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    What are you Afraid of?

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    Last week I was invited to be one of two Life Coaches to help with The Sister’s Project Retreat near Heber, Arizona. (@thesistersproject.us)  I was surrounded by an exceptionally talented staff, gorgeous pine trees, and women who came to serve, learn, and heal.  The food was to die for, the laughs worth their weight in gold, and lasting connections were made.  Part of the service was refurbishing furniture with power tools and paint to help sex traffic victims.  So much loved was poured into that project.  

    As the retreated progressed, hour after hour, lives were changed in incredible ways as we asked questions to dispel pain points and false beliefs of retreat attendees. Several women literally experienced a change in their countenance as they were able to let go of old stories and accept God’s unconditional love.  Feeling ‘sisterhood’ was also one of the greatest keys to the success of this retreat.  When women gather in light, their power is palpable. The following quote resonated with me after watching lives change from Wednesday through Saturday, myself included.  I left the pines and came back down to the valley of the sun, where I’m again surrounded by Saguaro cacti and real life.  So what’s next?  Taking what I learned last week and moving forward.

    “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”   (Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love.“)

    As a child of God, power is part of your birthright.  This week I invite you to imagine living as your best, confident self and liberate yourself from fear.  Instead of pulling away from doing something good/hard, lean into it and see what you discover about the power within you. 

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    HOPE

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    When Christ walked on the earth, it was uninterrupted by the frequent distractions familiar to us who use modern technology; but we have something in common with those who lived in that time period. Having hope in the true source of light and love had the same effect upon the people of the Saviors day as well as our own. When we understand the power of Jesus Christ we receive a greater abundance of hope and receive help in taking the outward steps of faith. When we hope & believe in Christ, we can expect miracles, feel calm reassurance, peace, and be empowered by his love.

    The Bible tells a powerful story when one day the Savior crossed the path of a blind man and healed him.  He was born blind, and his life had been filled with great struggle not being albe to see in this world of texture, shape, color and light. He had walked in darkness for years only to finally discover the exponential joy of light.  I wonder if he had heard about Jesus Christ and had hoped that he would someday meet him. 

    As the story goes on, the Pharisees were not happy about this miracle.  When they questioned this healed man he said it was done by a prophet and a man of God, proclaiming,  “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. The Pharisees rejected this witness and threw him out of their synagogue.  Can you imagine the social implications?  And this is where I find hope the second time in this story.  The Savior came to him again as we read in John 9:

    35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

    36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

    37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

    38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

    39 ¶ And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

    This chapter teaches us of the personal nature of Jesus Christ, He who can heal us from any type of blindness, and is willing to personally help us. I am grateful for the opportunity to be a faith-based life coach.  When we see things through the lens of the doctrine of Christ, everything changes, and we can be on a path to receive exponential light.  When we get out of judgment, shame, and blame, we are open to truth, love, and light. The Savior asked the healed man,  ‘Does thou Believe in the Son of God?”  My invitation to you is to put aside modern distractions and deeply consider what you would say if He asked the same question of you.  

    I believe in Him. I also believe Him. I am thankful for each time He has given me eyes to really see and understand.  It gives me great hope.

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    Was it Luck, Coincidence, or God’s Fingerprint?

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    My husband invited me to attend a Matson Money business conference with him last week where not only did they talk about the health of the US dollar, but had a variety of speakers on mindset and the future.  We also spent one rainy day at Epcot, and after a busy week we were were looking forward to returning home.

    We woke up to a tropical storm Saturday morning that pelted against our hotel window. As I looked out I could see all the rafts getting blown around in the pool as palm trees swayed to and fro.  It was an impressive storm.  We had checked the weather and were grateful there wouldn’t be any rain later that day when we were scheduled to fly home. Mid morning we got a phone call from a friend asking, “Did you see your email?  Did your flights get cancelled too?” We hadn’t noticed prior to his call, but yes, unfortunately, there was no record of our flights. They had disappeared off our App and we couldn’t access boarding passes anymore. My husband tried buying the same flights as he had deadlines to return for, and we weren’t even sure those would work. Oh the suspense.  A few hours went by and we got another phone call,  “Where are you? You better get to the airport right now. There are at least 1,000 people in the checked-bag line!” You see, the storm had created a remarkable domino effect of cancelled flights that would insert itself into our travel plans. We were completely unaware that the airport had turned into a great sea of people. At that point, our stomachs sank and we didn’t even know if we would be able to get home.

    On our way out to Florida I enjoyed reading some great books where the power of faith and Enoch were mentioned. I am so intrigued by this man who lived his life in such a way that he could call down the very powers of heaven, move mountains, change the course of a river, and much more. His story is so compelling and quite honestly I had a desire stir in my heart to learn more about the prayer of faith. I wondered how do you grow your faith to an Enoch level? When we ended up in this traveling predicament, I decided to experiment (Alma 32:27).  I had come across a mountain in the shape of 1,000 people in a check bag line, plus a security line, with questionable tickets potentially blocking me from getting home.  There was a 2 hour wait to connect with customer service so we did the best option of all. We asked of God for His help.

    In addition to studying, I realize that in order to grow Enoch type faith we need to practice faith. I took some time to ask in prayer for specific help in getting home, and then I felt a sweet peace. I could have easily continued to worry about how it was all going to work out. However, when I noticed myself worrying — I would take my mind back to the peace I had felt, knowing God had heard my prayer.  Whatever the day would bring I knew everything would be ok — but what happened when we got to the airport surprised me!

    With skies still cloudy and grey, we got out of the Uber ride and started to unload our luggage.  As we entered the lengthy curbside line to check our bags, we were prepared for a long wait. Only seconds after entering the line, we were surprised to hear a voice from behind say, “Can I help you with your luggage?”  I immediately answered, “Yes!”  He asked us to put our luggage to the side so we wouldn’t upset other people in line, and then he proceeded to get our boarding passes and said he would take care of getting our luggage on the plane. The tip we gave him was some of the best money we have ever spent.  This employee mentioned they also had a conveyor belt broken so he had to manually take the luggage to another area for it to be loaded on the plane.  We had caught him on a return trip.  He said, “You are really lucky. This airport is crazy today.”

    So I ask, did you see luck in this story or did you see an answer to my prayer? I know what I saw:  A few steps away from our Uber ride, God had an answer waiting for me. When the man finished taking our luggage he said “God bless you,” several times. I believe Heavenly Father had prepared a way for us because of a prayer of faith. We were literally able to walk past hundreds of people and get to our gate without incident. It was miraculous. I only wish I had taken my cell phone out and recorded the scene so you could really understand the context.

    Where our conscious minds didn’t see a way to make it home that day, God knew how to make it happen. In this case it included a few thoughtful phone calls from a friend, it included being open to possibility, and it included accepting God’s perfectly orchestrated timing. That is a really important lesson for the timeline in which we live.  Unnerving things are happening in our world, and more than ever before it’s important to elevate our level of faith.  May we strive to trust that we have heavenly help.  It is my witness there will be times ahead when faith in God will provide a way for us to meet our Everests. I trust Him. I am thankful for Him. I know He hears and answers prayers in His own time and in His own way. I encourage you to look for one obstacle you face this week and ask God for help. You might just be surprised at the outcome like me.  

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    A recipe for wrapping yourself in true love –

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    Glad you could join me for a moment for a quick boost! Did you catch the invitation in the subject line?  How is it possible to wrap yourself in true love, especially if sometimes we can’t feel it from others?!  This week, I invite you to add upon the FOUNDATION OF YOU and love yourself a little more than you did last Monday, yesterday, or even 5 mins ago.

    Why? Because — YOU MATTER. 

    You are IMPORTANT!

    You are LOVED!!

    Sometimes false beliefs we have accepted throughout our lives block us from feeling all of the above and we end up with our love tank nearing empty; most often because we emptied it ourselves.  Ronald A. Rasband has said, “Isn’t it curious that loving ourselves seems to come less easily than loving others? Yet the Lord has said, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” (The Things of My Soul, October 2022)

    If you struggle to love yourself it can be difficult to love others and God. It also can be especially difficult to feel their love back. I’d like to share a secret recipe with you to make things better.  The main ingredient is YOU! The secret to self-love comes from whether or not you are willing to love yourself.  And no matter how much you already love yourself, did you know there’s more to find?  There is a lifetime of discovery waiting for you!

    To begin, ask yourself the following:  Is there something I need to look at that is causing me to not love myself?  Sit with that question and wait for an answer. Give it time for the answer to reveal itself then tell that belief/experience thank you for the tutorial and move on to the next steps:

    -Forgive yourself.

    -Forgive the pain caused.

    -Ask in prayer to understand the truth about you. 

    The rest is the fun part.

    -Look for the good. Look for anything at all that you love about you!  And then, linger there.  See what comes to your heart.  Accept it! Have joy in that space.  When you feel positivity or feelings of gratitude you know that you’re on to something!  That is an important step in engaging in self-love.  Just like good food can make your tastebuds burst with flavor, your heart will burst with joy when it feels the truth of love.

    And that’s a WRAP! 

    Action Opportunity:  Add upon the FOUNDATION OF YOU by loving yourself in the moment of now.  Forgive yourself, and remember that one of the biggest ways to wrap yourself in love is to understand that you matter.  

    If you want to add a little fun to your week, I couldn’t help but share some Valentine Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.  Enjoy! 

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    A Love Note That Could Take Your Breath Away

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    If you have a paper calendar (which is so rare these days) you might be suddenly thinking of red and pink hearts, chocolate, or romance galore as you turned to this new month. Or maybe not.  The month of LOVE is highlighted by Feb. 14th and as my oldest son said for years, that’s merely ‘Single Awareness Day’. (Until I typed that out, I never realized that was an acronym for the word SAD.  Oh my heart.)

    This season whether you’re widowed, single, married, or somewhere in between- I’m inviting you to do something out of the ordinary.  Eleanor Roosevelt taught, “Friendship with oneself is all-important because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.”

    Instead of focusing on your immediate or not so immediate relationships, please find the friend within.  Write a love note to yourself and name what you love about you. Did I just hear you gulp?  I know… sometimes it’s hard to look inside.

    We often hear we are children of God, but our finite minds find it difficult to comprehend the depth of love that comes with that truth. Sometimes we feel unable to love ourselves and we can be our own worst enemy.  That can bring distortion, grief, and loneliness. The truth is you are cherished.  You are important.  You are special and you are immeasurably loved.  That’s really how God feels about you and He wants you to understand your true worth.  “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love . . .” Jeremiah 31:3

    You heard it correctly.  ‘Everlasting love’.   It never stops.  There is no measurement.  It exists and is part of you.  Sometimes it just gets covered up by all of the things we think about ourselves that are not true according to God.  So let’s give this letter writing thing a try!  Writing is a powerful tool and will be a step in understanding more. Suggestion: If it’s hard to find something you love about you, ask the people around you for inspiration.  Write down what makes you happy. Fill in the blank, “I love myself because…”  Just start writing & you will see a theme.

    You. 

    The person God created. 

    Make your love note special.  Be reflective.  If you feel uncomfortable, sit with it and ask God for help, until you feel love percolating in your heart. 

    Experience HAPPINESS this February, and know self-love is imperative.  A love note with 1,000 lbs of truth could not only take your breath away but make you grateful for the very breath of life.  You might be surprised at what you discover by writing and reading this personal note to yourself.  There is plenty of love to go around this February regardless of relationship status my friends. 

    Action Opportunity:  Ask in prayer that you can feel God’s love and write a love note to yourself.

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    Want a Peek at my Personal Journal?

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    Have you ever had the desire to pick up someone else’s journal and read the insights of their soul?  Have you given into your curiosity and read on?  Well, here’s your chance to peek at something I learned this week with my permission.  But before we get there, let me ask you a question:

    How has this month gone for you so far in reaching your new year goals?

    In an earlier post I shared my go-to word of the year?  Yep, ‘Discipline’.  January was to contain gallons of it!  Ironically, my intended gallons feel like tiny teaspoons as we approach the end of the month.  Though I had a more heightened awareness of that intention, I also have experienced disappointment.  You see, I seemed to have come down with a virus/cold/bug?  Who knows??  But it happened twice this month.  So out the door went my hopes to start this year off with more dialed-in determination.  Quite frankly I felt off my game, many times.

    Eleanor Roosevelt’s often-used quote, “Believe you can and you’re halfway there,” only got me 50% of the way through my January goals.  My belief was not the issue… it was execution. 

    I did not make great leaps and bounds in the areas I hoped for but I did discover it takes discipline to not be hard on one’s-self.  So in truth, this past month has not been wasted.  It was full of noticing those things that money can’t buy and a calendar can’t necessarily plan for.  It was filled with trying my best and letting that be good enough.  I experienced genuine love and concern from my family, friends, and clients and was also grateful for tissues, cough drops, vitamins galore and time to rest.  It was ok to say I couldn’t do everything I had planned for, yet still appreciate the best I could do.

    My journal could read, “January 2022 – I got sick and lost a grip on my goals.”  20-ish days of failure so far”. 

    But instead, it reads, “I was ill several weeks this month and working on my goals went very different than I had hoped.  But I did the best I could.  I still strived.  I still learned. God still helped me on the daily.  Through prayer, He blessed me with exactly what I needed to push through the difficulties of the day.  I had enough energy to do what was essential.  I’m still waiting for all my strength to return so I can do more than just climb up my basement stairs without feeling winded, but in the meantime, I have been able to let go and ‘let God prevail’.  Perhaps that’s my first lesson in discipline for the year.” 

    I am reminded of one of the definitions of the word disciple: ‘one who follows another for the purpose of learning.

    Action Opportunity:  Record what your successes were this month, look at what you hoped to accomplish but didn’t, and see what you can learn.   Is there anywhere you need to have some self-compassion? I hope you’ll take a moment to write in your journal and see the valuable learning curve of this new year. 

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    A lesson from our past – MLK, Jr.

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    As we celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., I am captivated by the driving force behind all that he believed in.   I see the following words on repeat, with each beat of his heart.   

    LOVE. 

    HOPE.

    UNITY. 

    EQUALITY. 

    TRUE FREEDOM.

    Today my blog post is simple.  I invite you to read his famous speech, “I have a Dream”.  Perhaps ponder how you can take his example back into your own relationships, work settings, and home.   In your own circle of influence, how do you want to make this world a better place?

    He didn’t just think about his ‘dream’, he lived it.   He connected with people, he taught, spoke, served, and most importantly was PRESENT.  He said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”  Look at the way he used loved as a tool and shunned the weapon of hate.   Martin Luther King, Jr. chose peace over war.  Inclusion vs. exclusion and the list goes on.  He had an abundance mindset!  He pushed through limiting thoughts and instead of trying to destroy, he strived to create!  He brought to life more love, hope, unity, equality, and true freedom on this earth.

    I honor Dr. King today and am grateful for his passionate example.  I enjoyed taking time to read his speech, instead of hearing a 20 second sound bite.  His words remind me that where there is hope, there is the Light of Christ.  Where there is peace, the ‘Author’ of it is always with us.  The Savior has said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

    ACTION OPPORTUNITY:  Ponder on how you can create more love, hope, unity, equality, and true freedom and then write up your Dream!

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    Why do we go THERE? Stop comparing

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    We’ve all done it. When driving, it’s so easy to get distracted!  Have you ever had to put on the breaks, honk your horn or swerve out of the way?  Me too!  Actually,  confession time here.  I vividly remember one time in high school I had just finished visiting a friend and was driving home at night.  I can totally see it in my mind’s eye, still!  Something fell on the floor of my car so I simply reached down, thinking I could grab it really quick.  True, but I didn’t perceive that as I went down to pick it up, I turned the steering wheel slightly.  The car suddenly jerked, and I ended up bumping into the curb and was now driving on the sidewalk!  All thoughts of the object were obliterated.  Because of that distraction, and how I dealt with it, now I was in a place I didn’t want to be. With my heart pounding, I quickly reassessed and got back on the road. I learned an important lesson.  

    January is a month where we focus on a lot of ‘R’ words.  It’s typically a time for Reset, Resolutions, Restitution, and Running the Races we want to finish.  This month can be a fresh beginning and there are many that encourage us to GO, GO, GO; myself included.   Today,  I’m going to give you one tip to actually STOP something this month.  Stop comparing yourself and circumstances to other people.  As a coach, I see this as one of the biggest obstacles to our personal growth.  How we look at others is impactful. Stop looking around and measuring yourself against them.  That was never God’s program.  His is a program of joy!  

    When we look at others for inspiration and encouragement that helps us elevate our lives.  When we look at others and start comparing, we fall into judgment and it never serves us. Why do we go there???   Comparing ourselves to others is a temptation that can cause us to bump into curbs, wreck our God-given vehicle of agency, and cause our wheels to spin.  Are you still with me?  Great!  Let’s put a little more fuel in our souls. 

    We are here on earth to learn and as we yoke with Christ we can have joy in the journey of becoming.  The Savior shows us the pattern of arriving to our destinations in the best way possible.   He said, “I am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.”  (John 14:6)   So what was His way?  He was forthright, truthful, deliberate, powerful, trusted God; was faithful; inspired, obedient and so many other good things.  He never compared because He knew who He was and what he wanted to accomplish.  Charity was His way.  So my friends, if you really want to thrive this year –  Stop Comparing to others and instead look to Christ.  Once you connect with His true love, comparison is hushed. 

    Action Item:  Offer the prayer, “Dear God, help me see myself the way you see me” and stay in your own lane.  Your life is the perfect road, made just for you to learn on. 

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    Choice is Spectacular

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    Remember last week when I invited you to reflect on 2021?  I won’t ask you to do something unless I do it myself, so here’s a peek at my last year:

    My mom battled aggressive breast cancer; Our first grandbaby came into this world (Long-awaited PINK!); Our oldest son graduated from Medical School in Texas and started residency; Our youngest son returned from the England London Mission; I noticed marriage in the 32nd year is different than the 1st year; I have been fortunate to serve a group of Young Single Adults at my church; I met new friends joining the DTLC (Disciple Thought Leader Circle); I sang again with MCO (First time in a year and a half since we were able to gather post covid.  So refreshing!); I enjoyed the Mesa Temple Rededication and am thrilled it’s open again (so missed it during the 2 yr renovation); I adore being a Coach, doing group mentoring, and became a Coach Trainer for FLCA; Though I dialed down the amount, I still did floral design work; I became a Plexus ambassador – Go gut health!; I experienced and overcame opposition, many times; But most importantly as I immersed myself in the light of Christ, I felt Him near.

    And what did I learn through all of that?! :  Here’s my top 10 for 2021-

    1.  When I try to control outcomes I get in my own way.  There are blessings that come from surrendering and trusting God most.

    2.  When I follow impressions and act upon them I am surprised at all I can do.

    3.  Agency is as precious gift. I can choose to be happy or I can live in a hell of my own making.  Choice is spectacular. 

    4.  Kindness really does begin with me.  I can have as many friends as I’d like or be as lonely as life sometimes seems. 

    5.  God of deliverance.  He has placed people in my life just at the right moment when I needed them or they needed me.

    6.  Time is of the essence.   I only live today once but the ripple effect today has on tomorrow is something to be mindful of.

    7.   When I choose God’s love, I have no need to prove or defend myself.  I am already enough.

    8.  Other people’s opinions aren’t as important as my very own about me.

    9.  I can.  I used to often think ‘I can’t’.  In fact, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. 

    10.  When I pray, God answers.  Even if it takes over a decade.  Or a lifetime. 

    I am grateful for all I learned with the time I was given last year.  As the new year starts I always like to pick out a new word to carry me through the next 360.  It’s like a pep talk in just a few letters but keeps me focused on my goals.  This year my word is:

    D i s c i p l i n e

    The word disciple is the root word of discipline.  I am looking forward to learning more about the Savior this upcoming 2022 and how to really trust, hear, and understand Him to a higher degree.  That is my soul revealed.   I desire more of His peace and guidance and am happy to walk this journey with you.  That’s also the power of reflection.  If I didn’t take the time to look, I might not have seen the many gifts that were given to me.

    Action Item:   Pick a special word that resonates with you and may you continue to flourish.  Remember, your ability to choose something as simple as the language you surround yourself with is a spectacular opportunity and helps you create the life you want.  I’d love to hear what word you pick!

    .

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    To Reflect or Ruminate – which will it be?

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    Something that has never occurred in the history of the world is about to happen.  January 1, 2022 launches a new year, a fresh beginning that is waiting to be written upon, experienced, and recorded.   So what do you want this upcoming year to look like?   What imprint do you want to make?  Of course, we are speaking of those things you are able to shape and influence-  your thoughts, words, and actions.  Simply, what do you choose to experience in 2022?  

    Typically as the new year approaches some people select a new word to live by as a motivating theme for the year.  Some set goals for weight loss, or desire to gain more physical strength.  Others may have goals to get out of debt and prepare everything needful thing.  Others yet might want to achieve more spirituality, better family relationships or more success.  I know I have tried all of the above – sometimes all at once (yes guilty as charged – frequent overachiever over here.)  The list of possibilities is limitless.  I’d like to draw your attention to what will help you thrive, instead of losing your momentum 2 – 3 weeks into the new year.  Here are 3 simple ideas:

    -Take time to REFLECT on what you did really well in 2021. Journal about it and see what comes to mind.  What did you love about this past year?  How can you take what you loved, and add upon it?  How did you show up in ways that bring a smile to your face?  Refelct instead of Ruminating which leads me to my next point.

    -Let go of REGRETS.  Give them to the Savior.  Avoid looking back and wishing away mistakes, pain points and even sorrow. Those are instrumental in gaining experience and help us know what we want to keep doing, or not keep doing.  Stop trying to take back what you already gave to  Christ and move forward with Him.  

    – Connect with your PURPOSE.  What are you all about? If you don’t know, ask in prayer to be guided to know where you can put your focus this year.  In quiet moments of reflection, answers will come.  Yesterday I heard a  young man say, ‘So Long as you have a pulse you have a purpose.’  I loved that.  No one gets out of having a purpose.  

    As you reflect, let go of past hardships and stay connected to your purpose — you will change history.  Remember,  “Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.” (Thomas S. Monson)  Limitless possibilities await and you don’t have to do it alone:  “I am the way the truth and life…” (John 14:6)  May you bring Christ into the picture as you strive to set goals this new year.  He can take anything and make it better.  

    Happy New Year!