God's Promises

God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, nor sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

A Lovely Thought

Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light

Just powerful.

We Will All Have Our Fridays

Joseph B. Wirthlin:
“Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

“But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

“No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, in this life or the next, Sunday will come.”
("Dark Friday, Bright Sunday," New Era, Mar. 2008, 4)

Losing a Love

"When there has been so much love and happiness for someone, it is natural to be reluctant to close such a wonderful chapter in our lives.
For moving forward is rarely accomplished without considerable grief and sadness.
And while our sorrow may be profound, the clouds will clear, and the sun will shine on us again.
And in that warm, bright light we will find ourselves facing a glorious future.
A future of exciting challenges and infinite possibility, in which the horizon will stretch out before us, rimmed in the heavenly glow of the sunrise of our tomorrow."
(From the movie, "The Prince and Me")

Always At Our Side

Jacob 3:1 – 2

“BUT behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause.....
“O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

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"Our Heavenly Father is a powerful, moving, directing being. While we may, at times, bear burdens of sorrow, pain, and grief; while we may struggle to understand trials of faith we are called to pass through; while life may seem dark and dreary—through faith, we have absolute confidence that a loving Heavenly Father is at our side."
—Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, Nov. 2002

Happiness if the Joy of the Soul

"Happiness is one of the aims of the gospel; not pain, not grief, not gloom, not pleasure. There is a difference between pleasure and happiness. Happiness is the joy of the soul, always."

—David O. McKay, Man May Know for Himself-

Overcoming Aloneness

"The key to overcoming aloneness and a feeling of uselessness [is] to step outside yourself by helping others... We promise those who will render this kind of service that, in some measure, you will be healed of the loss of loved ones or the dread of being alone. The way to feel better about your own situation is to improve someone else's circumstances."
(Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, Nov. 1989)

And there are definitely many people who need us at the moment.

A Little More Personal Than Usual - Fellowship of Those who Bear the Mark of Pain

Over the last week or so my family has had the opportunity to feel the love of those around us abundantly, due to an out-pouring of love following our second miscarriage and my father passing away yesterday. It has really been over-whelming at times to realise how many people care about our little family. We had gifts (usually sweet:) left on the doorstep everyday, many phonecalls, notes, emails and visits, and now with my dad passing the same again. Often the calls of support were from people who had been through similar experiences and could offer the gift of empathy to us. This is one of my favorite quotes, and since these 'trials' it has been on my mind:

“One of Dr. (Albert) Schweitzer’s most important concepts is that of the Fellowship of Those who Bear the Mark of Pain. … Who are its members? Those who have learned by experience what physical pain and bodily anguish mean. These people, all over the world, are united by a secret bond. He who has been delivered from pain must not think he is now … at liberty to continue his life and forget his sickness. He is a man whose eyes are opened. He now has a duty to help others in their battles with pain and anguish. He must help to bring to others the deliverance which he himself knows.“Under this Fellowship come not only those who were formerly sick, but those who are related to sufferers, and whom does this not include?”

(Thomas Dooley, “Worldwide Fellowship,” Words of Wisdom, ed. Thomas C.Jones, Chicago: J. B. Ferguson, 1966, p. 150.)

Trials stretch our hearts wider, and allow us to experience more of the Saviours love. Because of this, it is our duty and privilege to help others in their battles too. Heavenly Father rejoices when we share the burdens of others and when we help others to open their eyes to see how much they are loved by Him.

I am thankful to have been blessed with a little baby boy whose sole purpose in life seems to be to bring me joy, for a husband who made waiting the long 32 years to meet him worth it, and for a father who was a giant in meekness and compassion, who loved my angel mother and now is reunited with her in heaven, never to be parted again. Above all I am grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that helps you to see the silver lining to the trials in life and gives you the correct perspective that there really is a 'happily ever after' after all.

The Pool of Bethesda

"Just as the lame man at the pool of Bethesda needed someone stronger than himself to be healed (see John5:1-9), so we are dependent on the miracles of Christ's atonement if our souls are to be made whole from grief, sorrow, and sin".

—Merrill J. Bateman, Ensign, May 1995