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Forty six years ago on Jan. 24, 1975 I awoke to have one of the most amazing experiences I would ever have! I married and was sealed to the most wonderful man in this beautiful temple above. However the day started out a little humorous as Ray and I showed up late for our special day! Somehow I had the wrong times. All of our guests were seated waiting for us to arrive. Before we were married we received counsel to keep covenants we had made that day and stay strong in keeping the commandments found in the Holy scriptures. We were promised that if we did that our marriage would not only be enforce in this life but also for Eternity. We could also have Eternal relationships with our children and loved ones. I believe strongly in those Eternal blessings!!! I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ who layed his life down then rose from the grave making resurrection possible for all mankind.

I did not know on that special day that I would only be with my husband for 40 years when Cancer would take him home to his Father in Heaven. I miss him everyday but I know that our marriage is Eternal and we will only be apart a short time in comparison to Forever! I also have three children, my parents and grandparents and many ancestors on the other side who await my return. I can get through these lonely days because of the things that took place in that beautiful building above.

Our Father in Heaven offers these Eternal blessings to all. He loves his children with a perfect love. He longs to hear from you and to know your struggles and triumphs. His son made it possible for you to go on living after this life. I know that to be true with every fiber of my being. I can’t imagine only having my husband and loved one’s with me for Time. I know death is NOT the end. Just like birth, death is just a step forward. Our progression is continual.

I leave you with my testimony. I know these things to be true. The world may label me a widow but I know that I am still married. This knowledge brings me great peace and comfort. Tomorrow I celebrate in my heart my 46th wedding anniversary! I leave these valuable truths with you in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Marriage can last Forever!!!

by Tanya Christiansen

Comments welcome on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net

What do you think of when you read the word ‘Certitude’? Certitude means, perseverance, taking action with clarity, wholeheartedly, fearlessly, acting with confidence and strong belief or conviction. Having a rightful purpose.

We all serve someone, our families, friends, in our communities, in our churches, our work places and some serve in our country. We can even serve ourselves. We all serve in one way or another but do you serve with Certitude? Or are you just going through the motions?

For the first couple of years after my husband passed away I did not serve with Certitude. I was not positive or happy. My life felt over. I continued to serve my family and my church but my heart wasn’t in it. But as time went on and I began to look for opportunities to serve something miraculous happened. My broken heart began to heal and the more I served with the right attitude and with strong conviction to serve wholeheartedly with a purpose the more I wanted to serve. I believe there is power in serving those around us. When we truly desire to give 110 percent we end up gaining far more than we give.

Our Savior Jesus Christ is the best example we have of someone who served with His whole heart and His whole life. He was completely selfless and only thought of others. If parenting is wearing you down, or you have a boss who can’t see how valuable you are or maybe you have a broken friendship to mend…….give 110 percent and see what happens. Serve with love and determination. Give your best all the time everyday and feel the satisfaction and joy that comes from serving with Certitude!

Serving with your WHOLE HEART brings Strength and Healing!!!

by Tanya Christiansen

Comments welcome on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net

The well known story of Little Red Riding Hood came with varied endings to the story, some being tragic and others joyful. All versions of the story were entertaining, but I remember checking out the ending of the story before I read it to my kids and sometimes changing things up a bit depending on their ages. Most stories have lessons to be taught and a moral to the story that can enlighten those listening.

Little Red Riding Hood certainly didn’t plan on crossing paths with the big bad wolf when she was happily skipping through the woods on her way to visit her grandmother. The big bad wolf’s plot was to deceive her and tell Little Red Riding Hood lies in his attempt to benefit himself and end up with a full stomach. If Little Red Riding Hood had been a real person in a real world she would have learned lessons about the dangers of walking through the woods or perhaps her mother would not have allowed her to go alone in the first place. Little Red Riding Hood would have also learned a lot about a world full of deception and lies and how we must always seek after truth in order to be safe and protected.

I have found my life to be very similar to the story of Little Red Riding Hood. I guess you could say that I spent alot of my life lost in the woods and being deceived by Satan himself. The good news is I finally ended up on the path to happiness and found my way out of the dark woods and into a place of glorious light and truth. I did not get here by myself. There were many who encouraged me along the way. The Lord has allowed me difficult trials that I now see as stepping stones that have led me to a knowledge of My Heavenly Fathers plan. This plan contains no deception but only truth. Anyone who seeks to understand and know the plan of happiness can have pure joy even when going through difficult things. My joy is in Jesus Christ who is the Savior of the world.

I started this blog over a year and a half ago to share my story and hopefully help lift others who are struggling. Sharing can bring healing. It can be difficult at times to share things that are personal and even more difficult to share mistakes we have made. But if it can help someone to find joy and peace it is totally worth it in my opinion. Each of you reading this post have your own story to tell. Your experiences and words could help future generations long after you are gone. Listen for those promptings that encourage you to share a part of your life that might help someone.

Remember there are many ‘Big Bad Wolves’ in this world. They are out to devour us and our children and to pull us down to a life of sorrow and destruction. Believing in Christ and following his teachings is our amunition against the evils that exist in the world today.

Don’t Get Lost in the Woods….. the Big Bad Wolf Might Get You!!!

by Tanya Christiansen

I invite you to read my whole story by scrolling back to my other posts. Please feel free to share with others. Comments appreciated here, on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net

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I know I have used this picture before but I can’t think of a better image than this to describe the feelings in my heart. I thought I understood Trust until a week ago when I learned a much deeper meaning. I hope that by sharing my experience that you will grow in your understanding of what Trust really is, as well.

In late Nov. I was asked to play a particular piano solo on Dec. 26th. I eagerly accepted the invitation. This piece was beautiful but very challenging. I love a challenge when it comes to piano. I desired to play this piece perfectly. Over the next four and a half week’s I averaged approximately fifty hours of practice on that particular piece. I enjoyed it thourouly!

I prayed fervently for my hands to be calm when the day came to play it in front of the congregation. I knew the piece well and I trusted that the Lord would help me. As the hour arrived and I began to play, my hands began to shake. For a few moments my Faith began to waiver. In those few seconds or minutes of struggling I wondered why the Lord wasn’t helping me and I even thought for a second that I should stop playing before I reached the difficult parts of the piece. I allowed doubts to creep in and for a short time I lost my confidence. I continued playing and began to pray silently for the Lords help. Even though my hands continued to shake somehow I hit the right notes and played with emotion that I hoped would bring the Spirit into the meeting. I later found out that two of my friends and one daughter were also praying for me as I played.

So what did I learn about Trust? First of all I learned that Faith goes hand in hand with trust. Even when you trust an individual you are exercising Faith in the person. Faith must be present to truly Trust! I not only needed Faith and Trust in the Lord and His ability to help me but I also needed Faith in myself and my ability to play that piece. Peter showed great faith as he stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water towards his Savior. I also exercised Faith when I accepted the invitation to play that piece even before I looked at it. But just like Peter who began to sink when he took his eyes off the Lord, my Faith also wavered when my hands began to shake and for a short time I doubted that the Lord was going to help me.

Next I learned that when much is desired much is required. The Lord loves effort. Even though I put forth alot of effort in practicing I still had fear. Nothing diminishes Faith faster than fear. Perhaps I should have spent more of those practice hours on my knees. The Lord is always there to help as we keep His commandments and exercise Faith in Him. Aligning our will with His and truly trusting in His ability to help means that we allow Him to answer our prayers in His own way and in His own timing. I still don’t know exactly how I got through that piece but I do know that my prayers were answered and I did receive help. Not just help with playing but also help with learning. I know that those few moments of struggle gave me a greater understanding of what it means to truly trust the Lord.

The things I learned can be applied in your lives as well….as you strive to trust with Faith in someone or something. The opposite of trusting in someone is being Trustworthy yourself. I hope that I am someone that others can trust. And more importantly I hope that I have earned the trust of my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. Having someone you can Trust in or being that person for someone else can be a great aide in surviving difficult trials and hardships as well as your daily challenges.

Take those opportunities of growth that come your way and Trust that the Lord will help you.

By Tanya Christiansen Comments welcome

Matthew 2:1-2 and 10-11.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold there came wise men from the east to Jeruselem, saying, where is he that is born, King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When they saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.”

That brilliant and beautiful star brings glorius promises to all mankind. If we allow its light to penetrate deep into our souls and guide us to that babe born in Bethlehem, even Jesus Christ…. we can have all of His promises and blessings that come as we follow His teachings.

Jesus Christ was born, died and resurrected so that each of us can have Eternal life and return to our Father in Heaven. What a glorious gift! Our gift to Him is measured by our efforts in keeping His commandments. We can follow the example of the wise men who followed the star, and come unto Him.

Each of us are born with His glorious light!!! Light that can stop the darkness! Let your light shine just like the star that the wisemen followed that others may come unto Christ because of your example. May we all ponder for a moment this Christmas, the glorious birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

Follow the Star!!!

by Tanya Christiansen

This time of year brings to mind all those gifts I treasure the most. They are not gifts with sparkling paper and bows. But they bring ultimate satisfaction and joy into my life.

My first treasured gift is the love of Family and Friends. I am so blessed to have wonderful people to spend time with and to be uplifted by. I also have wonderful memories of those who have passed on to the otherside. I know that my relationships with loved ones can continue on after I die. What joy that brings to me!

My next treasured gift is the Gift of Repentance that comes to all who accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ and repent for their sins and mistakes striving to overcome and follow Christ’s teachings. What a glorious gift for all mankind to be saved by His grace after all we can do.

Freedom of choice is another one of my treasured gifts. This gift means that I can worship how I choose. I can speak and think for myself. I can pursue my own goals and become what I choose to become.

My last but not least treasured gift this Holiday season is the gift of knowing and understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It gives meaning and direction to my life. There is no greater gift! This gift is there for anyone who desires to receive it.

What are some of your treasured gifts? I would love to hear about those things that mean the most to you!

Share one of your treasured gifts with someone you care about this Holiday season!

Merry Christmas from sharelift.org Thank you for supporting my blog!

If you have been following my blog at all, you know by now that I am a person who desires to Become more and Do more. Some might refer to this as “Divine Discontent”. Divine… because we are heirs of a King…and Discontent….because it is our God given nature to want to progress and become greater. This discontent in each of us is the driving force that will lead us to becoming more like Our Father in Heaven.

In my younger years I tried to convince myself that I was Content, but there was always that desire inside of me to achieve something or become good at something. For all of you who know I love to play the piano you might be wondering if that comes easy for me. Well the answer is sometimes yes, but generally that is within the walls of my own home, and also after tons of practicing. Playing in front of an audience is quite a different story. I often become very nervous. I hope to conquer that someday. The only way that can happen is if I keep trying.

The road to success is not always easy in fact…it is more likely never easy. Even when great effort is applied, there will be mistakes, stumbles, and falls. How do you react when after great effort to accomplish something you still make mistakes? I wish I could say that I always just jump up and keep going but the truth is, that sometimes… I allow the paralyzing discouragement of the adversary to get to me and I listen to his lies that tell me I can’t do it.

There will always be road blocks in our path to success. We may at times be required to slow down or take a break, or even find a new dream. These past few weeks have been frustrating for me as a problem with my heart has required me to rest more while my body heals. I don’t understand all the reasons why this has happened to me. Maybe for me to learn that others can step in and take some of my responsibilities or maybe so that I could write this post for you. But whatever the reason is I know that hard things can humble us and draw us closer to God.

I can testify that our Heavenly Father can and will help us to achieve greater personal capacity in all areas of our lives as we exercise faith in his plan and put forth effort. Part of having faith in His plan is accepting mortality as a time for learning and growth. Making mistakes may be an unpleasant part of that learning process… but a neccessary part to becoming perfect enough to someday be in the presence of our Heavenly Father and Savior and receive Eternal blessings!

Be patient with yourself! You will get there!!! Don’t let hard things stop your progress!

by Tanya Christiansen

Last spring I decided I wanted to finish my basement. I didn’t realize at that time just how much work and skill that goal would require. The first step was to go through things that accumulated over the years and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. Then a friend of mine helped me come up with a plan and design. Next I hired someone to put in central air and a new furnace. Then an electrician came to do all of the wiring, followed by a plumber. Over the next few months I hired different people with different skills to do framing, dry wall, mudding and taping, painting, flooring, and tile. My friends and neighbors also helped where possible. There were numerous people involved in helping me reach my goal. All with different skills and knowledge. And now my basement is turning into something magnificent!!!

Some goals are attainable by ones self but other goals might require the assistance and skill of another person. You can be a part of something magnificent by sharing your strengths and skills with others. You might be saying that there is nothing you do well. I believe that everyone has a gift, talent or skill waiting to be discovered. We are unique individuals and we all have something to offer. Seeking after those talents and gifts and developing them not only helps others but it helps to build your own self confidence and puts you a little closer to meeting your full potential! Your magnificent self!!!

Sometimes it can be difficult to ask for help but we can learn so much from each other. We don’t have to be extra smart or even accomplished in our skills to contribute to something magnificent. Just give what you can, small or large and it will make a difference! This world needs each of us to do our part to leave something of value and worth that will make a difference for future generations! You Can be a part of something magnificent!

Every Little Bit of Effort Counts!

by Tanya Christiansen

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The holiday season is upon us and for many it brings heightened sensitivity to those things of most importance. Hopefully we take the time to count our blessings and name them one by one.

When life gets tough we may fail to recognize those things that mean the most to us and maybe even take them for granite. Surely we all have something we are grateful for. At one of my lowest points when life seemed totally unfair I struggled to feel grateful for anything. A wise friend of mine challenged me to write down at least ten things each day that I was grateful for. I did this for one year and found it to be very difficult in the beginning but as I continued it became easier and easier.

Hearing is definitely one of my top ten greatest blessings. I love music and playing the piano. I can’t imagine not being able to hear those beautiful melodies. Hearing also allows me to hear the sound of laughter coming from little children and the soft whisperings of the Holy Spirit.

I am grateful for my hands. There are so many things I can do with my hands. Whether it is strumming my guitar, making a pie, writing a post or serving someone in need. My hands allow me to partake of the sacrament each week and renew those promises I have made with my Savior Jesus Christ.

I am grateful for my family and friends that support me and bring richness into my life. And I am mostly grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and my knowledge of Eternal families!

What are you grateful for? Take a moment this holiday season to ponder on those simple things that make life a little more pleasant. A warm bed, the air you breath, the freedom to choose for yourself. A friend who knows when you need a hug!

Be grateful! Thank God for all you have!!! Happy Thanksgiving from my house to yours!

By Tanya Christiansen

comments welcome on facebook or at ctr75@comcast.com