I have been thinking a lot about what I know to be true. I have had a lot of experiences in my life that have shaped me into the person I am today. As I don't mean to make this post a biography of my life I feel that it is important to share some experiences that are dear to my heart as a way to reiterate how I was guided to the truth.
At a young age I found out that I had an older sister named Carly who had passed away at the short age of one. She was born with several birth defects including some holes in her heart. It was hard to grasp at such a young age why she couldn't be in my life and why I couldn't meet her but my parents taught me at a young age the profound truth that I would see her again because families are forever. The one way that I always held on to my relationship with my sister and to remember her was anytime there was a pink sunset my mom would say, " Carly is saying she loves you right now. It has been a sweet assurance throughout my life although I haven't ever met Carly in her physical form she has always been a spiritual angel in my life and is a constant reminder that one day I will see her again.
Through my experiences of learning about Carly I at times didn't understand why she couldn't be with me, why she was taken at such a young age, why god would take a beautiful girl away from her parents but one day I decided to kneel down and have a conversation with my heavenly father. My prayer started with frustrations, anger, but the more I continued to talk I got a sweet assurance that God has a plan and that this beautiful angel was needed on the other side and that even though she lived a short year she lived her life. It was in that moment that truth was brought to me about families, and the importance of prayer. I for so long didn't understand and in the moment I realized how much I had taken for granite. Prayer is such a powerful but yet simple gift we have in our lives. What power what truth comes when we take the opportunities to kneel down and speak to our heavenly father.
Prayer has been a constant guide in my life. It has helped me to make huge life decisions. I know prayers are answered, not always the way that we want but the way that God knows to be right. Before this year I viewed things as impossible but I have come to realize that with God ALL things are possible. I have always struggled with confidence in myself but this past year I went on a journey within myself I lost weight, I also invested time and energy to run which I still do and I not only completed 1 half marathon but I did 7! And with some amazing people in my life I now view a full marathon as a possibility. If it wasn't for my faith in my heavenly father I probably wouldn't have gained the confidence to do amazing things.
We live in a world which is sometimes cruel. We open magazines which are full of pictures of people who are majority of the times altered to make us feel like we won't ever fit the mold that society has created for us but the most IMPORTANT thing is not the pictures we see in the magazines it is realizing that we all are created in the image of God. We always feel that we have to fit medias idea of perfection but I will tell you now it is false ; the plain and simple truth is that god loves his children just the way they are and we all have to believe that the only thing we need to change about ourselves is admitting to the mistakes that we make and repenting through the atonement of Jesus Christ so that we can become more like him.
I know I am not a church scholar but the one thing I know I am a believer. I know that God lives and am so very eternally grateful for the atonement of his son Jesus Christ. and that I can be forgiven of all my mistakes. I know that families are forever and am so grateful for the knowledge of this. I know that Prayer is an eternal tool for us to use in this life to move forward to be with our master again and I would be completely lost without.
In the days that I feel that I am so far from reaching my true potential I know that is the time to kneel down and ask for a bit of extra guidance and comfort. I hope that some things will ring true to some of you. I am so grateful for each one of you and the people that you each are. We do live in a crazy world with conflict amongst us but it is reassuring to know spiritual giants among me who remind me constantly of my potential and the importance of moving forward.
