They say nothing is more constant than change, which can be very true. Our lives are constantly changing, which can get us into a rut if we aren't careful. Many fear change because of the unknown. With our hand holding fast to the scriptures and to the Lord, we will find direction, even if the roads ahead appear dark and unknown.
"And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart."
"Those that move forward with a happy spirit will find that things will always work out." -Gordon B. Hinckley
This story comes from a woman who is a wonderful example of hope amidst life's changes.
"My boss of 11 years left the Y a few months back. Since then it has been a huge struggle with communication and negativity within our department. I felt like the negativity was a virus just eating away at my soul! My heart was not in the job anymore and I clearly felt God was redirecting me. I kept thinking of the quote "When you do the work of the Father it doesn't drain you, it replenishes you." At the same time I was having horrible joint pain in my wrists, knees and ankles and got horrible red welts on my shins. I researched my symptoms and came to a conclusion AND got the same diagnoses from a Dr. that I have Erythema Nodosum. I had never heard of it before but it's caused by fighting off a random virus and your immune system goes into overdrive causing my symptoms. So thankful to know what it was and bloodwork was all normal for everything else from cancer to arthritus so I was VERY thankful for that!!! I do know that God has given me this as another reason that I can't be on my feet with kids....otherwise I would have been sucked back into my job by now. I know I made the right choice by quitting my job. Before I made the decision I was worried and nervous and once I made the decision all that fell away. I know God was telling me to falling him to another adventure, I was no longer needed at my job. It's so awesome to follow him!!!"
The uncertainty that lies beyond your current situation can be frightening, but when we embrace it and move forward one step at a time, with Jesus Christ at our side, we will find a bright future lies in store.
Keep shining!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Hope in His Perfect Plan
Fifteen years ago my beautiful little sister, Mariah was born. The first night she spent at home she struggled breathing, so my parents rushed her to the hospital. She spent several weeks in the hospital and underwent many surgeries. Mariah received a priesthood blessing from my dad and was placed on an ECMO machine. The machine had tubes that went in through her neck and down to her heart to circulate the blood. The doctors told my parents that she had a 13% chance of living and that she would likely have brain damage, hearing loss, and other side effects. During this time all of our extended family lived far away, but we were united in prayer and fasting for Mariah.
After many weeks of prayers and through the grace of God, Mariah began to recover and was finally released from the hospital. She not only lived, but years later she is still a beautiful, spunky, and happy young woman. To this day she hasn't suffered from any of the side effects that the doctors had predicted. She is a living breathing miracle and I'm grateful to be sealed to her and my family forever!
Though this time in my family's life brought great hardship, we found peace and hope in our Heavenly Father's plan. No matter what happened, we knew this life was not the end and that everything would be all right.
Prayers are answered and miracles happen everyday!
Keep shining!
Names were changed. Mapleton, Utah
After many weeks of prayers and through the grace of God, Mariah began to recover and was finally released from the hospital. She not only lived, but years later she is still a beautiful, spunky, and happy young woman. To this day she hasn't suffered from any of the side effects that the doctors had predicted. She is a living breathing miracle and I'm grateful to be sealed to her and my family forever!
Though this time in my family's life brought great hardship, we found peace and hope in our Heavenly Father's plan. No matter what happened, we knew this life was not the end and that everything would be all right.
Prayers are answered and miracles happen everyday!
Keep shining!
Names were changed. Mapleton, Utah
Thursday, April 17, 2014
The Source of All Hope
There is no greater source of hope then our Savior Jesus Christ! God knew we would need help in this life because we each would mess up, we each would make mistakes, and we each would fall short. That is why Jesus Christ came to earth! He came to lift mankind out of their darkness into the light of His love. Because of Him we have:
Hope for a better world!
Hope for eternal families!
Hope that death is not the end!
Hope to be happy!
Hope to be clean!
Hope for forgiveness!
Hope for love!
Hope for life!
Because Jesus Christ loves us we can find hope in our lives everyday, no matter what storms we are facing! I know that Jesus Christ loves each of us perfectly and that I have hope because of Him!
Keep shining!
Hope for a better world!
Hope for eternal families!
Hope that death is not the end!
Hope to be happy!
Hope to be clean!
Hope for forgiveness!
Hope for love!
Hope for life!
Because Jesus Christ loves us we can find hope in our lives everyday, no matter what storms we are facing! I know that Jesus Christ loves each of us perfectly and that I have hope because of Him!
Keep shining!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
We Must Know God
Katelyn lives in Florida with her family, her guinea pig, cats, fish, and whatever other critters decide to come and visit for the day. She is always smiling and looking for ways to make people laugh. She loves animals and weight lifting and wants to be a vet when she grows up. Katelyn also has depression and anxiety and has climbed a lot of mountains to get to where she is today. Many things in the past have threatened to hold her down, but she chooses to look forward to her bright and beautiful future!
Katelyn said "[In the past I] felt like I was in a dark, lonely place. I woke up not knowing who my true friends were. Not knowing were I belonged and wondering if I [would] ever be good enough."
Names changed for privacy purposes
So how did this girl who felt lost, worthless, confused, and depressed become a vibrant, beautiful, confident daughter of God? She turned her life to God. Personal progress was one of the first things Katelyn and her sister started as they began their journey to come closer to God. They read scriptures, prayed, and did service in order to complete their personal progress projects.
Katelyn has also has found great strength in prayer and in reading the scriptures; both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. She treasures the answers she has received through prayer and scripture study. Before she began this quest to come closer to Christ she claimed to be an atheist. She had been exposed to small parts of a multitude of religions and concluded altogether that none were for her. That all changed when she chose to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. She described several sacred and spiritual experiences when she felt of God's love and knew for herself that God was not only real, but He was there and aware of her and her needs.
She says, "...sometimes life proves to be a challenge, but we must stay strong no matter what. When others put us down we must know that we are beautiful no matter what others think or say... [we] must know that God has a purpose for each and every one of us."
With Katelyn I add my witness that Heavenly Father loves each one of us because we are His children. He knows exactly what we are going through. He rejoices when we do what's right and weeps with us when we are sad. He knows us perfectly and loves us perfectly.
We find hope in knowing God.
Katelyn has also has found great strength in prayer and in reading the scriptures; both the Bible and the Book of Mormon. She treasures the answers she has received through prayer and scripture study. Before she began this quest to come closer to Christ she claimed to be an atheist. She had been exposed to small parts of a multitude of religions and concluded altogether that none were for her. That all changed when she chose to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. She described several sacred and spiritual experiences when she felt of God's love and knew for herself that God was not only real, but He was there and aware of her and her needs.
She says, "...sometimes life proves to be a challenge, but we must stay strong no matter what. When others put us down we must know that we are beautiful no matter what others think or say... [we] must know that God has a purpose for each and every one of us."
With Katelyn I add my witness that Heavenly Father loves each one of us because we are His children. He knows exactly what we are going through. He rejoices when we do what's right and weeps with us when we are sad. He knows us perfectly and loves us perfectly.
We find hope in knowing God.
Keep shining!
Names changed for privacy purposes
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Waiting for a Lung
This darling couple has been through it all and a little bit more. They are incredible examples of endurance and optimism despite life threatening challenges.
John learned he was in dire need of a lung transplant after never missing a day of work in 30 years. He applied for an organ transplant only to be denied several times. They told him it wasn't worth the health risks and it was going to cost a fortune. That didn't stop John though, he applied again after sorting things out with the insurance and other obstacles and was finally accepted onto the waiting list.
Organ donations can be tricky. The recipient and donor have to "match" before the organ can even be transferred. Leon has -O blood, which meant he had to receive an organ from another person with -O blood. Other matches had to be made including: size, the type of tissue, and the health of the organ. The odds weren't looking good. On average 18 people pass away every day because of failure to receive an organ transplant. Shirley, his wife, said, "we even began to make arrangements at the funeral home. We didn't think he would make it into the next month."
Late one night Shirley and John were getting ready to go to bed when the phone rang. Because it was so late they let it go to the machine. It rang again and again they ignored it. The third timeShirley picked up the phone and the woman on the other line said "Hello, would your husband be interested in a lung?" It was a miracle! They immediately left for the hospital and spent the next six long hours waiting to see if everything matched up for John to receive the lung. Miraculously everything matched up perfectly and John was able to receive the lung. Even more miraculous was the fact that their insurance completely covered the cost of the transplant, which totaled near one million dollars.
Doctors gave John a five year guarantee with his new lung. He has beaten the odds for five additional years and counting. Through it all though John has stayed optimistic even though he can't do everything he used to do. He has a lot of health restrictions, but John doesn't let that get him down. He would often tell the doctors, "I just believe I'm going to live to be 85 years old."
When asked what gave he and his wife strength, John responded that they "did a lot of praying and read the bible." It really is as simple as that. When we allow the Lord into our lives, He gives us hope and light. It doesn't come from us or the world; hope comes from God.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
John learned he was in dire need of a lung transplant after never missing a day of work in 30 years. He applied for an organ transplant only to be denied several times. They told him it wasn't worth the health risks and it was going to cost a fortune. That didn't stop John though, he applied again after sorting things out with the insurance and other obstacles and was finally accepted onto the waiting list.
Organ donations can be tricky. The recipient and donor have to "match" before the organ can even be transferred. Leon has -O blood, which meant he had to receive an organ from another person with -O blood. Other matches had to be made including: size, the type of tissue, and the health of the organ. The odds weren't looking good. On average 18 people pass away every day because of failure to receive an organ transplant. Shirley, his wife, said, "we even began to make arrangements at the funeral home. We didn't think he would make it into the next month."
Late one night Shirley and John were getting ready to go to bed when the phone rang. Because it was so late they let it go to the machine. It rang again and again they ignored it. The third timeShirley picked up the phone and the woman on the other line said "Hello, would your husband be interested in a lung?" It was a miracle! They immediately left for the hospital and spent the next six long hours waiting to see if everything matched up for John to receive the lung. Miraculously everything matched up perfectly and John was able to receive the lung. Even more miraculous was the fact that their insurance completely covered the cost of the transplant, which totaled near one million dollars.
Doctors gave John a five year guarantee with his new lung. He has beaten the odds for five additional years and counting. Through it all though John has stayed optimistic even though he can't do everything he used to do. He has a lot of health restrictions, but John doesn't let that get him down. He would often tell the doctors, "I just believe I'm going to live to be 85 years old."
When asked what gave he and his wife strength, John responded that they "did a lot of praying and read the bible." It really is as simple as that. When we allow the Lord into our lives, He gives us hope and light. It doesn't come from us or the world; hope comes from God.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Since receiving the lung John has had many more battles, but has faced them with optimism and hope. His wife said that she was usually the one who was falling apart and feeling hopeless. "He's the one who always stays positive." John said "Ain't no use being angry, because I would have died ten years ago without [the lung]."
What a wonderful example these two are to me and to the world. They never gave up even when things were falling apart around them. Relying on the Lord was the key to having hope!
-Keep shining!
Names were changed
Since receiving the lung John has had many more battles, but has faced them with optimism and hope. His wife said that she was usually the one who was falling apart and feeling hopeless. "He's the one who always stays positive." John said "Ain't no use being angry, because I would have died ten years ago without [the lung]."
What a wonderful example these two are to me and to the world. They never gave up even when things were falling apart around them. Relying on the Lord was the key to having hope!
-Keep shining!
Names were changed
Thursday, March 20, 2014
A Fresh Start
This world is getting darker and darker and for many it's hard to find sources of goodness and light. This blog is going to start highlighting the lives of people just like you and how they have found light and hope in their lives. No one wants to be in the dark so why not share in the light with others? Send in your story and help to spread hope to others!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Reflecting His Light
Recently I've run across several people who have been bogged down with the gloom and doom that is polluting our world. It's easy to see how much darkness has entered the world. It's everywhere we turn. We see it when we turn on the TV, read the magazines in the line at the grocery store, or even just read the bumper stickers on cars. So how in the world are we supposed to stay bright, cheery, and hopeful in a world that seems to be in a dangerous downward spiral? I thought you'd never ask!
In Matthew 5 it says:
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
And in 3 Nephi 18 it says:
24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.
Christ asks us to hold up our light, which is Him. Reflect that love that He has for each of us. We are so blessed to have a light to follow. I learned of an analogy at girls camp that helped me understand this concept. There was a young boy who found a piece of a mirror and began playing with it. He soon learned that the mirror could reflect the light anywhere it was directed, even into very dark places. All he had to do was point it at the sun and then aim the light into the shadows. This became a game of sorts for him, seeing how much light he could reflect into the dark shadows. He later observed that the mirror was not the source of light, but it did have the capacity to reflect the light and to dispel the darkness. We are each like a piece of a mirror. None of us are perfectly round or smooth. Some have chips and others are quite small, but each retains the capacity to reflect Christ's light and brighten the world. In the dark shadows that threaten to consume our lives, we will find light as we are pointed toward the Son.
Ted E. Brewerton said, "We can be like a mirror and direct light even into dark places. We are not the sources of light; nevertheless, through us light can be reflected to others." I know that Christ is the light of the world and that we can find direction and peace through reflecting His light. I know that He loves each of us and will always be there as long as we are willing to point ourselves to Him!
In Matthew 5 it says:
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
And in 3 Nephi 18 it says:
24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.
Christ asks us to hold up our light, which is Him. Reflect that love that He has for each of us. We are so blessed to have a light to follow. I learned of an analogy at girls camp that helped me understand this concept. There was a young boy who found a piece of a mirror and began playing with it. He soon learned that the mirror could reflect the light anywhere it was directed, even into very dark places. All he had to do was point it at the sun and then aim the light into the shadows. This became a game of sorts for him, seeing how much light he could reflect into the dark shadows. He later observed that the mirror was not the source of light, but it did have the capacity to reflect the light and to dispel the darkness. We are each like a piece of a mirror. None of us are perfectly round or smooth. Some have chips and others are quite small, but each retains the capacity to reflect Christ's light and brighten the world. In the dark shadows that threaten to consume our lives, we will find light as we are pointed toward the Son.
Ted E. Brewerton said, "We can be like a mirror and direct light even into dark places. We are not the sources of light; nevertheless, through us light can be reflected to others." I know that Christ is the light of the world and that we can find direction and peace through reflecting His light. I know that He loves each of us and will always be there as long as we are willing to point ourselves to Him!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)