Thursday, May 29, 2014

priorities


It was the last day of school for us, as some of you in my area may already know. And can I just tell you that I am so so sooo relieved to have finished my junior year. I have no idea how I managed to survive! Or maintain my GPA, for that matter! 

Anyways, I've been puzzling a lot on what to do about my classes next year. I've been taking classes at the college and working towards an Associate's degree and an accompanying scholarship. But if I continue next year with what I've been doing, I'll also end up sacrificing a lot. I won't be able to take some of the classes at the high school that I really care about, instead I'll be taking whatever classes at the college fit into my schedule, most of which I have no desire to take anymore. I've also been incredibly busy this year and haven't had a lot of time for the things that I really want to do, including being involved much at school. So in many ways, changing my course and focusing only on high school could be a good thing. BUT I've come so far, how can I go back on earning the degree/scholarship now? 

I don't know what I'm going to choose yet! But I do know what I have to do to make my decision. You see, sometimes in life we have to figure out what is worth sacrificing and what is worth fighting for. 

What are your ultimate goals? Are the things you are doing now going to help you to achieve those goals? Or are you so caught up in things that don't matter that you've lost sight of the big picture? 

Sometimes, like in my case, we don't have the big picture. I'm not exactly sure what I desire for my future. But I know that I won't get anywhere or achieve anything in my life if I'm not focused on the right things. Sometimes we have so much going on in our lives that we ignore the important tasks and focus on unimportant ones. 
Is there anything in your life that isn't doing you good, that isn't helping you to progress toward your goals? Cut it out of your schedule!  

Learn to distinguish between the good and the bad in your life and work to prioritize only the activities that are doing you good. 

Life is forever changing! We have a lot of decisions to make! But I know that if we consider each decision and how it will affect us in the long run, we will always make the correct choice. I would invite you all to consider the activities you choose to fill your day with and ponder whether or not each of those activities is something that needs to be prioritized. 

I know that if we work to keep only the good in our lives and rid ourselves of unnecessary tasks, we will see ourselves progressing far faster than we ever would have otherwise. 

This was a hastily written post, as I've had a busy day and I'm now trying to get this so it will still post on Thursday. :) But hopefully my thoughts made a bit of sense. I will continue to consider my options and let you know what I decide! :) 
Until then, keep a good perspective and consider the things that are really worth fighting for. 

Have a lovely weekend, and yay for summer! 

Haley

P.S. You've likely noticed that I've been posting more often, but you perhaps haven't noticed my Monday-Thursday pattern. I've been trying to do a new post every Monday and Thursday, so now you know when to expect them, and I now feel a bit of an obligation so I can get myself to blog more often! I will likely be posting at night every time, but at least you now know to check in on Monday or Tuesday for a new post. Yay!
Also! don't forget about my new URL! Find me at www.whatmattersmostblog.com.

Monday, May 26, 2014

real beauty




Are you beautiful as a person?
I'm not referring to makeup or nice clothes or the way you appear.
But as a person. Are you a lovely person?

Do you appreciate God's creations? Do you pay attention to the little things and take pleasure in simplicity? Do you make others feel good when they are around you?
Today is Memorial Day, and today we celebrate all of the amazing people who have gone before us and the sacrifices they made for us. Are you doing good things with the life you have?

Your life is a gift. You have so much potential to do good things and leave the world better than you found it. Take the opportunity today to consider the legacy you will leave when you die.

How will people remember you? Will they remember you as someone who loved God, someone with a beautiful personality, and someone who taught others to appreciate the world around them?

Sometimes we forget what beauty truly is. We get caught up in our daily lives, and we don't often stop to smell the roses.
We won't live forever. Memorial Day reminds me that I have a finite amount of time on this earth, and I want to spend it appreciating beautiful things and making the world better for those around me.

Appreciate what you have, folks. Take pleasure in the simple things around you. Give love freely, and open up your heart so you can feel joy and love deeply.

Happy last week of school! :)

Haley.


Thursday, May 22, 2014

dispelling doubts


Our simple human minds have so many flaws.
One of them is that we doubt. A lot.
Even when God has shown forth many signs and miracles, we still doubt our faith. We doubt our testimonies. We doubt that God is real.

"Did I really feel those feelings?" "Have I really had a witness?"

One of the greatest skills that you can learn is the ability to have faith even in times of doubt.
Because we all have times of doubt! Even those who have always been strong in the gospel, even those who have always had a testimony, everyone has moments where the devil puts doubts in their mind. And sometimes these doubts are hard to dismiss.

But the important thing is that you don't let these doubts into your heart. Remember the love that God has shown unto you throughout your life, and try and keep those grateful thoughts in your heart and in your mind so that your doubts will go away. Don't even give negative thoughts the time of day!

Sometimes we lose that conviction that we once held, usually because we have not nourished our testimonies well enough.
You guys, it happens. And it's okay. We aren't perfect, and God doesn't expect us to be. What's important is that you continue to show faith and trust in God, even if you are struggling to feel Him near you. The more you exercise your faith and do all that you can to believe, the more open you will be to feeling the Spirit, and that is how you can banish doubts from your mind.



Jake's Story from Milestone Creative on Vimeo.


"Even if I have to pretend I believe, maybe that's better than what I've been doing."


Doubts come. They come because Satan doesn't want you to feel loved or feel the joy that comes through the knowledge of Christ's Atonement.
But they can be dispelled. Heed President Uchtdorf's advice and "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." Hold strong to what you know, and exercise belief and hope in the things you aren't sure about.
Remember the counsel given in Doctrine and Covenants section six:

22 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
23 - Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?
When you doubt, consider the times you have felt the Spirit. Consider the times you have felt God's love. If you once knew for a surety that God exists and loves you, is that not still true now? 

Do all that you can to feel the Spirit close to you.
In the video, he said, "There was no book on Atheism that could make me feel that way. In an instant, I knew I was loved, I knew just how lost I had been, I knew I was saved, and I knew I was home."

The Spirit is really the one who can drive doubts away. Because the feeling you get when you learn of God and of the truthfulness of His gospel is unmistakeable.

Yes, doubts come. But the important thing is that we ignore them and that we continue to exercise hope and faith, even when times are hard. Show God that you are willing to trust that He is there, even if it is hard to believe it sometimes. I promise that as you open up your heart and come unto Christ, you will know through the power of the Spirit of the truthfulness of this gospel.

Have a great weekend, and keep the faith!

Haley.




Monday, May 19, 2014

Alleluia

First thing is first: I am now the proud owner of a lovely new domain name! You can now visit my blog via www.whatmattersmostblog.com. If you enter in the old URL, you will still be redirected, but I think this address will be easier to find me at and easier to share with others. Oh, and I'm still working out the bugs, so make sure you include the "www." I'm trying to fix it so that it isn't necessary, but for now it is.
Domain names are complicated stuff, I tell you. I've already chatted with experts online, and I still can't fix the problem. But everything else is working, so I'll take it! A stubborn www. could be worse. :)


Alma 26:16:
Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.


Make everything you do about praising God.
Make everything you are about praising God.

When you do good for others, make it about God.
When others see your good works, they should be praising God, not you!

God gave us everything. He is the reason you exist, the reason you feel joy. He is the reason for everything that's beautiful in life. Remember to thank Him for it!

Praise Him in all things. Praise Him at morning and at night. During joy or during pain. Show Him that you are grateful for what you have, even if you feel like you don't have much.

I promise that praising God at all times will make you a happier, more grateful, and more lovely person. Praising God will keep you humble and will help you to remember whom to go to when you need help.
Praising God will become a habit, and soon enough, it will be second nature to you. And it will not be hard for you to praise Him when times get tough.

There is a being greater than you. Greater than me. There is a God greater than the whole earth, even greater than any wonderful thing you could ever dream up.
There is a God above, I know it. He is capable of anything. He can help you turn sorrow into joy and regret into peace. He can help you feel fulfilled and loved. He can perform miracles, and He can help you to do the same.

Do not take Him for granted. Do not forget Him. Show Him what He means to you by remembering to praise Him in all things. And try as hard as you can to emulate Him and radiate His love so that others will lift up their praises as well.


I absolutely adore this song, and I love the way it is presented in this video. And it gets even better at 6:45.



Yes, if there are words for Him, I simply don't have them.
I could never say the smallest part of what I feel.

But this I know: He is mine. He is yours. He is omnipotent, and He is perfect.

And I will praise Him in all things.



Haley



Thursday, May 15, 2014

choose GOD



Sometimes it is hard to feel worthy.
A lot of times, actually.

We go through the motions, we try to do the right thing, we feel guilt over our mistakes, we repent. And yet, we never feel good enough. We always are stuck wondering, "is it enough??" "Am I on good terms with God?" "If I died now, would I go to the Celestial Kingdom?"

"In the end, after all the mistakes I've made, would God really choose me?"

This, my friends, is where we go wrong in our reasoning. Understand this: God will always choose you. Always. In reality, it is He who is hoping to be chosen by us.

It is He who is hoping that we will choose to be close to Him and choose to desire heaven. He wants you in heaven! And if you show Him that you desire heaven, that, in the end, you are willing to choose Him, Celestial glory will be yours one day! Even in spite of your mistakes!



I'll let Brad Wilcox explain:
"In the past I had a picture in my mind of what the final judgment would be like, and it went something like this: Jesus standing there with a clipboard and Brad standing on the other side of the room nervously looking at Jesus.

Jesus checks His clipboard and says, "Oh, shoot, Brad. You missed it by two points."

Brad begs Jesus, "Please check the essay question one more time! There have to be two points you can squeeze out of that essay." That's how I always saw it.

But the older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, "Let me stay." No, he will probably just be saying, "Get me out of here!" Knowing Christ's character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, "Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement - not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you WANT to stay."

You guys, Christ's grace is sufficient. We are never going to be perfect, we won't even be close. But heaven is not just something you spend your life trying to earn. It is something you spend your life preparing for.

Choose God. Choose Him in everything you do. Draw close to Him, stay by Him. Work to please Him, and understand that when you let Him down (because you will, we all do), you can be saved by grace. You can be changed by grace, and the changes you undergo when you strive to be close to God are ones that prepare you for heaven better than anything else.

The Afterlife isn't about scorekeeping. It isn't about guilt or punishment.
It's about choosing God and being happy with your choice. Brad Wilcox also said, "Heaven will not be heaven for those who have not chosen to be heavenly."

Do you think the unrepentant sinners will want to dwell with God after they die? No! They would feel more comfortable and more happy elsewhere.

If heaven is what you want - if God is whom you choose - then heaven is what you will get.



God will always choose you. He will always want you near Him.
Choose the same. Choose heaven. Choose GOD.


Haley


P.S. Read this article about our liberal (what - liberal??) theology. I really enjoyed it. Salvation is for everyone!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

empathize

If you could see others the way Jesus sees them, how would you treat them differently?
Would you be kinder? Would you think them more important? Certainly!

It is impossible for you to know all of the thoughts going through another's mind.
Even if you know them really well, even if they try to explain their emotions to you, there is still no way you could really know what it's like to be them.
People have so many different layers to them; so many different interwoven thoughts and stories and emotions.
Sometimes, when we look at them from the outside, people seem to do weird things.
Sometimes we can't fathom what their motives are for the decisions they make.

But know that just about everyone in the world, I'd say about 99.99% of the population, are just trying to do what's right. But people have different ideas of what's right, and sometimes people find themselves in sticky situations.
So don't judge others too harshly by their actions or their words.

They're just trying, they're just doing what they can.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has lovely things to offer the world. Everyone is important to God.





Let us all try a little harder to consider what others are going through, to see them as Jesus does, and to walk a mile in their shoes before we judge them.

People are good, they really are.


Haley


Monday, May 5, 2014

abide



Let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God 
(1 Corinthians 7:24)




Sometimes we pray and we don't get an answer.

Sometimes we do all that we can to keep trying, keep moving forward, and keep trusting in God, and we fall anyways.

Sometimes we try to call upon the Spirit, we try to feel God near, and we just can't.

And sometimes we've repeated, "Everything happens for a reason" to ourselves so many times that it's simply impossible to believe it anymore.


Sometimes, folks, it really feels like God doesn't care. I can assure you that He does, but still, sometimes it doesn't feel like it.
Sometimes it is hard to feel close to Him, sometimes we can't feel Him reaching back when we stretch out our hand.

Despite all of this, please, please keep reaching out anyways.
Sometimes we have to wait upon the Lord for a long time before we get our answers.
But I promise you, everything the Lord does, every answer He waits to reveal, He does that for a reason.
It's important to show God that you are willing to stay by Him, you are willing to abide with Him even when times are hard, even when you are barely holding onto your faith and your trust, show Him that no matter what happens, you will abide with Him still.

It is important to make the Lord understand that you love Him and you want to build a relationship with Him, not just ask for blessings. When your prayers aren't answered right away, don't stop praying! If you give up and cease to pray and reach out, you are showing God that all you want is for your problems to be solved, you don't want to talk to Him and trust Him and love Him.

Does that make sense?

Sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers right away.
Sometimes He doesn't answer them in the way we wanted Him to.

It doesn't matter. He hears you, He does. And he will answer your prayers in His own time and in His own way.

Until then, show Him you are willing to love and trust Him regardless.
Abide with Him and keep your hand stretched out always.


Haley.






LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...