God Is Love

a storm rolls over the ocean

God can seem like an impersonal, unknowable being in the sky. But we can find peace during our hardest times as we seek to understand him as our Father, who loves us individually. My pre-teenage concept of God was perhaps a little irreverent, but it nonetheless sculpted my dutiful, strained relationship with… Continue reading

Trials Can Be For Your Good

an image of a person standing on a cliff overlooking a valley

Our success and happiness are determined by how we choose to react to trials. By Heavenly Father’s eternal design, mortality wasn’t meant to be easy. Though trials may weigh us down, we can face them with confidence as we look to Christ. The challenge? To have an eternal perspective in… Continue reading

But If Not

an image of a woman with a red frisbee in the woods

We must have faith that things will work out—but if they don’t work out according to our desires, we need to trust in God and in his timing. During the April 2004 general conference, I listened to a talk by Elder Dennis E. Simmons that literally made me stop in my… Continue reading

He Won’t Give Up on Me, So I Won’t Give Up on Him

girl staring out at hot air balloons

We must let our love for Heavenly Father, not the challenges of this life, define us. With a can-do attitude and unwavering determination, Marianne Fisher has accomplished amazing things in her life. Now in her eighties, Marianne has received two master’s degrees, has sung in a world-renowned choir for 17 years,… Continue reading

The Gospel Bridge: Moving from Complacency to Connection

A man crossing a red bridge that connects stone walkways.

As followers of God, who loves all his children, we cannot remain indifferent to the experiences of those who live outside our own communities; true discipleship invites us to be uncomfortable enough to listen when we’d rather look away. In a world where polarization seems to be increasing daily, followers… Continue reading

Trials: Mercies in Disguise

an image of a woman in a blue dress talking on a cell phone

What if we stopped seeing our trials as burdens and started seeing them as blessings? How often do we go through trials and ask, “Why me?” While this is natural, it is not the way Heavenly Father wants us to react. In a devotional given at BYU-Idaho, Brother Larry Richman… Continue reading

Wandering Sheep

child in a field of red flowers

A general conference talk gave me hope for my wandering son’s future. My husband and I have six children. They all bring us joy, but parenting them has also provided us with trials and learning experiences.  In 2003, our fourth child was fourteen and was struggling with many issues. Although I never learned… Continue reading

Understanding the Gift of Pain

an image of a man in a suit and tie holding his head

Recognizing the purposes for pain can help us see it for what it really is—a gift from our loving Heavenly Father. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to never feel pain? As appealing as this sounds, Brother Derrel Higgins, a professor at BYU-Idaho, explains why pain… Continue reading

Emmeline B. Wells: Women’s Rights Pioneer

an image of a painting of a woman in a blue dress

From her involvement in the suffrage movement to her triumph over personal tragedies, Emmeline B. Wells stands as a role model for young women. Women’s rights activist, suffrage leader, general president of the Relief Society, wife, mother—these are just a few of the titles that Emmeline B. Wells (1828–1921) acquired… Continue reading

Hear, Hearken, Obey: A Pattern to Overcome Adversity

Person sitting on a dock looking at a lake

When it feels like our life is cracking under pressure, how do we continue? Sometimes the answer is to submit to the will of God. I was 12 years old when I lost all my friends—for the second year in a row. Another move, another state. With burgeoning depression, I… Continue reading