Even My Sins?

"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." -Hebrews 4:15-16

Sometimes I wonder about life, actually I wonder a lot. It is easy for me to dwell on my own mistakes and the mistakes that I keep on repeating. When I get caught up in this dwelling on the past I have a hard time believing that even my sins are covered in Christ's atonement. I forget myself and show a weakness of faith allowing myself to be caught in Satan's trap of feeling hopeless. Today I read this scripture and I was reminded that I do know, down to my core, that Christ suffered and bled from every pore for me! Christ went through all my mistakes he experienced all my pain so that I, in my imperfection, could actually have a chance in this life. I am truly grateful for that.

Thank You

"I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another-- I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants. And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments he should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you. and now, in the first place, he has created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hat paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?" -Mosiah 2:20-24

My debts to Heavenly Father are so great. I cannot even begin to understand what has been sacrificed for me. and so on this day of thanks-giving I want to thank Him. I am such an unworthy vessel, so imperfect and yet He never seems to give up on me. How do you repay something like that? I think that is king Benjamin's point... you can't repay that. All you can ever hope to do is be a little bit more grateful for the love and the gift. God has given me everything I can say matters at all. Without Him nothing. So I pledge that in the coming months I will remember what was sacrificed and try to show by my actions and words my true gratitude for it all.

The Strength to Go On

Life has been though for me. I don't want to sound like I am complaining, but I have had some very hard struggles in my life. There are things that I have been through that I wouldn't have made it through without the support of loving friends and in the end without the loving arms of the Savior wrapped tightly around me. I am reminded of a quote given to me by my friend Heather Harris Lyons. "Friends are like the pillars on your front porch. sometimes they bear you up and sometimes it is just enough to know that they are standing by if you need them." What would I do without friends. My life would never have been found were it not for friendship. I would have almost nothing good without friends. Without the friendship of Christ my life really would be nothing.

"yeah I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." -Alma 26:12

"And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;" 

-D & C 84:77