This is Why We Remember

Never Cease to Pray

No matter what, prayer is the only way we can make it through trials, both big and small, both present and future trials. As I have said before, God knows what we are dealing with and what we need. He knows us inside and out, so He doesn't need to hear our prayers, but we NEED to pray. We don't pray for God's benefit, we pray for our own. As soon as our heart-felt plea begins, He is there, ready and willing to bless us.

As C.S. Lewis said, "prayer doesn't change God, it changes us," and I can testify that every prayer I utter changes me a little at a time, increasing my faith, etching even more assurance in my heart that my Father knows and hears me.
It is that assurance that keeps me going.

Simple Words

I love my Father in Heaven and His Son, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, with all my heart and soul, and I will praise Them all my days. My Father is everything to me, because He has given me everything by giving His Son to atone for my sins, to pay the price I could not pay.

Wretched soul that I am, I am lower than the dust, yet my Savior felt that I was worth the sacrifice. To Him and the Father, we are all priceless.
I am so grateful to Jesus Christ for leading me out of the cold darkness into the light of the sun. The road has been long, full of triumphs, trials, joys, sorrows, and meaningful learning experiences along the way that I would not trade for anything, and I am still on the journey, but I know I will never travel alone. For the Lord is a most willing companion, and angels match their steps with mine.
God has been so good to me, and I feel His love. This weekend, through the words of His prophet and apostles, that love has been magnified, and I thank Him and praise Him for His mercy and grace.

We are told that we must come to know the Lord better than we know Him, and to gives ourselves over to Him completely, never wavering, never doubting. I long for this so much that I ache inside sometimes. Every day, I pray for strengthened and increased faith, and that the Lord will continue to refine me that I might become a truly righteous and holy woman. I ache for this so much that I find myself in tears begging for it. I know that with God, all things are possible, so I will keep praying for it. I pray for this refinement for all of us.

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and only through Him can we be saved. I need Him like I need air to breathe. We all do, but so many still can't see that.
I pray for opened minds and softened hearts, that this truth might sink in. Oh, how I pray for it!
I'll never stop praying.

Why is it that even though we have a Savior before us, always willing to rescue us, we try to rescue ourselves?
That plan never works out.

Justify Yourself to Hell?

The phrase, "You can justify yourself all the way to hell" has been around for a long, long time, and once upon a time, I thought it was a bit harsh. But not anymore. In fact, I think that phrase holds a perfect truth.

Each time we justify a poor choice, blame others for circumstances that we've brought upon ourselves, or justify an evil by seeking out a supposed good within it, we are slowly building a road that none of us should ever want to travel, a road we should - with everything in us - fight to avoid at all cost. It only takes one step on that path, and then another, and another. Pretty soon we will find ourselves in a miserable abyss, and none of us are there alone.
May we all overcome the weakness of self-justification and rise above it, making ourselves willing vessels wherein God can perform His wonders, and the Savior can fill us with His healing and cleansing love.

Many of us justify our poor usage of agency. We chose to disobey God, we justify our choices, and we look on the commandments of God as "helpful suggestions."

Big, big, big mistake!

There is So Much More!

Have you ever had those days when you wake up with a song in your head and it just sticks no matter what? I've had "There's Got to Be More" flowing through my mind all morning, so I know it's going to be an

awesome and amazing day! This song was definitely my second favorite song on the "Saturday's Warrior" movie, my top favorite being Kenny Holland's version of the same song during the end credits.

Sometimes we get so caught up in day to day living that just living becomes our entire focus. Some of us let life consume us to the point that we forget that there is so much more than just what we see in this life! We are not here just to exist. We are here to learn and grow and gain those attributes we will need to become like Christ. Then, when this mortal journey is over, our lives will move on and we will still be learning and growing. The journey never ends.
I don't know about you, but I think that is pretty amazing! It shows just how truly mindful of us our Heavenly Father is. He has a plan, and nothing will hinder that plan. However, how His plan works in our individual life will depend on the personal choices we make.
So, on days of discouragement, take comfort in knowing that there is more to this life than we can possibly see, and the big picture - if we allow it to - will be God's masterpiece for each of us.
And yours will be glorious!