No Coincidences

Tag: Heavenly Father

100th Post
100 posts! I thought it warranted a special post. You never know when you start something like a blog if you’ll actually stick to it. Here I am a year and a half and 100 posts later, with hundreds still to go.

I figured as part of my first 100 posts I could mention the top 5 most read:
It’s interesting what this list shows. Life and death.

It was scary starting a blog. It’s basically a public diary. I’m excited for Ivy to read it one day. Thank you to everyone who has read and supported. The primary motivation in writing and sharing these posts has always been to share my faith story and hopefully help others in some tiny way. If my story or my thoughts have helped one person think about life or come closer to Jesus Christ, then a million hours (close to how much time I’ve put into this) is worth it.

I re-read my first post to prepare for writing this. In reading that, I was kind of surprised by how open and vulnerable I made that. It inspired me to share another more personal post.

As I read that very first post I was reminded why I decided to write this. I had my own very unique journey back to God and I hoped it could help someone, whether that be back to God or to God for the first time. During those years where I removed God completely from my life, I feared every day I was away from Him that I’d never be able to return. I know there are so many people out there that feel the same way. There are also people that have never known God, prayer, repentance, all these things some of us take for granted. These are abstract concepts to many, I know.

I want to share that I believe God is for everyone. As the world screams at us, “You have your screens, your technology, your books, universities, learning, society with its conveyer belt of packaged food, water always, peace, prosperity. Watch Netflix! Relax! All is well (2 Nephi 28:21). Set aside thoughts of life, death, and purpose. You have your purpose, live and let live.” The world is telling us that despite the chaos around us, everything is fine, and we don’t need God. I testify that all is well IF we have God.

I want to tell everyone, there is more than what the world screams at us is important. There is much, much more. I want to tell everyone who will listen, God is for you. If you’ve ever known Him, if you’ve never known Him, if you consider Him a complete foreign concept, if you consider Him a myth, He is for you and He is there for you. You can come to Him, and when you do, your life changes.

That’s what sticks with me most when I think about those years away from God. I removed Him, but He was never gone. We can’t remove our Father. This makes us accountable; it can be a frightening concept if we fear Him. We don’t need to fear Him. He is only there out of love. He will never leave us.

I bear my testimony of the most important things: God is our Father, and He does love us. Jesus Christ did something unimaginable. Would you die for your child? Would you suffer the punishment for the sins of your child? Probably. Would you die for the person torturing you? Christ did. He suffered for all of us, really suffered and felt. I have been blessed to have the Holy Ghost be a part of my life when I’ve made good choices, since it was conferred upon me when I was 9 years old. Joseph Smith did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He translated the Book of Mormon from ancient records. The temples that are now dotting the earth are God’s temples. The temples are clean and holy. I can be with my family forever because of what Christ did for me in Gethsemane and on the cross.

I know this to be true. This knowledge brings purpose and understanding to my life. It doesn’t make trials go away but it makes them understandable.

I wish everyone would consider the great plan of salvation, The Plan of Happiness. But we are distracted.

I have been so blessed by God and I ask Him constantly what I’ve done to be afforded so much. The least I can do is share it with others, and I am glad to do so.

I leave this testimony for my daughter, and my family, and all those I care about to read- forever. I leave it in the name of my Redeemer, my Savior, my King, Jesus Christ.

Amen.
October 21, 2021
You are Loved, You are Worthy

“When you get to a place where you understand that love and belonging, your worthiness, is a birthright and not something you have to earn, anything is possible.”

Think about that statement for a moment.

I heard this quote in a recent meditation I did. The meditation guided this visual exercise: Picture yourself as a child, truly picture it. Picture yourself as a baby. Picture yourself on someone’s lap. Picture yourself being held, comforted, and played with. Picture yourself laughing joyfully as someone makes a funny face at you. Picture yourself young and innocent.

You don’t have to earn worthiness; you don’t have to earn love. You are loved because you are.

The next time you don’t feel worthy, picture yourself as a child. You are worthy.

This exercise led me to an even more powerful thought. One that speaks not only to our worthiness here, but to our birthright and our eternal potential.

Consider Adam for a moment, the first man. When he came to this earth, we are told he was as a child. Adam came to earth meek and humble, a child-like individual. He had forgotten who he was. Who he was in reality was Michael the archangel, the chief angel. Adam was Michael, the angel second in authority. His authority was only exceeded by Jesus Christ Himself (and God, of course). In Hebrew the name Michael means “Who is like God.” This Michael came to earth with his mind wiped clean, with no recollection of his prior authority, no memory of his prior self.

What about us? What don’t we remember about ourselves?

The next time you are insecure, unsure, or afraid, remember that you are a child of divine inheritance. You are a prince or princess of the most High God. Consider that for a moment.

Not only are you loved and worthy of love, you are loved by the God of the universe. You are in line to inherit all He has to offer (D&C 84:38). Remember that, and don’t forget it. Hold to it.

We are as children here. We don’t remember our past. For all we know, we were spiritual giants. We are spiritual giants. We can be spiritual giants. Embrace that identity. Remember who you might be. Remember who it is you have been tutored by. The God of Heaven and Earth. When we embrace this way of thinking and embrace this possibility, the difficult things of this earth become so inconsequential. Our true potential is greatness. May we never forget it.

October 7, 2021
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

We’ve been having a difficult time with Ivy’s sleeping the last couple weeks. This morning I woke up and Beth was awake. I asked if Ivy got up during the night.

Beth laughed.

Not a good sign.

Beth said yes Ivy did get up during the night. She said she was rocking Ivy and could tell that Ivy was not going to go back to sleep. So she did something drastic.

Warning: this strategy is not recommended, and we know full and well this is NOT a good idea.

Beth said she GOT IN IVY’S CRIB WITH HER. My first thoughts, it didn’t break?

I looked at Beth and said instead, “…is that ok?”

Beth responded that of course no, it’s not ideal. It’s not safe and the crib could have broken. All bad things. Like the title of the post says, Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures.

Beth continued to tell me that after a while she got out of the crib and successfully returned to our bedroom. A hero had slain the dragon. A cute little booty-up-in-the-air-dragon, but a dragon nonetheless.

She said she got into bed and Ivy started to stir and cry. Beth asked me if I remembered in the middle of the night her saying, “oh no.” Beth told me I then started patting her on her back. I vaguely remember this.

But then a miracle happened! Ivy went back to sleep. Hallelujah.

After hearing Beth’s tale, I started to meditate to prepare for the day. My mind drifted to this story as the mind is wont to do during meditation. I thought about that moment when Ivy cried and very well should have continued screaming until one of us came to get her.

A past successful night of sleep resistance. The smug face of a champion saying, “I’m the boss here,” cross-legged and all.

The coolest visual came to me as I was meditating. You see, that night was the first time in months that I slept a night without getting out of bed. MONTHS.

This is the visual that came to me. Ivy started to cry, and God said, “someone do something!” And a legion, thousands of angels came pouring out of heaven to comfort and console Ivy back to sleep. Heavenly Father was like, “give that man one full night in his bed.”

It was a true miracle and that’s the only possible explanation.

So I say, thank you Heavenly Father, I sure needed that.

After a good night’s sleep

Sleep training here we come.

September 16, 2021
Letter to a Lost Testimony

Someone close to me once said, “I hope you never lose your testimony. I’ve lost almost everything in life. I’ve lost a wife, jobs, money, houses, cars, friends; but none of it, none of it, compares to losing my testimony. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.”

This person, I’m very close with, I love him very much. This person has completely “fallen away” from the Church, as we say.

He is a great person.

I could have been him.

I could have gotten confused by doctrine, church history, and the plethora of other things to get confused by. I could have lost sight of the most important thing – Jesus Christ. It could happen to any of us.

I’ve long thought and pondered to myself ‘how can I help him return?’ Maybe I’m starting to learn I can maybe help him return, but I won’t be able to make him return. I’ve thought about lectures on DNA, elephants, steel, and horses. I’m prepared to discuss it all. But in the end that doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t. The Book of Mormon will have its day. Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ.

Getting into the discussions that led him away from the church – DNA, horses, elephants – that’s not going to help him return. Only the spirit, which I know he once felt, can help him return.

So, here is my letter to you. This is to a particular person in my life, but I think it can apply to so many people, to so many lives.

Thank you. Thank you for that quote you told me once above. I think about it often. Thank you for your kind heart, thank you for being an example to me. Thank you for reminding me that Christ’s Church is sometimes only as good as we make it. Thank you for encouraging me to read, and study, and KNOW it’s true. Your study of the gospel is legendary. I’ve heard of it not just from others. I know you studied. At some point you were deceived. No more flattering words or trying to softly deliver this message to your ego. You were deceived.

It’s not too late. It’s not too late to remember. It’s not too late to regain your testimony. You talk as if a testimony, once lost, can never return. As if you know too much and you can’t go back. I’m here to remind you, as I know God has over the past decades, that you know nothing. Try to read again, please. That’s all I ask. If only to prove me wrong. I know where peace comes from, and I want to remind you.

I know maybe The Church isn’t for everybody in this life. Or maybe that’s something I think so I don’t feel as bad when I can’t help someone see what I see and find the peace I’ve found. I know you’re happy. I know you’re OK. But I also know you can come back to so much more.

Finally, you were and are a good dad. You made mistakes. Your children love you immensely, I know that. Don’t ever confuse your mistakes to be unforgivable. I know life as a father isn’t always perfect. You have children as stubborn and as difficult as you are (I’m looking at all of you). Another thing you said about my dad has stuck with me since you said it roughly 9 years ago. I am lucky to have him, but I want to remind you that your family is lucky to have you too. We’re all lucky to have you.

I love you and so does He.

August 12, 2021
A Scripture as important to Latter-day Saints as it would be to the Ancient Jews

One of my favorite scriptures of all time is 2 Nephi 25:26 which reads:

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”

A common criticism that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints receives from other sects of Christianity, often Protestant groups, is that the Church teaches works as a form of salvation taking precedence over faith.

As I read the Book of Mormon with this criticism in mind, I’m struck by how clearly the Book of Mormon teaches this principle – that faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is (as far as I know, open to correction) the only church with an explanation on how faith in Jesus Christ alone can result in being saved.

Saved, or immortality, is different from Eternal life and salvation. All of God’s children who choose to be saved, will be saved, for He loves us all. You can be saved by simply having faith in Jesus Christ, no works needed. To attain all that the Father has to give, eternal life and salvation in His Kingdom for eternity, you must follow Him, and do what He asks of you. For without works faith is dead (James 2:26).

Sometimes I think the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would be benefitted immensely by reading verses 26 and 27 of 2 Nephi chapter 25 every single day. I think if we each did this, it would help us to re-orient ourselves and never lose sight of what is most important – faith in the Lord, or Savior, Jesus Christ.

The below scripture is what I am referring to in the title of this post. This scripture is as important to latter-day saints today as it was to the ancient Jews:

Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given. And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts against him when the law ought to be done away.”
2 Nephi 25:27

I believe this scripture to be extremely important to latter-day saints. The ancient Jews lost sight of Jesus Christ. They looked to the law for salvation.

I bear my testimony that I do not believe the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has lost sight of Jesus Christ. His name is the name of our church, His prophet has implored us to use His name, our leaders preach of Jesus Christ, prophesy of Jesus Christ, teach of Jesus Christ, emphasize Jesus Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints points us to Jesus Christ.

It is we, the members, I think, that need to read verse 27 often. What is the law without Jesus Christ? I fear that sometimes church members become focused on the wrong things. Temple attendance for temple attendance’s sake. Church service because it’s their duty. Serving in church callings to keep up appearance as a faithful latter-day saint. Partaking of the sacrament in a rote, mindless manner, not considering what it really means.

I know I am at fault when it comes to some of the things I’ve just listed. Sometimes I lose sight of Jesus Christ. Sometimes I lose sight of what this is all really about.

I’ve been back in church activity for 5 years now. My first couple years of returned church activity were so Christ focused. They were Christ focused because it was all I had. He was all I had. He was my strength, and He was everything. I felt His forgiveness so potently because I’d so recently experienced it with such power. As my church activity has steadied and become consistent, I’ve found myself relying on church activities, social events, friendships, and making my appearance as a faithful member. These things aren’t necessarily bad, but they can be. If they distract from Jesus Christ, they distract from the point. If I get distracted from Jesus Christ, I am missing the mark.

What is the law without faith in He who the law points to?

I think we could all benefit from a consistent study of verse 2 Nephi 25:27.

Why do we do what we do? Is it for love? Is it to serve Jesus Christ? Is it to remember Jesus Christ, worship Jesus Christ, thank Jesus Christ?

When is the last time you thought about all your sins and what Jesus Christ did for you at Gethsemane and on the cross? For me, it’s been far too long since I’ve been brought to tears considering that event. I’m glad I’m writing this because in doing exactly that, remembering what He’s done for me, and feeling it in my heart, tears are inevitable.

Remember why we go to church, the temple, and serve. It’s for Him. Not because we have to but because we want to. Not because it will get us into heaven but because we love Him. Salvation is through Jesus Christ. If we go to the temple 5 days a week without Him in mind, we are wasting our time.

Without Jesus Christ, all of it: temple worship, baptism, sacrament, service; it’s all for naught. All these things point to Him. Without Him as our focus all the items listed above are dead works.

This is the misconception of other faiths, that we go to the temple to substitute for Jesus Christ. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. We go to the temple because of Jesus Christ.

I think every once in a while, it’s important we re-center our focus and remember what it’s all about.

I hope and pray that we continue to steadfastly talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ, and bring others unto Christ, that we always remember to what source we may look for a remission of our sins.

August 5, 2021