I, Nephi: Scripture Study Part 1

Gratitude

Today I'd just like to tell you how

grateful I am for the scriptures

and other words of the prophets.

I know that as we take 

time to read and study

them daily that we can learn

and grow and find answers

to any questions we may have!

The Word and On My Heart

My first pen almost made it all the way through 1 Nephi!

If you've been following me here for a while,

you probably remember back this spring

when I decided that I was going to do 

something a little different in

my study of the scriptures.

I had gotten stuck in my studies

because I was feeling like it had to 

look a certain way, but I made the 

choice to do something that felt

like it would work for me.

I decided to copy down the

Book of Mormon as I read it.

I also used this study guide,

which I've loved!

So my typical study session

would start with me copying down 

verses or chapters of scripture

that went together in the study guide.

Then I would study that section of scripture

and fill out/doodle about what I was learning.

It has been a very slow process,

but I have learned so much!

Also, I've read the Book of Mormon

many times throughout my life.

This time I felt like I got so

much more out of my studies.

I'm just getting started with 2 Nephi,

and I'd like to share with you

three things I learned/was reminded of

while doing my study of 1 Nephi.

First:

1 Nephi 3:7

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi,

said unto my father: I will go and 

do the things which the Lord hath

commanded, for I know that he

given no commandments unto

the children of men, save he

shall prepare a way for them

that they may accomplish the

thing which he commandeth them."

This scripture is probably one of the

most known scriptures in 

the Church of Jesus Christ of 

Latter-day Saints.

I've read it and memorized it

many, many times,

but somehow I don't remember

something very interesting

in 1 Nephi.

Nephi actually says in many other

verses that if the Lord gives us

a commandment He'll have

a way prepared for us to 

accomplish it.

Thinking back on my life,

I know that I've definitely 

experienced this.

Sometimes what I was being asked

to do was not easy.

Sometimes I didn't know how 

I was going to do it.

But I chose to press on and

trust that Heavenly Father had

a way for me to accomplish it.

In the end I think one of the

biggest things I learned was

that it wasn't usually about 

what I accomplished in the

end; it was about what I learned

in the doing of it.

It's about the journey,

not necessarily about

where I was going.

Second:

1 Nephi 15:11

"Do ye not remember the things

which the Lord hath said?--If

ye will not harden your hearts,

and ask me in faith, believing

that ye shall receive, with

diligence in keeping my 

commandments, surely these

things shall be made known unto you."

Have you ever been like me

and wanted answers, but

got tired of asking and not

getting answers?

I hope I'm not the only one.

I loved this verse of scripture

because it gave me a formula

for receiving answers from the Lord:

Faith+Believe+Diligence=Answers

Diligence in keeping the commandments is

a huge part of receiving answers!

Back in the days of stage coaches

there was a stage coach named Diligence.

It was a high speed non-stopping coach.

Diligence is constant and earnest effort

to accomplish something.

Sometimes while waiting for answers

I get impatient and forget to be diligent.

But when I return to being constant and

earnest and NON-STOPPING

in keeping the commandments,

I receive the answers that I'm looking for

or I realize that the answers have come,

just not in the way I expected the to come.

Third:

1 Nephi 16:28-29

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi,

beheld the pointers which were

in the ball, that they did work according

to the faith and diligence and

 heed which we did give unto them.

And there was also written upon 

them a new writing, which was 

plain to be read, which did give us 

understanding concerning the ways 

of the Lord; and it was written 

and changed from time to time, 

 according to the faith and diligence 

and heed which we gave unto it.  

And thus we see that by small means 

the Lord can bring about great things."

I love this last scripture for so many reasons!

First we get another formula for receiving answers:

Faith+Diligence+Heed=Answers from Our Liahonas

First I believe that we each have

different although similar things

that are our personal Liahonas.

They are the things that point

us where the Lord would like us

to go and things that teach 

us of the Lord's ways and commandments.

Some of my own personal Liahonas are

-my scriptures

-my Patriarchal Blessing

-Prophets and Apostles

-General Conference

-Priesthood leaders

-Church leaders and teachers

-the Holy Ghost.

Each of these don't really help me find

answers unless I have faith in God,  

give heed to/do/live what I learn,

and be diligent in keeping

the commandments of God.

The next thing I love about this scripture

is when it talks about how the writing

on the pointers was changed from time to time.

I definitely find that when I'm studying 

the same verse for the umpteenth time

what I learn from it can be different

than what I learned the last time I studied it.

I think that's one of the best things

about studying the scriptures!

The last thing I love about this scripture

(okay not the last thing, but the last thing I'm going to share:0)

is when it says, "And thus we see that by small means

the Lord can bring about great things."

It's a good reminder to me that even though

I might feel small in the big old world,

the Lord can use me to bring about

great things!

I'm excited about all that I will

continue to learn on my scripture

studying journey!

Remember that your scripture

study can look however it works

for you. Don't compare it to

what other people do.

Just find what works for you

and do it. 

You'll learn so much

more than you can 

possibly imagine!

Cultivate Joy

I'm sitting here full of so many

things I'd like to share with you,

but I'm scared too.

It's been a month since I last

wrote here on this space.

My last post was hard to share.

I think that has something

to do with me not posting

since that day.

But today!

Today as I sit here in 

my living room typing these

words, I can see my reflection

in the computer screen.

I'm wearing my Fight Like Girls shirt.

The boxing glove is cheering me on.

Inviting me to continue to share.

Gratitude!

First of all, gratitude!

I have so much to be grateful for!

Family

My husband has a job.

L

MHG

A warm house to live in

Diet Coke

Scriptures

Prophets and Apostles

Prayer

Answers to prayer

...And so much more!

The Word

Psalm 16:8,11

"I have set the Lord always before me: 

because he is at my right hand, 

I shall not be moved...

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: 

in thy presence is fulness of joy;..."

On My Heart

These came this past week:

My 2017 Powersheets and Simplified Planner.

Before when I've gotten them,

it's been beyond exciting,

and I've jumped right in to using them.

This year I noticed that I didn't

feel that excitement and joy

that I usually do when they come.

This along with conversations

with several people have 

helped me see that I get to

cultivate more joy in my life.

So I've started researching "Joy"

in the scriptures and other

LDS church resources.

I've learned so much about joy,

and I'm only just getting started!

The one talk that I found that 

summarizes what I've learned

was by President Russell M. Nelson

in October 2016 General Conference.

It is entitled "Joy and Spiritual Survival."

Here are a few things I've found that 

can help me cultivate joy in my life:

-Look to the Savior in every thought

-Repent and use the Atonement

-Focus on the Plan of Salvation

-Give thanks

-Keep my covenants

-Choose Heavenly Father as my God

-Nurture my spouse

-Guide my children

-Forgive

-Ask for forgiveness

-Choose celestial laws

-Help others come to Christ

So in an effort to cultivate more joy

in my life, I am going to start

now instead of waiting for the new year

on doing some of these things.

I'm going to work on living a more

Christ-centered life!

I will also be working through the prep work

in my 2017 Powersheets in December.

If you would like to order some Powersheets,

I would love to have some friends to do 

them with for some accountability.

Click here to order yours and use the code 

"flourishonpurpose" for 10% off.

Hurry because they are going fast!

I'll be sharing as I complete them

on my stories on Instagram.

Follow me: @uncoveringstrength

The Day I Chose (Again) to Live

It happened one day

 in late February.

I had just dropped L off 

at the babysitter's house and was making 

my way the few short miles to work.
I was thinking about how
I was a horrible mother.
I was a bad wife.
I was a bad teacher.
I wasn't attractive.
I just plain wasn't good enough.

Then a thought hit me,

"You know you could speed up

really fast and run your car into a phone pole.
You wouldn't survive.

Your family would help MHG 

take care of L and 

everyone would be better off

without you around."

My body was tensed and ready to do it.
I pushed on the gas pedal
and started speeding up.

It was in that split second,

that I really truly got scared

and realized how bad my depression

had really gotten.

There had been a times before when

I had thought about killing myself,

but it had never gone this far.
I slowed down my car and
started praying for some strength.

This realization that my depression
was worse than ever was an
important moment for me.
It was the moment I chose
again to live.
It was the moment I realized
I get to take time
to figure out what was
going on with me
and take the steps I needed
to take to help myself
feel better mentally, physically,
and spiritually.
Click here to read
the post I wrote at the
beginning of this journey.

I felt hopeful for a few weeks
following that day,
and then the depression
hit me full force again.
I was so frustrated with myself.
I knew the tools I needed
to help get me through this,
but for some reason,
I just couldn't do them.
Or if by some miracle I did
try to do them, I didn't feel
like they were helping much.

I felt like God wasn't listening.
I had moments where
I was so frustrated
that God wasn't answering
my prayers and giving me relief.
I had moments when I would
get a little answer to my prayers
and just be so thankful.

It took months to feel like
I was doing better most of the time,
and I still have days
when I'm not doing well,
and I sit around my house
and don't do anything.

If I could share one message with
you that I have learned this year,
it is that sometimes we get to
just be in the season God has us in.
We just get to learn to move through it,
let it happen, and do our best
even though it might feel useless.
We get to have faith that
God has a reason for letting
us remain in this season.
As we press forward in faith
even when we don't feel like
we're getting any answers,
we will be given the strength
we need to endure.

So no matter what season you are in--
be it depression, waiting, beginning, ending, etc.--
remember to have faith.
I have realized
that if I have hope
and faith that I will be
given what I need in my season.
Sometimes what I need is a way
through the season.
Sometimes what I need is to stay
in that season and learn more
so I can be strengthened for
something new that is coming.

Even when I don't feel like God is listening,
I choose to keep my covenants
and have faith
because when I'm ready,
I'll find what I've been looking for.
What God has been trying to show me.

*****************

At the beginning of October
Heavenly Father wrote it on my
heart that I needed to share this with you.
I dreaded it.
So I didn't write.
I could still hear Heavenly Father
telling me to share,
but I continued to push it away.
Then two weeks ago,
I finally did it.
I sat down and wrote
the beginning of this post.
I cried remembering.
I couldn't bring myself to finish.
But Heavenly Father was still
asking me to finish.

I started to dig deep last week.
Why was this so hard for me to share?
I was talking to a friend about
my path of depression this year
and realized something.
I've always had a hard time being vulnerable.
I felt ashamed for what had happened.
I've felt like what has happened to me
is inconsequential compared to what
 other people have gone through.
I didn't believe
my depression was as bad as
other people have experienced.
BUT
I realized something as I talked to my friend.
Everyone's story of depression
is different.
It is never the same.
There is no "worse" or
"not as bad."
There is just different.
It felt so freeing to realize this.

My path is my own,
but maybe someone is experiencing
something similar.
Maybe I can help one person
by sharing.
So here I am finally finishing this post.
I pray as I send it out into the world
that it will find the people who need it.

God's love is eternal!
I'm so thankful for the
sacrifice of my Savior.
He has been with me every
step of the way on my path,
especially when I couldn't
feel him there.
He has wept with me.
He has wrapped me in His loving arms.
I'm thankful for the love of my
friends and family.
I never told any of them how
bad my depression really was,
but they are always there with
love and support.
I'm so thankful for my
amazing husband
and my sweet little L.
They are the daily sunshine
in my life.
They make me laugh and smile.
I'm so thankful for my
wonderful, beautiful life!

October Goals

Gratitude

I am so thankful for my 

Powersheets right now.

They help me to figure

out what matters

and what I really want

to focus on with my goals!

The Word

Elder Lynn G. Robbins, Oct. 2016 General Conference

"The way you see a child is the way you treat them and the way you treat them is what they become."

October Goals

I'm a little late posting these,

but here they are:

Monthly

-Write Uncovering Strength ebook

-Be a Prayer Warrior.

-Read 5 books.

-Do my visiting teaching.

-Go to the temple.

-Plan and do a recipe 

exchange with my friends.

-Finish Decluttering the front room.

Weekly Goals

-Write a blog post.

-Date night

-Read one chapter of 

The Finishing School

-Journal 3 xs

-Social Media Free Weekends

Daily Goals

-Scripture Study

-Belief Breakthrough

-Exercise

-Eat Healthy

-Play piano.

-Do Daily Chores.

-Record Gratitude

Last month I had stuffed full of things

I wanted to do for my goals,

and I actually did really good

getting them done!

This month I'm planning

on focusing on writing my book

and a keeping my house clean.

Smart and Strong

The other day as we were getting 

ready to go out on an adventure,

I happened to put this shirt on L.

It's the first time she's warn it.

It says, 

"Smart and Strong like my mom"

When my mom first bought it

for her I thought it was fun.

This week I really started 

thinking about what I want

her to see in my smarts and my strength.

I realized this is a list not just

for her, but for me as well.

I want to continue to be 

the mom she needs to help

her grow strong and wise

and a righteous daughter of God

Smart and Strong

Smart enough to solve problems.

Strong enough to share your solutions.

Smart enough to know when to listen

to your heart.

Strong enough to follow your heart

even when you are scared.

Smart enough to know what's right.

Strong enough to do what's right

even if you're the only one.

Smart enough to know you made a mistake.

Strong enough to admit to and fix

your mistake.

Being smart isn't about how much you know.

It's how you use what you know.

Use it to build God's kingdom

and serve others.

Be smart and learn everything you can.

Learn all you can at school.

Learn all you can from your grandparents.

Learn all you can from your parents.

Learn all you can from all those around you.

We are all connected.

We are all brothers and sisters!

We can always learn something

from another person.

Strength doesn't mean you don't need help.

It's admitting that you do

and asking for it.

It's sticking up for others.

Asking for help.

Being vulnerable in you relationships.

Trusting in God,

Trusting yourself.

Having unshakable faith.

Pressing forward with

a steadfastness in Christ.

Loving God.

Loving others.

Loving yourself.

Embracing the bad days

and rejoicing in the good days.

Relying wholly on the Lord.

Recognizing the tender mercies 

and Grace of the Lord.

Expressing gratitude.

Especially in the small moments.

Make covenants with the Lord.

Be a covenant keeping woman.

Keep the covenants you have

and will make throughout your life.

This will help you find strength

beyond your own..

Be strong enough to sit in the

hard times and seasons

and trust in God's plan.

Pray for His help.

He will lead you.

Let other's help you.

God's greatest miracles

don't usually come from

angels and booming voices.

They come from soft whispers,

a smile, a sincere compliment.

They often come in the form of

other people, who are listening to 

the Spirit.

Be strong enough to see these

angels in your life.

Be an angel in other people's lives.

Don't listen to the world's description

of smart and strong.

Pray and read the words of God.

Listen and watch for his messages for you.

True wisdom and strength only come through Him!

Rely on Him for the strength and wisdom you need!

Stay close to the Spirit and you will

uncover strength with Christ

that you never thought you 

were capable of having!

Love,

Mom

Look to God and Praise Him All Day Long

Gratitude

Today I'm grateful to have

spent time listening

to Lara Casey as she

did a webinar on goals.

I got some good inspiration

to help me get past some

fear and press forward

with some things I

feel like God is writing

on my heart to do.

If you'd like to get the 

replay and an ebook

on goal setting

click here.

The Word

1 Nephi 18:11-16, 20-22

"And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.  

"And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass which had been prepared of the Lord did cease to work.

"Wherefore, they knew not wither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

"And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

"And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon the, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

"Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions...."

(Nephi tells how many family members--parents, Jacob, Joseph, Nephi's wife and children--tried to convince Laman and Lemuel to let Nephi go.)

"And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had don, insomuch that they loosed me.

"And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land."

I read this chapter this week and loved a few things about it.

First, I loved how Nephi had faith that the Lord was letting 

this hard thing happen to him so the Lord could

show forth His power.

It made me think about the hard things

in my life--past and present--do I 

have that faith?

That the Lord is letting it 

happen to me so that I 

can see his power

and share it with others so

they can see his power?

I believe I do now.

There have definitely been

times in my life when 

it took me some time

to see that.

The next thing that I loved

about this chapter was that

Nephi doesn't murmur because

of his afflictions, but he did look to God

and praise Him all day long.

I know that this is something

I would like to work on right now.

Looking to God and 

praising Him not once

or twice a day, 

but all day long.

I've decided to make verse 16 my scripture for this month.
I'm choosing to
Look to God and Praise Him All Day Long.
If you have any suggestions,
let me know!

On my heart...

My heart is so full of things

I want to share.

This entire month I've

had one thing after another

come to me that I wanted to

share with you,

but I let the moments pass.

I plan on doing much better

this month.

Also, if you don't already,

go follow my blog on Instagram

@uncoveringstrength.

I decided to have a separate

account for my blog so

that I can leave it public

and get the message out there.

I'm going to start posting

there at least once a day.

It will be things that I 

share here and things

that I just share on

Instagram.

August

Well, August is over.

I feel like I did really well

with my August goals.

We went to the temple.

I cleaned out my nightstand.

I created and outline for my ebook.

I read 5 books.

I didn't learn an entire song on the piano,

but I got halfway through the song.

I looked back at my summer goals.

We didn't do so good with date night this month.

I also didn't write very often on this blog.

We went on a few family adventures.

I studied my scriptures almost every day!

I exercised almost every day the last two weeks.

I didn't do so good with my journaling.

I practiced the piano about three days a week.

I also did pretty well with my eating the last two weeks.

September

I'm really looking forward to September.

I have so much I'd like to share here

today, but it's so much I'd never get to bed,

so I'm going to stretch it over the month.

Here are my goals for this month:

Monthly

-Enjoy our trip to Michigan.

-Read five books.

-Write 1,000+ words of my ebook.

-Do my visiting teaching.

-Continue learning my piano song.

-Love on my family.

-Be vulnerable on the blog and in the book.

-Be a prayer warrior and cultivate my relationship with God.

Weekly Goals

-Date Night/Temple Trip

-Write a post here.

-Read on chapter of The Finishing School.

-Work on ebook.

Daily Goals

-Scripture Study

-Prayer

-Exercise

-Send a love note to someone.

-Healthy eating.

-Practice the piano.

-Daily chores.

-Post on @uncoveringstrength (Instagram)

-The One Thing

Click on the link!

This is an awesome challenge

I'm going to be participating in!

Looking at all these goals,

I feel ready to step in

and own them.

It looks a little intimidating, but 

with His help I'll accomplish

everything I am supposed to do!

God is good!

His love unconditional!

Hello August!

Gratitude

Today I'm grateful for swimming pools

on hot summer days!

The Word

Doctrine and Covenants 25:12

"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart;

yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me,

and it shall be answered with a blessing on their heads."

On my heart...

I was reviewing my goals for July

and writing my new ones for August

this weekend.

July was an awesome month

full of getting a lot of my

goals accomplished!

Here they are with how I did:

Monthly

-Go to the temple.

-Have a 4th of July picnic

-L's birthday parties

-Have fun at East Canyon

-Write my book outline--Yeah I didn't work on this:0)

-Read the books on my July list.

-Visiting teaching--I did visit with some of my sisters,

but not all of them.

Weekly

-Date nights/temple trips--Did this half the time.

-family adventures--Lots of fun times!

-Plan healthy menu  --I planned a few things.

-Visit Grandma and Grandpa -- I got to help out

with Grandma before she passed away

on Saturday.

-Connect with friends -- I have had so much fun!

Daily

-Write on Uncovering Strength  -- Finished my 100 days!

-Book of Mormon study

-Exercise I did this about half the time. 

-Power hour

I got more accomplished on my goals

than I have in a really long time!

Here are my goals for August:

Monthly

-Temple trip

-Visiting teaching

-Clean out my end table

-Write my book outline

-Read five books

-Learn a new song on the piano

-Look back and reflect on my summer goals

-Write my fall goals.

Weekly

-Date/temple night

-Write on Uncovering strength

-Go on a family adventures.

Daily

-Daily house chore

-Book of Mormon study

-Exercise

-Journaling

-Practice the piano

My main goals this month are

learning a new song on the piano

and cleaning my house and keeping it clean.

I love my life!

God is good!

100/100!! #15 The Only Way

Gratitude

I'm so grateful for the last

100 days of being able

to write on this blog.

I'm thankful for a husband

who took on putting 

the baby to bed most

of those nights so

I could do this.

I'm thankful for the

strength I found

in writing about my

life and search to

uncover more strength.

I'm grateful for a 

Heavenly Father who

loves me unconditionally

and for my brother

and Savior, Jesus Christ

and all they have done

to help me uncover

the strength I have

with them.

The Word

Mosiah 3:17

"And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent."

On my heart...

Well on my last day of this project

I thought I'd share the only

thing that really matters in

this search for strength.

I have learned and relearned when

I have forgotten that the only

way to have real lasting strength

is to come unto Christ.

He is the way.

Only we are weak,

but with Him we 

are strong.

I have learned this many time,

but still often forget.

I decide to do things my way.

I decide to do things myself.

I have learned that you can't

be strong by yourself.

BUT when I invite Christ

in, I find more strength than 

I ever imagined.

1 Nephi 15:15

"...receive the strength and 

nourishment from the true vine..."

I am taking this scripture

from a question Nephi

asks his brothers.

I love that it says it all.

The true vine is Jesus Christ.

He is where we receive 

strength and nourishment.

If you only get one thing

from all these 100 days

of reading my blog,

I hope you remember 

this one thing.

Christ is the only way.

Come unto Him

and you will find strength.

I know that it's true!

I love my life!

God is good!

P.S. I'm going to be taking a short break from writing.  But don't worry!  I'll be back August 1st with more exciting words!:0)

99/100 #14 Gratitude

Today I'm thankful for...

Today I'm thankful for

all of L's new toys

from her birthday

that keep her busy.

The Word

Doctrine and Covenants 78:19

"And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more."

On my heart...

Read this.

There are more great posts

from my Soulful Brillance Sisters.

Go check them out at soulfulbrilliance.com.

Just type "gratitude" in to the blog search.

I'm so grateful for that time in

my life when I worked with my 

sisters to write on my blog.

Gratitude is one of the best 

ways to feel happier and

full of strength.

Heavenly Father really

blesses us with so much,

even in our trials.

We just have to open up

our eyes to see them.

Things I am grateful for:

-spending time serving my grandma

-my amazing husband

-my sweet baby

-that I get to be a SAHM

-being able to write this blog the

last 99 days

-the chance to share the Light of Christ

-the scriptures and words of prophets

-to live in a time with the fulness of the Gospel

-a home to live in

-good working cars

-friends

-family

-a nice bed to sleep in

There is so much more!

When I need strength

I start listing all the things

I am grateful for and 

I am reminded that I

have Heavenly Father

blessing me and guiding

me each day.

I love my life!

God is good!

98/100 #13 People

Gratitude

I'm so thankful for

all the amazing people

around me who help me

find strength and lift

me up when I need help.

The Word

Eccles. 4:9-10

"Two are better than one; because they have good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellows."

On my heart...

It's been so important 
in my own journey
of uncovering strength
to have good people in my
life who lift me up.
People who help me
work through the tough
times and help me work
through my thoughts.
People who don't judge me
and criticize me, 
but who encourage and
support me.
People who love me 
no matter what and
cheer me on in whatever
I am doing.
Their numbers in my life
have been few, but
they have been key
in helping me discover
my greatness--
my Soulful Brilliance--
over the years.
I have been blessed
with fabulous family
who know me well
and help me.
The best part is
that I always find a
way to help them back.
So we are always
helping and supporting
each other.

I love my life!
God is good!

97/100 #12 Celebrate

Gratitude

Grateful for friends and family

and time out in nature today.

The Word

 Alma 25:17

"And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and their brothren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had also verified his word unto them in every particular."

On my heart...

Celebrating L's first birthday!

Celebrate your success!

Even if it is something

that seems small

and unimportant.

Every little step you

take and are able to

do is getting you closer

to your end goal.

It helps to celebrate

those small moments

because they remind you

that you are amazing

and brilliant

and can do anything

with Christ.

This is something

I'm going to work on

this week to help me!

I love my life!

God is good!

96/100 #11 Faith

Gratitude

I'm so grateful for the last year 

I've had with this sweet girl!

The Word

On my heart...

Today's post is similar 
to yesterday's post.
We can dream and have hope.
But the big thing we really
need is Faith!
Faith in his timing that
we may not get the
dream we want
when we would like it.
We may have to wait.
For a long time.
We may be tempted
to give up wanting it.
But if we can have faith
in God and His plan
for our life,
we will be blessed
with exactly what we need.

I waited and prayed
and hoped and had
faith that I would
someday be a wife
and mother.
A year ago today
I became a mother.

Then I got to experience
a new level of faith in God's
timing when L was in the NICU
for 16 days after she was born.
I didn't get to cuddle with my
baby in our hospital room.
I didn't get to take her home
when I went home.
She would just start getting
to where the doctors and nurses
would tell us that it would only
be a couple days and then
something else would go wrong.
It was definitely a test of
my patience and faith,
but we got through it.
She came home and
now a year later she's
healthy and energetic.
You would never know
she had a rough start to life.
We're truly blessed!

A month or so ago
I was contemplating the
above quote again and
realized that when I think
about it I tend to think
about God's timing
as a time of waiting
for me because
that is what I've
experienced the most.
However, it could also
be when things happen
more quickly than you
were thinking.
That can be just as
scary and emotional
as having to wait.

No mater which way
it goes--having to wait
or having it happen
quickly--when
I have faith in
God's timing with
things in my life,
I get the most growth
out of those experiences.
They become less of
a "trial" or "hardship"
and more of a
"learning experience."
And thinking of them
in that way helps
me uncover strength
I never knew
I had.

I love my life!
God is good!

95/100 #10 Dream

Gratitude

I'm so grateful for

dreams that do come true

and prayers that do get

answered even if it takes

what seems like forever.

The Word

President Dieter F Uchtdorf
 "The Infinite Power of Hope", Oct. 2008 General Conference
"Hope is not knowledge, but rather the abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill His promise to us. It is confidence that if we live according to God’s laws and the words of His prophets now, we will receive desired blessings in the future. It is believing and expecting that our prayers will be answered. It is manifest in confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance."

On my heart...

Today I've been thinking a lot about

what I was doing a year ago.

A year ago today I was in the hospital

waiting for L to come into the world.

I had dreamed about having a baby

for many many years.

Sometimes when I'd be 

feeling down, I would

feel like I wanted to give

up on the dream of getting

married to an amazing guy

and having a baby.

But dreaming is so important

in finding strength.

To help me remember my dream

and not give up on it,

I would find pictures like

the one above to put around

my space so I would see

them frequently.

It gave me hope.

And a year ago

my dreams became

my reality.

I married an amazing guy,

and I was having my baby.

Believe in your dreams!

And have hope that 

they will happen.

I love my life!

God is good!

94/100 #9 Service

Gratitude

Today I'm grateful for

little messes and
a little girl

who makes me laugh.

I turn my back for 

two seconds...

The Word

Mosiah 2:17

"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

On my heart...

Need some strength?

Go find someone to serve.

It's hard when you are

feeling depressed or

exhausted, but if

you stop and look

around you can

find something small

and simple to do to 

help someone.

You never know 

what a difference 

you can make for 

someone else.

A text message.

A smile.

A quick call to say hello.

Do it and watch

miracles happen.