And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.
Alma 7:24
Alma 7:24
As Eric and I were driving home from St. George we passed a car whose license plate read Alma7:24. Naturally, I looked it up in the Book of Mormon and it put a smile on both of our faces. What a great reminder (especially for Eric, road rage is a common occurrence when he's driving and this was a nice change of atmosphere... haha!) But more than a reminder, it really hit home with me.
Lately I have been thinking about my relationship with my Heavenly Father and how I need to strengthen it. I do have hope and I definitely have faith but I think, at times, I take it all for granted. Life has been good to us lately and I am extremely grateful but at the same time I feel as if I my relationship with God is on the back burner. It is very easy for me to have faith and to just believe...so easy that I forget that I need to ponder, pray, and build on what I know to be true. And not just during the hard times in my life, or when I'm suffering, but during the good times as well. But you know what? Not anymore. Eric and I make it a point to center our marriage around Heavenly Father and Christ. And now I am making it a point (again. Is this how it works? To be reminded again and again?) to center my life around Him as well!
Something else that has been on my mind as well is my personality. I am a very out going girl and I just love people. Honestly, I thrive on socializing. It drives Eric crazy sometimes haha. But want to know a secret? I'm only that way when I want to be. And I don't always want to be. And I am so mad at myself for acting like that. If I see someone at the grocery store that I know, depending on my mood I'll make it a point to stop and visit with them, or I'll turn and get away as fast as possible hoping I haven't been seen. What the crap is that? It absolutely makes my day when an old friend stops me and says hi. When a complete stranger compliments my purse, hair, or asks me a question it makes me so happy! Seriously, I can't wait to tell Eric just how happy it made me! Something as simple as a kind smile will change a bad day to a good one! So this is something else in my life that I am making a point to change. I have friend's that you can't help but want to be around because they are so sweet. I'd love to be like that. I want to make some one's day better. I want to be a kind, loving, charitable kind of girl!
I know that as I work on my relationship with God and those around me, it will stop feeling like work and start to feel natural. I can't wait to feel this change in my heart. I've been yearning for it and am SO ready to work my booty off for it! :)
12 comments:
You're so great :) I think HEavenly father cares less about where we are now and more about the progression we're making. It's a process. It sounds like you WANT to improve and that really means a lot!
Don't be too hard on yourself. You are already a better person by recognizing you are not perfect. Thank you for sharing this and for the reminder that we must become like HIM!
I love how God makes us work for everything. I needed this reminder too, thanks for sharing!
You are so precious, Courtney!! I love your sweet heart.
I love this post! :) It's so important to have God in your relationship, but it's so difficult at times to maintain a solid relationship with God. I myself am working on the same issues!
Really touching post! And I love that it all came from a license plate :)
i think you're a lot better of a person than you give yourself credit for.
but i understand also, where you're coming from.
sometimes i refer to my life in the gospel as a roller coaster ride. all the climbing up parts are where i want to stay, but no matter what happens, it goes down sometimes a little and sometimes a lot. but everytime it goes back up.
you know? idk.
i think God is an understanding God. I think he knows how hard it is sometimes for us.
he also knows your heart.
I loved this post because I totally identified with everything you said. I'm a very friendly person...but I feel like I choose like you, when I want to turn it on. That makes me mad too because I should just be that way all of the time! Your blog is super cute :)
GUILTY! Not just of the social thing, but of turning to the Lord only when I need things or something is wrong. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like I never pray just to pray or say thanks, but you make a good point: life is so crazy that it can be easy to focus on that which is right there in front of you. Truth is, though, GOD put those things there for you and we need to remember to acknowledge them through Him. Great post, as always! I have no doubt in my mind that you will achieve this. Trust me, you're already so much closer to that than most people and probably a lot closer than you realize. The first part is just wanting that change. Very proud of you and hoping I can do the same! :)
Thanks so much for sharing this post, Courtney. I feel the same way--I have to be reminded again and again...and again.
You're so inspiring! I LOVE this post. And thanks for all the comments on my posts, I love ya girly! Keep being amazing :)
Wow. Again, I could have written this. Minus the social part--I'm more of an introvert. But I was just thinking today how FRUSTRATED I am with myself for continuing to fall behind in my relationship with God. Just like someone else said, I can relate to the roller coaster analogy. Every few months I have a revelation to re-center my life. But in a few more months (or sometimes sooner) I have to have it again! Yes, I does work that way. I think we all have to be reminded of things, even things we already know so well. And it is a process. Phil 3:12-14 " Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." I'll be praying for you sweet girl! :)
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