I believe in Christ

He stands supreme!

From him I'll gain my fondest dream;

And while I strive through grief and pain,

His voice is heard "Ye shall obtain"

I believe in Christ

So come what may,

With him I'll stand in that great day

I Believe in Christ, Hymn 134

It seems that when it rains, it pours. Whether it's great things like dating or bad things like huge unexpected expenses. Nothing every seems to flow consistently. Lately I have felt like things have been piled on me. My stress and tears have increased (me+stress = tears, in case you didn't know). Even though I have a GREAT supportive system, sometimes I have felt as if I am barely keeping my head above water. I struggled with words to express how I was feeling without sounding like a broken record. Some unexpected individuals emerged with great words of advice and the comforting assurance that the Lord indeed does have a plan for me. There have been a few individuals that have fallen short. Maybe I expected too much from them.

I woke up this past Sunday morning, wanting to squeeze all the spirituality that I could out of that day. I wanted to receive direction in my life. I wanted to feel the Lord's love for me. I wanted to know that He is mindful of my needs and the difficult time I was going through right then. I was on my knees for awhile that morning. I was tired of feeling stressed. I was tired of feeling sad. I was tired of feeling like there were things within my grasp that have fallen through my fingers. I wanted to feel like myself again. So I fasted. I fasted for comfort and peace in my mind and in my heart. I've never been really big on fasting. I try to have a purpose when I fast but it has never meant that much to me. Until this day. I put all of my faith and trust into this fast, that I would receive what I was looking for. As I was sitting in sacrament meeting, we sang this hymn. I could not stop the tears that were coming, as I had to stop my partial singing (let's be honest - I don't ever really belt out these hymns) and read the words as others sang them. My favorite verse is the last (posted). I will get the things my heart desires even though it is painful right now. I felt the love and comfort of the Holy Spirit around me and I knew that my Heavenly Father loves me.

So yes, come what may. Life will never be perfect. Things will always go wrong. Stress will be a constant in my life. People will come and go - some I will be sad about and others maybe not so much. But as I strive to life a Christ-centered life, I will gain my fondest dream.

Elder Richard G. Scott said: “Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more. He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain. … This life is an experience in profound trust—trust in Jesus Christ.”