The Ubiquity of God’s Grace

sunset

Hearing others’ stories of how God’s amazing grace is at work in their lives can help us see that he is also working miracles in our own lives. Too often, perhaps, we think that God’s grace can arrive only after we have somehow earned it. After all—as we read in… Continue reading

The Beauty and Value in Messiness

an image of a church with a cross on top of it

Life is messy. Luckily, there is holiness in the mess. In her essay titled “This Holy Mess,” Sharlee Glenn shared an experience she had while in Italy. Glenn’s tour guide said something that struck her as they were rushing to make it to mass: “Hurry!… We can’t be late for… Continue reading

Understanding Unbelievable Unfairness

Woman Working from Home

Life is unfair, but understanding its purpose can give us renewed vigor. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the world for the past year and a half. It has derailed so many plans and forced the cancellation of events. Many people may marvel at how unfair the whole situation… Continue reading

Creating a Community of Covenant-Keeping People

Temple building

By keeping our covenants with God, we open the doors to a shared community of belonging with God and with each other. In an increasingly individualized society, it may be difficult to see how any of us can truly connect with and understand one another. However, we can create a… Continue reading

Becoming Whole Through Broken Hearts

Ceramic circle with cracked clay

When we offer our broken hearts to God, he can mend them and transform our brokenness into beauty. The first time I saw a piece of kintsugi pottery, I was struck by the gold cracks in the bowl. Once broken, the bowl was laboriously made whole again by a master… Continue reading

Understanding the Symbol of the Cross

A cross on top of a large building

Latter-day Saints do not normally wear physical crosses, but instead take up a symbolic cross in order to come unto Christ. Why do Latter-day Saints not wear crosses? I recently talked about this question with a fellow member of the Church. She told me that she did wear a cross… Continue reading

When Evil Increases, So Does God’s Help

pink and purple sunset

The more darkness grows, the more God will help us if we rely on him.  It’s not easy to be a person of faith in our day, let alone to be a faithful Latter-day Saint. With the moral decline of society and the growing opposition against religion, it is easy… Continue reading

The Pornography Problem: Unavoidable, but Not Unconquerable

chain on rusted beam

For those who have been wounded in the trap of pornography, there is hope for healing, no matter how serious the injury.  The word “pornography” is often associated with addiction. Pornography addiction is a serious and real problem. However, “addiction” doesn’t necessarily describe every user, and the term shouldn’t be… Continue reading

Becoming Like Christ

an image of a woman is comforted by a man who is standing in front of a crowd

“It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God.” —Joseph Smith In “The Character of Christ,” Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles describes an experience he had years earlier while serving as a stake president. He was… Continue reading