You needed an uplift, right?

I Delight !!!!!

I delight in the many miracles and tender mercies of my God. It is amazing to me when I recognize the Lord’s tender mercies and miracles that have occurred that I did not recognize at the moment of even not until I look back. So many times He has blessed me.
Such is what has happened for me this past week.
I have had some real health problems I have struggled with for many years. I have prayed and prayed, fasted, received priesthood blessings and made some big changes in my lifestyle. These things I did in my earnest desire to ask for & receive blessings I desired. I studied and studied searching for the path I needed to follow in asking for these blessings. Some scriptures that I love and have helped me are:
Jarom 1:11 “Wherefore the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.”
Mosiah 3:13: “And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the children of men, to declare theses things to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that Christ should come, the same might receive a remission of their sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.”What stuck out to me was: “and believe in him to come as though he already was” & “rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he had already come among them.”
There are several messages in these 2 scriptures:
but what stood out to me was that they were to believe and rejoice as if it had already happened. I have found that principle applies in my life. I recognized that I needed to thank the Lord in advance for the blessings I was desiring as if I had already received them. As I have tried to do this – amazing things have happened.
This past week a huge health problem took a big turn around for me. It has not totally resolved all the way, but it is close. I was so excited when I recognized the blessing. And all I could do was to thank my God & my Savior for their blessing and help for me. I truly felt like dancing and shouting HURRAY!!! I know and felt He was very much aware of me and my situation. I have felt and heard His promptings along the way that have led me to this spot.
There is still more to learn and more to see. I have learned that I need to thank Him in everything in my life – even my trials and hardships. Even my health problems. This particular problem has allowed me to learn many things that have made a difference in my life – a good difference. I don’t think I could learn these things without this adversity in my life. And so – I express my most humble gratitude for Him. I thank Him so much for this health trial. I thank Him that I am still working on this particular problem. I thank Him for the turn around this issue has taken and the hope and increased faith that has occurred for me.
How can I ever thank Him enough? What could I ever do? All I can do is to thank Him, live as He wants me to and continue to thank Him in all things – all things. He is my everything. He loves me and is concerned for me. I sometimes fret & worry (which actually accomplishes nothing). And I am learning that He teaches me the things I need to learn through the experiences that I have in my life. As I express gratitude for “everything” and “every experience” I have, I will learn and recognize the great blessings He has in store for me.
I want to arrive on the other side of these trials and experiences stronger and more determined to serve Him and live as He desires of me. I want to be the instrument in His hands that He needs to accomplish His great work. I want to delight in the blessings and I want Him to delight in me. I know that I can and I will.

Life's Adversities

President James E. Faust said:
"Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow and heartbreak for everyone. The thorns that prick the flesh, that hurt, often change lives. This change comes about through a refining process which seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master."

As I look back over my life I can honestly say that there have come very painful, despairing days. There have been many thorns that have pricked not only my flesh but my very soul. And the refining process has many times seemed cruel and hard and sometimes unending.

From my childhood thru now, the challenges have been many. Moving far from home, losing a child, serious health issues, concerns for children, husband who had cancer, very ill parents, job loses and the list could go on and on. It seems that we all have experiences that try us to our very core.

Isaiah 48:10: "Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction."

I understand that these experiences are for my best good. I have to thank God in all things in my life - even my very deepest sorrows. That can be a hard thing to do, especially when I am at my very deepest depths. At times I feel all alone with no where to turn. Yet, when I sit still (be still)I feel the Lord's great love for me and his warmth and tenderness fills me with renewed hope and faith that things will turn out OK. Many times He speaks to me through music, especially the hymns. I will wake up with a hymn in my head - a verse or a line or sometimes the entire hymn. Hymns like:
Where Can I Turn For Peace - "who, who can understand? He, only One."
Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord - "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee."
Do What is Right - "Do what is right; be faithful & fearless, God will protect you; then do what is right!"
How Firm A Foundation - "He'll never, no never, no never forsake!"
Take Time to be Holy - "In joy or in sorrow, still follow thy Lord, And looking to Jesus, still trust in His word."
Sing Praise to Him - "With healing balm my soul He fills, And every faithless murmur still."

These are just a few of the hymns that have been sent as comforting reminders that the Lord indeed is very aware of me and the things I have struggled with.

All I can do is let my heart shout in grateful praise to Him. He has been with me always and has carried me many a time thru sticky slime to a safe and firm place. I have recognized that through all my adversities I can only give Him thanks and gratitude for the challenge, because they have led me to higher ground. My adversities have been the only way that I could have made the changes for better and learned more how to be like Him.

I have learned more and more that when I thank Him for everything, good or bad and for the experiences and lessons learned I am more aware of the great blessings He gives to me. I am grateful for Him and everything that He does for me. I am never alone. And I will meet each new adversity and challenge with a determination to thank Him for all things.