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.