Write at the Heart

My kids have said some pretty funny things over the years, & lucky for them, I’ve written many of them down! So when I read D&C 68:25, “And they shall also teach their children to pray,” I had to find some of the prayers from the mouths of my babes: “Please bless that [brother] won’t get punched in the face tomorrow.” “Please bless the food, & please bless the monsters outside.” "Please bless that Jesus didn't make any grinches cause they have stinky hearts." “Please bless that [little toddler sister] will stop choking everyone.” “Please bless that we won't kill anyone.” “We're thankful that Jesus loves bad people AND he loves good people. Help me and [sister] to get along better. Help us to eat healthy. Amen." “Bless that mommy will drive good." Gotta love some of those child prayers! There have been some interesting (and semi-violent) ones!  There have also been some incredibly beautiful, faith-filled prayers from my kids over the years. I’...

Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m supposed to do something, something personal & something hard. Something I would rather not do!!! I told God: Okay, if you REALLY want me to do it, I’m gonna need you to be, like, REALLY clear. Cause I’m NOT gonna do it if you aren’t!!! I know, probably not the best way to talk to Him. But I was being honest! Well, He was very clear today! So clear I had to escape to the bathroom & cry while I digest what this means. I’ve pushed & pushed it away! But… I need to face it. Do I have the strength?!  My younger kids have been in swimming lessons all week, & I can’t stop thinking about them jumping off the diving board for the first time.  An instructor led each of the kids in their class onto the board, one by one. Some looked a bit cautious, while some were visibly scared, knees wobbling up there above the water. A second instructor waited in the water for them. Smiling. Nodding. Encouraging. Understanding their fears, but asking t...

I was 16 years old & struggling. One night I tearfully prayed for help. I also asked about something very specific. The next night, I humbly asked my dad for a blessing. From my journal: “I briefly, very briefly, told my dad I needed spiritual help. …dad laid his hands on my head. I was pleading he’d know what to say. He did. …It was completely amazing! Dad had no idea that happened [about the night before]. None! There is no way he could have known! This is from God!” The blessing addressed exactly what had been on my heart. “My dad was inspired. …The blessing was what I needed to hear. …Now I just need the strength … to heed my blessing. I pray I won’t forget it.” I couldn’t help but think of that experience as I read about William McLellin, who said he “went before the Lord in secret, & on my knees asked him to reveal the answer to 5 questions through his Prophet.” He approached Joseph Smith, asked for a revelation, & waited to see if he’d hear answers to his 5 questions...

I had a heart to heart with God the other day. In the car, out loud, like I do sometimes when I'm alone.  We talked about lots of things, but mostly it was me being annoying, (JK I know God doesn’t get annoyed. Does He? 😉) once again pleading, “Help me balance my life!”  I have LOTS of good intentions. 🙌 And only so much energy. 😩 And of course when I’m making headway over here, something is inevitably slipping over there. It’s maddening. HOW TO BALANCE IT ALL? God answered. The simplest answer. One I've heard again & again, but in that moment it was SO CLEAR.  PUT GOD FIRST. I haven’t been doing so great at this lately! I thought of President Nelson's question: “What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith.” If I had more faith, I would do better at putting God first! What does that look like? It looks like rearranging some priorities. Discipline. Action. Time. Humility...