Be of Good Courage

My thoughts on Sister Ann M. Dibb's talk "Be of Good Courage" .

Courage! I've had to deal with courage for the past few months. I've had to find it, use it and sometimes pretend until I felt I had enough courage to continue to press forward. I've feel like I've fallen short on some days.

I have taken courage in Sister Dibb's talk.

"... the Lord promises Joshua, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” We can find courage and strength in this promise that the Lord will always be there for us and will never leave us alone. We are taught that Heavenly Father knows and loves each of His children. As one of His precious daughters, you have access to His assurance and guidance through the power of prayer. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read, “Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers”."

I often think of the poem about the footprints in the sand. How I want to believe that but often feel like I'm the only one walking. Like the person in the poem we have to turn around to notice that we aren't alone. That is called "remembering" and if you want an interesting study, look how often the prophets of old (and new) are asking us to REMEMBER! "Remember, remember..."

Believe it or not, I've been struggling a bit with prayer as of late. My prayers seem all the same and they seem almost unanswered. This is so perplexing. I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that my testimony of prayer was unshakable, but right now, I just don't know what is going on. My children's prayers lack faith and so do mine. Something is wacky at my house. How befuddling.

"... when the Lord tells Joshua, “Observe to do according to all the law . . . : turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” The Lord is instructing Joshua to be strictly obedient to the commandments and not to deviate from the Lord’s path. President Howard W. Hunter taught: “Joshua knew that his obedience would bring success, and although he did not know exactly how he would succeed, he now had confidence in the result. . . . Surely the experiences of the great prophets [found in the scriptures] have been recorded [and preserved] to help us understand the importance of choosing the path of strict obedience”."

I've learned a little about obedience now that I'm a mom. Funny how when you are a parent you learn a little bit about our Father in Heaven. He knows a bit more than I do and maybe I should just trust him and obey even when it is hard and the other way look more appealing. I never really have questioned commandments, I've just done it.

"Here the Lord refers to a “book of the law” and tells Joshua to “meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: . . . and then thou shalt have good success.” The Lord is instructing Joshua and all of us to read the scriptures. Daily scripture study—especially reading the Book of Mormon—establishes a firm foundation for your developing testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. It invites the Spirit into your life. President Harold B. Lee counseled, “If we’re not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner [and] our spirituality isn’t increasing in depth”."

I will say I've been very consistent with my scripture reading, but not studying. I need to get better at that. I need to cut something out of my life and add personal scripture study. I just have to be better at it. I know I think of the scriptures often, but I'm not studying them. I wonder how better my life would be if I did personal study?

"Heavenly Father knows our individual journeys are not easy. We are faced every day with situations that require courage and strength."

and he will give us the courage if we pray for it. (Now read that again Doreen and believe it and live it.)