With that... I think "In the strength of the Lord" makes a great talk to follow-up those verses.
....Of course, if I throw in a perfect talk, I've got to throw in a perfect song to go along side it too. ;)
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus Christ. Show all posts
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Holding On!
One of my favorite stories in the scriptures is when Jesus calls Peter out onto the water. Matthew 14:25-33
With that... I think "In the strength of the Lord" makes a great talk to follow-up those verses.
....Of course, if I throw in a perfect talk, I've got to throw in a perfect song to go along side it too. ;)
With that... I think "In the strength of the Lord" makes a great talk to follow-up those verses.
....Of course, if I throw in a perfect talk, I've got to throw in a perfect song to go along side it too. ;)
Friday, May 22, 2015
Kénōsis
I just learned in my religion class that in Christian theology, kenosis (κένωσις, ekénōsen) is the Greek word for emptiness. It means the 'self-emptying' of one's own will in order to become entirely receptive to God's divine will.
Philippians 2:7 (KJV) says that Christ, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."
In the American Standard Version it says: He "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men"
Christian's have long debated over Jesus's process of Kenosis. What did it mean for Christ to "empty Himself"? Did it mean he temporarily let go of who He was to take upon the form of man? Did it mean when He "descended from the throne" He somehow descended in His godhood? Of course not. He understood His true identity and place as rightful King on earth and in heaven. His godhood and power never left Him spiritually but He gave up being recognized as such physically.
In fact, during the pinnacle crux of all human history, where His greatest "emptying" took place, is also where we see manifested the greatest and most magnificent power!! In the Garden of Gethsemane He was emptied as He bled from every pore. (D&C 19:18) And on the cross blood and water "flowed from His side" (John 19:34)
Isaiah 53:12 also speaks of the Savior's emptying saying,"He [Christ] poured out His soul". The highest majesty ever known was reveled through the most intense humility.
Psalms 36:9 describes Christ as "the fountain of life." Living water "pouring out" in a constant steady flow.
Luke 8:43-48 tells another story of Christ's emptying:
"A woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
And Jesus said, Who touched me?
When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."
Virtue had emptied out of Him.
"Virtue" here contextually means "strength." He may have felt physically weak in that moment but He was certainly not weak in the spiritual sense. He was "emptied" as in the context of Isaiah's illustration. The woman exercised such tremendous faith in Christ that when she reached to Him through the pressing crowd, He literally felt His body go weak from the "pouring out of His soul" to her and she was healed.
As the Savior emptied Himself, we too must empty ourselves.
Matt 16:25 teaches that when we "lose our self" we'll find ourselves. This does not mean we lose our identity in the slightest. In fact, as we choose to draw closer to Christ, we see our TRUE self, our Divine nature more and more defined, more clear than ever before. What we DO lose however is the false identity, the labels and the lies the world would have us believe.
To "lose ourselves" we, like Him, must "pour out our souls". Here, we show that He is the very center of our life, that we want Him more than anything else. As He prayed, we also pray, "Not my will but thine be done." (Luke 22:42)
In "emptying" ourselves of our own will, we "pour out" our souls, making room for Him to enter in. This is the "whole tithe." We lay it all on the altar and say, "take it all, I surrender." In return, He opens the windows of heaven, whether through temporal or spiritual needs, revelation, or guidance. The promise is heaven will be opened and poured out!
The New International Version of Malachi says it this way
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." - Malachi 3:10
I love the imagery of "floodgates!"
He will "pour out" to us as we "pour out" Him.
Think of the results that come when we open ourselves up to Him in prayer: We pour out all our strength - He gives us His strength, pour out all our hearts - He gives us His heart, pour out all our thoughts - He gives us His thoughts. Fully and completely submissive and receptive, we open our self up to Him, we let Him in our heart and soul, receiving Him, becoming one with Him as He became one with the Father.
"In striving for ultimate submission, our wills constitute all we really have to give God anyway. The usual gifts and their derivatives we give to Him could be stamped justifiably “Return to Sender,” with a capital S. Even when God receives this one gift in return, the fully faithful will receive “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). What an exchange rate!" - Neal A. Maxwell - Consecrate Thy Performance
I testify that Christ is the "fountain of Life", His love and power is ever flowing over. He wants to "pour it into us." But we must first go through our own kenosis, our own 'self-emptying' in order to be open to receive Him, all of Him.
-Alicia
To Know God
Philippians 2:7 (KJV) says that Christ, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men."
In the American Standard Version it says: He "emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men"
Christian's have long debated over Jesus's process of Kenosis. What did it mean for Christ to "empty Himself"? Did it mean he temporarily let go of who He was to take upon the form of man? Did it mean when He "descended from the throne" He somehow descended in His godhood? Of course not. He understood His true identity and place as rightful King on earth and in heaven. His godhood and power never left Him spiritually but He gave up being recognized as such physically.
In fact, during the pinnacle crux of all human history, where His greatest "emptying" took place, is also where we see manifested the greatest and most magnificent power!! In the Garden of Gethsemane He was emptied as He bled from every pore. (D&C 19:18) And on the cross blood and water "flowed from His side" (John 19:34)
Isaiah 53:12 also speaks of the Savior's emptying saying,"He [Christ] poured out His soul". The highest majesty ever known was reveled through the most intense humility.
Psalms 36:9 describes Christ as "the fountain of life." Living water "pouring out" in a constant steady flow.
Luke 8:43-48 tells another story of Christ's emptying:
"A woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
And Jesus said, Who touched me?
When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me."
Virtue had emptied out of Him.
"Virtue" here contextually means "strength." He may have felt physically weak in that moment but He was certainly not weak in the spiritual sense. He was "emptied" as in the context of Isaiah's illustration. The woman exercised such tremendous faith in Christ that when she reached to Him through the pressing crowd, He literally felt His body go weak from the "pouring out of His soul" to her and she was healed.
As the Savior emptied Himself, we too must empty ourselves.
Matt 16:25 teaches that when we "lose our self" we'll find ourselves. This does not mean we lose our identity in the slightest. In fact, as we choose to draw closer to Christ, we see our TRUE self, our Divine nature more and more defined, more clear than ever before. What we DO lose however is the false identity, the labels and the lies the world would have us believe.
To "lose ourselves" we, like Him, must "pour out our souls". Here, we show that He is the very center of our life, that we want Him more than anything else. As He prayed, we also pray, "Not my will but thine be done." (Luke 22:42)
In "emptying" ourselves of our own will, we "pour out" our souls, making room for Him to enter in. This is the "whole tithe." We lay it all on the altar and say, "take it all, I surrender." In return, He opens the windows of heaven, whether through temporal or spiritual needs, revelation, or guidance. The promise is heaven will be opened and poured out!
The New International Version of Malachi says it this way
"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." - Malachi 3:10
I love the imagery of "floodgates!"
He will "pour out" to us as we "pour out" Him.
Think of the results that come when we open ourselves up to Him in prayer: We pour out all our strength - He gives us His strength, pour out all our hearts - He gives us His heart, pour out all our thoughts - He gives us His thoughts. Fully and completely submissive and receptive, we open our self up to Him, we let Him in our heart and soul, receiving Him, becoming one with Him as He became one with the Father.
I testify that Christ is the "fountain of Life", His love and power is ever flowing over. He wants to "pour it into us." But we must first go through our own kenosis, our own 'self-emptying' in order to be open to receive Him, all of Him.
-Alicia
To Know God
by, Colton Dixon
I made my castle tall
I built up every wall
This is my kingdom and it needs to fall
I want you and no one else
Empty me of myself
Until the only thing that's left is
More of You
Less of me
Make me who I'm meant to be
You're all I want all I need
You're everything
Take it all I surrender
Be my king
God I choose
More of You and Less of me
I need more of you
More of you
This life I hold so close
Oh, God I let it go
I refuse to gain the world and lose my soul
So take it all I abandon everything I am
You can have it
The only thing I need is
More of You
Less of me
Make me who I'm meant to be
You're all I want all I need
You're everything
Take it all I surrender
Be my king
God I choose
More of You and Less of me
I need more of you
More of you
All to You
I surrender
All to You my blessed Savior
I surrender all
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Friendship,Faith, and Love
Sonya is tall and slender with dark blond hair past her shoulders. She has the most beautiful blue eyes and a smile that couldn't be more perfect in the magazines.
Sonya and I met during my sophomore year in high school. We had a drama class together. That class was cake for her because she was the queen of performance! You could put any piece of music in front of her and she could not only play it out beautifully with the piano, she also had an angelic voice with perfect pitch and tone to match. She was naturally animated too, her expressions and mannerisms seemed to be as if she was always on stage. Needless to say, she had the star role in every one of our high school performances; Steel Magnolias, Guys and Dolls, Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and The Curious Savage.
After high school graduation, I moved in with Sonya's family due to some difficulties going on in my own home. Her parents, Catherine and Tom, took me in as one of their own, they were wonderful to me! Catherine was a piano teacher for many years, one of the very best. I could see where Sonya got her musical gifts. Her sister, Maren, was musical too, a gorgeous opera singer and ballet dancer, as feminine and finespun as a woman could be.
I remember one day Sonya's dad, Tom, was helping me fix the fuel pump in my car. I walked through the back door of the house with black and greasy fingers as I made my way over to the kitchen sink. Maren eyed my hands in horror as she gasped, "How can you stand all of that filth on your fingers?"
"I had fun," I said as I scrubbed, "Your dad is teaching me a lot."
"Oh, I could never do that!" She poised herself in a ballet-like form and sighed, "I... am a delicate flower."
I laughed out-loud!
I had never heard anyone refer to themselves as a "delicate flower" before and it caught me off guard. How ridiculous it seemed. I guess I never really cared for nicely manicured hands, especially when it meant getting them dirty from learning something new.
I had never heard anyone refer to themselves as a "delicate flower" before and it caught me off guard. How ridiculous it seemed. I guess I never really cared for nicely manicured hands, especially when it meant getting them dirty from learning something new.
"Oh Maren, you crack me up," I said "Of course you are. And you never have to change." I patted her endearingly.
Maren laughed her unique laugh that always made me smile. It almost sounded operatic, so fitting for her personality.
Aw, Maren.... she was awesome.
One afternoon Sonya rushed excitedly up the stairs into our bedroom and showed me a quote she just discovered. (She knew I loved collecting them.)
"Look at this one, Alicia. You're gonna love it!" She read to me from a little 3x5 card;
"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. - Ella Wheeler Wilcox
"Isn't that awesome!" she said. "Let's put it on the mirror in the bathroom and memorize it!"
"Okay!" I agreed wholeheartedly.
Our intention was to use it as our motto to pep us up as we prepared to go out and serve full-time missions. There was no chance, no destiny, no fate that would stop us from going out into the white and ready field!!! I met my husband the month before I turned 21 and married him 16 weeks later...so... I guess I wasn't all that "determined" to be a sister missionary.
I grew to love everyone in Sonya's family. I also learned that there is no such thing as a perfect home, no matter how ideal it looked on the outside. Overall, the memories there will always be sweet to me.
Sonya and I have kept in contact through the years. She lives in Oregon now and whenever she comes home to visit she gives me a call or stops by my place. She's much better at keeping touch than I am.
One particular visit about seven years ago, she confided in me about some struggles she was having in her marriage.
I referred her to some of my favorite Elder Holland talks and then said, "You know, we are always told to be more Christ-like, to do as He would do, to love like the Savior loved. And truth be told, sometimes that is harder for me to grasp I guess because I AM so far from perfect. I don't know how to be like Him. But I DO KNOW what it feels like TO LOVE HIM. I mean, look at the scripture in Matthew for an example,"
"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these... ye have done it unto me."- Matt 25:40
"Maybe Christ is telling us this because He knew the concept of 'being like Him' would be hard for most of us to grasp?
For me, it seems easier to know 'what to do' if we imagine everyone around us as if they were Him.
What would we say? How would we act?
Christ's love changes us. You see... because we are loved by someone so incredibly amazing, so unbelievable, how could it not change us?
Love is powerful! Think about it... When you fall in love, you would do anything and everything for the very best interest of that person. You would serve them and care for them willingly, most gratefully. You would strive to be your very best self around them and would never want to harm or hurt them in any way.
Now, what if you took that energy and treated everyone around you as if they were the 'one you loved'? Can you imagine the impact?!!"
My friend and I talked back and forth about this concept, and she grew more and more excited to put it into practice.
A year later, when she came to visit again she said, "You know, Alicia, that time you told me about loving everyone as if they are Christ instead of trying so hard to be like Christ was really freeing for me. It just made more sense, so much easier to comprehend that way! And it has been working."
It was wonderful news to hear.
I've been thinking a lot about this concept. I resolve to put it into practice more:
How differently would I treat my spouse, my children, my neighbors, or the stranger on the street if with each of them, I imagined the Savior? What if in every situation I "did unto others... as I would do unto Him"?
What a force for good it could be!!
"We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear....
..We love him, because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:16-19
"We have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear....
..We love him, because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:16-19
Because He Lives and Loves
My peace, my hope, my healer, and friend,
Author and finisher of my faith to the end,
Savior through Thee, I see heaven's view,
Truth breathes in life, my spirit made new,
The grace of Your love flows in my veins,
As my heart sings out, "My Savior Reigns!"
-Alicia Rawlins
Friday, May 15, 2015
To the Pure in Heart
"Behold, I... would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto Him with exceeding faith, and He will console you in your afflictions, and He will plead your cause... O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon His love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever." - Jacob 3:1-2
I read this scripture this morning and just felt like sharing it. I especially love this part: "Receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon His love."
Oh, and a nice touch to this would be to read it with a little music. :)
That's the way I like it.
-Alicia
I read this scripture this morning and just felt like sharing it. I especially love this part: "Receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon His love."
Oh, and a nice touch to this would be to read it with a little music. :)
That's the way I like it.
-Alicia
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Love of Learning
I was given a blessing many years ago that said I would love learning, that it has been something I have loved long before I was born onto this earth and I would carry it with me throughout my life. It's true! I love learning with all of my heart and soul!
I have thoroughly been enjoying school at BYU. Last night after a few ours of studying late, I walked across campus, making my way home, and felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for this gift I have been given. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the goodness of God. I thanked my Father in Heaven for this "dream come true" in my life. What a blessing! I thank Him every day!
I absolutely love my Anthropology class! It's been eye opening to say the least. I've been completely fascinated with how much there is to learn about myself as I dive into the lives, minds, and cultures of other people. My instructor is also very hilarious and there hasn't been one day in class yet where I haven't enjoyed a good hearty laugh. He once read a verse to us from The Hawaiian Pidgin Bible and I nearly fell off my seat from the hilarity. It's awesome! (You should check it out.)
Today, I've been assigned to write a paper in my religion class. We've been asked to write on just two chapters of the Book of Mormon (anywhere between 1 Nephi 1 to Jacob 7) and discuss character traits and attributes of Jesus Christ. Although it was hard to decide which ones to choose, I really enjoyed the process. This has truly been my favorite homework assignment. I figured I might as well share it here. It's part of my testimony and will fit nicely on my blog. So here ya go:
In all of scripture there’s not a more beautiful love story found than what is to be discovered in the words of Isaiah. He speaks Messianically and through him, we learn the intent and heart of God, here the greatest love ever shown is revealed through the principle of sacrifice; not just of body but to the exhausting of heart, might, soul, and mind. To the Jews in ancient Jerusalem, to the Nephites and Lamanites in the new world, and to His modern children on earth today, the message is the same!
The word “hear” is embedded in the word “hearken”. Interestingly, it is also found in the word “heart”. I love this because “hearken” means; listening with our hearts, with full intent to act with willingness to perform what has been required, stemming from Divine love and not out of duty. In the very first verse of 1 Nephi 20, this is how the Lord calls out to His people, “Hearken and Hear” two words characteristic of a loving plea from our Lord. He’s begging them and us to please listen, not just with our ears but with our souls, and not just pay attention but to pay strict heed.
There is great urgency in the context of this call to “listen up.” Christ is speaking to the baptized members of the church, His covenant people, those who “swear by the name of the Lord” but “do not stay themselves upon [Him]”.(1) He basically says, “Look, I’ve been trying to speak to you from the very beginning, but like a stubborn child you shut me out saying, ‘yeah, yeah I know this already.’ Then you exploit my name so you can call yourselves 'holy' and give credit to your own image and the other false gods you worship.(2) That’s not how this works. You are following the way of the world and it will only bring destruction.” Over and over again He begs his people to flee worldliness, to break away from Babylon, to leave their life of pride and sin because there is no peace or happiness in these things and there and never will be.(3)
The Savior with His unfailing love for His wayward sheep tells them of all the blessings that could be theirs if they would just hearken unto Him, the Good Shepherd. “Then you would have had peace like a river, [and] you would have not thirsted in the desert.”(4)
The people relentlessly reject Him but He continues to warn His children of impending dangers and sends a servant (the prophet) to help “bring Jacob (His covenant people) again to Him”. His servant is also rejected and laments, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught”.(5) The frustration of such indifference among the people is palpable and the burden is crushing. But the Lord in His wisdom reminds the servant that this weight of responsibility “Is a light thing… and [He] will give [him] for a light.” Don’t fret over all the details, I just want you to shine! Trust me, He whose “hand hath spanned the heavens”(6) laying out all the brilliant burning stars and galaxies will “give [his servant] for a light”.(7)
Darkness shrouds the hearts and minds of the people as they sit in the shadowy black cell of their own deception and sin. But all is not lost. The Lord calls more servants to help the first. Light always dispels dark “Show yourselves”(8) is the Lord’s call to those on His errand. Shine to them who sit in darkness! The Savior gathers his “light bearer’s” his very elect from all parts of the globe.(9) Clothed in covenant, like a bride in her gown(10) they will radiate a heavenly glow and they will be given stamina and energy, a swiftness in their step and a song in their heart as they go about His work.(11) The desolate who sit in waste will lift up their eyes and see redemption breaking through their dark horizon like the rays of the morning sun. And in great mercy they will realize they have not been forgotten, they will come to know the Lord and witness that they have been “engraven upon the palms of His hands”.(12) Changed by His matchless love, no longer will they hunger or thirst for the things of the world but will find living water in Christ.(13) Through God’s infinite power of His only begotten Son “The captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered.”(14)
Unfailing, undaunted, constant, and true in every rejection he continued to offer Himself. The Lord never gave up on His people and never will, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the cost. This is a story of the purest and most noble kind of love and it’s true, all of it.
1 -(1 Ne. 20:1,2), 2- (1 Ne. 20:1,2), 3-(1 Ne. 20:20,22), 4-(1 Ne. 20:18, 21), 5-(1 Ne. 21:4,5), 6-(1 Ne. 20:13), 7-(1 Ne. 21:6), 8-(1 Ne. 21:9), 9-(1 Ne. 21:12), 10-(1 Ne. 21:18), 11-(1 Ne. 21:13), 12-(1 Ne. 21:16), 13-(1 Ne. 21:10), 14-(1 Ne. 21:25)
I have thoroughly been enjoying school at BYU. Last night after a few ours of studying late, I walked across campus, making my way home, and felt an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for this gift I have been given. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of the goodness of God. I thanked my Father in Heaven for this "dream come true" in my life. What a blessing! I thank Him every day!
I absolutely love my Anthropology class! It's been eye opening to say the least. I've been completely fascinated with how much there is to learn about myself as I dive into the lives, minds, and cultures of other people. My instructor is also very hilarious and there hasn't been one day in class yet where I haven't enjoyed a good hearty laugh. He once read a verse to us from The Hawaiian Pidgin Bible and I nearly fell off my seat from the hilarity. It's awesome! (You should check it out.)
Today, I've been assigned to write a paper in my religion class. We've been asked to write on just two chapters of the Book of Mormon (anywhere between 1 Nephi 1 to Jacob 7) and discuss character traits and attributes of Jesus Christ. Although it was hard to decide which ones to choose, I really enjoyed the process. This has truly been my favorite homework assignment. I figured I might as well share it here. It's part of my testimony and will fit nicely on my blog. So here ya go:
.................................
The word “hear” is embedded in the word “hearken”. Interestingly, it is also found in the word “heart”. I love this because “hearken” means; listening with our hearts, with full intent to act with willingness to perform what has been required, stemming from Divine love and not out of duty. In the very first verse of 1 Nephi 20, this is how the Lord calls out to His people, “Hearken and Hear” two words characteristic of a loving plea from our Lord. He’s begging them and us to please listen, not just with our ears but with our souls, and not just pay attention but to pay strict heed.
There is great urgency in the context of this call to “listen up.” Christ is speaking to the baptized members of the church, His covenant people, those who “swear by the name of the Lord” but “do not stay themselves upon [Him]”.(1) He basically says, “Look, I’ve been trying to speak to you from the very beginning, but like a stubborn child you shut me out saying, ‘yeah, yeah I know this already.’ Then you exploit my name so you can call yourselves 'holy' and give credit to your own image and the other false gods you worship.(2) That’s not how this works. You are following the way of the world and it will only bring destruction.” Over and over again He begs his people to flee worldliness, to break away from Babylon, to leave their life of pride and sin because there is no peace or happiness in these things and there and never will be.(3)
The Savior with His unfailing love for His wayward sheep tells them of all the blessings that could be theirs if they would just hearken unto Him, the Good Shepherd. “Then you would have had peace like a river, [and] you would have not thirsted in the desert.”(4)
The people relentlessly reject Him but He continues to warn His children of impending dangers and sends a servant (the prophet) to help “bring Jacob (His covenant people) again to Him”. His servant is also rejected and laments, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught”.(5) The frustration of such indifference among the people is palpable and the burden is crushing. But the Lord in His wisdom reminds the servant that this weight of responsibility “Is a light thing… and [He] will give [him] for a light.” Don’t fret over all the details, I just want you to shine! Trust me, He whose “hand hath spanned the heavens”(6) laying out all the brilliant burning stars and galaxies will “give [his servant] for a light”.(7)
Darkness shrouds the hearts and minds of the people as they sit in the shadowy black cell of their own deception and sin. But all is not lost. The Lord calls more servants to help the first. Light always dispels dark “Show yourselves”(8) is the Lord’s call to those on His errand. Shine to them who sit in darkness! The Savior gathers his “light bearer’s” his very elect from all parts of the globe.(9) Clothed in covenant, like a bride in her gown(10) they will radiate a heavenly glow and they will be given stamina and energy, a swiftness in their step and a song in their heart as they go about His work.(11) The desolate who sit in waste will lift up their eyes and see redemption breaking through their dark horizon like the rays of the morning sun. And in great mercy they will realize they have not been forgotten, they will come to know the Lord and witness that they have been “engraven upon the palms of His hands”.(12) Changed by His matchless love, no longer will they hunger or thirst for the things of the world but will find living water in Christ.(13) Through God’s infinite power of His only begotten Son “The captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered.”(14)
Unfailing, undaunted, constant, and true in every rejection he continued to offer Himself. The Lord never gave up on His people and never will, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the cost. This is a story of the purest and most noble kind of love and it’s true, all of it.
1 -(1 Ne. 20:1,2), 2- (1 Ne. 20:1,2), 3-(1 Ne. 20:20,22), 4-(1 Ne. 20:18, 21), 5-(1 Ne. 21:4,5), 6-(1 Ne. 20:13), 7-(1 Ne. 21:6), 8-(1 Ne. 21:9), 9-(1 Ne. 21:12), 10-(1 Ne. 21:18), 11-(1 Ne. 21:13), 12-(1 Ne. 21:16), 13-(1 Ne. 21:10), 14-(1 Ne. 21:25)
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Godly Fear Dispels Mortal Fear
I got up at 4:30 this morning as to assure me some time to finish my homework due for class today. I missed my regular study time last night to participate in a face to face broadcast with Elder Bednar. It was a very worthy exchange! I love Elder Bednar's words!!! I've been reading his series of books, Increase in Learning, Act in Doctrine, and Power to Become.
I crawled out of bed and went out to my favorite spot in my living room to pray, my little place of treasured communion with my Father. I had a lot to do within a few short hours but I wanted to start my day off right. I cracked open the scriptures and read more words on faith and trust, some of which seemed to speak my name, "Prepare your mind [Alicia]. [I] exhort you unto faith and to patience." (Alma 34:3)
Ah, yes... faith and patience. I pray for that with all of my heart.
I was blessed to have finished my homework sooner than expected. This was an answer to my prayer because I was anxious to take a moment to soak up some comforting words and turned to Elder Bednar's recent conference address.
... Ah, Just what I needed.
I have shared below the parts that stood out to me the most. What a blessing that we have this fountain of living water, these words of the living prophets, the scriptures, and our communion with our Father in Heaven through prayer. They restore my soul!
-Alicia
Mortal Fear
"The distressing emotion of fear arises because of impending danger, uncertainty, or pain and through experiences that are unexpected, sometimes sudden, and likely to produce a negative outcome.
Fear is dispelled through a correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Ah, yes... faith and patience. I pray for that with all of my heart.
I was blessed to have finished my homework sooner than expected. This was an answer to my prayer because I was anxious to take a moment to soak up some comforting words and turned to Elder Bednar's recent conference address.
... Ah, Just what I needed.
I have shared below the parts that stood out to me the most. What a blessing that we have this fountain of living water, these words of the living prophets, the scriptures, and our communion with our Father in Heaven through prayer. They restore my soul!
-Alicia
.......................
"The distressing emotion of fear arises because of impending danger, uncertainty, or pain and through experiences that are unexpected, sometimes sudden, and likely to produce a negative outcome.
Fear is dispelled through a correct knowledge of and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
Nephi declared: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life” (2 Nephi 31:20).
The disciplined endurance described in this verse is the result of spiritual understanding and vision, persistence, patience, and God’s grace. Exercising faith in and on the holy name of Jesus Christ, meekly submitting to His will and timing in our lives, and humbly acknowledging His hand in all things yield the peaceable things of the kingdom of God that bring joy and eternal life (see D&C 42:61). Even as we encounter difficulties and face the uncertainties of the future, we can cheerfully persevere and live a “peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:2).
We can be blessed to hush our fears as we receive the fortitude that comes from learning and living gospel principles and resolutely pressing forward on the covenant pathway."
...........
Godly Fear
"The righteous fear I am attempting to describe encompasses a deep feeling of reverence, respect, and awe for the Lord Jesus Christ (see Psalm 33:8; 96:4), obedience to His commandments (see Deuteronomy 5:29; 8:6; 10:12; 13:4; Psalm 112:1)
Godly fear “is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7), “the instruction of wisdom” (Proverbs 15:33), a “strong confidence” (Proverbs 14:26), and “a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).
Godly fear is loving and trusting in Him. As we fear God more completely, we love Him more perfectly. And “perfect love casteth out all fear” (Moroni 8:16). I promise the bright light of godly fear will chase away the dark shadows of mortal fears (see D&C 50:25) as we look to the Savior, build upon Him as our foundation, and press forward on His covenant path with consecrated commitment.
I love and revere the Lord. His power and peace are real. He is our Redeemer, and I witness He lives. And because of Him, our hearts need not be troubled or afraid (see John 14:27), and we will be blessed to hush our fears."
- David A. Bednar (Therefore They Hushed Their Fears)
- David A. Bednar (Therefore They Hushed Their Fears)
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
The Essential Element of Faith
In my studies this morning I appreciated the scriptures Alma shares in his sermon to the Zoramites from the words of the prophet Zenos.
After the Prophet Alma gives his beautiful clear-cut sermon on faith, there were still many who did not understand his words. He tells them that they "ought to search the scriptures" and that in their searching of the scriptures, they would find that the Prophets have taught them over and over again "to pray" not rambled muttering, but sincere and meaningful prayer. Prayer is essential in making our hearts receptive to the word of the Lord.
Alma asks the bewildered crowd, "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? For he said:
Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.
Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.
And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.
And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.
Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.
Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.
And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son. - Alma 33:3-11
It says six times in those few verses that God "did hear" or"will hear." Then Alma asks the people, "Do you believe those scriptures?" He's basically stating again, "It's faith, brothers and sisters, pure and simple faith! That is the element you are missing! But you are not even willing to believe enough to pray sincerely about these things, to search it out, or to open your hearts just a little bit.
The Savior said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." - Mark 9:23
What an awesome promise! I know it's true!
As I read those verses in Alma 33 on prayer, a sense of gratitude washed over me for this simple and basic principle. The sweetest part of my everyday is when I kneel to pray. Like Zenos, I rejoice with all of my heart that wherever I go and wherever I am, I can pray and the Lord will hear me every single time! I know this!
- Alicia
After the Prophet Alma gives his beautiful clear-cut sermon on faith, there were still many who did not understand his words. He tells them that they "ought to search the scriptures" and that in their searching of the scriptures, they would find that the Prophets have taught them over and over again "to pray" not rambled muttering, but sincere and meaningful prayer. Prayer is essential in making our hearts receptive to the word of the Lord.
Alma asks the bewildered crowd, "Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or worship? For he said:
Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies, and thou didst turn them to me.
Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.
And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.
And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.
Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.
Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit them in thine anger with speedy destruction.
And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son. - Alma 33:3-11
..................
It says six times in those few verses that God "did hear" or"will hear." Then Alma asks the people, "Do you believe those scriptures?" He's basically stating again, "It's faith, brothers and sisters, pure and simple faith! That is the element you are missing! But you are not even willing to believe enough to pray sincerely about these things, to search it out, or to open your hearts just a little bit.
The Savior said, "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." - Mark 9:23
What an awesome promise! I know it's true!
As I read those verses in Alma 33 on prayer, a sense of gratitude washed over me for this simple and basic principle. The sweetest part of my everyday is when I kneel to pray. Like Zenos, I rejoice with all of my heart that wherever I go and wherever I am, I can pray and the Lord will hear me every single time! I know this!
- Alicia
Secret Prayer
"There is an hour of peace and rest,
Unmarred by earthly care;
'Tis when before the Lord I go
And kneel in secret prayer.
May my heart be turned to pray,
Pray in secret day by day,
That this boon to mortals giv'n
May unite my soul with heav'n."
Text and music: Hans Henry Petersen, 1835-1909
............
My song for the day! :)
I will stand my ground where hope can be found!
............
My song for the day! :)
I will stand my ground where hope can be found!
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Take two and call me in the morning.
Several weeks ago, a friend of mine confided in me about some heavy burdens she was carrying. Wearied and weighed down, she opened her heavy heart to me. I listened to her sincerely and then told her about a couple of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's talks that had been a great strength to me during my own times of need. (1 & 2) I encouraged her to listen to both of them and jokingly said, "Take two and call me in the morning."
Though my physician reference was just for play, I was serious about the instruction. She did listen to the talks and the next day called to thank me,
"Those were just what I needed!" she said with an audible relief in her tone.
I quickly responded, "Don't thank me. I've been in the very same boat as you and all I did was share some of what got me through. Thank our Father in Heaven that He has these 'glimpses of hope' provided for us during our burdensome journey."
In that same spirit, I feel to share two verses and two songs for any other soul out there who might feel burdened or heavy-hearted:
Here are the two verses:
"I [the Lord] have heard [your] groaning... and I have remembered my covenant."
"Wherefore say unto [you], I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens... and I will rid you out of [the] bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm..." - Exodus 6:6,7
Now here are the two songs... Close your eyes and just listen. I pray this brings a "glimpse of hope!"
I testify that God is very aware of us and hears our every prayer. "He is my strength and my song!"
He will carry us through every difficulty and lead us to green pastures. I know this!
- Alicia :)
Though my physician reference was just for play, I was serious about the instruction. She did listen to the talks and the next day called to thank me,
"Those were just what I needed!" she said with an audible relief in her tone.
I quickly responded, "Don't thank me. I've been in the very same boat as you and all I did was share some of what got me through. Thank our Father in Heaven that He has these 'glimpses of hope' provided for us during our burdensome journey."
...............
In that same spirit, I feel to share two verses and two songs for any other soul out there who might feel burdened or heavy-hearted:
Here are the two verses:
"I [the Lord] have heard [your] groaning... and I have remembered my covenant."
"Wherefore say unto [you], I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens... and I will rid you out of [the] bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm..." - Exodus 6:6,7
Now here are the two songs... Close your eyes and just listen. I pray this brings a "glimpse of hope!"
He will carry us through every difficulty and lead us to green pastures. I know this!
- Alicia :)
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Please don't run away!
As young women leaders in my church we have felt impressed to speak to the girls about the law of chastity. It's a delicate subject to address, mainly because of misunderstanding the "why" of the law and "what" to do if it is broken.
I think my biggest anxiety in lessons like these are for those youth who have been raised in the gospel, taught their whole life what to avoid, what to do and not to do, and who have at one time or another found themselves in a vulnerable situation and gave in. How difficult must it be for them to hear the seriousness of breaking the law of chastity? Do they feel like a lost cause, that there is no more hope for them? Do they feel that they've ruined the story of their life? Do such lessons make them want to hide, to disappear from spiritual things, from the presence of God, or from those who speak in His name? I certainly hope not. I hope and pray in those situations that those youth have had firm foundational teachings in Christ, His redemption, and power to make things right again, to make them completely whole, as if it NEVER happened.
When Adam partook of the forbidden fruit he was ashamed and hid himself. He desperately tried to cover his own nakedness by retreating into the darkness where he "couldn't be seen" by others or himself. He ran away from the light which so painfully reminded him of the choice he had made. How many of God's precious children do the same? I have witnessed this for myself among people I love very dearly. When they mess up, they give up. They feel they've lost their worth. But it's not true, they are still worth more than gold. If they could only see. I want to run and call after them, "Please don't go, all is not lost, there is hope... please whatever you do, don't disappear!"
That's essentially what our Father in Heaven did for Adam and Eve. He called after them, He forgave them, and provided clothing for them so they didn't have to be ashamed of their nakedness anymore, so they could come out freely into the light and out of hiding. The atonement of Jesus Christ not only clothes our nakedness but prepares us for the finest clothing. He wants to adorn us like a bride for her groom. I feel such reverence for this sacred truth! He pleads for us to "come unto Him."
Christ is all about healing, He's all about hope... He is all about love.
I cherish the following scriptures:
"And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him." - Luke 5:12-13
"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said: Lord, how is it done?" - Enos 1:4-7
"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." - John 8:10-11
This is the character of Christ. I don't comprehend how it is all done. But I know that there is nothing I could ever say or do that He can't fix. I know there is nothing that would end His love for me... which makes me adore and reverence Him even more. He has provided a way back, a way for healing, and for wholeness.
I pray for the youth. I hope they understand this. I hope they understand their great and infinite worth. If they have messed up, I pray they won't hide. And I hope the only running they do is in the direction of the Savior.
Because of Him, we can start brand new... this is the first day of the rest of our lives. Do we believe it? Do we believe it not just for ourselves but for all of our brothers and sisters? I do. With all my heart, I do.
-Alicia
I think my biggest anxiety in lessons like these are for those youth who have been raised in the gospel, taught their whole life what to avoid, what to do and not to do, and who have at one time or another found themselves in a vulnerable situation and gave in. How difficult must it be for them to hear the seriousness of breaking the law of chastity? Do they feel like a lost cause, that there is no more hope for them? Do they feel that they've ruined the story of their life? Do such lessons make them want to hide, to disappear from spiritual things, from the presence of God, or from those who speak in His name? I certainly hope not. I hope and pray in those situations that those youth have had firm foundational teachings in Christ, His redemption, and power to make things right again, to make them completely whole, as if it NEVER happened.
When Adam partook of the forbidden fruit he was ashamed and hid himself. He desperately tried to cover his own nakedness by retreating into the darkness where he "couldn't be seen" by others or himself. He ran away from the light which so painfully reminded him of the choice he had made. How many of God's precious children do the same? I have witnessed this for myself among people I love very dearly. When they mess up, they give up. They feel they've lost their worth. But it's not true, they are still worth more than gold. If they could only see. I want to run and call after them, "Please don't go, all is not lost, there is hope... please whatever you do, don't disappear!"
That's essentially what our Father in Heaven did for Adam and Eve. He called after them, He forgave them, and provided clothing for them so they didn't have to be ashamed of their nakedness anymore, so they could come out freely into the light and out of hiding. The atonement of Jesus Christ not only clothes our nakedness but prepares us for the finest clothing. He wants to adorn us like a bride for her groom. I feel such reverence for this sacred truth! He pleads for us to "come unto Him."
Christ is all about healing, He's all about hope... He is all about love.
I cherish the following scriptures:
"And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him." - Luke 5:12-13
"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.
And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said: Lord, how is it done?" - Enos 1:4-7
"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." - John 8:10-11
This is the character of Christ. I don't comprehend how it is all done. But I know that there is nothing I could ever say or do that He can't fix. I know there is nothing that would end His love for me... which makes me adore and reverence Him even more. He has provided a way back, a way for healing, and for wholeness.
I pray for the youth. I hope they understand this. I hope they understand their great and infinite worth. If they have messed up, I pray they won't hide. And I hope the only running they do is in the direction of the Savior.
Because of Him, we can start brand new... this is the first day of the rest of our lives. Do we believe it? Do we believe it not just for ourselves but for all of our brothers and sisters? I do. With all my heart, I do.
-Alicia
Thursday, April 16, 2015
A Wise Investment
One of the biggest lies and falsehoods ever told to man is that you can buy anything in this world with money. But pure love is far richer than pure gold and it cannot be bought, neither can it be sold. Pure love, like precious metals, can be discovered and refined on this earth but not exchanged from hand to hand only from heart to heart. The wise understand the value of this commodity, because the purest love brings the purest joy. It is not found in the stock market but in the investing, the exchanging, and the returning of Eternal bonds among our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our children and grandchildren. The truth is, if you spend your life chasing things that only money can buy: fashion, popularity, pleasures, and praise... you will not only come up empty handed in the end, but empty hearted.
The purest love = sacrifice, especially that of one's self
-Alicia
"A selfless person is one who is more concerned about the happiness and well-being of another than about his or her own convenience or comfort, one who is willing to serve another when it is neither sought for nor appreciated, or one who is willing to serve even those whom he or she dislikes. A selfless person displays a willingness to sacrifice, a willingness to purge from his or her mind and heart personal wants, and needs, and feelings. Instead of reaching for and requiring praise and recognition for himself, or gratification of his or her own wants, the selfless person will meet these very human needs for others. Remember the words of the Savior as he taught his disciples on an occasion when personal recognition was being sought: “But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, … whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45.)
- H. Burke Peterson - Selflessness: A Pattern for Happiness
The purest love = sacrifice, especially that of one's self
-Alicia
"A selfless person is one who is more concerned about the happiness and well-being of another than about his or her own convenience or comfort, one who is willing to serve another when it is neither sought for nor appreciated, or one who is willing to serve even those whom he or she dislikes. A selfless person displays a willingness to sacrifice, a willingness to purge from his or her mind and heart personal wants, and needs, and feelings. Instead of reaching for and requiring praise and recognition for himself, or gratification of his or her own wants, the selfless person will meet these very human needs for others. Remember the words of the Savior as he taught his disciples on an occasion when personal recognition was being sought: “But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, … whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45.)
- H. Burke Peterson - Selflessness: A Pattern for Happiness
Monday, April 13, 2015
The Greatest of These is Love
"It don't take money and it don't take fame
don't need no credit card to ride this train
Tougher than diamonds and stronger than steel
you won't feel nothin' till you feel
you feel the power, just the power of love
that's the power of love"
- Huey Lewis & The News
Well there you have it ladies and gentlemen, one of the most profound truths embedded within the movie score of a 1980's teenage-time-travel saga. Who knew? This song is definitely a hit in my book but I doubt Brother Lewis and his news crew intended to make any Bible references when they wrote it. So, I'll help them out with that. ;)
Amazingly enough, what most of the world describes as the "power of love" is just a drop in the ocean. It hardly scratches the surface, especially when we are talking about God's love. President Uctdorf said, "Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount—that is the measure of God’s love for you."
Such love is hard for me to fathom because the "purest, most all-consuming" kind I have experienced in my life is already breathtaking and overwhelming. I am certain that I would not be able to stand in Christ's presence were I to see Him today. I do not doubt that being near Him, I would lose all physical strength within me and I would fall at His feet, His beautiful feet. Perhaps that is why the people in Lehi's dream "fell down" when they partook of the fruit of the Tree of Life.
Associated directly with this love is "joy" as the angel describes to Nephi, "Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! .. it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things... Yea, and the most joyous to the soul." - 1 Nephi 11:22-23
When I think of joy, I think of the sun and the warmth of its rays on my face. You know that feeling when you are out in the fresh open air, when the light of the morning breaks over the horizon... You cannot help but close your eyes and soak in every stream of warmth and radiance. There flows in you a sensation of new energy and that energy fills every part of your being. It puts a spring in your step, an excitement for life, and you begin to feel that light of the sun bursting through you. It's incredible!
We do not keep these glimpses of Heaven to ourselves. They are meant to be shared. When we come to understand "the power of God's love" so deep that it changes our heart, our very nature, there does not need to be any command to share it because it will happen so naturally. We cannot restrain ourselves from doing this because it is in "the sharing" that the joy becomes magnified and infinitely limitless. In return we feel a greater measure of His love and thus it propels us to grow "brighter and brighter until the perfect day."
Yes, "What the world needs now, is love, sweet love... it's the only thing that there's much too little of." But Jackie DeShannon, I don't think there's "much too little" of it, I just think most people don't know where to find it. And how do we help them find it? We feast on the sweet Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here pure love infuses joy, and pure joy creates light... enabling us to SHINE! This is how we help others discover it... Shine so everyone can see what they so desperately need, shine so they can find the Tree for themselves and partake. There is plenty to go around.
In the entire world there is nothing that is greater. Yet one of the biggest lies ever told is that "you can buy anything in this world with money." I refute that lie with this truth: Love "don't take money, it don't take fame, don't need no credit card to ride this train." And Mr. Lewis...It's not that it "might just save your life", it IS LIFE and it's the ONLY way to save ours. It has saved mine.
"Love.. ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk.
When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden." - Dieter F. Uchtdorf "The Love of God"
-Alicia
-Alicia
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Grateful for Grace
I'll be the first to admit I am among the weakest of the weak. I don't say this to belittle myself, I just say it as a fact... the Lord knows it. I love this series of books I've been reading by David A. Bednar. He speaks a lot about the enabling power of Grace. I have a testimony of God's love and grace for me. I am even grateful that I have weaknesses, that I have difficult times, and desperate pleas that bring me to my knees. It is in these moments I dig deeper into my faith, I depend more on my Savior, and strive harder to anchor my heart to Him. He has never failed me, never left my side, He is my truest Friend.
By, Alicia Rawlins 2009
"I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." - Alma 26:12
Feeling Grace
"Warm rays of
sunlight stream down upon me and dance across my face.
Darkness is dispelled as
the morning breaks.
I breathe in the crisp
refreshing air that follows a summer rain.
I smile.
I breathe deep again.
I feel blessed, I feel free.
I feel blessed, I feel free.
I am home.
A new day has arrived,
I am rested and renewed.
Hope is alive,
It pulses through my
veins.
There is nothing I fear,
I am safe here.
I am safe here.
And it's only the
beginning..."
By, Alicia Rawlins 2009
Your Grace Finds Me
It’s there in the newborn cry
There in the light of every sunrise
There in the shadows of this life
Your great grace
It’s there on the mountain top
There in the everyday and the mundane
There in the sorrow and the dancing
Your great grace
Oh such grace
It’s there on a wedding day
There in the weeping by the graveside
There in the very breath we breathe
Your great grace
The same for the rich and poor
The same for the saint and for the sinner
Enough for this whole wide world
Your great grace
Oh such grace
There in the darkest night of the soul
There in the sweetest songs of victory
Your grace finds me
Yes your grace finds me
So I’m breathing in Your grace
And breathing out Your praise
I’m breathing in Your grace
Forever I’ll be
Breathing in Your grace
And breathing out Your praise
Your grace finds me
Yes Your grace finds me
by, Matt Redman
-Alicia
Saturday, April 4, 2015
"Sweet Above All That Is Sweet"
It's the most wonderful time of the year!! I love to hear the words of the Living Prophets. I am deeply grateful to have their counsel in my life. I know they have been called of God. If you haven't experienced the joy that comes from applying and acting in true doctrine, I invite you to come and see, come and feel, and come and know! It's beautiful!
I look forward to a Spirit-filled weekend this wonderful Easter with LDS General Conference. The word of God is "sweet above all that is sweet!"
"But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst." -Alma 32: 41,42
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
2015 - 20th Anniversary
This is the year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Proclamation to the World about the family. Interestingly, it is also the year that the UN celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform.
The first document to the world describes our Divine identity as women, and the beautiful role we play in our families. The second document sees motherhood in a negative light and seeks to dismantle our role in the family.
"In the preliminary document for the Beijing +5 Conference in 2000, one of the stated obstacles to human rights (translation: abortion on demand and same-sex marriage) was the "...persistence of traditional and stereotypical attitudes."
In the section on Woman and the Media, there was language stating opposition to the 'negative images of women; and stereotyped portrayals;' (translation: mothers). The women at this conference were urged to target journalists and media specialists, media associations, educational and training institutions to promote balanced and non-stereotyped portrayals of women." - Susan Roylance (Mothers & Fathers Defending Marriage and Family in the Halls of the U.N.)
Simply stated in "UN Beijing platform language" - "motherhood" and "traditional family" are bad words and damaging stereotypes and must be done away.
"In the gathering storm over defending marriage, the weather-vane pointing to our future is oscillating wildly. Our destiny as a society will depend on whether we can protect our most fundamental social institution: marriage and the family. As citizens of a democratic republic, we need not be at the mercy of judicial winds. We can control our destiny!" - Richard G. Wilkins (Author of 'A Sacred Duty')
So how do we defend our most fundamental institution? The answer is simple. We start in our own homes. We seek to do all we can to strengthen our marriage and our relationships with our children, to build our home on a foundation of faith and trust in God. We embrace the complimentary unique and different roles of husband and wife. We always work with and for each other and never against. We strive to practice patience, kind words that build and uplift, habits that nurture and invite the Spirit. We must be vigilant in safeguarding and monitoring closely the amount and content of media diet being fed to our minds and our family. Wise mothers and fathers do not allow the rivers of filthy water to flow through the airwaves of their home. They constantly ask themselves, "what is being taught" and "how is it being received". Wise mothers and fathers seek the Spirit of the Lord in all they do through constant daily prayer and scripture study.
The Prophet Joseph Smith appeared to Brigham Young in a vision and said, "Tell the people to be humble and faithful and sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren [and sisters] to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren [and sisters] if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right."
Malachi teaches about turning our hearts to our fathers and the most important Father we should turn to is our Heavenly One. We are His children and His heart has been turned to us from the very beginning. He loves us with an immeasurable and powerful love! "We love Him because He first loved us." As we rightfully make Him first in our lives, everything else will fall into its proper place. I know this. I trust this with my whole soul!
The Family Proclamation declares this irrefutable truth, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
The solutions of the world are not found in the works of the flesh, in the intellects, the philosophers, and talking heads. Show me a person who has innumerable followers, popularity, high accolades, degrees and doctorates, scholarly knowledge, who has read all the books and passed all the tests but who has never learned to care for their family, never learned to recognize and act upon the Spirit, never learned to reach beyond their obsession of self to sincerely love their neighbor, who has never learned to truly love and truly serve - and you've shown me a fool, indeed.
The Kingdom of God will crush the Kingdoms of the earth in a way that those who only see by the flesh won't be able to understand because they will not open their eyes. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands means "without the flesh"... it will be by the power of the Spirit! Those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that understand will not faint but with hope will listen to "the distant triumph song."
-Alicia
The first document to the world describes our Divine identity as women, and the beautiful role we play in our families. The second document sees motherhood in a negative light and seeks to dismantle our role in the family.
"In the preliminary document for the Beijing +5 Conference in 2000, one of the stated obstacles to human rights (translation: abortion on demand and same-sex marriage) was the "...persistence of traditional and stereotypical attitudes."
In the section on Woman and the Media, there was language stating opposition to the 'negative images of women; and stereotyped portrayals;' (translation: mothers). The women at this conference were urged to target journalists and media specialists, media associations, educational and training institutions to promote balanced and non-stereotyped portrayals of women." - Susan Roylance (Mothers & Fathers Defending Marriage and Family in the Halls of the U.N.)
Simply stated in "UN Beijing platform language" - "motherhood" and "traditional family" are bad words and damaging stereotypes and must be done away.
"In the gathering storm over defending marriage, the weather-vane pointing to our future is oscillating wildly. Our destiny as a society will depend on whether we can protect our most fundamental social institution: marriage and the family. As citizens of a democratic republic, we need not be at the mercy of judicial winds. We can control our destiny!" - Richard G. Wilkins (Author of 'A Sacred Duty')
So how do we defend our most fundamental institution? The answer is simple. We start in our own homes. We seek to do all we can to strengthen our marriage and our relationships with our children, to build our home on a foundation of faith and trust in God. We embrace the complimentary unique and different roles of husband and wife. We always work with and for each other and never against. We strive to practice patience, kind words that build and uplift, habits that nurture and invite the Spirit. We must be vigilant in safeguarding and monitoring closely the amount and content of media diet being fed to our minds and our family. Wise mothers and fathers do not allow the rivers of filthy water to flow through the airwaves of their home. They constantly ask themselves, "what is being taught" and "how is it being received". Wise mothers and fathers seek the Spirit of the Lord in all they do through constant daily prayer and scripture study.
The Prophet Joseph Smith appeared to Brigham Young in a vision and said, "Tell the people to be humble and faithful and sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren [and sisters] to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren [and sisters] if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right."
Malachi teaches about turning our hearts to our fathers and the most important Father we should turn to is our Heavenly One. We are His children and His heart has been turned to us from the very beginning. He loves us with an immeasurable and powerful love! "We love Him because He first loved us." As we rightfully make Him first in our lives, everything else will fall into its proper place. I know this. I trust this with my whole soul!
The Family Proclamation declares this irrefutable truth, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
The solutions of the world are not found in the works of the flesh, in the intellects, the philosophers, and talking heads. Show me a person who has innumerable followers, popularity, high accolades, degrees and doctorates, scholarly knowledge, who has read all the books and passed all the tests but who has never learned to care for their family, never learned to recognize and act upon the Spirit, never learned to reach beyond their obsession of self to sincerely love their neighbor, who has never learned to truly love and truly serve - and you've shown me a fool, indeed.
The Kingdom of God will crush the Kingdoms of the earth in a way that those who only see by the flesh won't be able to understand because they will not open their eyes. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands means "without the flesh"... it will be by the power of the Spirit! Those who have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that understand will not faint but with hope will listen to "the distant triumph song."
-Alicia
Sunday, February 22, 2015
The Tree of Life / The Love of God
I've been thinking a lot about this part of The Living Christ.
"Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts."
What are the "desires of our hearts"?
In the Thesaurus, I find it interesting that "desires" is also tied with "appetites and passions". So the phrase from The Living Christ to be expounded a little bit more could say, "each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires [appetites and passions] of our hearts."
What is it that we are passionate about?
What is it that we are hungry for?
What is our motivation?
The Savior was passionate about building the Kingdom of God, He was hungry for instruction from His Father, He was motivated by the purest love. And because His motives were of the purest kind, it naturally followed that He willingly stayed within the bounds His Father had set, it naturally followed that He was obedient to whatever the will of the Father was for Him.
All of these thoughts go right along with a talk I gave a while ago. I found that I had a copy of it, so I've pasted it here.
Most of us are familiar with Lehi’s vision of the tree of life, you know the one… the iron rod, the midst of darkness, the field, and the great and spacious building:
I love 1Nephi 11 where Nephi desires to know the meaning of his father, Lehi’s dream. As he was praying and pondering in his heart the Spirit of the Lord comes to him. And he asks Nephi “What desirest thou?” Nephi says, “to know the meaning of the dream my father had.”
(Notice right after he says this, the spirit immediately turns Nephi’s focus to the tree of life by asking him, “do you believe that your father saw the tree?” Nephi says yes, that he believes.)
Then, Nephi sees in vision this glorious, most beautiful tree with the fruit thereof most desirable. And the Spirit of the Lord asks him again, “What desirest thou?” He says, “To know the interpretation thereof.”
He is then shown a vision of Mary, the mother of Christ, holding in her arms the infant Son of God, the Savior of the world. The Spirit of the Lord asks him a vital question, “Knowest thou the condescension of God ?”
Do we know the condescension of God? Do we know Who He is and realize the magnitude of His choice to “descend below all things”?
Listen to these two descriptions of the Savior:
Under the direction of the Father, He is the very Creator of the Heavens and the earth!!! “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made.” (John 1:3) The tree in Lehi’s dream is described as "exceeding all beauty, most precious above all, most desirable!” He is all-powerful, all-knowing, "the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," The Savior or the world. -Isaiah 9:6
Now listen to the first couple of verses in Isaiah 53- and this description of how many of the people would view Him. (I’m paraphrasing)
“a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. looked down on and passed over, not worth our time or attention”. He was viewed as inferior, lower, less than, spit upon, despised, rejected and hated. - Isaiah 53:2-3
Wait a minute?
We’re talking about the same person here?
What happened? How could one so perfect, so amazing, so Mighty be viewed as one so inferior, hated and rejected?
The answer is "The people were blinded."
By what? What was it that was blinding them?
1 Nephi 13:8 & 9, Mormon 8:38, 39 – tell us the cause of their visual impairment….both of these references say, ”for the praise of the world.” Their desires all stemmed from selfishness. All they cared about was "getting glory for themselves".
Yes, sometimes the limelight isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be… sometimes the limelight can be blinding.
Twice, this past Sunday, I heard reference to a story called “The Mansion”, a story about a man and his downfall because he sought all his life for the honor and praise of the world. Whether we are rich or poor, we must beware of valuing and centering our lives around the honors, the praise and approval of mankind …. For in doing so, we may be blinded and overlook the Divine, even the very
Savior of the world.
Now I go back to the question, “knowest thou the condescension of God?”
Condescension means = Voluntary descent from rank, voluntary descent from dignity. Letting go of deserved honors; submission to inferiors in granting requests, or performing acts which strict justice does not require.
So often all that is hailed, applauded, awarded or paraded in accolades or accomplishments is NOT where we will find true greatness. It is found in the depths of the heart. Remember: "he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matt 23:11)
I ask the question then “why?” Why would one so glorious and noble, worthy of all praise, willingly, voluntarily relinquish His throne and descend to the sphere of man? He’s the creator of the earth, the Lord and Savior of us all, the King of Kings… shouldn't He have been the most loved, the most recognized, appreciated, praised, revered and admired? YES, but He wasn’t and, sadly, He isn’t… and knew He wouldn’t be… because that wasn’t His motive. His motive never has been about “what He deserves or recognition.” His motive was LOVE, sincere pure love for God our Father, and love for us!
Brothers and sisters, behold the condescension of God:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)
"And he [went] forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he [took] upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he [took] him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)
And He did all this without any thought for Himself!…. Why? Because , “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 1 Corinthians 13:4
Brothers and Sisters, there really is no need to draw attention to ourselves. We are God’s children! We have His full attention! We are already loved and already noticed.. I testify that the Lord of Heaven and Earth, knows all, is above all, and sees all! And Who is greater than the Lord? I witness to you that there is none that is greater!
I testify that as we “lose ourselves”, as we take our focus off of ourselves and instead focus on Christ, focus on His words in the scriptures and through living Prophets, focus on our Savior’s example of love, our eyes will be opened! We will be free from the anxiety that accompanies pride, the concern of what others think of us, the pride that blinds us. When we put the Lord first, where He deserves to be, and sincerely reach out to all others as the Savior did, without "rustling for recognition"* or praise, but because of the pure love of Christ flowing through us, then we will have eyes to see… it is here we will find true satisfaction, fulfillment, and lasting joy.
This is the Spirit of Christmas…. The Spirit of Christ! Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
……
*From a talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell entitled, “The Pathway of Dicipleship” 1998 BYU Education Week – “Be grateful, therefore, for the gospel’s emphasis on meekness. Be careful of the natural man’s milder expressions—craving for credit and rustling for recognition. Alas, so often the hearts and even the moral agency of others can be crushed in the search for self-glorification.”
"Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts."
What are the "desires of our hearts"?
In the Thesaurus, I find it interesting that "desires" is also tied with "appetites and passions". So the phrase from The Living Christ to be expounded a little bit more could say, "each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires [appetites and passions] of our hearts."
What is it that we are passionate about?
What is it that we are hungry for?
What is our motivation?
The Savior was passionate about building the Kingdom of God, He was hungry for instruction from His Father, He was motivated by the purest love. And because His motives were of the purest kind, it naturally followed that He willingly stayed within the bounds His Father had set, it naturally followed that He was obedient to whatever the will of the Father was for Him.
All of these thoughts go right along with a talk I gave a while ago. I found that I had a copy of it, so I've pasted it here.
.....................
(Copy of a talk I originally gave in church on Dec. 22nd, 2013)
The Tree of Life / The Love of God
I love 1Nephi 11 where Nephi desires to know the meaning of his father, Lehi’s dream. As he was praying and pondering in his heart the Spirit of the Lord comes to him. And he asks Nephi “What desirest thou?” Nephi says, “to know the meaning of the dream my father had.”
(Notice right after he says this, the spirit immediately turns Nephi’s focus to the tree of life by asking him, “do you believe that your father saw the tree?” Nephi says yes, that he believes.)
Then, Nephi sees in vision this glorious, most beautiful tree with the fruit thereof most desirable. And the Spirit of the Lord asks him again, “What desirest thou?” He says, “To know the interpretation thereof.”
He is then shown a vision of Mary, the mother of Christ, holding in her arms the infant Son of God, the Savior of the world. The Spirit of the Lord asks him a vital question, “Knowest thou the condescension of God ?”
Do we know the condescension of God? Do we know Who He is and realize the magnitude of His choice to “descend below all things”?
Listen to these two descriptions of the Savior:
Under the direction of the Father, He is the very Creator of the Heavens and the earth!!! “All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made.” (John 1:3) The tree in Lehi’s dream is described as "exceeding all beauty, most precious above all, most desirable!” He is all-powerful, all-knowing, "the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace," The Savior or the world. -Isaiah 9:6
Now listen to the first couple of verses in Isaiah 53- and this description of how many of the people would view Him. (I’m paraphrasing)
“a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. looked down on and passed over, not worth our time or attention”. He was viewed as inferior, lower, less than, spit upon, despised, rejected and hated. - Isaiah 53:2-3
Wait a minute?
We’re talking about the same person here?
What happened? How could one so perfect, so amazing, so Mighty be viewed as one so inferior, hated and rejected?
The answer is "The people were blinded."
By what? What was it that was blinding them?
1 Nephi 13:8 & 9, Mormon 8:38, 39 – tell us the cause of their visual impairment….both of these references say, ”for the praise of the world.” Their desires all stemmed from selfishness. All they cared about was "getting glory for themselves".
Yes, sometimes the limelight isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be… sometimes the limelight can be blinding.
Twice, this past Sunday, I heard reference to a story called “The Mansion”, a story about a man and his downfall because he sought all his life for the honor and praise of the world. Whether we are rich or poor, we must beware of valuing and centering our lives around the honors, the praise and approval of mankind …. For in doing so, we may be blinded and overlook the Divine, even the very
Savior of the world.
Now I go back to the question, “knowest thou the condescension of God?”
Condescension means = Voluntary descent from rank, voluntary descent from dignity. Letting go of deserved honors; submission to inferiors in granting requests, or performing acts which strict justice does not require.
So often all that is hailed, applauded, awarded or paraded in accolades or accomplishments is NOT where we will find true greatness. It is found in the depths of the heart. Remember: "he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matt 23:11)
I ask the question then “why?” Why would one so glorious and noble, worthy of all praise, willingly, voluntarily relinquish His throne and descend to the sphere of man? He’s the creator of the earth, the Lord and Savior of us all, the King of Kings… shouldn't He have been the most loved, the most recognized, appreciated, praised, revered and admired? YES, but He wasn’t and, sadly, He isn’t… and knew He wouldn’t be… because that wasn’t His motive. His motive never has been about “what He deserves or recognition.” His motive was LOVE, sincere pure love for God our Father, and love for us!
Brothers and sisters, behold the condescension of God:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:4-6)
"And he [went] forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
And he [took] upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he [took] him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12)
And He did all this without any thought for Himself!…. Why? Because , “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,” 1 Corinthians 13:4
Brothers and Sisters, there really is no need to draw attention to ourselves. We are God’s children! We have His full attention! We are already loved and already noticed.. I testify that the Lord of Heaven and Earth, knows all, is above all, and sees all! And Who is greater than the Lord? I witness to you that there is none that is greater!
I testify that as we “lose ourselves”, as we take our focus off of ourselves and instead focus on Christ, focus on His words in the scriptures and through living Prophets, focus on our Savior’s example of love, our eyes will be opened! We will be free from the anxiety that accompanies pride, the concern of what others think of us, the pride that blinds us. When we put the Lord first, where He deserves to be, and sincerely reach out to all others as the Savior did, without "rustling for recognition"* or praise, but because of the pure love of Christ flowing through us, then we will have eyes to see… it is here we will find true satisfaction, fulfillment, and lasting joy.
This is the Spirit of Christmas…. The Spirit of Christ! Of this I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.
……
*From a talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell entitled, “The Pathway of Dicipleship” 1998 BYU Education Week – “Be grateful, therefore, for the gospel’s emphasis on meekness. Be careful of the natural man’s milder expressions—craving for credit and rustling for recognition. Alas, so often the hearts and even the moral agency of others can be crushed in the search for self-glorification.”
Monday, February 9, 2015
Come What May
"I used to complain that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." This is an old Indian Proverb that I love to repeat in my mind whenever I start to focus on what is missing in my life.
There is always someone who has struggles far worse than my own. I have discovered, the greatest cure for sorrow in my heart is to look for someone who is in a worse situation and help them. In doing so, I am able to forget about myself. And oh, how I need to forget about myself more! I came into this world with nothing, so the smallest things are truly blessings and gifts that I am undeserving of. Besides, I have my Savior, I have His true Gospel... with this alone. I hold a treasure far beyond any price and I am deeply humbled to thank my Father in Heaven all my days for it.
The following are quotes from a man who truly understood what gratitude was because he lived it to the fullest. I love Elder Wirthlin! He inspires me to be more humble and to gratefully receive whatever the Lord sees fit to allot unto me.
"Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you."
Learn to Laugh
"The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."
Seek for the Eternal
"Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others....Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome."
The Principle of Compensation
"The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."
Trust in the Father and the Son
"He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong... The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him"
"Come What May, and Love It:" Address Given by Elder Wirthlin at October 2008 General Conference
There is always someone who has struggles far worse than my own. I have discovered, the greatest cure for sorrow in my heart is to look for someone who is in a worse situation and help them. In doing so, I am able to forget about myself. And oh, how I need to forget about myself more! I came into this world with nothing, so the smallest things are truly blessings and gifts that I am undeserving of. Besides, I have my Savior, I have His true Gospel... with this alone. I hold a treasure far beyond any price and I am deeply humbled to thank my Father in Heaven all my days for it.
The following are quotes from a man who truly understood what gratitude was because he lived it to the fullest. I love Elder Wirthlin! He inspires me to be more humble and to gratefully receive whatever the Lord sees fit to allot unto me.
...................
"Come What May, and Love It:"
Address Given by Elder Wirthlin at October 2008 General Conference
"Over the years I have learned a few things that have helped me through times of testing and trial. I would like to share them with you."
Learn to Laugh
"The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable."
Seek for the Eternal
"Because Jesus Christ suffered greatly, He understands our suffering. He understands our grief. We experience hard things so that we too may have increased compassion and understanding for others....Sometimes the very moments that seem to overcome us with suffering are those that will ultimately suffer us to overcome."
The Principle of Compensation
"The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way. While it may not come at the time we desire, the faithful will know that every tear today will eventually be returned a hundredfold with tears of rejoicing and gratitude."
Trust in the Father and the Son
"He who descended below all things will come to our aid. He will comfort and uphold us. He will strengthen us in our weakness and fortify us in our distress. He will make weak things become strong... The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him"
"Come What May, and Love It:" Address Given by Elder Wirthlin at October 2008 General Conference
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