Quote - “A Little Better Day by Day”

This was a great lesson that I read this week.  Click HERE to read it yourself.

I was inspired and made this handout to put on my fridge and share on my blog.  Enjoy!

Book - Armor Up

“Take upon you my whole armor that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.” —Doctrine & Covenants 27:15

I am excited to buy this book for my teenagers.  All six of these youth speakers are amazing!  I've heard several of them speak at "Time Out for Women" and my kids have heard some of them at "Especially for Youth" conferences.  The website says that this book will "explain how wearing that spiritual armor can not only help youth face those difficult challenges in life, but also conquer them."

Sounds awesome to me!  By the way, I am in no way compensated or associated with the sale of this book.  I just like it and want to promote good things.  And how on earth could I resist posting about this book when it totally fits with my blog name! :)

Contents
• “Girt About with Truth” by Brad Wilcox
• “A Bulletproof Breastplate” by John Hilton III
• “Put on Your Gospel Shoes” by Anthony Sweat
• “Shields Up!” by John Bytheway
• “Buckle On Your Helmet” by Hank Smith
• “Your Spiritual Sword” by Laurel Christensen

Click HERE to visit the blog about this book.  Click HERE to purchase the book.

Things Always Work Out

I've been thinking about adversity and challenges lately. While hardships will always be a recurring part of our lives, I think the important thing is how we face them.  Everyone has their own set of problems.  The severity of our adversity tends to ebb and flow.  The truth is, we never really know what another person is struggling with.  But we all are struggling each day with something, rather big or small.  And if we think we have no struggles, then we have the struggle of pride, right?

Here are some of the ways I personally deal with challenges.

Have faith and hope, not fear and worry.  Our natural-man tendencies lead us to fear.  Having faith instead of fear is a choice and must be worked for.  Everyday.  Try to look at things optimistically instead of focusing on the negative.  Think about all the wonderful things in your life and all the wonderful things yet to be.  Don't allow yourself to mope, stay in bed, wallow in self-pity, or embrace depression.

Trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  They love us and wants to help us.  They will never abandon us.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), humility is key to learning to trust Heavenly Father.  I attempt to be one of those people who chooses to be humble, but it is really hard to keep pride out of our lives.  Challenges compel us to be humble and therefore should be valued.  Humility leads to trusting God and increasing faith.

Pray, pray, pray.  Pray for patience and to be faithful.  Pray for the Lord's will to be done.  I have the tendency to be bossy and have to be careful when I am praying that I don't try to tell the Lord exactly how to answer my prayers.  I am constantly facing the battle of "MY will be done" versus "THY will be done."  This concept has changed the way I pray.  Life experience has taught me that I don't have the full picture.  He does.  It seems logically smart to listen and be guided by someone who knows what I need and when and how I need it. 

Thought of the Day - Nobody's Perfect

“I AM NOBODY
NOBODY IS PERFECT
THEREFORE, I AM PERFECT”

Talk - Gratitude is a Divine Principle

Thank you to my friend Erin who gave this talk at church a few weeks ago.

In President Monson’s talk “The Divine Gift of Gratitude” from the October 2010 conference he states, “Gratitude is a divine principle.” The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things…And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.” Let me read that last part again… “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.” That’s a pretty strong statement and one we should truly think about.

I believe that showing gratitude is a choice we make every day. It is an intelligent way to use the gift of agency on this earth that we fought for before this earth existed. When I was a teenager I went to a youth fireside. My Bishop talked about this use of our agency. He said it was not possible for someone to make us angry but that we chose instead to be angry. I really didn’t understand this concept until I realized that someone could choose to act against me but ultimately I chose how I would react. This concept is the same with gratitude. Are we truly remembering the Lord’s hand daily in our lives? Are we aware of the many tender mercies shown to us in our daily life? Are we showing this example to our children despite all of the trials in our lives? Are we showing gratitude in our prayers and in our actions to others?

FHE - Persistence

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