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!