In 1982 I delivered our 4th child, a beautiful dark haired baby boy who had died about 48 hours before delivery. There were complications and I hemorraged which required some blood transfusions. From a medical standpoint we were advised not to proceed with having more children, but I felt very strongly that we should not be done. On the other hand my husband was ready to call it quits. We prayed and fasted together but still had different feelings.
One Saturday my husband went up the canyon to spend some time alone to ponder and pray about our situation. When he came home several hours later he walked in the door, looked at me and said, “time is of the essence“. As we prayed for further understanding we both knew that there were more children to come to our family, but there were reasons for us to hurry. Over the next few years I delivered three more daughters and one more son. Two of those children remained with our family and two of them passed away as infants. The last two came together and shortly after they were born I required a full hysterectomy because of hemmoraging. I thank my Heavenly Father for simple words that gave us guidance and direction and helped us to complete our family before time ran out.
Perhaps those words ‘Time is of theEssense‘ might be good advice in other areas of life. Maybe putting off til tomorrow what we could or should do today might be wise advise. How we use our time plays a big part in the outcome or results of each day and each event or situation. Although it’s good sometimes to slow down it can be equally important in other situations to speed things up. That was the case for us in having our children.
I’m grateful for a Father in Heaven who heard our pleas and gave us such direct and precise guidance during a crucial time. Nothing is of too little importance to Him. If it is important to you, it is important to Him.
Ask and God Will Enlighten You!
By Tanya Christiansen
Comments welcome on facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
Although we are born in the image and likeness of our Heavenly parents we are still very unique compared to one another. We have our own personalities, appearance, talents, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses. It would become very boring if we were all exactly the same. But are you true to who you really are? Do you follow the crowd? Do you change your opinion to go along with whom ever you are around? Do you lower your standards or hide your beliefs to fit in? Do you keep quiet when you should speak up?
There are many things that can keep us from finding our authentic self….. starting when we are born. Environment can have a deep and lasting effect. Where we live, our cultures, those things we are taught or not taught when we are small to name a few. I believe we all reach a point in our development when we ask ourselves the question who am I?
Sad to say I spent a lot of years not knowing who I really was, going along with whatever I was faced with not having the integrity or courage to speak up. It kind of felt like sitting on the sidelines looking in at the world happening in front of me but not really knowing how I could contribute. I think most teens and adults can remember times of having similar feelings. It has taken me a life time to find myself, my strengths and weaknesses, my likes and dislikes. And even still I sometimes surprise myself when I voice an opinion.
It is very possible to live in peace and harmony with all of the diversity that exists in this world. Like the colors of the rainbow, unique individuals joined together brings beauty. We can be true to ourselves while showing respect to others opinions and beliefs. God has given each of his children at least one gift or talent. We can seek to know our spiritual gifts. He loves each of his children with a perfect love. If we desire to know our authentic self, through prayer the Lord can teach us who we are and who he desires us to become.
I no longer wrestle with knowing who I am. I know not only who I am but also what I stand for, what I believe in and what length I will go to, to defend myself and those beliefs. I know that I have great potential and will continue to learn and grow. Don’t be afraid to show your true self to others. You are unique and have great worth and potential!!!
Who are you?
By Tanya Christiansen
Comments welcome on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
Thougha mustard seed is very small, the height of the plant that grows from it is very great!
If you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible to you. (Matt. 17:20)
Faith is to hope for things that the eye can’t see. Certainly we have all exercised some measure of Faith as we have hoped for this horrible pandemic to end. Believing that in time the restrictions would be lifted and that the numbers of those who had the virus would decrease and some level of normalcy would return. That is having Faith!
I not only hope that the sun will come up each day but I believe very strongly that it will. I do not know for certainty that it will rise each morning, so I rely on Faith. Having Faith is a choice I make which I feel helps me stay calm and gives me a sense of peace during difficult times. I believe that our struggles have a purpose and will help us grow and develop into better people.
I want to share one experience where I was required to exercise great Faith. When my husband and I decided to start our family I had no idea of the struggles I would have carrying children. After several miscarriages I was told by a specialist that I only had a 40% chance of having a live birth. My husband and I prayed and fasted and knew that we should continue to try to have children even though the odds were against us. It took much Faith to proceed. We were blessed with two sons and six daughters. Three of those children passed away as infants. My hope of their survival continued until their passing. At the time I felt I had failed to exercise enough Faith, but now I look at things a bit differently.
I choose to have Faith in a Father in Heaven who has a plan for each of us. I try to look at things with an Eternal perspective trusting that God knows the experiences I need. That is where my Faith lies……with God. He will never give you more than you can handle. Even when the answer is no we can still have Faith! I would have those sweet babies all over again! It shows Faith when we ask ourselves, “what can I learn from this?” God does not expect our Faith to be perfect. He only expects us to give our best.
Faith can move the mountains we face in life to a place where we can handle them. Whether it be that they are completely removed or just that our burden feels lighter. With Faith in God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can face our struggles knowing that we can have divine help if we only ask for it.
By Tanya Christiansen. Comments welcome on facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
I remember going to a circus when I was young and seeing lions jump through rings of fire. That was really amazing to me! Later in my youth I found myself jumping through my own rings of fire, not always keeping my focus on the center and sometimes getting burned.
Making progress requires focus and practice just like jumping through hot rings engulfed with flames. Those lions were trained and practiced many times before they performed. Likewise we need to focus and practice and become skilled in avoiding those things in life that can burn us. How do we do that?
I was personally burned and scarred many times in my youth and teenage years not really knowing where to put my focus or how to jump through, around, or get past dangerous things that could harm me. It is no different for the youth of today. They face rings of fire everyday!
Today in church we talked about ‘Putting on the Armour of God’ which is the word of God or truth contained in the Holy Scriptures. The Armour of God is protection for all against the adversary and his cunning and deceitful ways. God has not put us here on earth without instructions (or armour) in how to stay safe and protected.
We are all in the middle of a great battle between good and evil. We all desperately need the Armour of God which is truth and righteousness to win this war. The adversary will always present us with rings of fire that sparkle and glisten in an effort to deceive us. But…wearing the Armour of God will give us the strength and protection to walk around or past rings of fire without being burned.
My scars remind me of a time when I did not have on the Armour of God. I feel safe and protected now as I strive to follow the teachings of Christ and those scars are becoming less and less noticeable. There is nothing that our Father in Heaven wants more than to see His children return home safely.
By Tanya Christiansen
Put on the Armour of God!
Ephesians 6 :13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Comments welcome on Facebook or at ctr75@comcast.net
We all come to the crossroads in life when we have to make important decisions. Which path will you take? 7Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
I have been working on this post for quite sometime, being a little afraid to expose this part of myself but knowing for certain that I am being prompted and that the time is now. But then tonight I attended a devotional where the main speaker shared his own story which was very similar to mine. For a little while I had second thoughts about posting this tonight because several of those that attended the devotional also follow my blog. I worried about how it would be received instead of remembering those promptings that have kept me awake these past few weeks. I briefly spoke with my Bishop as I left the church and he counseled me to Act on those promptings. I quickly realized that the Lord often teaches through repetition. For who or whatever reason it is time for me to publish this post.
This post is written for adults, parents and teens. My hope is to open your eyes more fully to the dangers of substance abuse. From personal experience I know there are generally other things going on in someone’s life before they turn to drugs and alcohol. Some are peer pressure, lack of confidence, low self esteem, wanting to fit in, depression, sin, abuse, being an over achiever, fear of failing, deep sorrow and anxiety. I really dont like to think back to this part of my life, but if my story and testimony of the Atonement of Christ can help someone to turn their life around or avoid making the mistakes I did, the few moments that I visit my past is totally worth it!
I wish I could say that I never ventured into the world of drugs and alcohol, but that statement would not be true. At the age of 19 that’s exactly where I found myself. Everyone told me it would stop the pain. I had experienced loss of a parent, moving to a new school, abuse, a teenage marriage and divorce, depression, and loss of self worth. I know those things are really no excuse, but they wore me down to the point that all I could think about was to stop hurting! I found myself swirling around in a deep dark hole that seemed to have no bottom. At this point I didn’t really care about keeping commandments and had broke most of them. The turning point for me was one particular night when I was driving home after partying and I couldn’t find my apartment. I can’t find words to express just how scary that was for me! I realized then that I was either going to end up in jail or dead. That was the first time I prayed out loud in along time. I woke up in my bed, not really sure how I had gotten there, nor did I have much recollection of the things that had transpired the night before.
I didn’t really know what to do or where to begin to make significant changes, but I knew I had to. I don’t think I have ever felt more alone in my life. So I prayed and cried and prayed some more. I was so blessed when a knock came on my apartment door and the Bishop in the area I lived in, introduced himself and invited me to church. I know without any doubt that my prayer was heard that day. It took alot of courage to take him up on his offer…. but I did. Luckily my period of alot of bad choices was short lived, and through repentance and patience I eventually found my Eternal companion and married in the Logan LDS Temple.
You might be thinking that my story had a nice ending, but my challenges didn’t stop there. The result of my poor choices and the poor choices of others had lasting effects that carried into my years of being a wife and mother, making things much more difficult. You see…..I hadn’t really learned how to forgive myself and others or how to access the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I also had big trust issues and I struggled with letting anyone get close to me. I preferred staying away from people as much as possible. I struggled with making eye contact thinking that people could see my past when they looked at me. I thought I had repented but I still carried shame and guilt. I wasn’t always the best wife but my husband was always very patient and kind. I was determined that my kids would never make the mistakes I did. Giving them their agency was difficult. I endured many more hardships with a chronic illness (diagnosed in 1986), bed ridden pregnancies, the passing of two sons and one daughter, and the passing of my husband seven years ago to cancer……but I now see the wisdom in those trials. The Lord tries us and proves us to help us grow. Each trial has taught me important gospel principles and has drawn me closer to my Father in Heaven. I am still working at being the person that a kind and loving Father in Heaven wants me to be. But hey…I am getting there slowly!
I will be forever grateful for the gift of repentance and the help of my Heavenly Father’s servants here on earth who I have crossed paths with these past 8 years. I know that it is no coincidence that I became connected with certain people when I was at the lowest point in my life, not wanting to be here anymore. Their wisdom, guidance and unconditional love has far surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. Counseling has also played a big part in my recovery and progress. After 47 years I finally feel the effects of substance abuse and sin lifted!!!
I now have a greater empathy and understanding for those who have been caught in the web of one of Satan’s snares. The best advice I can give to someone dealing with this horrible sugar coated falsehood, is to turn to your Father in Heaven and find a trusted friend or family member who can support you in making serious changes in your life. Christ can be that trusted friend if you will let him. For teens who haven’t crossed the line to experience drugs and alcohol, good for you!!! It can destroy you spiritually, physically and mentally, it kills brain cells besides harming other organs, it does not take pain away, it only creates more. It is a tool of Satan to pull you down to destruction!
I am living proof that there is a way back! That way is through following the commandments in the Holy scriptures and through the grace of the Atonement of Jesus Christ who has suffered and died for the sins and suffering of all mankind. He has felt your pain and my pain. I have personally felt His cleansing power! I love Him! I will always honor Him with deep reverence and respect. If you have lost your way, seek help now!!! Don’t think you can beat it on your own!!! If you know someone struggling with substance abuse, love them and encourage them to get help!
By Tanya Christiansen
The 12 step addiction recovery program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is there to help anyone with any kind of addiction! addictionrecovery.churchofjesuschrist.org.
National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP
Drugs and Alcohol Kill!
comments welcome and appreciated on facebook and at ctr75@comcast.net
Last Sunday I guess I must have been extremely distracted, by who or what I’m not sure. It was my week to play the organ at church and so I went early as I generally do. I pulled into the church parking lot, put my mask on, grabbed my bag of music and went inside the church. After I had been playing prelude for about 10 mins. A man approached me at the organ and asked me if I had intended to leave my car running. I was totally shocked that I had done that! Was it the onset of dementia or was I so distracted that I lost complete focus of what I was doing? Have you ever been there?
If I could change one thing in my life, that would be to have my husband by my side, but since that isn’t possible for the time being I have chosen to be busy, to serve others and to be as active as possible. I know it is what works for me, it brings me some measure of joy, but I do need more work in staying focused on what I am doing at the present time. My mind seems to wander alot. Dodging distractions can be difficult in our fast paced world. If you struggle with this…. continue reading for a few tips that might help you to stay focused.
Note: distractions can be internal as well as external
Take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest, exercise and eat healthy. Spend at least 30 mins. each day doing something you enjoy.
If you feel like you have over- extended yourself, cut back on something. You don’t have to say yes to everything.
Avoid getting overly stressed. Only you know what you can handle and what you can’t.
It seems to help me to write things down when I have alot going on. I cross things off as I accomplish them.
Take a break, (daily if possible) from all electronic devices. It can feel so refreshing.
Manage your time carefully allowing for the unexpected.
Have a checkup if none of these suggestions seem to help you with staying focused.
Be kind to yourself and slow down a little. You’ll be glad you did!
Yesterday was a great day to reflect on our Mothers and other great women in our lives. Quiet times give us the opportunity to reflect on other memories as well.
Memories are varied, some being painful and hopefully subdued with time. Others bring joy and laughter, and even others bring lessons learned and experiences that have helped shape us into the individuals we are.
I have often wished that I could forget certain memories and regrets, but sometimes all you can do is work at filling your mind with good memories and reflecting on positive things that have brought you growth and joy.
There is much we can learn from those of our ancestors who have gone on before us. There wisdom can be priceless and help us in our lives today. And likewise… those things you are experiencing today can be equally valuable to those who come after you have passed on.
Ask questions and share stories that inspire your loved ones to press forward in strength and perseverance. I challenge you today to take a moment and reflect on one good memory. Certainly there is at least one!
This post is definitely a subject relative to myself but hopefully helpful to someone else struggling with patience. Unfortunately I am not a very patient person, but I am in pursuit of becoming one. Life offers many situations that test our patience. What can we learn from developing this attribute?
I, personally can not handle traffic and slow drivers. The past few weeks I have found myself in several traffic jams. Sitting in my car at green lights unable to proceed. I tend to get very frustrated and sometimes say things I shouldn’t say. I’m certain my blood pressure and heart rate rise too. It would be so much better if I exercised a little self control and took advantage of these moments to learn how to be patient and use these short periods of time to ponder and think, listen to music, or visit with the passenger riding with me. Instead my frustration sometimes sets the mood for the rest of my day, making it difficult to feel calm and peaceful.
Traffic jams are only one example of something that tests our patience. What about the traffic jams of life? Are we patient in difficult confrontations at work and home, during illness, or personal struggles that make it difficult to proceed and move forward? If you have read any of my other posts you are aware of significant challenges I have had. These challenges have demanded patience in overcoming the negative effects they have brought into my life. I have learned to take baby steps when I have really just wanted to leap to the finish line where the burdens I carry feel light and I feel lasting peace. One thing I have learned is that it doesn’t work that way. In my opinion it seems that all good things that bring lasting peace require much effort, trusting in divine help and guidance and of course, much patience!!!
I am still not where I want to be and maybe that’s how it is for everyone. I believe progression is Eternal. There is always more to learn. Patience can teach us that we can endure difficult things. I wait everyday to be with my late husband and children again. Enduring can strengthen us if we look for the lessons we can learn. I find comfort in knowing that God can help me develop patience if I put my trust in Him and His timing, but it won’t happen if I sit back and wait. I have to put forth great effort to change my ways and become better….. more loving and kind and more patient with myself and others.
Patience is not the ability to wait but it’s the ability to keep a good attitude while you wait!
One day, my young granddaughter made the comment to her mom that she had had the worst day ever! When asked why, she replied, “because we didn’t do anything fun today!” I have always remembered her comment which caused me to do some deep thinking about happiness.
There are many outside activities and even things that can bring enjoyment into your life for a period of time, but this kind of joy isn’t lasting. For example, today I found enjoyment attending church, looking at the tree that was just planted in my yard and playing my piano. These things made me happy for a short period of time. There is much in this world that can bring a smile to your face, laughter and feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
In the past few years I have searched for a deeper kind of happiness that comes from the inside out, deep within your soul….. and can be with you 100 percent of the time, even during challenges and sorrows. For me this Happinesscomes from being content with who I am, how I act, and how I treat others. It comes from knowing that I’m definitely not perfect and it’s okay if I make mistakes because that’s how I learn. This happiness comes when I serve others and when I allow myself the same courtesy and respect. This Happiness comes from knowing that I have a Father in Heaven who loves me and a Savior who died for me and lives again, making it possible for all mankind to have Eternal life and Eternal relationships. What great joy that knowledge brings to me!
It is so easy to become discouraged, unhappy and even depressed. Life can be overwhelming. I used to wonder why I couldn’t keep up with my countless responsibilities like other people. I often felt like I barely had my head above water. Comparing yourself to others is one quick way to drive true happiness away. Life is not a race though it often feels that way. What you think you see in someone else might not be true at all. Happiness lies within the goodness you have to offer. Everyone has a gift and something valuable to share with others.
If you are not as happy as you want to be, seek help. Counseling might not be for everyone, but for me it was the number one best thing I ever did for myself. Facing and talking about those destructive things that were bottled up inside of me gave me clarity and understanding. As I discarded those things the windows were open for good things to enter in, filling my soul with a greater joy than I had ever experienced. The skills I have learned have literally helped change my life for the better! While sorrow can pull you down, true Happiness can help you stand up straight and tall even in the midst of deep struggles. You can always find things to be grateful for. You can develop an optimistic outlook. You can feel great joy when you serve others. Jesus Christ gave the ultimate example of how to be Happy. He truly showed the way! I believe true Happiness lies deep within each of us waiting to be discovered and to be shared with others!
Sorrows and trials will come and go but Happiness from the inside out can prevail!
About a year ago a very dear friend of mine, (in an attempt to help me through a difficult moment) said to me, “Be Proactive.” After some research I came to the realization that for the majority of the time I was… instead Reacting to change and life’s difficulties. When I reacted without thinking first I lost control of the situation I was faced with, placing the blame on outside circumstances. This left me feeling frustrated, unhappy and sometimes even angry.
Being Proactive allows us to dictate to our self our actions and behavior, being in control of a situation even before it occurs. That doesn’t mean that we won’t experience sorrow, frustration, and disappointment during the storms of life…it just means that we can actively remain in control of our actions and handle future difficulties in a pleasing manner to ourselves.
There will always be the occasional driver who cuts you off, the alarm that fails to ring, the disobedient child, the list a mile long of things you need to do. The lost job, the sickness that passes through your entire family, the passing of a loved one. That is life! Will you react….. thinking life is totally unfair or will you be proactive having a plan before these things occur.
Being Proactive means:
1.You will be accountable for your actions.
2. You will be solution focussed.
3. You will allow for flexibility.
4. You will think ahead before something occurs.
Make a plan now for the future, prepare yourself and self reflect on your position at the present time. Are you a light on a hill for others to follow? Or is your countenance one of sorrow and dissapointment?
I am still working on being proactive. Thinking outside of myself and my own struggles, has been a big factor in changing a false appearance of who I am. I know there are great benefits in learning this concept. Benefits that can help all of us through the daily struggles of life without being beaten down. My friend had great wisdom in speaking those words to me and I will be forever grateful! My hope in sharing this is that you also can be better prepared for what lies ahead and uplifted during your challenges. I can’t end this post without giving credit to my Savior Jesus Christ who has helped me make significant changes in my life. He has been with me every step of the way.
