A Precious Way to Think of Phil 4:13

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
The road to success is not straight.
There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family.
You will have flats called Jobs.
But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.

A Peptalk To Myself

Amy,

I have been sitting here for the last few hours, starring at my screen, trying to think of how to respond to you. I finally have the words but they are borrowed from your own blog:

"My dear sweet friend had a baby today! A baby! A baby that I helped pray would come for four years! A baby I have fasted for countless times. A baby that has been so wanted, so loved, so anticipated. And he came today! May 15th is a good day. A very good day. Today I thank God for answering their prayers. That baby is a miracle and we all need a good miracle."

Here is proof in your own words that God hears and answers prayers. Could He have answered your friend sooner...1 year, 2 years, 3 years...instead of 4? Yes. Are they good people and did they deserve such a blessing to come sooner? Yes. Were there times that even they thought God had given up on them and they wanted to give up as well? Maybe. But in the end...with all the blood, sweat, tears, prayers, money, procedures, fasting, etc....God answered them with a miracle. It was in His wisdom that it was at that time and in that manner...and no earlier. Will we ever know the wisdom in His timing? Likely not. Maybe that's for God to know only. Or for your friend, her husband and God to know only. Nonetheless, here is just one example that you can trust in God's plan for each one of us...even you.

Amy, it would seem to me that you are doing EVERYTHING that is possible for you to "do your part" to overcome your current trial. God KNOWS this too. This would mean the remainder is in God's hands. He's not holding out on you because He thinks its funny, or because He could careless, He has better things to do or He doesn't know what the solution is. HE KNOWS WHAT TO DO and everything He is doing is in YOUR BEST INTEREST. We are but mere mortals with 99% limited perspective. We need Him for this reason. Trust that He knows what He's doing on your behalf.

It would be easier to give up on Him and doubt everything you've spent a lifetime learning then it would to have faith in Him. It would be easier to be mad at Him too. But ultimately, that is not to His detriment...only yours.

YOU KNOW HE'S THERE...there are examples all around you. Don't dismiss those. Hold on to them in what seems to be these times of "radio silence". When I feel like this, I like to start writing out the blessings that I have received. Or sometimes I think giving service is good because the perspective is completely priceless. There are likely volunteer opportunities all about you that would make you feel gratitude. Maybe you are already doing those and you've got gratitude coming out your ears. But please don't give power to our evil elder brother who seeks to damn your soul with his. He milks these moments for all they are worth. Shut him down. Continue to be steadfast...you are good at consistency. Keep it up.

Lastly, you cannot compare your trials to others. Our trials are gifts to our soul. Yours are for you only, customized for you, by God, to bring precious enlightenment to perfect you in this life because He wants so badly to have you back home with Him. You cannot buy, trade or learn these gifts from anyone else's. There are no cliff notes. They are yours alone. So don't feel foolish because so-and-so has XYZ and you do not. You are trying to apply square pegs to round holes and there is absolutely no logic or gain in that. Again...back off Satan.

I love you. You know all this just as I do and I know that a time will come when I will need a good reminder too and you will give it to me. Don't give up on Him as He has NOT given up on you. I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE and in your heart of hearts, SO DO YOU.
Amy

Quotes from "The Christmas Sweater" by Glenn Beck

Ultimately the message of this book is overcoming the largest of our trials. There is hope....it can be done.

"You are only alone if you make it so. "

"Don't fear the storm....fear the cornfield."

'Trust that the traveler is worth of the jorney and desination."

"Stop feeding the storm and giving it the power."

"No one had ever been lost to the storm, just lost in the storm."

Keeping the Faith in the End of Times

Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, in the months and years ahead, events are likely to require each member to decide whether or not he will follow the First Presidency. Members will find it more difficult to halt longer between two opinions. President Marion G. Romney said, many years ago, that he had 'never hesitated to follow the counsel of the Authorities of the Church even though it crossed my social, professional or political life.

This is hard doctrine, but it is particularly vital doctrine in a society which is becoming more wicked. In short, brothers and sisters, not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ includes not being ashamed of the prophets of Jesus Christ. . . . Your discipleship may see the time when such religious convictions are discounted. . . . This new irreligious imperialism seeks to disallow certain opinions simply because those opinions grow out of religious convictions.

Resistance to abortion will be seen as primitive. Concern over the institution of the family will be viewed as untrendy and unenlightened....Before the ultimate victory of the forces of righteousness, some skirmishes will be lost. Even in these, however, let us leave a record so that the choices are clear, letting others do as they will in the face of prophetic counsel. There will also be times, happily, when a minor defeat seems probable, but others will step forward, having been rallied to rightness by what we do. We will know the joy, on occasion, of having awakened a slumbering majority of the decent people of all races and creeds which was, till then, unconscious of itself. Jesus said that when the fig trees put forth their leaves, 'summer is nigh.' Thus warned that summer is upon us, let us not then complain of the heat. - Elder Neal A. Maxwell

"We never really know what stupidity is until we have experimented on ourselves." - Paul Gaugin

Trials. Which Can We Overcome?

One thing I've come to know lately is the truth about God not allowing us to have trials that we cannot withstand

So, what does this really mean? Well, cancer is a major trial that some people haven't been able to withstand but it doesn't have spiritual consequences like drug, porn, alcohol addictions (to name a few). These are MAJOR trials but God wouldn't allow them to continue with those who are struggling, without providing a way out. That "way out" begins with the Atonement. Additionally, we are promised that we can endure through ANY trial WITH His help BUT there is one condition there....we have to ASK for His help. We also have to "DO OUR PART" to over come. I am reminded that my patriarchal blessing says "Heavenly Father won't do things for you that you can do yourself...but He will be there when I am in need." So, when we've done all that we can do and we can't go any further, He will take us the rest of the way and we WILL overcome.

Make Your Trials Worthwhile

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experiance wisely." - Auguste Rodin

I guess this can also be said about mistakes and trials.