What Do You Believe?

I believe the sun comes up every day, even when it is covered by clouds and we can't see it.
I believe that Jesus loves us, even on days when the problems of life seem so hard that we can't feel it.
I believe that being loved and loving can change the world -- my world, and yours.

I read a book once that suggested that when you are feeling down you ask yourself, "What am I believing right now?"  I have done this before and realized I was currently believing things that weren't true.  I just finished another book called Anxious For Nothing by Max Lucado.  He says "To change the way a person responds to life, change what a person believes about life."

What do you believe about life?  What do I?  Is it true?  In a world that is full of hard things, do we start to believe that life is impossibly miserable and pointless?  Or do we trust that God has a good plan, and notice that there are still people who are kind and loving?  Do we see how beautiful nature is?  There are weeds, and thistles, but there are also flowers, and butterflies!  There is disease, and misery and death, but there is also hope, and resilience, and life!

While I don't believe it is always easy to do (or I wouldn't spend so much time believing negative things about myself), we do get to choose what we believe.  In moments of exhaustion, or when people aren't treating us well, or when we see piles of problems, it would be good to stop and remember that God hasn't forgotten us, that life can get better, that other people do not decide our worth, and that problems, if handled with as much faith as we are able to muster, can make us stronger, kinder, and more compassionate people.

**Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash

Easter: He is Risen!

The Garden Tomb

Most, if not all of us, have had someone that we love die.  Even if they were very old, or were suffering, it does not stop us from wishing they could still be here.  We miss them.  We also know that one day we will die.  No matter how well we take care of ourselves, our current bodies were not made to live forever. 

Easter is a day to be grateful.  Those we love will be resurrected.  We will be resurrected.  Our loved ones will be whole again, and we will not have to miss them forever.  All of us will have bodies that do not get sick, and are not broken in any way.  There has always been a plan for us.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."  John 3:  16-17

Jesus carried out His part of the plan.  He decided that all of the pain He would suffer was worth it to save all of His brothers and sisters who want to be saved.  I love Him.

Happy Easter!

Feed My Sheep -- Feed My Lambs

In church today I heard a talk about grace, and the speaker told of how Peter, who knew that Christ was the Son of God, was told by Jesus to feed His lambs, and to feed His sheep.  While listening to the story, I got to wondering about those words and why Christ chose them.  He didn't say, "Go find my sheep, find out everything that is wrong with them, and make sure they know."  He didn't say, "Go tell my sheep they are going the wrong way", or "Go scare my sheep" or "Go lecture my sheep".  He said to feed them.

This is what He asks us to do, and I am sure He doesn't mean to feed them poison, or things that aren't nourishing.  He wants us to feed them love.  He wants the good news of the Gospel shared -- as good news, and not as a list of things the sheep are doing wrong.  I am sure that Jesus meant that we should feed everyone encouragement for all they do right, and love for every difficulty including wrong choices.  He wants us to share joy for every success we see. 

Jesus wants us to know what He did so it can be beneficial to us.  He wants us to know where to look for help, and salvation.  Jesus is the "bread of life".  He wants all of us to know Him.  When we know and accept Christ, and the gift of His atonement, we will truly have been fed, and will want to feed others the joy of Christ and His gospel.

*Picture by Kamille Corry used by permission from churchofjesuschrist.org

Wondering

picture from lds.org

Wondering

I am wondering friend if your life feels too heavy,

If you feel like you’re staggering under the load.

Does your heart hurt so much you’re surprised it’s still beating?

When you look up ahead, are their pits in the road?

Just close your eyes, lift your face towards the heavens

And think of our Father in Heaven above.

Remember He sent His Son down to save you

Jesus’ hands hold the evidence of His great love.

Be really still, and imagine you’re with Him

Our Savior is holding you close to His heart

Imagine His love pouring down ‘til it fills you

He won’t leave you alone, He won’t ever depart.

I’m wondering friend if your life seems too dark now.

Can you not see exactly where to go from here?

Do you feel all alone in the struggle before you?

Stay calm and remember the Savior is near.

Just close your eyes, lift your face towards the heavens

He’s sending His light to push darkness away.

He will mend broken hearts, and lighten your load

In His presence the darkest night turns into day.

Jesus is here for you and all those you care for.

So bask in His presence, hold on to His love.

You are not forgotten, you have friends around you

And you’ll always have help from our Father above.

Written for a friend

by Sherie

"God Delights In Spending Time With You"

This is my favorite quote from the introduction to my "devotional planner".  I have pondered this, and really enjoy thinking of prayer time as spending time with my Heavenly Father.  Sometimes, when I am tired and sitting in my room, I have thought, "I am just going to close my eyes, and spend some time with Heavenly Father."

This can mean that I am still, and try to feel God's love, peace, and reassurance.  Sometimes this means that I take the time to visualize the beautiful world He created for us to live on, and the things that I love about it. Other times I may think of all of the people I am blessed to know.  Surely Heavenly Father put them all in my life for me to love, and I am so thankful for the love I receive in return!

I like that one little sentence gave me a different perspective, and helped me to remember that Heavenly Father wants me to talk to Him, to think of Him, to learn from Him, and to be grateful for Him.  I am His child and He is interested in me, and in what I think and do.  He delights in spending time with me, and with you.

Happy People Remember -- and Forget

Everyone remembers and forgets things -- right?  I think the trick is focusing on the things that are good to remember, and letting go of the mistakes that we have already done our best to correct.  But what if I don't have a good memory?  Well, that is what journals are for -- or blogs, or videos, or pictures.  I admit to having an advantage because I love to write.  I have a gratitude journal, a prayer journal, a happiness / trust notebook, a notebook for taking notes at church meetings, a blog, and a journal for spiritual experiences.  This doesn't even include the emails I write, and the stacks of printed poems or songs that I have written, and other things that I have just typed into the computer because I want to remember!

Why write things down?  Well, I have a tendency to remember the wrong things!  I remember all of the mistakes I made, and all of the things I think I said wrong, and all of the things I "should" have done.  These things are especially likely to come to mind when I am tired.  When I am tired, and all of the negative memories start scrolling through my head, I can turn tragic really quickly.  I can feel like I haven't progressed ever and I am always going to be doomed to saying and doing the same wrong things over and over and over.

Thankfully, I can pull out my journal (usually the spiritual experiences one) and start reading.  Almost always, as I read, a surprising calm settles around me, and I can see that I am not hopeless.  I can remember that Heavenly Father is aware of me, that He sent His son for me, and that neither Heavenly Father or Jesus think I am doomed or worthless.  I can see that, even if it is ever so slowly, I have made progress over the years.

If you look for the word remember as you read the scriptures, you might be surprised how often if shows up.  Heavenly Father wants us to remember that He loves us.  That He sent Jesus to help us.  That even with all of the mistakes we make, we are valuable.  So, when the going gets rough -- try to remember those good things, which will help push out those feelings of gloom and distress so that you can forget them -- at least for a while!