After We Do All We Can Do

For many years, I have heard people at church say that the Lord will help us after we do all we can do. I understand that He loves effort, but I don’t think it means we can’t go to Him while we are still searching for answers. 

I know my Heavenly Father wants to help me along in this life. He wants me to reach out to Him throughout the trial. That doesn’t mean we will be given the answer to a problem right away, but it does mean He will comfort me when I need it, clear my mind when it is jumbled, give me peace in tribulations, and so much more. Prayer is one of the tools we have been given to help us through this life. Sometimes prayer is “all we can do.” I refuse to believe that a loving God doesn’t understand that. Sometimes, the mental clarity or comfort is what we need to find a solution. This is also ok. 

I think it is dangerous to tell people they have to do everything they can on their own before they ask for divine intervention. It can feel lonely, confusing, and difficult to get through the hardest parts of life without reaching out to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ. Nephi didn’t build a boat poorly before asking for help. He asked for help and acted upon the inspiration he received. Moses called upon the Lord for help when the people were hungry and thirsty, and he wasn’t turned away. What makes us think we are better than the prophets of the scriptures? 

I know the Lord ways to help me and is willing to guide me. I may be called to action, and I hope to be able to answer that call. However, I could be given other aides that I need at the time. 

Things Change

People have been reading my old blog entries for a while. When I see what is being read, I get curious and read some of them as well. Sometimes, they make me cringe. Sometimes, I want to tell my younger self that it gets better. Someone, I just want to shake her and tell her to wake up. There are also times when I am so happy that I recorded the cute things my kids were doing. 

Today, I read the blog entry that brought Chad and I together. It is full of worrying about being good enough. It has a paragraph that clearly describes the gaslighting I endured in my first marriage where I seemed to be more worried about him cheating. (Why would I want to shake my former self again?) I was also worried about my kids and how they were reacting the changes we were going through. 

Another thing that stood out to me was that I didn’t really know who I was as a person. (Could that be because of what I had been put through in the previous 10ish years?) I am happy to say that I now know who I am. I am a daughter of God! I no longer act one way at church, one way at home, and another with my friends. There is not a single person I spend time with that doesn’t know of my love and devotion to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is amazing how being married to a man that encourages me to be myself can be. I love him for all that he is. 

Do I still struggle in life sometimes? Absolutely! The difference is that I have Chad and I have my faith and I know who I am. I can’t wait to find out what more I can do with this wonderful life!

Priorities

This morning, I listened to M. Russell Ballard’s talk, Remember What Matters Most. It was great to have the reminder that I don’t need to be everything to everyone all at once. It kind of goes along with the theme of The Barbie Movie. (Yes, I’m talking about it again…a bit.) We are often told we need to do so many things that it is overwhelming. 

What roles do I play currently in my life? I am a mother, wife, employee, student, youth leader, sister, friend, daughter, and more. I have always and will always first and foremost be a mother. My husband knows this. I hope my kids know this. Being a wife is also very important to me. I have always known I was meant to be a wife. I hated being single after my divorce and was lucky enough to find the love of my life quickly. (Isn’t it amazing how the Lord puts the right people in our lives exactly when we need them?) Everything else has to be prioritized daily. Do I make mistakes? Yes. Sometimes the girls I teach text me with questions more than others (today was all about what to pack for camp). Sometimes my schoolwork has to take top priority. Sometimes I fail. Sometimes I succeed. The failures almost always stick in my brain the best. 

Listening to this talk reminded me that putting my family and God first is what matters. As I follow the prompting of the Holy Ghost and do my best to fulfill my family responsibilities, everything else can fall into place. I know this is true. I know that “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”