A singles' ward in a neighboring stake has small FHE groups for the ward members. Back in October, one of my friends invited me to come to her FHE group so that I could meet more people. I decided to come, and I made some new friends.
In April, the groups got changed up, so I started going to a new group, but I still kept in touch with people from the old group. Yesterday, I went back to the old group because the group leader for the new group is on vacation for the next few weeks, so FHE got canceled.
At the end of the meeting, the person giving the closing prayer asked if there was anything in particular that we would like for her to pray for. One guy said he needed help finding a job. I said that I needed help with my toe healing.
On Thursday, I was at the beach, and I stubbed my toe on a rock. On Friday, it was still hurting, so I went to the clinic, and the doctor told me it was broken. He taped my toe and gave me a walking boot and told me to wear it for 4-6 weeks.
During the closing prayer, the person giving the prayer prayed for my toe, and for my friend's job. I got a call from the radiologist this morning, and it turns out it was a false alarm. My toe isn't broken. It's just bruised. I should be good as new in about 2 weeks.
Now I just need to wait to hear that my friend found an awesome job.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
To Hear My Soul's Complaint
One popular LDS hymn is I Know that My Redeemer Lives. I'm not particularly a fan of that hymn because I find the music to be dull and a bit repetitive, and it kind of plods along. (Give me something upbeat and brassy like Praise to the Lord, the Almighty.) But I was thinking about it as I was driving home from work yesterday, and something stuck out to me.
In verse 2, there's the line "He lives to hear my soul's complaint." When I was a teenager, this struck me as odd, since the scriptures seemed to have a pretty negative view of complaining (calling it "murmuring" and asserting that it was unrighteous and faithless). I had an epiphany yesterday.
In legal terms, a complaint is the first document filed in a lawsuit. It's a list of the plaintiff's grievances, along with factual allegations to support those grievances. After listing the grievances, there's a section entitled "prayer for relief", which is a request for the court to do something about the problem.
I like that imagery of God. God, being sovereign and omnipotent, has subject matter jurisdiction over our problems and personal jurisdiction over our adversaries. And He wants to hear our troubles. In fact, we have been instructed to cast our burdens on the Lord. (See Psalm 55:2, Matthew 11:28-30.) We can tell Him our concerns and pray for relief, and He has the power to grant the requested relief. And if it's a proper request, He will grant it.
In verse 2, there's the line "He lives to hear my soul's complaint." When I was a teenager, this struck me as odd, since the scriptures seemed to have a pretty negative view of complaining (calling it "murmuring" and asserting that it was unrighteous and faithless). I had an epiphany yesterday.
In legal terms, a complaint is the first document filed in a lawsuit. It's a list of the plaintiff's grievances, along with factual allegations to support those grievances. After listing the grievances, there's a section entitled "prayer for relief", which is a request for the court to do something about the problem.
I like that imagery of God. God, being sovereign and omnipotent, has subject matter jurisdiction over our problems and personal jurisdiction over our adversaries. And He wants to hear our troubles. In fact, we have been instructed to cast our burdens on the Lord. (See Psalm 55:2, Matthew 11:28-30.) We can tell Him our concerns and pray for relief, and He has the power to grant the requested relief. And if it's a proper request, He will grant it.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The House of the Lord
But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:' for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
Micah 4:1-2
I know that God views men and women equally. I know that the scriptures support this. I have received witness from the Holy Spirit that I can do anything a man can do, and that one day through the power of the Atonement, all of the remaining pieces of patriarchy will be done away with and women will take their rightful place as full equals in all aspects of society. For this reason, I have struggled for many years with some portions of the endowment ceremony which seem to be incompatible with this truth.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Thoughts on Prayer
But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.Latter-day Saints pray a lot. Recently, I was curious how often the typical practicing church member prays, so I sat down and counted it. (The number varies based on what day of the week it is and what kind of family situation the person is in.)
2 Nephi 32:9
- At a minimum, an active church member will pray in the morning upon getting up, before each meal, and in the evening before going to bed. (Assuming 3 meals per day, the running total so far is 5.)
- On a day with church meetings, the number increases, since each meeting begins and ends with prayer. (Assuming it's a Sunday, that's 6 more prayers, bringing the total to 11.)
- For people who are in family situations with more than one practicing church member, there is also family prayer. (I wasn't raised in the church, so I don't know how most families do family prayer. Is it morning and night, or just at night? Running total, 12 or 13.)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
A House of Prayer
There is a room on campus in the student center that is set aside for prayer and meditation. Upon walking in, there is a sign instructing visitors to remove their shoes. There are holy books from various faith traditions that people can read. There is a fountain that creates a peaceful ambient sound, the lights are dim, and there are places to sit. I usually prefer to sit on a cushion on the floor, but there are also benches and chairs.
I visit the room when I have a need to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of law school and re-center myself. Yesterday I had some heavy things weighing on my mind, so I went there to pray.
When I entered the room, it was empty. Every time I've gone there, I've been alone. I have often wondered whether anyone else took advantage of the space. (There is a guest book near the door, and many people have written in it, so obviously others use it, just not at the same time I do.)
I visit the room when I have a need to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of law school and re-center myself. Yesterday I had some heavy things weighing on my mind, so I went there to pray.
When I entered the room, it was empty. Every time I've gone there, I've been alone. I have often wondered whether anyone else took advantage of the space. (There is a guest book near the door, and many people have written in it, so obviously others use it, just not at the same time I do.)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
How I Receive Personal Revelation
An anonymous commenter on my post Stake Conference and Personal Revelation said:
I was struck by the clear and very specific nature of the personal revelation you received last september regarding marriage. If it is not too personal, or difficult to describe, could you please relate the process of this revelation? Was it a voice, a warm feeling after a specific question or just what? I would sincerely appreciate your input...I don't think I have ever been able to distinguish between emotions, hopes, fears and the spirit.I promised a follow-up post to respond to this question, and I'm only just getting around to it. I'm so sorry it took me so long. I hope you see this, Anonymous.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Stake Conference and Personal Revelation
It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I made it through finals, more or less. (I’m still waiting for several grades. I’ll never figure out why it takes the professors so long to grade exams. It’s been over a month.) I had a week off from classes, and for the past two weeks I’ve been juggling work with an internship for credit. However, that’s not the topic of this post. (That’s the topic of tomorrow’s post.)
The topic of this post is stake conference, personal revelation, and how it’s my lot in life to be misunderstood. Today was stake conference. Elder Trythall of the Seventy was the presiding authority. This morning, before the general session, he held a meeting for all the YSAs. The meeting was a question and answer session. Nobody seemed interested in asking a question, so I opened up a can of worms by asking a question that seems to crop up frequently in the Bloggernacle, most recently at Zelophehad's Daughters in Seraphine’s excellent series about being a 30-something single in the church.
For background, I’m 28, so while I’m technically still a YSA, I’m on the way older end. As regular readers of the blog know, I’m in law school and feel strongly called to use my God-given talents in the legal profession, most likely in legal academia. This tends to make me unattractive to the typical LDS man who wants someone who is 19, blonde, and with little ambition. (I've been told that the reason I'm single is that I'm too ambitious and too smart. Don't even get me started there.) Anyway, here’s the question I asked:
The topic of this post is stake conference, personal revelation, and how it’s my lot in life to be misunderstood. Today was stake conference. Elder Trythall of the Seventy was the presiding authority. This morning, before the general session, he held a meeting for all the YSAs. The meeting was a question and answer session. Nobody seemed interested in asking a question, so I opened up a can of worms by asking a question that seems to crop up frequently in the Bloggernacle, most recently at Zelophehad's Daughters in Seraphine’s excellent series about being a 30-something single in the church.
For background, I’m 28, so while I’m technically still a YSA, I’m on the way older end. As regular readers of the blog know, I’m in law school and feel strongly called to use my God-given talents in the legal profession, most likely in legal academia. This tends to make me unattractive to the typical LDS man who wants someone who is 19, blonde, and with little ambition. (I've been told that the reason I'm single is that I'm too ambitious and too smart. Don't even get me started there.) Anyway, here’s the question I asked:
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Personal Revelation and the "Ideal"
I've been mulling this one over for a while, and now that I have a few moments, I decided to sit down and write it. Since most of my writing these days has consisted of law review articles, you're going to end up with footnotes. It's an occupational hazard. [1]
I find the rhetoric used in the church to describe the "ideal" to be off-putting. It's usually trotted out in the context of family relations, but it can apply in other situations as well. It goes something like this: The "ideal" is a man and a woman who married in the temple in their early 20's (after the man served an honorable full-time mission), upon which the woman got pregnant within a year or two, quit her job, and became a full-time homemaker. [2] Any other situation is "less-than-ideal" and is something that the parties to the situation should feel at least slightly bad about. We can't acknowledge these situations with more than a few off-hand comments in talks because if we focus too much on them, then the "ideal" will be compromised.
In addition to causing heartache and pain to members whose lives have, for whatever reason, taken a different path, this notion of the "ideal" is in direct contradiction to our belief in personal revelation. Personal revelation comes through the Holy Spirit, a member of the Godhead. How could following instruction from God be less than ideal?
If someone receives personal revelation on a subject that differs from the "ideal", that doesn't make acting on that revelation not ideal. That revelation creates, for that person, a different ideal. For example, I have a good friend who became very close friends with a man not of our faith. As they got closer, she prayed about it and received a prompting to marry him. She was quite surprised by this, and she asked again to make sure she had understood correctly. She had. They've been married for 10 years, and they have a wonderful marriage and family. Marrying him became her ideal.
Personal revelation can serve to liberalize, as in the above instance of marrying a nonmember, but it can also serve to make things stricter for a given individual. For example, men are expected to serve a mission, and women are not. [3] When I reached the age where I was making the decision of whether or not to serve a mission, I received a witness that I should go. This revelation, which came from God, made my personal obligation to serve equal to the obligation of any man. Serving a mission became my ideal, and I would have been disobedient to God if I had chosen not to serve.
Instead of using the term "ideal" to describe the default position, I propose we use a different term which can avoid the baggage of value judgments. Perhaps something like "general rule", "default", or another suitable synonym. Basically, the idea is "do this unless you have revelation to do it differently". This phrasing is consistent with how Elder Oaks frames the issue. He has said:
---
[1] I once wrote a 7 word sentence that was followed by an 87 word footnote.
[2] In talking about the rhetoric of the "ideal", I don't mean to imply that there's anything wrong with marrying young or being a full-time homemaker.
[3] See e.g. Gordon B. Hinckley, "Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service", October 1997 General Conference, reprinted in November 1997 Ensign p. 49. Available here. (Accessed April 7, 2010). ("I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. ... We do not ask the young women to consider a mission as an essential part of their life’s program. ... Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.)
[4] Dallin H. Oaks, "Dating versus Hanging Out", CES Fireside May 1, 2005. Available here. (Accessed April 7, 2010).
I find the rhetoric used in the church to describe the "ideal" to be off-putting. It's usually trotted out in the context of family relations, but it can apply in other situations as well. It goes something like this: The "ideal" is a man and a woman who married in the temple in their early 20's (after the man served an honorable full-time mission), upon which the woman got pregnant within a year or two, quit her job, and became a full-time homemaker. [2] Any other situation is "less-than-ideal" and is something that the parties to the situation should feel at least slightly bad about. We can't acknowledge these situations with more than a few off-hand comments in talks because if we focus too much on them, then the "ideal" will be compromised.
In addition to causing heartache and pain to members whose lives have, for whatever reason, taken a different path, this notion of the "ideal" is in direct contradiction to our belief in personal revelation. Personal revelation comes through the Holy Spirit, a member of the Godhead. How could following instruction from God be less than ideal?
If someone receives personal revelation on a subject that differs from the "ideal", that doesn't make acting on that revelation not ideal. That revelation creates, for that person, a different ideal. For example, I have a good friend who became very close friends with a man not of our faith. As they got closer, she prayed about it and received a prompting to marry him. She was quite surprised by this, and she asked again to make sure she had understood correctly. She had. They've been married for 10 years, and they have a wonderful marriage and family. Marrying him became her ideal.
Personal revelation can serve to liberalize, as in the above instance of marrying a nonmember, but it can also serve to make things stricter for a given individual. For example, men are expected to serve a mission, and women are not. [3] When I reached the age where I was making the decision of whether or not to serve a mission, I received a witness that I should go. This revelation, which came from God, made my personal obligation to serve equal to the obligation of any man. Serving a mission became my ideal, and I would have been disobedient to God if I had chosen not to serve.
Instead of using the term "ideal" to describe the default position, I propose we use a different term which can avoid the baggage of value judgments. Perhaps something like "general rule", "default", or another suitable synonym. Basically, the idea is "do this unless you have revelation to do it differently". This phrasing is consistent with how Elder Oaks frames the issue. He has said:
As a General Authority, I have the responsibility to preach general principles. When I do, I don’t try to define all the exceptions. There are exceptions to some rules. . . . But don’t ask me to give an opinion on your exception. I only teach the general rules. Whether an exception applies to you is your responsibility. You must work that out individually between you and the Lord.As a people who believe in personal revelation, we need to make our speech consistent with our doctrine.The Prophet Joseph Smith taught this same thing in another way. When he was asked how he governed such a diverse group of Saints, he said, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.” In what I have just said, I am simply teaching correct principles and inviting each one of you to act upon these principles by governing yourself. [4]
---
[1] I once wrote a 7 word sentence that was followed by an 87 word footnote.
[2] In talking about the rhetoric of the "ideal", I don't mean to imply that there's anything wrong with marrying young or being a full-time homemaker.
[3] See e.g. Gordon B. Hinckley, "Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service", October 1997 General Conference, reprinted in November 1997 Ensign p. 49. Available here. (Accessed April 7, 2010). ("I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. ... We do not ask the young women to consider a mission as an essential part of their life’s program. ... Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.)
[4] Dallin H. Oaks, "Dating versus Hanging Out", CES Fireside May 1, 2005. Available here. (Accessed April 7, 2010).
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Meditations on Meditation
This week is final exams at school, or as I like to call it, Judgment Day. It's where I reap the just rewards of a semester's worth of procrastination.
This semester has been no different. I'm not as prepared as I would have liked. On Monday evening, I had my first final, in contracts. Contracts is one of my weaker subjects; I didn't do well the first time around. I was really nervous about this exam, but by 5:00 pm (for a 6:00 pm final), I realized that I was as prepared as I was going to be.
My favorite spot on campus to meditate is in the garden behind Mission Santa Clara. There is a statue of Christ with a Latin inscription of Matthew 11:28-30, which is one of my favorite scriptures. I went over there and began to (silently) pour my heart out to God. I explained how nervous I was about this exam, and how I realized that if I mess this second chance up, I won't get a third chance. I pleaded for divine help and promised I would do better and work harder in the future. (I was completely sincere in that promise.)
Afterward, I stood there for a while and felt the Spirit wash over me. I was reminded of promises the Lord has given me regarding my education. I was reminded that even though I could have theoretically done more this semester, I did enough, and that I would be able to remember what I learned this semester and also what I learned my first time in law school. I felt confident and at peace.
I went in to take the exam. As the test began, I read over the fact pattern, and information suddenly began to flow. It was amazing. I knew that some of the information was stuff I had studied, but much of it was direct inspiration. I was able to concentrate for the duration of the exam, which is something that is often difficult for me. (I'm easily distracted.) At the end of the exam, I was exhausted, but I felt like I did well enough.
I don't know why I got that extra help. I'm sure there are people more deserving, and I know there are more pressing concerns in this world than my grade on a contracts exam. I'm just grateful that God was mindful of me.
Tomorrow I have my torts exam, which I'm less concerned about. Then I'm done for a month. I'm really looking forward to the time off.
This semester has been no different. I'm not as prepared as I would have liked. On Monday evening, I had my first final, in contracts. Contracts is one of my weaker subjects; I didn't do well the first time around. I was really nervous about this exam, but by 5:00 pm (for a 6:00 pm final), I realized that I was as prepared as I was going to be.
My favorite spot on campus to meditate is in the garden behind Mission Santa Clara. There is a statue of Christ with a Latin inscription of Matthew 11:28-30, which is one of my favorite scriptures. I went over there and began to (silently) pour my heart out to God. I explained how nervous I was about this exam, and how I realized that if I mess this second chance up, I won't get a third chance. I pleaded for divine help and promised I would do better and work harder in the future. (I was completely sincere in that promise.)
Afterward, I stood there for a while and felt the Spirit wash over me. I was reminded of promises the Lord has given me regarding my education. I was reminded that even though I could have theoretically done more this semester, I did enough, and that I would be able to remember what I learned this semester and also what I learned my first time in law school. I felt confident and at peace.
I went in to take the exam. As the test began, I read over the fact pattern, and information suddenly began to flow. It was amazing. I knew that some of the information was stuff I had studied, but much of it was direct inspiration. I was able to concentrate for the duration of the exam, which is something that is often difficult for me. (I'm easily distracted.) At the end of the exam, I was exhausted, but I felt like I did well enough.
I don't know why I got that extra help. I'm sure there are people more deserving, and I know there are more pressing concerns in this world than my grade on a contracts exam. I'm just grateful that God was mindful of me.
Tomorrow I have my torts exam, which I'm less concerned about. Then I'm done for a month. I'm really looking forward to the time off.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
His Burden Is Light
I haven't posted in over three months, but I'm back now. It's been crazy, but God has done some miracles in my life. Here's a quick recap of the past year of my life, to give background.
In June, 2006, after completing over half of my law school education, I was, through no fault of my own, not invited to return. I was devastated, because I had pinned all my hopes on finishing school, and I was afraid that this spelled the end of my legal career before it had even begun. The university offered me a chance to appeal the decision, which I did. After two months, they decided to deny my appeal, and they sent me packing.
I told very few people about this at the time. I told my parents and sister, a few close friends who ended up in the same situation as me, and my bishop. When nosy, but well-meaning people in the extended family, or at church asked me how I was doing, I put on a brave face, said I was doing fine, and that I was taking a leave of absence from school.
The differing reactions from the people I told were interesting. Some people offered the usual platitudes about everything happening for a reason, and how I would look back on this experience and be grateful. (It's probably true, but I certainly didn't want to hear it at the time.) Some people joined with me in blowing off steam by badmouthing (in confidence, of course) the administration, the professors, the school, etc. And some people just said, "I'm so sorry. This [stinks]," and they mourned with me.
I thought about picking up the pieces and moving on to another law school, but I found out that I would either need permission from my old school, or I would need to wait for two years. (This rule is set forth by the ABA, not by the individual schools.) I contacted the university to ask for the letter of permission, and the dean informed me that writing such a letter was against school policy, but that I was invited to re-apply for the fall term. (Fall 2007, that is.)
I considered becoming a patent agent instead of an attorney, and I even went so far as to sign up for and begin attending the science classes I needed to supplement my education. After a month or so, I discovered that it wasn't for me, so I started looking for a job. I've spent the last 9 months working 60 hour weeks to pay the bills.
I re-applied for the fall term and was denied re-admission. At this point, I felt like I was at the end of my rope, and I cried until I was out of tears. I was so mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted, and I just wanted to crawl into a cave and sleep. Then the miracles began. I was pondering on how tired I was, and a verse of scripture popped into my mind. Matthew 11:28-30 (emphasis added):
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
This has always been one of my favorite scriptures, but it hit me with extra force this time. Christ promised me rest if I came to Him. Although my burden was heavy, His is light, and He offered a trade. I wasn't sure how exactly to do this, so I took some time alone and prayed. I basically told God everything that was on my mind, and I didn't censor myself. I told Him how I felt, why I felt that way, what was bothering me, etc. By the end, I was tired, and I went to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, it was like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I was still working long hours, and I was still unable to fulfil my dream of finishing law school, but I felt peace and rest. To quote the words of Alma, "I could remember my pains no more." Throughout the week, I pondered on what had happened. Being a scientifically minded person, I wanted to figure out exactly what I did, so that I could repeat it if necessary. After a few days, I realized that I didn't do anything; God did it. I was the unmistakable recipient of grace.
I am so grateful that I have a Savior who came to this earth not only to suffer for my sins, but to bear my pains and sorrows as well. Every time I think about it, I am humbled.
In June, 2006, after completing over half of my law school education, I was, through no fault of my own, not invited to return. I was devastated, because I had pinned all my hopes on finishing school, and I was afraid that this spelled the end of my legal career before it had even begun. The university offered me a chance to appeal the decision, which I did. After two months, they decided to deny my appeal, and they sent me packing.
I told very few people about this at the time. I told my parents and sister, a few close friends who ended up in the same situation as me, and my bishop. When nosy, but well-meaning people in the extended family, or at church asked me how I was doing, I put on a brave face, said I was doing fine, and that I was taking a leave of absence from school.
The differing reactions from the people I told were interesting. Some people offered the usual platitudes about everything happening for a reason, and how I would look back on this experience and be grateful. (It's probably true, but I certainly didn't want to hear it at the time.) Some people joined with me in blowing off steam by badmouthing (in confidence, of course) the administration, the professors, the school, etc. And some people just said, "I'm so sorry. This [stinks]," and they mourned with me.
I thought about picking up the pieces and moving on to another law school, but I found out that I would either need permission from my old school, or I would need to wait for two years. (This rule is set forth by the ABA, not by the individual schools.) I contacted the university to ask for the letter of permission, and the dean informed me that writing such a letter was against school policy, but that I was invited to re-apply for the fall term. (Fall 2007, that is.)
I considered becoming a patent agent instead of an attorney, and I even went so far as to sign up for and begin attending the science classes I needed to supplement my education. After a month or so, I discovered that it wasn't for me, so I started looking for a job. I've spent the last 9 months working 60 hour weeks to pay the bills.
I re-applied for the fall term and was denied re-admission. At this point, I felt like I was at the end of my rope, and I cried until I was out of tears. I was so mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted, and I just wanted to crawl into a cave and sleep. Then the miracles began. I was pondering on how tired I was, and a verse of scripture popped into my mind. Matthew 11:28-30 (emphasis added):
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
This has always been one of my favorite scriptures, but it hit me with extra force this time. Christ promised me rest if I came to Him. Although my burden was heavy, His is light, and He offered a trade. I wasn't sure how exactly to do this, so I took some time alone and prayed. I basically told God everything that was on my mind, and I didn't censor myself. I told Him how I felt, why I felt that way, what was bothering me, etc. By the end, I was tired, and I went to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, it was like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I was still working long hours, and I was still unable to fulfil my dream of finishing law school, but I felt peace and rest. To quote the words of Alma, "I could remember my pains no more." Throughout the week, I pondered on what had happened. Being a scientifically minded person, I wanted to figure out exactly what I did, so that I could repeat it if necessary. After a few days, I realized that I didn't do anything; God did it. I was the unmistakable recipient of grace.
I am so grateful that I have a Savior who came to this earth not only to suffer for my sins, but to bear my pains and sorrows as well. Every time I think about it, I am humbled.
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