Abide With Me

            I watched the Mormon Message, Abide with Me- Finding Peace Through Prayer this week and was really touched to change my life.  I saw this lady who was so caught up in her own life and what she was doing that she wasn’t looking towards others.  She worked in a chaotic environment and the stress level was high.  The stress she experienced though wasn’t healthy because it didn’t only affect her, but also her intern.  She was demanding, demeaning, and ugly to this young man.  He didn’t know everything he was suppose to be doing, but she acted as though he should be doing it perfectly.  It wasn’t until she saw him praying that she finally looked outside of herself.  She realized that he was struggling but to get through it he was praying.  When she finally seeks help from Heavenly Father in prayer I felt a direction I could be better. 

            So, while thinking of these things and listening to what I needed to change I felt that sometimes I do this to my very own children.  I sometimes think that they need to do everything perfect exactly how I would want them to do it.  When they don’t I get frustrated and get mad at them.  Other times I thought do I get so involved in my own life and struggles that I don’t even think of what my children are going through.  I learned that I need to be better at looking outside of myself and not get so caught up in the tasks at hand.  I need to care about people.  Life isn’t all about tasks and to do lists.  It’s about the people in our lives that are going to make those tasks and to do lists a lot more enjoyable to do because some of them we will do together.  I love my children but do they really know that I love them more than the other tasks I need to get done in a day.

            I don’t want to tell you what you should get from this video, because I have watched it before and never had this thought come to mind.  I think in each different phase of our life that Heavenly Father guides us in different ways that we can improve then.  So, as you watch it yourself, whether you have seen it before, ask yourself how Heavenly Father needs you to abide in Him.  He needs me to abide in Him, by putting my children as a greater priority in my life.  I’m going to really try to be better this week and I know this will help me become a better version of myself, just like the thoughts you get for you will help you become a better version of yourself.  I know this will change your life for the better and I hope the video touches you as much as it did me.  I couldn’t stop crying.

            You can click on this link to watch the Mormon Message https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/abide-with-me-1

"Prove me now herewith"

         While I was growing up we had many family discussions on tithing and giving to the Lord.  My Dad was constantly telling us of the blessings my mom and he and experienced throughout their lives by being honest in their tithes and offerings.  Many times He even talked about the importance of being generous in our offerings.  I loved hearing their experiences and some of them I had seen during difficult financial times in their lives.  I just knew the Lord would take care of those who gave back to Him.

            So, because of these experiences I never really questioned that 10% of what I earned I was going to give back to the Lord, since ultimately He is the one who gave me all that I have.  Over the years I have experienced amazing blessings that have come through doing what He asks us to do by paying tithes and offerings. 

            My husband and I had a firsthand experience a couple years ago.  We were broke, going to school, we had 2 kids and were pregnant with our third, and my Dad had just died of cancer.  One night my husband and I were praying and I felt that we should double our fast offering.  I thought okay, the Lord has taken care of us so far, and if He needs us to give more He will make it all work out.  So, we began doubling our fast offering.  I can’t explain all the miracles we saw but the windows of heaven poured out upon us.  One of the big miracles for me was that I no longer felt constant worry about our finances and how we were going to pay for everything we needed to each month.  It just worked out.  Our food storage just kept going and going.  It was amazing.

            I tell you all this because I just realized what I have been doing throughout my life that is helping me become the best version of myself.  I have been doing what the Lord asks us to do in 3 Nephi 24:8-10, verse 10 specifically.  The Lord is talking about tithes and offerings and then says, “…prove me now herewith, … if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”  The Lord asks us to try Him and learn truth for ourselves that He will do what He says He will.  He says if we pay our tithes that he will open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings.  He has done that for me as I have tried the Lord.  I tried the promise that He offered and His promise was fulfilled. 

            I think there are many time in our lives when the Lord wants us to try or prove the promises that come from following Him and keeping His commandments.  He wants to bless us and one of the ways that He blesses us is when we do what He asks.  When we search for truth by acting on promptings or whatever it is He tells us to do, He also promises certain blessings for our lives.  It just makes me think there are so many other things that the Lord needs me to do and blessings He wants to give me but I need to be willing to “prove” Him now herewith and the blessings will come.

            This week if you haven’t had the experience of proving the Lord by paying tithes and offerings, try Him.  I know His blessings and promises are real and true.  They are always there for us when we act.  If you have done that continue to do it and look for other areas of your life that the Lord needs you to try Him and His promises will come.  It is incredible how much He desires to bless us and help us become better.  As you try this out for yourself pay attention to the blessings that come large or small and be grateful as He helps you become the best version of yourself.