Letting Christ Reign

 Even though Satan is currently allowed to reign on the earth and is indeed the god of this world, his reign
is only temporary. However, when we allow the Savior to reign in our hearts and homes, it takes away any power the adversary has over us.

I pray that we will all fix our focus on Christ and never waver in our devotion to Him And may we all continuously express our gratitude to the Father for the precious and priceless gift of His Son.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

What a Privileged Life Really Is

 I had no idea what I was going to share this morning. I actually hadn't planned on sharing anything, but apparently that wasn't the Lord's plan for me today, and the prompting was too strong to deny.

When reading this, just remember, I am only the messenger.

People are constantly speaking of others growing up in a privileged life - specifically "white privilege." Well, for those who feel that way, I'm sorry and my heart aches for you, because either you have no idea what living a privileged life really means, or you have lost sight of it. And forgive me, but what the world now touts as being privileged is without a doubt one of the most asinine things I have ever heard.

We all know that I was raised in poverty and physical and sexual child abuse. We know I lived in inner-city housing projects and made some poor choices in life that temporarily put me on a path to destruction - the keyword being "temporarily."

So, having this disparaging beginning, what kind of child of God would I be if I looked at people living comfortable or prominent lifestyles - back then and now - regardless of race, as being more privileged than me? Why is this their fault? Why are trials that I have faced as a black woman the fault of those of the white race? God gives each of us agency, and yes, many times in life, others infringe upon our agency, but even then, we still choose how we will let life affect us. We still choose how we will allow the world to deem our worth.

There are so many definitions of the word privileged: Restricted to a select group or individual. A special right granted to certain people.

Do you realize who that describes???

ALL OF US!

We are privileged to be children of THE MOST-HIGH! We are privileged to call Him Heavenly Father, and to be placed on this earth to learn and grow in the ways that are most important. We are privileged to have Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, and to have access to His atoning sacrifice, and to recognize what a priceless blessing that is. We are privileged to call on and pray to God in every situation. We are privileged to strengthen and increase our faith in the Father and the Son by following the Lord, obeying the commandments, and believing He can do for us exactly what He says.

And finally, we are privileged to be recipients of the Lord's grace and mercy. And we can look forward
to sharing in His glory, and receiving the promised heavenly mansions prepared for us should we endure to the end in righteousness - meaning, enduring the tests placed before us in this life well.

To this end, I feel like the most privileged person in the world!

And so should we all.

Happy Sabbath!

Upcoming Short Story Release

 Coming March 2021

Mary Magdalene

Beloved of the Bridegroom

About the Book

My Thanksgiving Wish

 I've been pondering my mortality a lot over the past while, as well as how I want to spend the rest of
my mortality into eternity. I've thought about the time the Lord has given us to prepare for His coming - the time we have left to get our houses in order.

This question has been posed many times: "If you knew your time left in this life was almost over, what would you wish to tell the people you cared about? Or, "If you knew this was your last day in this life, what would you do or say?"

For me, if I knew my life was coming to an end, I would say the things that have been in my heart for a very, very long time. I would tell you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. I would urge you to look to Him first in all things, to dedicate your life to Him and none else. He is not only the way, HE IS THE ONLY WAY any of us can make it back to the Father.

The Savior is life to me, He is the very air I breathe and I need Him like a thirsty man needs water. His is the face I see when I awaken in the morning and the One I see as I close my eyes at night to sleep. His is the voice I long with all my being every single day to hear, and His is the embrace I ache to feel. His are the words I want embedded in my heart, and His gospel is the gift that is priceless to me. It is beyond value to me, just as are the blessings that have come from Him in the form of my husband, children, and grandchildren. I am nothing without them, and I am absolutely nothing without Him.

None of us are.

I'm so grateful for my life, for the trials, triumphs, and lessons learned. I tearfully plead every day for the strength to live the gospel fully and do what is right no matter what. Because only through living the gospel as best I can and giving my heart to Him fully can I know what is real and what isn't, what is true and what isn't. Only in the Lord can I discern who are His servants and who are servants of the adversary. Only He knows my heart fully and the righteous desires I carry inside. He knows my strengths, and my many weaknesses. I'm so grateful to Him for His grace and mercy that at times, I can hardly find the words. Sometimes, I have no words, but I always rest in the assurance that He knows my heart, and I pray that when my time is done on this earth, He will never say, "I never knew you." I only long to hear the words, "Well done."

I am grateful to be able to testify of Heavenly Father and His Son, my Savior and Lord.

My Thanksgiving wish is that, during this time of darkening days, the Light of Christ will shine in our hearts and lift us, placing our feet permanently in the path to Him. I pray that we will all be blessed with eyes to see and ears to hear what is truth, and recognize what is real. 

The truth always testifies of Christ, and His love is the most real thing we will ever know.

Happy Thanksgiving!

When Will We Learn?

Revelation 2:5

“Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen,
and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” 

When will we finally begin to understand that man is nothing, that no mortal man can save us or this country? When will we let it sink into our minds and hearts that only the Lord can save us? When will we stop depending on flawed human beings in power to be our advocates - men who, because of power and position, are where they are?

Here is a painful truth: Embracing sin and leaning on the arm of flesh by placing other "gods" before THE GOD has caused Him to remove the candlestick from its place, leaving us in darkness to the point that most cannot see Him. For many, the light of charismatic Babylon shines far brighter at the moment. 

OUR ONLY HOP HOPE IS IN CHRIST. PERIOD.

Just a Repeat

 

Fear Not!

 Like everyone, I have known fear in my life, and for the first twenty-five years of my life, I allowed

fear to completely rule me. Fear was a constant companion of mine in childhood (which could not be helped), in my teenage years, and in my young adult years. It even followed me into adulthood for a short while. I can't say that I have overcome fear completely, but I no longer allow it to rule me. The biggest reason is because my focus has shifted, and that focus grows more acute with each day that passes. However, the most important reason for this is because of my heart's recognition of the root of fear. Yes, fear is the absence of faith, but it goes so much deeper than that - far deeper than most of us know or understand.

These are crazy times in which we live. They are also prophesied times. Satan and his minions are raging in the hearts, minds, and souls of many. He is always looking for an entry point, always looking for a weakness in us. Fear and corruption are his business, and we flawed human beings are regular cash-paying customers. We give him plenty of business and his demonic helpers are never idle on the job. So many of us think we can handle the adversity Satan dishes out on our own and we forget to call upon God for heavenly assistance. Or when we do pray, at times, it may not be with our whole heart because of fearing that our prayers won't be answered. For me personally, whenever fear was present in my heart while praying, it was defeating to my spirit, and the phrase "Thy will be done" became void. It wasn't until I learned to pray without fear of not having my prayers granted that "Thy will be done" really began to settle into my heart.

Just as Satan has completely been unleashed to rampantly spread evil in the world, so, too, has fear spread like a plague - and indeed, it IS a plague, one that is a constant struggle to fight, and sadly, it is taking over and darkening the world at an increasing pace. The adversary thrives on fear. It gives him power, and he in turn bestows that power on those he corrupts, thereby strengthening the enmity of the willing wicked against those who are striving to be righteous. He is his own government and has been enslaving minds and hearts for eons.

God is the author of faith, Satan, the author of fear. And since faith is far more powerful than fear, it stands to reason that no matter how strong the storms may rage or how many darts the adversary fires at us, if we stand with the Lord in faith, allowing Him and the hosts of heaven to do battle for us, Satan and the powers of darkness will have no place in us. AND HE WILL LOSE!

Now, some may not like what I am about to say, but I'm only writing what the Lord has impressed upon my heart for a very, very long time now, and I cannot fear what others think, so please, don't throw darts at the messenger. It's not about me. It's never been about me. It's about the Lord and His work. It's about stepping up and speaking out. It is about letting our light shine and glorifying the Lord in word, deed, and every aspect of our lives. Again, I am not judging. I judge no man, not even myself. So . . . what I need to say is simply this:

The time of separating our personal life from our professional life is over, as are the days of Sunday-only Christianity. If we are true followers of Christ in our personal life, those beliefs should merge with our professional life. So many speak of Christ at home, but are terrified to share anything about Him or even speak His name to anyone in the workplace. And I'm not talking about jumping up on an office desk, donning a robe and staff and preaching hellfire and damnation. (I love the prophets of old, but I don't think I could pull off that look, not to mention the hair! :-)) I'm talking about little opportunities that God presents us with here and there to be an example, to allow the Lord's countenance to shine though our own, to be true Christians to the best of our ability. To strive to follow in His ways in the workplace or business setting.

AND TO DO IT WITHOUT FEAR!

We are about to be tested in ways that are unimaginable. Some of us already are. And if we don't have the courage to stand as witnesses of God in whatever circumstance we may be in now, how will the Lord be able to use us to help others through the metaphorical flood? How will we have ears to hear the spiritual cries of help of others or eyes to see suffering beyond our own? How will we even hear His voice amidst the chaos?

The Lord loves us with a love beyond our understanding. I feel His love for me every day, but even I cannot grasp the magnitude of it. I pray for the day when I will, but until then, all I can do is be watchful and prayerful and try to use what gifts He has given me to glorify Him. Because as I said, it's not about me. It's about Him and His work.

May we all go forward with faith, giving no place to fear except the fear of God, and let that fear in the Lord increase and strengthen our faith.

Faith in Him is where true power lies.

Happy Sabbath!

Letting the Lord Lead

How grateful I feel to be where I am in this life - to be on the earth at this great and terrible time! This is

an amazing time to be alive! It is a time of learning, growing, strengthening, purification, and sanctification. And none of these things would be possible without the Lord's atoning sacrifice, and without His love and tender mercies. In good times and bad, I can feel His presence in my life continually. The Lord knows I would be lost without Him, and when I submit to Him fully, He always meets me where I am and places me exactly where I need to be, to enable me to grow in areas that I need growth. I know my progression is never ending and I never want to fight His will for me. I've fought that fight too many times in the past, attempting to lead Him instead of allowing Him to lead me. During those battles, the lessons were sometimes brutal, but I learned, and I will continue to do so.

I never want to run ahead of the Lord, so now, I do my best to let Him lead. His intended destination for me is far greater and far more grand than my own, and I will follow Him, no matter what valleys His path leads me through, because I know I will never have to make the journey alone.

None of us will.

Happy Sabbath!

A Sunday God

 Something I have worked on for a very long time - years actually - is living my beliefs every day,

which means worshipping God all day every day, and not relegating deep worship to Sundays only. It also means taking every opportunity placed before me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Living the gospel is not a part-time responsibility, and we shouldn't be picking and choosing a lower level of obedience during the week and a higher level on the Sabbath. God is NOT a Sunday God. Yet how many of us treat Him as such?

The Lord, Jesus Christ doesn't just want our deep praise on Sunday only, He wants it 24/7, and with all He and the Father have done for us, that's not asking too much. It's nowhere near enough! They watch over us, care for us, and comfort us according to our needs - and righteous desires - every day of the week. God is our 24/7 God, and the Lord is our 24/7 Savior. They don't take a break in Their care for us, so why should we think we are entitled to a break from worshipping and giving praise to Them? We must draw closer to the Father and the Son all day every day. They are our Guides and the roadmap to eternal salvation. The Lord is the way through the mounting tribulations, and walking in His path will lead us back to the Father.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation." ~Isaiah 12:2

This scripture describes exactly, the feelings I strive to keep in my heart at all times and in all things and in all places. And though I am a flawed human being and fail constantly, exaltation and a permanent place with my Savior is my goal and I can settle for no less. Even the thought of not obtaining that indescribable freedom pains me greatly. So I choose to stay focused.

I pray that we will also stay focused and make every day a day of worship, and always put the Lord first.

Happy Sabbath! :-)

Glory in Persecution

 We have been taught that the days would come when Christians will be persecuted for their

beliefs, no matter their Christian religion, and they have. Christians have been persecuted in some countries for decades, and even longer, but in far worse ways than we can imagine. In the U.S., my own religion has seen much persecution in the past, and though it slackened through the years, it never truly stopped. But neither has the Lord's work.

However, there is a persecution problem going on now that should never be.

Sadly, that problem is Christians persecuting other Christians.

To call ourselves true Christians means we are followers of Jesus Christ. It means we believe in Christ, we worship Him, and we look on Him as our Savior and Redeemer. It means that, though we aren't perfect, we are devoted to walking in His ways and obeying His commandments.

I can't help wondering what Christ thinks when He witnesses religions that are supposedly Christian bashing each other because of differences in our beliefs. This is the time when Christians - no matter our beliefs - need to be drawing closer and supporting one another, not in judgement or persecution, but in love. We should be united in our mutual love for the Savior, and that love should carry over to each other. When we persecute one another, we are allowing Satan to use us in his attempt to thwart the work of the Lord, thereby casting aside the influence of the Lord's spirit in our lives.

The day is fast approaching when EVERY knew will bow and EVERY tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ. I pray that it will not be a day of grudging, but one of pure realization that we are all Children of God, and we are all loved beyond measure.

The Lord is in charge and He will judge accordingly. How grateful I am for that!

To Be His Bride

 Over the past while, I have learned so much about what it truly means to be the "Bride of Christ" and

what it means to fall completely and irrevocably in Love with the Lord - to fall so in love with Him that He and the Father have become the center of everything in my life. I tell the Lord frequently, "I love You so much, and I want to be completely lost in You. I want my whole heart to belong to You. Please hold me close and don't ever let me go."

That is how I feel every minute of the day!

In Hebrew marriages, when the groom's offer is accepted by the woman, she then becomes his bride. Once that happens, she is no longer of her old house. She prepares herself, says goodbye to her old life, and gets ready to move on to a better home.

She is called the Shalom Bride. She has been brought up to one day leave the house she was raised in for a new permanent home, forever attaching herself to the groom.

When we say goodbye to Babylon and the things of the world, we are accepting the bride price the Lord has offered - and paid - and we are preparing ourselves for the coming of the Bridegroom. We are preparing ourselves for our marriage to Him, and the world is no longer our home. When He finally arrives, the marriage will take place and we will be taken to a far better home, one that is more glorious than we can imagine.

But are we truly ready to say goodbye to the things of this world?

Are we willing to say goodbye to our worldly aspirations, our old self, our egos? Are we willing to let go of pride, vain and foolish traditions, worldly possessions, and desires of the flesh? Can we leave worldly burdens behind and let go of our past life. We MUST let go of all of these things in order to fully accept the price that the Savior has paid for us.

To fully accept Him, we must turn away from everything that is not of Him. We must turn away and never look back. We must long for the Lord more than we've longed for anything. Only the things of Him should be precious to us. Only the things that lead us to Him should we treasure.

In Hebrew, not only does shalom mean goodbye, it means hello, too! And every time we say goodbye to things of this world, we are saying hello to the things of heaven. Each and every worldly thing we let go makes room for bridal gifts that the Lord is just waiting to give us when He comes for US, His bride.

And oh, how I long for, and look forward to, my wedding day!

Happy Sabbath!

The Price of Cruel Judgments

During this time of trial (which is only the beginning) I have learned something very

important. It is that everyone has a strong opinion about things that we know far less about than we think. Also, it seems that every one of us thinks that his or her opinion is of utmost important, and only our opinion is right while others are wrong, unless . . . they agree or coincide with our own somewhat.

Because of this, judgments abound, and in the process of delegating truths and errors when it comes to the narrative that is being spoon-fed to the masses, we are placing ourselves in the seat of judgment and relegating the TRUE JUDGE to the back of the FRUITFUL TREE in the pasture while we take our place in the great and spacious building, pointing our finger and laughing at those seeking shelter beneath that TREE.

Why are we doing this to each other? Why are we allowing this separation to occur among us? We are children of a King, royal sons and daughters of God, yet our actions are anything but.

Over the last few weeks, I have seen and heard things and witnessed actions among God’s people that have literally broken my heart. How far we have fallen in six months’ time! How wide the division has grown, and how deeply planted the seeds of contention have been sown! The roots as so embedded that only the Master of the Vineyard will be able to dig them up.

Oh, how I pray to never be a part of the resulting crop of tares that is plucked up and cast

out to be destroyed! And how I long to be bundled in with the precious wheat, to be safely stored up for the Master’s use. This is an endless prayer I carry inside for myself, my family, and all my brothers and sisters of every religion.

I wish with all my heart and every fiber of my being that we could all glimpse the big picture, that we could all catch the vision of the beautiful masterpiece we are a part of.

As I mentioned in my previous posts, God is not the author of contention, and as soon as we allow contention to enter our daily dealings, the Spirit leaves. Once we allow that to happen on our end, we truly don’t have anything solid to stand on to justify our reasons for giving it entrance, nor any power from the Lord when pleading our case. Whenever contention seeps into our hearts, it manifests itself in our thoughts, words, and deeds. So, in essence, the BEST thing we can do is to pluck the seeds of contention before they take root.

I have spent many a night lately crying myself to sleep and praying–crying and praying for my family, for friends, and for my fellow church members, as well as all my brothers and sisters in Christ. The time of preparation is shortening by the day, and instead of using this time to point fingers and betray our neighbors in hasty judgments and criticism, we should be anxiously engaged in spiritual preparation and doing all we can to get our ducks in a row and get right with God.

Because in the end, the opinions and judgments of man won’t matter; they never should have mattered in the first place.

If we have a heart for the Lord, it is Him and only Him, that we will look on as our judge, for He will indeed be our judge, jury, and executioner.

And I pray that the last role will not be needed in my life, or yours.

Much love to you all 

The Wolf We Feed

Yesterday was one of those day when my feelings just ran the gamut, and so many questions about the state of the world and my place in it continually fired through my mind. Then last night, after spending some time opening my heart to Heavenly Father, I was blessed with the peaceful assurance that God is aware of EVERYTHING. Nothing done in secret is ever truly secret, and things done in the dark to divert, deceive and destroy will one day be brought to light.

For some of us, these latter days are - and will continue to be - days of pain, sorrow, fear, and despair. However, for those who are prepared (meaning striving to live the gospel and preparing for every needful thing, both spiritually and temporally) these are -and will- be days of refinement, wonder, joy, faith, and hope. Part of that preparation is remembering that we are not fighting against men, but against the powers of darkness, and a major way that dark power is spreading is by breeding perpetual opposition in the world and in our homes. The great division isn't just about the separation of the wheat and the tares.
In Luke 12: 52-53, we read that in the last days:
"there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law."

When it comes to decisions in life, we humans usually act according to our conscience and each person's conscience is different. Something I have learned over the years is when my heart is fixed and focused on my Savior and the things of God, it is God who rules my conscience. There have been times when I've done and said things that have seared my conscience, as have we all, but as I have said many times, constant repentance is key in overcoming my weaknesses and mastering my mind and heart. It is a sometimes brutal and painful process, and it really can be exhausting, but it is oh, so worth it! The more I stay focused and the more I repent, the more I feel my Savior near and the more I can feel His influence in my life. Nothing is more important than that.

Every day at any given time, we have good and evil spirits surrounding us and accompanying us wherever we go, which is why standing in holy places at all times is so important. Right now, my most holy place is my home, because here, I am surrounded by the things of God, and I try to take those feelings with me everywhere I go. But I remind myself constantly that Satan and his minions are always ready and waiting to pierce my peaceful sanctuary, and fear, despair, and harsh feelings of any kind provide the opening that the evil one needs to enter, thereby placing the righteous ones outfield and weakening that protection.

Heavenly Father wants to bless each of His children with a wise heart and I pray for that constantly, to possess the wisdom I will need in forging ahead. But knowledge comes first, and heavenly training in how to use that knowledge (the ability to discern truth from lies) is a must. Then, depending on how we exercise our agency, wisdom is sure to follow.

With all the evil that has been - and is presently being perpetrated on human beings, I have witnessed Ephesians 6: 12 in action:

"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."

We have all witnessed it in one form or another. But I have learned that witnessing it is not as important as how we choose to let it affect us, and being ambivalent and dismissive is definitely not the smart way to handle it. On the contrary, adopting those attributes when it comes to evil is detrimental to our eternal salvation. Which is why it is so important to remain prayerful, especially now, because I don't know about you, but I need the Lord's influence in my life every second of the day. I will forever.

My greatest prayer for each and every one of us on this beautiful sabbath day is that we focus on faith instead of fear, hope instead of despair, and joy instead of sorrow. Yes, we need to recognize the tools of the adversary and the negativity they produce, but we shouldn't feed that spirit.

And may we not allow ourselves to be driven and tossed to and fro by the events and happenings of this world, but seek righteous and truth, and then stand firm in it, steadfast and immovable in the Lord.

Spiritual Blindness and Other Truths

I've spent a great deal of time this morning praying and asking the Lord what He would have me
write, begging Him to lay on my heart something I could say that would uplift and edify. Then my thoughts drifted back to last night and what was supposed to be an evening of celebration of our country's "independence." I sat out on our condo's small patio, praying and thinking as the popping of fireworks sounded near and far around me.

After heeding a prompting from the Lord to sell our house last summer, then renting a basement apartment for six months and waiting for Him to direct us where He needed us next, we were led here to our new little home. However, due to circumstances beyond our control (virus, social distancing, etc.) my husband and I haven't been able to get to know fellow church members and neighbors as much as we would like, and for a short time, we felt a little lost. We didn't know what our purpose was for being here.

We finally came to the realization that for us, this is a place of spiritual preparation. Oh, we have met a neighbor here and there and I still drop off a treat every now and then. We also minister where we can and spend time with our children and their families, but spiritual preparation has taken precedence in our life.

Everything in our world has completely changed, and contrary to popular belief, nothing will ever return to what we've known as "normal" again. It CANNOT. Yet that truth is not what the majority want to hear, and it makes me sad.
Many don't want to hear anything that does not fit in with the current narrative. Some don't want to hear about the secret combinations that are controlling the nations. No one wants to hear that we as a people have been deceived for so long, it has become a dangerous programming - a mindset that we can't seem to break out of. The majority does not want to hear that LIVES MATTER. We can't seem to grasp that God is not the author of confusion and contention, and any time contention enters a conversation, we boot God right out of it. (Think about various Facebook posts). Many don't want to be counseled to trust in God and not in the arm of flesh, because they seem to believe that a college degree, doctorate, money, power, position, or notoriety puts that man's opinion above God's. In fact, that type of faithful adulation turns these very individuals into the gods of this world. And that is on us.

But these are the things I cannot talk about, because mine is not the popular opinion, nor is anyone else's who may share it. There are far more opposing voices that scream a lot louder.

Last night as I pondered all these things, I felt so alone, but I knew that I wasn't. I kept asking, "Father, are you here? Lord, are you here?" And then I sat quietly and allowed myself to imagine Them both saying, "Yes, We are here." I felt comforted. And it is because of that comfort that I am able to share what is in my heart.

"Their eyes are glazed so they cannot see, their minds are incapable of discernment." ~Isaiah 44:18

"Spiritual blindness is just that - an unawareness of lacking discernment in things divine. Spiritually blind people don't perceive the signs of the times or what God would have them do to save their souls." ~ Avraham Gileadi

We have been told over and over to spiritually prepare ourselves and work on truly coming to know the Savior, and in no way is this a post of me calling anyone to repentance. I have enough repenting of my own to do. I just hope and pray that hearts will be softened, and that eyes and hearts will be opened, that we may all come to understand that nothing is as it seems. As I've said before, God knows all. He knows the beginning to the end, and He sees all the lies, deceptions and injustices that we do not, and He will judge accordingly. He loves us more than we know and wants to show us so many truths.
And though He allows evil to reign for this season (in as much as we allow it to), He is always one step ahead and in control. My most heartfelt desire is to be found on His side, at all times walking in His path.
I pray that I will be found worthy.
This is my prayer for all of us.

It is Time!

Contrary to popular belief, we cannot claim to be a true follower of Christ and embrace the things of
Satan. We cannot be good while accepting evil. We cannot attain righteousness and holiness while giving an affirmative nod to Babylon. We cannot profess to love Heavenly Father and His Son while our hearts are welcoming in the evil, treachery, falsehoods, and actions of Satan and his demonic minions. We will never reach heaven while living far below it, fixed and focused on the things of the world.
Those two worlds will never, ever blend, no matter how much we try to make it so in our deceived minds. And ignorance in this matter will never fly with the Lord. We know what He expects of us, and the road to victory in Christ is never smooth. And even with a celestial roadmap, the bumps and bruises are part of the journey.

Still, He guides, and still He continues to give us His words and teachings, and His example to follow. All of these gifts are available to any and everyone who truly seeks them, and who is willing to open their heart to receive them.
It is time to choose a side, because we are RUNNING OUT OF TIME!

From Meridian Magazine

How Much Will You Give Away to Gain Your Righteous Desires?

This is a post by Taylor Halverson that was featured in Meridian Magazine this week. It was on Alma
the Younger, and I loved it so much (because I love Alma more than I can say and he is such a heroic example to me) I just had to share it! He truly was a type of Christ.

What are your righteous desires?

How hard are you willing to work for the realization of those righteous desires?

How much suffering are you willing to endure to see your righteous desires come to fruition and fulfillment?

Alma Gave Away Everything to Bring People to Jesus

Oh how I love Alma! He gave away everything to bring people to Jesus. Alma had achieved all worldly success.

He had become the leader of the Church. He had become the chief judge among the Nephites, the highest political office in the land. He had marched at the head of the victorious army in the Nephite civil war with the Amlicites. And in a face-to-face confrontation in the heat of battle, he had personally fought with and slain the rebellious leader of the Amlicites.

What would we call such a person today?

A hero.
A guru.
Maybe even a god.

And what would such a person receive today?

Honor.
Glory.
Money.
Power.
Prestige.
Fawning respect.

The world at their feet.

Alma Could Have Been Set for Life

He could have retained all power for himself. He could have acquired more lands, riches, power, wealth, and control for himself. He could have lauded his power over others. He could have taken on new titles and plaudits. He could have gloried in himself and his accomplishments. He could have created a cult of personality. He could have lived a life of having others fawn over him and serve his every need and whim.

He could have lived a king. He could have lived as a god on earth, being worshiped by his grateful followers, giving commands and being obeyed in all things, no matter how crazy or egregious his ideas.

Instead, Alma brought God on earth to the people. That is, Alma gave away everything he had to teach people of the reality and truth of Jesus.

Alma Suffered Instead of Living a Life of Ease

Instead of basking in the glories and comforts of his successes “Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he might baptize them unto repentance.” (Alma 8:10)

Instead of having the people give him shouts of acclaim and honor, he suffered verbal abuse. “Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art high priest over the church which thou hast established in many parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.” (Alma 8:11)

Instead of living a life of physical comfort, he was deprived. He suffered. His body was abused and bruised.

“Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city.” (Alma 8:13)

Later, he had to watch the atrocious destruction of those he loved (Alma 14:8). He even suffered terrible treatment while in prison (Alma 14).

Despite all this, Alma had an eye single for the glory of God and when the call came to return to the source of his troubles, “he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah [to declare the glad tidings of Jesus Christ].” (Alma 8:18, emphasis added)

Alma Was Like Jesus

In all these things, Alma was like Jesus.

Just like Jesus, Alma left his throne to serve others.

Just like Jesus, Alma was verbally abused.

Just like Jesus, Alma was physically abused.

Just like Jesus, Alma spent the best years of his life seeking to bless the lives of others.

Just like Jesus, Alma prayed, and fasted, and spent his spiritually energies in the service of others.

Just like Jesus, Alma was little regarded by others.

Just like Jesus, Alma was willing to give away his life so that others might live.

I Love Alma and His Example

Alma showed us that even mere mortals can accomplish incredible things when we are focused on emulating Jesus. Alma demonstrated that an eye single to a righteous desire returns a harvest a thousand-fold.

So, what righteous desires do you have?

What are you willing to give away to accomplish your righteous desire?

What are you willing to suffer?

What are you willing to endure?

What will you sacrifice?

What will you consecrate on the altar of God to achieve your righteous desire?

Holding to Our Faith

This country has officially passed the point of no return, and it is pretty saddening to witness the
prophecies long foretold slowly being fulfilled. Yet it truly is an exciting time to be alive and not a time to be fearful.
May we all cast off our fears and doubts and go forward with faith, trusting in the One who knows the beginning to the end. He sees all things and will go before His people, so long as His people choose to remain His.
Happy Sabbath!

How He Loves Us!

Becoming a Christian means becoming a follower of Jesus Christ, which means literally, to take upon us His name. This is a promise we make, and one that we renew each time we partake of the sacrament. And since my thoughts are so frequently centered on my Savior, I sometimes take little moments to stop and weigh in on just how well I am representing Him; I wonder if I am truly living as if I have taken His name upon me, and I can tell you without question or hesitation, many times the answer is definitely NO. That truth disappoints me greatly. However, if I never failed in my attempt to be what Christ would have me be, there would have been no need for Him to atone for me, and that is just something I CANNOT imagine!

Of late, my mind has been revisiting the Savior's great intercessory prayer in chapter 17 in the book of John. Each time I read it, I am awed all over again by His love for His disciples, which includes all of us. The prayer is painfully-beautiful and beyond description because of how much love went into it. His pleas in behalf of those who believed in and followed Him must have even brought the Father to tears. The Lord was about to take upon Himself the sins of every soul who ever lived and ever would live, yet here He was, pouring His very heart into pleas for those who love Him. It makes me emotional just imagining it!

9-10 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

Can we say that we are truly His, in mind, heart, body, and spirit?

14-18 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

Can you not feel the power of those words? To be a true Christian is to be a true follower of Christ, which means doing our best to emulate Him in every area of our lives. We should be willing to stand up for Him, to testify of Him by word and example no matter where we are, and in the process, be prepared to be hated, because that kind of sacrifice is always a part of the sanctification process. Many will not want to hear our words, many will shun us and give us their backs. But that is okay. As long as we endure in the Lord, we will rise above it, thereby being in the world but not of it. And truthfully, to be a follower of Christ in these the last days, we absolutely CANNOT be of the world!

Yes, this is all a tall order, I know. But it can be done. Do you know why? Because the Savior said it could. Don't believe me? Read His intercessory prayer for His disciples (all of His true followers) in full. And no, we won't be perfect and get everything right, but then, neither did the disciples of old when He was here with them. 

But the Lord prepared them for hard times just as He is preparing us. And He atoned to cover what we can't. 

There is no greater love than that.

Just a little reminder that staying close to the Lord in every area of our lives will keep evil at bay, help
to keep our eyes open, and help us not be deceived by the wiles of the adversary in all forms, including various illusions of freedom.
In Utah, the governor is talking about reopening restaurants, salons, golf courses, gyms, etc. at the beginning of May.
But wait . . . what about our churches and other places of worship?
The fact these "non-essential" businesses are mentioned and churches are not is very telling, and it is something we should seriously think about.

Happy Sabbath, and may the Lord be with us all.

Days of Preparation

Over the past while, the Lord has been teaching each of us that leaning on our own arm is one of the worst things we could do right now, and it will get us nowhere.
The world has been changed forever, and contrary to popular belief, nothing will ever be as it was before. This is a time of extra spiritual preparation. Our trials are just beginning and we are going to face thing we've never imagined. But . . . we are also going to witness some of the Lord's most glorious miracles in our behalf. It's a time of refinement, purification, and sanctification, and the tests will be great. However, we won't be facing any of it alone. And as long as we forsake the things of the world and keep our focus on the things of eternity, the coming times will be wondrous!

Happy Easter!

With everything that is going on in the world, this is definitely a time of trials, as well as tender
mercies from the Lord. Because of this, I'm sure this year's Easter is one no one will ever forget.
I hope it is an amazing day for us all as we keep our focus on the Savior and His great sacrifice for us.

Purifying Times

I've heard it said before that how we deal with trials shows the Lord what we are made of, but I have
found that that's not really true. The Lord already knows what we are made of because HE KNOWS US. Instead, it is WE who learn what we are made of. And as I've said before, with God, there is nothing we cannot bear, as long as we don't allow adversity to turn us away from Him. For some, that is an easy thing to do, and blaming Him for the sorrow and tragedy that has - and is - happening in the world is almost automatic, while others drift away gradually without even realizing it is happening. And boy, does Satan ever love it when that happens! He delights in every wedge placed between us and the very Beings who are always near, just waiting with open arms to comfort and guide us through the oppressing darkness into the light. But They can't do that if Their hands are smacked away simply because the trials don't end in "our time" and "our way."

I pray that we can all remember that none of us walk our chosen path alone - whether moving in the direction of the dark night and into deeper darkness, or following heavenly guidance through the fading darkness into the light of the "Son."

But . . . we must remember that God's thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways.

We are going through hard things, and we will face harder things still. However, if we pray with all the energy of our heart, soul, and our very being, for eyes to see and ears to hear what is true (as well as for hidden truths to be brought to light - including secret and sinister combinations), seeking for what is good, holy, and righteous - and then pray for the faith, strength, and courage to act accordingly, we will be blessed with those righteous desires.
The Lord promised this, and His promises are never broken.

Please, let us remember that the Lord will never abandon His people, as long as we don't abandon Him. When we invite Him into our heart and life, He will be there.

Happy Sabbath!

He said it perfectly!

He Needs Us

No matter who we are, no matter our situation, the Lord always has need of us and can always use us
to fulfill His divine purposes. His work never stops, and each of us has a gift that can be used to further His work. In His eyes, every seeking heart is valued and treasured. And in His eyes, our worth is never diminished. Please never forget that.

Preparing a People in Hope

"Hope is putting faith to work when doubting would be easier. ~Thomas S. Monson

"Hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges. ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf

As we witness the current events facing us, it seems there are several camps that people are falling into when it comes to being prepared for the coming trials:

*Those who are prepared temporally.
*Those who are prepared spiritually.
*Those who are prepared both temporally and spiritually.
*Those who are prepared temporally, but point the finger at the unprepared, possessing the attitude of, "I've got mine, you guys are on your own."
*Those who are not prepared temporally, who possess the attitude of, "That's okay, my neighbor has plenty, I won't worry."
*Those who are prepared spiritually but figure they still have time to cram and get what they need.
*Those who are prepared spiritually but don't have much in the way of finances and are doing the best they can.
*Those who are prepared both temporally and spiritually, possess open hearts, and are willing, according the the prompting of the spirit, to share and help others.
*And don't forget the mass of campers holding to the ancient adages of "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" and the ever-popular "all is well in Zion."
*And last but not least, we have the camp of lost souls that are literally losing all hope and are ready to throw in the towel on life.

Scrolling through Facebook on any given day, you can find a soul representing every camper on the list above. And I'm not making judgements at all (I'm the last person to EVER judge), just stating a fact. But you know what? It's okay, because at the end of the day, we all handle things differently - or at least, we think we will, until we are in the thick of things.

If we can learn one thing from the Savior's parable of the ten virgins, He would definitely have us internalize the simple truth that if we are prepared in all things, we will not fear. If we are prepared to meet Him, there will be no fear in our heart, only hope. Only faith.
And that faith is something no one can give us. We have to prepare for that ourselves through our obedience and allegiance to the Lord. And then, little by little, it will accumulate until our lamp is full and trickling into another vessel.
This is true preparation!