I was in the car with all my kids on the way to their school when one of my sons said he didn’t have his backpack. If we turned back, we would be late so I told him he would just have to take a reusable grocery bag. He started bawling. I said a quick … More “God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.”
I had a neighbor named Jill growing up whose husband was diagnosed with cancer in his fifties. They did everything they could to exercise faith. He continued his calling as bishop. They went to the temple, held fasts, and tried every available treatment. Her husband still died ten months later. She said her experience helped … More Faith-promoting and faith-perfecting
Many have heard the story of President Kimball helping a struggling young mother carry her child through the airport. But there is more to the story that I learned from “Priesthood Power of Woman” by Barbara Gardner. The woman in that airport was Barbara’s mom. Her mother had a daughter and then four consecutive miscarriages … More “The same priesthood power that created worlds, galaxies, and the universe can and should be part of our lives to succor, strengthen, and bless our families, our friends, and our neighbors.”
They had lost the land of Zion. They were kicked out of their homes by violent mobs. They were having financial struggles. There were threats on Joseph’s life. Joseph prayed, desperate for direction. And he got no answer. He said, “Heaven seems closed.” My heart ached when I read that. Because I have been there, … More “Draw near unto God and He will draw near unto you” is a promise that God cannot break.
A young woman once told me a story. As a young girl, she lost her lucky penny. After searching and searching, she knelt down to pray. She never found her penny, but her dad gave her a dime. Blessings come in unexpected ways. Many times, I think we miss our blessings because we are too … More “When I don’t see the hand of God, I should trust his heart. I know what kind of heart he has.”
Yesterday, we were at a creek. My son wanted to catch a tadpole really bad. He had been trying for a half hour. I suddenly heard a shriek of delight followed by “God answered my prayer! I prayed and I knew just where to go!” This son prays over many things. If something is lost, … More “The first, the middle, and the last thing to do is pray.”
Amanda Smith was camping with her family at Hans Mill when a mob attacked. Her husband and one of her sons was killed. Another son, Alma, got shot in the hip. Desperately needing help, Amanda went to the Lord. She received inspiration on how to create and apply a poultice for the wound. Her son … More “It is our faith that unlocks the power of God in our lives.”
Elizabeth Whitney longed for divine direction. While praying with her husband one night, they heard a voice from Heaven say, “prepare to receive the word of the Lord, for it is coming.” So she prepared and waited.When she heard the preaching of the restored gospel, she knew her wait was over. But some things she … More “Prayer is the passport for spiritual power.”
One day, a distraught girl came to her mother with a problem heavy on her mind. The mother let her daughter finish telling all about her hardship, then went to the kitchen. She got out a potato, egg, and coffee beans. Without saying a word, she put each in separate pots of boiling water, waited … More When life knocks you down on your knees, you are in the perfect position to pray.
There once were two boys trying to get home. They got halfway across the field and a bull started charging at them. One boy said “I’m going to stop and pray” The other boy said, “you can do what you want, but I am going to run and pray! Run and pray. This story reminds … More “Often, the answer to our prayer does not come while we are on our knees but while we are on our feet serving the Lord.”
There was a famous church songwriter and father who desperately needed answers for his family. He prayed like he never prayed before…and received nothing. He said of that time, “It was like somebody decided to bolt Heaven shut.” And they stayed shut for nine years.But he held on. And then, one day, he said, “I … More “He knows us and loves us and [blesses] us specifically and openly.”
About three years ago, I lost my keys at the park. I was locked out with two kids during lunch/nap time. I knelt down and prayed. Got up, looked for two hours, and still didn’t find my keys. The next day, after locking the house up and getting the kids in the car, I lost … More “…You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future”
A missionary was laying on her bed in the middle of the night, praying through her sobs, “I have done everything I can, I have fought for so long. Why haven’t you helped me?” For three years she had been struggling with an eating disorder. But she had never used the words “eating disorder”. Laying … More “He has not abandoned you. He will not forsake you.”
I was sitting, nursing my daughter last night. She was doing the “suck, suck, desperate, hungry wail” on repeat. And I just cried. Because that feeling of being empty. Of my child needing me and me being depleted…it felt like my last week instead of just that heart-wrenching moment. I have so many things I … More “Diamonds are formed under pressure. And bread dough rises when you let it rest.”
There were once two frogs that got stuck in a large pit. Other frogs looked over the edge and told them they would never make it out. The two frogs tried jumping out of the pit. The other frogs kept on dissuading them, shouting for them to just give up. One frog finally listened. He … More “Overcoming the world is not one defining moment in a lifetime, but a lifetime of moments that define an eternity.”
“You will find the babe lying in a manger.” This angelic sign to the shepherds is powerful.Because we will find Jesus in our mangers, too. Our daily tasks. Our menial efforts. He is there in those moments if we look, and He will provide sustenance and strength. That is perhaps the greatest lesson I learned … More “As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we will have the Christmas spirit”
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