My Source of Strength and Peace

I'm speaking in church on Sunday and my topic is, "How my testimony of Jesus Christ has blessed my life." My first thought was, "wow." That encompasses so much. So, I've been thinking about it all week and trying to narrow it down.

I think the biggest blessings my testimony of Christ brings into my life are hope and peace. I've faced a good amount of discouragement, rejection and inadequacy in my life  (as we all have, I'm sure.). I've struggled with hurt and disappointment time-after-time when I didn't get the job, or the date, or whatever. I feel like I've been knocked down many, many times. And sometimes, because of this I don't want to open my heart up to the possibility of succeeding, because I  don't want to be hurt if I get disappointed again.

But, ultimately, I know I need to have faith. I need to have faith in Christ. I know that through Him and because of Him all things are possible. He is my only hope. Jeffrey R. Holland said, "Because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so.” Christ has already suffered for my pain. I don't have to do things alone. I have Him as my Savior - my source of hope, peace and strength. Whatever I've gone through, He's been there too. Whatever I've felt, He's felt it too. And for that I am so, so very grateful.

Fear Not

This is so comforting. I love the messages of strength and comfort in the scriptures.

A Miracle and A Lesson

I had a little miracle in my life today. I was at church when a member of the Bishopric told me he had my scriptures.

I had lost them over six months ago! I thought they were gone forever. I had looked all over. I was sad about it. These scriptures had been with me through seminary and my mission. 

I got to thinking about it. Maybe Heavenly Father was trying to teach me something.  Maybe not, but I'd like to think so. Maybe He was reminding me in a very small way that hope is not lost. I had given up hope of ever finding them. Maybe sometimes out of the blue, when we're least expecting it, we find something we've been looking for for a very long time. And when we do find it, we are so incredibly happy.