Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 1:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Nahum 1:7
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."

That is a very comforting verse if you trust in the Lord. I have felt Him as my strong hold when in the midst of trouble. You do not need to see Him to know he is there, and mindful of all that you are going through.

Day 4044

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 29:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 29:4
"But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales."

I pondered on what a bunch of trouble that fish would be in, simple because he found something that looked very tempting and went after it. Once he's bitten and now hooked in the jaw he is at the mercy of the fisherman. The fish is then moved not completely under its own power. As it is moved it starts to stick to other things until it is completely powerless and able to be devoured. People can be a lot like fish. I thought about the commandments and how they are a protection to us. They prevent us from being hooked in the jaw and start spiraling downward.

Day 4020

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 81:11-12

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 81:11-12
"But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels."

I pondered on being left to walk in my own counsel. There are some areas I might do fine in, but I cannot know all things. Before I read my scriptures I happened to watch a video on cutting up a chicken. I can learn from others things that are helpful. But, if I was left alone to follow my lusts and my own counsel it would become hollow, especially in times of trouble. It reminded me of the articles I read sometimes where people write about an issue or situation they have and others give them feedback or advice. I cannot tell you how many times the advice is through the eyes of the world, and lack any compassion or charity. Eventually, if one followed the world's advice that life would get hollow, devoid of friends and a warm heart. Oh, they would have won are argument, but what really does that leave them with? I am grateful I can turn to the Lord for wisdom and guidance.

Day 3929

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 77:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 77:2
"In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted."

I pondered on how we need to seek the Lord in good times too. If we only reach out in times of trouble and despair, and haven't developed a relationship with God, how quick will He answer us? It made me reflect on how important it is to pray daily in gratitude for all God has blessed us with. To acknowledge His hand in our lives and our dependency on him.

Day 3928

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 6:34

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 6:34

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

This made me ponder on something that happened over 30 years ago. My husband and I had a situation that if the worse case scenario happened it would have been absolutely devastating to us. This worse case scenario weighed on my mind and caused such extreme anxiety. I literally would tremble and shake at the thought of it. I could find no relief, because there was nothing to prevent the worse case scenario from happening. All we could do is our best, which we had done. I finally turned to the Lord for relief and was told to not worry about the matter, unless I needed to worry about it. If that day came then I would deal with it. I then left it in His hands, and the fear and anxiety left me. When about 10 years had past I realized the worse case scenario never did happen. That chances of it ever happening then were practically non-existent. Having done our best in the matter, and leaving the rest in God's hand had protected us. I had lived in peace all those years because I took no thought on the matter as I had been advised. I have lived that advise all those years since.

Day 3094

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

Today's Favorite Verse: Zephaniah 1:14-17

"The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung."

Zephaniah is speaking to those in the last days, where we are now. He speaks of it being a day of trouble, distress, wasteness, desolation, darkness, gloominess, thick clouds of darkness. Men will cry and be in distress. This is the key part, that men will be blinded because of their sins. The reason this day is so dreadful and full of despair is because of their iniquity.

"And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity."

(Moroni 10:22)

There is peace in Christ, though storms may rage, we can walk in peace through it, when we put our trust in Christ. By his grace we will be strengthened to endure all things. Repent every day so you will not be blinded and be found worthy of His grace.

Day 3066

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 5:15

Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 5:15

"I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early."

"Seek my face" has this footnote.

"In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me."

(Doctrine and Covenants 101:8)

It is a sad but true condition of the natural man. I remember going through that cycle, over and over again. Until I got very tired of it and much wiser for it. I had the brilliant idea "Why don't I turn to the Lord BEFORE I have troubles." Greatest piece of inspiration I ever received.

Day 3026

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 37:39

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 37:39

"But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble."

That strength never fails me as I look towards the Lord. I pondered on how many times He has carried my grief, heartache and pain, and in return allowed me to have His spirit to be with me. Then I can receive the impressions needed to resolve the problems at hand.

Day 2674

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 9:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 9:9-10

"The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."

This made me ponder on "enduring to the end". My favorite part of the doctrine of Christ. For this is how I come to know my Savior. I learn to turn to Him and seek refuge under His arm. He has always been there.

"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 seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

(Matthew 7:7-8)

Day 2646

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 34:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Genesis 34:30

"And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house."

Jacob's daughter Dinah is defiled, and then the man kept her and wanted his father to get the damsel to be his wife. Father and son go to Jacob to arrange the marriage. Jacob's son deceive them on the conditions, in order to compromise the men, so they could slaughter them. I read this and thought where is the good out of this? Then I realized it's Jacob's words. The actions of his sons have caused them trouble now. Is that not what happens when we don't follow the counsel given us by the prophet and leaders of the church and take matters into our own hands. How many misguided people, or even those that intentional deceive, have ignored the counsel given and brought grief upon the church.

Day 2193

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 21:23

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 21:23
"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."

This has been one of the greatest things I have been trying to learn. First learning to be quiet, then comes learning to have peace while being quiet. What a challenge, but what amazing rewards come from learning to do this. It is worth every effort to master this.

I have been pondering of late one part of my patriarchal blessing which says,  "Through you, peace, love and harmony will abide in your home." I realize after all these years, that it hasn't really been that because I could not hold my tongue. As I have come to understand that this is my sacred role in my home, I am striving to do better. I can see the fruits of my efforts. It's pretty humbling to know what power you hold, for things to go one way or another. Once coming to realizing this, I have felt a special strength to become a peacemaker. There is a closeness to the Lord that comes with this. His spirit is right by my side encouraging and guiding me along the way. I am so grateful for second chances.

Day 1224