Girl Pump Power Music by Martina McBride
at the Historical Grand Ol Opry
Today at Church, I cried a lot. I cried during every hymn. I cried a little at the end when a very nice older man shared the heartbreaking story of his daughter struggling to make her way. He asked for prayers. Said honestly that he had no idea what to do.
I didn't cry much during the talk because it was so good and it was pointed in my direction. It was even based off of my favorite chapter of the Book of Mormon.
2 Nephi 2
Which reads in verse 27 about agency:
Wherefore men are free according to the flesh and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life through the Great Mediator of all men or to choose captivity and death through the captivity and power of the devil who seeketh to make all men miserable like unto himself.
I knew immediately how this talk was meant for me.
I have made good and bad choices. Everyone does. I have made a few bad ones lately. I would like to make a few better ones and just be a little better every day.
What kind Brother Wagner said was:
1.Obtain a vision of what you would like
2. See the obstacles and do not let them obscure your purpose
He related this process to climbing a mountain:
Pick the mountain
Choose the route
Clip in to the posts that protect you*
GET TO THE TOP AND FEEL AWESOME!!!
*(You don't have to clip in to the protection clips. You don't have to follow the commandments.)
I have options before me. They are always before me. The option to be with a man who will not take me to that white building hanging on the wall. The option to live single for a good long while. The other ones waiting and growing and with a little faith, someday working out for me.
The option to live outside the walls of the Church for a time. The option to sit alone and wallow. The option to reach out. The option to FOLLOW the commandments of God and LET CHRIST IN.
Sometimes when we get down we think: What is God's purpose in all of this?
God doesn't always have a reason. He doesn't orchestrate the universe to seek vengeance on His children.
God is Our Loving Heavenly Father.
(SEE Preach my Gospel Lesson 1)
He wants to give us blessings. We just have to include Him in our lives.
His reasoning is that He has made an earth, given all that is expedient unto us and allowed us a time and space to learn and grow.
Some may look at the unfairness of circumstance as an evidence of a lack of a Supreme Being. He is fair. He is just. He knows too the ways in which the roads we walk in life are hard.
Jesus did not walk one road to Damascus. He did not take a short leisurely walk to the cross. Christ knows the way the stones cut our feet because He walked the hardest roads until his sandals broke. Oh and those were the days where sandals were made out of leather and not this cheap synthetic stuff.
Plus if he happened to randomly run into a poor dude along the way who lacked shoes, then Jesus would lean down, undo his leather straps and give them away, in which case His feet would really get cut up.
Imagine those feet!
Imagine the worlds He walked in such a short time spent on earth.
Now. Did God specially create trials and rocky roads for just Jesus to cut His feet on?
Nope.
God doesn't specially craft trials to punish his less deserving children.
He doesn't dole out private jets to the people who are most deserving either.
No.
Our Kind and Loving Heavenly Father doesn't handcraft the world to punish or reward us.
He already spent time in the Creation process. He knows the roads we walk because He created them. He knows the cuts we will find at the end of our long day.
He knows that some people are born into thin mountain air and eat off of eagles and dead wolves their whole lives. Are they less valuable souls than the Chelsea Clinton types?
NO.
Doctrine and Covenants 18
The worth of souls is GREAT in the sight of God.
YOU ARE GREAT!
Your soul has infinite worth.
The Lord knows you. He did not handpick the trials you face out of some kind of nasty and twisted divine motive.
BUT....He loves you so much He will not clear the rocks. He will not rain down sandals upon the road when yours wear thin.
And when you act the Christian part and you lean down and unstrap your shoes, give them to your neighbor, the Lord will strengthen your feet so you may forge on.
You are not alone. Our Lord and Master has walked the hardest path so you would not be. HE LOVES YOU.
Don't forget girl. Don't forget.
No matter what.
No buts. No conditions.
Christ loves you.
He will lift you.
Christ loves you.
You don't have to get up, you just reach up girl. He will do the lifting.
Christ loves you.
And even though we may have not met,
I love you too.
Your friend always,
M
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