My Heart is With You!

Another reason I've been a little quieter here on my blog over the past few weeks is because I've been thinking, praying and grieving for some people in my life who are suffering.

Over the past several weeks, I've received news of two of my dear extended family members who are dealing with life-threatening cancers. Unfortunately, these are not simple cancers that will simply and completely disappear with the prescribed treatments. Don't get me wrong, the excellent care my extended family members are receiving will extend their lives for a time, but the cancers they are battling mightily will eventually win. Until that happens, they are dealing with the dreaded unknowns that specialists can't predict, or cure. Even though I know none of us are getting off this earth alive, this news breaks my heart to a point that I can't describe. I hate losing people I love!

I have another extended family member who is in active duty in the military. This wonderful soul is most assuredly in harms way, and I am deeply concerned for his safety and well-being. I can't fathom the worry his close family members are suppressing on a daily basis, either!

One of my good friends recently shared with the people in her life that she is suddenly dealing with a life-altering long-term illness. Tears have filled my eyes multiple times as I've read blog posts about what this chronic illness is doing to her. Unless she receives a medical miracle (And believe me, I'm praying daily and fasting {on Fast Sundays} for one!), her life is changed forever. Forever. Thankfully, she is a very strong woman. I have no doubt she will endure this trial well, but I dearly wish I could wave my magic wand and banish her suffering! :)

I can't even count the other great people I care about who've been dealing with death of loved ones, divorce, unemployment, infertility, significant financial woes, emotional instability, physical limitations, etc., for a long time. Even though the initially-mentioned bad news is in the forefront of my mind—because it's new and shocking—that doesn't diminish my thoughts and prayers for my other extended family members' and friends' previous setbacks, struggles and losses. That said, I've noticed when news of a loss isn't so fresh—and our loved ones are dealing with their new normal on a daily basis—our thoughts and actions tend to revert back to whatever our normal is because it's virtually impossible to continually live with our minds in those sorrowful moments. Nor would our loved ones want us to go to those dark places.

Yet as I think about those beloved souls, I have faith. I firmly believe they are being watched over, blessed and protected! I know their lives matter greatly to our Heavenly Father, He sends angels to look after His suffering children! I know each of them are living their lives to the best of their abilities, and our Savior's Atonement literally makes up the difference—that fact always gives me great hope.

Just last week, I was shown again that the miracle of Greg and I moving back to our beloved Utah was not small. As I've reflected over the past seven years, I have zero doubts we were meant to move from Colorado to Utah in 2008; we were meant to move from Utah to Texas in 2010; and we were absolutely supposed to move from Texas to Utah in 2013. Even though I didn't see it at the time, I now see with 20/20 vision that the Lord was always very aware of our situation—to the point that every bit of our lives mattered to Him! It still blows my mind when I really go back and think about everything that happened from 2008 to 2013, and the revelations and confirmations we've received since June, 2013. There are no coincidences in our lives! There simply aren't enough explanations or justifications to explain away Greg's and my miracles! :)

Thus, I can't reiterate enough to this crazy internet world that every day we live matters! Every choice we make is crucial to our personal development and eternal futures! We must be constantly prayerful to know what our Father in Heaven (God) wants from us, for only He knows everything about our divine potential and true greatness!

Yes, to my dear family members and friends who are suffering, my heart is with you! Even though I can't fully understand what you're enduring, my thoughts, prayers, and fasting efforts are completely directed toward you! :)

I don't know if this thought helps you at all, but if you ever find yourself in the deepest, darkest, saddest corner of your misery, please imagine me smiling at you—trying my best to relieve your suffering...and possibly annoying you in the process?! It's true, I've been known to annoy others with my extreme optimism! Ha ha.

As much as I sincerely wish I could change everything to be sunshine and hyacinths for everyone (Those lovely little flowers smell sooo heavenly!), I know from personal experience that we attain so much more from faithfully enduring our soul-wearying experiences than we ever could just by hanging out in Everything is Awesome Land!

Thus, in the meantime of waiting, wondering, praying and trying our best, I hope we'll follow the advice of this marvelous quote from March's Visiting Teaching message (from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) about patience,

"As we choose to align our will with His during our earthly life, He 'will make an instrument of [us] in [His] hands unto the salvation of many souls' (Alma 17:11)." – President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Attributes of Jesus Christ: Long-Suffering and Patient," Ensign, March, 2015.

Yes, we need to keep our faith and fight the good fight! We must never give up, never surrender! :)