Be Not Afraid, Only Believe

I've just printed this for our entryway:

At first I was a bit overwhelmed by the task of choosing ONE quote for that special place. It's where you look everytime you leave the house and I wanted words that would make a lasting impression. When I thought to use that particular verse, Mark 5:36, I realized it encompassed so many of the other quotes I was considering. If we let go our of fears we can accomplish great things for God. When we believe in Him we feel His love, and are more likely to show love to those we encounter. By doing that, we are obeying the greatest commandment to love God and love our neighbor.

The list could go on and on with what those five simple words evoke upon one's heart. Be not afraid, only believe. Here are some similar quotes that have always resonated deeply with me:

1. Psalm 46:10 (D&C 101:16)- Be still and know that I am God.

2. Isaiah 51:7&8 - Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

3. The Hymn "Be Still, My Soul"

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as he has the past.

Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

There is a little background as to why I am so drawn to this topic. All through my life I've worried a lot what my peers think of me. I blogged more in depth about that topic here when I first started transitioning this blog into where it is now. This fear of what others thought created a lot of anxiety all growing up. I just didn't have the confidence to stand up for myself or even be myself. 

As I've grown closer to Christ, I have learned how much He loves me and how I need to put all my trust in Him. Somehow that idea really resonates with me. Doesn't it with us all? I love the thought of not having to worry or fear! I love that I can place my burdens at His feet and feel His enabling power. I want my family to feel this as well.

For that reason I've chosen these words to burn into their minds. When we show forth faith in Jesus Christ, He will allow us to move forward and accomplish all he has asked. If we actively work to let go of any fears we have, He will be right there by our side cheering us on and lending His hand. 

Let's all try a little harder to find and eliminate our fears and to focus our energy on believing in Him. 

Be Grateful Now

You know I am all about a healthy dose of dreaming, but sometimes I wonder if we take it too far? Are we so wrapped up in our ideas about how wonderful the future will be that we fail to notice what we have right now? It's easy to find out the answers to those questions by evaluating our feelings about our current state. If we feel impatient to be somewhere or someone else, if we think having ______ thing will make us happier, or if we are comparing our lives to anyone else then we probably need a tiny reality check.

That reality check is simply a realization that we've got it pretty good. In fact, if we really take the time to notice, we are extremely blessed. So let's do take the time! Make a list of all you are greatful for and you will soon see:

Coincidences Are Not Coincidence

I have so many things I want to write about here, and a few posts already underway. In the meantime, I will share something I heard in church:

There have been way too many amazing experiences in my life (especially lately) for me to believe that they were mere coincidence. Each time they are so specific for me. Just a few examples in the recent death of my father in law. 

1. He called me about a week before his passing, just to check on the girls and I. In the six years that I've known him, he's made a similar call maybe two other times.

2. The day of his heart attack, Mike and I could not shake a heavy feeling of depression. When we found out that night about his dad, we realized that was the cause of our sadness.

3. The day of, we cleaned the house SUPER well. I can't begin to tell you what a relief that was to have a clean environment when we heard the news. 

4. About a week prior I had made a bunch of frozen food, which I don't normally do. That was a blessing to not have to worry about grocery shopping or preparing meals.

5. I had done a couple small loads of laundry, and they were the perfect items to pack when we rushed off to California to be with family.

When you start to pay attention to the seemingly random things in life, I think you'll notice there is some greater force that is moving things in your good (especially if you are thinking positive and using the law of attraction which I will post about soon). That force is God, who loves you infinitely and knows you better than you know yourself.

Always Take The Right Road

I love the law of attraction. You know, where you think super positive about a desire you have for your life, and before you know it, that desire is the reality. There are so many reasons I love this law. One, it requires us to be positive. Two, it encourages us to have hope. Three, it expects us to give constant gratitude. Four, it is an exercise of our faith. Five, it can create miracles.

Do you see how all these things are tied into the way God has asked his children to live? Prayer is the key in all of this. When we pray we are often positive in our speech (after all we are talking to our infinitely loving Father). We also pray with a hope that our requests will be granted. We give thanks for all things and then wait with patience and faith as God unveils his great plans for our lives. His ways are always so much better than what we could have planned for ourselves. They are often miraculous.

In the LDS bible dictionary there is a beautiful quote about prayer, "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings." That really illustrates how important prayer is.

I'll wrap up this post with another of my little "inspirational words on a picture". This one comes from a talk President Hinkley gave in October of 1971 called "If Ye Be Willing and Obedient". He talks about the Captain of the submarine Nautilus, who journeyed beneath the polar ice from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Captain William Robert Anderson always "carried in his wallet a tattered card that had on it these words":

Thanksgiving To A Four Year Old

This little girls has an EPIC gratitude list. She and I spent a little time sitting on the bathroom floor and talking this morning. I explained what thanksgiving was and asked her what she was thankful for. Over the next 15 minutes, in between our other conversations, here is what she said. None of this was prompted, or even expected, by me.

E: I’m thankful that Jesus made our bodies...I’m thankful that he made rainbows. And did he even make the sky and clouds?

K: Yes.

E: I’m thankful for those too. And birds and butterflies, and I’m really thankful for the trees.

K: You like all the pretty things don’t you?

E: Yes, but most of all I like cute things. So cute and pretty.

We talk about other things for a bit, then...

E: I’m thankful that I love to sleep—well—I’m not really thankful because I cry, and I don’t really like Amelie’s crying.

We finish preparing her breakfast…

E: I’m thankful for everyone!

K: I’m thankful for food!

E: And drinks! I’m thankful for Church. And the temple…

But the best really cute thing that I’m thankful for is at grandma’s house…it’s DISNEYLAND!

(As a side note, this is one of the many variations on how she regularly dresses at home).

Understanding Meditation

I recently listened to a CD called Pure Meditation. In it, Pema Chödrön teaches about the Tibetan Buddhist practice of meditation. The entire talk is mind blowing and so inspiring, but here are just a couple of my favorite concepts from it.

I love how much emphasis Pema puts on cultivating ultimate compassion and friendliness toward ourselves and others. She also debunked some of the myths I had believed about meditation, thus helping me realize what it really is and is not. Before listening to this, I felt like I would never be able to sit comfortably and meditate, removing all thoughts from my mind. But now I understand that it isn't supposed to be comfortable. It's about being with ourselves and accepting what we are in the moment. Sort of like checking in with oneself each day, and confirming that we are invested in our own well being. If you are looking to learn more about meditation, I can't recommend this CD enough!

Midday, Midweek Thought

I just listened to an awesome talk by Dieter F. Uchtdorf where he talks about "The Incredible Power of HOPE." If you want to get some positive thinking going on, click here and give it a listen. It's amazing what the feelings and thoughts of hope can do for us emotionally, physically and spiritually.

"Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time."