Where Love is, God is.

I recently read that book “Power of Positive Thinking”, by Norman Vincent Peale. 

I loved so much about it and highly recommended it to everyone.  There are a few different things that I really loved and wanted to share from his book: 

The way to happiness is:

-   Keep your heart free from hate

-   and your mind from worry.

-   Live simply.

-   Expect little, give much. 

-   Fill your life with love. 

-   Scatter sunshine. 

-   Forget yourself. 

-   Do as you would be done by. 

Do this for a week and you will be surprised!!

I love all of that. And think it is great for all of us to try, I mean it’s only 1 week!!

I also love how much Norman Peale talks about having a relationship with Christ. In his book he says,

“The bigger your problems the bigger your prayers should be. How do you prayer if you don’t believe? Today go around saying, “God love me”, “God is with me”, “God is helping me”, “God is here in this present moment”.

Where love is, God is. Where God and love are there is happiness. Ten time a day say.” I can do all things through Christ which can strength me.”

Put yourself in Gods hands, say, “I am in God hands”. Now believe that you have all the power. 

Remind yourself that God is with you and nothing can defeat Him. 

I love how He speaks of God and out relationship with Him. 

I hope that we can all be able to practice something from Norman. This week I am focusing on “The ways to happiness list”. Will check in next week to let you know how it goes and tell you more about what Norman and others say about positive thinking. 

Much love,

Rachel 

Burdens Were Made Light

I remember when I was 8 years old and about to get baptized as a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. I remember having a thought of; once I get baptized I will no longer struggling with any sort of sexual addiction. I was ecstatic. I knew my body was going to be made clean (and in my eight year old little head that meant being “washed” of this problem).

As I got baptized I did feel good. I remember wearing white and feeling so beautiful. I remember my family was so happy. It was a beautiful day.

I am not sure if I made it days or even a week before I was acting out again. I remember being so confused and so angry with God. I thought He had abandoned me, or that I was somehow cursed.

I remember the shame and guilt I felt. It was such a heavy burden. I remember begging God to take it all away. I was so desperate. When I felt like the Lord didn’t do anything I was so angry with Him. I didn’t want to talk to Him again.

This is when self-destructive habits really started to play a role in my life.

As I look back I realize that how I imagined God, or what I imagined Him to do for me was incorrect. I think we all do this in our own lives, not just when we are eight.

In Mosiah 24 it says:

14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

I remember the first time I read this scripture in the Addiction Recovery Manual and I heard God say,” Rachel, I was there with you all along. What you went through was meant to happen”.

Instead of being angry, mad or confused I was able to thank God for taking care of me.

Trials will come to all of us, things that most the time we do no understand.

1.   Pray to God to have burdens lightened.

2.   Know that bad things happen to good people.

3.   To believe and trust God you need to get to know Him; pray- ask, read and study His words. He will show you who He really is. A loving, merciful God.

I know that God loves me. That every trial I went through was meant to happen. I am grateful that He has complete control over my life. I am especially grateful that is merciful enough to lighten my burdens that I “that even (I) cannot feel them upon (my) back, even while…in bondage”

Much Love,

Rachel

Ultimate Formula for Happiness

Yesterday I was completely exhausted at the end of the day, which lead to a spiral of feeling very depressed.

I am lucky to have such an amazing husband to get me out of the house to, cheer me up and an amazing Lord who blessed me with His love and spirit. 

As I was reflecting on yesterday, I came up with a personal list on what I can do when I am having that "down day", depressed moment, or just feel like giving up completely. 

To the paralytic man lying helpless on a bed, Jesus proclaimed, “Be of good cheer” (Matthew 9:2). To the frightened Apostles battling the tempestuous sea, Jesus appeared on the water, declaring, “Be of good cheer” (Matthew 14:27). As Joseph Smith met with 10 elders about to be sent out on missions fraught with trouble and danger, the Lord announced, “Be of good cheer” (D&C 61:36). In each instance the people had every reason to be anxious, fearful, and hopeless, yet the Lord directed them toward a reason to rejoice. (Be of Good Cheer: Choosing Happiness, By Camille Fronk Olson)

1. Remember that it's normal. 

Remind yourself that life is not perfect. We are ALL going to have hard days, weeks, maybe even months or years. Trials will come, unfair things will happen to us. But know that you are not alone. That other people struggle and don't always have it "all together". That it is part of our earthy experience.

2. Stop looking for happiness.

Too often we expect happiness to come in the perfect moments in our lives. And when are lives are falling apart we may expect happiness to land in our lap, it does not work like that!

I love how Josefina Casas put it:

Happiness is a much longer, deeper journey, and its way more rewarding. Being happy is a daily decision, and just like any other habit, you’ve got to internalize it, which requires constant commitment. So be willing to change, to be happier today.

That is, stop looking for happiness and start living happiness.

A study by June Gruber (Yale psychologist), suggests that constantly seeking happiness can actually generate anxiety. This happens when those who seek it, assume that if they do everything that they’re “supposed to do” to be happy, they WILL automatically be happy. The problem is, they don’t know how to deal with frustration if the results don’t appear in a timely manner. So, the truth is: happiness isn’t the result of doing just one thing, but of a change of lifestyle, and we don’t always get it magically by snapping our fingers or with a twitch of the nose.

This happens when those who seek it, assume that if they do everything that they’re “supposed to do” to be happy, they WILL automatically be happy. The problem is, they don’t know how to deal with frustration if the results don’t appear in a timely manner. So, the truth is: happiness isn’t the result of doing just one thing, but of a change of lifestyle, and we don’t always get it magically by snapping our fingers or with a twitch of the nose.

Source: http://postcron.com/en/blog/how-to-be-happy/

3. Smile, especially when you don’t feel like it.

Smiling can make us feel better, but it’s more applicable when we back it up with positive thoughts, according to this study:

A new study led by a Michigan State University business scholar suggests customer-service workers who fake smile throughout the day worsen their mood and withdraw from work, affecting productivity. But workers who smile as a result of cultivating positive thoughts – such as a tropical vacation or a child’s recital – improve their mood and withdraw less.

So you need to practice “Real smiles”.

The differences is in the eyes, 

notice the picture below.

It’s very easy to spot the difference.

Don’t forget to smile with your eyes. Practice in front of the mirror. Don’t worry that first time I tried this tears were pouring down my face, it made it very interesting…but I did end up laughing because of how ridiculous I looked.

5. Focus on today.

One day at a time!! My motto literally is, 

One day at a time, with God!

Science Mag did a study that people spend 47 % of their time digressing. Meaning: our thoughts are constantly wandering (about past or future); we are totally out of reality, out of here and now, today, not in the moment.

What precious time and energy is wasted!!!

Matthew 6:34 says, “Take therefor no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”

6. Go outside

Yesterday I felt bloated, had a stomachache and was completely exhausted. The last thing I wanted to do was go outside, but as I did it helped me.

Why? Well my personal belief is that it helped in multiple ways:

-   You are able to focus on others, rather than sit in your self-pity. It’s distracting.

-   Sun or fresh air is freeing. Gives me an energy boost.

-   Helps me realize the little things, and as a result I become more grateful.

7. The Ultimate Formula for Happiness

Elder Uchtdorf said, “The gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. … It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success.”

Let God in, just a little bit. Trust Him more. Let Him help you. His arms are outstretched to you “all the day long” no matter where you are or what you have done.

Just pick one this week, I know it is easy to get overwhelmed. 

You deserve happiness!

Much love,

Rachel