Just for me

photo by Mark Mabry

God knows me.  Today, He inspired the messages given at church just for me.  Okay, we all know they weren't actually just for me, but to me it really felt that way.

In our young woman lesson, our teacher (thanks Leah) shared a story about one of her friends in high school.  I will call her Jane.  Jane was a beautiful girl, extremely talented dancer and singer, and had everything going for her.  One day while they were talking, Jane said, "Well, if I ever got pregnant, I would have to get an abortion.  I wouldn't have any other choice.  I am a singer and dancer, Leah.  That's what I do.  That's why I am here."  We went on to talk about how we, as woman are one of God's greatest creations, that our bodies are sacred, and that our mission on earth is motherhood.  No matter what else we are or any other talent we are given, nothing is more honoring or glorifying or important as our divine role of motherhood. 

“The greatest mission of woman is to give life, earth-life, through honorable marriage, to the waiting spirits, our Father’s spirit children who anxiously desire to come to dwell here in this mortal state. All the honor and glory that can come to men and women … is but a dim thing whose luster shall fade in comparison to the high honor, the eternal glory, the ever-enduring happiness that shall come to the woman who fulfils the first great duty and mission that devolves upon her to become the mother of the sons and daughters of God” -Melvin J. Ballard.

I also loved this quote that someone shared in Sacrament meeting: 

"When God wants a great work done in the world or a great wrong righted, he goes about it in a very unusual way. He doesn’t stir up his earthquakes or send forth his thunderbolts. Instead, he has a helpless baby born, perhaps in a simple home and of some obscure mother. And then God puts the idea into the mother’s heart, and she puts it into the baby’s mind. And then God waits. The greatest forces in the world are not the earthquakes and the thunderbolts. The greatest forces in the world are babies." -E.T. Sullivan

Before I found out I was pregnant with this baby, I had an extremely powerful spiritual experience where I knew there was a precious spirit up in heaven waiting and wanting to come to our family.  I began a long process of denial and debate with God about how there is no way we can have another baby right now.  We still have 4 years of school.  We will have student loans up the wa-zoo.  I have to loose 5 pounds first.  How can I take care of 2 babies?  And the list continues.  Well, God's will over-rode mine.  We got pregnant, and I was scared.  Instead of turning to Him, I shut down and stressed out, but today, I feel refreshed and reminded of this sacred little baby.  Holy, precious, and sent to earth to preform a great work.  I am the vessel God trusts to make that happen.  Today refocused me, and I know now, as I always have but chose to forget, that through Him, I can and want to take this on.

photo by Mark Mabry