I stole this from another encouraging blog, and LOVE IT. Enjoy!! DON'T be AFRAID to DREAM BIG! Posted: 01 Dec 2011 01:34 PM PST (posted by Christina) Let nothing hold you back from exploring your wildest fantasies, wishes, and aspirations. Don't be afraid to dream big and to follow your dreams wherever they may lead you. Open your eyes to their beauty; open your mind to their magic; open your heart to their possibilities. Dare to dream. Whether they are in color or in black and white, whether they are big or small, easily attainable or almost impossible, look to your dreams, and make them become reality. Wishes and hopes are nothing until you take the first step towards making them something! Dare to dream. Because only by dreaming, will you ever discover who you are, what you want, and what you can do. Don't be afraid to take risks, to become involved, to make commitment. Do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true. Always believe in miracles, and always believe in you!

HOPE

I found this saying on another encouraging blog by Kristen, and I wanted to share it. I absolutely loved it!!! Enjoy :)

If you can look at the sunset and smile, Then you still have hope.

If you can find beauty in the colors of a small flower, Then you still have hope.

If you can find pleasure in the movement of a butterfly, Then you still have hope.

If the smile of a child can still warm your heart, Then you still have hope.

If you can see the good in other people, Then you still have hope.

If the rain breaking on a roof top can still lull you to Sleep, then you still have hope.

If the sight of a rainbow still makes you stop and stare in wonder, then you still have hope.

If the soft fur of a favored pet still feels pleasant under your fingertips, then you still have hope.

If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and Optimism, then you still have hope.

If you give people the benefit of a doubt, Then you still have hope.

If you still offer your hand in friendship to others that have touched your life, then you still have hope.

If receiving an unexpected card or letter still brings a pleasant surprise, then you still have hope.

If the suffering of others still fills you with pain and frustration, then you still have hope.

If you refuse to let a friendship die, or accept that it must end, then you still have hope.

If you look forward to a time or place of quiet and reflection, then you still have hope.

If you still watch love stories or want the endings to be happy, then you still have hope.

If you can look to the past and smile, then you still have hope.

If, when faced with the bad, when told everything is futile, you can still look up and end the conversation with the phrase... "yeah... BUT..." then you still have hope.

Hope is such a marvelous thing. It bends, it twists, it sometimes hides, but rarely does it break. It sustains us when nothing else can. It gives us reason to continue and courage to move ahead, when we tell ourselves we'd rather give in. Hope puts a smile on our face when the heart cannot manage. Hope puts our feet on the path when our eyes cannot see it. Hope moves us to act when our souls are confused of the Direction. Hope is a wonderful thing, something to be cherished and nurtured, and something that will refresh us in return. And it can be found in each of us, and it can bring light into the darkest of places.

Never lose hope.

Love, Chastened, Growth.

"For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation." D&C 82:3

"For whom the Lord loveth he ^achasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Hebrews 12:6

"And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning." 1 Ne 19:23

These three scriptures have always made an impact on me, ever since I was little. When I was thinking what to write about today, all three scriptures came to mind. So the highlighted words are what I am focusing on. :)

The Lord is a wonderful God. He is almighty, all knowing, all powerful, and he LOVES us. Why? Because we are his children. His creation. His divinity. And he SEES our potential...to be as he is. Through his love for us. BUT...that cannot happen without much trial and tribulation. Many people do not understand, and cannot fathom if the Lord loves us, why would he allow bad things to happen to us, especially if we are doing "whats right". Heres the written word--proof. First, where much is given, much is required. If he believes we are divine potential, and knows are capability to become something magnificent, he is going to give us more, to help us become that person. He has a great plan for each one of his children, there for, much is required on our end. We must acknowledge Gods trust in us to fulfill his plan for us--unique to each one of us. Second, he chastens those who he loves. If your life went perfectly, you always got everything you ever wanted, nothing went wrong...would you need God? No. Never. You would never need a reason to turn to him, rely on him, focus on HIM. The times we turn to him most, is when? When were suffering. We also would not acknowledge his goodness and blessings towards us because we wouldn't see them as that. We only learn to appreciate GOOD from experiencing BAD. Learning opposition in all things. Thats where the third scripture applies. It is ALL for OUR profit and learning. Just like all the prophets and apostles of old, who did nothing but preach Gods word...look at all they endured? Just like likening the scriptures to our lives--helps us grow. Using the every day experiences we have, good or bad, and using the scriptures to help us through that life experience. Everything we go through is for OUR learning, OUR growth. We become stronger, better, brighter, happier as we learn to allow Gods hand in our lives, and through his written words. He loves us. He wants us to be happy. He allows negative things to happen to help us GROW and become one step closer to being like him--the all knowing God and Savior of the world. He is our example. We cant become sanctified and Christlike without cleansing, without needing a reason to be renewed, forgiven and receive a helping hand. It just isn't done. Feel encouraged, that the Lord loves you. He is there for you to lift you up when you feel small, to carry your burdens when you cant handle them anymore, to lighten your load, and to make you feel exactly how you should. A son/daughter of God. Divine. Accepted. Loved. Appreciated. Adored. Can it get any more magnificent than that? I believe not.

Light

"He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." Mosiah 16:9
The Lord is our light...he leads the way. With him there is no darkness, no fear. Only HE is the life of the world. The joy. The happiness. The peace. He IS the way, the truth, and the life.

Adveristy.

After Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise, Heb. 6:15

All thrones and dominions shall be set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ, D&C 121:29

Adversity is one of the hardest parts about this earth life. We strive as hard as we can to live a "normal easy life" like everyone else...but what does that even mean? Trials and adversity are here for our own good. They provide character. They establish patience and endurance. They mold us into becoming more Christlike, which is our ultimate goal. Its hard to see all this while going through them though.

It seems like every time there is something really good and really powerful about to occur in life, there is always a lot of opposition leading up to it. Just like when people decide to get baptized. Opposition comes, and adversity strikes, to try and steer those away from making the best decision to change their life forever; to create a whole new generation of members in the church. Some fail to recognize this and fall deep into despair. They cant pick themselves back up and they walk way, because its just too hard. Often times this also happens when those prepare to enter the temple. Same things happens. Why? Because the adversary doesnt want more righteous and valiant saints. He doesnt want us to be strong and everlasting. He doesnt want us to serve in the right church and come closer to God and eternal salvation. He doesnt want us to become so enrapt in helping others and leading others to do the same- to follow Christ. So he tries in every way possible to break that. To create reasonable and believable ideas in our minds that, it just cant be right, or making us feel inadequate, or make us doubt our decision after we already prayed and received an answer, create anger and frustration inside of us over any little thing to make us want to give up hope. Thats his plan. Thats his goal. He has been studying us for thousands of years and knows all of our weaknesses...and thats his target. Hit us where it hurts. Where we really can hardly hold on anymore.

The wonderful most beautiful blessing in all of this is, there is way out. The Savior. He suffered for us to help us get through this mortal existence. He can provide the strength that we need. He can help us get through those moments. He places people (or in my words-angels) in our lives to help us when we struggle or when we dont even recognize it in ourselves. We arent meant to walk alone. We arent meant to BE alone. Thats what we have the Savior for. Thats what we have people-friends family and wards-for. From the wonderful words of Elder Jeffery R. Holland, my favorite apostle, "Beware the Tempation to retreat from a good thing (or a bad thing). If it was right when you prayed about it (or wrong) and trusted in it, it is right now." Be strong. Know that the Lord is on your side and WANTS you to be happy. Satan wants you to be miserable and steer far away from GOOD. Remember who is on your side. Follow your gut...and your heart. It will always lead you back to where you belong. If we endure the temptation..if we stick the path we know we should be on...we will be able to have exaltation with God. What is better than that?

WOMEN.

"There is a great power that emanates from good women who, in the midst of the pressures of the day, arise above their challenges in a mighty force for righteousness." - Kapp

"A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man must seek Him in order to find her." -Unknown

-These are two of my favorite quotes on the power that women have. We do not even begin to understand the power within ourselves...to change lives, through love, understanding, nuturing hearts that we, as women, have been blessed with. A thirst for righteousness...a thirst to do good and to be good. That alone will do great and marvelous things in the world. We ARE wonderful. We CAN do great things. We WILL change the world. Through the Lord anything is possible, and we can do all things. Allow people to know the Savior because they know YOU.

Something New.

So today I decided to try a little something different. I decided to post one of my poems on my blog. Never been public before. So tell me what you think :)

Along the Road

Taking it day by day...waiting for some clarity and direction along the way.

Take this heart of mine-shape it into your desire.

Love me, accept me, prove me.

Show me all the life lessons I need to acquire.

Along this road, that we call life.

One step in front of the other.

Struggling, learning, growing.

Allowing our bodies and minds to fully strive.

Access to another world. Another perspective. Another mind. Dont miss a beat, or you could fall desperately behind.

Focus. Stay on track. Dont loose hope.

Misinterpretation, misguided...always leads to growth.

Taking a breath. Breathing...in and out. Never understanding what this life is all about.

Don't loose faith...along this road. Words unspoken..life changing-untold.

All we have is the day up ahead.

New experience. Learning from past mistakes. Disappointments.

Yeseterday-rejection. Today-new direction. Tomorrow-can lead to perfection.

This is all we need. A new day ahead...along this road...accumulating perfection...quite magnificent indeed.

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what he is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abdominable and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is he up to? The explanation is that he is building quite a different house from the one you thought of-throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but he is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it himself." -C.S. Lewis

-SO POWERFUL. I love this. <3

Reflection...

I've been thinking back on many moments in my life recently...and it has allowed me to come to a realization and even MORE of a comfirmation that everything truly does happen for a reason, and its all apart of God's plan. It is often times hard to believe this. Many times...we have moments in our lives of doubt, confusion, misunderstanding, or even self pity and sadness-feeling as if God isnt listening to our prayers, things arent happening right or the way they should, or the famous lines that we confine ourselves to of "life isnt fair". This is completely and 100% false. Though it is ridiculously easy to give into and believe this idea. Every moment in our lives...whether good or bad...happy or sad...tough or easy...is literally ALL apart of God's plan.

Every step you take, every decision you make, every incident and experience thrusted upon you, is all apart of the bigger picture. Those moments get you to now. Here. And THAT is beautiful. THAT... is powerful. Life in this moment. The capacity to do miraclous things...to live outrageous and life changing experiences...the freedom and ability to choose, and make choices...the unlimited possibilities. Incredible moments. You cant change WHAT has happened to you. You cant change choices you make last week or a year ago. You cant determine or predict what will happen tomorrow. But you can live for today. You can make choices for yourself today. You can change whatever you want today. Today....you can make every moment matter...every moment cherished. People, come and go in our lives. They can hurt you and they can move you. Situations always change. Friendships can be made and taken away. Jobs can be given and lost. Health can be good and bad. There can be trials and there can be blessings. But every moment spent in whatever way, leads you to now. Grows you. Moves you. Changes you. Strengthens you. And allows you the opportunity to be exactly what you want to be, and exactly what God wants you to be. Think back on your life...what would you change? I wouldnt change a thing. Its brought me to this moment. And this moment is exactly where I should be. Unlimited possibilities.

“Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” -Karen Ravn

WE are in control of our lives, of our happiness, and of our destiny. Only through ourselves, with God's infinite power, can we achieve greatness. No one else can grant us with that.