He is Aware of Us

I am amazed each day just how aware Heavenly Father is of me. Today especially strengthened my testimony that he knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I’m so grateful that I can see the Lord’s hand in my life and for the direction He gives me. 

Managing Stress

Stressing about the same thing over and over again is something I have a habit of. I think about the situation and make it seem ten times worse than what it really is. We can’t control the future, but we sure can control what happens in the here and now. This story helped me realize that it’s better to stop worrying and focus on making today a great day.

One of my favorite quotes says, "Worry is the anticipation that the outcome will be bad. Faith is the anticipation that the outcome will be good. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is knowing that whatever the outcome it will be for our best good.” Trusting in the Lord and having faith in Him is a necessary part of life. It’s hard sometimes, but the Lord knows all things and knows what is best for us.

When you start stressing out, remember to put the glass down. “Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities” (Gordon B. Hinkley). Recognize the many blessings you have and get out and serve.

Fear Not

I have recently noticed that I have a lot of fear in my life right now. Fear of what the future holds, fear of graduating college, fear of finding my first nursing job. Then I realized that fear is pointless. It’s Satan’s way of changing our focus. FEAR has two meanings: Forget Everything And Run, or Face Everything And Rise. The choice is yours.

One of my favorite hymns is “How Firm a Foundation”. The third verse says:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed. For I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand. Upheld by my righteous omnipotent hand.

May we always remember to fear not. It’s time to replace fear with FAITH.

My Life Motto

My new favorite thing to do is drive and just take time to think. While I was driving tonight this quote popped into my head: “Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'” I wish I had known of this quote a LONG time ago; it would have saved me a lot of grief and tears. This quote is my new life motto. Many things that we go through in life are difficult, but when we keep the end in mind we will soon realize that there are also many things that won’t matter in the future. If anything, we will learn from our experiences. Isn’t that one of the main reasons why we are here, to learn and become like our Heavenly Father? Next time you feel like giving up ask yourself if it will matter in five years. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do about the situation. If you can do something then by all means do it! If not then stay strong and endure. I am a firm believer that everything in life happens for a reason. We knew before this life what our trials would be and we decided it’d be worth it. Keep that in mind! "Come what may and love it."

My Mission Statement

Right now I’m reading the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey. If you’ve never read it, I highly recommend reading it. The insight I’ve received so far in the book is life changing. I’m only a third of the way through, but I definitely love this book. Now, I’m learning to start everything with the end in mind. Stephen R. Covey says in order to do that we should come up with a personal mission statement. So here’s mine:

I will live my life in such a way that I never will disappoint my Heavenly Father. My greatest works will be raising my children in love and righteousness. I will be proactive rather than reactive. I will act for myself rather than be acted upon. I will stay happy and positive even during the hardest of times. I will use the redeeming and enabling power of the atonement often, so that I may become the best that I can be. I will listen rather than argue. I will think before I act. I will stay physically active throughout my life. My family will work hard then play hard. I will always appreciate the little things in life and recognize my blessings. I will never let my circumstances determine my happiness. I will finish what I start.

I’m going to use this mission statement for the rest of my life. My ultimate goal is exaltation, so everything I do in my life will be stepping stones to getting me closer to achieving that. When any challenge comes my way I can look at this and remember to keep the end in mind.