Ebenezer

"Here I raise my Ebenezer
Hither by thine help I'm come
And I hope by thy good measure
Safely to a arrive at  home
Jesus sought me when a stranger
Wandering from the fold of God
He to rescue me from danger
Interposed His precious blood"

Come Thou Fount is a beautiful song.
Within the last two months I have been able to sing it twice.
Once in a small group of three and second with a large group of 1,200+.
The last time I sang it was for a youth conference.
We walked in holding flags and lifted them when we started this verse.
The feeling in that moment was so powerful.
We were lifting a flag for an auditorium full of people but
symbolically we were lifting our faith to our God.
Saying "Here here is my offering. Although small it is all I have."
God in return responded with a powerful feeling of acceptance and love.
The Spirit was so strong and through the tears of the missionaries
surrounding me I know they felt it as well.
The offerings and sacrifices we give to the Lord have value.
It may be standing for your faith in a crowd of people or it can
simply be closing your computer screen.
I can promise you when you lift your faith from whatever level it may
be you will experience that same feeling of acceptance and love.

"He to rescue me from danger
interposed his precious blood."

Car Accidents and Seat Belts

This week I learned that crazy things happen and if we look with
spiritual eyes we can see why.

Car accidents are no fun.
They are especially no fun when driving 65 mph down the Interstate.
It was April 2011 and I was driving to work in my little Honda Civic.
For reasons unknown to me 

(no other car involved, no blown tire, no
blasting music, and no ice) 

I lost control.
After hitting the dividing wall my car turned, hitting the wall a few
more times...
This little car was now a ball of metal.
When the ambulance came they said it was a miracle I wasn't more
seriously injured.

I know my life was saved because I was wearing my seat belt.

In the months and year that passed I was vividly aware of my lack of car.
Walking and taking the bus in the heat and snow was hard and I often
wondered, "why?"

Fast forward to this week.
I am sitting in a room and I volunteer for some missionaries to teach me.
The subject was fasting.
In this meeting I was honest with them and I told them what I knew
about fasting.
I let them know that I didn't understand what fasting was to me.
The reason I would fast was because I believed and hoped it was
something good to do, but that was as far as my
knowledge/understanding went.

Then the missionary took what I said and bore his own testimony of fasting.
He compared fasting to "fastening" a seat belt to keep us secure and safe.
Tears started to form in my eyes, and I remembered that ugly mangled
mess of a car.

It was only because I had my seat belt on that I survived.

Prayer, with the added protection of fasting, is the seat belt needed
for our soul.
It is there to protect us from the spiritual car accidents we may face.
Fasting is humbly turning to God and asking Him for help,
understanding, direction, protection, etc.
Fasting can be giving up two meals to 24 hours of your food and water
and turning to God in prayer.
When we fast we always start and end with a prayer so we have a purpose.
We ask for what we need and we don't let the world know.
Fasting is just between you and God.
And I now know it saves lives if not physically then definitely spiritually.

"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of
wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go
free, and that ye break every yoke?

Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before
thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.

Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and
he shall say, Here I am."
Isaiah 58:6,8-9

The Letters

When I was a junior in high school my face broke.
It was something called Bell's palsy 

(some sort of partial paralysis.)
This illness came on so sudden, the school play I was in had to be
canceled that night...
There I was at home devastated with my life long best friend at my side.
Then they came.. The Letters.
Although I wasn't at the school, my fellow friends and cast members were.
They all wrote me encouraging letters of love and support.
My friend read them to me and I cried.
I was hurt, yet the love I felt that night was overwhelming.
Fast forward a few years and I found myself going through a different
kind of pain.
I was at home, hurt, and The Letters came.
This time from a group of sweet young women.
I felt their love and I cried.
Again I wasn't alone.
Fast forward a few MORE years.
I'm a missionary feeling pain, grief, and loss again.
Although not as prominent as my first two experiences, my hurt felt
just as real.
And then they came.
All bundled together so I couldn't mistake it... The Letters.
This time from my home congregation in Texas.
As I read of their love, condolences, and support, I cried.
I know these three tender moments were not by chance.
I know these Letters might as well have been written by God himself
with the amount of love, reassurance, and consistency they bring me.
I know I am His daughter.
I know he is aware of not only me, but all my grief and pain in
whatever form it may be.
One way I know this is through His Letters.
God sends us letters every day.
Do we recognize his handwriting?

"Everyone’s situation is different, and the details of each life are
unique. Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that
would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives. There is
one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious.

We can be grateful!

It might sound contrary to the wisdom of the world to suggest that one
who is burdened with sorrow should give thanks to God. But those who
set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of
gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace, and
understanding....

.....We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our
problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much
of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God
that there is rain?

Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased
with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we
look beyond our present-day challenges.

This is not a gratitude of the lips but of the soul. It is a gratitude
that heals the heart and expands the mind."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf
 (Grateful in Any Circumstances)

Lessons I have learned because my mission is hard...

Lessons I have learned because my mission is hard...
Having courage is worth it.
Loving people is always the best choice.
It's ok to have a rough day.
Only Christ can make the pain go away.
Being perfect is overrated.
People will always have their agency.
Giving up isn't an option.
Growth comes from moving forward.
It's ok to work by hope, faith will come.
Faith turns to indescribable knowledge.
The joy of getting through is only a stepping stone for next time.
Come what may and love it. (At least try to)
The blessings that have come are better than I dreamed they could be.
Being grateful makes all the difference.
Failure happens. Shake it off and try again.
There are Angels there to help. Always.

Someday when I understand. When I am standing before my God and I see
the big picture. I know I will thank him for what he did. I know I
will thank him for loving me enough to let me go through hard things.

 "Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and
stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of
Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea,
even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which
sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

 (Helaman 3: 35)

Friendly Polish Dumplings

Walking down the street,
We see a cute old man mowing his yard.
He pushes a huge rock out of the way with the mower.
Smiling, we sincerely ask if he needs help.
He yells in a thick polish accent
"Take it and put it in Someone else's lawn!!"
We laugh and brainstorm what we can do with the awkwardly placed throw
pillow sized rock.
Soon this man realized we were missionaries and he started sharing
miracle stories from around the world.
We asked him if he had seen any miracles in his own life.
In broken English he shared an experience on how his heart was healed.
The spirit with us on that sidewalk was so tender and sweet.
When we were done talking he offered us a frozen dinner which we
gladly accepted.
We walked away with frozen dumplings and a new friend.
That day I was grateful for the annoying rock in that mans way.
Because of that stumbling block there was an opportunity for a new
friendship, for offered help, and a tender moment with the spirit.
Have you seen your stumbling blocks create tender moments?
If not, look back and see. You never know what friendships and
spiritual moments you might find.

Matthew 25:40

" And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

(ye have done it unto me)

Trees Need to Grow

Sometimes I can be extremely stubborn.

And yet, life moves on.

This week I was frustrated..

My life was NOT what I had expected it to be.

We were walking down the street and I noticed all these blossoms and peddles on the ground.  

I looked up at these big fluffy pink trees

(which were bare only a few weeks ago.

Now their beautiful flowers were falling!

I could picture myself as the tree yelling at the sky

"Why would you make my beautiful blossoms  fall !??!

I love them just the way they are.

Don't you realize how much work it took me to grow these?

Why would you make me start all over again with ugly leaves?

Why do I have to put in more effort to bear fruit?

Can't my blossoms be enough?"

I was stomping my feet and fuming that these trees had to change.

That I had to change.

When I was a child I did Not like the growing pains in my feet and legs.

I am no different now.

Although I am stubborn I know if I neglect the fact tht seasons come and go.

That trees need to grow,

Leaves catch the sun,

and fruit is one of my favorite things.

Flowers are a good start but Big trees are far more beautiful than little ones.

Sigh.. Ready set go.

Grow!

(Will of God)

Alma 32: 38-43

" But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

 39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

 40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

 41 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.

 42 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.

 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you."

 

Bunny Rabbits and Rocky Roads

This part of Washington has a ton of bunny rabbits running around.
Look out the window - rabbit
Driving down the road - rabbit
Walking up the hill - rabbit
Seeing all these bunnies reminded me of a road trip from my teenage years.
It was late at night and we were the only car on the highway.
Our headlights showed the display of wild rabbits ahead.
There seemed to be two kinds of rabbits.
One who would bolt form one side of the road to the other.
Unwavering speed and making it safely across.
The other sadly would start out strong only to turn half way across the road.
Thus not escaping before our car reached its path.
Thud.
This went on for what seemed like hours.
One day after we reached the camp we decided to fish further up the mountain.
To get to this spot their was a steep rocky road we had to drive up.
As we started up the rocks began to move under our wheels.
Their was again only two options.
Let up and not make it to the top.
Or keep the foot on the gas have unwavering determination despite
all the falling rocks.
Both of these experiences were etched into my brain.
I cried for the lost bunnies
And I pleaded for my own safety on that rocky hill.
 Through this I learned not to let up or give up.
When we keep our vision centered on Christ no oncoming traffic or
falling rocks can capture us. Decide now before you even cross the
road that you will make it to the other side. Decide now not to let up
on the gas fueling your faith in Christ. Faith in our Savior is what
leads us to safety and protects us from being just another "thud" on
this road called life.

Alma 26:27

" Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success."

(This is the view from beyond the rocky hill)