I recently wrote a post on the Handbook that Works for Every Child. Today I had an experience that stretched me to the end of my rope. It wasn’t big, it was a small moment that had been building for weeks. Simply put, I was mentally done. However, this experience has strengthened who I am and my belief in the words I spoke of in the above post, grew. The power and understanding that we can receive as parents is hard to comprehend, but I am hear to tell you it is real! When we pray for our children, we will recieve an answer.
Today was rough…..today I prayed…….and today I received a greater strength that I didn’t have before.
A year and a half ago, I had a really strong feeling to start homeschooling my boys (my homeschooling story). It was hard and a difficult decision to make. I went in head first and started researching many different resources that are available. Looking back now, I realize I had many resources fall in my lap. Friends would call or text out of the blue and say, “Hey I saw this, you should check it out!”
To this day I am amazed at the many things my Heavenly Father puts in my path to help and strengthen me and my boys. I still have days when I wonder if I am going to make it. I have moments when I think, “If my kids were at school, I could get so much stuff done.” Unfortunately, today was one of those days. Today, one child resisted everything I asked him to do. I had another child staring off into space while my baby cried most of the morning. I watched an angry moment unfold as one child lashed out on his brother for taking a toy. At one point I had 4 boys all saying “Mom!” or “I need help!” or “I don’t understand!”
Needless to say, I was about ready to blow! I didn’t understand either! As one child began throwing a tantrum I got up and went and locked myself in my room. I screamed into a pillow, I cried a few tears and prayed. I knew if anyone could understand me or help me, it would be my Heavenly Father. Ever since I was little, whenever I needed something, or an answer, I would close my eyes, open my scriptures and read the first verse I saw. More times than not, the words I read spoke comfort to my heart. Today was no different. I opened my scriptures on my phone, closed my eyes and began scrolling up and down, tapping on the screen every once in awhile! I know I’m CRAZY, but it really works. I opened my eyes and I had landed on Doctrine & Covenants 58:3.
3 Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
It never ceases to amaze me how such a simple verse can change my outlook and bring to my mind increased understanding. I may not see or understand why, but I will trust in my Heavenly Father who does understand. This last Sunday I had someone share a quote in class,
When you feel like you are drowning, remember your lifeguard (Jesus Christ) walks on water.
We all are going through our own opposition in life. My trials are different from yours. I struggle with things that many may find easy. This opposition shapes us to become something better than ourselves. It shapes us into our best selves. We can do hard things and as the song sings, what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger!!
Today my mental strength was strengthened, today my resolve to do better grew, today I prayed and a light shined through.
To listen to a podcast that goes along with this topic click below.