I have a lot on my mind:

How best to support this family; how to divide my time between all that I could (and should) be doing; decisions regarding where to live (do I stay in my big home when there will just be my daughter and I?), etc.

But right now I am in San Francisco, on a trip that our family planned over two years ago, as a gathering of ALL the children after one son returned from Argentina on his two-year church mission, and before the younger one leaves to Taiwan for his.

One daughter flew in from her home in Washington, DC; another flew in with her husband and two children from Maryland; another with her husband and one daughter drove to California from Boise, and another flew in with her husband from Logan, Utah where they are living. The rest of us drove over from Utah, and we all converged here on Monday in a spacious renovated San Francisco home near the famous “Painted Ladies” homes.

We’ve been to the California Academy of the Sciences; we went to the Aquarium on the Bay (SO fascinating!), we took the tour to Alcatraz, and we strolled Fisherman’s Wharf and shared some of those famous fish and chips. 

Before we left for this trip, I knew I’d need to do some business while here. I had decided to fit in the necessary business in the early morning hours or late at night, and not to let work concerns consume my thoughts while I would be with the family. This is the first time we’ve all been together in over three years, and will be the last time for at least two years that it will happen. I want to take advantage of every single moment with my children and grandchildren that I can.

I have noticed, though, that nagging thoughts tend to creep into my mind, and I begin to withdraw mentally from the family, and I have to consciously push those thoughts out and remind myself to be here! Each moment is precious, and worrying about work and the future only robs the present of its joy.

That is one thing that the death of a loved one taught me. We really only have this day, this moment, to live! After my husband died, I was plagued with “if only I had …” thoughts. I realized there were so many times I could have been more present, and that could have changed so many things.

Each time I allow a worry about the future, or a regret about the past, to remove me from being fully engaged in the present moment and what my child or grandchild or another person is saying or doing. I lose that moment. I lose it, and the person I could have been interacting with notices my distance, and I lose a chance to connect with them. Those are tragic losses!

I have to keep reminding myself of a phrase I’ve often heard:

“Seize the moment.”

If I think of each moment as the precious, fleeting opportunity that it is, and focus on being present in it, “seizing” it, I find so much joy! I can see my children or grandchildren looking into my eyes to see if I’m really there, and when I am, we connect! We have so much more fun, and I get involved in what they are doing and saying, and it becomes a golden moment – and creates a memory. The more of those I can fit into life, the more full and meaningful and joyous my life is.

So learn from my mistakes! When you have a lot on your mind, and thoughts of worry about the future prevent you from being fully present with your loved ones, stop! Don’t let them determine what you do! Tell those thoughts that you WILL deal with the issue they concern, but their time is not now. Then give yourself completely to the loved one you are with. Focus your mind on them and on what they are saying and doing. Listen with all of your attention. Enjoy them, and notice all the little things about them that make them unique and loveable.

As you do, you will have learned something that has taken me much too long to learn, and something that many people never learn, and because of that, you will find more happiness than you ever could before. And you will have learned how to make the best of each minute of life you have.  

You will have learned to “seize the moment”!

Hoping you find healing as you do so,

-Roslyn

Those words often conjure up pictures of picnics, campouts, gatherings with friends, and lots of food and fun. Other pictures comes to mind, however: a woman, weeping as she kneels with a handful of flowers at the fresh grave of her husband; a man at the cemetery, standing by the marker bearing his wife’s name and wondering how he can go on. To these people, Memorial Day has a very different meaning.

This Memorial Day, are you (or is someone you know) grieving the loss of a loved one who is no longer with you? Are you still at the stage of grief where your emotions are unpredictable, you live with a perpetual ache in your heart, and you never know when the tears will suddenly surface again?

Memorial Day can be a hard day for those who’ve experienced loss. But there are things you can do to help make it through this weekend – and that will help you move on with life. Here are five tips to begin with:  

First, grieve. Grieving is painful, unpredictable, and it can be a long process. No wonder people want to avoid it. However, grieving is part of the healing process, and if we refuse to work through our grief, we will never heal completely.

Allow yourself to grieve. Find a place where you can let the tears flow and the racking sobs descend – often. You will find that as you do, there is a cleansing and a renewal that takes their place.

Author Deanna Edwards tells of a young child who said about grief, “Tears are what God gave us to let the hurt out.” Admit that the void in your life hurts, and that it’s okay to hurt. As a wise man once said, there would be something wrong if we didn’t hurt when a loved one dies. Take the time to grieve, and eventually, if you embrace the grieving process, it will bring renewal and peace.

 Second, reach out and find a friend. Find someone you can talk to, who understands what you’re going through, and talk. Share your sorrows; share what helps you each get through hard times, and you’ll both come away stronger. Sometimes the very best gift we can be given when we are mourning is a listening ear, and understanding without judgment.

Third, write! Take out a pen and paper, find a quiet spot where you can be uninterrupted, and begin writing. Record the good things that came from your relationship with that loved one. Write what you appreciated about them. Write about some of your favorite memories with them. One day these memories will not be so fresh, and you will be grateful that you took the time now to create something you can look back on and find joy in remembering.

Fourth, move! When we are grieving, often the most appealing activity is no activity at all. It is so tempting to crawl into bed, pull the covers over one’s head, and retreat. But grieving is not just emotional work. It involves the whole body, and exercise helps move the process along more quickly. Walk, run, garden, get out the yoga DVD and follow along – just do something to move your body and get the endorphins flowing. Movement will help banish the blues and help you to look at life from a much more positive perspective.

Finally, serve someone in memory of your loved one. Even if it is a very small thing, find something you can do for someone else to lift their burden. The old adage “It is better to give than to receive” is true – and how better to honor the memory of the one you loved than to do a kind deed in their memory.Einstein said,“The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and learned how to give.” Many people have found that looking outside their own troubles, if only for a few minutes, and finding a way to give to someone else, truly has brought them comfort and happiness.

Make this Memorial Day memorable, by grieving when you need to; finding a friend to confide in; writing about your loved one; moving; and serving. As you do, you will find you make cherished memories yourself, and you will be further along on the path to healing, wholeness, and peace.

Roslyn Reynolds lives in Bountiful and is the author of SOLO – Getting It All Together When You Find Yourself Alone, written after the drowning death of her husband. You can reach her atsistersinhope@gmail.com or visit her website www.roslynreynolds.com

I’m speaking tonight at my Toastmasters group, and my topic is “Authentic Happiness.” Boy do I need that topic today.

I just got home from dropping off my 19-year-old son, Christopher, for a two-year mission to Taiwan. I will only get to talk to him four times in the next two years – on each Christmas and Mother’s Day.  And this is the son who would come in at the end of a night out with friends, give me a big hug, and sit on my bed and talk for hours. Too often, I would be so tired that I found myself wondering, “When will he be done?” Today, of course, I realize how foolish I was to begrudge those moments together.

Can I feel happy this afternoon? I descend into tears as my mind keeps going back to earlier this afternoon, watching him, a man of 6’2”, standing by the big glass entry doors of the huge complex of buildings, hesitating, waiting for instructions and looking like a lost little boy. I wanted to jump out of the car and go help him find his way. I was flooded with memories from his youth, and the scrawny, tender-hearted little tow-headed boy he was, and I remember his big smothering hugs and his happy giggles.

My heart was heavy as we drove away, and the thought that I won’t see his face or feel his arms around me for two whole years brought tears to my eyes.

Dr. Martin Seligman is the founder of a new branch of psychology called “Positive Psychology.”  He says that it is possible to be happy, regardless of one’s circumstances. So that means that I can be happy today.

How?

Well, for one, I allowed myself to feel the emotions. I came home and wept, and as each tender thought came, I wept anew. I believe those tears are cleansing, and they clear the soul so there is room for joy to replace the sorrow.

Then, I decided to think of all the good things about this situation. I have a son! I remember praying to have children, and he is an answer to those prayers. He is making a good choice. He could be living a very different life, but he has chosen to serve others for two years. That alone is a great reason to rejoice!

I could list several other reasons I have to be happy, but they really all boil down to one thing – my attitude. My perspective. I can choose what thoughts I think – and if I choose well, those thoughts will create happiness.

I can be happy today. Even though I know at any moment I may once again be overcome with tears, it’s okay. They will pass, and my heart will be lighter. And as much as possible, today I choose to focus on the good in my life.

Christopher, I’ll miss you!  But I’m determined to make the best of these two years – and to be happy while I do so!

Richards  Hollow Trail, Blacksmith Fork Canyon

For her birthday, my oldest daughter Brooke asked if I would accompany her on a hike, high in the alpine mountains above Hyrum, Utah.

First you have to know that she is more than twenty years younger than I am – and has always had incredible energy and drive. She accomplishes more in a few hours than I do in an entire day.

I love the mountains, and I love her, so I willingly accepted. I did not take into account that, due to my recent schedule, I have not been consistent in my daily exercising (so I am somewhat out of shape), and that hikes usually entail significant uphill trails which can be pretty demanding. I only envisioned the joy of being out in nature with my daughter, and I was excited.

As we headed up the steep rocky trail, it very quickly became apparent that she was setting a pace I was unaccustomed to – and one that I would not be able to hold for very long. The path followed a stream that gurgled over rocks and tree roots, and there was frequent welcome shade where the tall trees’ branches reached over the trail. It was beautiful, and I drew strength from the beauty that surrounded us. But that strength was not quite enough, and after not too long, I guess she perceived I was beginning to ‘lose steam’.

“Let’s rest in this shade…” she graciously offered as we arrived in a cool glade of aspen. Her husband and my youngest daughter were with us, and they seemed almost as relieved as I felt when we stopped to catch our breath.

After a brief rest, we were back on our way. And although I loved being out in all of that breath-taking beauty, I wished I could slow down a bit! The pace demanded too much of my focus just to keep climbing, one step after another.

Brooke thoughtfully stopped us for frequent rests that I know she didn’t need. She still seemed full of energy when, after a few hours, we had hiked through meadows of wildflowers, groves of pines, hillsides of aspen and sheer rock cliffs. We finished the hike and headed down toward the car,  filled with a deepened appreciation for the beauties of this world.

But I have decided that I am at a place in life where, although I still love hiking, I now go with a different objective. No longer am I driven to get to the top of the mountain, or the end of the trail, or even to the wonder that the guidebook promises is just around the next bend.  I now enjoy a slower pace, and I am prone to halt more frequently to study the rock that, in earlier years, I would have simply stepped over. My eyes are less focused on the montain top and instead are drawn this way and that, eager to study a wildflower that beckons to be smelled, an unusual leaf, or the butterfly that flits from one blossom to the next. I am lifted by their beauty, and I am renewed by being surrounded by God’s abundant creations. I am content to sit and listen to the breeze rustling the tops of the giant pines while others continue the climb to the top of the trail.

I believe that trauma, loss, discouragement and grief require us to slow down and pull back from the frantic pace of daily life, and can even be an invitation to look for the small things that witness to us that God is aware of us and our struggles, and that He desires to lift us with all that He created specifically to bring beauty into our lives, and peace into our hearts.

Of course He knew we would meet with difficulty in this life, and I believe He planned  to surround us with things that would give us healing, hope and courage, if we would only open our eyes to them.

So if you are seeking that healing, and if you find sometimes that your hope and courage are failing you, slow down. Don’t let the length of life’s journey discourage  you, but rather, focus just on today, and open your eyes and find one of God’s messages of hope – a beautiful view of a mountain, meadow, or lake;  the song of a bird outside your window, or the intricate beauty of a flower.

Choose a slower pace – and find hope!

-Roslyn

“I’ve never felt so alone…”

His head bent, his words halting, the recent widower could say no more, and covered his face with his hands, weeping.

Haven’t we all been there? Feeling alone driving in the car, alone at dinner, alone sitting at church, and the very worst, alone at night in bed. Craving the sweet feeling of warmth next to us as we sleep – but knowing it is gone forever.

When we have lost a life’s companion, we can feel more alone than we ever have before. As one widow put it, “I feel like half a person – and I can’t function.”

We weren’t meant to be alone. In Genesis 2:18 we read, “And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Couples are part of the Heavenly plan.

So why are we alone now? Many widows and widowers question, why would God allow this to happen if even He said it is not good to be alone?

I have found that the ‘why’ questions do no good. I don’t know that we will ever know the answers. But I have found questions that do help – and that lead to comfort, and peace – and, eventually, healing.

“What am I to do now?” is the question I began asking once I realized that asking “why” was pretty useless. And answers began to come.

One of the first was, “Find support!” And, looking back, I realize that the support that surrounded me through those dark first days, weeks, and months was my lifeline.

Where do you find support?

Make sure you find someone who has grieved before – who will not think you’re crazy when you express some of the feelings you are having. Think through the people you know – is there anyone who has lost a loved one before? Look carefully at the circle of people that have been brought into your life recently, and see if you haven’t been brought a friend just for this time. I found that to be true during my deepest moments of grief.

Also, you might consider a grief group. These can be extremely valuable, as everyone there can empathize with what you are going through, and you receive great instruction, plus there is time to share, to vent if you want to, and to receive that support that only others who understand what you are going through can give you.

If you are presently looking for a group, a wonderful counselor in Bountiful, Utah, Becky Andrews, has a 12-week group for those who have lost a spouse starting tonight. She is excellent at listening; at caring; and at helping people through what can be the turbulent, dark, and confusing grieving process.

Check out her website – and if you feel it might be a good fit for you, give her a call. You will be glad you did.

Becky Andrews, LPC, CT

Individual, Marriage & Family Therapist
801.259.3883
www.resilientsolutionsinc.com

I close with one of my favorite quotes that Becky shared with me today:

The human being is born with an incurable capacity for making the best of things.  Helen Keller

May you be blessed with the support you need as you strive to make the best of a very difficult place in life!

With hope for your healing,

Roslyn

For her birthday, my oldest daughter Brooke asked if I would accompany her on a hike, high in the alpine mountains above Hyrum, Utah.

First you have to know that she is more than twenty years younger than I am – and has always had incredible energy and drive. She accomplishes more in a few hours than I do in an entire day.

I love the mountains, and I love her, so I willingly accepted. I did not take into account that, due to my recent schedule, I have not been consistent in my daily exercising (so I am somewhat out of shape), and that hikes usually entail significant uphill trails which can be pretty demanding. I only envisioned the joy of being out in nature with my daughter, and I was excited.

As we headed up the steep rocky trail, it very quickly became apparent that she was setting a pace I was unaccustomed to – and one that I would not be able to hold for very long. The path followed a stream that gurgled over rocks and tree roots, and there was frequent welcome shade where the tall trees’ branches reached over the trail. It was beautiful, and I drew strength from the beauty that surrounded us. But that strength was not quite enough, and after not too long, I guess she perceived I was beginning to ‘lose steam’.

“Let’s rest in this shade…” she graciously offered as we arrived in a cool glade of aspen. Her husband and my youngest daughter were with us, and they seemed almost as relieved as I felt when we stopped to catch our breath.

After a brief rest, we were back on our way. And although I loved being out in all of that breath-taking beauty, I wished I could slow down a bit! The pace demanded too much of my focus just to keep climbing, one step after another.

Brooke thoughtfully stopped us for frequent rests that I know she didn’t need. She still seemed full of energy when, after a few hours, we had hiked through meadows of wildflowers, groves of pines, hillsides of aspen and sheer rock cliffs. We finished the hike and headed down toward the car,  filled with a deepened appreciation for the beauties of this world.

But I have decided that I am at a place in life where, although I still love hiking, I now go with a different objective. No longer am I driven to get to the top of the mountain, or the end of the trail, or even to the wonder that the guidebook promises is just around the next bend.  I now enjoy a slower pace, and I am prone to halt more frequently to study the rock that, in earlier years, I would have simply stepped over. My eyes are less focused on the montain top and instead are drawn this way and that, eager to study a wildflower that beckons to be smelled, an unusual leaf, or the butterfly that flits from one blossom to the next. I am lifted by their beauty, and I am renewed by being surrounded by God’s abundant creations. I am content to sit and listen to the breeze rustling the tops of the giant pines while others continue the climb to the top of the trail.

I believe that trauma, loss, discouragement and grief require us to slow down and pull back from the frantic pace of daily life, and can even be an invitation to look for the small things that witness to us that God is aware of us and our struggles, and that He desires to lift us with all that He created specifically to bring beauty into our lives, and peace into our hearts.

Of course He knew we would meet with difficulty in this life, and I believe He planned  to surround us with things that would give us healing, hope and courage, if we would only open our eyes to them.

So if you are seeking that healing, and if you find sometimes that your hope and courage are failing you, slow down. Don’t let the length of life’s journey discourage  you, but rather, focus just on today, and open your eyes and find one of God’s messages of hope – a beautiful view of a mountain, meadow, or lake;  the song of a bird outside your window, or the intricate beauty of a flower.

Choose a slower pace – and find hope!

-Roslyn

After my first husband died, I  attended a conference for widows and widowers. We were sitting in circles of 8-10 people, sharing our stories, commenting on the different life we were leading now, compared to life before our spouse died. 

Several of the people shared the same sentiment: “I feel like half a person now. I don’t really know who I am anymore.” “Am I just his widow? Do I have a separate identity?”  “Do I even have a purpose now?”

To someone who has never grieved a spouse, those words may seem overstated – but I can attest, while grieving, it is easy to feel that way. And questioning one’s identity can be painful, and lonely.  

One time recently when I was meeting with a beautiful, talented young client, she expressed, “I don’t really see that I have a purpose in life.”

Her comment surprised me. From my perspective, this young lady had so much going for her, and an amazing future just waiting for her to bloom and grow into. 

But she didn’t see it. 

She had forgotten who she was – and so she thought she had no value.

Knowing who we are is vital, especially in such a confused, darkening world. So, who are we?

Psalms 82:6 tells us: “..Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”

Most of us have sung, countless times, “I am a child of God…” If we really believe that is our heritage, why would we forget? Why would we ever wonder if we have a purpose?

 Why? Because we have a very powerful enemy whose main goal is to make us forget – and he’s really good at what he does.

 Maurice Harker, LPC, Director of Life Changing Services and author of the book “Like Dragons Did They Fight”, teaches that Satan does all in his power to influence us to forget who we are. And when Satan is successful, he’s in control. 

 Satan whispers thoughts to us that discourage us, that depress us, and that distract us. He whispers lies so often that we begin to believe them. And all those dark thoughts and lies combine to influence us to forget who we were before we came here; why we are here; and who we can become if we live true to our birthright. We forget our purpose and our worth.

And then we live a different life than we came to live. 

 What can we do? 

 The Eternal Warriors program teaches that setting goals is a critical skill in helping us remember our identity, because each day it helps us exercise the values-centered part of our brain over the preference-centered part of our brain. 

 As soon as we stop just drifting through life and start being intentional, using that values-centered part of our brain, it’s much easier to recognize when Satan is whispering his lies to us. And once we recognize that, we can begin to recognize who we really are. 

 Just who do you think you are?

 You are not Satan’s pawn. You are not those lies he’s been telling you.

 You are a child of the Most High.

 And knowing that changes everything.

Have you ever felt a wave of discouragement wash over you, erasing any sense of self-worth you may have had? 

Has a cloud of darkness ever settled on your mind and your heart, creating a sense of hopelessness? 

Have you been filled with thoughts of anxiety because of the unpredictability of life, making it impossible to feel any peace? 

It happened to me in the past – frequently. 

In the hymn “Jesus Savior, Pilot Me”* the following line describes times like these: 

“Unknown waves before me roll, hiding rock and treacherous shoal.” 

Life can be compared to an ocean journey, with our goal being to cross safely to the other shore. Unexpected trials are like looming waves that threaten our security, and the negative feelings and thoughts that accompany those trials can be compared to hidden rocks and sandbars beneath the waves that can damage our vessels and stop our progress. 

In the past, those hidden barriers stopped me in my tracks. I’ve believed the negative thoughts, and allowed the depressing feelings to linger, because I didn’t recognize their source, and I didn’t know I had another choice. 

But I have come to know two things that have changed my journey immeasurably: 

1.  I’ve learned that those negative thoughts and emotions come from the adversary, my enemy, and are one of his most powerful tools in stopping my progress (see “The Chemical Spill”, on page 21 of Maurice Harker’s book “Like Dragons Did They Fight”**);  and 
2.  Because I have a Savior, I do have another choice. 

Elder Klebingat taught that I can choose whether or not to allow those negative voices to chisel away at my soul.  Of course I don’t want them determining my feelings and actions.  So how do I stop allowing them to do so? 

By doing three things: By choosing to turn to my Savior; by striving to bring my life in line with His teachings; and by allowing “the Savior’s Atonement [to] envelop and follow” me wherever I go. ***

I turn to the Savior by calling out the lies the adversary is telling me, refusing to believe them, and reminding myself of the truth about me and about my Savior. 

I strive to bring my life into line with His teachings by studying His teachings daily, and praying to know what one thing I can work on that day that will bring me closer to Him.  

I allow His Atonement to envelop me when I humbly repent, pray for His help, and then move forward in faith and confidence, taking one baby-step after another toward becoming the person I hope to be. 

Consider the second verse of the hymn:

“As a mother stills her child, Thou canst hush the ocean wild.

Boist’rous waves obey Thy will when Thou say’st to them, “Be still!”

Wondrous Sov’reign of the sea, Jesus, Savior, pilot me.” 

Our Savior has the power to calm the angry sea, and, as we draw near to Him, He can calm our troubled minds and hearts. As we strive to follow Him, He can guide our daily journey, helping us steer clear of those hidden obstacles that would slow – or even stop – our progress.

One last line from the hymn blesses me each time I remember it: 

“Chart and compass came from thee; Jesus, Savior, pilot me.”**** 

Jesus knows the way. He IS the Way. As I turn to Him, believe Him, and follow Him, He guides my journey. I receive power to refuse negative thoughts and to replace them with truth. Once more, I feel peace.  

And I promise that as you follow this same pattern, you too can feel the peace you seek.

*Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me -Text: Edward Hopper, 1818–1888 Music: John Edgar Gould, 1822–1875

** Like Dragons Did They Fight (free book)

*** “Approaching the Throne of God With Confidence” Elder Jorg Klebingat, Oct 2014

****https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK_rP7vfiUM (A beautiful rendition of the hymn performed by Rob Brandt and Scott Holden) 

To learn more about managing negative thoughts, get a complimentary copy of my ebook at the following link and check out Chapter 9. I’d love to help you find the peace you are seeking. 

Solo: Getting It All Together When You Find Yourself Alone

I heard a quote a week ago that has been on my mind ever since. It was attributed to President Thomas S. Monson

“The key to happiness is to do your duty.”

I wondered, do I believe that? 

I thought of how often I see advertisements that seem to suggest that happiness is based on freedom from duties or tasks; freedom from responsibilities and commitments. Happiness, we are told, is found in entertainment, amusements and distractions.

But I have found that the truth is that we each have duties to attend to. As a member of society, as a member of a family, and as human beings we have duties that help our society and families function well. When we complete those duties, we can feel a natural sense of accomplishment and confidence.

There are times that my list of duties seems too daunting, and my happiness wanes. At those times I feel a need to set those responsibilities aside, and take a break. I have found it helps me to rest; to pray to know what I truly need to do at that time, and to engage in something that brings me joy –  something that releases the pent-up energy of focused work, and something that gets me moving and renews me physically and emotionally – something fun! “Men are that they might have joy,”* after all!

Then, with my perspective lifted and my energy revived, I have learned that I can attend to the task at hand with a more positive attitude, ready to receive the inspiration I may need to complete it. 

I do feel a wave of happiness and contentment when I can lie down at night, think over the day, and know that I ‘did my duty.’ Yes, there are hundreds of things I didn’t get done – but as I continue learning to discern what few duties are truly vital each day, I can feel peaceful about the fact that I focused on those few things, and did what I could. That’s all I need to do.

The adversary will always tell us there’s too much to do; that our duties are too much to bear; that we will never get it all done; and that we will never be enough. 

But he’s a liar, and the truth is, with God, we can accomplish all that is needful, one day at a time. 

It’s like laundry and cleaning house – those things are never really ‘done’. 

But I get to determine what amount I will assign to each day, and when that’s done, I’m done.  

And that brings me a lot of peace – and happiness! 

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I generally try to focus on the things that I can control – my thoughts and actions; my intentional responses to the words and behaviors of those around me; the order in my mind and home; the stewardships I have been given, and my relationship to God.  As I keep that focus, I can feel hopeful, capable, and surrounded by light.  

However, sometimes it’s hard not to notice and be affected by all around us right now that can be frightening, confusing and hurtful. The constant news streaming about a deadly virus, growing contention, violence and unrest;  devastating natural disasters; and family and friends dealing with tragedy and trials. I can feel so helpless to do anything to make it any better. Darkness begins to seep in. 

As worry and concern start to descend upon me, these words from a favorite hymn often come to mind:

“…so, when life gets dark and dreary, don’t forget to pray.” *

I need that reminder. I need to remember that prayer connects me to God, and “…God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a strong mind.” (1 Timothy 1:7) 

So, I pray.

After praying and listening for direction, the thing that usually fills my heart is that my only job today is to trust God and to do my best to follow His guidance. He helps me see the good. He helps me discern truth. He helps me feel strong enough to do what is most needful in the moment. And He will help me today to dispel the dreary, dark feeling, and to fill my little part of the world with more light, with more truth, and with more love. 

So, when life gets dark and dreary….

Don’t forget to pray!  

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