So...Scriptures

Today I am thankful for the scriptures.



There are so many things to be grateful for.
With little effort, I can compile a list of things that I am deeply grateful for: my family, my friends, my home, my faith, my health, etc. Life is full of so many blessings that I am grateful for on a daily basis.

But even with so many things to be grateful for, life sometimes just feels challenging.
At least it does to me.

Sometimes the things that I do everyday - sometimes the same things I am grateful for - just seem to be challenging. Sometimes for no reason at all.

I think that is part of the plan.
In fact, I know it is.
We are meant to be challenged in this life.
We are meant to face trials, large and small.
We are meant to draw closer to the Lord, and closer to the Savior as we face these challenges.
This is an important part of our life.
An important way for us to learn and grow in faith.
It is during the challenging times that I have felt closer to my Savior and felt His love in my life stronger than other times.

Because this is part of the plan, and because Heavenly Father is a loving father, He has given us tools and blessings to help us progress, overcome challenges, and feel peace and love during difficult times. One of the greatest tools He has given us is the scriptures.

I have always valued the scriptures as a source of truth, peace, and answers. I have always been aware of the power the scriptures can bring into my life. I have always felt peace as I've read from their pages, even if I didn't quite understand the words I was reading. But as I grow up, and as I face more of life's challenges, I am developing an even deeper love and gratitude for the scriptures.

Every time I have turned to the scriptures for an answer, or guidance, or comfort, I have found it. I can feel the Lord communicating to me through the power of the Holy Ghost when I read the words found in the scriptures.

I have heard before "prayer is the way we can talk to God, and the scriptures is the way God can talk to us." I have felt that to be true as some of my most secret prayers have been answered as I read from the scriptures. These words, after all, are words given straight from Heavenly Father Himself.

I absolutely believe that the Lord speaks to us through His prophets.
He always has.
He still does today.

Elder Scott gave an amazing talk in General Conference on this exact topic. He described the scriptures as becoming a friend to us as we learn, ponder, search, and memorize verses. I love this analogy! Makes my relationship with the scriptures feel more personal, more intimate.

As I have mentioned before, friends have been an important source of strength and comfort to me as I have faced life's challenges. Under this definition, I would absolutely include the scriptures among my friends. They have been an important, and invaluable source of strength and comfort to me through difficult times. And they are always there for me. No matter what.

Just this last week, as I was reading in Isaiah (out of all places) I found comfort in:

"I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man which shall be made of grass;"

-Isaiah 51:12

and

"Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light , and thy God thy glory."

-Isaiah 60:20

"The scriptures can form a foundation of support. They can provide an icredibly large resource of willing friends who can help us....Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one's ability to oversome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior." -Elder Richard G. Scott

Have you read the rest of his talk from General Conference?
Oh...if you haven't, you should.
It's a good one.

So today, and every day, I am incredibly thankful for the scriptures.
I am thankful for the closeness I feel to the Lord when I read His words.
I am thankful for the love that I feel, from Him, as I find answers to my prayers in the pages of the scriptures.

To me, this is one of the most precious blessings - to feel His love.

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Thanks for stopping by!