No Coincidences

Tag: book

  • A Miracle that Changed the World

    A Miracle that Changed the World

    These are thoughts from a book I read recently called A Miracle that Changed the World. It was an awesome book that laid out just how spectacular the establishing of America was. This was a section of the book I had some thoughts on. I’m quoting sections of the book with my thoughts.

    p. 52:

    “The Tide of Reform

    “Many Americas became extremely self-conscious about their lack of “public virtue” because of non-involvement in the affairs of government. They began to acknowledge their obsession with self-interest, the neglect of public affairs, and their disdain for the needs of the community as a whole. Gradually, a spirit of “sacrifice and reform” became manifest in all thirteen colonies.”

    This occurred in America in the couple of years leading up to the Declaration of Independence being signed. Is it any coincidence that a spirit of sacrifice, public virtue, and selflessness preceded the greatest revolution in the history of the world and the rise of the greatest nation ever to exist on earth? God needed a self-sacrificing and humble people to inherit the new world. When they exhibited these qualities, they became His chosen people to enact this major event. This led to a revolution and the freedom from tyranny that allowed the explosion of religious freedom that God planned, that couldn’t have happened under the rule of a monarchy. It started with sacrifice, service, and humility.

    “In the eyes of the Whigs, the two or three years before the Declaration of Independence always appears to be the great period of the Revolution, the time of greatest denial and cohesion, when men ceased to extort and abuse one another, when families and communities seemed peculiarly united, when the courts were wonderfully free of that constant bickering over land and credit that had dominated their colonial life.”

    Two things especially stand out to me from that statement –

    1. “families and communities seemed peculiarly united.”
      • From the Family Proclamation: “We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.”
      • As the fundamental unit of society, strong families make for strong society. No wonder Satan has so adamantly attacked the family. Look at divorce rates, look at what has happened to the American family. The dismantling of families is the the beginning of the downfall of a great society, and we’re seeing it happen right before our eyes.
    2. “the courts were wonderfully free of that constant bickering…”
      • Could the 13 original colonies have broken from the greatest world power at that time, colonies v. Greatest World Power, if they were busy bickering amongst themselves? It took unity for the freedom of America to be established.
      • D&C 38:27: “be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.”

    This is what we need – Americans to become self-conscious about how selfish we’ve become. This is the eternal principle of unity. America needed to be united under one cause and one heart before they could break free from tyranny. God wants us to be one. What has happened to that unity?

    I read in a Doctrine and Covenants commentary how early church members, going back to the very earliest days of the church, were advised to avoid courts. It was said that if a dispute couldn’t be resolved by arbitration, then there was discord and discontent too strong amongst the parties, and they needed to evaluate what they truly valued. One early church leader, Oliver Cowdery, was chastised for becoming too involved in the courts, and it ultimately began to descent towards his excommunication.

    “When Oliver moved to Missouri in 1837, he sought to alleviate personal debts by starting a legal career. Witnesses testified that Oliver had urged people to sue others in court who “fired guns in town,” who broke “the Sabbath day,” he “frequently solicited for business in collecting debts,” and “urge[d] on lawsuits with others.””

    There can’t be unity where there is constant bickering and lawsuits. Those needed to be removed from public standards before the 13 colonies could think to stand up against Britain.

    The book continues:

    “How the Moral Reform Accelerated the Revolution

    “Many Americans became so impressed with the improvement in the quality of life as a result of the reform movement that they were afraid they might lose it if they did not hurriedly separate from the corrupting influence of British manners. They attributed this corruption to the monarchal aristocracy of England. Even Americans such as John Jay, Robert Morris, and Robert Livingston were beginning to see that the people were exhibiting a potential capacity for virtue and morality which would guarantee the success of a free, self-governing society. Therefore, it became popular to express the sentiment that the sooner they became independent the better” (emphasis added).

    The underlined portion is the part that stood out to me. Imagine if society today could be said to have such a high standard of virtue and morality. This is what guaranteed the success of the United States: A virtuous and morally upright people. This is why they could self-govern themselves, because they self-governed in righteousness. Imagine describing our society like that today – excess of virtue and morality.

    The definition of virtue is “behavior showing high moral standards.”

    The definition of morality is “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.”

    We couldn’t be farther from such a standard. We’ve gone so far off the path that we have reversed morality so that right is wrong and wrong is right. We have molded morality to be what we want it to be. The early Americans who established this nation were moral and upright in all their dealings, which allowed them the honor of being the people to establish the most free, most righteous, and most powerful nation in history. Freedom and righteousness are power.

    Another motivating factor for the colonies wanting freedom from England was to avoid developing all the negative attributes of the British.

    “British influence was already taking its toll. One alarmed American wrote, “Elegance, luxury and effeminacy begin to be established.” David Ramsay declared that if Americans had not revolted “our frugality, industry, and simplicity of manners, would have been lost in an imitation of British extravagance, idleness and false refinements” (emphasis added).

    America has gotten closer to extravagance, idleness, and false refinements than frugality (look at our national debt), industry (look at our bail outs), and simplicity (look at social media).

    It’s time for unity in America. It’s time for virtue and morality. It’s time to protect and re-establish the importance of the family. It’s time to return to frugality, industry, and simplicity. If America can return to these values, maybe it stands a chance to stay a chosen nation and be protected from the tribulations that are to come.

  • The Life Beyond

    The Life Beyond

    The Life Beyond by Robert L. Millett and Joseph Fielding McConkie Copyright 1986.

    I recently was asked by two friends who have different religious beliefs from me, what do you believe happens to a person when they die?

    This is the great question right?  One of the 3 great questions.

    1. Where did I come from?
    2. Why I am I here?
    3. Where am I going?

    What a world we’d live in if every conversation we ever had started with that question:

    Hi, my name is Brayden.  Say, what do you think happens to us when we die?

    Wouldn’t that be great!  Less discussion about politics, sports, and tv.  What amazing conversations could come about from that question.

    It amazes me how many people in the world float through life without knowing any sort of answer to these questions.  It’s no wonder we’re in a world that seems untethered from any understanding, sense of reality, or sense of meaning.  What’s worse than all those who don’t know the answer to these questions is those that don’t even ask the question.  It baffles my mind that so many live on this earth, day by day, moment by moment, without daily stopping to ponder: why am I here?

    I believe the reason for this attitude by many people and much of society is due to a feeling that there is no answer.  No one can know so why ask?  I believe every person has asked these questions at some point.  They eventually determine it’s unknowable and move on.  I believe this cuts us off from growth.  How can we grow to our full potential if we have no understanding of our true potential?  How can we reach our true potential if we believe this whole life is for no purpose or reason?  How can we reach our full potential if we don’t even know if there’s something after all this?  In that case, what’s the point?

    That’s why when this question comes up I internally jump for joy.  I know many skeptics, doubters – ye with little faith – still say, “you can’t really know.”  I don’t care.  I know!  I know where I come from.  I know why I’m here.  I know where I’m going.

    It’s one of my greatest wishes that every person on this earth knew the same.  I believe it would make people happier.  I believe it would make the world a better place.  It’s why I’m writing this.  To share what I know.

    The Life Beyond is a book I recently finished by one of my favorite scholars.  Robert Millet was a panelist on the youtube video series I’ve used to study the lectures on faith.  I’ve seen Joseph Fielding McConkie on many of the books I intend to read.

    This book details everything we know about The Life Beyond.  Through scripture, modern revelation, prophets, and all other light and knowledge we’ve received, they go into great detail about what happens after we die.

    Could there be a more important book?

    Can you believe this book exists?  Can you believe you’re not reading it right now?

    Hundreds of millions stumble around in darkness, with fear of death and wonderment about life.  Here is scripture, from God, light and knowledge, revelation, that answers the most important questions in this life.

    For those with little understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this book would be like feeding a steak to a newborn.  Milk before meat.  I understand that.  Still, why isn’t everyone reading it?  If anyone reading this has ever asked, why am I here?  I invite you to read this book.  Then ask questions.  It can change your life.

    To conclude I’ll share one excerpt from the book that I enjoyed. 

    “The Family Unit Beyond the Veil

    Paul said, ‘I bow my knees,’ as do we all, ‘unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:14-15).  In a manifestation to Brigham Young after his death, Joseph Smith told his successor to be sure to instruct the Saints to keep the Spirit of the Lord, promising that if they would do so, ‘they will find themselves just as they were organized by our Father in Heaven before they came into the world.  Our Father in Heaven organized the human family, but they are all disorganized and in confusion.’  Brigham also said that Joseph showed him the pattern, ‘how they were in the beginning.’  He said that he could not describe it but that there must yet be ‘a perfect chain from Father Adam to his latest posterity.’

    During an illness, Jedediah M. Grant visited the spirit world two nights in succession.  He reported a perfect order and government that existed there, saying that the ‘righteous gathered together,’ that there were ‘no wicked spirits among them,’ and that they were ‘organized in family capacities.’  ‘To my astonishment,’ he said, ‘when I looked at families, there was a deficiency in some, there was a lack, for I saw families that would not be permitted to come and dwell together, because they had not honored their calling here.’” (Emphasis added)

    What a marvel it is we have these truths and how lucky we are.  May we all fulfill our callings here, and start by asking, why am I here?

  • The Millionaire Mind

    The Millionaire Mind

    I mentioned in another post the repetitive nature of the book The Millionaire Mind by Thomas J. Stanley. It’s a world-famous, best-selling book written in 2000. Being written 22 years ago makes it slightly outdated (might be the billionaire mind now), yet it is clearly still relevant today. The repetition is undoubtedly intentional as that’s the way humans learn. What were the repeated points made over and over, then? What does this book clearly think are the most important aspects of becoming a millionaire or having a “millionaire mind”?

    Before I give the list of things I found repeated in the book, it’s important to point out a distinction made in the book between types of millionaires. In the study of millionaires, the author, Dr. Stanley, was looking for “balance sheet millionaires.” He wanted people with high asset, low debt net worths. For obvious reasons this book was NOT a study of individuals who appear to be living a millionaire lifestyle when in reality they were in huge amounts of debt.

    Here are the things I found myself highlighting over and over from that book:

    1. Marriage is conducive to becoming a millionaire, or financially independent. This is for various reasons including but not limited to:
      • Having a support system and partner
      • Combining skills and talents (2 is better than 1)
      • Stability
    2. Generally, millionaires are cautious with how they spend their money. “Cheap” is not a fair characterization, but frugal might be. They are cautious with their money and particular about how they spend it.
      • The book used the example often that millionaires never bought a car over $41,000 or paid more than $38 for a haircut.
    3. Often, millionaires started their own business. It’s difficult to become a millionaire when you’re being paid by someone else.

    I find point 3 very interesting. There’s a guy on YouTube that has gotten popular making one type of video. In these videos he walks around asking people in expensive cars, “what do you do?” Common answers heard are attorney, doctor, and real estate. But the overwhelming majority of the answers are some form of “I started my own company x.”

    I think about this often. This was the point stressed over and over, more than any other point made in this book. The dead horse was beaten relentlessly. If you want to get “rich,” start your own business. If you don’t know this, I’m telling you now, so now you know. But I think most of us know this. And yet, so few of us start our own business. Why is that?

    Like I said, I think about this a lot. I think there are various reasons more people don’t venture out and start their own thing. They can be boiled down to:

    1. Fear
    2. Doubt in oneself
    3. Laziness
    4. Ignorance

    That’s it. I think those are the four things that keep someone from starting their own business. Working for someone else is stable and comfortable, going out on your own is scary (fear). When it’s up to you and you alone to succeed, the excuses go out the door. Relying on yourself for your paycheck requires a lot of confidence in oneself (doubt in oneself). Laziness is probably the greatest detriment to progress in life (laziness). Finally, ignorance in not knowing where to start, or thinking people who start businesses just knew something they didn’t or had some secret (ignorance). Often this is an accepted ignorance. The thinking that others have a secret sauce of success. This ignorance is tied to laziness more than anything.

    There is *usually no secret sauce. Usually someone who starts their business had less fear, less doubt in themselves, were the opposite of lazy, and did the research and work. Simple as that. I’m trying to work myself towards a financial freedom goal. It’s slow work and I find myself running into these four hurdles constantly:  fear, doubt, laziness, ignorance.

    All these things can be defeated, and I think we would benefit ourselves greatly to face these challenges head on and step out of our comfort zones. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

    So what’s my conclusion? Why am I writing this post if I myself can’t step out of my fear, doubt, laziness, and ignorance? I don’t know yet. But maybe one day I’ll look back on this post and think, “well I was always thinking about it, and eventually I got there.” That’s the hope.

  • Embrace Fatherhood

    Embrace Fatherhood

    A friend of mine wrote a book called Embrace Fatherhood.  There is a part in the book where a father has lost the ability to see his new daughter due to a custody battle.  Upon finding out he will get to spend a weekend with his daughter he says, “This daddy daughter thing, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.  It took Brooklyn being born for me to love something far greater than myself.”

    I love Beth so much, but I relate to this statement.  I think it took Ivy being born for me to understand what unconditional, unbounded, uncontrollable love is.  We like to think we love others more than ourselves, but do we?  I think I do love Ivy more than myself.  I think this is parenthood.  I would do anything for her. As a part of that, I love Beth all the more for giving me this priceless gift.

    This book is written from the perspective of dads in various forms of relationship disputes, dads that don’t get to see their kids.

    I know this is a complicated issue, and I know there are a million different circumstances that make this very difficult.  What I will say that I hope we can all agree on: good fathers that want to be in their children’s lives, that for whatever reason aren’t able to, is a great tragedy.  I can’t imagine being kept away from Ivy.  It would break my heart.  It would be like losing a part of me.

    Beth and Ivy are in Utah for a week as I write this. Don’t get me wrong, a little bit of free time and the ability to nap and relax like I used to in the old days has been really nice. At the end of the night, though, all I can think about is Ivy and Beth. I miss them so much. I miss that greatest moment every morning. I’m grateful for a picture Beth put up on my bedside table before the trip. I can’t imagine this separation from my baby being a regular occurrence.

    I know this situation exists for many dads and it hurts me to think about.

    Relationship disputes happen.  We are human.  I think it is a tragedy of our society that romantic relationships would ever come before or between the most sacred relationship in the world (alongside marriage), the relationship of a parent and their child.

    Again, a complicated issue.  Having not lived through it myself, I can’t say too much.  But I love Ivy.  I can’t imagine living without her.  There are tons of dads out there right now excited that they will get a weekend to see their child.  The disintegration of the family unit is devastating.

    I am grateful for Beth, who I love so much.  I am grateful for what Beth has given me, the greatest gift in the entire world, Ivy who I love beyond all understanding.  I am sorry for any dad that has this gift taken from him.

    I love Ivy and I love Beth and I don’t know what I would do without them.

    Embrace Fatherhood.

  • The Shack

    The Shack

    The Shack was a New York Times best seller and eventually became a motion picture.  I watched the movie before reading the book.  I liked the movie a lot so was looking forward to reading the book. 

    The Shack is a story about a man who has to come face to face with his faith and what he believes about God.  It’s written claiming to be the true experience of one man, written by his friend.

    The book is great.  It is a religious themed book with an engaging story that anyone could enjoy.  The story is one anyone can get behind.  We have all felt pain and the circumstances of the main character’s journey are easy to attach oneself to.

    I marked and highlighted throughout the book.  It’s a book with countless lines that make you stop and think.  It’s an intellectual and spiritual journey.

    I had the unique experience of watching the movie 2 or 3 years before reading the book.  I loved the movie.  The movie really made me think and expanded my view on pain, justice, mercy, and how God fits into that equation.  Surprisingly, I think the book touched on that in a different way.  That theme was there, but I remember it being more palpable in the movie experience.

    The big question I’d like to address – did this really happen?  Some of what I know to be true doctrinally was misrepresented in this story, but I still can’t say for certain that this was a story of fiction. The world is a mysterious place and I don’t want to get into a situation where I limit what God is capable of.  If He presented Himself to this man in this unique way… maybe.  Maybe it happened.  Maybe countless things happened.

    What I will say is this:  whether it happened or it didn’t happen, even if it’s a completely fictional tale, I learned something.  It expanded my mind, made me think, and I believe it even strengthened my testimony of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.  For that reason, I can say I don’t care whether the main character truly had this experience.  Even if he was just impacted by whatever experience he had in a way that led him to portray such a unique and beautiful story, that’s good enough for me.

    There is something unique at the end of the book.  The very last page has “The Missy Project.”  It states that the book became #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List on a $200 budget because of passionate readers.  It says: “if you were as taken with the message of this book as we are, you may already have some unique ideas as to how you can best let others know about it…. If you have a Web site or blog, consider sharing a bit about the book and how it touched your life.  Don’t give away the plot, but recommend that they read it as well and link to http://www.theshackbook.com.

    I checked, the website still exists these 13 years after publication.  In fact, it’s a beautiful website promoting both the movie and the book.

    This book did touch me.  It expanded my thinking.  I loved it.  I loved the movie as well. 

    A lot of the books I read few will ever read simply because people aren’t interested in the subject matters that interest me.  This book should not be avoided.  Anyone can learn and grow from this book, it’s a page turner with an engaging plot and wonderful story.  Please read it.

    If you’ve already read The Shack tell me what you thought of it.