Take Time to Do What You Enjoy

Please Read and respond:

What do you enjoy doing? Are you taking the time to do it? Are you talking about it and sharing your ideas with someone? Do you have the emotional support and encouragement you need to follow your passions? Will you identify what you need to do to be able to share and follow a dream, and enlist the help you need to grasp it?

We all face obstacles, but let's have a little more faith in ourselves and each other. Our talents and gifts far outweigh our inabilities and deficits. Let's not let anxiety and fear cripple us.  Let's allow love and anticipation to motivate us. With God's help, and with the sustaining support we can and should give each other, we will not only be able to walk; we will soar!

Let's give this Christmas gift to ourselves and to each other, continuously.  In so doing, we will become happier, more fulfilled; and be able to light the world with the love of God, with an increased confidence in our ability to serve Him and each other.


Give yourself a gift. Take time to do what you enjoy, and #LighttheWorld.

Life is Not Static, But Love and Devotion Can Be.

I have felt true joy in my life, and I have felt real sadness and even anguish. I will tell you that the joy has come from associations with friends and family; through serving, loving and getting to know people. Even with sadness, and anguish felt in losses, I have still been able to be comforted when I have turned to the Lord, because He delivers peace and sustains us through each hour that we are in need.

When we realize that our greatest joys come through our associations with one another, and through hard work that family members do to support and sustain one another, and when we realize that the very love that we develop through those associations will feed us with joy even in times of sorrow; then our greatest efforts should be in nurturing our relationships, building one another up, and sustaining each other through all our joys and sorrow, whether the road is rocky, we are on a roller coaster, or we are experiencing smooth sailing.

True anguish and despair need not debilitate us or rob us of our hope and joy. If they do, then we have chosen to put trust (or lack of trust) in man rather than showing faith in God; and we have also chosen to wallow instead of to climb. If we choose to climb, there will always be a hand that reaches out for ours to pull and lift us higher until we can break through the clouds and enjoy the sunlight once again.

It might help for each of us to take inventory or our own lives. What brings us joy? What causes us sorrow? What things can we change? How can we feel happiness and peace? Is it unrealistic to want everything to go just our way all the time? What do we choose to do when things are beyond our own control? How do we respond when we are disappointed? How do we respond when others attain success? Have we learned how to have hope and trust in good things to come? Do we place unrealistic projections on others or on the future? Do we choose to be humble? Do we choose to place our faith in God? Do we move forward with certainty even when we don’t feel certain? Do we have enough courage to give ourselves and others the benefit of the doubt? Do we know that we can get up again even with skinned knees or broken teeth? Do we lash out at others when we feel uncertain? Or, do we hold hands and move forward together? 

Life is not static, but love and devotion can be. And therein lies our happiness. 

Life is Not Static, But Love and Devotion Can Be.

I have felt true joy in my life, and I have felt real sadness and even anguish. I will tell you that the joy has come from associations with friends and family; through serving, loving and getting to know people. Even with sadness, and anguish felt in losses, I have still been able to be comforted when I have turned to the Lord, because He delivers peace and sustains us through each hour that we are in need.

When we realize that our greatest joys come through our associations with one another, and through hard work that family members do to support and sustain one another, and when we realize that the very love that we develop through those associations will feed us with joy even in times of sorrow; then our greatest efforts should be in nurturing our relationships, building one another up, and sustaining each other through all our joys and sorrow, whether the road is rocky, we are on a roller coaster, or we are experiencing smooth sailing.

True anguish and despair need not debilitate us or rob us of our hope and joy. If they do, then we have chosen to put trust (or lack of trust) in man rather than showing faith in God; and we have also chosen to wallow instead of to climb. If we choose to climb, there will always be a hand that reaches out for ours to pull and lift us higher until we can break through the clouds and enjoy the sunlight once again.

It might help for each of us to take inventory or our own lives. What brings us joy? What causes us sorrow? What things can we change? How can we feel happiness and peace? Is it unrealistic to want everything to go just our way all the time? What do we choose to do when things are beyond our own control? How do we respond when we are disappointed? How do we respond when others attain success? Have we learned how to have hope and trust in good things to come? Do we place unrealistic projections on others or on the future? Do we choose to be humble? Do we choose to place our faith in God? Do we move forward with certainty even when we don’t feel certain? Do we have enough courage to give ourselves and others the benefit of the doubt? Do we know that we can get up again even with skinned knees or broken teeth? Do we lash out at others when we feel uncertain? Or, do we hold hands and move forward together? 

Life is not static, but love and devotion can be. And therein lies our happiness. 

Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and Peace Be with You

Jesus is the Prince of Peace

 Brent Borup

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He who created all things and gave us life also allows us to live our lives. His desire is for us to grow in goodness and prosperity, to learn to love and trust Him, and in so doing, to love and help each other. But as always, He gives us choice. 

Freedom

Freedom. What is it? Jesus has told us that the truth shall make us free (See John 8:32).

Those who embrace His truths with trust in Him feel this freedom. We can be free from hate, free from addictions, free from idleness, free from greed, free from loneliness, and free from ignorance. The thing about that is that all these freedoms take work. Our free will is a gift to us, but these other things take work and are a result of our choices and how we exercise our agency.

Our chances for lasting peace and freedom are void without Him and everlasting abundant through Him. There may be seasons of rest from wars and strives, but there will never be lasting freedom without people choosing to work within the boundaries of laws, especially His laws. He who said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15), did not say so because He wants to control us, but rather because He wants to free us. 

Many of us long for the promised day when Jesus will return and the inhabitants will be at peace with one another. It will be lovely, beautiful, and supernal. But we do not have to wait until then to feel His love, His peace, and His presence in our lives now. Today.

Peace Can Be Felt Today

Jesus promises us as He did His disciples of long ago,

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). 

We Must Love God and Love Each Other (See Matt 22:36-40)

We cannot keep this peace if we feel anger, hate, and revenge towards our fellow brothers and sisters. Here’s what the Lord says about that:

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1 John 4:20-21).

This extends to all humanity with which we share this planet, whether we have met each personally or not. We cannot love God without loving His children as well, who come from Him.

Also, here is good counsel from the Apostle Paul, who reminds us that the Lord said vengeance belongs only to Him, He who desires not to give it.

"Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:17-21).


How can we know when we are free? We will feel the Holy Spirit with us. And what is the fruit of the Spirit?

"...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-25).

Jesus Has Done All

We are not asked to do anything that Jesus will not help us do. Neither are we asked to do anything that He hasn’t already done for us. From the cross, He still loved us all. Every one.

The words He spoke resound through the universe still,

"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).

He who was wronged for all of our wrongdoings and none of His own, He who suffered for me and for you and bled from every pore; He it is who was free from all evil, and He alone can make us free as well.

Peace be with you.

And peace be with you as well.

Not Everything is a Celebration!

Not Everything is a Celebration!

I am increasingly amazed and disturbed by the many people who want to celebrate their weaknesses as successes and encourage others to do so as well. Certainly, we have diverse characteristics and challenges. While we should be able to recognize the accomplishments of others and of ourselves, we should also be able to distinguish when we fall short. It is important to own our weaknesses as weaknesses, instead of boasting that they make us unique; this, in turn, can allow us the ability to recognize our need for the Lord’s help so that we can progress.



No, I am not going to provide a list of examples here; because, I do not want to feel the unleashed backlash from those who would say that I’m judgmental and that I am without feeling. Neither of these things would be true. But I believe that I am discerning in this matter, which is part of practicing good judgment. And as far as feeling, I believe that we all must be open to feeling some shame, so that we can be humble enough to rely on the Lord, who will then help us on our journey to higher ground.



All of us fall short of the glory of God (see Romas 3:23). No matter what our individual trials are, God wants us to measure up, trust in Him, and meet His expectations. Why? Because He is our loving Parent, and His paramount desire is for our happiness and joy and safety (see Moses 1:39). He is the Protectant of our eternal welfare. But even He cannot ensure our safety and deliverance from sin and our own carnal nature, if we abandon His design and ignore His commandments, seeking to pacify ourselves in our own shortcomings, while celebrating them as special needs.



We can make of our lives what we will at every turn with the help of the Holy Spirit and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But we need to acknowledge our dependence on the Lord; and when we fall, seek His help to lift us up again.



In today’s world, we see those who have similar challenges banding together and exercising pride in their togetherness of shared weaknesses. Instead of feeling some shame or uncertainty, which could cause them the necessary humility to initiate change, they believe that their togetherness will make them strong enough to offer endorsement to their struggle; as if their personal struggle is of more value than they are themselves.



But in doing so, they are claiming superiority of their need for sin or someone else’s need to sin. It seems that self-justification is highly prized, while self-evaluation is considered harmful. In the long run, the opposite is most definitely true; and, if we are honest, it is so even in the present. Change is not easy. But it is required if we want to follow Jesus.



There is purpose in the challenges that we face. The Lord has declared for what reason we have been given challenges. While the world would think that our challenges represent part of our eternal nature, it is not so. God wants better for us, and He has provided the way in His Son Jesus Christ.



Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet was concerned about his weakness in writing. He thought that we Gentiles would mock his writings because of His weakness (see Ether 12:23).



Here is the Lord’s response (found in Ether 12:26-27):



26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying:


Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;



27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.



The issue of too much celebration is really an issue of too much pride. If we acknowledge our weaknesses and seek the Lord’s help in humility, He will bless us to overcome through Him and be made stronger to combat our challenges in His strength. Of necessity, this should promote more humility in our hearts, not pride, so that we can continue to approach Him and rely on Him for deliverance.

Sometimes we spend so much time turning to support groups that we forget to turn to the Lord. 


I feel like as a people we think that we have come so far, that we are much more enlightened than those of past generations and dispensations; but, I believe that Samuel the Lamanite is talking to us, as well as to the people of Nephi, when he said in Helaman 13:25-28:



25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.



26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil.



27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.



28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.



Can you see that when we spend our efforts being sympathetic to sin instead of sympathetic to the sinner that we are acting in opposition to the prophets of God? Can you see that when we engage in media expressions of pride that we our offering an endorsement to the activity and not to our individual brothers and sisters?



Can you see from these verses that if we encourage pride in sin that we are setting ourselves up as false prophets and helping the devil in his devices to destroy the rightful destiny of the children of God? I believe this is so even if our desired goal is to gain recognition of being empathetic instead of monetary gain. There are better ways to show our love and concern for each other than to endorse sin. I do not want to be accountable of so great a calamity. I would rather face the anger of the unjustified, prideful masses than face the righteous indignation of the wrath of God.



Our celebration should be in the Lord’s strength, not in our personal weaknesses. He who was tempted beyond measure, yet gave the devil no heed; He who overcame on our behalf, so that He can lift us up and help us overcome our personal struggles with sin; He who offered us life, and that more abundantly, if we turn to Him, trust in Him, love Him, and show that love by keeping His commandment; it is He whom we should celebrate.



We should celebrate Jesus. And in celebration of Jesus’s glorious accomplishment in overcoming sin, we can again celebrate when He helps us on our journey in overcoming our personal sins one step at a time and one day at a time. The celebration must never be in our own weaknesses, but in the Lord’s strength.