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Deep in every one of us lies a need for prayer—a stretching and striving to find a power outside ourselves. This is borne out in times of crisis, when men and women feel helpless, with nowhere to turn. As the Psalmist said, “Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them […]
When we hear the parable of the shepherd leaving the ninety and nine to find the one lost sheep, our attention is usually focused on the lost sheep. We think about the stray lamb wandering alone in the wilderness. We imagine the relief and comfort of being found, and the rejoicing that took place when […]
Once in awhile there are unexpected moments in our lives when time seems to touch eternity—when we suddenly feel we’re on the edge of this life and the next. These moments of awakening are often triggered by an unusual experience or sensation, however subtle, and frequently occur in the tranquil setting of nature. They have […]
Years ago, Nat King Cole touched the hearts of many when he sang the words, “When I fall in love, it will be forever.” For many couples, this philosophy of enduring love is a beacon in the storms of life. To have a worthy goal and hold on to it through tough times is essential […]
If we develop the habit of lifting our eyes, we can often gain a new perspective that makes all the difference. A traveler was composing a photograph of a famous landmark. She had a clear shot of the building, but the picture in her viewfinder seemed flat and uninteresting. Stepping back a pace, she suddenly […]
We owe so much of what we enjoy today to others. As Gordon B. Hinckley has written, “We stand on the shoulders of those who preceded us, men and women of courage and conviction who, in the midst of adversity, put their trust in the Almighty and worked endlessly to make their dreams come true.”1 […]
A woman traveling by plane was confiding in her seat mate that her child had failed to finish high school. Sensing the need for some encouraging words, the companion said, “We live in a world of second chances,” then went on to explain that all was not lost. Though the woman’s child may have chosen […]
Home is a feeling of peace and love that we carry with us. Never did home seem so far away as when a young soldier crouched in a foxhole near the enemy line during World War II. Bullets whizzed overhead. “For days . . . hot, humid, nerve-splitting days, and horrible, long, rainy nights,” the […]
“Oh say, can you see?”1 When author Francis Scott Key saw the American flag still flying over Fort McHenry, Maryland, the morning after a battle with the British in the War of 1812, he knew the Americans had not been defeated. With great enthusiasm he penned “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Nowadays the red, white, and blue […]
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. . . . And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”1 The world is a wondrous place, full of gifts from a generous hand. Life is teeming with endless varieties on land and sea. From insect to animal to […]
It’s interesting that God has asked us to call Him Father. He could have requested us to call Him many things, such as Majesty, Creator, Excellency, Lord, or King. These titles and others like them are very fitting. However, when we talk with God, He desires us to simply address Him as Father. We learn […]
For most of us, a day full of rain is a dreary day. Rain has come to mean being trapped indoors with bored and restless children, or getting drenched by passing cars, or struggling to open an umbrella. We’re more likely to find being soaked an occasion for griping than rejoicing. In a world ribboned […]
Every person is born with his or her own talents. Few people recognize their talents right off; it usually takes time for discovery. If you follow your heart, it will lead you in your search. A woman who thought she had no talents enjoyed reading poetry. She then began studying poetry styles, which led her […]
Anyone who travels even a few miles from home has encountered the frustrations of road work in progress. Sometimes it appears that the whole world is under construction. The result is often a slowdown of traffic, long delays, and unplanned detours. This pattern affects more than our literal travels. Our very lives are beset with […]
Although the light of God’s love shines into every life, what we do with the divine light is a matter of personal choice. Life’s relationships and experiences offer us almost endless opportunities to recognize our blessings, and reflect the light of God’s goodness and love into the lives of others. The joy that comes from […]
No matter how well prepared a woman may be for a child, motherhood inevitably challenges the far reaches of her soul. On an ordinary day, she may feel as though she’s not up to what’s required of her. She marvels at all that’s entrusted to her care. Not only is her child physically dependent […]
A short story tells of a king who allowed prisoners to choose their own fate—they were placed in an arena and told to select one of two closed doors. Behind one door was a ferocious tiger, and behind the other was a beautiful maiden to marry.1 Very often our own lives mirror this tale, as […]
In a 1964 professional football game against the San Francisco Forty-Niners, Minnesota Viking Jim Marshall picked up a fumble and ran sixty yards for a touchdown. After tossing the ball through the air in triumphant delight, he was congratulated by a member of the opposing team. It was then that he realized he’d made a […]
One of the oldest epics in literature dates back to the ancient kingdom of Sumeria more than 4,000 years ago. Written on clay tablets and preserved in an ancient Assyrian library, it chronicles the adventures of Gilgamesh the King, who determines to learn the secret of immortality. His odyssey takes him over mountains and into […]
If we rate the importance of historical events by how much they impact the world and for how long the impact lasts, we would have to rank the life of Jesus Christ as one of the greatest of all events. Even two thousand years after He lived, scholars still study the words He began to […]
As we pick our way through the maze of life, we find that wrong turns and misread maps cause inevitable delays. We get lost, and we have to ask directions; we take shortcuts, only to find ourselves struggling through jungles of error and heartbreak. And as we near the end of our journey, we look […]
Every great effort is fueled by a compelling vision. Sculptors see potential in a stone; builders begin with an edifice in mind; students see their names on a diploma; and parents nurture greatness in the most ordinary child. For millennia, the art of the possible has built cities, technologies, and people. It’s given hope to […]
One of the world’s best-known fictional characters is Lemuel Gulliver, whose travels were immortalized by Jonathan Swift. Gulliver, a seafaring doctor, first finds himself among a race of people only six inches high, then among giants who can tuck him in a pocket, and finally in a land ruled by wise talking horses. Gulliver is […]
Despite its tasks and trials, each day of life offers us opportunities to find joy in our daily activities. In a world filled with cares and sorrow, our Heavenly Father’s love is constantly displayed in the joy He provides along life’s journey. While joy is part of God’s plan for His children, we all experience […]
Great accomplishments almost always begin as simple ideas that we nourish in daydreams, until they blossom into action and make our visions a reality. Often our hopes and dreams are what keep us going: marching through snow during wartime, punching a time clock in a factory, struggling to overcome injuries. All tasks are made easier […]
When we’re young, we think about how much better life will be when we have more money. When we’re older and have more money, we look back and remember the happy times when we had so little. Almost everywhere we turn, money seems to be a focal point. Game shows and lotteries hold out the […]
It has been said, “Much of the world’s work is done by [people] who do not feel quite well.”1 The responsibilities of daily living are seldom easy. They especially weigh us down if we must perform when we are not at our physical best. If everyone waited until they felt perfectly well before doing any […]
Every child receives a surname at birth to identify it with its family. Often its given name comes from a friend or relative, the hope being that the child may take on the character traits or talents of that person. It isn’t long before the child’s personality flowers and a new identity asserts itself. As […]
“Once upon a time” is a phrase that starts many of our beloved fairy tales. Scholars tell us that storytellers used the words to alert their listeners to the fact that the story wasn’t factual. It was to be enjoyed and learned from, but it really didn’t happen. Have you ever thought about the meaning […]
Small children rarely walk anywhere. They leap, they dash, they run; the very words we use to describe their movement are as full of energy as are children. For a child, even the most commonplace sights and sounds are full of wonder. Above all, children live exuberant lives. The sight of a fire truck is […]