Category: Jesus Christ

A light that keeps shining in Christ

This summer caught me by surprise by the social upheaval, divisive language, and violence, on top of the realities of pandemic living. In the early weeks of June, I felt myself shutting down, pulling inward, and wanting to never interact with another person. I felt deeply conflicted by what I was viewing on the screen. Drawing inward seemed the best option, succumbing to the sense of powerlessness I felt. But something changed as I realized that as a disciple of Christ, I had no business giving up to despair.

I couldn’t solve the problems around me. I couldn’t hasten my healing from surgery. But I could be a voice of faith in every conversation. I could also declare my faith by showing up for people more often. I could do the work to try to understand another point of view. I could speak plainly about the goodness of God. When someone asked how terrible my health was, giving me an opportunity to complain, I could talk instead about angels and peace and God’s love. I squared my shoulders to continue writing here. Has any of this made a difference? I don’t know for others, but for myself, it was a pivotal decision to be counted as a light that keeps shining in Christ.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. -2 Timothy 1:7

Losses and Gains

I am home from the hospital, feeling a little neglected because I am not awakened each morning at 3 or 4 am to stand on a scale and have my blood pressure checked. 😉

I have lost a length of my intestine. I have lost sleep, my appetite, and a lot of weight. But I have also lost a level of fear about this time, its isolation and uncertainty, and illness in general. People really do take care of one another. So, with all the losses, there are gains in perspective and understanding.

I am not able to focus on reading very well, so I have been reading my notes I took during my Book of Mormon study before my surgery. On the day I became ill, before I had any idea my life was about to change, I wrote these notes, under the caption of “Life Instructions during the Covid-19 pandemic”:

  • Remember God has delivered your ancestors. (Alma 36:2)
  • Trust God. You will be supported in this. (Alma 36:3)
  • The Atonement [of Christ] covers the harmful effects of [everything]. Let your mind catch hold on this thought: Christ’s mercy. He will make all this suffering better. He is that powerful. (Alma 36:14-18)

Master Healer

As we approach the worldwide fast for relief from the effects of COVID-19 tomorrow, I want to share this painting by J Kirk Richards entitled, He Healed Many of Diverse Diseases.*

As you look at this painting, what do you notice? Can you picture yourself here, and if so, which person seems most like you? What do you learn from the child in the painting? Who are the people that are ministering? Who might be feeling fear or anxiety, and what can you learn from their acts of faith? What feelings does this painting evoke? What truths about a merciful God can be found here? What can you do to point others to the Master Healer at this unique time?

I like the following graphic, but it is missing an important point: a prophet of God issued this call to fast. President Nelson is inviting us to plead for ourselves and our brothers and sisters all over the globe.

*This painting can be found in the 2020 Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual for the week of February 10-16, page 29.

Sure things

There is nothing unique about my experience during this past week of cancellations due to COVID-19. I have watched my email folder fill up with messages from schools and church and made necessary adaptations. The boys are home, except when they go out to work or walk. My life stays largely the same, including my level of fear. During most of my adult life, I have regularly expected to catch each illness, die of sepsis from an abscessed tooth, or choke to death all alone… if a car accident didn’t take me first. I have similar fears for each family member. In other words, welcome to my world, world. The real weight of this time for me rests in the reality that Daniel is thousands of miles away, on another continent.

A few sure things to which I cling:

Our Father in Heaven knows where we are and exactly what we need.

Our Savior Jesus Christ knows the depth and breadth of our feeling.

The Father’s plan is never frustrated.

Angels minister to us.

The Holy Ghost never misspeaks or offends. He brings comfort, power, and direction. What an amazing friend and companion.

The Book of Mormon is dear and true. It has helped me through every challenge, my whole life, and it continues to help me now.

No one is unique in their struggles, and my struggles are not more valid than yours. But Sure Beings and the true things carry every one of us through, whether we have eyes to see or not. This I know.

The Book of Mormon and Mental Health

This is a post about how I read the Book of Mormon and some things I am learning. I don’t think my way is better than your way, but it works for me.

For personal study, I try to read a certain amount of time each day. I focus on one topic as I make one complete reading of the Book of Mormon. I don’t mark my scriptures much, but I read with paper and pen in hand to take notes on the topic. I write on loose leaf paper, folded in my scriptures, and when I finish the Book of Mormon, I staple the note pages together and use the notes when I need them. My notes include quotes from the Book of Mormon, but more often, the notes expand beyond the words on the page and reflect what I think the Spirit is teaching me. Over the years, my topics have ranged from the gathering of Israel to qualities of the Savior, and strategies for facing family challenges to forgiving others, and more.

Currently, my focus is, “What does the Book of Mormon teach about mental health?” Holy hand cramps, Batman, there is a lot about mental health in 1 Nephi.

A few of the mental health tips I have gained this week from Nephi:

Keep a record of goodness in your life. (1 Nephi 1:1)

Acknowledge the goodness of your parents above their flaws. (1 Nephi 1:1)

Create things with your hands. (1 Nephi 1:17)

Show courage in your beliefs. (1 Nephi 1:18)

Find evidence that God delivers us and write about it. (1 Nephi 1:20)

Did he mention that murmuring is a bad idea? (everywhere)

Be community minded. It’s not all about you. (1 Nephi 1:5)

Understand you won’t always know what to do, but you can trust that the Spirit will lead you if you are obedient. Also, keep moving even if you don’t know how to proceed. (1 Nephi 4:6-7)

Understand that sometimes it’s necessary to go through really unpleasant things. The difficulty you are facing now may be essential, and may help countless others. (1 Nephi 4:13)

Identify when you have misplaced blame for your own crisis on a loved one, and identify poor logic in your thinking. Be humble, apologize, and share what you have learned. (1 Nephi 5:2-6)

Seek out your genealogy. It will fill you with the Spirit. (1 Nephi 5:14-17)

Search, make use of resources the Lord has provided to inform you and help you. Hint: they are not just the scriptures. (1 Nephi 5:21)

Create goals and value statements, identifying your righteous purposes and live by them. (1 Nephi 6:4-6)

Press forward through the mist, and hold on to your faith. (1 Nephi 8:24)

Nurture humility, practice awe in God’s greatness, and proclaim truth. (1 Nephi 10:8)

All of us have things to overcome, including mental health challenges, and God has prepared a way for each of us. (1 Nephi 10:18)

When you don’t understand something, or why something has happened, push forward in your mind the knowledge that God loves his children. (1 Nephi 11:17)

The Atonement of Christ is necessary in a journey to better mental health. Don’t forget that one fruit of the Atonement of Christ is joy. (1 Nephi 11:22-23)

Believe that angels minister to you, and prepare you for healing in Christ. (1 Nephi 11:30-31)

No one escapes mists in which the devil seeks to tempt, blind, and harden. No one escapes some degree of misery, but having an overriding perspective that good will triumph can be helpful. (1 Nephi 12:17-18)

We don’t draw up the contract of how we will be acceptable to God. Crippling perfectionism, and dependence on self mastery alone cannot save us. We must look to the words of Christ to know the terms by which he helps us and saves us. (1 Nephi 13:41)

I don’t think Nephi set out to write about mental health, and if you look up the references to what I have written, you will see that the scriptures that inspired these thoughts are not really about mental health. But that’s the beauty of the Book of Mormon. It is a means to receive revelation for what we need right now.

What have you learned from the Book of Mormon recently? It doesn’t have to be about mental health. Truly, I would love to hear from you.

Testimony

I didn’t realize this is how grown up our family looks. I’ve had lots of moments to reflect on life and our Heavenly Father’s plan of happiness in the past few weeks. This picture (even the absence of our adored missionary) represents all that the Savior has given us: absolutely everything that brings us joy. Here are just a few things this photo represents to me, made possible by our Savior:

repentance and forgiveness

the Gospel of Jesus Christ

covenants and ordinances

marriage

sacrifice

missionary work

miracles of healing and understanding

children

hope

testimony

faith in Christ

obedience to commandments

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

patience

love

Joy, December 24

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:11-12

A pastor wrote a blog post a few years ago about Linus and his recitation of Luke 2, and how he drops his security blanket when he says, “Fear not.” It’s worth Googling if you haven’t read it.

I have always lived with fear. During a few times in my life, such as when I began junior high school and when we moved to Utah, my fears grew to crushing anxiety. I know how fear works. It feeds on the idea that we are alone and without help. But this is the biggest lie. The message of the angel is that the Savior’s help is for all people, everywhere, anytime, for anything. Fear not, he is here, you can go to him. This is joy. This is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Joy, December 23

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:1-3

I like to visualize Jesus of Nazareth reading this passage in the synagogue at the beginning of his ministry. That the prescribed reading for the day just happened to be these words in Isaiah gives new meaning to the foresight of God. This year I have reflected how Jesus came to know who he was. It must have been a stunning moment when all things came together in his mind. Did it take courage to tell others that he was the Messiah? Oh, I think so.

I feel the Savior’s courage and love in these words, and in my experiences as he exchanges mourning for the oil of joy.

Joy, December 22

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Luke 15:15

This is a reminder that the person down the street who messed up his life is worth enough that heaven would rejoice in his repentance. The person reading this message who is struggling is worth enough that heavenly beings would take time to celebrate a change for the better. This is a reminder that we are all sinners, and worthy of joy in heaven as we come unto Christ.

Joy, December 21

And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not, neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength, that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ. Now this was according to the prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

Alma 31:38

Thinking of our son today…and every day, hoping that his difficulties are covered by the joy of his message.