I just finished an enjoyable weekend down in St. George with friends and family. I was able to see my newest nephew for the first time. It was amazing to be able to hold his 1 week old body and feel his little spirit. My testimony of the plan of salvation and the reality of our Heavenly Father and Savior were strengthened as I watched him sleep. I have thought about the trials and triumphs that he will have in his life. He will be faced with difficulties and struggles that he will have to overcome. He will also witness many triumphs that will fortify his own testimony. He will rise and fall like we all do and will need to learn through experience.
Over the weekend I thought about how our lives are a series of trials and triumphs that shape us into who we are. We have the choice, every day, to decide how we want to be shaped. Each day we will most likely be faced with some sort of trial. How we decide to deal with that trial will shape our futures. One thing I have learned over the past months is that we need to face our trials and then replace them with something positive. Understand and realize the trial is there and then look for ways to replace it. Now this doesn't mean to run from it or sweep it under the rug but it means to really truly face it and acknowledge it's presence, and then shift your thoughts to positive reinforcement. I have found that this works very well and can be very empowering. You begin to witness many small triumphs in your life. You have triumphs that you never realized before and you begin to appreciate how often the triumphs come! It is also very empowering to prepare yourself for trials. Know that they will come and prepare yourself mentally and spiritually for them. It is never fun to feel blindsided by a trial so it is comforting to know and understand that they will come and we can be prepared to face them. Obviously we can't predict certain trials but we can do a lot to prepare ourselves.
Recently I have been presented with another trial. One of those situations where you feel like you can't catch a break! Trials can be especially hard when people who you love are involved and you wish things could be different. Thankfully, through facing my previous trials, I have learned how to weather the storm. I know that I can't control a lot of things. But I can control my reaction, my actions, and how I move forward. And of course, if I steer my thoughts toward others and away from myself, I can find peace and comfort easier.
Trials and triumphs come in many forms and vary in magnitude. We are in charge of a lot more than we realize! Our attitudes and decisions determine how we will overcome. I know that if we face our trials and then focus on our triumphs we will find peace, understanding, and comfort in our lives. Our Father in Heaven is constantly blessing us and I know that he loves each of us individually. I am grateful for the trials and triumphs we face in this life and how we learn and grow from all of them.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Don't Run
I have learned through my experiences in life that the absolute worst thing you can do when presented with a challenge or difficulty is to run from it. In the past I ran from pretty much everything. The most detrimental thing that I would run from was my mistakes. Running from my mistakes only left the door that much more wide open for Satan to come in and seize control. If we run from our problems we are not in control. We are out of control and helpless. We cannot suffer through difficulties alone. We must face them head on and be willing to do whatever it takes.
Truly facing your demons or problems can be a terrifying thing. Fear is the main influence behind running from our problems. Fear can be paralyzing. Fear helps us to justify and downplay our situation. Fear makes it impossible to change and keeps us from progressing. Running from our problems also means avoiding them. Avoiding our problems only prolongs the inevitable and the longer we prolong the more painful it will be.
In this blog I speak from my own experiences. I talk about what I truly believe in hopes that it will be able to help someone who is suffering. I have made mistakes in my life that I hope no one ever has to face. But no matter what you are dealing with there is hope and peace in facing your issue and dealing with it head on. It does not matter how small or how big the issue may be. We can FACE it. If you are running, STOP. I know that makes it sound easy but you will find no comfort in avoiding it. The consequences that I am now facing could have been avoided years ago if I had just stopped running and hiding. The pain and sorrow that I have endured would have never needed to happen. I am not only talking to those who have made mistakes but to ANYONE that is dealing with ANY issue. Face it. Ask for help, pray, endure, and you will find peace and relief.
The road to eternal life is hard enough as it is. Make it easier by facing your problems and moving forward with faith and courage to overcome anything that comes your way. I know that there is nothing you are going through that the Atonement of our Savior cannot heal. Let him heal you and ease your burdens. Don't run from the one thing that can heal you. I know this to be true.
Truly facing your demons or problems can be a terrifying thing. Fear is the main influence behind running from our problems. Fear can be paralyzing. Fear helps us to justify and downplay our situation. Fear makes it impossible to change and keeps us from progressing. Running from our problems also means avoiding them. Avoiding our problems only prolongs the inevitable and the longer we prolong the more painful it will be.
In this blog I speak from my own experiences. I talk about what I truly believe in hopes that it will be able to help someone who is suffering. I have made mistakes in my life that I hope no one ever has to face. But no matter what you are dealing with there is hope and peace in facing your issue and dealing with it head on. It does not matter how small or how big the issue may be. We can FACE it. If you are running, STOP. I know that makes it sound easy but you will find no comfort in avoiding it. The consequences that I am now facing could have been avoided years ago if I had just stopped running and hiding. The pain and sorrow that I have endured would have never needed to happen. I am not only talking to those who have made mistakes but to ANYONE that is dealing with ANY issue. Face it. Ask for help, pray, endure, and you will find peace and relief.
The road to eternal life is hard enough as it is. Make it easier by facing your problems and moving forward with faith and courage to overcome anything that comes your way. I know that there is nothing you are going through that the Atonement of our Savior cannot heal. Let him heal you and ease your burdens. Don't run from the one thing that can heal you. I know this to be true.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Who Am I?
At times I have found myself asking the question "Who am I?" This is a very important question to ask yourself and to remind yourself of who you really are. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father. We are all unique and we all have defining qualities. We are all brothers and sisters and we all are blessed with a Savior. We are all great, strong, important people in our Heavenly Father's eyes. We are who we really want to be. We are what we think and how hard we work. We are blessed. And above all, WE ARE LOVED.
We need to remember that we are NOT the mistakes we have made. We are not bad people if we struggle with something. We are not lost and forgotten. We are not a lost cause with no hope. We are not held captive by sin, trials, or circumstances.
We can overcome anything. I truly believe that. I know that some things seem impossible to overcome. Some struggles have been with us for a long time. Some struggles are brought on by other people and have affected you deeply. Some struggles are within our minds while others are outward actions that are hard to control. We can have any number of struggles and trials in this life. But we are not defined by them. We are not controlled by them. We can rise above and be who we really are.
We need to be able to stand on our own two feet. We need to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and know that between ourselves and the Lord we can make it. Yes, we have loved ones and amazing people in our lives. But we need to realize who we are so we can be strong. In those quiet moments by ourselves what are we thinking, what are we doing, how are we acting and who are we being? Many people will come in and out of our lives. Friends come and go and very few stay. We tend to disappoint each other a lot. But we need to be happy with ourselves and who we are. We need to strive to be the best we can be and help others to do the same. I'm not saying that others aren't important because they are. I have friends and family that have shown me unconditional love that have helped me in so many ways. But what I am saying is that we need to happy and secure with who we are individually. This way we are able to tackle our trials and come out victorious!
A phrase I think of often is "Decisions Determine Destiny." We can all decide right now to be who we really are and be the best we can be. We can decide to overcome, achieve, succeed, and change. We are ALL capable of amazing things. We are all destined for great things and our destiny will be determined by the decisions we make NOW. I believe this to be true.
We need to remember that we are NOT the mistakes we have made. We are not bad people if we struggle with something. We are not lost and forgotten. We are not a lost cause with no hope. We are not held captive by sin, trials, or circumstances.
We can overcome anything. I truly believe that. I know that some things seem impossible to overcome. Some struggles have been with us for a long time. Some struggles are brought on by other people and have affected you deeply. Some struggles are within our minds while others are outward actions that are hard to control. We can have any number of struggles and trials in this life. But we are not defined by them. We are not controlled by them. We can rise above and be who we really are.
We need to be able to stand on our own two feet. We need to be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and know that between ourselves and the Lord we can make it. Yes, we have loved ones and amazing people in our lives. But we need to realize who we are so we can be strong. In those quiet moments by ourselves what are we thinking, what are we doing, how are we acting and who are we being? Many people will come in and out of our lives. Friends come and go and very few stay. We tend to disappoint each other a lot. But we need to be happy with ourselves and who we are. We need to strive to be the best we can be and help others to do the same. I'm not saying that others aren't important because they are. I have friends and family that have shown me unconditional love that have helped me in so many ways. But what I am saying is that we need to happy and secure with who we are individually. This way we are able to tackle our trials and come out victorious!
A phrase I think of often is "Decisions Determine Destiny." We can all decide right now to be who we really are and be the best we can be. We can decide to overcome, achieve, succeed, and change. We are ALL capable of amazing things. We are all destined for great things and our destiny will be determined by the decisions we make NOW. I believe this to be true.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Perspective
Today has been an interesting and challenging day. A week ago I accepted a new job with a new company. I signed the offer letter and put my 2 week notice in with the current company I work for. I felt really good about the opportunity and felt as though it was a huge blessing in my life. I was ready for the change. Today I received a phone call from the new company telling me that my offer was being rescinded. They said that it was no fault of my own but that they had some internal issues. I was devastated and of course my mind began running wild. It had been something that felt so good and would have been a big deal for me. So why is this happening? How do I react to this? I don't need another trial right now.......
There are many emotions that are running through me. As I work through this new trial I can't help but think of perspective. I could easily fall into the traps of despair, complaining, and contention. But where will that lead me? Most likely to a far worse state of disappointment and anger at the situation. It is so important that we keep our lives and the events that take place, good or bad, in proper perspective. Yes what happened today is a difficult thing but having a positive perspective allows me to see the benefits that can come from this. We must hope for the best and know that everything will be ok. Steven E. Snow said "Hope is an emotion that brings richness to everyday lives. It is the feeling that events will turn out for the best."
At the end of a challenging day it is comforting and reassuring to be able to kneel down and give thanks to a loving Heavenly Father. I know that he has our best interest at heart. I know that there are many times in life where things are just plain bad. You keep wondering when you will catch that break you have been hoping for. But if one door shuts another will open! We say that phrase all the time but do we believe it? That is where hope and perspective come in. We truly can hope for a better future. And as we go through the rollercoaster of life we can feel added peace and assurance through proper perspective of difficult trials.
I know that no matter the circumstance we can all hope for a better tomorrow. We all can endure. We all can hope in the Atonement and it's infinite powers to heal. Perspective.
There are many emotions that are running through me. As I work through this new trial I can't help but think of perspective. I could easily fall into the traps of despair, complaining, and contention. But where will that lead me? Most likely to a far worse state of disappointment and anger at the situation. It is so important that we keep our lives and the events that take place, good or bad, in proper perspective. Yes what happened today is a difficult thing but having a positive perspective allows me to see the benefits that can come from this. We must hope for the best and know that everything will be ok. Steven E. Snow said "Hope is an emotion that brings richness to everyday lives. It is the feeling that events will turn out for the best."
At the end of a challenging day it is comforting and reassuring to be able to kneel down and give thanks to a loving Heavenly Father. I know that he has our best interest at heart. I know that there are many times in life where things are just plain bad. You keep wondering when you will catch that break you have been hoping for. But if one door shuts another will open! We say that phrase all the time but do we believe it? That is where hope and perspective come in. We truly can hope for a better future. And as we go through the rollercoaster of life we can feel added peace and assurance through proper perspective of difficult trials.
I know that no matter the circumstance we can all hope for a better tomorrow. We all can endure. We all can hope in the Atonement and it's infinite powers to heal. Perspective.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Willing to Submit
Today in church I was taught about the importance of becoming as a little child. There are many qualities that a child possesses that we have a hard time keeping as we get older and experience the trials of life. Some of these qualities are humility, sensitivity, forgiveness, and pure love. But one that stuck out to me today was from a scripture. It states that we are to be "willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon us." At times it may be hard for us to consider the difficult trials we face as opportunities from a loving Heavenly Father to make us better. I don't believe that God is ruthlessly inflicting trials upon us but rather giving us the chance to prove our obedience and willingness to submit to His will.
There are so many things that happen in our life where, at the time, we do not understand why it is happening. There seems to be no explanation or logical way to put the pieces together. But if we can be as a child and humbly submit to the Lord, the understanding will come. The light will come into our life and we will have peace. It may take a long time for certain answers to come or for the trial to pass, but we can be assured that it WILL come. Many times it requires us putting our heads down and plowing through it, believing that through our faith and submissiveness we will overcome.
We cannot fear what is required of us. We cannot run from what is right. We cannot avoid that which is good because it is too hard. We must be able to submit to the Lord. One thing that I have learned through my trial is that God will not leave us comfortless and that many times he comforts us through other people. Our willingness to submit to the Lord allows him to bless us with the strength that we need and this strength can and will come through the loving kindness of those around us. This is such an amazing tender mercy that we are blessed with. In a trial and through out our lives, we must allow others the opportunity to help us and strengthen us. Try not to be ashamed of your trial and you will be surprised by how many people have either suffered the same trial or have the ability and love to truly help.
I know that as we submit our will to the will of the Lord we will be able to withstand the trials we face and find peace and happiness. We can willingly face our trials and know that we will be taken care of and that the lessons we will learn will be life changing. Everything that happens in our life has a purpose and the purpose of life is to prove ourselves worthy to return to God's presence. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father that wants me back and who will help me every step of the way as I willingly submit myself to him.
There are so many things that happen in our life where, at the time, we do not understand why it is happening. There seems to be no explanation or logical way to put the pieces together. But if we can be as a child and humbly submit to the Lord, the understanding will come. The light will come into our life and we will have peace. It may take a long time for certain answers to come or for the trial to pass, but we can be assured that it WILL come. Many times it requires us putting our heads down and plowing through it, believing that through our faith and submissiveness we will overcome.
We cannot fear what is required of us. We cannot run from what is right. We cannot avoid that which is good because it is too hard. We must be able to submit to the Lord. One thing that I have learned through my trial is that God will not leave us comfortless and that many times he comforts us through other people. Our willingness to submit to the Lord allows him to bless us with the strength that we need and this strength can and will come through the loving kindness of those around us. This is such an amazing tender mercy that we are blessed with. In a trial and through out our lives, we must allow others the opportunity to help us and strengthen us. Try not to be ashamed of your trial and you will be surprised by how many people have either suffered the same trial or have the ability and love to truly help.
I know that as we submit our will to the will of the Lord we will be able to withstand the trials we face and find peace and happiness. We can willingly face our trials and know that we will be taken care of and that the lessons we will learn will be life changing. Everything that happens in our life has a purpose and the purpose of life is to prove ourselves worthy to return to God's presence. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father that wants me back and who will help me every step of the way as I willingly submit myself to him.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Faith, Faith, and more Faith
I know that throughout this process I have talked a lot about faith. Faith in our Savior and a loving Heavenly Father. Faith in ourselves and the people in our lives. Faith that our prayers are being heard. Faith in eternal life. Faith in the power to overcome trials. Faith that no matter what comes our way, we can overcome it! We can succeed! We can change! Faith is such an amazing blessing that we have. I am so grateful for the faith that has been instilled in all of us from a loving Father in Heaven who knows how hard this life can be. Our faith can sustain us through any affliction. We need to have faith!
My life has been a whirlwind of emotions over the past 9 months. I have experienced feelings that I didn't know were possible to feel. Both good and awful. I have witnessed tender mercies that have literally changed my life. I have also witnessed pain and sorrow that has changed my life. I am still witnessing these things and now more than ever my faith is in our Savior. Remember, your struggle has already been struggled for you. Your pain has already been felt for you. Your addictions have already been suffered through. Our Savior, through His infinite Atonement has made it possible for us to overcome anything. Our faith in the atonement is our key to peace and happiness. There have been times that I have been tempted to give up. There have been times when I thought it was impossible to overcome. My mind has been tortured with thoughts of despair and anguish, leaving me feeling hopeless and alone. But through these difficult times faith has sustained me. Faith that somehow, someway the Savior can get me through this.
My faith is still so weak. How many times do we find ourselves worrying about the same things over and over again? How often do we find ourselves forgetting the blessings we have and how Heavenly Father has helped us in the past? My faith needs to be stronger! I need to cast out all fear and move forward in faith and hope. I want so badly for anyone who comes across this blog to know that the Savior lives and that we can have faith in the Atonement. Have faith that no matter how long it takes or how difficult it may be, we will make it! Everything will be ok if we have faith! The future is bright and our future must be filled with FAITH.
My life has been a whirlwind of emotions over the past 9 months. I have experienced feelings that I didn't know were possible to feel. Both good and awful. I have witnessed tender mercies that have literally changed my life. I have also witnessed pain and sorrow that has changed my life. I am still witnessing these things and now more than ever my faith is in our Savior. Remember, your struggle has already been struggled for you. Your pain has already been felt for you. Your addictions have already been suffered through. Our Savior, through His infinite Atonement has made it possible for us to overcome anything. Our faith in the atonement is our key to peace and happiness. There have been times that I have been tempted to give up. There have been times when I thought it was impossible to overcome. My mind has been tortured with thoughts of despair and anguish, leaving me feeling hopeless and alone. But through these difficult times faith has sustained me. Faith that somehow, someway the Savior can get me through this.
My faith is still so weak. How many times do we find ourselves worrying about the same things over and over again? How often do we find ourselves forgetting the blessings we have and how Heavenly Father has helped us in the past? My faith needs to be stronger! I need to cast out all fear and move forward in faith and hope. I want so badly for anyone who comes across this blog to know that the Savior lives and that we can have faith in the Atonement. Have faith that no matter how long it takes or how difficult it may be, we will make it! Everything will be ok if we have faith! The future is bright and our future must be filled with FAITH.
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