This past weekend I attended the Time Out for Women in Calgary with Kris and Kylie. It was really a great weekend and I was reminded of so many truths that are helping me in my recovery. I have outlined some of the concepts that meant the most to me:
1.) One of the presenters asked how many of us were living our "Plan A." There was only 1 person in the room of 2000 people who put up their hand and said that they felt they were living their plan A. Wow.. lucky her! I was taught that we are all living our "Plan A". Heavenly Father knows us perfectly. He knew that we would be where we are today - in the very spot we are in. THIS IS OUR PLAN A. He knew that we could make something of it! I had never thought about that before. Again, I am reminded that my expectations are not necessarily those of my Heavenly Father. The ideas of my perfect life are not always His. My ideas usually invlolve no heartache. They don't involve struggles and huge mountains to climb. My ideas are similar to Satan's...I want everything to be perfect, with no sadness, no trials, happiness always etc. What was I thinking???
2.) In order to live by Faith, we need three things:
a. We need a true knowledge that Heavenly Father exists
b. We need a correct understanding of His attributes
c. We need to know that the course of life that we are pursuing is OK with Him
If we have a knowledge of these three things, it will help us live by faith. I learned that I need to have faith in Christ - NOT faith in an outcome. I usually have faith in an outcome, but faith is wanting what God wants.
3.) I need to become a woman who expects that things will turn out great. Currently, I am not that woman. I don't want to have any expectations and if I do, they are usually low so that I am not disappointed. This isn't what Heavenly Father wants for me. He wants me to have the best life possible.
4.) "When we have the vision of who we can become, our power to act increases enormously." How can I pray with Faith? In learning how to pray with faith, it is helpful to pray about what to pray for. I can write down the desires of my heart and ask Heavenly Father if this is something that is right for me to pray for. If I receive an answer that indicates that the desire of my heart is right, then proceed with faith. This will make a difference.
5.) Be "altogether committed" vs. "almost" committed. I loved the following story about John Moyle, a
a master of stonework who came west with the earliest handcart companies in 1846. He settled in Alpine Utah, which was nearly 22 miles away from downtown Salt Lake City. He was called to be a stone mason on the Salt Lake Temple. In order to fulfill his calling, and to be to work by 8:00 in the morning, every Monday Brother Moyle would wake up at 2:00 a.m., and begin his long walk over the hill, and through the valley to the temple of the Lord.
He would spend the week in Salt Lake, working on the temple, and then on Friday, at 5:00 p.m., he would start the long walk home, where he would tend to the duties of his farm over the weekend.
One weekend, while tending to his farm, he was kicked as one of his cows bolted while milking, resulting in a compound fracture to his leg. In the lack of any sophisticated medical help at the time, the only available solution for his injury was amputation. His family and friends removed a door from its hinges, and strapped him onto it, and then removed his leg with a hacksaw.
As soon as he was able, once he could sit up in bed, he took a piece of wood, and using his carving skills, carved an artificial limb for himself so that such a little thing like the loss of a leg would not prevent him from walking each week to work on the temple.
As soon as he was able to stand the pain from walking on his stub leg, he again journeyed to the temple, and resumed his work, which he did for many years to come.
Amongst other stone work, Brother Moyle was responsible for carving the “Holiness to the Lord” stone upon the east side of the temple.
This is what it means to be holy and altogether committed.
6.) Remember the following:
-In moments when I question all that I know, remember these three words...YOU ARE CHRIST'S.
-Take my trials and turn them into a prayer - ask Heavenly Father to consecrate my trial for my good and benefit.
-There is not always a CURE, but there is always a HEALING.
-Ask myself - What is the most important thing that Heavenly Father would have me do today?
-In the story of the brother of Jared, keep in mind that the fierce winds blew the dish towards the promise land. Allow the "winds" of my life to blow me towards my promise land - even on the right side of God.
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