Strength through The Book of Mormon

I woke up to bloodshot eyes, tired-achy bod, and fried brain early this morning. I feel like (and look like) I've gone through the ring a few times. But hey! I have 4 cans of Stephens Hot Cocoa in my cupboard and Christmas cheese ball in my fridge. It's the simple pleasures in life.

During the busiest time, I've had a lot of personal things come up and big decisions to be made. So the anxious part of me is just having a meltdown and the rest of me is pullin' it together. During the few quiet moments that I've had, I've pulled out my Book of Mormon. It's reminded me that I need to believe that God is aware of me and believe that my Savior understands exactly how I feel right now. And trust me, this is a constant reminder, because lately, I've felt doubtful. I've been doubting myself and doubting God's plan. I haven't been angry with God, because let's face it. That's near impossible for me. But I've been lacking the faith that once carried me. So in order for me to strengthen my faith, I've been reaching for my Book of Morn.

The Book of Mormon has become a blessing in my life. It's helped me pull through some hard times. It's a constant reminder that God lives and knows His Children. He will help anyone who calls on Him. This book is another testament of Jesus Christ. This is His church. He truly brings "good tidings of great joy" to those who embrace Him. I know that I've felt that. Faith and hope have been a consistent theme throughout this book. Those who have faith in their God and Savior, will always come out strong! 

I'm human. I struggle, but I have found ways to overcome those struggles. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's literally brought "good tidings of great joy" into my life. 

He is the Good Shepherd - Day 3/ Day 8

Let Him claim you.

I've been telling myself this over and over. Giving my whole heart to Him has been hard at times. Sometimes, I feel like I just want to go my own way. I know myself enough to survive. BUT with Jesus Christ, I not only survive, but I thrive. So right now, I'm working on letting go a little at a time and letting Him have me. He is the Good Shepherd. I love this picture, because it clearly shows His love towards the lost sheep. He will go out of His way to find you and hold you. He wants you. He wants to hold you and love you. 

It's not the worst. He'll prove that to you.

You're in Good Hands - Day 2/Day 7

When you feel discouraged during your mortal journey, remember that your Savior, Jesus Christ has walked your path. Everything will be okay. Take a deep breath and know that your Savior is holding your hand!

30 Days of Jesus Christ

In my attempt to strengthen my testimony on our Savior, Jesus Christ this Christmas season, I have decided to commit myself to 30 days focusing on Him. The next 30 days, I will be emulating His light through service and sharing my testimony along the way. And if you didn't know 30 days from now is Christmas, so it'll be a perfect ending. With today being day 1, I have chosen to  read The Book of Mormon. I couldn't think of a better beginning than, to start by reading another testament of Him.

My hope through doing this is that I will be able to share my light of Christ with those around me. And I believe an added bonus and one that I desperately needed, is a stronger foundation and testimony of Him. I love my Savior and am excited to share with you guys my journey. You can check out my Instagram page @missmarlirock for regular updates and I'll also be posting on here as well. 

Merry Christmas friends! 

Connected to Him

I had a small moment of gratitude for my Savior, Jesus Christ last Sunday. I was feeling all sorts of emotions and anxiety. I felt so disconnected from the people around me, my family, and myself. So when the sacrament came around, I really wasn't feeling it. And then I realized why it's important to take the sacrament. It's a time where I can so intimately and deeply connect with Him. That changed my whole perception and I partook. I felt so deeply connected to my Savior. It was a humbling experience that brought a lot of peace to my hear. It was a small moment, but it really testified to me how important my Savior is to me. He knows me, He knows my pain and my joy. He gets it. I'm so eternally grateful that I can connect to Him. I've posted a video below of violinist and YouTuber Lindsey Stirling. I love this video, especially her sweet testimony of Jesus Christ at the end. Enjoy! Merry Christmas!!!

#ASaviorIsBorn

As I've gotten older, I have noticed more how my heart and mind are more turned to Him, especially during this season. As we begin this beautiful Christmas season, I wanted to share some special posts about our Savior, Jesus Christ. He holds a very special place in my heart and my life. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints released this special video yesterday. It was wonderfully done and I am so excited to share it with you. Let's begin with this video.

***You can visit christmas.mormon.org for more information.***

***If you'd like to read my Christmas series from last year, click here, here, and here. It's a three-part series***

Memory Lane - Christmas Edition Part Two

Sleeping on Christmas Eve was the hardest thing. I'd wake up every fifteen minutes and glance at the clock. I remember one year, my mom told me I couldn't come down to see my presents until I cleaned my room. My brother slept in my room (as per tradition) and helped me clean up fifteen minutes before we were allowed downstairs. (Which really consisted of us throwing toys into the window bench.) We'd always wake up early Christmas Day. Mom wouldn't let us see our presents until 5:00 in the morning. We'd hurry down the stairs and run to the family room where all our presents were waiting for us. Only us kids would be awake, until mom and dad would finally show up. Dad would turn on The Beach Boys Christmas album and pull out the camera. We'd spend hours in the family room playing with our toys. Mom would cook us a delicious breakfast. We'd then open our presents from under the tree to top of the morning. We'd play the rest of the day and feast on leftover treats and cheese ball. (I can't even tell you how delicious that cheese ball is!) My parents always made Christmas special for our family. Now that I'm older, I've realized that even though our Christmases were memorable, they never once forgot to remind us of our Savior. It is because of Him that I am able to feel and taste the sweet joy that He has to offer. It's because of Him that I am able to be with my family for eternity! I love Him.

Memory Lane - Christmas Edition Part One

Christmas as a child was magical! The anticipation of what Santa would bring me was only a small portion of the magic. The true magic and spirit of Christmas came through the joy of being with my family. I looked forward to Christmas Eve over Christmas day! Mom would spend her day getting the treats together for the party. Dad would have The Beach Boy's Christmas album and video camera ready to go. We'd rush to put on our new pj's and call our cousins to join us for the festivities. Then Little St. Nick would be blaring through our speakers and the party began! We danced to the music and laughed. We stuffed ourselves with cheese ball and crackers! Mom would read us Christmas stories. That was my favorite. The light above the fireplace was the only light on, besides the glow of the Christmas tree. The room was quiet as she read. She never forgot to mention the true reason for the season. She always brought the Spirit of Christ into the room as she bore her sweet testimony of our Savior. As I've gotten older, I've appreciated more the true meaning of Christmas. It's because my mom taught me. I'll always be grateful for that!