God's Way

With all that is going on in the world right now, there are so many pulls in so many different directions. There are people who are getting in each others faces over issues they feel strongly about. There is contention and anger.

Living in a very liberal state, I get attacks on my beliefs quite often. Everyone at work knows that I am LDS. They have asked what I believe and I have told them. I have shown that I live what I believe.

Many times conversation will turn heated. When it gets to that point, I leave the situation. Sometimes this makes my co-workers more upset because they can not sway me to their views. I have more recently taken to putting on my MP3 player and playing Conference talks to stay out of the whole drama.

My blog here I feel is a safe place for me to be free from those unwanted attacks on my beliefs and a place for me to speak mine.

There are so many people I know that are so determined to continue to do things the worlds way. Regardless of circumstances, it is always what is "Politically Correct", what the media dictates or what is popular. I will admit that there have been quite a few times in my life that I have allowed myself to be influenced by all that. I have been there and I have been here. I know the difference. I have tried it the worlds way, and I have and am continuing to try it God's way.

God's way brings me much more peace within myself and joy that I never could have experienced otherwise. I have understood new things that I never imagined; both about myself and about life/existence in general. I am not damned as I was when I did things contrary to the Gospel. Damned being quite literally what happens when you put a damn to stop water... to slow the flow or "progression".

It is interesting the mentality I had before about being damned... thinking it was a torture of living in hell. Now I understand that it is being prevented from progression and eventually to become like God. Actually, I guess with what I know now, that if I were to go back to the world's way that it would be like living in hell... knowing and understanding what I had given up.

I am so grateful to have an understanding of God's eternal plan for me. To know that he loves all of his children. To know that he knows me.

I am grateful for the Savior and the sacrifice that he made in Gethsemane in suffering for my sins. He loves me and continues to be a mediator between me and my Heavenly Father. He understands all my pain because he suffered it. He died so that I can live again. He lived and showed me how to live by his example and teachings.

I am grateful for a living prophet. I know that he is a mouth piece for the Savior. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His only true and complete church here upon the earth. (Others may have partial truths, but not the fullness.)

I am grateful for parents on this Earth who never gave up on me and who continue to pray for me.

I am sad when I see things happening around the world and realize that people have their free-agency and they choose to do things that take them further from God.

Just to be clear as to what I believe...

I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman and that marriage is ordained of God. Anything else is not in keeping with his plan.

I believe in life and that it begins at conception. I believe that termination of a pregnancy is murder and against God.

Using excuses that God made them that way is a cop-out. We all came to this Earth knowing we would have challenges and we accepted them and wanted the opportunity to have a body and to progress. Yes, I do believe that there are individuals who struggle with same gender attraction, but I also believe that acting on it is wrong. Just as I believe that pre-marital sex is wrong in a heterosexual relationship.

We all have different challenges that we face and need to overcome. I definitely still have plenty of my own. But I will not use the excuse of "God made me that way" to stop me from overcoming my challenges.

I am severely overweight. If I use the excuse that "God made me that way" and do nothing to overcome it, it will kill me. I suffer from depression, but if I use the excuse that "God made me that way" and decide to stay in bed all day and not take care of myself and my family, nor clean my house nor go to my job... there will be undesired consequences for them as well. It is all about overcoming our challenges and working toward becoming better and making God a part of the solution not blaming him for making us that way.