When Afraid to Follow Your Dreams

I truly believe that if we trust Him, Heavenly Father will allow each of our days to unfold in miraculous wonder. Opportunities will fall into place, challenges will come to show us where we can grow into more peace, and tender mercies will find us at precisely the right moment.

But it really does take faith.

The other day I opened up Facebook and right at the top was a post from a dear friend from another state. She had shared this quote:

It came to me on a day when I needed courage to move forward with my dreams--dreams of homemaking, dreams of writing, and dreams of turning my home into a beautiful haven of peace. So I wrote it down on a sticky note and placed it on my desk where I would see it every day.

Since then, I have researched this quote and found that it's is actually a summary of a passage that Thoreau wrote in Walden:

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. . . . In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness."

And after reading this, I loved it even more.

As we advance in the direction of our dreams, whether large or small, we are showing our Heavenly Father that we are willing to take action to fulfill our dreams in the best way we know how. And as we pray for His help, He will create a path in front of us and remove the obstacles that appear. He will clear the way.

Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seekethfindeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 

~Matthew 7:7-11

So believe Him. Believe He is good, because He is. And because He loves you. He cares about your dreams and righteous desires. And He will help you achieve them.

Finally, one last word of confidence as you take your first uncertain step towards achieving your dreams:

"Be not moved. You have a great destiny before you. This is your moment! I truly believe that one virtuous young woman, led by the Spirit, can change the world!" ~Elaine S. Dalton

 And you will.

For the Hard Days

It's been one of those months. Where a whole lot goes wrong and yet somehow you're given the strength to press on and climb even higher.

I think I've been knee-deep in a tutorial on trusting in the Lord and especially in His timing.

It's when life is relatively easy that we view trials as hard taskmasters and wonder or even doubt if we would have the strength to do what others do if presented with similar hardships.

But when we are thrust into a refiner's fire of our own, it's in this space that we find our inner strength. We worry and struggle and feel a bit sorry for ourselves. But then, if we are still, we feel the enveloping peace of our faith engulfing us. From somewhere deep inside, the flame of our faith turns into a blazing fire. And our faith grows intensely stronger while simultaneously carrying us through the moments. And so we stand up, and arise, and walk the road "less traveled by." We walk His way.

A scripture from Isaiah has been running through my head:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

We don't have to understand, but we do have to come to a place of acceptance for every thing the Lord places in our path. Because every single thing, whether triumph or trial, has the potential to liberate us--allowing us to live as the person we've always wanted to become.

And He sustains us every step of the way, reminding us again and again that everything will work out for our eternal good. Because He is good.

And I want to be good. I recognize this adversity as a blessed tool to draw my heart closer to my Father and Savior. And on a day when my schedule was overflowing, I decided to stop worrying and to instead commit myself to Christ--to be wholly consumed and centered in Him. I chose to view my appointments as opportunities to minister as He would. And I did. But the trials kept coming and the fire grew hotter still.

But even in the midst of the fire, He was there, still giving me good gifts.

Like calls from family offering support. Like visits from my mom and sister. Like my husband's last work appointment canceling so he could be with me. Like a text from a neighbor and an artichoke casserole given when I had doctor's appointments and four other commitments, and was trying to make dinner for another sick neighbor. Like strength to make hard decisions and then red lights after the decision was made to help us back up. Like a mother who is still serving and visiting and cooking and shopping for me and prayers from family and friends and three other friends offering to make me dinner and help with anything I need. And a host of other tender mercies that are causing my heart to brim with fullness and nearly burst in gratitude.

And yesterday, amidst it all, this song played for me and I knew it was sent from above.

Open My Hands (by Sara Groves)

I believe in a peace that flows deeper than pain
That broken find healing in love
Pain is no measure of his faithfulness
He withholds no good thing from us
No good thing from us, no good thing from us

I will open my hands, will open my heart
I will open my hands, will open my heart
I am nodding my head an emphatic yes
To all that You have for me 

Truly the Lord is good and this refiner's fire is gifting me gold. 

Simple Pleasures.

Fog enshrouded the frosty morning.

But inside, the world was cozy as my little girl and I enjoyed a January tea party.

We used her tiny tea set and dined on animal cookies and milk.

Quaint, small, and simple.

I want these days to last forever...

Do you have little rituals that are unique to you and your child? Special little pastimes shared just between the two of you?

For my daughter, there are tea parties and painting fingernails and trying new hairstyles.

For my oldest son, there are art projects and writing books.

For my second son, there are cuddles and puzzles.

For all three of them, there are dance parties and story time.

Being a mother (or a grandmother or an aunt....) is so joyous. 

Because as nurturers, we get to fill up our days {and our hearts} with these simple little pleasures enjoyed with pure, innocent, radiant children.

It doesn't get any better than that.

When your dreams seem far away.

There are moments when my house is clean and serene.
But then there are other times...

And sometimes during those "other times" I feel down on myself--for not being more talented, or more on top of things, or better at this or that--{like creating a home that is a candidate for the cover of Country Living Magazine}. Do you ever feel that way?

But when I look a bit deeper and let myself "feel" what my home is like instead of viewing it through the eyes of critique, I realize that my although my house may not be perfect, my home is pretty close.

My home is lived in and loved. It is cozy and colorful and loving.

It is messy and glorious all at the same time.

Do I dream of someday living in and decorating a Country Living cover farmhouse? Yes. Because dreaming gives me a bright glow of hope. And because a good dream is like chocolate to the soul.

But this? Here? Right now? This is where my heart is. And when I wake up each morning, I make the choice to embrace this crazy beautiful life.

Because right here, right now, this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

The Thanks Giving Project.

So a few days ago I was listening to the wonderful messages at church and smiled to myself at the general theme of gratitude. I love the holidays and Thanksgiving kicks off the most wonderful time of the year for me. I was blessed to have two of my children during the holidays (my son 4 days after Christmas and my daughter a few days after Thanksgiving). And while it makes for some pretty crazy days of trying to simultaneously plan Thanksgivings, Christmas activities, and two birthday parties, I feel so blessed.

After church though I came home and felt a bit melancholy. There was no apparent reason, just a slight touch of sadness. And as I reflected on what to do when I start feeling this way, a prompting from the Spirit came simply and quietly--you need to practice thanks giving.

I hesitated. I have read the studies on gratitude (you must see the infographic at the end of this post via mindvalley.com). The science behind living in gratitude is amazing.

This one simple principle can impact life in enormous ways. I have participated in countless gratitude lists and journals and have tried to follow my mother's counsel to look for 5 things to be grateful for daily. And in so doing, I have noticed my joy levels rise.

So why was I hesitating when the prompting came to practice thanks giving? If I believed in the power of gratitude to add joy to my life could I believe in the power of gratitude to be a quick and effective happiness boost for those moments of stress, sadness, or frustration?

This deserved to be a project I decided. So on Monday I began the "Thanks Giving Project."

Let me explain how it works.

Every time I start to feel a negative emotion (such as anger, sorrow, stress, etc.) I stop the thought right in its tracks and redirect my thoughts to ones of gratitude. I reflect upon my many blessings, or any blessing that I can pick up and place in my heart....

In the few short days I've engaged in this project, I have witnessed my negative emotions literally melt away every time. I hope to make this "giving of thanks in the hard times" a habit by Christmastime as my gift to my Savior and I can't wait to witness the miracle that may transform me. I truly believe that if I can practice this giving of thanks, then I will be given even more experiences for which to be grateful. It will be a positive cycle of "thanks giving to thanks living" and then back again to thanks giving.

Would you care to join me on this path?

May you have the most wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and loved ones this year is my sincere desire.

Love,
Jamie

LOVE: Create a Masterpiece

I am so thrilled and honored to be guest posting on the amazing Multiply Goodness blog today!

Each precious child born into this world is a masterpiece.

I remember so clearly—so vividly—those first few perfect moments when my own babies were placed in my arms. I remember looking into their angel-blue eyes. All of heaven seemed to be encompassed in and emanating from this soft perfect bundle.

Whether it’s in those first few minutes of life, or more gradually as they grow, we witness in each child a unique masterpiece coming to life.

I recognized a brilliant sun shining from the countenance of my first son and a tranquil ocean of peace in my second son.

My daughter came to me as a star lighting up the world around her.

And they’re not alone....

Click here to read the rest of this post on Multiply Goodness. 

Come In.

One day as I was window shopping I found this sign on the door of one of my favorite local shops. Because of its inviting charm, I instantly felt welcome. So I stepped inside, chatted with the owner for a few minutes, found out we knew each other through a family connection, and made a purchase of an ornamental plant and two wreaths.

I've since wondered what my door feels like to those approaching. Do they notice the dust and dirt and dried leaves from the latest storm? Do they notice the vintage charm of the blue chair, my rustic bench, and the worn ladder? Do they feel welcome when they knock and I open the door to invite them in? Or not?

To take it even deeper, how does our Savior feel when He approaches the door to our hearts? Does He feel welcome as we instantly open the door to His gentle knock? Does He feel ignored when He knocks and knocks with no answer?

What sign do we figuratively hang on the doors of our hearts? Do we too often miss the opportunity to speak with our Lord and Savior because He finds these signs:

• "Busy--come back later."
• "We're sleeping--do not disturb."
• "No Trespassing"

Could we examine the state of our hearts and take down those signs, to instead replace them with one of the following:

• "Come in, I am always open!"
• "Welcome! Please come in, I've been so excited to talk to you."
• "You don't even need to knock--just come right in!"

Revelation 3:20 is one of my all-time favorite verses:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

For today, consider placing a special sign on your door just for the Savior--one that's there to stay. You decide what your sign will say.

Open up your heart and let Him in. Let Him come in and sup with you. Let Him abide with you. 

And once you let Him in? What then?
This is the topic we will explore tomorrow...