Kelley Barrow Miles shared a link.
Day 21:
"Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father."
This is hands down the most beautiful message out there about our Heavenly Father. It isn't clear to me if other Christians see God as a literal father or as a father in more figurative terms (I'd love any answers you all may have to clear that up for me), but I do know that in Mormonism God is very much our literal father and we are his literal children. Every Sunday I recite with my young women these words: "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him." In church our children are taught the words to a song called "I am a Child of God" where they sing so sweetly the lyrics:
"I am a child of God and He has sent me here. Has given me an Earthly home with parents kind and dear."
I personally believe that we have been organized into families here on Earth to replicate the family we left in Heaven. I believe we have a Father (God) and a Mother who watch over us just as we watch over our children here on Earth. I believe that we are growing just as children grow here and just as any son or daughter can aspire to grow to become like their father or mother, so can we aspire to become like our Heavenly Parents.
Our Father in Heaven provides for us. He gave us this home. He gave us our bodies. He rejoices with us. He cries with us. He knows us. He hears us. He worries over us. He loves us. Have I mentioned this already? I feel like I have, but I also feel like just because we can't see Him it is easy to forget this profound truth. He loves us just as fathers love their children.
It is so important because it changes how we see everything. I am not just Kelley Miles- a wife and student who wants nothing more than to never write another paper again, to hire a maid for her house, be able to dance a smooth fox trot and run away and sit on a beach in Italy some where- but I am a daughter of a God who is mighty and powerful and who actually knows who I am and knows what I want and knows who I can become and most importantly he cares.
You are not just some facebook friend who I may or may not have known at some point in my life, but you are also a child of God, my brother or sister. You are also someone who my Father knows and loves and cares about dearly. He also provides for you and listens to you when you call.
My neighbors, the man walking his dog, the cashier at the grocery store- everyone around me are children of my Heavenly Father. My brothers and sisters.
That changes everything.
How I act towards myself, how I act towards others, how I think about myself and how I think about others -if God cares and wants the best and sees the best in all of us, then so should I.
And anyone who is part of a family can imagine what love a father may have for his child, or what love an older brother may have for his younger siblings and imagine that love being perfect and unwavering and then they may understand a little bit just how much He and Christ love us.
This video brought me to tears for many reasons. Not only because I was reminded of His love, but I was also reminded of what a sweet blessing we have to be a part of our own families here on Earth and be reminded constantly of the love He has for us through the love we have for each other.#40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
http://youtu.be/R5FxdCgD-qI
"Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father."
This is hands down the most beautiful message out there about our Heavenly Father. It isn't clear to me if other Christians see God as a literal father or as a father in more figurative terms (I'd love any answers you all may have to clear that up for me), but I do know that in Mormonism God is very much our literal father and we are his literal children. Every Sunday I recite with my young women these words: "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him." In church our children are taught the words to a song called "I am a Child of God" where they sing so sweetly the lyrics:
"I am a child of God and He has sent me here. Has given me an Earthly home with parents kind and dear."
I personally believe that we have been organized into families here on Earth to replicate the family we left in Heaven. I believe we have a Father (God) and a Mother who watch over us just as we watch over our children here on Earth. I believe that we are growing just as children grow here and just as any son or daughter can aspire to grow to become like their father or mother, so can we aspire to become like our Heavenly Parents.
Our Father in Heaven provides for us. He gave us this home. He gave us our bodies. He rejoices with us. He cries with us. He knows us. He hears us. He worries over us. He loves us. Have I mentioned this already? I feel like I have, but I also feel like just because we can't see Him it is easy to forget this profound truth. He loves us just as fathers love their children.
It is so important because it changes how we see everything. I am not just Kelley Miles- a wife and student who wants nothing more than to never write another paper again, to hire a maid for her house, be able to dance a smooth fox trot and run away and sit on a beach in Italy some where- but I am a daughter of a God who is mighty and powerful and who actually knows who I am and knows what I want and knows who I can become and most importantly he cares.
You are not just some facebook friend who I may or may not have known at some point in my life, but you are also a child of God, my brother or sister. You are also someone who my Father knows and loves and cares about dearly. He also provides for you and listens to you when you call.
My neighbors, the man walking his dog, the cashier at the grocery store- everyone around me are children of my Heavenly Father. My brothers and sisters.
That changes everything.
How I act towards myself, how I act towards others, how I think about myself and how I think about others -if God cares and wants the best and sees the best in all of us, then so should I.
And anyone who is part of a family can imagine what love a father may have for his child, or what love an older brother may have for his younger siblings and imagine that love being perfect and unwavering and then they may understand a little bit just how much He and Christ love us.
This video brought me to tears for many reasons. Not only because I was reminded of His love, but I was also reminded of what a sweet blessing we have to be a part of our own families here on Earth and be reminded constantly of the love He has for us through the love we have for each other.#40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
http://youtu.be/R5FxdCgD-qI
Day 21: This is the end of my week about the Book of Mormon. I wanted to share one last testimony about it acting as another testament of Jesus Christ.
A while ago someone suggested that as I read the BoM I should start marking every time a reference is made to Jesus Christ. I followed through simply putting a light red circle around the many names of Christ.
I have to tell you, I was amazed at the frequency His name was spoken of or referred to. I knew the writings in this book were centered around Jesus Christ, but I had never realized just how much. It still amazes me when I go to open up my BoM and see all those little circles. There is hardly a page that doesn't have His name mentioned at least once, often multiple times.
Lord, Jesus, Christ, Redeemer, Holy One, Creator, Son of God, Lamb of God, Holy one of Israel, Savior, Maker, Messiah, Only Begotten. They were written by prophets of old and recorded for us to read and feel the second witness to the One who knows us best.
I can not deny that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture. I love it. I turn to it often. Ann #40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
A while ago someone suggested that as I read the BoM I should start marking every time a reference is made to Jesus Christ. I followed through simply putting a light red circle around the many names of Christ.
I have to tell you, I was amazed at the frequency His name was spoken of or referred to. I knew the writings in this book were centered around Jesus Christ, but I had never realized just how much. It still amazes me when I go to open up my BoM and see all those little circles. There is hardly a page that doesn't have His name mentioned at least once, often multiple times.
Lord, Jesus, Christ, Redeemer, Holy One, Creator, Son of God, Lamb of God, Holy one of Israel, Savior, Maker, Messiah, Only Begotten. They were written by prophets of old and recorded for us to read and feel the second witness to the One who knows us best.
I can not deny that the Book of Mormon is a true book of scripture. I love it. I turn to it often. Ann #40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
Jenny Barrow shared a link.
Day 21: There is a point to our life, it is to have joy! God prepared a plan that will give us joy in this life and for eternity.
The first ten days of this project I shared truths that have given me joy in this life. The next ten days I talked about God and how we are his children, how he follows laws, and some characteristics of God. For the next ten days I am going to share about specific truths and principles that God has given us that will give us joy in this life and for all of eternity.
These principles are sometime called the plan of happiness, or the plan of salvation. I like to think of these principles as God's gift to His children. God has many blessings and gifts, and like any good father he wishes to share all that He has with His children.
The plan of happiness is an outline of the laws and principles that God has followed to receive all of His blessings and gifts. He has promised us if we follow these laws and principles He will share with us all of the joy, happiness, and blessings He currently enjoys.
I know there is a plan for our life, there is a point to everything. And I know as we learn about and follow the plan of happiness we will find joy. We will see how our loving Father in Heaven is involved in the simple details of our lives.
This website will go into more detail into the plan of salvation. I am going to follow a bit of a different outline from the website the next ten days...So if you want a concise overview of this plan of happiness, spend some time on the website.
#40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation
The first ten days of this project I shared truths that have given me joy in this life. The next ten days I talked about God and how we are his children, how he follows laws, and some characteristics of God. For the next ten days I am going to share about specific truths and principles that God has given us that will give us joy in this life and for all of eternity.
These principles are sometime called the plan of happiness, or the plan of salvation. I like to think of these principles as God's gift to His children. God has many blessings and gifts, and like any good father he wishes to share all that He has with His children.
The plan of happiness is an outline of the laws and principles that God has followed to receive all of His blessings and gifts. He has promised us if we follow these laws and principles He will share with us all of the joy, happiness, and blessings He currently enjoys.
I know there is a plan for our life, there is a point to everything. And I know as we learn about and follow the plan of happiness we will find joy. We will see how our loving Father in Heaven is involved in the simple details of our lives.
This website will go into more detail into the plan of salvation. I am going to follow a bit of a different outline from the website the next ten days...So if you want a concise overview of this plan of happiness, spend some time on the website.
#40daysoftruth #LentChallenge2014
http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation
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