Because of Grace

With all sincerity in my heart I write this sentence genuinely and purely: 

"We are saved by grace after all we can do." 

Today marks the date.

1 year, 56 weeks, or 365 days, it has been since I joined the Church Of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

This day is probably the most important date in my life, except for the date of my birth.

Because August 12, 2013, is the date that I decided to change my life for the better,

and turn my heart towards God, and do my best to follow Jesus Christ in all that I do.

(Me, Ellensburg WA, 18 years old)

A year ago today,

I was baptized. 

I want to first express, how proud I am. 

Of myself.

I am proud of the person who I've become.

I'm proud of the wonderful young lady I am.

I am worthy.

I am a daughter of God.

I have divine worth.

I know that I am loved.

And I know that the path I am on is the exact path that God wants me to be on.

I know it is the right path.

I know that I am doing good things, with good people.

There is a time and place for everything.

And today is the time, 

and here in my apartment, in Ellensburg, WA,

 is the place I am supposed to be in my life right now.

And I am saved.

I am saved by the grace of God. 

There is nothing that I can do that will make God love me any more.

There is nothing that I can do that will make God love me any less.

It is grace.

I am saved by grace.

In a book called 7-Day Christian, 

it says

"Christ doesn't just want people to acknowledge his grace. He wants people to be transformed by it" 

God will love me, no matter what I do.

But because I love Him, I have chosen to become transformed by the grace He has given me. 

I'm proud to be a part of a Church that not only believes in grace, 

but actively embraces it,

and works hard each and everyday to be transformed by it.

We are not perfect.

Nor will I, alone, ever be perfect.

It is Christ who perfects us.

He is not just A way,

He is the ONLY way. 

I'm proud to be a part of God's church.

A church where "each is a Shepherd and a Sheep" -Cathy Gibb

Each of us, can guide and teach, and each of us can be guided and taught.

Each and Every day of our lives,

Because of grace. 

I encourage ALL of you reading,

to pray to Heavenly Father today.

To learn about the salvation he has given us,

and ask Him,

to show you his grace.

And be wrapped in the arms of his love.

His never-ending, unfailing love,

because of the grace which he grants us,

each and every day. 

In Jesus' sacred and beautiful name,

-Amen

He's the only one, that can make me Free

(Sunrise at Peshastin, WA. July 8) 

"How can you teach someone, that doesn't want to listen? "
-Al Fox

In 3 Nephi 9:20 "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit."

A broken heart and a contrite spirit?
But what does that mean?

Willing to be humbled, willing to accept the truth, and act on it.
When we pray to the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit,
we are then praying in complete sincerity.

When we are sincere in our prayers to the Lord,
the Lord gives us blessings.

All blessings are brought about by a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

I sometimes just wonder, am I just too prideful or proud in some of my ways, that I can't be humble enough to think that perhaps I don't know? Perhaps I don't know everything, and perhaps I have something to learn from everyone around me.

Not only the people in my life, but God, and Jesus Christ. And Christ's exemplary example of perfection.

I need to humble myself enough to lay down all of my efforts, to lay down all of my sins,
and say I trust in Jesus, I trust in his power.

It comes from a song, it continues to say "I trust in his resurrection, because he's the only one that can make me free, he's the only one that can make me free."

And it's true.
He is the only one. The Perfect one. The saving one. Our Savior Jesus Christ, laid down everything, not because he deserved it, not because he was "bad" or a "sinner", but merely because He loved us.

When we think of a sacrifice, we need to give up all that we are, all that we have, and be willing to change all of it, at the Lord's command. We must trust in the Lord enough, and trust that he is the only that will make us happy.

We need to give the ultimate sacrifice, and sacrifice our pride, We need to humble ourselves before the Lord our God, and repent each and every day, to feel the love and saving power of Jesus Christ.

Amen

Love Eternal

(Abbie with Carson, the Ring Barer, and Cassandra the Flower Girl) 

I want to congratulate, a beautiful bride, a loving groom, and a future full of love and happiness.

I can’t begin to express the absolute joy it brings me to see my sister, Abbie get married, to a respectful and caring guy, Kevin Estep.

They are now joined together as Abbie and Kevin Estep.

The sound of that rings like bells on high.

At first I thought, I’ve lost my sister, like many times before when she went to high school, or when she left for college, or when she got her own house.

Now, it involves someone else. Not only is Abbie choosing her life for herself, but not she has added a whole another dimension to the picture, a husband, who she rightly should place their relationship at a high priority.

It doesn’t mean that their relationship is more important than the relationship than my sister’s and I’s. It just means it’s different.

And it’s a good different.

I have to share my sister with someone else now, and I honestly couldn’t be any happier, about who I have to share her with.

I’m grateful for God influencing both of them to meet eachother and for them deciding to make this relationship official in the bond of matrimony. 

I also love that they got married in a church, and they want to focus their love and their relationship upon God, and upon Jesus Christ.

What better foundation could they have chosen? 

Nothing. Nothing is better than a relationship set on God, and centered around Christ.

I’m so proud of Abbie, and I’m so proud of Kevin too.

I love them both so much.

And I can’t wait to watch and see their lives develop together.

They inspire me.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen