What If . . .

I believe that the spirit world (the world of the deceased) is very close, and is in fact, all around us. I believe our departed loved ones watch what we do and hear what we say. Because of this, I believe they cheer us on when we are doing what is right, sorrow for us when we sin, and offer us what comfort they can when we are sad, distraught, hurting, or sorrowing ourselves, which testifies of just how much they depend on us to live the best life we can. They, too, are affected by our choices here in mortality.
That being the case, I do know with certainty that the Lord is always present in His holy temples, and I believe He even visits His church houses from time to time. I am sure that He is sometimes saddened by the things He witnesses. He also rejoices over the righteous desires and actions of His people. Thinking of the Savior being present and witnessing the things I do makes me want to never do anything to grieve Him. However, knowing He is near to catch me when I do fall and place me back on the path to Him is what gives me joy during times of repentance.
So, on this line of thinking, what would we change in our lives to be able to stand in front of the Savior and not cower before Him?
It's definitely worth thinking about.
Happy Sabbath!

Keeping Christ in Our Lives

"Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus." ~ Neal A. Maxwell

 I absolutely love this quote from Elder Maxwell! And because of our deep study of the New Testament in the "Come Follow Me" curriculum, it truly has felt like Christmas this entire year in our home. Christ should always be our focus. He should permanently be front and center in our heart, home, and life, not just at Christmas time, but always. True love for the Savior should inspire and guide us in all we do, say and think. Christ should not be just a guest in our home, He should be the head of our home, and as Elder Maxwell said, we decide how much room we make for Him - whether it will be a small bedroom or give Him run of the entire place.

Since I owe everything to the Lord, I display Him in every room for the world to see, and I'm striving to display Him in every part of my life. I love Him with every fiber of my being, and because of His love for me, I can do no less.

Blessings to you all!
Merry Christmas!

Victory in Christ

Just as God is aware of us, so is Satan, and every minute of the day, we choose who we will serve with our every word, thought, and deed. And though we do not remember - yet are learning to remember - who we were before we came into mortality, Satan DOES remember us. He remembers our strengths. He remembers the valiant ones who stood with the Lord in the war in heaven, and he studies each and every one of our human weaknesses and shortcomings like a hawk. He glories in every choice we make that turns us away from Christ, and he has made it his eternal goal to wreak havoc in our lives, both spiritually and emotionally.

But just as surely as we are taught that Satan will never win, each of us needs to KNOW that within us is a power far greater than the adversary. The Savior is the source of that power. We only need to let His light shine in those dark places of our heart and cast any and everything that is not of God away from us.
Only then can we grow in our daily battle with the adversary and gain the victory.
We are already on our way!
Happy Sabbath!

Gratitude in Sorrow

I have always felt that expressing our gratitude to God each day is not only a must, but necessary.
Everything that is good in our lives comes from God. You can be the poorest person in the world and still show gratitude for the little you do have. And nothing makes God sadder than our ingratitude for what we have been blessed with.
Because of an ongoing trial in our family, my heart has been heavy this week, heavy to the point that I literally felt like shutting down and tuning out everything to escape the pain. But then, as always, the Lord was there and comfort came through prayers and a priesthood blessing, and I was reminded of my Savior's love, His mercy, and His grace. The joy of the Father's plan for me was renewed, as well as my faith and understanding that They know me.

God knows me, which means He knows my every thought, my every word and deed, and my every righteous desire. He knows my hopes for my family, and hears every prayer - both spoken and unspoken - for my children and grandchildren.
My Savior sees, feels, and understands every emotional strain I undergo. He witnesses every river of tears that I cry and every heartbreak I endure, and He knows what I am feeling, because He wept those same tears for me in Gethsemane, and He felt my heart break along with His own on the cross.

Because of all of this, my heart is overflowing with gratitude - gratitude for this earthly life with its triumphs and trials, its adversities and afflictions. How can I not be grateful for these experiences when what Christ endured for me is so much greater that I could possibly fathom? Ingratitude, for me, is impossible!
So, I will continue to love the Lord, to serve Him, and to praise Him with all my heart.
I know that if I do this, my heart will never stay broken, because He will always be there to mend it.

Wishing you all a most wonderful and amazing Thanksgiving!

"What is Truth?"

I've said this many times, mainly to my family: All the food and water and emergency preparation in the world will do us no good if we are not spiritually prepared. Yes, we need those things, but spiritual preparedness is far more important, because through this will come the blessings. Which is why it is so vital to build a solid relationship with the Savior.
I have pondered Pontius Pilate's question, "What is truth?" many times and I've been pondering it even more lately, and the simple answer is this: truth is anything that testifies of Christ, at least, that's how I see it and what the spirit has testified to me. So, these days, I am constantly praying for things that will continue to strengthen and increase my faith in - and testimony of - the Savior. I know that it is the only way I will make it through the trials and triumphs to come. It's the only way any of us will.
I pray for the continued spiritual growth of us all.
Happy Sabbath! :-)

In the book of Alma, when King Lamoni's father was being taught of God, the king, wanting to leave
his wicked ways behind him and be cleansed, prostrated himself on the ground before God and cried mightily, saying:
"O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day." ~Alma 22:18
Pondering his humble, heart-felt plea, I wonder how much the world would change if those of us who call ourselves Christians would end every night on our knees with this plea and promise in our hearts, and start each morning on our knees the same way.

The day that we truly begin to give away all our sins to know the Lord will be the day we TRULY BEGIN the process of coming to know Him. 

Proclaiming His Word

"Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not  

feared them, and hast not sought thine own life but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.

And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will. ~Helaman 10: 4-5

 I have pondered these two scriptures deeply this past week, and I found myself earnestly asking these questions:

Am I brave and faithful enough to declare God's word with unwearyingness in whatever circumstances I find myself in? Am I completely devoted to my Savior, in that I would proclaim His gospel and do His will no matter the cost, without fear or thought of my own life? Am I truly willing and dedicated to faithfully give my all to my Lord and Savior, willing to go wherever He leads, say whatever He places in my heart to say, and not hesitate in doing whatever He asks me to do?

Like you, I am only human with many, many human flaws and failings, but if my answer isn't a resounding "YES" to every single question I mentally posed, then I am lost. In this, I only speak for myself.

But in the end, I know that my Savior KNOWS me, and He knows my heart and my weaknesses. He also knows how much this imperfect heart cries out for Him, and how it longs to keep His commandments and declare His word with unwearyingness. He understands my determination to never stop trying, and how much I lean on His mercy and grace to make up the difference.

So, I will continue to declare His word, to speak of His holiness, His mercy, and His love for all of us. All He asks for in return is our love, our obedience, and for us to put Him first in our life.

He wants all of me, and all of you.

Because He gave us all of Himself.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.

There is no denying that.

And I never will.

Special Times

A week ago today, my husband and I were attending church in Italy, partaking of the sacrament with

fellow saints in Rome. During our previous visit to Italy a couple of years ago, we had an American missionary translating for us, but this time, even though translation was available, we decided to forgo it and just enjoy the meeting in Italian. We loved being there, and though we could only pick out a few words here and there, the spirit was still present in abundance and I felt so grateful and blessed.
We met some very nice people during this visit to Italy while on our tours of the Vatican, the Colosseum, and Pompeii, and had more interaction fellow tourists than normal, so we got to know each other a bit. There was a young couple from DC, a middle-aged couple from England, a mother and daughter from Australia, and a wonderful gentleman from Ireland (who incidentally was on a European tour, and had just traveled to Rome from from Budapest where he had been robbed by a taxi driver.)
It was truly fun visiting with these people, and though we will most likely never cross paths again, the experience left a huge impression on me. We were all there from different walks of life and diverse cultures, but during those hours we spent together on those tours, we were of like minds. We were there to explore and learn about a people whose lives left a big echo in the winds of today - a people whose history affected so many things, and as we laughed and talked and gleaned knowledge, any difference there may have been between us were nonexistent.

Even now, I still think about these 'tour friends', and I pray that the ones who may be without God in their lives will one day find Him, and the ones who do have God in their lives will grow even closer to Him.
This is my prayer for every individual I am blessed to come in contact with.
And who knows? Maybe . . . just maybe, we will be fortunate enough to see one of our tour friends again one day.

Who Will Claim You?

The words 'surrender' and 'give up' are not in Satan's vocabulary, except for when he is using them to
break down a spirit and bend it to his will. During the times when we are on a spiritual high and feel closest to the Lord is when the Adversary and his minions work the hardest to pull us from God's light back into darkness and misery. Misery really does love company, and sadly, Satan is never lonely. He makes sure of it. He is a hunter and collector of the lost, and he is good at his job because he is so organized.
But God and His Son, our Savior and Redeemer, are far stronger and far more organized. As long as we keep our eyes fixed and focused on Them, we will never lose our way, and the Adversary and his minions will have no claim.
What a beautiful thought!

The Masterpiece

I cannot tell you how much I love this quote! Because so many times in life when the road is rocky

and the path is hard to tread, it is so much easier to hear the loud words of the adversary telling us it's hopeless, and that we will never make it, than it is to hear the gentle, peaceful voice of the Lord whispering, "I am right here, just hold onto Me, and you will be okay. I won't leave you to face this alone."

Yes, life is hard, the seas are sometimes rough, and it's going to get even harder, the seas rougher. But we have to remember that we are never traveling alone. The view in front of us is only a tiny glimpse of the bigger picture that is our life, and we only see in part what God sees in full. Our eternal existence is a million-piece jigsaw puzzle, and we can only see the fifty, maybe one-hundred pieces that we have managed to fit together. It's like viewing a Leonardo Da Vinci painting with just a few brushstrokes. We have to be patient and wait on the Lord to reveal His individual plan for each of us, in His own time and His own way.

I promise that if we patient seek the Lord's will, trusting that He will reveal it, clinging to our faith and never give up or give in to the whispering of the adversary, His will will be revealed little by little. Then one day, the unfinished picture we only glimpse will finally be revealed to us as the masterpiece that Heavenly Father has been looking at all along :-)

To Know Him

Like so many others, there have been times in my life when I have been presented with choices that
would determine my immediate destiny - and I'm not talking about a "future set-in-stone" destiny, but an "at-the-moment-and-possible-future" destiny. Some of these choices would bring about accomplishments and the "things" of the world that so many seek after. And all that would be required to receive these worldly treasures is the sacrifice of values and lowering of standards. But in doing that, I could not come to know my Savior, because of the wall of sin I built with my actions. I never want to do that to Him, nor to myself.
So, I choose to let no worldly thing or goal stand between me and my Lord. I will give away, not only all my sins, but all that I am to know Him.

He is Alwas Here

With everything that is going on in the world (violence due to the forces of nature, and of men,) it
seems the chaos surrounding us is growing steadily and is showing no signs of stopping nor turning back. As humans, we seem to continually react to these changing earthly dynamics in different ways:
*Some sink into sorrow, despair and hopelessness.
*Some see the signs for what they are and turn their hearts to God.
*Some refuse to see the signs for what they are and choose instead to live as if all is well.
*Some choose to sink further into evil, fueled by the darkness, unfeeling and uncaring, following after the lusts of their own hearts.

Regardless, each of those reactions are just more signs of the times - signs that testify of the fast-approaching return of the Savior.
I pray that the faithful can hold fast to the knowledge that until the day comes when He appears in glory, He is still here NOW.

Only the Gospel

Contrary to popular belief (and no amount of positive thinking will change the fact,) all is not well in

Zion. This is something we must face. However, within the scriptures, we will find much comfort in the promises of the Lord to His people.
Over the past week, I have been pondering the Lord's beautiful intercessory prayer found in in John 17. I find comfort in knowing that His prayer was not just for the disciples of old but for His disciples today as well. All who follow Christ and proclaim His gospel are His disciples.
I encourage you to take the time to read the Lord's intercessory prayer this week. I am so grateful for the love that prompted His prayer and how much His words have strengthened me right when I needed it.

Holding Fast to Faith

How I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior! And how grateful I am to know that as long as I
place all my energy into becoming one with Them, there is nothing I cannot get through.
And so it is with all of us.
Happy Sabbath! :-)

What Matters Most to Me

For my birthday, my family gave me a birthday/belated Mother's Day gift and I became teary as soon
as I saw it. It is a charcoal drawn portrait of the Savior and I embracing. I have seen drawings and paintings like that done, but it has always been when I've attended the viewing of a friend or acquaintance. One day I said, "I would love to have a picture like that done, but I want it done while I am alive and can enjoy it instead of after I'm gone. I want to be able to look at it and dream of the day I can be embraced by my Savior." Well, a sweet daughter-in-law was listening and coordinated with everyone else to have it done. And now, I have this priceless gift in my home to help keep my heart and my thoughts focused on eternal things, the things of Heaven.

They are having another portrait done and I'm excited about it as well. I try to surround myself with things of God because I never want to forget from where my blessings come and to Whom I can always look for safety and shelter in the times to come.

No Greater Love

Today in Relief Society, the lesson was a discussion on ways we have been affected or changed by
love in our individual lives. I enjoyed hearing the various experiences shared by the sisters, and there were many thoughts and feelings spoken.
I too have been changed by the power of love throughout my life through countless experiences, but each and every one of those teaching moments - both the bitter and the sweet - were covered by an even greater love than my finite mind could comprehend. And THAT is the love that has changed me more than anything else. It has changed my heart, my mind, my spirit, my entire being. It is a love beyond all love, a bond beyond all other bonds. It is sacred, it is eternal, it is EVERYTHING.
It is only in and through the complete love of God and His Son, and becoming one with Them, that we receive tender mercies and divine guidance to overcome all things and endure to the end in righteousness.

Marching into Life's Battles

Someone else posted this meme a while back and it has become one of my favorites.
Many times in the past, the trials of life have felt like a huge weight that I didn't think I could carry another step. And the constant war that Satan and his minions are waging really took a toll on my spirit from time to time, so much so that it was hard to spiritually prepare myself for the work the Lord has for me. It is this way for most of us.
I don't feel that way anymore.
I don't feel that way because I finally learned that I MUST - I absolutely MUST - shift the weight of those trials over to the Savior, and when I do, not only does He shoulder them, He fights the battles for me, and the Father leaves the Holy Ghost and His angels as backup.
We can't ask for more protection than that.

Answering the Call

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: ~John 10:27

I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare  a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. ~1 Nephi 3:7

My heart's new motto is, "I will go and do," because I have witnessed God's plans in action. And even though there have been times when I've stepped back and thought, "Lord, what in the world are you doing?" He always makes a way for us to accomplish what He commands, and His plans for me and my house are rolling forth in His way and in His time, not ours. All we have done - and will continue to do - is hold on for the ride and try to prepare ourselves for whatever He has in store.

This new chapter in our lives was most unexpected and bittersweet, but we are ready to move forward into the great unknown, be the Lord's hands, and  do whatever He asks of us. These are trying times, but they are also exciting times, and it is a great time to be alive on this earth! The Lord's love is still here in abundance despite the chaos surrounding us, and it is ours for the taking.
May we all stretch forth our hands and accept His mighty offering!
Happy Sabbath!

Following Christ

It seems like I am constantly re-evaluating my life these days, trying to de-clutter and eliminate
anything that is hindering my walk with the Savior and keeping me from following Him completely, and from staying on His sure path. He is THE way, and I never want to be lost. That already happened once decades ago, and I never want it to happen again.
These days, it is so easy to become lost, but if we accept Christ's invitation to follow Him and never let our focus shift or lose sight of Him, He will never lose sight of us.

Building the Kingdom

For a long, long time now, my all-encompassing personal goal has been to align my will with God's,
to serve Him, and to praise and glorify Him in every aspect of my life. Waking or sleeping, I ache to have my heart centered on Him and my Savior - to serve Him, to zealously spread His word and share His glorious plan of happiness for us. There are so many lost souls out there who are searching, looking and yearning for a peace that only the gospel of Christ can bring. And the Lord has let me know in many ways that I have much to contribute in the work. He knows my insecurities and my feelings of inadequacy at times when it comes to my lack of knowledge in things I still need to learn, but He also lovingly makes it clear to me that I am still of use to Him, and He has plans for me. I am constantly being prepared for His work, and I am so grateful to know that He still has need of me.
He still has need of ALL OF US.
I pray that starting today, each of us will take the time to find out what God's plan is for us, what part He will have us play in future events, and then, through daily trials and experiences, allow ourselves to be purified, sanctified, strengthened, and prepared as we strive to align our will to His, that we may move forward in the plan and help build His kingdom.

Peace in Guidance

I'm finding myself constantly calling on the powers of Heaven to see me through the coming days,
weeks, months, and years.
Each and every one of us will need the divine guidance of the spirit of God to navigate the path placed before us, and courage to be obedient to His will. Each and every one of us matters more than we know, and so do our choices and intents.
My prayer for all of us is that the heavenly discussions going on about us are good ones, and the angelic soldiers and guardians assigned to us are always standing near, ready to do battle in our behalf, that we may accomplish whatever the Lord asks of us.

I love this quote because it explains exactly, why I never wish trials away. Not only do we learn from
adversity, it produces a thicker skin and a stronger will to endure. But just enduring is not enough - it is enduring in the Lord that makes all the difference.
Happy Sabbath!

Happy Mother's Day!

As wives, mothers, and women in general, we put so much pressure on ourselves to be everything to

everyone, and in the process, we burn ourselves out. Our Father in Heaven never asked us to do that - He simply asked us to be obedient to Him. If we are obedient to Him and put the Savior first in our life, we can accomplish any and all things that are required of us as daughters of God.
So instead of bowing and catering to the world's idea of what a "Supermom" or "Superwoman" should be, let us bow and and vow to be righteous and holy "Daughters of God" and "Women of Holiness" by being faithful, steadfast and true to our Heavenly King from Whom all our blessings flow.
May you all have an amazing Mother's Day! May it be full of love and all things good!

A Note to My Younger Self

Like many people, there were times in the past when I thought, "If I could write a short letter to my younger self, it would go something like this:

Dear Jewel,
I'm so sorry for the situation you were born into. No child should have to deal with what you are dealing with, but I'm going to tell you how to fix it and make your life perfect!
First, even though you have been threatened and told not to speak, tell all your teachers and everyone who will listen what you have been going through at home. When you do, the authorities will remove you from your home, place you and your brothers with people who really care, put your stepfather in jail, and get your mother the help she needs. Then you will have better opportunities in life. You will be raised in a nice neighborhood instead of the dangerous housing projects you grew up in, and you will actually have the chance to GROW UP LIKE A NORMAL GIRL instead of being looked upon as a woman-child by grown men (pedophiles.) You will get a great education, marry and have children, and you will be an awesome mother. You won't make the terrible mistakes of your youth; you'll be so much better than that.
You will this . . . you will that . . .

Many years later, I came to understand some things, and I would have promptly crumpled that letter up, thrown it away, and started over. Now my letter would most likely say something like this:

Dear Jewel
I know life hurts, and it will for a long time yet. But don't think that you are facing these dark times

alone, because each time you are hurt and threatened to say nothing, the Lord is there, He is aware and taking note of everything. Your life is yours alone and it was given to you for a reason, though you won't discover that purpose until much later.
You are going to continue to make mistakes, and even after God provides you with a glimpse of who you are, you will have to hit the bottom of the mountain before you begin your climb up.
Above all, I want you to know that you are a daughter of God, the daughter of a King, and nothing in this life is as it seems; you can't see the big picture yet.
You are not what happens to you, and with the Lord, you can overcome any and everything! If you cling to this knowledge, you will be blessed with a better life than you could have ever dreamed. No, your life will not be free of trials. On the contrary, the trials will be many, some of them brutal. But each one that you overcome will lead to greater blessings.
This is what I want you to know. Just don't ever give up - not even for a moment.

So, if you could write a message to your younger self, what would it be?
Happy Sabbath!

A Most-Blessed Easter

"The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain,

the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I in a moment of weakness may cry out, 'No one understands. No one knows.' No human being, perhaps, knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor—literally run to us—and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do through relying upon only our own power." ~David A. Bednar

I love bearing my testimony of the Savior, but there are times when my words just won't do, and His other anointed servants - His Prophets and Apostles - say it far better than I ever could.

The Unchanging Word of the Lord

When Christ came into the world to save His people from sorrow, sin and oppression, many were disappointed because due to the traditions of their fathers, they had expected and eagerly awaited a conquering king from the royal house of David - a  man who would overthrow Roman rule and lead

the people in battle. What they got was oh, so much more! Yet they did not - COULD NOT - see it. And because of their blindness, or rather, the blindness of their Jewish leaders, they missed out on learning at the feet of the greatest teacher who ever walked the face of the earth.

However, even among those who were Christ's followers, many found some of his teachings hard to take and there was a great division among the people. And just as it was then, so it is today. To live the gospel is not a matter of picking and choosing what commandments to obey. The Lord said if we are not FOR Him, we are AGAINST Him, which means we had better decide WHOSE side we are on.
I love and cherish every single word of the gospel of Christ, and lowly sinner that I am, I will continue to do my best and pray that my humble offering will be accepted, and that the Savior's atoning sacrifice will make up the difference. Which means, I am on His side no matter what!

"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He ~Matthew 10: 34-38

that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

 

Looking Forward to That Day

With each day that passes, I find myself reflecting more and more on the Savior's gifts to me - His teachings and His many sacrifices, the biggest of which is the Atonement. I'm more prone to tears these days and my emotions run high when I think about the many ways the Lord's life has blessed my own. Flawed creature that I am, I have received much comfort, and answers to prayers that have strengthened and increased my faith and testimony of the Father and the Son's love for me, and for all of us.

Oh, how I look forward to the Savior's return! How I look forward to kneeling before Him, for the opportunity to bathe His feet with my tears, to feel the nail wounds there, and in His hands. And how I pray that when that day does come, I will be worthy of the blessing. Until then, I will do my best to live my best and be my best.
I pray for this for all of us.

Forgive Yourself

No many how many times  I write, post, and pray to help others understand about forgiving, allowing

ourselves to be forgiven and moving on, there are still so many precious souls who can't seem to let go of past mistakes- not the mistakes of others, but their own. They can't seem to allow themselves to be forgiven, to let Christ's atonement work in their life. They can't seem to tear down that invisible screen Satan places between them and the Lord, blocking their view of the loving arms that are wide open, just waiting to receive them, to take the burden from them and free them of the heavy load they have tried to shoulder alone for so long.
How I wish that we could understand that each time we do this, we are basically saying to the Lord, "I don't believe You." We are not saying, "I don't believe IN You," but "I don't believe YOU." There is a difference.
I meet so many people who just can't seem to get past the past, which is a very, very, very important part of repentance and forgiveness. Believe me, I know! Like Linus with his comfort blanket, they drag it with them wherever they go- they can't seem to help it. But we need to remember that when we are dragging that blanket, there is an evil, unwanted rider onboard, and he is smiling and holding on, attempting to re-soil a blanket that had been laundered. Think about that.
I pray that we can all stay focused on the Savior and His promises, that our past may never dictate our present, or our future.

Destined for Greater Things

I wish wish all my heart that each and every one of us could understand how much we are loved by

the Father and the Son, how much we mean to Them, and how important our individual part is in the eternal plan. Every single person is of value and has a purpose, but it's up to us to use our gift of agency in a way that will help us discover what that purpose is. We truly are destined for greater things, but we cannot receive those greater things unless we let our will be swallowed up in the will of the Father, focusing solely on the things of Christ.
Man is that he might have joy, but to truly experience that joy, it can't be about us.
It is about Him.
It always has been.

He Has Already Lost

We know that Satan is an enemy to God, and so are the evil ones who follow and work with him to destroy the souls of men - a third part of the hosts of heaven, to be exact. He is known as the fallen

one, having fallen from heaven ( or more correctly stated, cast out.) And since Satan is God's enemy, as children of God and followers of Christ, he is OUR enemy as well. Each and every battle we fight against the powers of darkness on a daily basis is a fight against a fallen enemy.

Do you understand how vital that knowledge is!

Remember what I said before about Satan having no power over us except what we choose to give him by our disobedience to the Lord? Well, when we are doing our best to live by the spirit, heeding the promptings of the Holy Ghost, putting the Father and the Son first in every area of our life, the adversary has no power over us. NONE! Yes, we all stumble and fall from time to time, but the minute we get back up, brush ourselves off and begin again, the scrapes and bumps begin to heal and the battle armor is still in good repair, able to offer vital protection against a foe who, though he may continue to wage a war that began before we even came to the earth, will not accept his losses, because due to agency, he can still cause so much damage.

But no matter how many souls he corrupts, no matter how many hearts he turns away from the Savior, Satan will never win. He can't.
May we all live each day armed with faith in the Lord, completely devoted to Him, and sure in the knowledge that as long as we look to him in all our times of trial, no matter what our struggles are, He will help shield against the piercing arrows that the adversary is sure to unleash during the

moments of weakness that come while we patiently wait upon the Lord.

Why it Matters

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." ~Ephesians 6:11-13

Every single day, we witness things going on in the world that make this admonition from the Lord

more vital than we can even begin to fathom or understand. The meme below is one of my absolute favorites, however, I decided, just for fun, to search for some other memes online because I love this scripture so much; there are many - countless ones, but sadly on most of them, there is a major difference in word choice due to the different Bible versions. And that one change in word, to me, completely changes the admonition.

The difference? While the translation (in the widely-used King James version, and the 1599 Geneva version) is "the whole armour of God," in some other versions of the Holy Bible, "whole" is changed to "full," which weakens the admonition and takes away some of the urgency, and we CANNOT afford to do that. EVER.
Now, the difference between whole and full is that whole is something complete and entire, nothing missing, while full is utmost measure or extent, the highest state or degree. That is why words are so important. Many people may say, "Oh, it just semantics," but it isn't.

In any case, may we all put on the whole armour of God that we may be entirely and completely protected from the ever-growing evils of this world.

"There You Are, Lord."

Do you ever have moments when you feel so steeped in your own pain and sorrows that you feel completely isolated - even in a room full of loving Relief Society sisters?

So, you've been working your way through the Sabbath morning, enjoying the time with your husband, as well as the added bonus of having a couple of your grand-daughters attending church with you after their fun sleepover with "Mamaw and Boppa."
When you finally get to your meeting, you sit down and suck it up, thinking, "I've got this." Because you know that as long as the Lord is with you, everything is fine.

But this time, you aren't really fine.

Still, the lesson is great, and one that you need at exact moment. Because as you continue to listen,
your eyes begin to wander around the room to various women dealing with trials and griefs of their own, and then your heart follows your eyes, stopping on every person. The love in your heart for these amazing ladies quickly fills you up, warming you from the inside out.

Then you smile and think, "There you are, Lord. Of course, I knew you were here all along. Thank you."

Our Calling

"Today, move away from anything ungodly that is hindering your calling." ~Jonathan Cahn

As children of God, we are taught that we are partakers of a heavenly calling, but many times we forget that there are two parts to a calling - and in order to get to our calling, we must move away from something else. Even though we can't see the full picture or where we will end up in the Lord's calling for us, we CAN see what we need to move away from to get to where the Lord wants us. He

shows us those things for a reason. He does not want anything hindering us from His plans for us, and many times that means moving away from something good or better and on to the best things.

Many fans of my stories have asked when I will be writing more books and my answer is always the same: After years of writing inspirational romance, the Lord shifted my focus and called me another way, and though I shared messages of God's love through those stories, the time came when He wanted my mind and heart completely focused on Him, thereby taking me away from good and better things and shifting my focus onto the best. But this is just me; there is absolutely nothing wrong with good things or better things that put us on the path to God. It is about where the Lord wants us and where He leads us in His time, and it is about our hearts being open and in tune enough to be lead by Him. I still write a story here and there when prompted, but only when prompted.

As I have said many times before, I pray daily for the Lord to help me become the righteous, virtuous, holy woman He would have me be - to remember and become the woman I was before I came to this earth. I know that in order to be righteous, I must avoid unrighteous things. To be holy, I must avoid unholy things. To be virtuous, I must stay away from things that are without virtue. I must strive to be as the Savior is.

Jonathan Cahn said, "You are called to glory - that's the "to" of your call. The glory doesn't start when you get "to" where you're going, but when you come away "from" the old life. So start with the "from" and God will take care of the "to."
I'm still on my way "To" but the Lord is still walking that path with me, and He never lets go of my hand.

My Source of Reliance

I'm so sorry for my lack of posts these past few weeks. My brain hasn't been functioning at full capacity lately and getting anything done has been a struggle emotionally, but I have been blessed with an amazing husband who is always there when I need him. The Lord works through him constantly to help care for me.

Truly, I have so much to be grateful for, and this C.S. Lewis quote fits my life at the present perfectly.
Oh, how I rely on my Father and my Savior! From the moment I wake until I close my eyes at night to sleep, I lean on my Savior for His love, comfort, care, and His promise to always be there for me and help me through whatever trials I am called upon to face - I don't mean He takes the trials away, but He help me through them. And He is so very good to me. I have made sacred covenants with Him that I do my best to keep, and I know that as long as I never turn away from Him, He will never turn away from me.
As long as I remember this - as long as we all remember this,  we will be okay.