What Love Really Means

God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not diminished should we disregard, deny, or even defile His name. His influence and dominion extend through time and space independent of our acceptance, approval, or admiration.
No, God does not need us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God!
For what we love determines what we seek.
What we seek determines what we think and do.
What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become.
We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are God’s spirit children. Therefore, we have a vast capacity for love—it is part of our spiritual heritage. What and how we love not only defines us as individuals; it also defines us as a church. Love is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Christ.  ~Dieter F Uchtdorf

He knows my name. :)

When You Look in the Mirror

It's important, when you look in the mirror, to tell yourself how awesome you are, and to realize that

 YOU ARE SPECIAL

Wrapped in God's love...with music

Ahhh...the power of music.

The other day, life was just hard. And I mean HARD. Sometimes it is not so much what happens outside as what happens inside... And, inside, it was a storm.

As I struggled to just keep going, just doing the bare minimum and still not even able to do that, I was hurting, lost, lonely, and ashamed.

Then, on the radio that the kids had turned on, came this song--a song that is normally not played. 

I crumbled to the ground, feeling the peace of perspective flow over me. It was God's touch in my life that day, and I felt the tears wash over and cleanse me as I truly "imagined." I felt the blanket of God's love wrap around me.

He is real. He is there. And while sometimes He walks by our side, watching us take our "first steps" in so many ways, watching us learn and stumble, grow and fall so we can discover our capacity and ability, I am grateful for the times that He just wraps me up in His love.

YOU ARE LOVED! (Don't Give Up)

My Redeemer

(I took this from the song "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and changed it up a little)
I know, that my Redeemer lives,
Oh sweet the Joy this sentence gives,
He lives to hear my souls complaint,
I'm glad I am a later day saint.

He lives to grant me rich supply,
His atonement lets me retry,
He lives my prophet priest and king,
My shelter, underneath His wing.

He lives all blessings to impart,
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all glory to his name,
He lives, and loves us all the same.

He lives my kind wise Heavenly friend,
He tells us all to give and lend,
He smiles upon us, erases my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears,

He lives and I shall conquer death,
For He lives and grants me daily breath,
He lives, my mansion to prepare,
He lives to bring me safely there,

He lives I choose to follow Him,
By doing so I'll surely win!
He lives to guide me with His light,
He leads me on to the path so bright,

He lives all glory to His name!!!!!
He lives and He deserves all fame!!!
His whole life He did not but give,
I know that my Redeemer lives!!
~Dassia

I am His Daughter

"Beautiful to Him"