Christ throughout all ages of the world have been distinguished by their compassion. Those who follow the Savior “mourn with those that mourn … and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”8

When we reach out to bless the lives of others, our lives are blessed as well. Service and sacrifice open the windows of heaven, allowing choice blessings to descend upon us. Surely our beloved Heavenly Father smiles upon those who care for the least of His children.

As we lift others, we rise a little higher ourselves. President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.”9
President Gordon B. Hinckley believed in the healing power of service. After the death of his wife, he provided a great example to the Church in the way he immersed himself in work and in serving others. It is told that President Hinckley remarked to one woman who had recently lost her husband, “Work will cure your grief. Serve others.”

These are profound words. As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.

President Lorenzo Snow expressed a similar thought: “When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.”10

In today’s world of pop psychology, junk TV, and feel-good self-help manuals, this advice may seem counterintuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around us. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness."

Conclusion
My dear sisters [and brothers], I have a simple faith. I believe that as you are faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, as you draw closer to Him in faith, hope, and charity, things will work together for your good.14 I believe that as you immerse yourselves in the work of our Father—as you create beauty and as you are compassionate to others—God will encircle you in the arms of His love.15 Discouragement, inadequacy, and weariness will give way to a life of meaning, grace, and fulfillment.

As spirit daughters [and sons] of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your heritage.

You are choice [children] of our Heavenly Father, and through the things you create and by your compassionate service, you are a great power for good. You will make the world a better place. Lift up your chin; walk tall. God loves you. We love and admire you.

Of this I testify, and leave you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency

9/11 Story of Hope

I saw this video last week on youtube. It is so beautiful. Wonderful things can come out of terrible tragedies. The video is called "Finding Hope" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkWc_EKLs4E

Trust in God

"Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed." -Doctrine and Covenants 123:17

I really like this scripture....I am learning to trust God more. It reminds me of a poem that I read years ago...

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

-by, Reinhold Niebuhr

Strength and Hope in the Midst of Trial

We sang this song in Church today and I cried all through it... the words are what I needed at this time. I have been struggling with an illness that the Dr.'s are still trying to figure out. I have anxiety over the "unknown" sometimes and it's baggage that I really don't need to carry. A wise person once said, "I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future." I just need to remember "peace be still" and know that it's all in God's hands.

I am so thankful for the power of prayer, for God's tender mercies, for the power of His word, the power of music and the comforting influence of the Spirit of the Lord.

"Master, the tempest is raging!The billows are tossing high!The sky is o'ershadow with blackness,No shelter or help is nigh;Carest Thou not that we perish?How canst Thou lie asleep,When each moment so madly is threateningA grave in the angry deep?

The winds and the waves shall obey Thy will,Peace, be still!Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea,Or demons or men, or whatever it beNo waters can swallow the ship where liesThe Master of ocean, and earth, and skies;They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,Peace, be still! Peace, be still!They all shall sweetly obey Thy will,Peace, peace, be still!

Master, with anguish of spiritI bow in my grief today;The depths of my sad heart are troubledOh, waken and save, I pray!Torrents of sin and of anguishSweep o’er my sinking soul;And I perish! I perish! dear MasterOh, hasten, and take control.

Master, the terror is over,The elements sweetly rest;Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored,And heaven’s within my breast;Linger, O blessèd Redeemer!Leave me alone no more;And with joy I shall make the blest harbor,And rest on the blissful shore."

- Words by Mary A. Baker

He never gives up on us.

I was listening to some talks from last conference today and I really like this part. This is very comforting for me when I have had a day or days where I feel like such a crappy mom.

"There are some who believe that because they have made mistakes, they can no longer fully partake of the blessings of the gospel. How little they understand the purposes of the Lord. One of the great blessings of living the gospel is that it refines us and helps us learn from our mistakes. We “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,”11 yet the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to make us whole when we repent."
- President Dieter F. Uchtdorf Second Counselor in the First Presidency

“Oh, it is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us—even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will.

“We [might] see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. . . .

“The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. It takes us as men and women of the earth and refines us into men and women for the eternities.”- Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

A Living Prayer

I love this song by Alison Krauss! It gives me chills.

I found this song on an amazing blog by this increadible musician who has such inspiring faith in the midst increadible trials.

http://mytricuspidatresia.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-brother-and-irony-of-life.html


"In this world I walk alone
With no place to call my home
But there's one who holds my hand
The rugged road through barren lands
The way is dark, the road is steep
But He's become my eyes to see
The strength to climb, my griefs to bear
The Savior lives inside me there
In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee
In these trials of life I find
Another voice inside my mind
He comforts me and bids me live
Inside the love the Father gives
In Your love I find release
A haven from my unbelief
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee
Take my life and let me be
A living prayer, my God to Thee"

"A Living Prayer" by, Alison Krauss

Life's Ironies

Go read this post today. It's very thought provoking. This post is so good!!

The Irony in Life
Paul is waiting for a heart transplant and he inspires me so much!! Pray for him.

The Way

I have a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know He is God's Son and through His atoning sacrifice, I can return to my Father in Heaven. He testify's of God, He directs me to my Father and teaches me to pray to Him, to trust in Him. He shows me the Love that my Father has for me through His life, example, sacrifice and triumph. He He is my truest, and greatest Friend, He redeems me from my inward hell, He gives me strength to face each day with gratitude, He sets me free!!

Painting by, Walter Rane

The other day, while I was driving in my car, I was listening to Conference from last October and listened to this talk by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge of the Seventy, "The Way." I wanted to share some parts of it:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . .
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”1

He said,

“I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even I am he, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.”2

He said,

“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”3

He said,

“I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.”4

He said,

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”5

He said,
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.”6

He said,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”7
Jesus Christ is the Way.

He is Light and Life, Bread and Water, the Beginning and the End, the Resurrection and the Life, the Savior of the world, the Truth, and the Way.

"Worth of a Soul" by, Liz Lemon Swindle

“We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.”10 The plan of the Father was implemented by the Son that we may have the Spirit of the Holy Ghost. The way of the Father is the way of the Son. He said, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”11

One of the most popular and attractive philosophies of men is to live life your own way, do your own thing, be yourself, don’t let others tell you what to do. But the Lord said, “I am the way.”16 He said, “Follow me.”17 He said, “What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.”18

No institution, plan, program, or system ever conceived by men has access to the redeeming and transforming power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, while the Lord’s invitation to follow Him is the highest of all, it is also achievable by everyone, not because we are able, but because He is, and because He can make us able too. “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind [everyone, living and dead] may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”20

The Lord’s way is not hard. Life is hard, not the gospel. “There is an opposition in all things,”21 everywhere, for everyone. Life is hard for all of us, but life is also simple. We have only two choices.22 We can either follow the Lord and be endowed with His power and have peace, light, strength, knowledge, confidence, love, and joy, or we can go some other way, any other way, whatever other way, and go it alone—without His support, without His power, without guidance, in darkness, turmoil, doubt, grief, and despair. And I ask, which way is easier?

He said,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; . . . and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”23

Life is hard, but life is simple. Get on the path and never, ever give up. You never give up. You just keep on going. You don’t quit, and you will make it.

There is only one way to happiness and fulfillment.

Jesus Christ is the Way.

Trust in God

Pieces of a talk by, Elder Jeffery R. Holland entitled, "Lessons From Liberty Jail"
listen to it or read it for free here http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1798

Everyone Faces Trying Times

Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail
painting by, Liz Lemon Swindle

"Every experience can become a redemptive experience if we remain bonded to our Father in Heaven through that difficulty. These difficult lessons teach us that man’s extremity is God’s opportunity, and if we will be humble and faithful, if we will be believing and not curse God for our problems, He can turn the unfair and inhumane and debilitating prisons of our lives into temples—or at least into a circumstance that can bring comfort and revelation, divine companionship and peace…."

"…whenever these moments of our extremity come, we must not succumb to the fear that God has abandoned us or that He does not hear our prayers. He does hear us. He does see us. He does love us. When we are in dire circumstances and want to cry “Where art Thou?” it is imperative that we remember He is right there with us—where He has always been! We must continue to believe, continue to have faith, continue to pray and plead with heaven, even if we feel for a time our prayers are not heard and that God has somehow gone away. He is there. Our prayers are heard. And when we weep He and the angels of heaven weep with us…."

"…When lonely, cold, hard times come, we have to endure, we have to continue, we have to persist. That was the Savior’s message in the parable of the importuning widow (see Luke 18:1–8; see also Luke 11:5–10). Keep knocking on that door. Keep pleading. In the meantime, know that God hears your cries and knows your distress. He is your Father, and you are His child…."

"…Even though seemingly unjust circumstances may be heaped upon us and even though unkind and unmerited things may be done to us—perhaps by those we consider enemies but also, in some cases, by those whom we thought were friends—nevertheless, through it all, God is with us."

Even the Worthy Will Suffer

"Father Forgive Them"

painting by, Liz Lemon Swindle

“We need to realize that just because difficult things happen—sometimes unfair and seemingly unjustified things—it does not mean that we are unrighteous or that we are unworthy of blessings or that God is disappointed in us. Of course sinfulness does bring suffering, and the only answer to that behavior is repentance. But sometimes suffering comes to the righteous, too.”

“….In fact, it ought to be a matter of great doctrinal consolation to us that Jesus, in the course of the Atonement, experienced all of the heartache and sorrow, all of the disappointments and injustices that the entire family of man had experienced and would experience from Adam and Eve to the end of the world in order that we would not have to face them so severely or so deeply. However heavy our load might be, it would be a lot heavier if the Savior had not gone that way before us and carried that burden with us and for us.”

“Very early in the Prophet Joseph’s ministry, the Savior taught him this doctrine. After speaking of sufferings so exquisite to feel and so hard to bear, Jesus said:
I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they [and that means you and I and everyone] might not suffer if they would repent. [D&C 19:16]

In our moments of pain and trial, I guess we would shudder to think it could be worse, but the answer to that is clearly that it could be worse and it would be worse. Only through our faith and repentance and obedience to the gospel that provided the sacred Atonement is it kept from being worse.

Furthermore, we note that not only has the Savior suffered, in His case entirely innocently, but so have most of the prophets and other great men and women recorded in the scriptures. Name an Old Testament or Book of Mormon prophet, name a New Testament Apostle, name virtually any of the leaders in any dispensation, including our own, and you name someone who has had trouble.

My point? If you are having a bad day, you’ve got a lot of company—very, very good company. The best company that has ever lived."

"First, God has not forgotten you, and second, the Savior has been where you have been, allowing Him to provide for your deliverance and your comfort.”

Remain Calm, Patient, Charitable, and Forgiving

“When we face such distressing circumstances in our life and there is something in us that wants to strike out at God or man or friend or foe, we must remember that “no power or influence can or ought to be maintained [except] by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; . . . without hypocrisy, and without guile” (D&C 121:41–42; emphasis added).

It has always been a wonderful testimony to me of the Prophet Joseph’s greatness and the greatness of all of our prophets, including and especially the Savior of the world in His magnificence, that in the midst of such distress and difficulty they could remain calm and patient, charitable, and forgiving—that they could even talk that way, let alone live that way. But they could, and they did. They remembered their covenants, they disciplined themselves, and they knew that we must live the gospel at all times, not just when it is convenient and not just when things are going well. Indeed, they knew that the real test of our faith and our Christian discipleship is when things are not going smoothly. That is when we get to see what we’re made of and how strong our commitment to the gospel really is.

Surely the classic example of this is that in the most painful hours of the Crucifixion the Savior could say, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). That is a hard thing to ask when we’re hurting. That is a hard thing to do when we’ve been offended or are tired or stressed out or suffering innocently. But that is when Christian behavior may matter the most.”