God Knows. Why Pray?

God knows our needs, but we still need to pray for them. It’s through our efforts and our Savior that he answers our prayers.  Imagine a child trying to lift a heavy box on his or her own. The child may strain and struggle, small arms not able to reach… Continue reading

Spiritual Wonder in a Stressful World

Misty sunrise looking down on a green mountainside

Too much homework? Upcoming job interview stressing you out? Find peace in what nature has to offer. When I was 12, my family held a reunion at Itasca State Park, Minnesota. Cousins, aunts, and uncles came from all over the country to spend time together in the majestic forest. For… Continue reading

Getting Your Feet Wet: The Faith to Act

Feet in water

As you wait for the waters to part, don’t hesitate to start walking. Trust that soon enough you’ll see the dry ground beneath your feet. As a high school senior, I prayed daily about which college to attend, but I did not get an answer from God. Frustrated, I eventually… Continue reading

Finding Comfort in Times of Sorrow

Group of friends standing together

Sometimes, you’ll feel like you are going through the journey of life alone; God promises you aren’t.  When I was a freshman in college, a young girl in my home ward took her own life. I hadn’t been very close with her growing up, but we had gone to church… Continue reading

Five Steps to Finding Divine Guidance for Your Life

Blond woman looking out of a car window.

Our Heavenly Father guides us with perfect wisdom and has set up a way for us to find guidance and answers through the gift of prayer. How do we recognize God’s guidance when we need help navigating life’s decisions or struggles? In his general conference address “Learning to Recognize Answers… Continue reading

Choosing to Trust God Unconditionally

Ocean waves and a zipline over a beach.

When we learn to trust God completely, we can move forward with faith, knowing that he will support and guide us through life’s most challenging moments.  The higher I climbed, the more I questioned my sanity. It was the end of summer break, and I had decided to go zip-lining… Continue reading

Rediscovering My Connection with God

Train tunnel.

When our connection with God feels weak, we can find strength by remembering he is our Father and the Savior is our Redeemer. Oftentimes we’ll go above and beyond to regain a missing internet connection on our cell phone: we’ll try everything that normally does work, and it just won’t… Continue reading

Who Are You? Identifying the Devil

Thoughtful man looks up from smartphone.

Discerning whether something is from God or Satan will give us the power to make conscious decisions that will help us overcome the devil. One night I was feeling very discouraged. I was in a whirlwind of doubt, self-loathing, and worthlessness until something occurred to me: these thoughts were from… Continue reading

Humility Will Take Us Home

Man sitting with hands clasped to cover his face

We are taught to “be ye therefore perfect” (Matthew 5:48), but is this actually attainable? With the help of Christ, it is—in time. We’ve all experienced feelings of pressure or stress. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed with simple everyday tasks, school, work, or the expectations of family and friends. My to-do… Continue reading

How to “Pray Always”

A young woman folds her arms and prays at the table.

We know that we need to pray morning and night, but what does “praying always” look like? Phrases that illustrate the principle of continual prayer are peppered throughout the scriptures: “pray without ceasing” and “counsel with the Lord in all [our] doings.” But how can we realistically apply this principle… Continue reading