All posts tagged Heavenly Father

Goals Update – Knowing God and Jesus Christ

So…as far as my goal this year (which is losing weight, as lame as that may sound), I’m not making much progress, per se. I haven’t lost weight. I am exercising more, and I’m feeling better, but I still have changes that I need make before I see any real results.

A while ago, I read a book by Robert Lustig – Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against Sugar…. I liked it because I realized that I am a sugar addict, and that there is more to health than just looking skinny (which is something I’ve always suspected). Anyways. Even though this seems lame, weight loss has been a real personal trial for me. I haven’t always been overweight. A few years ago, I ran a marathon! Only recently did I put on weight (with my last child), and I haven’t taken it off (he’s 2 now!!!) I’ve noticed that both my relationship with food and the perception I have of myself have changed. Neither of them have changed in a good way.

I’m including this stuff on this blog because I’m convinced that my struggle has a spiritual connection.

A friend of mine gave me the book Not My Will but Thine by the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell. It has been helping me as I consider my desires, goals, and the will of the Lord. I know that the Lord will answer my prayers, I just need to learn how to align my will with His.

Two things struck me when I read the first chapter:

“…God really is a loving, Father God, not a distant cosmic presence.” (Maxwell, Not My Will but Thine, p. 3)

and

“Jesus Christ has been, is, and will be our empathic Advocate with the Father. Not only is He our Advocate, but He helps us through our individual ordeals. By His own suffering, He was perfected, including in His capacity to help us with our individual suffering.” (Maxwell, Not My Will but Thine, 3-4)

Nature - one sure way to feel God's influence in our lives.

Nature – one sure way to feel God’s influence in our lives.

God is really a loving Father God

(and not a distant cosmic presence). Do you really know that? Do I really know that? Do I remember it? I have to say, yes I know it, but no I don’t always remember. I have felt close to Heavenly Father – close enough to know that He truly is a Father that loves me. Yet there are times when I feel distance. Of course, that is my fault – usually distance is a result of lazy prayers.

But, even when I’m praying well, there are some times when it is hard to feel God’s real presence in my life. Or I feel it, but I want to feel more of it.

Jesus Christ is our Advocate and Helper

I know that Jesus Christ is my advocate with Heavenly Father. I know that He helps me. I know that there is nothing (in and of myself) that I can do to receive blessings or comfort from God. Everything I have received has been because of Christ’s mercy.

I know that the key to unlocking the power of the atonement in my life is through repentance, faith, and covenant making (and keeping). I know that I depend on my Savior for everything.

But there are times when I know that I underestimate exactly how powerful He is. For example – He knows my ordeals. My ordeals are ordeals. Even if it sounds stupid, being frustrated with myself physically, is still an ordeal. My ordeal is not because I can’t see my value as a woman and daughter of God. It is because I’m not living to my potential. It is because I have some real physical weaknesses, and I need Christ’s help to overcome them. Our ordeals and trials are always based on the conditions of mortality – our weakness.

Sometimes I forget how Christ can help me with all of my trials – even ones that don’t seem as crucial or important. I forget that Christ knows what it’s like to feel depressed or down. And he knows how to uplift. I forget that he has experienced all that I have experienced. I don’t have to endure this trial alone. I can take Christ’s yoke upon me, and he will help me to overcome.

So…while I don’t want to over-think things all day long, it is good for me to recognize that when I think about my goals, I can see a clear connection between my progress (or lack of progress) and my willingness to activate the power of the atonement in my life. If I’m feeling weak (in other words, if I want cookies), then I can go to the Lord for strength. I can pray that the Lord will strengthen me as I try to employ good habits (like portion control, good eating, and exercise) in my life. I can also pray that I won’t get bogged down on day to day issues, but that I will see the big picture, and be grateful for a working body, loving husband, and good life. Remembering My relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really can help me obtain any goal or get through any ordeal.

How do you use the atonement to overcome weakness and difficulty in your life? How have you grown closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? How do you keep your relationship with Heavenly Father real and relevant?

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by chococatania on February 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in 2013, Goals, Testimonies
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Posted by chococatania on February 24, 2013

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/goals-update-knowing-god-and-jesus-christ/

Heavenly Father REALLY Loves Us (D&C 41:1)

A few years ago, I had a bishop who gave our ward a “name” – the Delightful Downingtown Ward. He then focused on this scripture, and brought it up time and time again:

“Hearken and hear, O ye my people, saith the Lord and your God, ye whom I delight to bless with the greatest of all blessings, ye that hear me;…” – Doctrine and Covenants 41:1

Have you really thought what this means?

Sometimes, I think of the following scripture:

“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.” – Doctrine and Covenants 82:10

I have a tendency to misread this scripture and think – sure…the Lord blesses me, but that’s because He has to.”

The thing is, though, I know that He doesn’t. I know that – in and of myself – I don’t qualify for a single blessing I have received. Sure…Here the Lord says that when we do what He says, then He is bound to keep His part of the covenant, but that’s the thing:

We can’t even make our covenants without the Savior. We are baptized in His name. Even our prayers are done in His name. We need Him to be our mediator. So, without Christ, even if we did what the Lord said, we’d have no promise…because we cannot qualify on our own merits. We need the Savior.

The Lord said,

“Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life.” – Doctrine and Covenants 45:3

Christ is the one speaking to the Father in our behalf. He is the only one capable of doing so. And he does it out of His love for our Heavenly Father and for us.

Anyways…back to the earlier point – the Lord is not bound to bless us on our merits alone. He is bound to keep His covenant with us – because we have joined with Christ. Christ is the one who perfects us and enables us to covenant with God.

God knew that this would be the case, which is why He offered His Only Son.

“¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

Heavenly Father wants to bless us. He gave us His Son so that He would be able to bless us with His best blessings. As the scripture in D&C 41:1 teaches, he delights in blessing us with the greatest of His blessings.

Time and time again, my bishop would tell me this. I was single then, working, getting through a divorce, and putting my life back together. My bishop, always with a smile, reminded me that Heavenly Father delighted in blessing me with His greatest blessings.

Doesn't he look like a great bishop?!

I trusted what he said even though the blessings were so afar off, I couldn’t even imagine them, and eventually, the Lord did bless me.

The Lord blessed me despite my weakness and sins. He blessed me above and beyond my best effort. I know that this was because of my faith in the Savior. And I know it was because Heavenly Father loves me. It is because He loves blessing us.

In Doctrine & Covenants 59, we read

“And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man;…” – Doctrine and Covenants 59:20

It truly pleases God to bless us. He finds delight in it.

I don’t know about you, but when I really think about how much He loves blessing me, and all that He has done so that He can bless me, I am overwhelmed by His love. I feel happy. I feel grateful. I feel reverence for Him. I want to show Him more love through keeping the commandments and sharing the gospel.

I know that Heavenly Father loves each of us, and I know that He delights in blessing us with His greatest blessings. I know that Heavenly Father loves blessing us so much, He provides ways for us to receive His blessings – through the Savior’s atonement and through sacred covenants. I know that if we will just trust Him and do as He teaches us to do – even when life is difficult, then He will bless us – usually in a way better than we could have imagined for ourselves.

How have you felt the Lord’s love through blessings? Have you struggled with this? What do you do to feel the Lord’s love in your life?

2 Comments
by chococatania on January 27, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Blessings, Doctrine and Covenants, Insights
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Posted by chococatania on January 27, 2012

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/heavenly-father-really-loves-us-dc-411/

The Book of Mormon: Hope through Deliverance

One of the things I love most about the Book of Mormon, is how I’ve been able to feel God’s love for me as I’ve read it’s sacred words.

Six years ago, I was separated and divorced. It was a difficult time. I had been married in the temple to a return-missionary. We had two children. I thought that we were on track. On the outside, everything seemed to be good. What I didn’t realize was that my ex-husband had another secret life, and it wasn’t a good one. I like to joke: my experience in my first marriage was like being married to Tiger Woods…minus the money. Anyways, the point is: when I was 26, I found myself living in my mom’s house: trying to find a way to pick up the pieces and also support two beautiful girls.

It was hard.

But, as hard as it was, throughout my time as a single, working, mom – I was sustained with hope. I was helped by a loving bishop, comforted by great friends, and above all, filled with the love of God.

This scripture was especially relevant to me:

” 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.” – Ether 12:4

I know that this scripture is about a future world – in the eternities, but this scripture also gave me so much comfort immediately. As I exercised my faith in the Savior, I was filled with hope for a better world. I prayed that this “better world” would come before the end of my mortal life, but I knew that no matter when I was able to experience a better world, I would experience it! This hope – created an anchor in my life to the Lord, and, somehow I was able to keep attending the temple, fulfilling my calling, and growing closer to the Lord. Even though life was so hard, the Lord strengthened me.

Much of the strength came from reading the Book of Mormon. One of the themes that stuck out to me the most at this time was that of deliverance. The Book of Mormon is rife with examples of deliverance.

In the very first chapter of the Book of Mormon, we read:

“…But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.” – 1 Nephi 1:20

Nephi sets a tone for the Book of Mormon: If we are faithful, if we choose the Lord, then He will extend to us His tender mercies: unto the power of deliverance. What a comforting and hopeful message. We have a loving Father – who will deliver each of us individually.

” 15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod.

16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.” – 2 Nephi 21:15-16

The Lord does prepare a way so that His people can be delivered from bondage.

This was comforting to me because I felt like I was in “Egypt” or in “bondage”… – being single. Being a single parent – the emotion and disappointment of divorce, dating, and trying to stay sane was very difficult for me. I was alone. Sometimes life seemed a little hopeless. It was hard to know how I would get married when there weren’t many prospects (dates, etc.), and when I didn’t have much time to attend singles activities/functions/get togethers. However, I knew that the Lord was aware of me, and that He would provide the path that I needed to take so I could receive this blessing.

And He did. And I did.

“Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.” – 1 Nephi 17:14

The Lord physically delivered Nephi and his family from a physical condition – the destruction of Israel and their possible demise. We know that Israel was conquered, and had Nephi and his family remained in Jerusalem, then they would have been destroyed.

When the Lord delivered Nephi and his family, however, they weren’t magically transported to paradise. They had to travail through the wilderness before reaching the promised land.

We can learn so much from this example. I loved this story because I felt like, while I was a single mom, I was in my “wilderness”…slowly moving toward this promised land. And I was grateful for the sustaining hope – the Lord had already delivered me from a destructive marriage, and I knew he would deliver me from the pain that I was experiencing at that time.

“Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.” – 1 Nephi 4:3

Not only do we read a pattern of deliverance in the Book of Mormon, but we also get the pattern of faith in deliverance. In this scripture, Nephi is exercising his faith that the Lord indeed will deliver him and his brothers. Nephi’s faith is based on the scriptures. Nephi knew that the Lord had delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, and that he had the power to do the same for Nephi and his brothers. I love this example of Nephi – being faithful, and letting your life be filled with power that comes from the lives of other faithful people. Because Nephi knew that the Lord had the power to deliver the children of Israel, Nephi knew that the Lord could deliver him.

“Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.”- Alma 58:11

The thing is: we have to endure trials. Sometimes it is because of our own lack of faith or our own sin. Other times, we have to endure the consequences of another’s bad choices. Then, there are times when we just have to endure trial because we are being refined. In any case, we have to endure…but we don’t have to do it alone. Long before we are delivered, the lord will bless our souls with peace, He will strengthen our faith, and our hope for deliverance will buoy us up through trial.

This is exactly what I experienced. I was not relieved of my trial immediately, but the Lord did comfort me, helped my unbelief, and sustained me with hope.

I share this scripture chain because…well I think it’s because I know that we all suffer, and we go through this life enduring hardship and trial. Even amidst blessings there seem to be difficulties. We experience opposition.

For some, the opposition becomes so strong, they begin to doubt the very existence of God. They may think that if there is a God, then He’s not good – or loving.

But, I want to say that I know that God is Good. He loves us. I know that He mourns with us as we struggle through our trials. I know that He also reaches out to heal and strengthen us. He has allowed each of us to make our own choices, but we do not have to go on in this life without Him. He is accessible, and His love can be felt in the scriptures – especially the Book of Mormon.

I’d like to echo Alma’s words:

“And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea, and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.” – Alma 36:27

I have also been supported under trials and troubles of every kind. I have been supported in various afflictions. God has delivered me from the prison of a horrible marriage, the bonds of sin, and from physical death (well…he will, once I die). I feel like I don’t deserve this. I haven’t always been as obedient or faithful as I should be. Yet He has loved me enough to deliver me. And because of His mercy, I’ve experienced many blessings, and joyous occasions. I know, like Alma, that I can trust Heavenly Father.

We are children of a Loving Heavenly Father. He will deliver me. He will deliver you – if you also put your trust in Him.

***
Read more great testimonies (this month) of the Book of Mormon over at the Book of Mormon Forum.

5 Comments
by chococatania on October 4, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Blessings, Book of Mormon, Book of Mormon Forum, Family, Insights, Life Lessons, Motherhood, Single Motherhood, Testimonies
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by chococatania on October 4, 2011

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/the-book-of-mormon-hope-through-deliverance/

My Testimony of Heavenly Father

I have a testimony that I am a daughter of God – that God is my Heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father is distinctly aware of me. I know that He loves me. I know that he cares for me.

This knowledge has always been with me – at one level or another. Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with a great father. He has always been aware of my needs and willing to do everything that he can to help me. However, there is one aspect of our relationship that lacks, and it is our faith. I know that my father respects my religion, but I also know that he doesn’t believe it. Nor does he understand how it has motivated many of the choices I’ve made in life.

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As I have gotten older, I have found that I need to rely on my Heavenly Father for this kind of confirmation. I haven’t always felt comfortable explaining that my reasoning for certain decisions have been based in the way that the Spirit has guided me. Again, I don’t fault my father for this. I understand where he is coming from – as he does not have this kind of faith, but these experiences have caused me to gain a special relationship with my Father in Heaven. I have realized that I can go to Him like a Father, and that he will always understand me. I know that He understands my worries, my faith, and my problems.

At one point in my adolescence, I was having a really hard time with my faith. I was not always making the best choices, and I was questioning everything that I had always believed in. However, I was still going to church and going through the motions required.

Around this time, I received a special calling – as a youth (assistant) camp director. When I received this calling, all of the love for my fellow young women and all of the wonderful experiences I had at camp flooded my memory. I distinctly understood that Heavenly Father knew me personally. He loved me, and He didn’t want me to doubt in Him or in the Gospel. I know now that Heavenly Father offered his troubled daughter help – through a special calling. This experience taught me that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me.

As I’ve gotten older, I have had many other similar experiences. I have found that during times of trial or adversity, Heavenly Father has ways of letting me know, specifically, that He loves me and that He is aware of my needs, worries, and desires. I also have felt that He wants to see me happy.

I know that Heavenly Father is a perfect Father, and that He loves all of His children with a perfect love. I know that the delights in blessing us with His best blessings, and I have often been a grateful recipient of these blessings. I know that Heavenly Father is deeply interested in our causes, and that His entire existence – His entire work and glory – is based on our happiness – on our immortality and eternal life.

I’m so grateful to have this knowledge. The love that I feel from my Heavenly Father causes me to desire righteousness and increased faith. It inspires me to be loving to Him and to my spiritual brothers and sisters. The love that I feel from my Heavenly Father fills me with a sense of peace. I know that I have a Father in Heaven, and I know that He loves me.

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by chococatania on October 27, 2009  •  Permalink
Posted in Testimonies
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Posted by chococatania on October 27, 2009

http://thatgoodpart.wordpress.com/2009/10/27/my-testimony-of-heavenly-father/

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