You Are Not Alone

It's interesting how often, at the worst times in our lives, we feel completely alone, abandoned, hopeless and question how we can get through the current trial. Recently, I was feeling this same way as I'm working through some difficult things.

Almost instantly, a thought came to mind that Christ will never abandon me. He says it numerous times in the scriptures:

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." (John 14:18)

"... I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." (Joshua 1:5)

"...Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1:9)

There are many times where He says "I will not leave thee" or other similar phrases that all declare that the Lord is with us no matter the circumstance; We are never alone.

Even if those around us are not able to comfort us, care for us or support us and may even abandon us when we need someone the most, The Lord is with us "withersoever thou goest." When we put out trust in the Lord, use His healing Atonement and strive to do what is right, He will be there in our time of need. It may still be quite difficult, but we will be sustained through Him.

You are not alone; You always have the Lord.

© Wendy 2014 

Words of Inspiration

It seems that there are times in our lives when certain quotes, scriptures or song lyrics will suddenly jump out at us where they hadn't before. It's like they suddenly have meaning, or we're finally ready to hear them. I think the Lord has a hand in this--placing things we need to hear in our path when we need them the most. I've been struggling with some personal matters recently, when I heard a song. Really, for the first time I actually heard the lyrics. I had sung along before, but never really listened. I wish I could find an online version of the song, but just reading the lyrics will have to suffice for now.

"I tucked the pain away

So deep that no one else could see it

I guess that I believed

If I buried it I wouldn't have to feel it

I tried to run

I tried to hide

But the shadows seemed to follow me

Lord, won't You please

Find me

In my hidden places

Come find me

Even where the shadows hide

Strike a match

Bring a torch

Illuminate this deep divide

And find me

I've tried a hundred times

To find my way out of the darkness

But every road I took

Was leading me right back where I started

A place too deep

Somewhere too far

I'm in desperate need of rescuing

Lord, won't You please

Find me

In my hidden places

Come find me

Even where the shadows hide

Strike a match

Bring a torch

Illuminate this deep divide

And find me"

~Hilary Weeks~

I had never had lyrics describe so perfectly exactly what I had been going through--or perhaps the way I had dealt with it. There's been times with scriptures or quotes here and there, but nothing has hit me this hard before. I truly believe that God and His angels are waiting to help us--whether through other people, song lyrics, a feeling in our heart or any other means we are receptive to. He knows what we need when we need it. It doesn't mean that we should try to solve or figure out our problems, but it is usually during these times that His help comes. 

Has this happened to you? 

© Wendy 2014

Improve Yourself!

The beginning of a new year generally inspires us to make resolutions and to set goals. The purpose of this is ultimately to improve ourselves, to polish our strengths and to chip away at our weaknesses. Elder M. Russell Ballard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said:

"We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become."

Learning to master ourselves is one of the main purposes of this earth. We learn, grow, change and improve ourselves. God loves us just the way we are, but like parents, He does want us to learn to walk on our own two feet. We each have an amazing potential inside of us, we just need to discover it and work at it. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. But don’t reach beyond your capacity. Don’t set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don’t feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don’t compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones."

As you set goals this year, consider objectives that will make you a better person, improve your life and the lives of those around you and that will ultimately lead to joy and happiness. Maybe you want to spend more time with your family, read scriptures daily, pray several times a day, serve others, and lose bad habits like being judgmental, gossiping, negativity or other practices that are best left alone. Making improvements in yourself will lead to more happiness and satisfaction and quality of life.

For more ideas on goals and setting realistic ones, read my article on familyshare.com: "Making Resolutions Last Year-Round."

Inspirational blogs:
Dreaming About Someday
A Mouse in my Kitchen

Christmas Jar of Happiness

Last night for our Family Home Evening (FHE), I introduced an idea that we may keep for a Christmas tradition. Our family is going to focus on good things. Whether it is service, being obedient, helping someone, sharing or just playing nicely--if it makes someone happy then it qualifies.

The idea is that these are things that Jesus would like us to do. Things that will make Him happy--a birthday gift of sorts.

Here's how it works: Each time someone does something "happy," then they will add straw into our gallon jar. By the time we get to Christmas Eve, we will hopefully have enough straw to make a bed for the baby Jesus in our Nativity scene (we like to act it out to help us remember the true reason for Christmas).

What I did:
I took one gallon jar and printed off a Nativity picture, which I then used craft glue to stick to the jar. I tied a ribbon around it--I have no real crafty skills, but this needed a little festive color. Next, I had a miniature bale of hay for decorations that I have not been using, so we are using that hay to fill the jar with. We've already had a few "happy" moments, hence the hay in the bottom. We just put in a pinch at a time.

I'm hoping this will help my kids to become closer to our Savior by doing what He would do for us if He were here. And, of course, to remember what, or rather, WHO we should be celebrating at Christmas.

Mosiah 2:17 "...that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

© Wendy 2013

Keeping Christ in 'Christ'mas

The holiday season is upon us. For Christians, it is a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, the deep religious reason for the season is frequently buried deep in commercialism, stress, debt, busyness and other things that distract our hearts and minds away from the Lord.

It takes effort to keep your family focused on Christ rather than unnecessary wants. Here are a few ideas to keep Christ as a prevalent part of your family's celebrations.

• Display Nativities as part of your Christmas decor. Nativities are beautiful depictions that usually portray Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus. They often include wise men, angels and animals as well. Incorporating these images will help bring Christ to the forefront of our thoughts.
• Focus less on Santa, and more on Jesus. Santa isn't all bad. He is very giving, he wants us to be good, and tries to spread happiness. Similarly, the Savior also has those traits, but is much more. We celebrate Christmas because we can rejoice that He came to earth so that we can repent and return home to Heaven one day. A book that I've shared with my children is "I Believe in Santa Claus." I love this story because it draws parallels between Santa and Christ (hard to make it through without getting emotional!). 
• Try to attend special events like "The Messiah" or local Creche festivals or anything else that focuses on Christ. Many communities or churches will put on such events for the public to attend--either for free or a very low cost. 
• Do service for others. The life of Jesus was filled with service for others. We can become closer to Him by following His example and taking care of those around us. My family thinks it is fun to "doorbell ditch" and leave treats or a special message to uplift our neighbors. There are also opportunities to help those less fortunate have Christmas in their home by donating food or gifts to families in need.
• Read about His birth. A wonderful tradition to have in your family is to read Luke 2 in the New Testament about the birth of Jesus. There are also movies or video clips available to watch to tell His story, such as this one:  

Christmas is a time for fun, family, celebrations, and gift-giving. But, let us not forget the Reason for the Season. He really is someone worth celebrating--His sacrifice, the Atonement, His grace, the ransom paid for our souls. Keep Christ in Christmas this year. Remember Him always.

For some more inspirational blog posts:

A Mouse in My Kitchen

Babes in Hairland

Dreaming About Someday

© Wendy 2013

Freedom Isn't Free

We recently celebrated Veteran's Day--a day we honor those who have served to help keep us free, and often are called upon to help others who do not have freedom. We have many holidays that are similar in nature: Independence Day, Memorial Day, Patriots Day, etc. We often display flags or other patriotic symbols that demonstrate our gratitude to live in a free nation.

Those that understand freedom, also understand that freedom is not free, but comes with a price. Often the price paid is the blood of those willing to fight for us to enable us to enjoy the comforts we have. Without those willing to sacrifice their lives or the lives of loved ones, we may be living in a very different world--a world in which many are still living because they are not afforded similar freedoms.

My children enjoying religious freedoms as
we visit the St. George, UT LDS Temple Christus

There is One who paid the ultimate price for our freedom: Jesus Christ. Sometimes we hear the phrase "free agency," which is not an accurate description. Just like our national freedoms, agency is not free, but has been paid in full with the blood of our Savior. Suffering in Gethsemane and dying on the cross were the ultimate sacrifice that paid for all of our sins, for all of our agency and for all of us that the debt might be paid in full--so we can be freed from our sins, our pains and sufferings, and freed from death.

Different from those who fight in wars for our freedoms, Christ's atonement is for ALL people who have ever lived on the earth and will ever live here. There is nothing that cannot be paid for through His atoning sacrifice. There is nothing that cannot be healed through Him.

"The Savior's suffering in Gethsemane and His agony on the cross redeem us from sin by satisfying the demands that justice has upon us. He extends mercy and pardons those who repent. The Atonement also satisfies the debt justice owes to us by healing and compensating us for any suffering we innocently endure." D. Todd Christofferson, Redemption, April 2013 General Conference

“Though you may feel that no one can understand the depth of your despair, our Savior, Jesus Christ, understands. He suffered more than we can possibly imagine, and He did it for us; He did it for you. You are not alone.” -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Regardless of your beliefs, the love of God has no bounds. The Atonement is for all. It is not just for our sins, but for all healing that we need. We need healing from sins, but also from abuse, abandonment, betrayal, sickness and all other afflictions. His suffered for all of it--felt all pains we have ever and will ever feel. He is the only one who can truly know how we feel. It is through Him that we are truly free--free from our burdens and sufferings.

Freedom means a lot to me. As you consider the freedoms you have been given, don't forget the sacrifice made by many. Most importantly, don't forget the sacrifice made by One for many--even for ALL. It comes without conditions and without expiration and, most importantly, without any limits.

© Wendy 2013

Seeking Gratitude

November seems to be a really popular month for everyone to think about, or even post on social media, things they are thankful for. Not only is this a great idea, but it also helps us to realize how many wonderful things and blessings we actually do have in life. We seem to notice more and more of what we do have, and forget about what we don't. We can become more positive while we shift our thinking away from the negative. Thomas S. Monson said:

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues" ("An Attitude of Gratitude," Ensign, May 1992, 54)."

I also try to see events in my life for what they usually are: blessings from a loving Heavenly Father. There are so many things for us to learn and enjoy. Often, our greatest blessings come during or as a result of trials in our life. Frequently, the answers to our prayers are direct blessings in our lives. There are so many things in our lives that we have, and often take for granted, that we need to realize and be grateful for. David B. Haight taught:

"It’s so easy in life for us to receive blessings, many of them almost uncounted, and have things happen in our lives that can help change our lives, improve our lives, and bring the Spirit into our lives. But we sometimes take them for granted. How grateful we should be for the blessings that the gospel of Jesus Christ brings into our hearts and souls. I would remind all of you that if we’re ever going to show gratitude properly to our Heavenly Father, we should do it with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—because it was He who gave us life and breath" ("Were There Not Ten Cleansed?," Ensign, Nov 2002, 24)."

Think of as many things as you can that you are grateful for in your life. They could be family, friends, your job, your home, food in your pantry, a testimony of Jesus Christ, or simply the beauty in the world around us. Write down your ideas in a journal or somewhere you can see them often and add to the list daily. I think you will be amazed at the ways you have been blessed in your life.

I am most grateful for my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is through Him, and Him alone, that we can not only repent from our wrongs, but also be healed from all pains, sorrows, heartache and shortcomings in our life. He is our redeemer. I am also grateful for friends and family who are often the answers to my very prayers--sent to me in my time of need. I know that we can lift and help others as we desire to serve our God. There are so many things in this world--if not everything--that is a testament of our Father and His love for us. Even amid horrible trials, there are things we need to learn, beauty to be found and people to save.

We need to be grateful for what we are given and express our gratitude in prayer. We teach our kids to say please and thank you; we also need to exercise this when we talk to God. We need to teach our children by example to say please and thank you in our humble prayers.

Be grateful. Focus on the positive. See the blessings around you. Feel of His love for you.

For some more inspiring blog posts:
Dreaming About Someday
Babes in Hairland
Or So She Says...

© Wendy 2013