Perspective

I am grateful that I have found a few minutes to write down some thoughts. I am enjoying a bowl of Kashi cereal after a nice shower. Small and simple pleasures like this can really help put things in to perspective. That is what is on my mind. But first I want say again, like I have many times before, that when we go through trials our Heavenly Father uses other people to help us. I am very grateful for the people in my life that have helped me. An important thing to remember and that was hard at first, was that I needed to allow the help to happen. I can promise you that if you are going through a trial, and you allow people to help you, it will bless your life and theirs. It is part of God's amazing plan for us that He puts other people in our paths. Do not shy away from people's efforts to help. When you do this you will be blessed and you will feel strengthened. And you will begin to see ways that you can help others as well.

Now on to perspective. How often in our lives do we lose proper perspective? How often do we allow the events of life make us lose focus? How often do we get discouraged and down amidst our struggles? I have been thinking a lot about that lately because I struggle with it immensely! Through my trial I have lost the proper perspective at times and it has caused me unnecessary heartache and pain. Distracting us and discouraging us are some of Satan's greatest tools! The more miserable we are the harder it will be to overcome and progress. This is exactly what we need to avoid and fight against. We need to fight to keep a proper perspective. How do we view things? What do we believe in? What do we know to be true? These are questions we need to ask ourselves as we deal with struggles, temptations, and difficult trials.

It is important to remember and face the fact that we all have struggles. We all have weaknesses. Try not to beat yourself up! Face your weaknesses head on and remember to stay positive. Do not run from your struggles. Do not run from how things really are. You will end up running in circles. I have had to face my trial head on because it is the only way to overcome. True change comes through keeping proper perspective and making consistent good decisions.

As you go through your trial remember that as you struggle through it, God is preparing you for something better. Keep your head up. Look towards God. Pray to Him and ask for help to see things as they really are and for the strength to endure. Consequences for our actions happen every day. If you are struggling due to consequences of your own actions or the actions of others, know that that is how God intended it to be. So we can learn and grow and change. He wants us to rely on Him and strive to become more like Him. Try to keep that positive perspective and remember all of our trials will be for our benefit if we allow them to and if we keep focused on the eternal plan of our Father in Heaven.

I know what it is like to feel discouraged. I know how it feels to lose precious gifts. I know what it means to feel like all is lost and that there is no hope. I know the feelings of sadness, regret, pain, and desperation. Sometimes we cannot avoid these feelings. But I know that with a proper perspective, combined with faith and endurance, we can overcome and rise above our trials and become better because of it. Our Heavenly Father is waiting anxiously to help us. We have a Savior that has suffered all of our pain. Allow them and those around us to assist us as we sincerely change our lives and face our trials. Keep that PERSPECTIVE. You can make it. You can overcome. You can be happy.

I know it :)

Keep Your Head Up

Today I have been battling some negative thoughts, most of them stemming from my past. At times we battle these thoughts and they can be very difficult to handle. Spending a few days with my kids always helps me to heal and focus on my tremendous blessings. But at times, especially when they leave, thoughts of despair and sadness come over me. They are a reminder to me of a past life and "how things used to be". Although I am grateful for the tremendous trial of the past year and how it has changed me, I still suffer from the aftermath of consequences.

Today during a talk in church, the speaker shared his feelings about how devastating it would be if we were to drive and only look through the rear view mirror. Hopping on the freeway going 65 mph and only watching the rear view mirror would not last long. He related it to life and how Satan wants us to focus on our pasts. He wants us to limit ourselves to who we used to be and not who we have become or who we can be. I realized that I have a problem with this. By nature, I am very hard on myself. I tend to beat myself up and I have to work extra hard to be positive towards myself. Thankfully, through my trial, I have gained more confidence and I am getting better at overcoming this. It is very important for us to keep our heads up and focus on looking forward with faith. Life trials will always be present. They are an important part of God's plan. How we learn and grow from these trials is what counts. Life can be hard, ruthless, and overwhelming. But if we keep our heads up and rely on God, we can be happier because of our trials. That is a hard concept to grasp.

Right now, at this very moment, I am hurting. Sometimes it is unavoidable. I miss my kids, I have regrets, I wish for things that will never be again. I have hope for my future and I know that it is bright. I recognize God's blessings in my life and I am grateful for them. But today is a day where I need to tell myself to keep my head up. I cannot look back or look down. I need to look forward. "In your life their have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take"- Elder Busche

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is constantly allowing us to learn to rely on him. He wants us to keep our heads up and look to Him for comfort. He wants us to choose Him.

Blessings

It has officially been too long since my last post. I need to get back on my once a week schedule. I have been VERY busy lately but it has been a good busy. I want to share a few quick thoughts.

First of all, God is good and He loves all of us. I have seen many small blessings come into my life since my baptism a couple weeks ago. I think one of the greatest blessings I have received is a renewed strength to press on and keep my head up. It is such a great blessing to feel of God's love in that way. Feeling strength and determination can lift your spirit and change your attitude. Thankfully we can all feel that extra strength through our diligence. It is available to all of us if we seek it out. And even when we don't seek it out God will bless us with it sometimes! He is very involved in your life and He wants to bless you and help you.

Through my challenges I have been able to see life a little differently than I have in the past. I am trying to see the world in a more positive way. I am trying to see people in a more positive way. My baptism helped me to realize that we are all struggling through this life. We all go through painful situations. Some of us, like myself, may have caused pain. I have a greater respect for people and their individual struggles. We can all help each other! The most precious tender mercies I remember from the past year usually came from the loving thoughts or actions of others. You may not know what a smile or handshake means to someone, but to them it could change the course of their life. Never underestimate the power of doing good to others. I am so grateful for the many people who have shown me the true meaning of love, friendship, and service.

I could go on and on about the blessings that have come into my life. I could also still go on about the struggles that I face. Thankfully, my strength comes from a being that knows how to comfort me. My Father in Heaven. I believe in a living God and in his Son Jesus Christ. Although trials and hardships will inevitably come, I know in whom I trust. We can accomplish anything with Them. I am very grateful for my blessings.