Light The Way

"The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well."

Neal A. Maxwell, That my Family Should Partake, pg 86

I love this saying.  How wonderful to know that God is mindful of us.  That He has placed us exactly where we are for a purpose.  That that purpose is known.  I am reminded that all the things in my life have led me to this one point in time and to this one place in all the world.  

He knows my experiences, my heartaches, my overcoming, my despair, my needs, my reaching and my love.  He knows every single thing about me, and loves me in spite of myself.  Because of that, if I allow Him too, He will use me to help others who may need the compassion and comfort that I am uniquely able to give.  If I allow Him too, He will place me where and need to be.  

I am so very blessed, but sometimes, even with all those blessings, it can be hard to not feel discouragement and pain.  Sometimes it helps if I can just step back for a moment and look closer at the blessings instead of the trials.  Sometimes it helps to really look for things to be grateful for.  Sometimes it helps to acknowledge His hand in our lives.  

One of the greatest blessings that I have been given is that of prayer.  The opportunity to talk with our Heavenly Father, one on one, at any time of any day and at any moment.  It never ceases to amaze me how, with all the multitude of things going on in the world, Heavenly Father still has time to answer a small and simple prayer.  

The answer is not always yes.  Sometimes, it is not now.  Or it might even be not ever.  Sometimes the answer is No.  Sometimes the answer is yes.  But there is always an answer.  I am learning that part of having faith in my Heavenly Father is to simple have trust in His timing.  He has promised me that all of this will be worth it.   

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10 

Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.