The Little Things

This week I have been trying to focus on the little things in life that bring peace and happiness.  I think of my sweet children a lot.  They are little things that bring me the most joy.  And it is their attitude towards life that helps me look at things differently.  I forgot that one could find so much joy playing with a rock, rolling on the ground, making faces, or jumping up and down.  My kids teach me every day how life can be enjoyed no matter the circumstances.  In times of wealth or poverty, sickness or health, peace or turmoil, we can all look to the little things to find happiness.  It really does help me to occasionally sit down and write my blessings on paper.  I find that most of them don't consist of money or worldly objects, but small and simple treasures that make my life complete.

My trial has forced me to look at life in a more simple way.  In the past I created a lot of problems for myself by making my life too complicated.  Because I forgot to cherish the little things, I lost track of what is truly important and I found myself far from where I needed to be.  We cannot escape the trials of life, but we can control how we overcome them.  Cherishing the little things in life is one way to help overcome trials and feel consistent joy.

Facing New Challenges

As I begin my "new life" I am grateful for many things.  I have been blessed with many wonderful friends and an amazing family.  As I have said many times before, the people in my life are literal angels. One of those being my wife.  I believe that she was placed in my life 7 months ago as an an angel and she has become my wife and companion.  Her and her daughter have changed my life and I thank my Heavenly Father for the chance to be a husband and father.  My own 2 kids continue to be consistent angels in my life who love their daddy and teach me important lessons whenever I am with them.  I love my kids and my family.

Our first few months of marriage have been bliss of course :) and we are excited for our new life together.  But, as life goes, there will always be challenges that we face.  My trial that I went through was very difficult and tested my faith and obedience. It was the hardest thing I have had to endure.  But as hard as it was I am grateful for it because it has prepared me for any challenge that comes our way.  I know without a doubt that a loving Heavenly Father is watching over us.  I know that I will need continued faith and obedience as we face new challenges together.  I know that the Atonement is real and that our Savior loves us.  I believe 100% in eternal families and the importance of repentance.  So my point today is that our triumphs over past trials will help us as we face new ones.  We are constantly learning and progressing.  I believe that is one of the main reasons why we have trials.  To teach us.  To make us stronger. To bring us closer together.

With this election coming up and the turmoil that the world is in, I have been thinking a lot about what is really important.  I am someone who has lost something that was very dear to me because of my own bad decisions.  I lost sight of what was really important.  And now as I have been given another opportunity I will face my new challenges with more understanding.  I will focus more on the little things that bring happiness.  Laughing, conversation, family time, patience, love, kindness, service, etc.

I know that if you are struggling with something major it can be difficult to believe there is hope and happiness ahead.  I have said and I will say again that there IS hope and happiness.  Believe in God and move forward with faith and endurance.  When you come out on top you will be better prepared for the next challenge. And the next. And the next. :) You will be stronger and better.  You will learn and grow.  You will be happy with yourself.  Here's to facing new challenges and being happy!

New Life

I have neglected my blog! Since I was married on July 6th my life has been a whirlwind of excitement and changes.  I feel very blessed to start my new life and have a companion to share it with.  And I have a new daughter!! My kids are close, I am married, and I am pursuing my dreams.  I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has proven his love for me over and over again.  I can now face new challenges of life with my wife and kids.  I can take what I have learned from my past and use it to be a better person.  My past has shaped me into a new, better version of ME.  I am grateful for 2nd chances and my Savior.

I'm going to try and be more consistent with my blog because I would like to keep it going.  It has helped me tremendously to write down my feelings.  Thanks to all those who have supported it!

Truly Blessed

Today I can honestly say that I feel truly blessed.  These past 2 years have been very challenging and yet very rewarding.  My trial has been one of heartache, despair, love, and overwhelming joy.  It has been proof to me that although we have our trials and mistakes, God loves us all and wants us all to be happy.

On July 6th, 2012 I will marry a beautiful and loving woman.  In all honesty I never thought I would be able to meet such a wonderful person.  I have been given a second chance and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for blessing me with a sweet, caring woman in my life.  I know that we have been placed in each others lives for a reason.  I know that as we begin our journey together we will be met with challenges...but I know that with these challenges we will be able to grow and overcome through the atonement of our Savior.  I can truly say that I am a happy, blessed person who has literally been given a second chance in life because of my Savior and Redeemer.  I owe my life to him.

I want every person to believe and know that no matter what trial they are facing at this moment, there is help.  Our Heavenly Father loves each of us and there is nothing in your life he can't heal.  Through this blog I have tried to convey the feeling that we ALL have trials and that we ALL can receive help through the atonement.  We are all capable of change, even difficult change, if we allow the help God provides to take affect in our lives. If we have faith, work hard, and trust in God, we can overcome anything!

I look forward to continuing this blog as I know that more trials and experiences will come.  I hope that my experience can help others that are struggling with any sort of trial and that they may know there is hope, happiness, and peace through the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Follow Your Heart

A very good friend told me today that too many times we follow our mind instead of our hearts.  Sure there are times that we just need to use our minds and follow logic.  But when it comes to spiritual decisions, we need to focus more on the heart.

Our minds are very powerful.  We can sometimes allow our thoughts to control our moods, our decisions, and our actions.  And many times we can make decisions based on irrational thoughts or fear.  There is also another key component to this: Satan.  He desires for us to follow him so badly that I believe he can affect our thoughts.    No I do not believe that he can control our thoughts, but I do believe that he can influence them.  The point I'm getting at is that we can talk ourselves out of anything! If we allow our thoughts to spiral out of control we can end up making wrong decisions or rejecting something that is right.  I have struggled for many years with a troubled mind.  I have on many occasions allowed my thoughts to control and consume me.  I have allowed these thoughts to produce fear and that fear has lead to difficult situations.

For many of us it may be hard to find the balance between what our mind is saying and what our hearts are saying.  I believe that the greatest way to overcome a troubled mind is to pray.  As we sincerely pray, we will begin to listen to our hearts.  Prayer can help to ease our minds and help us to focus on what is really important.  I know that our Heavenly Father loves us and he is the one that gave us our incredibly powerful minds.  So who better to help us than him.  We can be assured that our Heavenly Father is listening and will help us.  We cannot allow negative, fearful, pessimistic, and evil thoughts to control our lives.  We must be able to filter through those thoughts so that we can focus on how we truly feel, on what our hearts are saying.  If we truly follow our heart, it will not fail us.  Especially if we allow our Heavenly Father to be a part of our decisions, a part of everything in our lives.

This is a difficult balance to find.  I know that it can be frustrating.  I know that as we include prayer in our lives and decisions, we will better be able to follow our heart and do what is right.  And the jumbled mess that is our mind sometimes, will become clear.  We can cast away fear and move forward with faith.  Don't make your mind your enemy, rather make it an ally with your Heavenly Father and your heart.

Don't Look Back

Once again it has been way too long since I have posted on my blog. I made a resolution to do better and I have failed for the past 2 months. So it is time rededicate myself! Thankfully, life has been very good to me while I have been away and I continue to be grateful for what I learn everyday through my trials.

I have written before about the importance of staying focused on the present. Although it is important that we learn from the past it is also important that we don't stay focused on the past. In my current situation, it would be very detrimental to my progression if I kept looking back. My life has changed dramatically over the past 18 months and yes, some very poor decisions in my past have left me with consequences. But, just because I made a mistake doesn't mean I'M a mistake. I cannot allow my mind to linger on thoughts from my past mistakes. I am a new person with new opportunities. As we go through trials and face them head on, we will begin to change. If we allow ourselves to change we will no longer need to focus on the past. Our futures are bright and filled with hope. Our Heavenly Father has provided a way for us to return to him and it is through repentance. Repentance helps to heal pain, but most of all it helps us to rid ourselves of our past mistakes.

God has too much in store for us to be lingering in the past and focusing on our mistakes. He wants us to come to him and be clean. We don't need to dwell on our past to find this. Just don't look back and look to the Savior instead.

Prove It To Yourself

As you struggle through trials and hardships you may have the tendency to worry too much about what other people think. I have wanted so badly for people to accept me for who I am now and not the man that I was. This struggle can be very draining. I believe it is a noble desire to show others that you are a different person, especially those you have hurt. But when it comes down to it, the one you need to prove it to the most is YOU. True happiness and peace comes when you can view yourself as a new person, loved by God, who has forgiven himself. I struggle with this still as the challenges of life and my situation are still affecting my life. I still have days where I beat myself up over my past. My future is bright yes, but my past can still come back and haunt me. This is why my acceptance of myself for who I am is so important.

No one besides yourself and God know your true desires and where you heart is. Other people cannot control or decide for you how you should feel or who you are as a person. Yes, there are things I need to prove to people in my life. I accept the challenge. But I cannot let that overwhelm me. I have learned through this experience that EVERYONE is struggling with something. Big or small, heavy or light. We ALL have struggles, addictions, trials, etc. It is important for us to not pass judgement, lend a helping hand, and try and lift others. But in order to do that as effectively as possible, we need to be comfortable in our skin and know that we are good people.

Prove it to yourself first. Be the best YOU that you can be and your outlook on life will be brighter and more hopeful. As you do that, you will better be able to serve others. Block out the negativity. Do not let others tear you down. Some people won't believe you or trust you. Some people may feel the need to try and make things harder for you. Keep your head up and press forward with confidence in YOURSELF. God believes in you and will assist you.

Courage

I have been slower with my blog posts lately and I have made a new commitment to post every week again! A quick thought for today is to be courageous. If we want to make major changes in our lives we need to have courage. Courage comes from a deep desire to change. Courage will help us withstand the trials and difficulties that the process of change will bring to us. As we begin changing we will soon see how strong we really are and our courage will grow.

We need to face life's battles with courage. Be brave in the face of adversity. Stand strong when it is so easy to fall down. Keep your head held high and your feet firmly planted. Courage to follow the Savior will lead to NEW you.