“The Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.” I love this scripture-image by Isaiah (25:31). Most of us who are parents have wiped away our children’s tears from infancy through adulthood—a blessing for us as well as for them. How appropriate it is to remember this with our Savior, who loves us most of all. At times when we might feel sadness, regret fear, or other difficulty, we all need to cry as we allow our Savior... Read more
I hate waiting—maybe you do too. But I’ve noticed that God sometimes has us wait for blessings we desire. While this can be painful, the divine delay can be a gift. Recall that Jesus delayed going to heal Lazarus. Martha and Mary suffered, and he treated them tenderly. The delay enabled greater glory to God. Ambition Thwarted Let me share an experience with divine delay. While in college, I felt inspired to write a book answering questions frequently asked by... Read more
Call me crazy. I’ve always wanted to train for and run a marathon. Ten years ago I decided to do it. Registering was the easy part. The rigors of scheduling runs, engaging in cross training, and carefully regulating nutrition and sleep consumed me for months. Crossing the finish line was my way to win that personal challenge. Change of Expectation Then I met my husband. At the age of 41, I had finally met my husband! My commitments shifted... Read more
Knowing that her three-year-old daughter had had her first primary Easter lesson, a mother decided to share that precious moment with her child. Conceptions and Misconceptions “Because Jesus died for us, you and I and everyone can be resurrected,” the mother said gently. “Not me! No way!” the child responded firmly. With a little maternal probing, her mother realized that the child had mistaken “resurrected” for the pictures the teacher had shown of the Savior on the cross. After some... Read more
Jesus loves me, this I know, ... Read more
When I write songs, 87.63% of the time I am near a piano. But a particularly memorable song came in a different way. Time to Create Years ago I felt like writing as I boarded an airplane from Texas to my home in Utah. I was blessed with a row to myself—no one close enough to cramp my creativity. Feeling a sense of artistic freedom and a nudge to put ideas on paper, I pulled out my spiral notebook and... Read more
Once upon a time I ran a marathon—26.2 miles, a long way for someone who is not a natural runner. Some tend to question their life choices while training for and running a marathon, as it pushes you to the very edges of your will. Some lessons are best learned by going through adversity, and running a marathon provided enough adversity for several lifetimes! Expectations I trained by running almost daily for four months, with my wonderful wife—a better runner,... Read more
When Paul, emerging from his eventful voyage toward Rome, was met by some brethren, “he thanked God, and took courage” (Acts 28:15). When the Book of Mormon’s converted adversary Zeezroom, low with a burning fever because of his sins, learned that Alma and Amulek had survived and escaped his former compatriots, “his heart began to take courage” (Alma 15:4). Scripture Courage Humans seem blessed with courage for every challenge. We see it in the adventures and misadventures of Paul and... Read more
Before entering Gethsemane with His disciples, Christ offered a special prayer. There are many important aspects to this prayer; I want to highlight two of them—both about unity. One as Believers In the Good News Translation of John 17:20, the Savior pleaded, “I pray for those who believe in me. I pray that they may all be one. Father, may they be in us just as you are in me and I in you. May they be one just as... Read more
February 25, as armed conflict raged in Ukraine, Russell M. Nelson addressed Church members in Ukraine, Russia, and throughout the world. Despite tragic conflict among nations, he reminded us, We know that enduring peace can be found through Jesus Christ. He can calm and comfort our souls even in the midst of terrible conflicts. He taught us to love God and our neighbors. Peace in Worship In our grief over the international conflict, we may find perspective by remembering others... Read more
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