I know what you are thinking. Shelby is going nuts putting Jesus and Emerson in the same blog post. I may be crazy, but I have two quotes from two fantastic people who both have made my life a bit more thoughtful. First one is Joshua 1:9 found in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible. Jesus was speaking to Joshua and he said, " Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee wheresoever thou goest." In Joshua 1, Christ is constantly reminding Joshua to "Be strong and of a good courage." Just a simple lesson Jesus was teaching Joshua, and was teaching all of us. This past month I have been faced with challenges that have brought me to some times of hardship, and grief. Trials only make you stronger, this is just not something you think about during the hard times. Some very amazing people quoted Joshua 1:9 to me this morning, and it was a brief reminder of no matter how tough trials in our lives are, Jesus Christ is our constant companion. He advises us to be strong, and to be courageous. This world is not a easy world to live in, and it is up to US to listen to Jesus and his teachings to "Be strong, and of a good courage." Now how Emerson fits in to this mix. In my psychology book I read a quote the other day, and I just love it. Emerson said, "The sun shines and warms and lights us and we have no curiosity to know why this is so, but we ask the reason of all evil, of pain,hunger, and unusual people." How true this quote is. Everyone has those times to where we ask way to many WHYS and not enough WHY NOTS. Why are you are faced with a challenging time? I ask you now, why not? Each trial is a test of your faith, and your determination to overcome the trail comes from the amount of faith you possess. I am not here to lecture you, or even tell you about my trials. The fact is, they simply don't matter. They were put into my life for me to learn, not you. You will be, and probably already are faced with trials. It is up to you to not ask WHY, but WHY NOT!
My dear sweet Utah, What an amazing three weeks you've given me. You always will be my home away from home and I will always be grateful for my summers spent with you. Utah, you teach me a lot every single time I'm with you, and this year you've given me much to be thankful for. You have taught me that family is never that far away. You have taught me that life in itself gives great challenges, but those challenges make me stronger. You have taught me that one of my most favorite things is seeing my grandparents hold hands while walking together. You have taught me that the mountains are the most beautiful place in the world. You have taught me that the stars are so much brighter when you are actually looking for them. You have taught me how much I am blessed to have such amazing friends back home. You have taught me that it's okay not to look your best every day. You have taught me that Law & Order: SVU is a slight addiction shared by my cousins and myself. You ha...
ahh...my favorite scripture! It makes me feel stronger every time I read it.
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